We know there’s an important municipal election coming up, but as I write this column there are still lots of questions still to be answered. Here’s hoping that by the time you are reading it the situation may be clearer.
One thing, at least, IS certain: the LPOA’s all candidates’ meeting is going ahead on Tues., Oct. 2nd, in the William Lea Room, Leaside Memorial Gardens, at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.). The evening will feature our ward’s City Council candidates. The LPOA’s past president, Brian Athey, will be the moderator.
We had hoped to present John Tory and Jennifer Keesmaat as well, on mayoral issues, but they were unable to clear their schedules.
As with previous pre-election debates, questions will come from audience members, in writing, in order to avoid repetition. We’ll provide index cards – and pencils, as needed – to people as they enter the William Lea Room. We’ll continue to hand out new cards (and collect written ones, to give to Brian) throughout the Q&A session.
The municipal level of government directly affects our day-to-day lives and the well-being (or not) of neighbourhoods. Our upcoming Oct. 2nd meeting will be an excellent opportunity for you to raise the many important municipal issues facing us: everything from local traffic problems and development pressures on infrastructure, to transit planning, community services, undesirable impacts of our property tax system, the future of Toronto and the future of Leaside – I could go on! Be there, raise your questions, and get answers!
Crossing guards
You may have missed a short article about school crossing guards in the Toronto Star just after Labour Day. The current crossing guard program is run by the police, but next year they will hand over responsibility to the city’s Transportation Service Division, which will contract out the jobs to two different companies. Although it is said that our familiar crossing guards will, in The Star’s words, “be given a shot” at being hired by whichever companies are chosen by the City, there clearly is no guarantee that the crossing guards we all know and love will be able to keep their jobs.
School crossing guards play an important daily role in our community, are part of our identity, and are so much more than mere “traffic stoppers” at school intersections. Let’s stay alert to what’s happening here (and maybe raise the subject at the Oct. 2nd candidates’ debate)!
Following hot on the heels of the candidates’ debate, the next monthly LPOA board meeting will be on Wed., Oct. 3rd at 7:30 p.m., in the Trace Manes building. These monthly meetings are always open to the public. We invite you to attend, whether for help on local matters, to share your opinion or give advice, or just to hear more about what is happening in our community. You can also contact us anytime via our website, lpoa.ca.
