Revitalize magazine april 2015 by Revitalize Magazine

Uplifting Neighbourhoods One Edition at a Time

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April 2015

Table of Content’s What Phase of Development Are We In? Daniels Corporation and Toronto Community Housing Corporation have provided us with some facts intended to enlighten our readers about current progress and future goals. ..........................................................................................................................................................................Page 4 From Regent Park to Tanzania. Learn about Youth Challenge Internationals project that saw eight Canadians travel to Tanzania to work with some incredible local young leaders and entrepreneurs. ..........................................................................................................................................................................Page 7 Show Some Love. Show love to Show Love Cafe. A simple idea going a long way. ........................................................................................................................................................................Page 13 The Sound of Regent Park. Regent Park School of Music shares some of their past successes and future goals. ........................................................................................................................................................................Page 15

EDITOR’S MESSAGE To all of our new readers, WELCOME to the all-new Revitalize Magazine. Our team has been working hard night and day to ensure our first edition goes out without a hitch. We understand that growing pains are inevitable, however we are committed to informing the residents of Regent Park of all the upcoming public events, the inspiring stories of our neighbors and highlights from the past month. We wish to be the tool that bridges the gap between all of Regent Park’s residents and to unite cultures through information, art, culture and specialized programs for the benefit of all ages, creeds or heritage. Revitalize is a fully locally-produced project and is financed by local businesses for a collective effort to share the wealth of knowledge. THANK YOU for supporting us, we could not have done this without you.

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OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD UNITED

TCHC, the City-owned, non-profit housing corporation, is undertaking the phased redevelopment of Regent Park. he redevelopment is central to the revitalization of one of Canada’s largest and oldest public housing developments to result in a mixed-use, mixed-income neighbourhood. Regent Park comprises approximately 28 hectares (70 acres) of land on the eastern edge of downtown Toronto. The original development was made up of two “mega-blocks.” North Regent Park is bounded by Dundas Street East, River Street, Gerrard Street East, and Parliament Street and is primarily developed with three-storey and six-storey apartment buildings fitting one of two standard designs, along with some townhouses. South Regent Park is bounded by Dundas Street East, River Street, Shuter Street, and Regent Street and developed with a mix of modernist high-rise apartment buildings and town houses. In 2005, Regent Park contained 2,083 rent-geared-to- income dwelling units owned and operated by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Redevelopment is expected to take place in six (or fewer) phases. It is expected that the redevelopment will support a mix of approximately 5,400 rental and ownership housing units. This involves the demolition of the existing residential units and replacing them with a mixed-use neighbourhood. The redevelopment will reintroduce the grid street network, incorporate green technologies, provide a full range of community services and facilities, create new parks and open spaces as well as new employment and commercial opportunities to help better integrate the site with the surrounding neighbourhoods accommodate a number of built-forms and mixes of land use.

To the north lies Cabbagetown, a late 19th century residential neighbourhood that has undergone substantial reinvestment in recent decades. Queen-River lies to the east, an area of mixed industrial and residential uses that is evolving to more residential uses alongside commercial and service sector uses. Trefann Court lies to the south containing primarily a mix of non-profit and market housing, along with commercial development lining Queen Street East. King-Parliament and the West Don Lands lie further to the south and both are areas targeted for significant reinvestment and redevelopment. The South of Carlton area, or South Cabbagetown, to the west of Regent Park, is a residential area with a mix of commercial and residential uses lining Dundas Street East and Gerrard Street East. Redevelopment of Regent Park - Phase 1 & 2 along with Daniels Spectrum: the arts & cultural hub in the center of Regent Park is completed. The Daniels Corporation is the developer and they are now in the beginning stage of Phase 3 & 4. For more information on the development, visit: www.danielshomes.ca

Relocation Statistics

107

USE

LDS

MOVED OUT OF TCHC WAITING TO RETURN WAIVED RETURNED

47%

35%

535 HOUSEHOLDS RETURNED TO DATE

396 HOUSEHOLDS 108 H OUSE S HOLD

S Statistics as of January 2015

1145 TOTAL HOUSEHOLD

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Ghalib was always smiling...

An Article By: Christine Moynihan

It was impossible not to be drawn in by this handsome and energetic young Zanzibarian– and for two weeks in February he became an indispensable part of the Youth Challenge International (YCI) ’s Centre for Social Innovation team. Located at Centre for Social Innovation Regent Park on the third floor of Daniels Spectrum, The YCI CSI Innovation Team, the local Zanzibar YCI staff, Omar Gali and Hassan Hamad Hassan and a truly remarkable group of local YCI volunteers worked on programs that foster youth engagement and employment. The ever-smiling Ghalib Khamis Machano, 26 years old and a native of Zanzibar, has been involved with Youth Challenge International since 2009 and has been part of the YCI Emerging Leaders program since 2014. He worked closely with our team to design and implement our youth programs providing valuable insight in to Zanzibar culture, leading engaging activities with youth, and acting as a guide and translator. The YCI-CSI Innovation Team consisted of a team of eight diverse Canadian volunteers passionate about youth and social innovation. Jordan Walker and Sean Braithwaite led Business Planning and Entrepreneurship workshops, collaborating with the Vocational Training Authority of Zanzibar. Shilbee Kim, the indefatigable manager of CSI Regent Park, and Lena Sarrchuk led The Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) project, evaluating the work of the SRH peer educator program in Zanzibar, which is carried out by YCI’s local partner, Zanzibar Youth Forum. Deborah Dimitruk and Amanda Armstrong led the Emerging Leaders program evaluation and facilitated workshops on creativity and change leadership. Finally, Rachel Ouellette and Christine Moynihan spoke with students at four different secondary schools about issues of environmental sustainability and waste management, urgent issues on this small, beautiful but threatened island.

Fun Facts:

Distance from Regent Park to Tanzania: 12,428 km Population: 36,481,000 | Capital: Dar es Salaam | Area: 945,087 square kilometers Language: Kiswahili, Kiungujo, English, Arabic, many local languages Religion: Christian, Muslim, indigenous beliefs | Currency: Tanzanian Shilling Life Expectancy: 62 | GDP per Capita: U.S. $600 | Literacy Percent: 78 Famous People from Tanzania: Freddie Mercury (1946-1991; Lead singer of Queen)

Despite the very short time frame, all four projects achieved amazing results. But, as usual, it is the people that the CSI team met and worked with who continue to provide warm and inspirational memories of the time in Zanzibar. There is 20-year old Sharifa Said Ally, who began as the rather shy translator for the Environment Team – and ended the project being the lead teacher of the workshops, supported by Rachel and Christine. There is Omar Mohamed Bakar a tour guide and a YCI local volunteer by day; an unpaid, volunteer English teacher by night. He volunteers four nights a week to teach English and following in the footsteps of his mentor, Muhammad, who gave his evenings to teaching – with the result that Omar now speaks impeccable English and has steady employment, a huge achievement in a country that has 70% youth unemployment. And, of course, there is Ghalib. He and another friend who he met in the YCI Emerging Leaders Program, are in the early stages of creating their own NGO to address some of the issues that youth face in Zanzibar.

For For More More Information Information on on the the Emerging Emerging Leaders Leaders Program Program Visit: Visit: http://yci.org/ http://yci.org/

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2015-04-02 2:33 PM

Show Love Café: Affordable, healthy eating for the whole community.

Have you ever had a craving for a healthy snack or light lunch, only to be surrounded by fast food restaurants? Luckily for those of us who work at Revitalize Magazine, great tasting Jamaican patties are just two short flights of stairs away at the Show Love Café, located in the Artscape Lounge inside Daniels Spectrum. To find our more about Regent Park’s newest eatery, Revitalize spoke with Aleshia Nigh-Neverson, a Children & Youth worker from Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services. Revitalize: Wait – what does Dixon Hall have to do with the Show Love Café? A.N-N.: The Café is a business supported by Dixon Hall; it’s a program for youth run by youth. Through the Café, we provide training in food preparation and cooking, barrister training, business and customer service skills. All of the youth who work at the Café have Food Handlers Certifications with Dixon Hall covering the cost for the certificates. The youth also mentor and teach each other.

Aleshia Nigh-Neverson; 28 Ashley Fraser; 19 Revitalize: Where do the youth who train and work here come from? Can anyone apply to train and work at the Café? A.N-N.: Most are from the Regent Park neighborhood or are from families that have been relocated due to the on-going revitalization project, but who want and need to maintain a connection to Regent Park. However, anyone is welcome to be a part of the program. Right now, we have two youth-in-training who are receiving honorariums while they are learning; and there are five experienced Dixon Hall Children & Youth employees supporting them. Our plan is to grow the business revenue to the point where we’ll be able to offer full employment wages to all the workers, giving priority to employing youth who live in Regent Park. Revitalize: Tell us about the name – The Show Love Café. A.N-N.: A few years ago, a Dixon Hall community worker Kenneth Slater, who I work with, started “Show Love,” a community safety project based in Regent Park. Every Friday night during the summer, residents were invited to “Show Love” for their community by spending two hours weeding gardens and cleaning up the neighborhood and playgrounds. After the clean-up, residents continued to spend time together barbecuing, playing in domino tournaments, taking free Zumba classes and engaging in community dialogs.

A.N-N.:(...Continued) And out of the “Show Love” initiative evolved the Keeping Youth Motived (KYM) Committee. The members of the KYM Committee voted on the name, Show Love Café, to make it a place where youth can come to hang out and feel safe and comfortable. In addition to the Café, we’ll also be animating the Artscape Lounge. We’re planning spoken word nights, game nights and conversation circles. Revitalize: Right – but let’s get back to the food! What does the Café serve? A.N-N.: We serve food that’s healthy, affordable, familiar and welcoming to the whole community – both those who have been long-time residents of Regent Park and those new to the neighborhood. As much as possible we use fair-trade, organic products from local suppliers. Right now, the daily menu features Jamaican patties (Halal beef, chicken and vegetable), our two signature sandwiches, the TwoCheezy and the Piazzanini, and we always have a turkey sandwich and three different kinds of freshly made salads. We also have fruits, snacks, coffee, tea and delicious lattes. We’ll be expanding the menu as the business grows, offering an evening menu with features like vegan pumpkin chili and chicken and rice. Revitalize: So, Aleshia, why are you personally involved in the Show Love Café? A.N-N.: As a youth, I was a part of Dixon Hall’s programs. I grew up in the community; my Dad grew up in the community. I won’t say I was on the wrong path, but I was lucky that I found a mentor, Sandra, who is my manager now. Sandra was there for me when I was a youth and now I want to be there for other youth. It’s something that I’m so passionate about. Revitalize: Anything else you’d like us to know? A.N-N.: Yes – please come visit us! We want to continue to grow this business. And people should know that any and all profits from the Show Love Café will go into the KYM Committee fund to support international travel opportunities for our youth. Through Dixon Hall, I was able to travel when I was young and it changed my life. Now, this will just be one more way we can “pay it forward.” Revitalize: So, wait – you mean anyone can come in, get some great, fresh, locally sourced food, support training and employment for Regent Park youth and help them travel and see the world? -That’s so much more than just good eating! An Article By: Christine Moynihan

The Show Love Café is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 7 pm. CASH ONLY! (But don’t worry – there’s an ATM right next to the Café in the Artscape Lounge).

Located on the 2nd floor of the Daniels Spectrum Building. All kids have the same love and passion for music. Regent Park School of Music is here to make sure that as many kids as possible receive a music education, by removing the financial obstacle. This year, we are set to give 1,700 young people aged 3-18 a highly subsidized quality music education at our central hub in Daniels Spectrum in Regent Park and 7 other high-priority areas in Toronto.

alking through the halls in the Daniels Spectrum building in Regent Park at any time of day can be an inspiration. It is home to many arts-based community organizations and includes a performance hall, the Arstcape Lounge, a network of hallway art galleries, and even an outdoor courtyard. Photography and art works adorn the walls, artists huddle together over cappuccino in their lounge, and the sounds of musicians can be heard creeping under many doors. After school and on weekends can be a particularly intriguing time to visit, as the sounds from the second floor classrooms and studios that are home to Regent Park School of Music (RPSM) fill the air. It’s not surprising to hear the strum of guitars, the tinkle of piano keys, or the high-pitched notes from a violin, but if you venture into this space on Friday evenings this year, you may hear some more surprising sounds – the steady beats of dance music, the scratch of vinyl records, and the happy sounds of kids yelling “I’ve got a mix!” There is a new offering for children aged 9 and up this year at RPSM: group classes in DJ/Turntable skills. Taught by local Toronto DJs Jon, Jasper, and Oscar (a.k.a. DJ Dopey, L’il Jaz, and DJ Grouch), these classes are striking a chord with the young people who attend. The students learn music fundamentals such as rhythm, meter, and pitch, using music they love and technology that is all the rage. For some youth in Regent Park, this kind of music-making is clearly more appealing than playing more traditional instruments. Since its start in a church basement in 1999, the Regent Park School of Music has grown exponentially from serving only 71 kids to now providing over 2000 children aged 3-18 with quality music education in their main hub in Regent Park, and at three satellite locations in other high-needs neighbourhoods in Toronto (Jane and Finch, Alexandra Park, and Parkdale). The school provides music education to many children whose families would not normally be able to afford lessons. Most students who attend the school face many challenges in their daily lives and would otherwise have very little access to quality extra-curricular activities - activities that can help them to achieve hidden potential. RPSM has over 60 dedicated music teachers who provide small-group and individual lessons on a variety of musical instruments, from traditional piano, guitar, and voice to unique offerings such as steel pan and bucket drumming, a nonsenseorchestra, and even an iPad ensemble. Looking around the classroom on a Friday night in early December, I saw every single student with heads bent, deep in concentration, tapping their toes, swaying their bodies, and nodding their heads. “I love how everyone is moving to the beat,” encouraged Jasper. “Like I always say: A still DJ is a boring DJ!” As I watched, I found myself moving in time as well.

In fact, it’s so easy to get caught up in what they are doing in the class, that when another teacher at the school popped in for a minute, he broke out in a free-style rap to go with the beats being made by the students. It’s clear these young people are not only making music, they’re having an awful lot of fun while doing it! And it’s not only the kids who are having fun and feeling a sense of accomplishment. When teaching these kids, Jasper loves to observe “their spirit of discovering and getting involved with music as individuals, as well as with their friends, as they learn to remix and blend, scratch and cut.” For Jon, “It’s been so inspiring and fulfilling teaching the kids at RPSM. Their eagerness to learn, and childish excitement in doing so, is so pure and raw; I love seeing their faces when they achieve something! Most of us grown-ups could really learn from them.” “And from where I stand,” remarked Jasper, “seeing them work hard at it is very rewarding because each one of their journeys will be entirely different after they leave the class. But for that hour we meet each week, it is a meeting of all of our minds through the art of DJing.” RPSM relies almost exclusively on the generous support of groups and individuals in the community. If you are interested in helping to support this and similar quality music education programs at RPSM, Please visit http://rpmusic.org/

Help give the gift of music!

“This article was first published in the Canadian Music Educator and is reproduced here with permission from the Canadian Music Educators’ Association.”

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Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas Street East, Toronto) invited Torontonians to experience Black History Month with a group art exhibition that explored past, present and future narratives of black consciousness in the African Diaspora. Throughout the month of February, five local contemporary artists and one Ontario-based art gallery were represented in “Through Generations”.

The exhibition introduced a Jean-Michel Basquiat interactive installation produced by the Art Gallery of Ontario that inspired visitors to explore, create and share the experiences of Basquiat (1960 – 1988), as part of a city-wide art project celebrating the iconic artist who took the New York art scene by storm in the early 1980’s. The Hallway Galleries at Daniels Spectrum also featured works by Ato Seitu, Ella Cooper, Georgia Fullerton, Komi Olaf, and Mark “Kurupt” Stoddart as well as a collaborative display by the ZimArt’s Rice Lake Gallery and Zimbuktu Sculptures – Public Art Consultants. Through painting, photography, graphic arts, sculptures, audio and video works, this exhibition, curated by Daniels Spectrum resident curator Ashley McKenzie-Barnes, illustrated the inspirations, imagination and knowledge of our past, current and future generations.

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