On the Danforth Online

These days, many stores offer their own reusable bags. Eco-shopping is not only trendy but an excellent way to help preserve the environment for future generations. Our list of great green products found on the Danforth contains the perfect swag for your earth-friendly bag.

By Lindsay Newton

Fresh Coffee Network coffee beans are organic and fair trade. Even the bags they come in are biodegradable! You can choose your roast and country of origin. Available in 1/2lb., 1lb. and 2lb. bags at the Carrot Common.

My Organic Baby foods are free of preservatives, artificial flavours and colours, and are made with produce untreated by pesticides or herbicides. They provide parents with a certified organic alternative for their young child’s diet. Available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

NatureClean hypoallergenic 3X concentrated liquid laundry detergent is made from corn and palm kernel oil (both are biodegradable). It doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals that are harmful to the environment or rough on skin. Available at Grassroots of Riverdale.

Burt’s Bees shampoos come in a variety of scents. All of them are environmentally friendly. These shampoos are made with natural botanicals, essential oils, flowers, herbs, and minerals that are safe, gentle, and effective. Available at the Carrot Common.

Mill Street Brewery produced Ontario’s first certified organic lager in 2002. It’s made from imported organic New Zealand hops grown without pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. Available at the Beerstore, LCBO, and select restaurants.

Invented in Vancouver, Happy Planet organic juices come in a variety of flavours. They also offer soups, smoothies, and yogurt shakes. All products are made exclusively from organic ingredients. Available at the Carrot Common.

What are some of your favourite ‘green’ products? Where can you find them on the Danforth?

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A family approach to dishing up traditional Greek cuisine

By Lindsay Newton

Kalyvia restaurant, located at 420 Danforth Avenue, is a perfect example of the Greek family traditions that have made Danforth Avenue the centre for Greek culture in Toronto. Opened by the brothers Tsafatino, Mike and Peter, in 1990, the restaurant is named after their hometown in southwestern Greece where their family still owns a home. Read more

At Sher-E-Punjab, family, quality, and nutrition are the main ingredients for great food

By Jeffrey Ross

Husband and wife team Amar and Malkit Singh have turned home-cooked meals into a profitable family business. What began as (and nearly continued to be) a fish and chips shop ultimately became a popular Indian eatery in the heart of Greektown. Using recipes Malkit learned from her mother, the couple opened the Sher-E-Punjab restaurant at 351 Danforth in May of 1975. Read more

The Marinuzzis feed their customers like family

By Jennifer Kervin

Walking into 7 Numbers at 307 Danforth Avenue is like walking into “what an Italian basement would’ve looked like in the ’50s, ’60s, or ’70s,” says owner Vito Marinuzzi. “We try and make it like eating at someone’s house.” The Italian eatery’s vibe is cozy and eclectic. The small dining room is candlelit, the tin ceiling glowing with a rustic ambiance. Read more

Rediscovering the Danforth after a slow thaw

By Chantal Arseneault-Lewis

Spring has finally arrived, and it’s time to reacquaint ourselves with all the things we lost under the snow. Planning a local day trip can fulfill your need to get out of the house while staying close to home and under budget. The Danforth is one of Toronto’s many vibrant communities where you can do a lot without breaking the bank. For TTC directions and routes on the subway and/or buses to all the destinations mentioned visit www.ttc.ca.

Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum and Arts Centre
67 Pottery Road
Buses available from Broadview Station
Website

Established in 1793, Todmorden Mills consists of two historic millers’ homes, the Papermill Theatre and Gallery, the Brewery Gallery, the relocated Don train station, as well as 9.2 hectares of wildflowers. The centre has become a great destination to learn about Toronto’s early history, see local artists’ work, and take in some theatre.

The complex, which has both indoor and outdoor facilities, is open to the general public from April through December (special events and private bookings take place year-round). It offers camps or a birthday party venue for kids, as well as many other seasonal and special events, and it’s surprisingly affordable.

Evergreen Brick Works
550 Bayview Avenue
Buses available from Broadview and Davisville Stations
Website

According to Brick Works’ website, the location is “a gathering place for individuals and families to learn about local foods, cooking, native plant gardening, green design, the ravine eco-system, and much more.” Brick Works offers a number of outdoor activities, including a weekly farmers’ market (Saturdays beginning in May, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.), wilderness programs, guided nature walks, as well as conservation and sustainability workshops.

Riverdale Farm
201 Winchester Street
Accessible by bus (from Castle Frank Station) or streetcar (506 College)
Visitors of Riverdale Farm can share information and all their stories here.

Pigs and horses and sheep (oh my!). These are just some of the animals you’ll find at Toronto’s own urban farm. The 7.5 acre farm is a great place to bring the kids, have a picnic, and see some animals without leaving the city. It also hosts a wide variety of spring and summer programs for all ages, including tours, yoga, day camp, pottery, and parlour games. A weekly farmers’ market is also held every Tuesday afternoon (May to October) from 3 to 7 p.m.

Riverdale and Withrow Parks
Riverdale Park is accessible by streetcar or a short walk from Broadview Station.
Slightly further east, Withrow Park is located south of the Danforth, accessible from Carlaw or Logan Avenue (closest stations are Chester and Pape).

Riverdale and Withrow Parks offer some much-needed green space and a diversion from busy Danforth Avenue. As the weather warms up and the city blooms, the parks become a great place for outdoor activities including sports (soccer and baseball), photography, bike riding, dog walking, and people-watching. A weekly farmers’ market is held in Withrow Park every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., opening in late May. Take your family and enjoy your purchases on the grass!

Toronto Public Libraries
Pape/Danforth Branch: 701 Pape Avenue
Riverdale Branch: 370 Broadview Avenue
TPL Website

Don’t underestimate your public library! It’s a great place to relax on a rainy day. Not only is the library full of everything that you could ever want to read (including this magazine), but the Pape/Danforth branch also runs many baby, toddler, and preschool activities like storytelling, games, rhymes, and songs. Many programs run during the morning hours and are available throughout April, May, and June.

The important thing to remember is that, despite the current economic slowdown, penny-pinching doesn’t have to be a drag. This spring, stay close to home and save money. Plan your day trip and rediscover your neighbourhood.

What are your family’s favourite Danforth day trippin’ spots? Share your stories!

By Amy Geddes

Thanks to the new legislation, and responsible dog owners, two- and four-footed visitors alike can enjoy off-leash parks.

A Proposed Location
There are four major parks in the Danforth area: the Lower Donland Park, Withrow Park, Riverdale Park West, and Riverdale Park East. Both Riverdale Park West and Withrow Park already have off-leash sites, and now Riverdale Park East may get an off-leash site too, as it was added to a list of proposed off-leash sites in October 2008.

A steep hill leads down from Broadview Avenue into Riverdale Park East where, along with amenities such as a running track, tennis courts, and baseball diamond, the park stretches out as a huge, grassy field. Looking down from the sidewalk, the people in the park seem tiny. Since Riverdale Park East is so large, surely anyone would agree there is plenty of space for both dogs and humans to share. Yet many residents of the area object to the off-leash site proposal despite new legislation from the city to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all visitors to a park with an off-leash site. When this legislation was implemented, many off-leash sites had to close because they were found to be unsuitable. Now dog-owners, walkers, trainers, and lovers, are desperate for new parks to obtain off-leash sites and Riverdale Park East is an excellent candidate.

Questions Answered
A recent survey conducted in Riverdale Park East indicated that public opinion leaned in favour of allowing an off-leash site to be created. Yet the new legislation has failed to placate everyone, for almost half of those surveyed were opposed to the off-leash site proposal. Some people were opposed due to a fear of dogs, or parents felt that “parks should be for children.” Dog-owners insisted that Riverdale Park East “had enough space for everyone to share,” yet there were people who approve of the proposal who were not dog owners, under the condition that the site is fenced in. While”good fences make good neighbors,” and would certainly allow two-legged and four-legged visitors to share the park, yet stay separate, there’s something more important to ensure everyone can be happy: responsible dog owners.

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A Leg up for the Pooch
Nigel Ryce, president of “A Leg Up Pet Services,” which provides dog-walking, boarding, training, and other services for pet owners, feels that off-leash parks are vital for dogs in the city. For the dogs, off-leash parks are good because “they need social contact, and they need exercise” beyond what they get when walking on-leash. The likelihood that an off-leash dog may harm other dogs or park visitors is slim, because “those with dogs who aren’t well-socialized rarely bring them into a crowded off-leash park.” Therefore, the responsibility to prove that these parks are safe and fun for everyone falls on the shoulders of dog owners everywhere. Dog owners also have the responsibility of training their dogs to be “safe” for the parks. Who’s Walking Who Dog Training Centre offers tips on how to train your dog.

Right now, having an off-leash site in Riverdale Park East is only an idea. Those in favour of the proposal will have to wait to see if the review of Riverdale Park East results in a new place for dogs to run off-leash and “do what dogs do.”

Interested? Keep Reading!
You can find more information about the legislation surrounding these parks in the following documents:
- Toronto Parks’ Off-Leash Area Park Conditions of Use
- Toronto Parks’ Off-Leash Policy
- Toronto Parks’ Roles and Responsibilities for Off-Leash Areas

Photo contributed by David Goehring

By Jacquie Clancy

The buildings you pass every day as you walk along the Danforth all have their own unique histories and stories. If their walls could talk, they would give you a firsthand account of how they came to be. But since they can’t, we’ll do our best to speak for them.

The Music Hall
147 Danforth Avenue. Built 1919.
Built in 1919, Allen’s Danforth Theatre was the original name of what we now know as The Music Hall. Its name changed as the building itself changed. It began as a playhouse, was briefly a movie house, and is now a place for live music and other productions. Before becoming The Music Hall, Allen’s Danforth Theatre became Century. From the beginning, what made Allen’s different was the interior decorating: it wasn’t overdone or flashy. Rather, it was created to be “artistic [with] comfortable surroundings.” The renovations that this 90-year-old cultural stepping stone recently underwent were an attempt to bring it back to its “former glory.” It’s a testament to the theatre that it has remained relevant and important to the community throughout all of its transformations.

Church of the Holy Name
606 Danforth Avenue. Built 1926.
Established in 1913 with a largely Irish-Catholic congregation, The Church of the Holy Name was not opened and officially dedicated until March of 1926. This limestone church’s architect was Arthur W. Holmes. He designed the Church of the Holy Name to resemble the S. Marie Maggiore in Rome. The second church in Canada to use indirect lighting (which uses light bouncing off the ceiling to light the area), this church cost $200,000 to build and can seat 1,050 people. Holy Name remains “unchallenged as the Danforth’s most impressive architectural landmark.”

Danforth Branch, Toronto Public Library
701 Pape Avenue. Built 1929.
In November of 1929, the Danforth branch of the Toronto Public Library opened. The Library was initially built to hold 13,000 volumes, but the collection increased over the years, and the library underwent interior renovations to keep up. Upon its opening, chief librarian George Locke remarked that the library was the “most attractive shop in a district of shops.” The library is a key part of the Danforth community, offering many services and activities for children and adults.

Danforth Baptist Church
60 Bowden Avenue. Built 1914.
The Danforth Baptist Church began as a meeting place for the Jarvis Street Baptist Church in 1884 on Don Mills Road. The church became independent in 1903 with its first minister, Reverend R. H. Mode. The relocation of the church to Bowden Avenue began in 1911, and it opened in 1914. Following World War One, a Toronto artist donated a mural to commemorate the men of the congregation who had fought in the war. The mural is still there today. The church currently offers counselling services, hosts three separate congregations, and is a cornerstone of the community.

In addition to church services dance classes are offered at the Danforth Baptist Chuch. Check out the dance lessons in this video:

For more information about the history of Danforth buildings, check out Barbara Myrvold’s The Danforth in Pictures: A Brief History of the Danforth.

Photos by Christa Johnson