September 8, 2009

K. H. wrote:

At times we must cut politicians some slack in learning about what is important. The health and vibrancy of city parks is certainly this and a top priority of the citizens of Toronto. Thanks to the dedication of the people of the Christie Pits neighbourhood and other neighbourhoods that spoke out on this issue, there has been a successful social-political lesson to city politicians. If they have learned this lesson well they will take action to make sure that there will be a very clear and well communicated mandate at the municipal level that cities cannot allow public parks to be used has dump sites. There are alternatives to be put in place before this is ever allowed to happen again. It should not happen again. The public is more and more environmentally educated and astute. Toronto's citizens will be watching with interest to see what politicians step up and create solutions and put public policy in place to cherish and nurture our beautiful ( but currently recovering) city parks. This past summer of using public parks has dumpsites was too painful to see and is too damaging to the health and wellness of our wonderful city to allow again. I think and sincerely hope the politicians got the message on this one. Toronto depends on it's healthy park systems for a healthy city. Lets give all the councillors who want to help this our support.

Rev. Karen Harrison, Torontonian park lover

p.s. Please put your ice cream containers in the recycling bins....recently I saved a little park squirrel from choking because his head was stuck. Parks are not only for the human species.

September 7, 2009

M. G. wrote:

This article was in the Globe and Mail for Monday September 7th. It states that Councillor Sandra Bussin (Ward 32 Beaches-East York) wants a policy restricting temporary dumpsites to commercial or industrial city properties...not parks. It also states that Councillor Joe Pantalone would support such a policy and has approached city managers to review such a policy. I know there are other Councillors out there who would support the same policy. There is also concern that City Managers didn't consult any Councillors or the Parks Department before choosing sites. I believe more communication between Managers, Councillors and Divisions is also required.

I would like to ask everyone to read the article and to support such a policy change. We need to let the City Managers know we do not want to see this ever happen again.

Please let your Councillor know you want them to support a motion to seek a ban on using parks as dumps.

G. K. wrote:

The heat that Joe took is not nearly what it should have been. He admits that he tried to stop the dumping in Christie Pits “after the fact.” We all know how effective he was in that effort. Question is--where was he BEFORE the fact, when his constituency really needed an advocate? His “one size may not fit all” rhetoric regarding parks as dumps seems already to be taking the teeth out of the proposed policy—and it demonstrates that he still just doesn’t get it.

We know all too well that the city managers are not above manipulating, equivocating, and circumventing existing ordinances in order to dump where they damn well please. The language needs to be emphatic and unmitigated: parks are not dumps—under any circumstances. Failing that, I’m afraid that again we’ll find ourselves up to our ankles in leachate, and hollow excuses.