my phone call with Richard Ubbens

[Maria Nunes]

Wow! I tried calling the number provided by Natalie Zend and just got off the phone with Richard Ubbens!

For your information:

I identified myself as Maria Nunes, a resident in Ward 14 and asked him about what had happened wrt to the garden.

He spoke to me very calmly and sounding apologetic (he'd better be) about what had happened from his point of view.

I didn't record it, took few notes, but was interested to hear "the other side" as told to an ordinary citizen who asked a simple question in a completely neutral tone of voice.

The things he said which contradict what I heard from all of you is that staff were not aware of who had put the garden in (over all of these months), had no idea how to contact the person(s) responsible (didn't see the sign), finally spoke with someone tending the garden in late August who was given contact information and asked to call the Parks department, but was never heard from.

He claims that the response to the garden's destruction was the FIRST he'd heard about the garden at all, though I stupidly failed to ask if he had not ordered it as I've been told.

He said the garden was looking as gardens do at this time of year and the remaining harvest consisted of 1 squash, 2 handsful of peas, and half a pot of ripe cherry tomatoes--sounds like the makings of a good meal!

I leave it to you to make of this what you will. I did not want to argue with or contradict him. This is what an ordinary citizen gets when making a personal telephone request of the person in charge of Parks.

Truth or B.S.?

He did speak very highly of the city's community garden program.

I'm sorry that I can't be with you at Nathan Philips Sq. right now; thus far, this is my contribution to this episode.

Good luck.

....../Maria

 

On 1 October 2012 11:25, Councillor Fletcher <councillo...@toronto.ca> wrote:

Councillor Fletcher is very concerned about the removal of the garden. Can I get more details to take to her ?

 

Sincerely

 

Richard Decter

Assistant to Councillor Paula Fletcher

416-392-4060 

,

>>> Natalie Zend <andi...@yahoo.ca> 9/29/2012 11:16 am >>>

I called City of Toronto Parks Director Richard Ubbens at 416-392-7911, as well as my city councillor, to register my protest.

Perhaps we can all do the same?

for life,

Natalie

---

From: ZORA IGNJATOVIC <artd...@rogers.com>
To: Jeanny Gonzalez <jea...@foodshare.net>; Angela Elzinga <ang...@foodshare.net>; Angela Bischoff <gree...@web.ca>; Food Security Ryerson <foodsecuri...@gmail.com>; "jean...@shamansong.ca" <jean...@shamansong.ca>; "vivian.vi...@gmail.com" <vivian.vi...@gmail.com>; Carole Griffin <carole....@me.com>; john sharkey <jsha...@sympatico.ca>; Lorraine Johnson <ljoh...@interlog.com>; Wayne Roberts <geta...@web.ca>; Helen Mills <helen.lo...@gmail.com>; Anna Sienicka <an...@homeopathiccare.ca>; Anne Goodman <anne.g...@utoronto.ca>; YPLeung <yuenpi...@gmail.com>
Cc: paula coutinho <paul...@hotmail.com>; Councillor Paula Fletcher <councillo...@toronto.ca>; Mary Roufail <ma...@foodshare.net>; "mary....@tdsb.on.ca" <mary....@tdsb.on.ca>; Toyin C <tpp...@gmail.com>; Steve P <stephen.p...@gmail.com>; Mariko Uda <marik...@gmail.com>; Marisa Meléndez <marisa...@gmail.com>; Natalie Zend <andi...@yahoo.ca>; hollyhawk <holl...@wholigranoli.com>; Jane Hayes <perma...@yahoo.com>; Justice Law <justicew...@gmail.com>; renee nadeau <r.k.n...@gmail.com>; "jus...@foodshare.net" <jus...@foodshare.net>; Lauren Baker <lba...@toronto.ca>; "Jo...@foodshare.net" <Jo...@foodshare.net>; john corso <Jo...@johnthegardener.com>; Utcha Sawyers <ut...@foodshare.net>; Andrew Owens <bizno...@gmail.com>; Toronto Balconies Bloom <T...@bell.net>; "toronto-ur...@googlegroups.com" <toronto-ur...@googlegroups.com>; Garden TGC <gar...@torontogreen.ca>; Toronto Permaculture Learning Group <learningpe...@groups.facebook.com>; "toronto-work-t...@googlegroups.com" <toronto-work-t...@googlegroups.com>; Vera DelVecchio <lightup...@rogers.com>; Debbie Field <deb...@foodshare.net>; Kyla Z. A. Dixon- Muir <emai...@sympatico.ca>; emiko sekiguchi <emikose...@gmail.com>; Food Forward Darcy Higgins <da...@pushfoodforward.com>; Ana Maria Santinoli <anam...@foodshare.net>; Johanne Daoust <jda...@sympatico.ca>
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 3:29:42 PM
Subject: Fw: BREAKING NEWS: City of Toronto Workers Ordered to Destroy Free Community Food Garden Amid Growing Food Crisis

 It is not only me who feel ashamed and hurt by this act. this serves as a proof of disconnection with reality and ignorance of our city administration. It is happening after the Urban Ag Summit in our city, where we heard a lot about our supportive city. .Let's find the reasons and priorities behind it. how City  and park director Richard Ubbens can stand for this action and clarify the order to destroy the garden the day before the Harvest fest, after almost half a year from the installation..   Occupy Gardens community, civic society, all volunteers and especially hungry people of our city and the world deserve that.

I am inviting all people to come out tomorrow( bring some food if you can, so we may feed ourself) and support the young people who are acting with clarity, beauty, and creativity. number of people  joyfully offered their time and expertise to demonstrate that the better city and world is possible, if we work together for the universal access to food.

Please write a letter and request clarification from the Parks Director and our city representatives.

I am speaking from the place of gratitude for all we have in our community and also as a lifelong activist, gardener and community food animator.

peace

zora 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: People's Peas Garden <occupygard...@gmail.com>
To: occupy...@gmail.com
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 12:58:04 PM
Subject: BREAKING NEWS: City of Toronto Workers Ordered to Destroy Free Community Food Garden Amid Growing Food Crisis

Toronto, Friday Sept 28th, 10am 

Breaking News : City of Toronto Workers Ordered to Destroy Free Community Food Garden Amid Growing Food Crisis

PEAS SHARE WILDLY

This morning workers from the City of Toronto were ordered by City of Toronto Parks Director Richard Ubbens to remove all live plants and food from the People's Peas Garden in Queens Park. They were ordered to take the plants and food to the dump and lay sod overtop of this most beautiful free community food garden, without warning, without a chance to remove the rare heirloom plant species or harvest the food. The garden was planted by Occupy Gardens and allies on May 1st, in defense of local and global food security. While the garden has been growing undisturbed for nearly 5 months, with the help of hundreds in the community, the city deliberately decided to have it removed upon the eve of the Autumn Jam: A Harvest Party and celebration of sharing, community and free local food, which is happening tomorrow from 12-6pm at the garden in Queens Park (northwest section). 

The reason? The people did not have permission to grow free food on public land. I come from a city and country where one does not need permission to do the right thing. We are experiencing a "glocal" food crisis, where more and more people are lining up at food banks for kraft dinner and peanut butter, waiting lists for community gardens are growing, food prices rising, and our leaders are nowhere to be seen. Rather they are hiding behind their desk ordering the workers to destroy whatever hope we have left.  

We need help sharing this story far and wide.

We will be having our Autumn Jam harvest party/vigil tomorrow as scheduled from 12noon-6pm in the northwest section of Queens Park.
 
As a side note - last Monday Sept 17th gardeners travelled to Ottawa on a Peas Keeping mission for national, global food security, where we planted a free heart-shaped food garden on Parliament Hill, at which point the RCMP stomped on the plants and threatened arresting people, we removed the plants and relayed the sod.

Thanks so much for your time and help,

Attached is a file of photos taken, the most provocative perhaps, is singled out and added in addition for quick sharing.

In Peas, Lovage & SOILidarity!

Jacob Kearey-Moreland
647 379 2324

--

Peas and lovage, 

Occupy Gardens Toronto

CONNECT, SHARE & GROW WITH US!

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/occupygardenstoronto 

Facebook Global SOILdarity campaign - www.facebook.com/occupygardensforworldpeas

Twitter: @OccupyGardensTO 

Google Group - http://groups.google.com/group/occupy-gardens?hl=en 

Google Calendar -  https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=occupygardenstoronto%40gmail.com&ctz=America/Toronto  

Got good food, gardens, knowledge, time to share? www.extrashare.org

Email: occupygard...@gmail.com

It's Thyme, Lettuce Occupy Gardens for World Peas!
All we are Sowing, is give Peas a Chance!

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[David Leinster]

Please remove me from all correspondence.    

Thanks you

David

-- 

David Leinster  OALA, FCSLA, MCIP, RPP, ASLA

Partner

t  416.975.1556 ext. 229

f  416.975.1580

e  dleinster@planpart.ca

The Planning Partnership

1255 Bay Street, Suite 201

Toronto, Ontario, Canada   M5R 2A9

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