WHAT: Rouge Park Tree TourWHEN: June 21, 10:30 am - 1:30 pmWHERE: Pearce House (1749 Meadowvale Rd.) On this tour, Jim Robb, dedicated visionary and General Manager of Friends of the Rouge Watershed, will share his profound and intimate knowledge of Rouge Park, the largest natural urban park in North America. Forming a green corridor that stretches from the Oakridges Moraine to Lake Ontario, the park is home to an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life, including red-shouldered hawk, otter, and Blandings turtle. As Jim, and LEAF arborist Todd Irvine, lead us through this ever-changing landscape, we will enjoy breathtaking views atop the bluffs of Little Rouge Creek and experience native trees such as musclewood, black cherry and bitternut growing in their natural context. The tour will also highlight the threats to the park posed by human development and the restoration efforts of the undaunted Friends of the Rouge Watershed organization. The rugged terrain will not accommodate strollers or other wheeled devices. Please RSVP if you would like to attend. A donation of $5 is suggested. Visit www.treetours.to for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Community Environment DaysWHEN: June 21, 10 am - 2 pmWHERE: Loretto College School (151 Rosemount Ave.) and Albert Campbell Collegiate (1550 Sandhurst Circle) How many times have you heard that one person's trash is another person's treasure? It's a familiar saying, and for good reason: it's true! Bring your unwanted and unused “stuff” to your local Community Environment Day, hosted by your city councillor, and transform your trash into treasure. Click here for more information and a schedule. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Fifth Annual Cooking Fire Theatre FestivalWHEN: June 18 - 22, dinner served at 6 pm followed by performances at 7 pm WHERE: Dufferin Grove Park (900 Dufferin St) The Fifth Annual Cooking Fire Theatre Festival is a week-long performance extravaganza celebrating theatre, food and public space in Toronto's Dufferin Grove Park. From June 18-22, local, national and international theatre companies will present original work that promises to delight, entice, and inspire. Delicious organic meals will be served to the audience over cooking fires and from Dufferin Grove Park's two wood-fired outdoor community bake ovens. Click here for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - -

WHAT: Streetscape at Regent Park 'Living Space'WHEN: June 13 - 15WHERE: Regent Park Drawing from partnerships in the local the community, five major components of Luminato's StreetScape exhibition will attempt to reflect the people and activities of Regent Park -- a diverse community and Canada's pioneering social housing project. The process-driven installations will aim to confer importance on the residents as individuals and to celebrate the life that makes up Regent Park as a community. Visit www.luminato.com for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Streetscape at Parliament Slip 'Housepaint'WHEN: June 13 - 15WHERE: At Parliament St. slip Over the final three days of Luminato, June 13-15, ten simplified houses will be painted live by top Canadian street artists. The houses will be surrounded by fencing partially covered with hundreds of 12x12” painted canvases.  These smaller works will be distributed to audience members during the final hours of the festival as souvenirs of the site-specific installation. Visit www.luminato.com for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: ROMwalks: ParkdaleWHEN: June 15, 2 pmWHERE: Meet in front of Parkdale Public Library (1303 Queen St. W.) look for the blue umbrella. Discover Toronto's unique architecture and rich history through ROMwalks, a series of free, guided walking tours of the city. Parkdale walk highlights: St. Mark's Anglican Church, Masaryk Hall, the home of Mazo de la Roche, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Melbourne Place. Visit www.rom.on.ca for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Public Forum - Fixing the 501: A Queen Streetcar Update WHEN: June 16, 7 pmWHERE: Committee Room 2, City Hall, Second Floor (100 Queen St. W.) National Geographic magazine recently named the TTC's 501 Queen streetcar route as one of the world's most scenic trips by transit. It's also one of the longest streetcar routes in North America, stretching from Long Branch in the west to Neville Park in the east. For daily passengers, however, the trip often seems more stressful than scenic and the longest route often results in a long list of passenger frustrations. Passengers talk about inconsistent service, irregular schedules and unexpectedly short-turned trips that often seem to occur daily for regular 501 users. "Fixing the 501: A Queen Streetcar Update" is a public forum to hear from transit riders about their concerns and for TTC staff to talk about how they propose to improve the service. Representatives of other City of Toronto divisions will also attend. Click here for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - -

WHAT: Toronto Tree Tours: Mt. Pleasant Cemetery WHEN: June 7, 1 pm - 3 pm WHERE: Meet at the Yonge St. gates, just north of St. Clair Ave. On this tour, Jack Radecki, venerated tree expert and the cemetery's Supervisor of Arbour Services, will lead us through the celebrated tree collection of Mount Pleasant Cemetery, considered to be one of finest arboretums in North America. The tour will follow the meandering paths of the cemetery while Jack and arborist Todd Irvine discuss a selection of the hundreds of varieties of trees and shrubs found on the grounds, from the native sweetgum and shag bark hickory trees to the introduced Babylonian willow and silver linden. Participants will marvel at the astounding array of forms, textures, and colours found in this collection. Whether you are a curious admirer or a serious student, there is no better place in the city to experience the myriad of trees that will grow in our climate. Suggested donation: $5 Visit www.treetours.to for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Much Ado About Nothing WHEN: June 7 & 8, BBQ at 1 pm and Performance at 2 pm WHERE: Historic Fort York (100 Garrison Rd.) The Dream North Theatre Company presents William Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing directed by Craig Walker. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors. Don't forget to bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Visit www.dreamnorth.ca for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Community Environment Days WHEN: June 7, 10 am - 2 pm WHERE: Woodbine Beach Park (1675 Lake Shore Blvd. East) and Stan Wadlow Park Clubhouse (373 Cedarvale Ave.) How many times have you heard that one person's trash is another person's treasure? It's a familiar saying, and for good reason: it's true! Bring your unwanted and unused “stuff” to your local Community Environment Day, hosted by your city councillor, and transform your trash into treasure. Click here for more information and a schedule. - - - - - - - - - - - - -

WHAT: Toronto Bicycling Network's Saturday Morning Ride WHEN: May 31, 9:30 am - 12 pm WHERE: Boardwalk Pub (1681 Lake Shore Blvd. East) Kick off the weekend with this brisk-paced 35km social ride suitable for Easy Rollers and Tourists. Departs at 9:30 a.m. returns before noon so you can do your Saturday errands or relax over an aprà¨s ride snack or lunch. $5 non-members fee waived.  Helmets mandatory (as always). Visit www.tbn.ca for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Stiltwalking Workshop WHEN: May 30, 7 — 9 pm WHERE: Dufferin Grove Park Friends of Dufferin Grove Park are bringing back their drop-in community stiltwalking workshops! Stop by and give it a try, or brush up on your skills. Meet at the Field House in Dufferin Grove Park, that's the small brick building near the soccer field. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Click here for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Don Trails Clean-Up, Tree Planting, and BBQ WHEN: May 31, 10 am - 1:30 pm WHERE: E.T. Seton Park (71 Thorncliffe Park Dr.) Please join us for a fun morning of environmental clean-up in the Crothers' Woods section of the Don Valley. All trail users welcome. We use the trials, let's support sustainable trail use to ensure we can all enjoy the valley in the future. Gloves, bags, trees and equipment provided for all. All ages welcome. Bring a Friend! Free BBQ, drinks and prizes for volunteers. Event will be cancelled in the event of rain Click here for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  WHAT: Doors Open Toronto WHEN: May 24 and 25 WHERE: Locations across Toronto including BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the Canada Life building, the City of Toronto Archives, and more Join Toronto Culture Saturday and Sunday, May 24 & 25, 2008 and renew your faith in Toronto architecture! Multicultural places of worship and Toronto's National Historic Sites will be in the spotlight during this year's event, which gives visitors an opportunity to explore over 140 buildings of architectural, historic, cultural and/or social significance; admission is free. Many of the city's finest churches, chapels, temples, synagogues and mosques are among the featured buildings this year, as well as structures never before open to the public. Visit www.toronto.ca for more information and a list of all the buildings participating this year. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Community Environment Days WHEN: May 24, 10 am - 2 pm WHERE: Seneca College Newnham Campus (1750 Finch Ave. E.) and Toronto Parking Authority Lot (3885 Yonge St.) How many times have you heard that one person's trash is another person's treasure? It's a familiar saying, and for good reason: it's true! Bring your unwanted and unused “stuff” to your local Community Environment Day, hosted by your city councillor, and transform your trash into treasure. Click here for more information and a schedule. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Taylor Creek Park Tree Planting in the Forks WHEN: May 24, 10 am — 12 pm WHERE: Meet at the Taylor Creek Park Parking Friends of the Don East (FODE) began work in this area in 2007, join them as they fill in and expand a wet meadow forest. Click here for more information.

Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 — 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Doors Open Toronto Toronto-Dominion Centre Penthouse View and Tour Join Heritage Toronto, TD Canada Trust, Cadillac Fairview and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for a unique penthouse view and tour of the 54th floor of this International Style tower designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Sit in the TD Canada Trust boardroom, and learn about the building's exquisite art and architectural features. After your tour, check out the exhibits about the site in the ground floor lobby. LOCATION: Toronto-Dominion Centre, 66 Wellington St W ...

Each Monday, Spacing will bring you some of the popular posts from our sister blog, Spacing Montréal. We'll keep an eye open for topics and discussions that are pertinent to current public space issues in Toronto. Christopher DeWolf muses about city streets full of pedestrians and the sound of rustling leaves as the warm weather awakens Montréal in Spring Revelations. City officials have approved a haphazard “ethnic packaging” of Avenue du Parc that has seen “greek-yet-multicultural” banners hanging from light posts. In Rebranding Park Avenue, Christopher DeWolf looks at the economic advantages and perils ...

WHAT: Stiltwalking Workshop WHEN: May 17, 2 — 4 pm WHERE: Dufferin Grove Park Friends of Dufferin Grove Park are bringing back their drop-in community stiltwalking workshops! Stop by and give it a try, or brush up on your skills. Meet at the Field House in Dufferin Grove Park, that's the small brick building near the soccer field. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Click here for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Hike with the Bruce Trail Association WHEN: May 17, 10 am WHERE: Meet at Broadview Subway Station Come explore the central Don Valley, join Friends of the Don East (FODE) board member and Bruce Trail Conservancy hike leader John Routh as you follow informal trails in the Don Valley that even the mountain bikers say are challenging. Bring a bagged lunch and wear sturdy footwear, this is a 15 km hike! Click here for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Community Environment Days WHEN: May 17, 10 am - 2pm WHERE: Amesbury Arena (155 Culford Rd.) and Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate (2300 Pharmacy Ave.) How many times have you heard that one person's trash is another person's treasure? It's a familiar saying, and for good reason: it's true! Bring your unwanted and unused “stuff” to your local Community Environment Day, hosted by your city councillor, and transform your trash into treasure. Click here for more information and a schedule. - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT: Wildflower Walk through Todmorden Mills WHEN: May 18, 10 am — 12 pm WHERE: Todmorden Mills (67 Pottery Rd.) Join FODE and the Todmorden Wildflower Preserve to tour the beautiful forest behind the Todmorden Paper Mills in search of some of the wild jewels of spring, including Trilliums, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Mayapple. Click here for more information. - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Each Monday, Spacing will bring you some of the popular posts from our sister blog, Spacing Montréal. We'll keep an eye open for topics and discussions that are pertinent to current public space issues in Toronto. In light of the controversial Leslieville Smart!Centre development, Montréal is facing a similar situation. In St. Michel Smart Centre Goes to Public Consultation Alanah Haffez takes a look at the plans for the abandoned quarry site. Christopher DeWolf explores Lower Westmount's Little Streets on foot with a description ...

What do the novels Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, Clara Callan by Richard B. Wright, Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels, and In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje have in common? They are all set in Toronto. The first book I ever read that was set in Toronto was Atwood's The Edible Woman. As a grade nine student attending a down town high school, to read about Marian McAlpin and Duncan meeting at places that I not only knew, but could walk to after ...