Bloor West Village : In The News

The fifth annual TEDxToronto conference took place October 26 at the Royal Conservatory of Music. It's one of the largest independently organized TEDx events in the world and, according to a highlight report that ran in BlogTO, approximately 1,000 hand-chosen delegates attended. 

 

Among the highlights listed, a flash mob ukulele performance by the Ukulele Gangsters, which took place at the beginning of the conference.

 

Highlights that would be of particular interest to Yonge Street readers included Darrell Bricker, the former Director of Research for the Prime Ministers office. "Bricker has always tried to use numbers to tell the story behind the scenes. He spoke at length about the manner in which power is shifting from the 416 to the 905, which is redefining both our city and the GTA as a whole," BlogTO wrote. "Another key subject he discussed was the shrinking Canadian birth rate, which is going to make it extremely tough to support the aging population."

 

Also, Joel MacCharles, who has "been helping to foster the farmer's market movement in Toronto. By teaching people the benefits of preserving food and eating locally, Joel has altered kitchens around Toronto with some of his 1,700 articles on food-related topics," the article says. 

 

Also Steve Mann, considered the "father of wearable computers" for his Google Glass-like inventions dating back to the 1970s. "Mann is a believer in wearing personal cameras to ensure his own safety in what he calls sousveillance," BlogTO summarizes. "Mann combined his discussion on safety with the shooting of Sammy Yatim, stating that videos taken by people outside the streetcar were a strong factor leading to the officer being charged. He also believes everyone should be able to record their entire life, because if buildings and businesses are allowed to record us at all times, why aren't we allowed to record them in return?"

 

Not mentioned in the highlight reel was Gabrielle Scrimshaw's talk about how now, more than ever, is the time to pay attention to Aboriginal issues as more than half the Aboriginal population is under 25 and gearing up to enter the workforce. Background on Scrimshaw and her work can be found in this feature Yonge Street ran in Decemebr of last year.

 

The talks will be made available in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the introductory video explaining Toronto's history is a must watch.

 

 

Read the full story here. 

Source: BlogTO

It may be cold and snowy in Toronto, but that's not stopping anyone from firing up pizzas in Dufferin Grove Park's outdoor oven, noticed the New York Times. The NYT identifies Toronto as a leader in the "locavore" movement; a sustainability initiative that involves eating locally produced food. With more than 30 markets in the city and 90 in the region, Toronto has become a bona fide hub for locally produced food all year round. 

 

"Toronto has embraced the trend with particular fervor," writes Sarah Wildman.

 

"Up until a few years ago we had hardly any markets in the city, but it has really exploded," John RichLeMonde, the director of Sorauren Park Farmers' Market, told the Times. He says markets inspire the growth of more markets, transforming neighbourhoods along the way. 

 

Wildman writes that Dufferin Grove Park, "was once a postage stamp of green in a rough neighborhood that has vastly improved, some say because of the market's success since its arrival a decade ago. Dufferin Grove is a tremendous draw: on Friday nights, large communal dinners are cooked on site. The park has two giant outdoor wood-fired ovens where bread is baked and sold. It is also the site of a free ice skating rink."

 

RichLeMonde continued: "People are interested in buying more locally, and that's starting to become mainstream... There's a sense that we are building the future economy."

 

The Dufferin Grove Park farmer's market runs every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. just south of Bloor and Dufferin.

 

Read the full story here.

Original source: The New York Times