History + Community
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The Pocket’s Tiny Forest is Bigger Than It Looks
My favourite jeans—medium-wash and wide-cut with two inches of fabric rolled up and safety-pinned “just until I get them hemmed”—have deep front pockets. As they are a rarity in women’s bottoms, I’ve committed myself to using them. They carry my trusty lip balm, rings discarded while I wash my hands, and the change from my café order with such ease that I often forget they’re there and send them through the wash. It’s a blessing and a curse. What I have yet to make use of, though, is the tiny pocket tucked inside the larger one on my right hip.
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Taking a Walk on Danforth’s Spiritual Side
I’ve been taught not to talk about politics or religion. Naturally, this made both of these topics more interesting. I grew up strictly agnostic (my mom confiscated a cross my grandma bought my brother when we were kids), so religion in particular was fascinating and forbidden. What are these buildings where all these people go? What do they do there? And why?
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Getting the Measure of Deric Cahill
Driving east on Danforth Avenue early one evening in October, headed toward Comedy Bar, I could feel the last rivulets of summer dripping away. Sidewalks were crowded, and as shops and cafes decanted, restaurants filled up. Misjudging the location, I didn’t realize how far down one of Toronto’s busiest roads I’d be going. By the time I parked, the hand-holding passersby near Pape Avenue had slowly morphed into small groups of unhoused people near Main Street, huddled, sharing blankets. It felt like I’d travelled through multiple cities all on one street.
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Have a Coffee, Put a Record on at the Press Vinyl Cafe
I visited Danforth Avenue for the first time on a mid-November day that could only be described as grey. Grey skies, grey fog, grey cars speeding by in a blur. Imagine my pleasant surprise, then, as I approached the Press Vinyl Cafe, which had a front window awash in the warm glow of string lights. When I entered the shop, I, too, felt a newfound warmth. Vibrant, hand-painted wall murals replaced the cloudy skies outside, and the constant thrum of traffic gave way to the twang of guitars from the loudspeakers.
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Unlikely Guidance
Raised partially by the system, I believed, for too long, that I needed to struggle. That who I was wouldn’t matter if I did not show my scars. It was hard to appreciate what one English teacher, who wouldn’t show an ounce of interest in my broken personal life, was offering me.
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Hey Danny, I’m Walkin’ Over Here!
The worth of walkability through the Danforth’s eyes.
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Love Letter From a Commuter: Why the Don Valley Should Be Protected
Dear Don Valley, It is 9:39 a.m. on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, and I am driving down the Don Valley Parkway, heading to Centennial College for my first day of school. Up until today, I have never been a commuter; I have always lived close to school, so driving every day from my small hometown north of the city is rather new to me. Already I find the bumper-to-bumper traffic along the DVP to be as tedious and exhausting as the constant exhaust fumes that are spewing out of engines all around me. But there is one silver lining: as I take the exit at Don Mills Road and the…
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Designing a Neighbourhood: The Go-To Design Hub
I met Armin Martiros, the owner of Design Lab, on a bright, warm day. His shop, similar to that day, was warm and bright. While walking along Pape Avenue, I stopped at a storefront window, displaying one small, white sofa covered with a fluffy, ash-grey blanket, some pillows, and a matching side table. Drawn in by the design, which resembled a cozy, nicely furnished home, I decided to have a look inside. The first thing I noticed was that the space was filled with personalized everyday items, things appearing both practical and pretty. Later, after browsing the shop’s webpage, I saw that cushions, lamps, Acapulco chairs, sofas, curtains, colourful glasses,…
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A Community United: The Danforth Multifaith Commons and Beyond
Walking into the Saturday morning Shabbat services at the Danforth Jewish Circle, you notice Jesus staring down at you from the stained glass windows. You also notice the overwhelming warmth and friendliness you’re greeted with. The Danforth Jewish Circle is an inclusive Jewish congregation that operates out of the Eastminster United Church, at Danforth and Jackman avenues. The East End United Church (EEU), the Danforth Jewish Circle (DJC), and the Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation (NUU) are three different religious congregations that share this building and collectively form the Danforth Multifaith Commons (DMC). The concept of the DMC intrigued me from the start. It’s not every day that you see three…
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People of the Danforth
There’s a peculiar phenomenon that I stumbled across on the internet the other day: The Danforth Community group on Facebook, filled with missing pets and keys, business ventures, quirky events, and a bunch of really lovely people. After my initiation (my request to join was approved), it felt like I had opened a treasure chest of community secrets. I dug through hundreds of posts discussing matters related to the Danforth, and honestly, I got jealous. I don’t live on the Danforth, nor do I visit the area often, but looking through the group unleashed an itching curiosity as to what made their community page so lively—the members were so helpful…