HVRA Makes Strong Case for Clearing Our Winter Sidewalks

Here’s a perfect story to read while you’re stuck inside afraid to venture forth on snow covered icy sidewalks or just in from trudging on the unshoveled walks in the neighbourhood. HVRA Board Member Bob Stambula created a persuasive report about uncleared sidewalks in HV and made people listen when he presented it to the City Budget Committee. Bob made a strong argument on behalf of us downtowners who pay the same taxes as suburban residents, but don’t get our sidewalks plowed by the city, even though we have more pedestrians. It doesn’t make sense, eh? Tax rates are the same, but snow clearing is not! Why are the most used sidewalks the least cared for?

And, if you do follow the City’s recommendation and call 311 to complain of uncleared patches, they’ll tell you the city crews will be out to investigate within three weeks! Nothing is likely to be changed for this year but there are more winters to come. For Bob’s full report including an emoji crying over the injustice of it all, click here.

Ontario Place Family Day Weekend — FREE — Feb., 15-18

Looking for some free indoor/outdoor activities for the coming Family Day Weekend? Ontario Place (955 Lake Shore Blvd. W. (West Island))has plans for one heck of a great Family Day Weekend. In addition to their regular winter program and renowned Winter Light Exhibition, they are excited to host back-to-back DJ Skate Parties with DJ Fawn Big Canoe and DJ Shane Mackinnon. Wow, dancing on skates? That’s worth going down just to watch other folks do it. They’ll also be a YMCA Kids Winter Pop Up and a complimentary screening of A Beautiful Planet at the Cinesphere. For those artistically inclined, Art Tonite will host paint nights Saturday and Sunday and SPFX Kids will be onsite for a series of special effects classes and face painting for kids. For a complete list of activities and times, check out their website. It’s also a good opportunity to show your support for keeping Ontario Place a public gathering place.

Killing of a Sacred Deer Film Showing at Lillian Smith Library  Fri., Feb. 15    

If you’re into suspenseful, what’s-going-to-happen-next kind of movies, Lillian Smith Library is having a showing of Killing of a Sacred Deer this Friday, February 15, from 1-3 pm. The plot goes something like this: Steven, a charismatic surgeon, takes the son of a man who died on his operating table under his wing. When the behavior of the teenage boy turns sinister, awful things begin to happen. Eeek. I personally get too nervous watching these kinds of films, but if you enjoy them, the showing is free and open to adult audiences. Here’s Rotten Tomatoes’ review. 

Correction: The fundraiser for Fort York Food Bank mentioned in last week’s eblast will be held on Thursday, March 7 not Saturday as reported last week. This eblaster needs to check her calendar more often to get her Saturdays and Thursdays straight.

Message Prepared by Ann Eyerman

If you have any items for the blast, please send them to eblast@harbordvillage.com at least two weeks before the event. Inclusion is at the discretion of HVRA.

For more information and detailed stories about HVRA, visit the HVRA website