There’s lots to do this March April Break. The York Weston Pelham Cluster of local community groups has a whole week of activities planned. You can sign up online.


There’s lots to do this March April Break. The York Weston Pelham Cluster of local community groups has a whole week of activities planned. You can sign up online.
A group of local organizations are offering free food hampers at two locations next week.
They will be offering food at Artscape Weston Common on April 8, and at 1765 Weston Road on April 8 and 9. All are welcome.
The 2020 Weston Farmers Market season got under way today in beautiful weather. As is normal for such season openers (usually in May), attendance seemed sparse and there was an added inconvenience for patrons to wait patiently until they were admitted into the market space. The market, second oldest in the city, is in almost exactly the same place it occupied five years ago although narrower and today had fewer stalls.
For years, traders have insisted that the specially designed market area at the end of John Street was too small and wouldn’t withstand the weight of delivery vehicles. The B.I.A. saved the day with the solution to use the Toronto Parking Authority lot on the other side of the building.
For the last few years the market has used the highly visible UP Express and Weston Baptist Church parking lots. That option is off the table. Unfortunately, the location at the end of John Street is invisible to traffic passing along Weston Road and so it will be a challenge to lure fresh customers to the site. In addition, former anchor tenant and actual farmer, Joe Gaeta has moved elsewhere.
Because the market now occupies the parking spaces intended for use by people visiting the er, market, John Street was in effect one-way thanks to parked vehicles occupying the inbound lane. As patron numbers increase, parking will become a greater issue. Let’s hope that some of the kinks can be worked out quickly. Incidentally, Grandpa Ken’s was there today.
Extra credit: How the Weston Hub was financed here.
UrbanArts and Artscape Weston Common have been hosting “Run It Black” for the past few weeks, and this Thursday will be their third (of six) live showcases.
You can tune in at 6:00 on Facebook Live to see Mighloe, a Toronto R&B artist perform.
UrbanArts says the series came about to respond to current events:
In response to anti-Black racism, Artscape Weston Common, in partnership with programming partner, UrbanArts, and non-profit organization, MANIFESTO, has launched the ‘Run It Black’ live showcase series to amplify voices of young black artists, celebrate the rich diverse culture in Weston and Greater Toronto Area, and provide paid and safe performance opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Weston’s farmers market can’t catch a break.
Run by the Weston Village Business Improvement Area, the market was supposed to open in its spanking (if constrained) new Hub location on John Street in 2018 and when the site wasn’t ready, the market was able to survive thanks to the generosity of Weston Park Baptist Church. They loaned their parking lot by the UP Express station.
The 2019 booting out of long time trader (and actual farmer) Joe Gaeta was another setback and then as luck would have it, the following week, city inspectors withdrew the Farmers Market designation because of insufficient, er, actual farmers.
In yet another blow to the WFM, the BIA announced yesterday that the market will delay its 2020 opening until Saturday, July 4 at the earliest.
From the Facebook post announcing the delay:
“On behalf of the board of the Weston Village BIA, I regret to inform you that because of Covid19,and the city’s restrictions with respect to gatherings of 5 and over, we are delaying the opening of the 2020 market to Sat, July 4th or until restrictions are lifted by the city.
The market is a wonderful community gathering place, but, right now, the health and safety of our customers, vendors and market staff are the main priority.
Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
Stay Safe. We are all in this together!”
For extra credit; read more here.
Do you dream of taking the stage?
Have you always wanted to create, perform or design for a theatre play?
Are you over the age of 55?
Now’s your chance!
Shakespeare in Action with the support of the New Horizons For Seniors Program is proud to produce King Lear in Weston, a community-engaged theatre project that is created by and for seniors living in northwest Toronto.
Click here for more details.
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Tomorrow, the LEF will host a job fair and résumé critique from 11 to 2. The résumé critique might be particularly useful, because…
On Tuesday, February 11, Frances Nunziata is hosting a youth hiring event for job seekers from 16–29. The job fair will be at 50 Falstaff from 3 to 7 pm. Registration is free for youth.
The Artscape Weston Common is really hopping. This weekend, Piece of Mine Arts presents Black Women in Theatre, with an opening show on Friday night.
There are also ongoing drama programs for kids 4–14 and a robotics program. Good grief!
Speaking of Artscape, if you’re looking to get out of the house with your one-true-love on Valentines’, Kachan Quinlan Design Studio at Artscape is hosting a kids’ night with treats and painting.