July 13, 2009, 17 e-mails

M. T. wrote:

I support this – I feel there must be a legal route that we can take and that there must be some individual or group out there that would be interested in doing this pro bono.

M. G. wrote:

Rally is today at Moss Park at 5 pm.

I've rec'd confirmation City TV, CP24, Global and Toronto Sun will be there!

Please show your support for Toronto Parks.....Parks are not Dumps!

B. S. wrote:

I spoke on the telephone with Dianne Saxe, an environmental lawyer.

http://www.envirolaw.com/

She was very kind to help me sort out thoughts about legal options towards a cleanup at Christie Pits. It appears the chances of getting an injunction are likely slim. IF the Medical Officer of Health would proclaim a health hazard that can not be addressed in another way, or IF the Ministry of the Environment would proclaim that the environmental hazards would make Christie Pits an unsuitable site after all, it would have to be shut down and cleaned up. But if they don't, we would need to prove that such hazards in fact exist. For various reasons that does not appear very promising.

Small steps that can be pursued in any case include alerting the MOE Spills Action Centre

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/emergency/actioncenter.php

whenever instances of leachate entering the ground, drainage and storm sewers have been observed and documented. In addition, I will see what information I can get from the City regarding their monitoring protocol to ensure the parks and playgrounds are again safe for children and everyone else, once this is over.

M. G. wrote:

Moss Park. July 13, 2009

Friends of Trinity Bellwoods:

Here is some important info forwarded to you from The Friends of Christie Pits Park and supported by The Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park.

Hi all, Although the temporary dump site at Christie Pits Park is not accepting any new garbage, we still feel strongly that NO PARK should be used as dumps during this strike. Moss Park is a large park located between Jarvis and Sherbourne north of Queen St. E. Moss Park is surrounded by Toronto's largest homeless community including Fred Victor Centre, Salvation Army and Good Sheppard. There are many low income buildings that surround the park and it is also home of the John Innes Recreation Centre. During the current strike many families have been left scrambling for summer camps and in this area there is a noticeable number of children hanging around without any supervision. Their (2yr old) basketball court has been turned into a dump. The community around this park is one of the most marginalized people in all of Toronto and now is home to one of biggest downtown temporary dumps. Please join us at a rally on Monday July 13th at 5p.m. NO PARKS ARE DUMPS!

We are encouraging people from all of Toronto who are opposed to seeing our Parks turned into dumps to join us in protecting what little green space we have.

M. G. , Friends of Christie Pits Park (Friends of all Toronto parks) http://www.christiepits.ca

Do you care about our Park? The Friends of Trinity Bellwoods encourage you to email our Councillor at councillor_pantalone@toronto.ca and/or Peter Leiss, Parks Supervisor at pleiss@toronto.ca to voice your concerns about Triinty Bellwoods and Parks in general used as temporary dump sites.

E. D. wrote:

Hello – I am the first to admit that I am not well versed in municipal politics but I am wondering if anyone else feels we are deserving of a rebate/credit back for the services we have lost due to the strike?

We pay a lot of money for these services in our taxes (splash pads, pools, Island ferries, garbage etc etc) and not only are we not able to utilize them, we are spending additional money in many cases to get these services elsewhere (camps, pools, garbage removal). With the garbage issue alone, we are performing their duties with a lot of effort, time and in many cases, money.

The city is saving a lot by not paying these workers on strike, are they not?

Does anyone think that going to our local councilor and asking for support is worthwhile?

M. S. wrote:

That doesn't feel like a simple question. They're paying management staff overtime to perform many necessary tasks; they've paid contractors for some other work; they'll likely have to pay union staff overtime to collect all the garbage in the temporary dumps once the strike is over; and they're losing user fee revenue from community centres and rec programs. The answer would probably also depend on whether City negotiators were always assuming they would offer the union a wage increase.

B. L. wrote:

The City is saving a LOT of money during the strike. And, given that we all pay a user fee for garbage pick-up, we should at least get a credit for that. At least.

M. C. wrote:

They are saving now yes, but I recall hearing w/ the last strike they saved $10m in salaries during the strike and then spent $13m including overtime pay to management and the previously-striking workers when they went back to work to clean up all the messes, so I expect any savings now to be eaten when this finally ends

E. D. wrote:

I guess when it comes down to it, whether they save or not is not the issue so much as the fact that we have all paid for services we are not receiving and therefore should be entitled to a credit.

B. L. wrote:

I completely agree. According to the Star, the City is saving about $4mm a DAY on wages during the strike. Of course there will be costs against those saving due to management overtime, security, extra policing etc... But that would still leave a tidy amount in savings, I suspect.

As for overtime to clean up the post- strike mess? If it were up to me I would cancel overtime until things were back to normal. If we have put up with the mess this long, we can wait a while longer.

M. S. wrote:

I dunno, I think it is absolutely about whether they save. If the City loses money on the strike (as they apparently did last time), the money you'd get in this hypothetical tax rebate for services not provided would have to be taken out of future funding for those same services.

And let's say the city somehow saves money this time around-- personally I'd rather that go to, say, the parks or rec budget than get divvied up in to a bunch of measly $50 cheques that'll mostly just get turned in to more of our already plentiful garbage.

A. T. wrote:

is it a rumour, does anybody know whats going on?

I understand from a colleague that the residents on Havelock facing the park have received a notice from the City of Toronto stating that as from today Dufferin Grove will become the next dumping ground. On the soccer fields as previously mentioned.

I was at the park today and its clearly not being used as a dumping ground yet, and I wondered if anybody on this listserve received that notice and can clear this up for me.

P. G. wrote:

I called the city hotline number and as of this evening no new dump sites have been opened.

V. S. wrote:

I live opposite the park and so far haven't received any such notice.

C. wrote:

I'm at the point now where I have to do something with the green bin contents, and the recycling and garbage piles are bearable, but pretty high. It wold be nice to clear it out. I plan to use the recommendation from A., , as they will not just dump everything in landfill (everything that is dumped is sorted and recycling stuff gets recycled). They charge $5 per bag and need a minimum of 10 bags for a pickup.

Would anyone like to be a part of this pickup? I haven't yet arranged it, but if I can get a few others (to meet their minimum), then I'll set it up.

B. K. wrote:

Do you have any room for three of our bags? If so let me know when we can bring them over. $15 makes this worthwhile for us. We live at Westmoreland and Hallam.

btw should landfill be separate from green bin? The transfer stations and temporary dump sites want them together. Please email me directly - not through the group. Thanks.