Corktown Photo of the Week

PARK TOUR: Local raconteur John Wilson leads a tour of Corktown Common on Sunday, April 20. Photo by Matt Elliott.

News for the week of April 28, 2014

Transit guru Steve Munro has some good photos of the construction work taking place at King-Sumach, along with some nerdy detail about the new streetcar track going in.

At BlogTO, Chris Bateman looks to the history books in an attempt to answer the question of how Bright Street got so bent. A fascinating look back.

Meanwhile, Urban Toronto takes a look at the construction progress at the new central park in Regent Park — which will be called “Regent Park.” It should make for a great place to hang out this summer.

In important political news, new website voterlookup.ca has launched. It allows you to verify that you are registered to vote in the coming municipal and school board elections. It’s quick and easy — give it a shot.

Events for the week of April 28, 2014

On Monday, April 28, our friends at the West Don Lands Committee will be hosting their monthly public meeting. It’ll be held at 39 Parliament Street, in the 11th floor amenity room from 7 to 9 p.m. Entry code is 182. This month, the guest speakers will be representatives from the Scotiabank Waterfront Toronto marathon.

On Tuesday, April 29, MPP Glen Murray will be presenting his third Idea Distillery event at the Mill Street Beer Hall. This month, the topic will be urban aboriginal health and the West Don Lands. The event will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Click here for details.

On Wednesday April 30, Jamie Kennedy’s Gilead Bistro kicks off a new feature for Wednesday evenings with WINEMAKER’S NIGHT. Running through June 25, the restaurant will feature a different local winemaker every Wednesday night and offer their wines by the glass for half price. This week the winemaker will be Southbrook Vineyards. Click here for details and a schedule.

Starting Wednesday, April 30 and running all month long, the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival takes over Toronto. In Corktown, there are a bunch of great local photography exhibits and workshops planned. Here’s a list:

• The Remarkable Day at Vistek Toronto
• I See at Urban Gallery
• Iran Contemporary Photographers at Queen Gallery
• Beneath the Tranquility at Julie M Gallery
• Lookout Into My World at Arta Gallery
• New Works at PROOF Studio Gallery
• Colectivo & Paisajes Diversos at Corkin Gallery
• I HeART Regent Park at Daniels Spectrum

Also not to miss: it’s Jane’s Walk weekend in Toronto on May 3 and May 4. Here are your local Corktown walks — all of them are free-of-charge and open to all comers.

• Three Centuries of Corktown
• West Don Lands & Pan-ParaPan Am Athletes’ Village Walk
• Corktown Photo Walk for Kids
• A Poor People’s History of East Downtown Toronto

On Saturday, May 3, Councillor Pam McConnell is holding her annual Environment Day in Lower Sherbourne Park. It’s a great opportunity to drop off hazardous waste or electronics for recycling, or pick up free compost. It runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Click here for details.

On Sunday, May 4, don’t miss your opportunity to cheer along participants in the Goodlife Toronto Marathon at Underpass Park with our very own Corktown Cheer Station! Beginning at 8:30 a.m, we’ll be there with signs and noise-makers helping runners keep up the pace. Visit Friends of Corktown Common’s website for details.

And, of course, be aware that the marathon will mean some local road closures on Sunday morning. Click here for a map of the route so you can plan accordingly.

Got a story about something going on in Corktown? Email website@corktown.ca.