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. 

Winter Wonderland

It’s that time of year again when the realities of winter are upon us. It is super cold outside and for most of us the thought of stepping out the front door is a non starter. However it is important that we stay active to stave off winter depression and the extra holiday pounds. Thankfully there are many activities you can partake in during these cold months. For the next week we are going to highlight some activates that are happening that will cost very little and will keep you healthy and active this winter.

Swimming

When most of us think of swimming, summer comes to mind. However, right here in Regent Park we have a lovely aquatic centre that can keep you swimming all year long. The Regent Park Aquatic Centre (RPAC) is our new aquatic facility located at 640 Dundas St E.  The centre has three pools, a diving board, a Tarzan rope and water slide.  RPAC has many structured programs including adult swimming class, bronze cross training and private lessons.  They also have a variety of drop-in programs including women and men only leisure swims times.

Ice Skating

What Canadian winter in complete without strapping on a pair of ice skates.  In Regent Park we have two outdoor skating facilities that are free of charge. The North Rink is located at River St. and Oak St. (west of River on Oak) and is open most days for 6 p.m. to 10 p.m (unsupervised). Their supervised public and family skate are on the weekend.  The South Rink, located at Shuter St. and Sumach St, has public skate times every day. They also have youth skate from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

Yoga

Every Wednesday starting January 9^th, 2013 Daniels Centre of Learning has been hosting a free Yoga class. Located at 246 Sackville St in the lobby all you need is a mat and comfortable clothing. Perfect for mind, body and soul, yoga is a great way to get healthy and meet others in the community. Checkout the flyer for more information

(Original Post: January 28, 2013 by Krystle Henry)

Together We Mourn...

It has been a long and hard weekend for us all. As many of you know our community is in mourning after the death of Tyson Bailey. This young man was taken from us to soon and the aftermath of his passing can be felt everywhere.

First and foremost, we want to extend our condolences to the family and friends of a young man who had a bright future ahead of him. Everyone has only kind words to say about him and the promise that he held.  Loss is never easy, especially when the person is so young.

As the shock begins to settle and reality sets in we will all ask many hard questions and grieve in our own way. We will be forced to move on and pick up the pieces of our lives. In all of this it is our responsibility as a community and individuals to be honest with ourselves; to face reality head on. We believe in our community and the strength that we hold.  It will be a long and painful road ahead as we attempt to heal once again.

If you would like to send condolences to the family, arrangements are being made at this time. We will keep everyone posted.  There will be a community memorial service in memory of Tyson. As this information becomes available we will be posting it on Facebook and Twitter.

As an organization our thoughts and prayers are with the Bailey family and the broader community that has been affected by this tragedy. If you, or someone you know needs support or someone to talk to there are services available at the Distress Centre at 416-408-HELP (4357) or the Kids Helpline at 1(800) 668-6868.

(Original Post: January 21, 2013 by Krystle Henry)

New Year. New Blog. Same Direction.

Welcome everyone to our blog! We are super excited for all the new things that this New Year will bring to RPNI.  In the next few weeks we will be unveiling our new initiative and new ways for you can get involved. Until then there a few changes we want to tell you about.

New Location

Many of you know that we have recently moved to the New Daniels Spectrum building at 585 Dundas St. East. We are located on the third floor in the Centre for Social Innovation and could not be happier. We are fortunate to be surrounded by many organizations that are doing great work in Regent Park and beyond. As always we encourage you to come visit us and checkout the space and while you are here connect with our new friends.  You can find many of them on our new programs page. We look forward to your visit.

New faces

We have recently added new staff and board members to the organization.  These individuals bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise that will take RPNI into the future. Soon we will be unveiling these individuals and hope you are excited as we are.

Same Commitment

RPNI was founded  to ensure Regent Park is a healthy and vibrant community where everyone belongs, is heard and celebrated; and we stand committed to that. We are currently going through our own changes and are looking forward to show them to you, including:

• New Website
• New Blog
• Memberships (coming soon)
• Events
• More community involvement

We hope that you will all join us in our endeavour. We are here to advocate for you and need your input in everything we do.  So please, let your voices be heard. We are all in this together.

(Originally posted on January 17 By Krystle Henry)

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