Perth School Playground, and Public Library Expansion

The Villager / Inside Toronto has an article that touches upon two major community-lead projects in the Junction Triangle: The Junction Triangle Library Project, and the Perth Avenue Public School Playground Revitalization Project.

You can read the article online here.

Some quotes:

Perth Avenue Junior Public School's yard is a bare patch of asphalt, but if Junction Triangle resident Allison Grey's New Year's resolution comes true it'll be well on its way to becoming an urban oasis for sports, agriculture and outdoor learning.
She is just one of many community activists who is looking ahead to January and beyond to build on initiatives they spearheaded in 2010.

Grey, who has lived in the neighbourhood for a decade, was instrumental in launching the Perth Avenue Public School Playground Revitalization Project. She credits Perth P.S. Principal Janice Robinson for inspiring her to kick-start the redevelopment of the yard. Its sorry state has stopped some area parents from enrolling their children in the elementary school on Ruskin Avenue, said Grey.

"We'd love to do a whole big soccer pitch with a track around it, but it'll likely cost thousands of dollars," she said.

The aim is to start with smaller, less costly projects. Already, Robinson has erected two new hockey nets and has plans to purchase other equipment, such as basketball hoops. There are ideas circulating for some artwork like a mural, added Grey.

Meanwhile, Grey's neighbour, Kevin Putnam, the co-founder of the Junction Triangle Library Expansion Committee, is eager to continue efforts to grow the beloved Perth/Dupont branch, one of the smallest in the city.

At a Nov. 22 meeting, Bailao announced a $1.2 million injection of funds toward the project, which includes encouraging local residents to fill out an online survey called 'The 100 Day Survey.' They can do so until the end of February. Its purpose is to gather as much input from as many people as possible. A report outlining the results of the survey and a public consultation process will be submitted to the Toronto Public Library Association before it is released to the public at the end of March, said Putnam, with fundraising to follow.

The complete article is here.