The OMB decision for 61 Long Branch Ave. favours the proposed severance
An OMB decision regarding 61 Long Branch Ave. has been posted at the OMB website. As a person interested in ensuring that Long Branch will in time achieve a Heritage Conservation District designation, I read with interest this comment (p. 3) from the decision: The planners agreed that the area is not a heritage district […]
Thomas Hasan, David Juliusson, and others are now planning Heritage Bike Rides
In recent weeks Mike James — co-leader of a May 6, 2012 Long Branch Jane’s Walk — and I have met with Thomas Hasan, David Juliusson, and others regarding the planning of Heritage Bike Rides in Long Branch, New Toronto, Mimico, elsewhere in Toronto, and in Mississauga. Please feel free to contact Thomas Hasan for […]
The Mimico Lakeshore Network report regarding the Mimico 20/20 process has been released
The PDF file of the report is now available. I facilitated the heritage preservation workshop related to Mimico 20/20 at John English Junior Middle School on February 11, 2012. The report succinctly and effectively covers the key points from the workshop. I am impressed with the quality of the writing. Clearly much thought and discussion […]
Networking is a skill that one develops as a result of extensive practice
We’ve discusssed seven key things we had learned by the fifteen-year mark in our twenty-five years of community organizing. Current projects offer us opportunities to learn a few more things. 1. Some people excel at strategic thinking It’s valuable to have the opportunity to consult with individuals who excel at strategic thinking. 2. Motivation is a key variable […]
Some projects are too big for one or two people to do on their own
I’ve been involved in volunteer work, with a focus on community organizing, for twenty-five years. After fifteen years as a volunteer active at the local, national, and international levels, I spent several years making keynote presentations at conferences, sharing what I had learned. Usually I would talk about seven key principles. 1. Some projects are too […]
CBC and BBC are good resources for a study of journalistic practices
We owe many thanks to Daniele Rossi for sharing with us the following BBC overview regarding contributors, access agreements, and editorial independence As well, he has shared with us a link dealing with the CBC’s policies regarding journalistic standards and practices as they relate to interviews. We have spent several years planning for the design […]
Planning and research are part of doing one’s homework
My work as a volunteer has a strong intellectual component. Much of what I do involves extensive work. Strategic thinking is another key ingredient. Usually I consult with people who have more experience than I do, in order to develop a strategic plan that is suitable for a given situation. Aside from engaging in strategic […]
Securing the future of heritage trees, second ed. (2011)
Securing the future of heritage trees: a protection toolkit for communities (2011) is based on work by the Ontario Heritage Tree Alliance. This publication, devoted to the topic of heritage trees, is available from the Toronto Public Library. The publisher is the Ontario Urban Forest Council. The discussion that follows includes comments from David Switzer. […]
The text for the 2011 Parkview School letter was developed with input from many sources
The text for the 2011 Parkview School letter was developed with input from many sources From time to time, we’re asked to share details regarding the text that we used in the letter writing campaign connected with the successful effort to keep Parkview School in public hands. The letter went through several versions, in the […]
The recent Walkable Communities report warrants close study
Pamela Gough is the Trustee, Ward 3, Etobicoke-Lakeshore, for the Toronto District School Board. She has recently been appointed to the City of Toronto Board of Health (BOH). Through that appointment she has had her attention brought to a report on Walkable Communities that came to the Board of Health recently. “You would be very […]