The Park People are Coming to Withrow!

How Can We Make It Easier to Host Community Events in Parks?
Thursday, November 29th • 6:00pm-7:30pm
Frankland Community Centre • 816 Logan Ave

Having trouble understanding the city's insurance form? Do you need a permit? Why do you need to pay for a permit? Join Toronto Park People, Friends of Withrow Park and Parks Forestry and Recreation staff for a discussion about how to make it easier for Friends of the Park groups to plan events in parks. If you want to host an event in 2013, tell the story of your past efforts to animate your park, or suggest solutions, please join us!

Friends of Withrow Park will also share their own successes and challenges with events in their park like their pumpkin parade and campfire.
The Frankland Community Centre is located at 816 Logan Ave., two blocks west of Carlaw Avenue and just south of the Danforth Avenue. The closest subway stop is Chester Station on the Bloor-Danforth Line.
Hope to see you all there!
Toronto Park People

The Withrow Market Heads Indoors!

The Withrow Park Farmers' Market is heading indoors for the winter.  Check out the market at the Danforth Church (60 Bowden) from 3-7pm on Tuesdays starting November 6. 

Want to find out more?  All of the details are on the market website http://www.withrowpark.ca/wiki/wiki.php.

See you Tuesday!

Rain or Shine...the Pumpkin Parade Goes On November 1

We won't be scared off by poor weather...the pumpkin parade will go on.  Dress warmly, bring your pumpkin and join in the fun tonight.  Time to show off your pumpkin art!

Join us 6-9 pm along the pathway from Strathcona to Hogarth.

Riverdale Halloween Show

The Day Before the Pumpkin Parade....Check out

'Riverdale Halloween Show'

 - the scariest, spookiest production on Langley Avenue. 

There will be three shows on Langley on October 31st: 7:30, 8:00 & 8:30 p.m.  This year's show is called " WORN AGAIN!!!" 

Enjoy having the show in our community? Show them your support!  Go to the show.  And if you feel so inclined...help fund the production.  Traditionally, the show has been funded by the organizing families and with the support of generous local businesses. This year, they are trying to raise $3,000 from the community to help cover the costs of production.

Any excess funds raised will be donated to the Friends of Toronto East General Hospital Foundation.

To make your donation, please click here:

http://www.indiegogo.com/riverdalehalloween?a=1627803

Halloween Celebrations in the Park!

GET READY FOR THE PUMPKIN PARADE ON NOVEMBER 1ST!


Bring your jack'o'lanterns to the park on November 1st and light up the pathways with your pumpkin art.   Our pumpkin accountants say we had just over 300 pumpkins last year....how many will we have this time?

Meet us at the main pathway between Strathcona and Hogarth between 6-9 pm with your pumpkins.  Set your pumpkins along the path and spend an evening in the park with your neighbours and friends.

Thank you to IQ Living for sponsoring the pumpkin parade.  We couldn't have our events without such generous support.

Want to lend a hand?  The new pumpkin permit rules (and yes...there are pumpkin permit rules) require us to put all of the pumpkins in a dumpster at the end of the parade.  The more hands to lift pumpkins at 9 pm the faster the task so please think of taking a moment to help us out.

AND ONE LAST VISIT TO THE OUTDOOR FARMERS' MARKET
 (before it moves indoors...)

The final outdoor Withrow Farmers' Market is on Saturday, October 27th!  There are special Halloween festivities planned at the market.

* Halloween Dress Rehearsal, pumpkin carving & pinata smashing!

* Halloweenish stories for the youngsters told by Erika Webster.

* Members of Shakespeare in the Ruff (http://www.shakespeareintheruff.com/#!/gallery) will witch it up Shakespeare-style inspired by Macbeth

* Music by the Casual Bluegrass Band

* And...information provided by special guests, Project Neutral Riverdale

The last outdoor market is not a goodbye...just until we meet again.  The market moves indoors starting on Tuesday November 6, 3-7 p.m. at the Danforth Church! Visit the market all winter long at its indoor location and then get ready to welcome it back to the park next May.

MORE PARK PARTIES...

Another Halloween park event is a party will be hosted by riverdaleparents.ca. The group is organizing a costume parade, pinata smashing, and treats. It all takes place at Withrow Park (Carlaw Ave/Strathcona Ave) on October 28th (2pm-5pm).

AND WHAT ABOUT THAT CAMPFIRE PIT?

We have been told that the campfire pit is still set to be renovated this Fall.  Apparently the necessary parts are being made (this campfire pit will have a lockable lid).

KEEP POSTED FOR MORE NEWS SOON...

Dusk Dances at the Park Until August 5th!

Dusk Dances will be peforming at Withrow Park every evening until August 5th.  The band starts at 7 pm and dance performances begin at 7:30.  Bring a blanket, listen to some music and follow the fearless Dusk Dances leader around the park to watch five dance performances as the sun sets.  A great way to spend a summer evening.

If you want to burn off some energy before the show join Dusk Dances for dance workshops every evening at 6 p.m. at the N.E. corner of the park volleyball court.    The dance classes are free and open to anyone who feels like joining the fun.  Here is the dance workshop schedule:

Wednesday, August 1: African dance with Lua Shayenne

Thursday, August 2: Nia with Martha Randall

Friday, August 3: Salsa with Miko Sobreira

Saturday, August 4: Hip Hop for teens with The 605 Collective

Sunday, August 5: Creative Movement for kids with Meredith Thompson and Mairead Filgate

A Historical Day

The morning started with a thunderstorm but the weather cleared and we had a great "historical" day at the Withrow Park Farmers' Market on Saturday. 

We saw archival photographs of our park (thank you to the Riverdale Historical Society!) and had self guided tours of the park to learn more.

We discovered historical love with Shakespeare in the Ruff and their performance of an Elizabethan Bachelorette.  Thank you for such an enthusiastic performance.

If you fell in love with Shakespeare in the Ruff and want to see more (or if you missed them and want to make sure you catch them this summer) be sure to check out their performance of Two Gentlemen of Verona in Withrow Park on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from August 15th to September 2nd at 7:30 p.m. 

The children made crafts at the crafts table (thank you Jennifer!) which we used on our tour of the lost river of Withrow Park.  Helen led a merry crowd through the park as she explained more about the history of the park and vicinity.  It was a wonderful tour- thank you Helen!

The children also had a chance to play some historical games led by Pepper (an endless source of energy- thank you Pepper!).  The children jumped over imaginary rivers, ran potato/spoon races, played crabwalk tag and rolled hoops with sticks.  It was great chaotic fun.

And finally, people had a chance to stop by and share ideas about how they like to imagine their Withrow Park of the future (and thank you to Rob for being at this table).  What did we hear? A tree map, a splash pad, new playground equipment, an indoor winter market, a cafe, more benches under trees, more bike parking, a bake oven, more flower gardens, a fountain, a community garden, solar panels, a gazebo and a wind turbine.  Lots of food for thought.  Do you like any of those ideas?  Do you have other ideas?  Join the conversation and we can make history by re-imagining our park! 

A final few notes of gratitude:  Thank you to IQ Living for lending us grids for our event.  Thank you to Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation for their generious sponsorship of this event.  Thank you to Wendy for helping design our posters.  And thank you to Roberta for her tireless work at the Withrow Park Farmers' Market and for hosting this event.