City Wide
Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan - Community Engagement Opportunities
The City’s Parkland Strategy and Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan guide growth and investment in parkland and recreation over the next 20 years. Beginning in Fall 2024, thousands of community members have citywide provided feedback to help inform the updates to these plans. This summer you can review and share your feedback on the proposed updates to these plans and let the City know if you think this work is on the right track.
Visit the project webpage to learn more and sign up for updates to be notified once the following engagement opportunities are available:
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Parkland Strategy Virtual Public Meeting: Tuesday, July 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
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Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan Virtual Public Meeting: Wednesday, July 16 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
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Online Survey: July 22 to September 14, 2025
Identify ‘N Impact Grant Program is Now Open for Applicants
Do you have a passion for improving your community? Are you a youth-led group (ages 15-29) with a great idea that needs funding? Apply for a grant to help make an impact in your community.
The Identify ‘N Impact grant program is open for applications. Toronto based youth-led groups can apply through the Toronto, Grants, Rebates and Incentives Portal (TGRIP) up until noon on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
Identify ‘N Impact (INI) was initiated through the advocacy efforts of the Toronto Youth Cabinet (TYC), the City of Toronto’s official youth advocacy body. Since 2006, the City of Toronto’s Identify ‘N Impact grant program continues to provide funding supports for youth-led initiatives in Toronto.The purpose of the Identify ‘N Impact grant program is to:
- help promote youth engagement and community safety in the city of Toronto
- support youth to turn ideas into action
- support youth-led networks
- motivate and encourage MVP youth to become involved in their communities. MVP stands for Most Vulnerable People and is the acronym used to describe "youth most vulnerable to involvement in serious violence and crime".
All funded INI projects must work towards advancing one or more of the following priorities to be eligible to apply:
- Community safety and violence prevention
- Civic engagement (political activity is not eligible for funding)
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Skills development
- Increasing access to educational attainment
- Youth friendly spaces
- Arts
- Sports*
*Note: Sports-related projects are eligible for the 2025 and 2026 grant cycle in celebration of the FIFA World Cup 26™ .
INI offers time limited grants of up to a maximum of $17,000 per youth-led group to lead and deliver projects. This grant cycle will award 2025 and 2026 funding in celebration of the FIFA World Cup 26™.
Additional funds may be available to support deaf individuals or people living with disabilities to lead and/or participate in your INI funded project.
Project proposals will be given priority if they:
- are led by, working with and/or engaging MVP youth (youth most vulnerable to involvement in serious violence and crime), or are led by and/or focusing specifically on Indigenous, Black, and/or 2SLGBTQ+ youth
- involve youth from/and or based in one of the 33 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs) and/or one of the 10 Emerging Neighbourhoods in the City of Toronto
- are youth led initiatives celebrating the FIFA World Cup 26™
Upcoming INI Grant Information Sessions
Join a virtual information session to learn about the Identify ‘N Impact (INI) grant, including guidelines, the TGRIP-based application process, project work plans, and budgeting. City staff will also share grant writing tips and best practices. Please review the attached grant guidelines and visit the INI Grant Program website for session dates and details.
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact:
School’s Out, Rec’s In program
School’s Out, Rec’s In is a free, drop-in program for youth aged 13 to 17, happening in school gyms across Toronto during the summer.
Join us for a wide variety of sports and activities, like:
- soccer
- basketball
- volleyball
- frisbee
- pickleball
- relay games
- and more
Programming at Dr. Rita Cox - Kina Minagok Public School will run on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, July 2 -Aug 15 1:30 to 4:30 pm.
More details are available at toronto.ca/YouthRecTO
Ward 4
Runnymede & Parkdale Libraries Increase Service Hours
Both Parkdale and Runnymede Libraries have increased their hours. Both locations are now open year round on Sundays. As per the Mayor's plan, all 100 library locations will be open seven days a week by July 2026.
340-376R Dufferin St and 2 Melbourne Ave at Toronto and East York Community Council on July 8
On Tuesday, July 8th, 2025, Toronto and East York Community Council will also consider TE24.2 - 340-376R Dufferin Street and 2 Melbourne Avenue - Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment - Decision Report - Approval
The Staff Report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit three mixed use buildings with heights of 29, 26, and 9 storeys with 768 residential units, that conserves the designated heritage properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street (including the building at 350 Dufferin Street). A total of 49,173 square metres of gross floor area is proposed, including 46,713 square metres of residential space, 2,460 square metres of non-residential space, and 95 square metres for a greenhouse and community garden. A new mid-block connection is also provided with 2,778 square metres of privately-owned publicly accessible space (POPS). The POPS will serve as a central courtyard accessible from Dufferin Street, Melbourne Avenue and Milky Way Lane. A total of 208 vehicular parking spaces and 868 bicycle parking spaces are proposed space.
This Staff Report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Zoning By-law based on the following Planning decision: the mixed-use building is an appropriate scale for the site, fits within the existing and planned context and is an example of high quality design that will set a positive precedent for future development in the area.
Councillor Perks will be supporting staff recommendations.
The Staff Report is available to review at: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2025.TE24.2
Further, information submitted to the City by the applicant is available for your review under on the City's Application Information Centre at: www.toronto.ca/340DufferinSt.
This item will be heard on July 8th on or after 10AM.
You can register to speak or provide written comment through [email protected] , or you can follow the meeting at www.youtube.com/TorontoCityCouncilLive.
1930-1938 Bloor St W and 3, 5, & 21 Quebec Ave Tenant Assistance Plan Public Meeting
On Tuesday, July 8, the Toronto and East York Community Council will be addressed item TE24.1 - 1930-1938 Bloor Street West and 3, 5 and 21 Quebec Avenue - Rental Housing Demolition Application - Decision Report – Approval.
The item on July 8th deals with the affected rental units and residents within, securing 12 rental replacement units in the new building – once completed – for them to return to, as well as a Tenant Assistance Plan that will lessen hardship for impacted tenants. This item does not involve the zoning agreement or massing of the building, which has already been decided at the OLT.
This site originally received an application for development on March 18, 2024, which proposed a 17-storey tower at this location. Councillor Perks agreed with the argument that City Planning staff put forward in their report when this application was submitted: that this proposal did not support a mid-rise built form proportionate to the width of Bloor St W, did not create or extend the scenic views and vistas to High Park from Quebec Avenue, did not provide a sufficient setback along Bloor St W or Quebec Ave to accommodate a landscape setback that would support the planting of street trees, and did not incorporate a midblock connection to improve pedestrian connectivity to High Park station along the northern limit of the site. Further, that the site is also too small to accommodate the setbacks and stepbacks to appropriately situate a tall building. It is for these reasons and more that City Planning put forward a report for refusal of this application, which Councillor Perks supported. More information on this refusal report can be found here: Agenda Item History - 2024.TE13.9.
The applicant then appealed this decision and brought this proposal in front of the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), who rendered a decision to allow a 19-storey building that included some of the setbacks and stepbacks that the City was looking for, in March 2025. The authority of the OLT, given by the Province, supersedes that of the City and its decision is final. The decision can be read here: OLT-24-000908-MAR-19-2025-ORD.pdf.
More information on this application, including supporting documentation including architectural plans, can be found here.
Free workshops on DIY Air Cleaners
Green 13 is sponsoring a workshop at which participants will build their own air filter device. (This is not an air conditioner) on July 15 - %;30pm to 0pm at Swansea Town hall.
Please RSVP (and any questions) to [email protected] as soon as possible.
RSVP required as space and supplies are limited. Masking is strongly encouraged.
Free Music in the Park by Parkdale Residents Association
Every Wednesday evening, local musicians and vendors gather at Centennial Park. Brought to you by the Parkdale Residents Association in collaboration with Exhibition Place
Get a “Slow Down” Lawn Sign Delivered
As summer arrives and more people are out walking, biking, and playing, it’s a great time to help remind drivers to slow down. If you would like a free “Slow Down” lawn sign delivered to your home, please contact our office by email at [email protected] or by phone at 416-392-7919. Be sure to let us know the following information:
- The number of lawn signs you would like
- Address
- Name and contact information
For more information on “Slow Down” lawn signs and the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, please visit the City of Toronto website here: Slow Down Lawn Sign Campaign – City of Toronto
Thank you for helping keep our streets safe!
