Bloor West Village Residents Association

We’ve launched into 2007 and the BWVRA is working on several issues. And, as always, we’re looking for imput from you on how to improve our community.

Our next public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 7th, and is dedicated the seniors (and caregivers) in our area. We will have a presentation by the Toronto Senior’s Forum on services that seniors or their adult children can access to make their lives easier and more fulfilling. The evening will also feature a presentation by ABCs of Fraud, a volunteer group sponsored by Scotiabank that uses role playing and a Q&A to inform people about the latest techniques used by fraudsters to target seniors and the rest of us.

Looking ahead we are planning a March meeting that offers you the chance to meet and speak with the elected officials from our area. They would include MP Peggy Nash, MPP Cheri DiNovo and City Councillor (Ward 13) Bill Saundercook.
By bringing together representatives of all levels of government, you will stand a good chance of getting answers to the questions or issues you’d like to raise.

Issues the BWVRA continues to follow include:

- The Bloor-Oakmount-Pacific redevelopment project – a potential high rise near the gate of High Park.
- The Western Waterfront Development Masterplan – a chance for the public to voice its opinion on shaping the Western Beaches
- The Bloor West Village Urban Design Study – it’s a blueprint for development of the Village, but is it being followed?
- The Humber Odeon condo development – construction is to start this year, what will it really look like?
- The state of the Bloor West Village commercial area

Ideas for future public meetings: tell us what you think!

Home improvements. Since home renovation is so prevalent the BWVRA is looking at bringing together City officials and home experts to run us through everything from getting permits (and knowing when you need one) to finding and dealing with a contractor.

With the environment high on the public agenda, we are also looking at a meeting aimed at helping us to understand what we can do ourselves, and through our policians, to act against climate change, improve air quality and reduce our consumption of energy.

If you have a topic to suggest, or others issues to raise, please do! Write us at info@bwvra.ca

Personnel Changes:

As you may have read below, Greg Hamara, the BWVRA’s founding Chairman, has stepped down from the position. Greg has new professional responsibilities to tackle, but will remain on our Executive as an Officer at Large. We will miss his leadership and thank him for his valuable contributions to the Village. Steve McNally will continue as acting Chairman until the Association’s AGM in the spring.

Dear Members and Supporters:

Following considerable reflection on the matter I wish to share with you my decision to resign as Chair of the Bloor West Village Residents Association, effective immediately. Members of the executive were advised of my decision at our regular monthly meeting on Jan. 17.

I leave the position with some regret but with many more fond memories of working with a small group of local residents who sought nothing more than to contribute their skills to building a stronger Bloor West Village community. We began the task almost four years; since then, it has been my privilege to serve as Chair of the BWVRA since our formal founding in March, 2005.

At every step of the way I am grateful for the support and assistance I received from dozens of residents, as well as from members of your hard-working and dedicated executive. I can’t imagine a finer group of activists united in their objective of maintaining and enhancing Bloor West Village’s reputation as one of Toronto’s finest neighbourhoods.

I will not be leaving the Association entirely. I look forward to remaining on the executive as an officer-at-large until our annual general meeting in March and continuing with the executive following our elections at that time. In the meantime, acting Chair Steve McNally will continue in his current position.

Wishing you and your families the best throughout 2007.

Greg Hamara