August 8, 2025: follow up on Dufferin Grove staffing

On Friday August 8 shortly after noon I decided it was time for me to go and see how the Dufferin Grove replacement food programs are going. I had not been spending time at the park for many weeks.

I already knew that Tracy, the longtime building caretaker, had been passed over in her request to be upgraded to the Local 416 caretaker category (with 30% more pay but doing exactly the same work). The rec director said he would look into it, but nothing changed.

The park looked different than usual because there was a large film crew set up all over -- by the field house, on the basketball court, at the fire circle (no fire, just more equipment) and near the table tennis spot. Many of the crew were eating lunch at long tables. The whole length of the street to the north side of the park was taken up by their supply trucks.

Continuing on to the playground, I found no lunch food set up at the cob kitchen counter, but the Dufferin Grove day camp kids were making pizza at the oven. One of the oven staff was the young part-time staffer who had claimed, back in February, that I had damaged his car, and had prevented me from getting in my car to leave. The main cook for lunch meals, Friday night supper, and the registered cooking classes was also there helping with the pizza. She said there was no lunch food set up at the cob counter because they were short of staff.

The rec supervisor was there too, and as I was standing there, the rec program staffer, the rec manager, and the rec director suddenly all arrived together. That was an awkward surprise on both sides. The director said they were all there for one of their rotating park site visits, and that he would be back in touch with me in September. This news was not delivered as either an invitation or a request, more as an assumption that I could be summoned at will to deal with an issue. Meantime, he suggested, I could go look at the filming.

I mentioned to the manager that the pizza staff person was the same guy from last February, and she said -- yes I know. I asked whether any of them knew what movie was being made and they said no, it was some commercial. (I found out later that the Clay and Paper crew, working on their puppets at their field house location, had not been told anything about the film crew coming.)

I left the park after the surprise staff encounter, and then returned at 6.45 to see Friday night supper. The film crew were still all over the place, and I found out their film was for the Meta company -- Facebook.

There were only 6 people at the Friday Night supper tables, joined over the next few minutes by 4 more.

The Friday supper food operation was started on July 4, with this announcement that the rec programmer sent to Erella's dufferingrovefriends listserv:

Dave and I are bringing back Friday night suppers starting July 4th and running every Friday after that. I have attached the 2 Menus for the first 2 weeks as well as a poster with other community events such as pizza days! The cost will be $7/meal for the suppers.

The pizza days will be $4/person starting this upcoming Sunday and running every Sunday from 12pm-3pm.

The Cob Café is up and running now, with a menu consisting of mac and cheese, hot dogs, and cookies. The cost will be $5/person with a food item and a drink (either a water bottle or juice box), and the cookies will be $2 each.

Erella has reminded people every week since, writing "The Friday suppers at the Dufferin grove park clubhouse are a fantastic way to see neighbours and eat something delicious with others.....Our group of pot luck picnic folks meet at 7. Please join us.
Bring something to share. I always enjoy making a vegetarian thing but I like to buy the meal from the park. It is sweet.
There is something sweet about being there with others in our community and make new friends.
At a time when people all over the world experience isolation and loneliness, this is a really nice way to experience community."

But at 6.45 on this occasion, not many had come yet. Among the staff in the kitchen, however, there were two fellows who have often dodged their work over the past few years. And, true to form, just before 7 they headed out of the park.

As did I.

the current "cob café" (photo from July 8)

the cob café as it was for ten years

Friday August 15

There were two long tables and three short tables at the supper, with many about 30 people there. Some had brought their own "potluck" food. The city food was hamburgers or vegan patties, prepared on the new park barbeque. The $7 paid for the hamburger and potato wedges and salad plus dessert (cookies and ice cream).

August 21, from Councillor Bravo's office:

My office has been in regular touch with the City’s Recreation staff in Dufferin Grove to ensure that park programming and recreation activities in the park have continued uninterrupted. This summer was a busy season for park programs in Dufferin Grove, including:

• The summer camp was fully registered and has operated in the Park without interruption
• Dufferin Grove staff have partnered with other local organizations, including Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club and Toronto Public Library, to provide kids in other summer camps across the City with access to Dufferin Grove Park amenities, including the field and pizza oven – many trips to the Park have been completed
• Park programming has been restored to pre-pandemic levels, including the return of the cob lunch program and the Community Suppers program
• Sunday night pizza nights have resumed full operation after the closure in the pandemic
• The children’s garden program is being actively revived
• The weekly Thursday Farmers’ Market continues to operate without interruption

Next week, I’m looking forward to joining City Recreation staff for our free moving night in Dufferin Grove, complete with pizza and popcorn. Details and the flyer for the movie night will be shared with this group.

Aug.24, 2025 (Sunday pizza day)

12.15: 3 staff serving 6 people (2 families)
12.45: 3 staff serving 4 people

Aug.25 2025 (Monday: cob lunch program)

Nobody there, but a poster said this week's lunch program will be served at the rink house.

no one running the café

"now located at clubhouse"

From Councillor Bravo's office:

Historically Dufferin has offered a lunch at the Cob during the summer months by the wading pool. This year, due to support from Councillor Bravo and in response to requests from local residents, City Recreation staff brought back the program for the summer, operating from 12pm-2pm Monday to Friday. The lunch program offers good old mac & cheese and hotdogs for $4.

This week (week of August 25th) is the final week of the Cob summer program, and lunch will be served out of the Clubhouse. Recreation staff have also confirmed that this year they will have the snack bar open during the skate season for drinks, cookies and mini pizzas.

Aug.26, 2025 (Tuesday)

No café at the rink house either -- staff said they had it yesterday and will have it Wednesday and Thursday this week. They said it ran at the cob this summer until this week, except not on Fridays nor on the days when the day camps were having pizza days.