Hey All,

Just a reminder that this coming Monday June 10th at 7 p.m. at the Daniels Spectrum the City of Toronto will be hosting a community consultation on the re-zoning and site plan amendment applications.  Please come out and ensure your voice is heard!

Regent Park Food and Gardens

 Ensuring all people have access to affordable, culturally diverse, fresh and nutrient-rich foods is vital to the overall health of the community. Regent Park has a long history of food advocacy. In the 1980s, the high cost to buying fresh food was identified as a barrier to good nutrition, so the Regent Park Community Health Centre, along with the CRC, negotiated various green spaces in Regent Park to convert them to urban gardens. Well over 300 families worked on their own allotted gardens and grew foods for their families.

What we found was we had some excellent urban farmers living in Regent Park. They’ve been able to grow such foods as okra, black pepper, and even rice! 

However, we also knew that not everyone could farm nor did we have the space to ensure there was enough room to grow food for everyone who lives in the community. Developing food security initiatives has therefore long been a priority for Regent Park. 

Currently, there are several new projects that are working to enhance food security for the community. The new Food Centre at the Christian Resource Centre and the Regent Park Farmers’ Market are just a few of the initiatives that are coming into the neighbourhood this year.  

Even more food initiatives will be developing alongside the completion of Regent Park park and still more when the Athletics Grounds are complete. This unique approach to urban agriculture speaks to the creativity and ingenuity found in Regent Park.

With the support of long-serving community agencies, urban farming continues to be a vital tool for many residents, and we are excited to see the new food projects being initiated in Regent Park -- especially the Regent Park Farmers’ Market, which launches today! Make sure to stop by and check out the flyer on our website for more information.

Getting ready for summer in Regent Park

The snow is finally gone (we hope), the tulips are starting to sprout, and our winter clothes have been put away; spring is in the air! As we look forward to the next few months of sunshine and outdoor activities, we are anticipating all the events that are to come.  Here are some that we are looking forward to:

Sunday in the Park 2013

This year, RPNI will be spearheading Regent Park’s annual summer festival, Sunday in the Park.  For over 20 years, this event has brought us all together to celebrate the diversity and beauty that comes from our community. Many of you have participated in the past to make the day a success.  We are looking for the same commitment this year to make this the best Sunday in the Park yet.  The next planning meeting will be on May 21 at 1pm. It will be held at Daniels Spectrum on the 3^rd floor.  We hope to see you there.

Farmers Market

Starting this June, every Wednesday there will be a farmers market hosted in Regent Park. If you are interested in growing or cooking for the market, or just want to learn more about this exciting project, come out to the next meeting.  It will be held on May 7^th at 5:30 p.m. at 500 Dundas St. E. (the Presentation Centre). If you would like more information contact Nina at nphillips@danielscorp.com

...many more to come

This summer will bring many more events to the community, creating opportunities for us to come together. We will be telling you about them as they come up and provide a recap of the events we attend. We hope that you all take the opportunity to participate in the diverse events that are all around you.