The
Toronto Community Housing development known as
Hydro Block,
just off Baldwin Street, got a new playground and community garden this
month thanks in part to a ward-specific program that collects 10 per
cent of the value of all development to make improvements to the
communities.
The $65,000 project was only half-funded by ground-breaking, when councillor
Adam Vaughan was able to announce a top-up from his fund.
"We're the only ward that does it,"
Vaughan says, "but other wards are starting to look at it."
In addition to a new playground by
Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds,
the park got several large vegetable gardens, which will be tended by
young people in the neighbourhood, who will be paid by TCH for their
efforts.
"It was great to watch the kids more interested in
planting seeds than playing on the slide," says Vaughan of the opening
earlier this month. "But they've got both there now."
Home Depot also donated gardening tools and sprinklers.
Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Adam Vaughan
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you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being
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