Just thought I would share this with you guys.
From: Howard Shapiro <hsh...@toronto.ca>
Subject: RE: Dump in Moss Park
To: perry...@sympatico.ca
Cc: cath...@azureonline.com, henry...@cnsx.ca, "Marco Cau" <marc...@cra-arc.gc.ca>, jodo...@curacomm.net, bryan...@gmail.com, nculv...@gmail.com, "Trevis Belcourt" <tbel...@gmail.com>, "Deb Merideth" <deb...@goodshepherdcentres.ca>, bre...@hotmail.com, davidal...@hotmail.com, "Glen Simourd" <glens...@hotmail.com>, jackson...@hotmail.com, marc...@hotmail.com, park...@hotmail.com, sanle...@hotmail.com, saphi...@hotmail.com, "Judy Blundell" <judybl...@mac.com>, jma...@renaissancetoronto.com, ana...@rogers.com, gen...@rogers.com, ho...@rogers.com, bs...@sympatico.ca, "David-John" <dj...@sympatico.ca>, "Melanie Fleming" <melanie...@telus.com>, "Steve Emrich"
<steve....@utoronto.ca>, j.kn...@wildcat.ca, "Eban Bari" <eban...@yahoo.com>
Received: Monday, July 6, 2009, 4:46 PM
I am writing on behalf of Toronto Public Health in response to your email regarding Moss Park.
Information on the pest control products being applied at the temporary garbage sites can be found at: http://www.toronto.ca/labour-relations/pesticide-odour-control.htm . The MSDS sheets for Generation Mini Blocks (rodenticide) and Dragnet FT (insecticide) are available online:
http://www.yorku.ca/dohs/documents/msds/5113600.pdf
http://www.liphatech.com/Documents/US/MSDS/Generation/ENG_GEN_MiniBlocks_MSDS.pdf
Temporary garbage sites are inspected daily and pest control products are applied on an as needed basis. Toronto Public Health has confirmed with the pest control company that the application of these products will occur between 9pm and 7am. Measures are in place to minimize the risk of these products extending beyond the garbage sites.
Permethrin (the active ingredient in the sprayed insecticide), is used in agriculture for application on crops. Eating foods sprayed with permethrin is a common source of exposure. As with all fruits and vegetables, make sure to wash the produce from your community garden thoroughly before consuming to reduce exposure to potential contaminants from all sources.
Sincerely,
Hello.
Dr. McKeown, on Tuesday June 30th at 16h30 an Orkin worker similar to the one in the attached picture (that was turned away by residents at Christie Pitts) entered Moss Park wearing the same gas mask and pulled a hose from his truck and began spraying the garbage. The park was not cleared at the time and there were many residents and dogs in the immediate area that were not provided masks or asked to leave, there was even a woman with a new born baby on the other side of the fence. You can confirm this Orkin visit as a fact by your entry logs at the park and no doubt by the invoice you will receive. As medical officer of
health can you please provide the material safety data sheets for what was sprayed on that day? In addition, can you please provide a report from either yourself or your office that states the food harvested from the community garden and fruit orchard located a few meters from the temporary dump are safe for human consumption? Will a sign/information be posted by the city or board of health next to the garden?
Mr Rathbone, As solid waste manager I assume that the staff wearing the coloured shirts are your employees. I therefore ask you to have your employees remove their personal vehicles from the park (see licence plates on attached link). After several calls to parking enforcement they eventually told me that the park is 'private property' and that the city has to ask them to leave first. I approached one of the individuals an hour ago after he was finished talking to Deb Meredith and asked him if he had a car parked in the park and he said yes that he was given
permission. If you gave them permission, then fine fair enough, but I would ask you to explain why they should have this privilege while anyone else that works downtown has to find a place to park. As a matter of fact, whenever we tax paying residents have visitors come to visit us they too must pay for parking. By you allowing your staff to park in our park it is a further disrespect to our neighbourhood and our park. In addition Mr Rathbone, can you please share with us your clean up plan/timetable? What will happen in Moss Park 24/48hrs after the strike is ended? When will the fencing come down? When will the garbage be removed? The cleaning of the baskeball court, the replacement of the field turf? How will the park be monitored for rodents afterward?
Mark, Ryan mentioned that you were covering for him while he is away from the office. In a June 25th email to Nick Culverwell, and a June 26th email to both Marilyn Crawford and me, the councillor/Ryan indicated that they will see if the foot print of the temporary dump can be reduced. Can you please provide an update on that?
Further, in the June 26th email I sent to Ryan, I asked what other locations were proposed by the councillor for alternate emergency garbage sites after the last strike, as we constituents of Kyle's requested he do so on our behalf? Ryan did not answer the question; instead he mentioned that "the ramifications of not preparing for an extended strike and providing adequate locations for people to dump their trash would have wide-ranging negative implications", by my count there were 6 years to plan between strikes. I have seen press articles where Joe Pantalone has advocated for alternate dump sites and where concessions
were made in the locating of the dump in Christie Pits, but I hear of no such advocating from Kyle. I again ask if your office can please provide the list of alternate sites that Kyle or his office proposed and why they were ultimately rejected. That same June 26th email included a request for an inventory/listing of city owned property. Can you let me know where I can find that?
Regards Perry
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:02:45 -0400
From: rl...@toronto.ca
To: perry...@sympatico.ca
CC: cath...@azureonline.com; henry...@cnsx.ca; marc...@cra-arc.gc.ca; jodo...@curacomm.net; bryan...@gmail.com; nculv...@gmail.com; tbel...@gmail.com; deb...@goodshepherdcentres.ca; bre...@hotmail.com; davidal...@hotmail.com; glens...@hotmail.com; jackson...@hotmail.com; marc...@hotmail.com; park...@hotmail.com; sanle...@hotmail.com; judybl...@mac.com; jma...@renaissancetoronto.com; ana...@rogers.com; gen...@rogers.com; ho...@rogers.com; bs...@sympatico.ca; dj...@sympatico.ca; melanie...@telus.com; steve....@utoronto.ca; j.kn...@wildcat.ca
Subject: RE: Dump in Moss Park
Hi Perry -
Earlier today, I met with Deb Meredith and we briefly toured the park. I committed to her that I would request that the dump location be curtailed and that more of the park be made available for public use. Also, I will immediately follow-up with the Director of Solid Waste to advise of the security issues.
As far as I know, no other locations in Ward 27 have been approved by the Ministry of the Environment to serve as temporary waste sites. The fact of the matter is that everyone hates the plan, however, the ramifications of not preparing for an extended strike and providing adequate locations for people to dump their trash would have wide-ranging negative implications - far beyond the restricted use of, and the wear and tear on, the parks that have been selected as temporary drop-off sites.
The other large green spaces in this ward include Allan Gardens and Queen's Park, however, these sites don't come close to meeting the MOE criteria. Also, logistically, these sites have issues with traffic or streetcar operations and have no or limited administrative space.
Again, I will address your concerns with management staff and see what can be done to better secure the site
I plead for your patience.
Regards,
Ryan
Hi Ryan.
I hope you're holding up well, I would not want to have your job right now.
Considering Kyle is on the executive council (I believe) I must admit that I am dismayed that neither Kyle nor his office were informed in advance that Moss Park would be used as an emergency garbage dump as you indicated during our walkabout last Friday to review the deficiencies I reported (which I have attached for the others on the CC list). Ryan, you were not in Kyle's office during the last outside municipal workers strike when Moss Park was also turned into an emergency garbage dump; at that time we constituents of Kyle's requested that he propose alternate sites in the event there was another strike in the future, this was done through Michael Robertson. As this is the only recreational green space in
downtown Toronto I am amazed that this has happened again. I am therefore curious to know what alternate sites Kyle proposed and why those were rejected? Can you also tell me if there is an online inventory of city owned properties?
Having said that, what is done is done and like the others have stated I would like to minimize the negative effects of this current situation, therefore after day one I have the following to report.
Most people who work downtown have several options as a means of transportation, bike, transit, cars. If you choose to drive downtown you can park in one of the many private lots, municipal lots or paid street parking. I therefore do not understand why the able bodied workers who are stationed in Moss Park for this temporary garbage dump must further show their disrespect for our park and community by parking in the park itself (as can be seen in the following pictures taken yesterday afternoon). Why do they think they have this privilege? Can you please ask them to stop
this?
Further, in an email from the councillor yesterday he stated that these temporary garbage sites would have 24 hour security. Walking my dog through the park after the Jays game last night at 22h36 I watched with dismay as a guy pushed a sofa on a dolly passed the security guard and illegally dumped it in the centre of park then casually walked past the guard. I took pictures of this on my mobile and the sofa was still there for all to see this morning. I then approached the guard and asked him if it was not his job to stop the guy and he said he had tried which I clearly saw he did not. In all honesty the guard was by himself and I do not blame him. You can confirm this happened because after I approached the guard he got on his radio and then he
started to write a report. My question is, as this happened after only day one, what further steps can you take to tighten the illegal dumping in Moss Park?
I love my neighbourhood and it's park I would encourage everyone to walk with a camera and make note of situations like the above.
Have a good weekend.
Best regards,
Perry
> From: Deb...@GoodShepherdCentres.ca
> To: perry...@sympatico.ca
> Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:49:53 -0400
> Subject: FW: Dump in Moss Park
>
> Perry,
>
> Thought you would be interested. See below.
>
> Debra Meredith
> Office Manager
> Good Shepherd Non-Profit Homes Toronto
> GOOD SHEPHERD | Faith in People.
> T 416.203.2711 x300 | F 416.203.2811
> deb...@goodshepherdcentres.ca
> www.goodshepherdcentres.ca
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Debra Meredith
> Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 1:30 PM
> To: 'Councillor Rae'; nculv...@gmail.com; 'bs...@sympatico.ca'; 'Marilyn Crawford'
> Cc: Henry...@cnsx.ca; jodo...@curacomm.net;
glens...@hotmail.com; j.kn...@wildcat.ca
> Subject: RE: Dump in Moss Park
>
> Hi Kyle and Ryan,
>
> Thank you for your response. I echo the sentiments in Nick's email below-- the fact that the City is using a grassy park area as a garbage dump is a very poor decision, from a health and safety and an environmental perspective. It is going to be a mess.
>
>
> Point of clarification - I did hear on the news, that the area they are using in the Old Mill/Humber Park is actually the parking lot for the park - not green space.
>
> In response to Kyle's concern for persons without a car having easy access to drop off garbage, well, good old Moss Park does seem like the simple solution from a political point of view.
>
> I am sure we will all have more concerns as the situation unfolds. Let's get this strike settled, and quickly.
>
> Thanks Ryan,
>
>
Debbie
>
>
> Debra Meredith
> Office Manager
> Good Shepherd Non-Profit Homes Toronto
> GOOD SHEPHERD | Faith in People.
> T 416.203.2711 x300 | F 416.203.2811
> deb...@goodshepherdcentres.ca
> www.goodshepherdcentres.ca
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Councillor Rae [mailto:council...@toronto.ca]
> Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 11:25 AM
> To: nculv...@gmail.com
> Cc: Henry...@cnsx.ca; jodo...@curacomm.net; Debra Meredith; glens...@hotmail.com; j.kn...@wildcat.ca
> Subject: Re: Dump in Moss Park
>
> Hi Folks -
>
> We understand where you're coming from, and won't deny that having a temporary drop-off site across the street won't serve as a smelly eyesore.
>
> That aside, it's important that the city put in place contingency plans for residents to drop off their trash in a manner
that is safe, convenient and as sanitary as possible given the current circumstances. It's unrealistic to think that people living downtown will transport their garbage to one of the transfer stations outside of the downtown core. Not everyone has access to a car, so there needs to be local drop-off locations. In speaking to Kyle, he feels the City would be negligent if it did not provide a means for residents to conveniently drop off their trash within the downtown core.
>
> There are a few downtown sites, like Moss Park, that have a community centre nearby to house administrative functions, which is why the site is being used. If it's any consolation, Moss Park is not the only park to be used as a temporary garage drop off site. Even so-called posh neighbourhoods like the Old Mill and High Park will see green space converted into temporary waste sites.
>
> I will do my best to see if a portion of the park can remain open for
public use, as some have requested.
>
> Again, I fully appreciate your frustrations and can only ask for patience given the state of affairs.
>
> Ryan Lahr
> EA to Kyle Rae
>
>
> >>> "Nick Culverwell" <nculv...@gmail.com> 06/25/09 10:22 AM >>>
> Ryan and Kyle,
>
>
>
> I'm guessing that no amount of angry notes from local residents is going to
> change the city's mind about using Moss Park as a garbage dump, but if you
> are keeping a running total, you can count this as one. I'm sure we will be
> told that everyone has to pitch in and that the decision is final. Seems to
> me a lot of the city's problems end up being dumped in and around Moss Park.
> This is just going to perpetuate the image of this neighbourhood as a place
> no-one cares about.
>
>
>
> I have to say that it
boggles the mind that a grass playing field is somehow
> more appropriate than an asphalt parking lot or other non-porous surface.
> We're going to wreck the field (which is used almost continuously), and I
> can only imagine what's going to be left behind when it is eventually
> cleared.
>
>
>
> What I would like to do is explore every possible means to reduce the impact
> of the dumping activity. Will there be pickets? How will the flow of
> traffic be controlled and where will cars line up while they wait for their
> turn? People in air conditioned cars are not going to want to turn off
> their engines with bags of garbage in their car, but can we do something to
> monitor idling? Will there be staff monitoring that the garbage actually
> gets to the fenced in area as opposed to just dumped on the first patch of
> grass that people see?
>
>
>
> I'm sure this won't be the last note on this subject. Expect more as the
> dump gets up and running, and the problems start to accumulate.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Nick Culverwell
>
> 112 Shuter Street
>
> Office: 647-722-4812
>
>
>
>
>
>
