St. Lawrence Works still working despite name change: OTTN members share plans

In a meeting of the Old Town Toronto Network (formerly known as St. Lawrence Works) on Oct. 8, area resident Connie Yang announced the formation of a new St. Lawrence Market Art Club, which will provide 20 studio spaces for aspiring artists at the St. Lawrence Market North Market on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The artists had their first meeting on Oct. 13, made possible by the Market’s Jorge Carvalho.

Yang also introduced Jacquie Williams, the new chair of the Seniors’ Centre’s planning committee. Williams announced that the seniors’ centre will open within two years and be housed in a condominium slated for construction at Church and The Esplanade.

Ingrid Gadsden reported for the Corktown Residents & Business Association (CBRA). The group held a successful fundraising barbecue on Sept. 26 and plans to follow it with a $5 Christmas dinner fund-raiser on Dec. 5.

Vanya Garraway spoke on behalf of the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People (LKTYP), reporting that the new season is starting later than usual due to rooftop renovations. She distributed information about the drama school and the True Character season’s eight shows, plus she announced that scholarships are available through LKTYP’s community program. Past recipients are encouraged to apply again.

Michael Comstock noted that the Old Town Toronto (Promotional) Alliance (OTTA) has three events commemorating the St. Lawrence Market’s 205th anniversary planned for November: first, lighting of St. Lawrence Market’s exterior under a heritage lighting plan (Nov. 6, possibly including the Flatiron building and Beardsmore building on Front Street), anniversary events at the Market (Nov. 7), and OTTA’s Great Canadian Victory Party and Banquet at St. Lawrence Hall (Nov. 6 and 7). OTTA’s event commemorates the War of 1812 with actors role-playing significant wartime figures, period music, and period food prepared by George Brown College.

Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) resident Audrey Hozack reported that the Celebrity Club opens on Fridays at 8 p.m. The club’s dues are $20, but as OTTA member Alan Seymour noted, the talent at PAL events is “absolutely superb.”

Chris Dickens reported that longtime volunteer Bob Kempseeks someone to replace him in teaching basic skills to the men at the Salvation Army Toronto Shelter. Kemp works with the shelter by providing employment on his BIA clean-up crew and by mentoring men who need to relearn basic skills lost through drug use and alcoholism.

Dickens added that the Salvation Army Maxwell Meighen Centre has 384 beds and has about 95% occupancy.

Incident reports at the Centre have reduced from 50 in January to 17 in March, an amazing turnaround. Fifty-six percent of men are in residence two weeks or less, usually eight days or less.”

Nancy Mallett spoke on behalf of St. James’ Cathedral, commenting that Parish House reconstruction has begun. During the two-year construction period, the archive has been relocated to fourth floor of the Brook Building on the northeast corner of Jarvis and King streets.

The cathedral is participating in Holocaust Education Week with a Nov. 4 lecture by professor Robert Melson of Purdue University, a holocaust survivor and author.

In addition, Mallett noted that this year’s Crèches from Around the World exhibit will be smaller to enable the cathedral to prepare to host the annual international exhibit in 2011, which she will chair. This year’s exhibit will be at city hall the first weekend in December and at St. James’ Cathedral on Dec. 19 and 20.

Comstock also reported on the activities of the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood Business Improvement Area. Following the lead of Oslo, Norway, which saw an increase in Downtown pedestrian traffic after warmly lighting their community, the BIA plans to light heritage buildings to make Old Town Toronto more visible and make the Neighbourhood brighter and friendlier at night. The BIA is encouraging Toronto Hydro to install outlets on the Victorian-style street poles so that the BIA can plug in LED floodlights to provide additional exterior lighting for heritage buildings.

Comstock also noted that St. James’ Cathedral will hold a special Remembrance Day Sunday Service on Nov. 8.

Mallett added that this year’s Remembrance Day Sunday at the cathedral is particularly special as the regimental colours will be retired in one service and new colours will be presented at a second service to the Royals  and to the Toronto Scottish regiment. At 11 a.m. the Royal Regiment will march to the Cathedral and at 2:30 the Horse Guards will come.

The next meeting of the OTTA  is in February 2010.