The Feb.9 2025 official opening ceremony: correspondence

Jan.28, 2025

From: Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2025 10:09 AM Cc: Michelle Sirianni <Michelle.Sirianni@toronto.ca>; Cheryl MacDonald <Cheryl.MacDonald@toronto.ca>; Howie Dayton <Howie.Dayton@toronto.ca>; Councillor Bravo <Councillor_Bravo@toronto.ca>; Laura Krische <Laura.Krische@toronto.ca>; Martin Balgavy <Martin.Balgavy@toronto.ca>; Peter Didiano <Peter.Didiano@toronto.ca>; Jane Price <bjaneprice@gmail.com> Subject: [External Sender] Fwd: FOR THURSDAY: I'd like to post the "reno issues" at the rink

Hi again Adam,

yesterday, when I asked you about posting the list of remaining Dufferin building Capital Projects issues at the rink, you said you were on a deadline to finish payroll. Hopefully that's done now, so that you can confirm permission for my community posting of this list in the area that Jane and I pointed out to you yesterday (photo is below in this thread).

Timeline: I would like to post it on Thursday.

I've copied a few more people here. As you may not be aware, there was always a large indoor community bulletin board in the entryway of the former rink house. Since this board does not exist now, taping up community (non-corporate) posts next to the blank whiteboard near the southwest door would be a workable substitute for the moment.

I hope to hear back today. I mentioned to you yesterday that I'd like to post progress notes on my display, as the individual remaining issues are resolved. There's only a week and a half before the official opening -- so the clock is ticking.

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On Tue, Jan 28, 2025 at 3:45 PM Laura Krische <Laura.Krische@toronto.ca> wrote:

Hello Jutta,

Thanks for your email, I will discuss with City staff, as well as the contractor and get back to you as soon as possible.

Jan.29, 2025

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From: Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Jan 29, 2025 at 12:44 PM Subject: [DGF] Feb 9 - 12-4pm- Dufferin Grove Park North West Improvements Celebration To: dufferingrovefriends <dufferingrovefriends@googlegroups.com>, Erella <wow@erella.com> Cc: Stefany Hanson <Stefany.Hanson@toronto.ca>, Councillor Bravo <Councillor_Bravo@toronto.ca>, Howie Dayton <Howie.Dayton@toronto.ca>, <Jason.Thorne@toronto.ca>, Laura Krische <Laura.Krische@toronto.ca>, <Dan.Surman@toronto.ca>

Erella, I agree with what you've written about everyone being welcome to the conversation at the rink building on Sunday Feb.9.

And should be true the rest of the time too. The DTAH redesign of the rink building and surrounding area is pretty cool. It could have been even better if they'd had more access to the facts e.g. what direct rink users and the diverse park users care about, what hands-on (local) staff knew. That knowledge is needed not just beforehand -- in our case in bits at those often frustrating "blue sky" community group meetings -- but should be (1) ongoing during the detailed design process and (2) ongoing as issues come up during building. With so many different parties involved (even before building begins, see my booklet), it's not possible to anticipate all the obstacles ahead of time.

Do you recall that as soon as Anne Freeman and Ellen Manney volunteered to represent the market interests in the design, they had to sign a non-disclosure agreement? They couldn't tell park users anything about what was talked about during the ongoing design discussions.

That's to protect competitive bidding. But there are way too many obstacles (secrets) -- also frustrating the architects and the contractors when they put in their bids. The city's current capital development process doesn't work well for anybody.

That's the bigger reason for my little "list of issues."

Learning by experience, including mistakes, is the best way. I think that now is the right time to go into some details -- find out what can be fixed or worked around at the renovated Dufferin Grove building (that is, most things) and what can be learned for the next project, not only for this neighbourhood but anywhere else in the city. That means straightforward and friendly talk with everybody -- all the players, while the experience is fresh.

Can we help that to happen in this case?

Let's see. Feb.9 is a good time to get a new conversation going. Since the issues apply to other city capital projects too, I've copied the brand new city chief planner and Parks and Rec's brand new recreation director here too. Because how rec workers operate the rink buildings makes all the difference.

Feb.3, 2025

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From: Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Feb 3, 2025 at 12:15 PM Subject: Re: Fwd: FOR THURSDAY: I'd like to post the "reno issues" at the rink To: Laura Krische <Laura.Krische@toronto.ca> Cc: Michelle Sirianni <Michelle.Sirianni@toronto.ca>, Cheryl MacDonald <Cheryl.MacDonald@toronto.ca>, Howie Dayton <Howie.Dayton@toronto.ca>, Councillor Bravo <Councillor_Bravo@toronto.ca>, Martin Balgavy <Martin.Balgavy@toronto.ca>, Peter Didiano <Peter.Didiano@toronto.ca>, Jane Price <bjaneprice@gmail.com>, Adam Tyzler <adam.tyzler@toronto.ca>, elizabeth antczak <e.v.antczak@gmail.com>

Hello Laura, The CELOS display about some of the remaining reno issues at the Dufferin Grove rink building (attached) was considerably simplified by Elizabeth Antczak, from my first report. She also added some "solutions" suggestions wherever possible.

Since there was no response from Adam nor an update from you last week, I went ahead posted the display on the wall at the building on Saturday.

The display was removed twice in the following days, without explanation. Each time I have put it up again. I hope you'll have a chance today to check the text and let me know what corrections should be made.

Best regards, Jutta

February 7, 2025

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From: Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com> Date: Fri, Feb 7, 2025 at 4:29 PM Subject: two questions about the secret Dufferin Grove reno celebration To: Laura Krische <Laura.Krische@toronto.ca> Cc: Michelle Sirianni <Michelle.Sirianni@toronto.ca>, Cheryl MacDonald <Cheryl.MacDonald@toronto.ca>, Howie Dayton <Howie.Dayton@toronto.ca>, Councillor Bravo <Councillor_Bravo@toronto.ca>, Martin Balgavy <Martin.Balgavy@toronto.ca>, Peter Didiano <Peter.Didiano@toronto.ca>, Adam Tyzler <adam.tyzler@toronto.ca>, Mayor Chow <mayor_chow@toronto.ca>

Hello Laura,
This email is intended to start an overdue conversation about serious slippage in Parks and Rec -- of which this saga is just one example. A few hours ago I visited the Dufferin Rink building and taped up the sixth "reno fixes" display since Jan.31, since each of the others were removed soon after I put them up.

Question 1: Who directed this display to be removed? Are the issues supposed to be a secret?

The "needed fixes" display is 6 pages of good sense, distilled from my longer document. This version was created by a talented neighbourhood women's shinny player. This is the content. It summarizes the observations of various community members and rink users. I sent the longer version around on Feb.3 but had no followup from you nor most others on my list (copied again here).

Question 2. Why are there no posters about the event? The invitation came from the parks and rec events office. The writer suggested that people could pass along the event notice he had attached to the email. But in the rink building itself, there is not a single poster about the Sunday event.

Or rather, there is ONE now, since I took a screenshot and printed it off and put it up here, below the Year of the Snake poster and above my re-taped "reno fixes":

Is the event meant for a limited audience?

Some of the rec staff heard that the mayor is coming, so I've copied her office as well.

Time to talk specifics, and to broaden the discussion.

Jutta

reno display

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Content last modified on February 12, 2025, at 11:19 PM EST