Friday, June 20, 2019

 

Office of the Mayor

City Hall, 2nd Floor

100 Queen St. W.

Toronto, ON M5H 2N2

 

Attention: Mayor John Tory

 

Dear Mayor Tory,

 

This letter is to advise that Friends of Silver Creek, a community advocacy group in Richmond Gardens, Etobicoke have been waiting three months to have a direct conversation with our Councillor, Stephen Holyday.

 

As you will see from the attached letter, there is over $1 million in Section 37 and 42 Funds waiting to be used for benefit in our community.

 

This process began with a community meeting in March 2018 and with a follow up survey to the community.

 

Once the municipal election was over, we had a meeting our new Councillor - Stephen Holyday where he affirmed that the funds would be used to benefit Silver Creek Park and Richview Park in Etobicoke.

 

As you will read in the letter attached, we are requesting a meeting and/or a direct conversation with our Councillor to ensure that deadlines are met and that the funds are being used by the community as they suggested in the survey that was jointly conducted by our group and former Councillor John Campbell.

 

When we called Councillor Holyday's office, his Constituency Advisor has repeatedly responded that they are waiting for information and that the Councillor is a very "busy man".

 

We are deeply disappointed in the lack of response and are concerned about the usage of the Section Funds. Deadlines are set to expire for the Shannex funds and the submission of 2020 project orders is October 2019.

 

We feel that the recent reduction in the number of Councillors, which Councillor Holyday was in favour of, is limiting effective communication with and representation of constituents.

 

What recourse do constituents, such as our group, have when a Councillor will not speak, nor meet with them - in this case, to consult on the usage of substantial funds that require community input.

 

It is our hope that we can resume discussions with Councillor Holyday in a fulsome and positive manner as soon as possible, to ensure fund agreements do not expire and to meet the October 2019 deadline for project confirmations for Silver Creek Park and Richview Park.

 

Best

 

Janet Griffiths-Maxymiw                             Tracie Napoli

Co-Chair                                                                Co-Chair

Friends of Silver Creek                                  Friends of Silver Creek

 

Cc:       Councillor Stephen Holyday, Ward 2 

              Chris Clarke, Parks Technical Services, City of Toronto

              Susan Korrick, Supervisor Capital Projects Parks Forestry, City of Toronto