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 […]

If you seek a heritage conservation district designation, get a buy-in from the start

You may have heard of communities that have tried to set up a heritage conservation district but that have not achieved success in completion of such a project. From what I’ve learned in my recent research, and twenty-five years of volunteer work as a community organizer, the process of getting a heritage conservation district designated, or any […]

A 1981 report describes a previous initiative seeking a heritage conservation district for Long Branch

As we begin work on planning for a Heritage Conservation District designation for Long Branch, it’s useful to consider prior designation projects. Some such attempts in Toronto have achieved success. Some have not. I’m looking forward to reading a report that was written in 1981, on the occasion of a previous attempt to set up […]

The March 20, 2012 meeting of the Long Branch Historical Society will be held at James. S. Bell Junior Middle School

Barn in background of 1920s Long Branch photo appears to be located on the Smith homestead

(Photo credit: Doris Durance. © Durance family and Robert Lansdale.) Left to right in photo above:  Connie Durance, Cyril Durance, George Durance, Rene Durance, and Florence Morrel. We owe thanks to Barbara Durance for sharing this photo, taken about 1925, with us. The image we have posted is from a 3-inch wide, highly faded photo from the 1920s. Robert […]

May 6, 2012 Long Branch walk has been posted to Jane’s Walk website

We owe thanks to Councillor Grimes’ office for suggesting this walk and to Mike James for agreeing so readily to serve as as a leader on this walk. We owe thanks to Ruth Grier for sharing information from her May 2010 Long Branch Jane’s Walk and to David Switzer for letting us know that there’s a distinction between […]

A Jane’s Walk is in the nature of a conversation

I spoke recently with Fanny Martin, Event Manager, Jane’s Walk. She mentioned something about Jane’s Walks that I find most appealing. She said that a Jane’s Walk is in the nature of a conversation. Everyone’s free to share a thought — it’s not some kind of top-down distribution of information. I like that aspect of the process […]

Wetlands are wonderful, or not, depending on which side of Etobicoke Creek you’re standing upon

  By way of background regarding the Lakeview Waterfront Connection project, I’m pleased to share with you the following for the public meeting — held on Feb 23, 2012 — which I found highly inspiring.   The Mississauga side is developing wetlands using landfill. This will involve what are described as significant savings in financial […]

This project is called the Lakeview Waterfront Connection

We’re pleased to have the opportunity to share the following message, recently forwarded to us by Councillor Grimes’ office:   Hello, Credit Valley Conservation on behalf of the Region of Peel and with the support of the City of Mississauga and Toronto and Region Conservation is embarking on a project involving the creation of a new […]

We can think of Long Branch as a lost beach resort area, with turrets, verandas, and porches

The following notes are from David Switzer, who’s pointed out the distinction between a Jane’s Walk  — such as in Long Branch on May 6, 2012 — and a heritage walk. These notes are derived from what David Switzer recalls from Jane Jacobs’ books and related sources: Long Branch was once a beach resort for […]