Vote for the Perth Schoolyard Project
Vote for the Perth Schoolyard Project
A group of residents is working to improve the playground behind Perth Avenue Public School and St. Luigi Catholic School. The playground is currently covered in paved asphalt. A plan to build a rubberized running track could become a reality this summer if enough people vote to support the initiative in a $50,000 grant competition called ‘Team Up’ offered by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. Voting continues until February 20. You can make it better for all the children in the neighbourhood by showing your support with a vote!
The MLSE Team Up Foundation is introducing a new grant program this year – the Team Up Foundation Fund (TUFF) with a total of $200,000 available across four charitable grants. Four charitable organizations will each receive $50,000 at the end of March. Winners are selected based on VOTES!
With this grant we hope to attain a poured rubber track for approximately 600 students from Perth and St. Luigi Schools as well as 140 children from the Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club. Perth Avenue Public School and St. Luigi Catholic School are a joint TDSB/TCDSB schools servicing students from JK -Grade 8. See more about this project at tinyurl.com/6UOPHC2
Voting Process
- The Team Up Foundation Fund will open up to public voting beginning on January 30, 2012.
- Charitable organizations are encouraged to engage their supporters and spread the word about their application. PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW.
- Voters will be permitted to submit one vote per day. REMIND YOUR FRIEND TO VOTE EVERYDAY
- First round of voting will close on February 20, 2012.
- The Top 20 project proposals (based on votes received) will be selected for review by the Grant Committee.
- The Grant Committee will select the Top 10 projects for the next phase of public voting. This will occur between February 20, 2012 and March 2, 2012
- The final round of voting will open on March 7, 2012. Again, charities are encouraged to engage their supporters and spread the word about their application and that they are in the running for one of four $50,000 grants.
- The final round of voting will close on March 16, 2012. The top four (4) charitable organizations who have received the most votes will each receive $50,000 for their project proposal
Comments
We need more people to vote - tell all your friends
This is an important vote, we have dropped from ranking 4th to ranking 9th - get the message out to family and friends, I sent the link to 600 friends on my connections link, if we all send this to everyone we know this all important improvement project will be in the top ranking for the final vote.
Cheers,
Philip
South Perth & Sterling Road Residents Association Co-Chair.
Impressive Effort by the Schoolyard Improvement Committee
What a great effort by everyone connected to the Perth Schoolyard Improvement Project! Voting for the $50,000 grant competition has been underway for two weeks. Perth has been in the Top Ten since voting began with more than 70 organizations competing.
It speaks to the sense of community that exists in the Junction Triangle. There are clearly a dedicated number of people voting for Perth. The project is currently in seventh spot.
More voters for the final week would help Perth secure a Top 10 finish and a better chance of advancing to the final round.
It's easy to register and voting takes less than a minute. It's absolutely free and no salesmen will call. Just follow the links from the JT website https://www.junctiontriangle.ca/PerthSchoolyardVote
Many thanks.
Make a suggestion
I like many others this morning received a postcard letting residents know about both The Library survey and Perth School Yard contest. I noticed that it was all in English, except for 2 lines one was in Chinese and the other in Portuguese, asking people to go to the website for more information.
Comment/Suggestion,
I would spend less on the postcard and do more on the substance of the message. I again must point out that 50% or more resident in JT/ward18, speak another language at home and many of that % don't speak or read English, and on top of that many seniors in that equation don't have a computer, which will make it very difficult for them to participate in a COMMUNITY thing. Below is something I cut from the School Yard contest, it reads
"Our area is a vibrant inner city school/community located in the South Junction Triangle. Our multicultural student population represents over 16 different language groups".
So you see many of our new immigrants don't speak engish at home, as the kids are learning English, their parents still and maybe will not fully learn English.
So what i am suggestion in the future is have a news letter type of literature given to residents, instead of the fancy expensive postcard. Beside english have it in the 3 or 4 top languages, instead of asking them to go to their computer.. Remembering if this is a community participation then you must be more inclusive. I will also email our 3 elected officials to remind them about the same thing. I must say in all fairness that Ana of all the 3 elected officals, they have been doing a good jobin getting the message out in top 3 languages of ward 18.
Lastly, I must say as I see you are trying to make this a better community, community been the main word. I must remind the organizers that they need to make sure that they reach out to as many of the resident of this community as possible, unfortunately these are the challenges when you have a diverse community. JF
Come and Volunteer with us
Hello Jack,
We are very lucky to have the opportunity to apply for this grant. The project was never meant to be inclusive. The announcement for the grant and the timing of the project gave us just over a week to complete the project. All your arguments are correct, however we are lucky and thankful that the library project allowed us to piggyback on their mailout, otherwise there would have been none. As well, we are happy that sponsors helped to pay for the distribution and printing. We will be getting into the top 20 and we will have another round of voting and another mailout, so please put your suggestions into action and do some translation and deliver some flyers with us. We will not receive the grant if we don't get more residents on board and we need more help to do so. I am sure that you will be able to reach out to members of the community that we haven't been able to, due to language barriers, etc. I hope you are voting too! Can I put you down as a volunteer for this project?
Looking forward to working with you. JA
Doing to much already
JA, No thanks.
I have to much on my plate already, between work, family and other commitments can't do it. In December 2011 after 12 yrs as a volunteer with the Toronto Police (11 div CPLC and Victims Services) had to resign as I have to much going on. Without criticizing to much, you had the opportunity to do the flyers in multi language with the flyers you have on the poles around the JT. I can see your flyers on the poles. Plus I think you got more attention with going into the villager paper and poles, then you advertising in the post cards.
I usually read all my junk mail, junk or not, except the ones from the Realtors I throw those away, but if I didn't read the post card closely, I would think they are more junk mail. The post cards looked so much like some some fitness or Realtor advertisement.
This is just an observation, but it seems people who either speak another language or have parents who speak another language appreciate or understand how important it is to have literature done in multi languages. Councillor Ana is getting it and trying to be more inclusive. I wish I could say the same about Andrew and Jonah.
You said: "The project was never meant to be inclusive" then how are you suppose to get votes and more importantly, if you don't wanted to be more inclusive with the general community in the JT, you sure need to be more inclusive with the parents of the kids from perth. JF
i would say
..that if you're not willing or able to help effect the change you'd like to see in the process, then perhaps you are better to keep your criticisms quietly to yourself. the folks on this schoolyard committee have been working very hard to a) apply for this grant and b) put the word out about it. parents have volunteered their time and their own money to do what has been done so far. some of these parents work full-time and some of them are home with many children and some of them are on this committee AND others.
"without criticizing too much"...the turn around time to apply for this grant was very short and the parents involved had to jump in with both feet just to meet the deadline. and since you have no time to be involved in this initiative, you would have no idea what method has been successful in reaching our community.
in a perfect world, every scrap of information around the neighbourhood would be instantly translated into the multitude of languages. on tight timelines and tighter budgets, that just isn't going to happen.
ps - here's hoping that you're at least voting. surely you have time for that?
Ditto
Kudos to your work and efforts with the school project, you are affecting change and getting notice, within the JT specifically and extended-locally, your passion and dedication is much appreciated as our children deserve no less,
this initiative is long long over due and the fact that a group of residents have taken it upon themselves to make the personal sacrifice to better our community school and our livability as residents, deserves nothing short of our FULL appreciation and support, with nothing less....
Keep up the great work,
Kori
Was not criticisms, just pointing things out
I was merely pointing things out to you, was trying not to be to critical. I am surprised no one said anything to you. This has been a problem for years in the JT( renaming JT, Clean Train, Library to name a few). I think the efforts by you and your committee is great and believe it's in the best interest of the kids, however we must be more inclusive and remember we live in a community were their is many which english is not their first language and english is not spoken at home, neither by students parents or grandparents. The importance of been inclusive to all residence of the JT.
Ana even pointed out about been inclusive and how great it is to have a deverse community like the JT. All 3 elected officals of davenport were notified
ANA WROTE: Dear Jack,
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I believe that having such a diverse community adds to the vibrancy and appeal of our neighbourhood. I will continue to work hard in being inclusive of the many different people that make up our Ward's population.
Thank you once again for your e-mail and please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.
Regards,
Ana Bailão
City Councillor
Ward 18, Davenport
Perth Schoolyard project in The Villager
The Villager posted an article about the schoolyard project, with a reminder to vote:
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/1291558--perth-public-sc...