Cabbagetown Daily Updates: 2022
Christmas Eve fire at Seaton Street row houses
A three-alarm fire ripped though several row houses on Seaton Street in Cabbagetown late yesterday evening, according to news reports.
No injuries were reported.
Spruce Toronto shutting down store
Parliament Street decor and gift shop Spruce Toronto has announced it is closing as of Dec. 18. The lifestyle boutique does expect to continue selling their goods online however.
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Letter to Ford opposes ‘strong mayor’ bill
Toronto Centre councillor Chris Moise is among 15 city councillors sending a letter today to Premier Doug Ford opposing the province’s Bill 39, the so-called Better Municipal Governance Act.
The Act would, under certain conditions, let the mayor of Toronto propose and pass bylaws with support of only one-third of city council, a move that critics have called undemocratic.
See full text of letter at Progress Toronto.
Cabbagetowners do the Pumpkin Walk
It was the day after Halloween and Cabbagetown residents were still marking the occasion with their annual Pumpkin Walk.
Every Nov. 1, they are invited to bring their carved pumpkins to Riverdale Park West, where the jack-o’-lanterns line the pathways from from 5 to 9 p.m.
So yesterday evening residents were out in ghostly force to walk the pumpkin trails that glowed in the dark. Some of them, especially the kids, were wearing their Halloween costumes one more time.
The Cabbagetown Residents Association, which organized the event, also hosted a food drive to address food insecurity in the Cabbagetown area.
When it was all over the pumpkins were collected in a bin provided by the city for recycling.
Community input prompts changed plans for Gerrard
Based on feedback received during public consultations, city staff have revised their designs for reconstructing Gerrard Street East between Sherbourne and Parliament streets.
A project update reports that staff heard several concerns regarding the design, including concern about the removal of street parking, which could hurt local businesses, and the need for a two-way cycle path, as exists on Gerrard west of Sherbourne.
For more information, see the complete project update.
Forsythia Festival returns with in-person fun
For the first time in two years, the annual Forsythia Festival was held in-person at Wellesley Park in Cabbagetown, on the first Sunday of May.
Despite the weather, the event attracted a large group of people, from both the local community and other parts of the city, including Toronto Centre councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam.
Events included opening ceremonies, a traditional parade, food and drinks, plus games, crafts and other fun for kids.
