By the time you read this, Toronto should have a new mayor. Unless you’ve been living on a deserted island, you’ll know that we’ve been essentially rudderless since John Tory resigned in February (with apologies to acting mayor Jennifer McKelvie).
That means that July marks a new beginning in city politics, and with that the promise of some positive changes for our city.
Our municipal election normally comes only once every four years, so we were understandably shaken, to put it mildly, by the news that we’d be heading to the polls…again.
But political – and by extension community – involvement does not have to pause and only spring back to life for a new election cycle. Real change happens right where we live, and we can help make it happen.
In each issue of Leaside Life, Leaside Residents Association co-president Carol Burtin Fripp shares an update on LRA’s involvement in local, local, local issues. These are the core concerns that really matter because they affect us where we live. Case in point: Carol has been doggedly following Leaside’s traffic issues, not just for years but decades. Now, as LRA’s co-president and along with the board, she continues to advocate on Leasiders’ behalf for traffic solutions. Finally, there are signs that LRA’s doggedness is paying off, and Leaside can look forward to changes in traffic policy in the neighbourhood.
This to me is true involvement in the life of our community. It’s political activism at a granular level, hitting at the heart of what it means to be engaged in our neighbourhood. So, while I hope our new mayor can effect positive change at City Hall, my money is still on our local community leaders.
