Grow Our Grassways Petition
This petition is designed to bring awareness to housing constraints within the Jane and Finch area, specifically The Grassways. We are not disputing the upsetting occurrences of relocation brought upon other communities who are facing - or have already been through - this experience; rather, we are trying to bring awareness to the situation on a micro level with hopes of later expanding into a larger platform. Most Ontarian's are aware of the rapid increase in the housing market however very little attention is brought to the areas that are being forced give up their homes to pave the way for new development. The new developments are problematic because they generally are very expensive and drive up the cost of living, making affordable housing accommodations inaccessible to residents.
With this petition, we invite community members that are affected by the relocation to join our newly established "Grow Our Grassways" tenant board. Currently, there are no promises of return being established with residents of the Grassways because there is no development opportunity. However, we realize that once the units are emptied, that will change. Therefore, we demand that the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing consult our board and include us in consultations regarding the new development. We need to guarantee that the Grassways are memorialized by the city by honoring the long and rich history of the community. For example: the ‘Towards a Higher Journey Mural’ needs to be preserved, community arts (e.g. photograph series, youths arts and crafts, farewell BBQ) must be held to assist members in saying good-bye to their community, their family, and their friends.
We have questions for the city that must be answered such as; what will happen to the recreational center and it’s after school programs? How will the new developments help the youth and families in the Jane and Finch area? Will we be displaced and disposed? A similar situation happened to the Regent Park community and we want to prevent it from happening to ours.
Please sign our petition to help bring awareness to our crisis in order to prevent our families from losing their homes and hopefully to prevent other communities from being forced out of their neighborhoods as well. We want our government to live up to their promise of helping low-income families and neighborhoods. We want the government to keep their initial promise of reviving our neighborhood and not demolishing it. We need to GROW our Grassways not diminish it.
Demands:
- Establishment of a Grow Our Grassways tenant board to be consulted for the new development
- Despite there being no current development opportunity, a Promise of Return must be established for current residents
- Community arts (ex. Photograph series, arts and crafts, farewell BBQ) must be held to give space for community members to say goodbye to their neighborhood, the Grassways
- Towards A Higher Journey Mural (currently located on 7 Blue Grassway) must be preserved and have a space in any new development plan
- The Grassways needs to be memorialized by the City, there is a long and rich history of community mobilization that must be archived and made accessible to the public
Updates
May 4, 2017
The feedback from current residents has provided a clearer picture of the challenges ahead for our neighborhood. We are currently organizing our notes to prepare for formal discussions with the relevant city officials. Your contributions continue to provide the necessary momentum to keep this conversation moving forward.
May 4, 2017
The momentum behind this petition reflects a significant recognition of the challenges facing our community. We intend to use this increased visibility to ensure that the voices of Grassways residents remain central to all future housing discussions.
21 Comments
I grew up in the Grassways, and the entire community is a family, not just family based residents, all the residents grew into one big family where everyone looks out for each other. Relocating them for new development is like giving away your children after having taking care of them for years. The Grassways is a place where everyone came together to celebrate life, and it is being taken away to make money by throwing out those who need affordable housing. #GrowTheGrassways
I strongly support the Grow Our Grassways tenant group in all of their work. The tenants must be part of the planning and decision-making, and the relocation and return plans must be clear and transparent. These are homes, not just units, and the cultural investments of the community must be respected.
Not only is the deadline of September to move for anyone, especially these residents who have long records of living and contributing to their community as homes, unrealistic but it is especially cruel. Shame on your treatment of community members and understand the violence of displacement. Shame.
Please save the grassways been here since I was a little kid all my memrories are here and I didn't stay long enough to relive them grassways is all we have as a community please don't take that away from us !!!
I strictly support that the residence of these housing complexes be compensated for the displacement and should be directly involved as stakeholders going forward in the planning and development. The city of Toronto ought to know better than to disrupt the lives of families, especially that of low income minorities and immigrants.
Advocating for community sustenance within the growing City; I am signing for the preservation of the by-product of the systemic racism, I do no operate in Toronto for displacement of those racialized in our multi-ethnic community, push to be heard!
Displacing families without a concrete plan is very uncanadian and sad. I hope the politicians get their act together.
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Grow Our Grassways Petition
This petition is designed to bring awareness to housing constraints within the Jane and Finch area, specifically The Grassways. We are not disputing the upsetting occurrences of relocation brought upon other communities who are facing - or have already been through - this experience; rather, we are trying to bring awareness to the situation on a micro level with hopes of later expanding into a larger platform. Most Ontarian's are aware of the rapid increase in the housing market however very little attention is brought to the areas that are being forced give up their homes to pave the way for new development. The new developments are problematic because they generally are very expensive and drive up the cost of living, making affordable housing accommodations inaccessible to residents.
With this petition, we invite community members that are affected by the relocation to join our newly established "Grow Our Grassways" tenant board. Currently, there are no promises of return being established with residents of the Grassways because there is no development opportunity. However, we realize that once the units are emptied, that will change. Therefore, we demand that the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing consult our board and include us in consultations regarding the new development. We need to guarantee that the Grassways are memorialized by the city by honoring the long and rich history of the community. For example: the ‘Towards a Higher Journey Mural’ needs to be preserved, community arts (e.g. photograph series, youths arts and crafts, farewell BBQ) must be held to assist members in saying good-bye to their community, their family, and their friends.
We have questions for the city that must be answered such as; what will happen to the recreational center and it’s after school programs? How will the new developments help the youth and families in the Jane and Finch area? Will we be displaced and disposed? A similar situation happened to the Regent Park community and we want to prevent it from happening to ours.
Please sign our petition to help bring awareness to our crisis in order to prevent our families from losing their homes and hopefully to prevent other communities from being forced out of their neighborhoods as well. We want our government to live up to their promise of helping low-income families and neighborhoods. We want the government to keep their initial promise of reviving our neighborhood and not demolishing it. We need to GROW our Grassways not diminish it.
Demands:
- Establishment of a Grow Our Grassways tenant board to be consulted for the new development
- Despite there being no current development opportunity, a Promise of Return must be established for current residents
- Community arts (ex. Photograph series, arts and crafts, farewell BBQ) must be held to give space for community members to say goodbye to their neighborhood, the Grassways
- Towards A Higher Journey Mural (currently located on 7 Blue Grassway) must be preserved and have a space in any new development plan
- The Grassways needs to be memorialized by the City, there is a long and rich history of community mobilization that must be archived and made accessible to the public
Updates
May 4, 2017
The feedback from current residents has provided a clearer picture of the challenges ahead for our neighborhood. We are currently organizing our notes to prepare for formal discussions with the relevant city officials. Your contributions continue to provide the necessary momentum to keep this conversation moving forward.
May 4, 2017
The momentum behind this petition reflects a significant recognition of the challenges facing our community. We intend to use this increased visibility to ensure that the voices of Grassways residents remain central to all future housing discussions.
21 Comments
While housing is a human right, displacement and relocation apparently does not fall under this right and should be prevented. Governments should be held accountable for this blunder and the empty promises of housing upgrades that will go unfulfilled. Thoughts and prayers with all those affected.
I grew up in the Grassways, and the entire community is a family, not just family based residents, all the residents grew into one big family where everyone looks out for each other. Relocating them for new development is like giving away your children after having taking care of them for years. The Grassways is a place where everyone came together to celebrate life, and it is being taken away to make money by throwing out those who need affordable housing. #GrowTheGrassways
I strongly support the Grow Our Grassways tenant group in all of their work. The tenants must be part of the planning and decision-making, and the relocation and return plans must be clear and transparent. These are homes, not just units, and the cultural investments of the community must be respected.
Not only is the deadline of September to move for anyone, especially these residents who have long records of living and contributing to their community as homes, unrealistic but it is especially cruel. Shame on your treatment of community members and understand the violence of displacement. Shame.
Please save the grassways been here since I was a little kid all my memrories are here and I didn't stay long enough to relive them grassways is all we have as a community please don't take that away from us !!!
I strictly support that the residence of these housing complexes be compensated for the displacement and should be directly involved as stakeholders going forward in the planning and development. The city of Toronto ought to know better than to disrupt the lives of families, especially that of low income minorities and immigrants.
Advocating for community sustenance within the growing City; I am signing for the preservation of the by-product of the systemic racism, I do no operate in Toronto for displacement of those racialized in our multi-ethnic community, push to be heard!
Displacing families without a concrete plan is very uncanadian and sad. I hope the politicians get their act together.
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While housing is a human right, displacement and relocation apparently does not fall under this right and should be prevented. Governments should be held accountable for this blunder and the empty promises of housing upgrades that will go unfulfilled. Thoughts and prayers with all those affected.