The Weston Silver Band came home to the the Little Avenue Park bandshell for the first time in more than a decade. They played as part of the Weston Weekend of Music and Theatre put on by Shakespeare in Action and Theaturtle.
Eleven trombonists played music from classical to jazz. They broke out a cimbasso (a first for me), and had a tuba soloist (Ian Feenstra) on Badinerie.
The weekend of music and dance continues tomorrow. Tickets are pay what you can.
According to Frances Nunziata’s circular, the Mount Dennis branch of the TPL has reopened its youth hub on weekday afternoons. They’re also starting a “Take & Make” craft series weekly on Thursdays in August, starting at 3:30 p.m..
Nunziata also says that the city has announced
the expansion of 20 Enhanced Youth Spaces and Youth Spaces across the City. Spaces are open five to seven days per week, 50 weeks per year and are intended to help youth build life skills and create pathways to learning and employment through entrepreneurship, employment readiness and continuing education supports.
Locations in York South—Weston will include the Mount Dennis Library, Weston Library, and Falstaff Community Centre.
If I said this was long overdue, would you forgive me?
The Real Estate News Exchange says that a very large property is for sale in Weston. The property includes the office building at 13–21 John Street, the mechanic’s next door, and 36–40 South Station Street.
The article suggests the property would be suitable for a “30-storey tower with varied podium heights”, about the same height as 22 John, across the street.
The owner of the Tyrrell property at 64 King St has asked the city for permission to sever the property into two lots, one of which would be for a house.
The house would be on the eastern side of the property, where the garage is now.
64 King is one of the most remarkable buildings in Weston. It was once home to the Tyrrell family, and to Joseph Tyrrell, who became an explorer and paleontologist. The building is on the municipal heritage register as a “building of historical and architectural value or interest”.
More recently, it was the In Touch Retirement Home, which was subject to a series of enforcement actions by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority. (I don’t know what the building is used for now.)
A hearing date has not yet been scheduled for this file.
The number of COVID cases in Weston in the past 21 days increased this week to five. This time last week, there had been three.
The city says that Weston and Mount Dennis are “red zones” when it comes to cycling and social equity—but it isn’t doing much about it.
The city says that Weston Road would make an excellent bike route (red in the map below). But according to Spacing Magazine, it’s not going to happen. It’s not part of the city’s 2021–2023 implementation plan.
Jane St (orange) would make another good route, but it will only be studied —though, as I reported earlier, the city had been planning extensive bus-only lanes. As far as I know, the orange route along the railway tracks is only a dream.
Planners did say that there will be
Weston neighbourhood connections extending from Silverthorn Ave and Trethewey Dr.. and will connect to the Mid-Humber trail and
closure of the gap.
However, in the city’s recent briefing slides, these connections are only to be studied.
Mount Dennis is in particularly bad shape, with less than one percent of the street (measured by the kilometer) having a bike route. However, Mount Dennis looks to be getting only a path along Eglinton, to connect to the new station.
Transportation Services will be reporting on their new bike plan for 2021–2023 later this fall, and will bring it to City Council.
Derek Smith took some amazing photos of a coyote near Walwyn and Lamont late last week. He says the coyote has been licking its leg, and that the city said it likely has mange.
Coyotes are generally safe to have nearby and are a sign of a healthy ecosystem, the city says. Small dogs and cats, however, are sometimes attacked.
The city will not interfere with coyotes unless they are a “bona fide risk to public safety”. Those coyotes that are found to be a risk will be killed, not relocated.
If you happen to come across a coyote, the city recommends being noisy and appearing as large and as threatening possible, by, for example, shaking an umbrella or throwing rocks. They recommend you then back away.