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On this page we post local information of interest to Wynford Tower residents. If you
have any news that would be of interest to our readers, or if you wish to comment on any of the items posted, please email webmail@wynfordtowerresidents.ca-Subject=News Most of the small photos on these pages can be clicked to see a larger version, if desired. After viewing, click on the Back button or arrow on your browser to return to where you were. |
As we enjoy our warm apartments despite the coldest Toronto weather in memory, we cannot help but be
grateful to all those people who work to keep us comfortable:
Our cleaner, Samuel Our concierge, Eddie Our building manager, Rafael M&R Property Owners (and the new boilers that are keeping us warm) The workers who keep the electricity flowing The workers who keep the natural gas flowing The workers who keep the gasoline flowing The workers who keep the water flowing The workers who keep the sewage flowing The workers who grow our food The workers who transport our food The workers who stock the shelves and check us out The workers who remove our solid waste The workers who maintain our streets The workers who keep the TTC running The medical workers who keep us healthy All the other workers upon whom we rely for the necessities of life Your grateful Wynford Tower neighbours. |
As requested in the Residents Association submittal 19 September 2017, as of 18 December 2017 there are hand drying paper dispensers in the change room washrooms, although the paper in them is more like tissue paper. In the laundry washroom there is no dispenser so far. |
Last week I lost my key case containing my apartment key and the building FOB. The form to request a
replacement FOB asks for the FOB number. I gave my wife's number, but Naida tells me each FOB is unique
so she will look up my number to get a replacement (cost $25). When I get the replacement I'll keep a
record of its number (small print on the fob - I needed a magnifying glass to read the number on Marg's). Naida also told me that the office does not keep duplicate keys, so the least expensive approach is to get one copied (easy if you have one to copy). I had a copy of my wife's key made at a shoemaker, but it was very stiff to operate so I got a couple made at ACME locksmith at 2077 Lawrence, east of Warden. They work well. Bill Lynn |
Naida arrived back from the Phillippines Sunday evening 17 December and was hard at work in the
office on Monday despite the jet lag. Her father (96) was in hospital for ten days, but is now at home being cared for by Naida's mother (91). He no longer speaks, but Naida feels grateful that he knew she was there. |
It has been reported that the fire alarm 15 December 2017 occurred when a cleaner inadvertently activated a fire alarm lever while cleaning the alarm box. Toronto Fire responded to the false alarm. |
A copy of the Ontario government document
Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors in Ontario" is now located on the magazine table in the
laundry lounge. Individuals can order a copy at no cost by calling ServiceOntario Publications at 1-800-668-9938, or on-line at www.ontario.ca/publications. Download is available directly, but for printed copies one must create an account. |
For the past several months a group of residents with a pioneering spirit have assiduously worked on plans to improve the living
conditions at the Tower. They were motivated by a sense of service, a belief in community, and a desire to effect change. They worked
tirelessly toward this goal, helping in a variety of ways and contributing innumerable ideas and suggestions. Their efforts culminated in a thorough and official submission to M&R Management outlining desirable improvements. This was a significant achievement as for the first time there now exists a comprehensive document completed by residents which will serve as a guideline for future action. For their pioneering spirit and for the work they accomplished we owe the following residents our gratitude and appreciation:
Roosevelt Robinson Chair, WTRA Committee December, 2017 |
All Wynford Tower residents are invited to the Holiday Party Grand Finale Sing Along, with Henry Furman on piano. Golden Oldies, Christmas Carols, Requests. Books of lyrics supplied. 8 PM Tuesday 12 December in the lobby lounge, to aid digestion after the Holiday Party. |
Residents are invited to donate toys for Sick Kids hospital, by putting them in the box in the lobby before Wednesday 13 December 2017.
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For emergencies, call Jun at 416-449-2420 Backup: George (#45 Super) at 416-445-0323 |
From: Councillor Burnside Sent: Friday, November 24, 2017 3:02 PM To: Councillor Burnside Subject: Ward 26 Event Reminder: Wynford Community Town Hall Dear Resident, I would like to invite you to my annual Community Town Hall meeting on Monday, November 27, at the Ismaili Centre. Representatives from various City divisions, as well as the Toronto Police Services and Metrolinx, will be in attendance to update you on current projects. This will be a great opportunity for you to voice your concerns and ask questions. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 416-392-0215 or councillor_burnside@toronto.ca. Hope to see you there! Please be advised that there's parking available for a discounted rate of $5. The parking ticket will have to be purchased with cash only at the entrance of the parking lot. When – November 27, 2017 Time – 7:00 p.m. Location – Ismaili Centre, 49 Wynford Dr. Sincerely, Jon Burnside Councillor Ward 26, City of Toronto |
From: Rana Mikhael Date: Thu, Nov 9, 2017 at 1:42 PM Subject: Re: Newsletter subscription success To: Roosevelt Robinson Hi Roosevelt, We really appreciate your anticipation and look forward to serve you as a customer at our new location 150 Wynford, we will try our best to bring the community an unparalleled selection of market goods and fine quality meals made with love. We are looking to open around the 2nd week of December construction permitting, please stay tuned as we will post it on our website. Thanks Rana Mikhael Store Supervisor Marcheleo's 181 Eglinton Ave East Toronto, ON, M4P 1J4 Tel: (416) 932-1100 Ext 401 www.marcheleos.com |
Per request of resident / insurance agent Christine Bedeau, the following .pdf files about the Canada Protection Plan insurance company are now posted on
our website. The Wynford Tower Residents Association has no association with this company and these postings should not be construed as
an endorsement thereof. (The postings open in new windows.) From: CHRISTINE BEDEAU Sent: Thursday, November 23, 2017 11:22 PM To: webadmin@wynfordtowerresidents.ca Subject: Christine Bedeau - 904 - 416-752-4788 Hello Bill, Can you please post this information for the residents so they will know what is available to them. I am an insurance agent and will be available to help anyone who needs this service. Thank you. Christine Bedeau #904-35 Wynford Heights Crescent, 416-752-4788 Website: World Financial Group.com Office: Suite #33, 1600 Steeles Avenue West, Concord. |
The patio chairs and tables purchased and installed by members of the Residents Association have been donated to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore location on Bermondsey Road, because the furniture did not conform to M&R standards. |
Your intrepid scribe will be travelling from 9 to 21 November, so if there is any news to report in that time period please let me know by email at webmail@wynfordtowerresidents.ca, and I'll post it after 21 November. |
Some photos from the 2017 Halloween event are posted at 2017 Halloween |
One of the requests made at the Residents Association meeting with M&R 19 September 2017 was for safety mirrors at the bottom of the ramps in the garage. Mirrors have now been installed. |
Flu shots, free for all residents of Ontario, are now available at the walk-in clinic in the Pharmasave across the street. They are
available when a doctor is on duty, as follows:
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Although heat was turned on 15 September in accordance with the law, with this year's never ending summer M&R turned the air conditioning back on 18 September. Now, with summer on the wane, although temperatures are still well above the seasonal average low / high of 3/13 C, the heat has been turned on again. |
Following is a clarification recived 2017/10/23 from Toronto Waste Management regarding the intent of the recycling notice posted 11
October 2017 on the Waste Disposal door on each floor of our building (see photo below):
Thus, the poster shows what Blue Bin items are turned into (Blue Bin items on the left of the poster turn into the items of the right of the poster). For example: plastic is turned into clothing, glass is turned into glass, aluminum and tin are turned into bicycle and car parts and newspaper & cardboard are turned into cardboard boxes and paper bags. Emily Marmoreo, M.Ed. Project Lead City of Toronto Solid Waste Management Services For some of the items that cannot be recycled in the City of Toronto, here are some local drop-off locations where we can take them: (Linked sites open in new windows.) Clean, gently worn clothing and accessories for donation to needy people can be taken to New Circles Community Services 161 Bartley Drive west of Victoria Park and O'Connor, Mon-Fri 9-5, Thu 9-7. Reuseable clothing, toys, small appliances, etc. can be taken for re-sale to: Value Village on Victoria Park at Eglinton. Mon-Sat 9-9, Sun 10-6. Salvation Army Thrift Stores accept, for re-sale, reuseable and recyclable clothing, housewares, furniture, electronics, toys, media and books, accessories, antiques and collectibles, computers. Nearby drop-off centres are located at: Eglinton at Warden, Mon-Fri 9-9, Sat 9-7, Sun 10-6, and Overlea at Thorncliff, Mon-Sat 9-9, Sun 9-9. See also Toronto.ca/reuseit, Not sure where to put an item? Try the Waste Wizard (for some items, such as black food containers, it will tell us to put it in the garbage). |
Therapeutic Indian Exercises (www.tiex.ca) Munni Subhani of Better Living Don Mills will demonstrate how to stand tall and move fluidly, using gentle stretching and moving exercises (no aerobics, no floor mats, no weights, no stretch bands.) for folks with desk or easy-chair life styles. 7:30 PM Tuesday 17 October 2017, In the Card Room, Level B, west end. Cost: Free. Space is limited. To reserve your spot, contact Bill Lynn at 416-441-2134 or webmail@wynfordtowerresidents.ca Or complete and deposit a sign-up form in the Suggestion Box near the Office. |
Jules Bedeau of Apt 904 is looking for a drive to the corner of Neilson and Sheppard each weekday morning for payment of $15 / week, as detailed in the flyer at Bedeau Car Pool Flyer. Contact him at 647-502-6911 or jules.bedeau@gmail.com. |
With the high temperature forecast in the high twenties all week, our building management has had the air conditioning turned back on. As noted by Building Manager Rafael Tablada in the email below, this is not a trivial procedure, so if the weather turns cold we may find ourselves without heat for a while until the heating contractor can find time to switch us back to the heating mode. Email from Rafael Tablada 2017-09-18, 3:43 PM All, Please note that when the temperature at night dips down to 20 degrees and below, we will be in contravention of the city's heating bylaws and we will not be able to switch the a/c system back to the boiler system until in a couple of weeks, as per our contractor's schedule. Our hvac systems is not a simple on and off switch, it is a complicated system and requires specialist technicians to shut it down or start it up. We rely on their availability schedule to perform this operation. We have started again the cooling system as a goodwill gesture, as we normally follow the city's by laws by having the boiler system (heat) to be available by Sept 15th. Rafael Email from Roosevelt Robinson to Rafael Tablada 2017-09-18, 3:42 PM To the Property Manager & Tower Superintendents Residents were extremely pleased to see the notice that "the air conditioning is back on". M&R has demonstrated understanding and flexibility and for this we again thank you. Roosevelt Robinson Chair, WTRA |
Email from Roosevelt Robinson to Rafael Tablada 2017-09-18, 3:04 PM To the Property Manager & Office Staff On behalf of the WTRA and all residents at the Tower, I extend sincere appreciation for the replacement of the pedestrian carpets at both garage levels. Roosevelt Robinson Chair, WTRA |
Recent changes by the Ontario government that make rent control apply to all rental units, including those built after 1991, have litte effect on the Wynford Heights rental buildings, which were constructed in the 1970's. It may be pertinent, however, to discuss a bit about how rent controls work (from a non-lawyer viewpoint). Each year, the Ontario Government publishes a Rent Increase Guideline which states the maximum percentage by which rent can be increased within the calendar year (see Ontario Rent Increase Guideline). The guideline rate is 1.5% for 2017 and 1.8% for 2018. In previous years the guideline was often much higher. In 1975, for example, the guideline was 8% (see OntarioTenants.ca/rent increase). The guideline percentages seem fairly small, but the accumulative effect can be significant. For example, a tenant who took occupancy in 2000 has undergone the following accumulative increase: 1.029*1.039*1.029*1.029*1.015*1.021*1.026*1.014*1.018*1.021*1.007*1.031*1.025*1.008*1.016*1.02*1.015 = 1.391, i.e. 39.1% rent increase in 17 years. A tenant who took occupancy in 2012 has seen rent increases of 1.025*1.008*1.016*1.02*1.015 = 1.087, i.e. 8.7% rent increase in 5 years. Landlords can also request an Above Guideline Increase (AGI), usually for a capital expenditure such as a major renovation. This increase can exceed the guideline value by up to 3% for up to 3 years (see cleo.on.ca). Thus for a major renovation done in 2014 a landlord could request a rent increase of 1.036*1.05*1.045 = 1.137 i.e. 13.7%. Contrary to popular belief, the rent does not revert to the previous rate after the 3 year adjustment period; it continues to increase thereafter per the guideline. #65 recently underwent a major renovation, which could explain why the starting rent for a two bedroom apartment is now $1750 at #65 versus $1600 at #35. Bottom line: For those of us on non-escalating pensions, the longer we live the poorer we get. |
With our awesome leader Patty returning to work at the TDSB next week, it was agreed to terminate the exercises that she was leading during the summer from 10:30 to 11:15 AM on Mondays and Thursdays. Perhaps she'll be available to lead us in exercises again next summer. As one of her roles with the TDSB, Patty leads a Gentle Fitness class from 9:15 to 10:45 AM Mondays and Wednesdays starting 18 sep for 11 weeks at the Overland Learning Centre, 55 Overland Drive. A brochure is available online at Learn4Life Brochure. The description on page 20 (22 of the .pdf) reads:
Bring your own towel and weights. Exercise tubes and mats are provided. Overland Learning Centre 55 Overland Drive Mon 9:15-10:45am Sep 18 11wks $123 ($73sr) 85685 Wed 9:15-10:45am Sep 20 11wks $123 ($73sr) 85686 |
Rafael has informed us that Naida and Jun have been selected for M&R's Service Recognition Award for 2017.
See 2017award.pdf (Opens in new window.) A couple of emails on the topic: From: Roosevelt Robinson, Chair, Wynford Tower Residents Association, Date: 2017-08-21 To: Naida & Francisco Robles, Superintendents Wynford Tower, 35 Wynford Heights Crescent, Toronto Dear Mr and Mrs Robles, On behalf of the Wynford Tower Residents' Association I extend to you both congratulations for being chosen as the recipient of M&R's Service Recognition Award for 2017. This information will be posted to the Association's website so that everyone will be aware of this honour you have received. We are very proud of your achievement and are looking forward to working closely with you for the benefit of all residents. Best regards, Dr. Roosevelt Robinson, Chair Wynford Tower Residents' Association From: 35 Wynford Date: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 11:49 AM To: Roosevelt Robinson Thank you!!! Naida Robles Resident Superintendent |
The exercise class scheduled for 10:30-11:15 Thursday 24 August will take place Wednesday 23 August. |
The B Level garage will be swept Monday 21 August, 2017.
The SB Level garage will be swept Tuesday 22 August 2017. On those dates, all vehicles in the affected level must be removed from the garage from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Residents will be permitted to park in the Visitors' parking lots of both #35 and #45 |
The Wynford Tower Resident Appreciation Barbeque, hosted by M&R Holdings, will be held Wednesdy, 16 August 2017, from 6 to 8 PM on the front patio.
Invitation at 2017bbq.pdf (opens in new window). We'll see you there. |
In the five years that we have lived at Wynford Tower we have replaced the 60W candelabra style light bulbs in the bathroom a number of times. On one trial a compact fluorescent bulb burned out faster than the incandescent candelabra. Recently I decided to try LED light bulbs, which seem to be all the rage. The two bulbs that I bought (at the Dollar Store beside No Frills, where we grocery shop), cost $4 each plus tax, total about $9 for two 9W / 60W equivalent bulbs. They look like conventional 60W incandescent light bulbs. I was a bit dubious about the light they would give, but the package claims 9 year lifetime so I decided to go for it. When I put them in and turned on the switch I was astounded by the light they give off - brighter by far than the 60W candelabras that they replaced. And they are barely warm to the touch. At 9W each the two bulbs save about 100W compared to the two 60W incandescent bulbs. At 10¢/kWh, this represents a saving of one cent per hour. Sounds picayune, but our bathroom lights are on about 3 hours per day, so the $9 cost of the bulbs is offset by electricity savings in 300 days, i.e. less than a year. If they last 10,000 hours the saving will be $100. (The LED's on my computer speakers have been on for fifteen years (131,000 hours non-stop), so the 10,000 hour promise might well be true.) My conclusion is that I intend to go with LED bulbs whenever I have to replace bulbs in the future. But a couple of caveats: 1. The 9W/60We bulbs that I bought are similar in size to a conventional 60W incandescent bulb, so they protrude below the bathroom light fixtures. If that bothers you, try something else. (40W equivalent bulbs might be smaller.) 2. The light that they emit is very bright and white, like a cool white fluorescent or a full moon high in the sky on a clear night. If you would prefer not to see all the details, or you prefer the light of warm white fluorescent bulbs, these may not be for you. (There were some 40W equivalent bulbs available that might be less bright. There might also be a warm white version of LED bulbs available.) |
A fireproof metal bench has been placed in the ground floor elevator lobby for evaluation. It meets the fire code in that it is all metal. Now you can comment as to its appearance and useability. Contact us by email at webmail@wynfordtowerresidents.ca or by telephone at 416-441-2134. |
A helper is needed for bread pickup for the Overland Food Bank, from Cobs Bakery on Bayview every fourth Sunday at 6 PM starting 13 August 2017. I leave here at 5:30 PM and return about 6:45 PM. One of us will put the bread in boxes and the other will carry it out to the car. If you can help, please email me at webmail@wynfordtowerresidents.ca, or phone me at 416-441-2134. Thank you, Bill Lynn |
Low fences, installed to keep people off the new grass in the shortcut on the front lawn, have now been removed to avoid tripping. |
Recenty a resident emailed our city councillor, Jon Burnside, and our MPP, Kathleen Wynne, decrying the fact that black
containers cannot be recycled in Toronto, and suggesting that manufacturers be required to colour their containers any
colour but black. Following is the response from Councillor Burnside's office, and the reply from their previous inquiry to the city of Toronto. Thank you for reaching out to Councillor Burnside in regards to your concerns over the inability of the City to recycle black plastic. This issue had been brought to the attention of our office a few months ago by another resident, and we had reached out to City staff to get a response to it. Please see underneath the response we have received from Solid Waste Management Services of the City. We are not sure of the (future?) impacts of the provincial Waste-Free Ontario Act but maybe MPP Wynne's Office can provide more insights into that. I will pass on your feedback to the Councillor as well, but at this point it seems as if we are facing limitations that are beyond the power of Council. If there is anything else we can help with, please let me know, or if you would like to chat directly with the Councillor about this. With regards, Mr. Slavisa Mijatovic Advisor, Community Relations & Issues Management Councillor Jon Burnside | Ward 26: Don Valley West City Hall | 100 Queen Street West, Toronto Tel: 416-392-0215 EMAIL BY STAFF IN REGARDS TO BLACK PLASTIC RECYCLING: The City of Toronto does not accept black plastic in its Blue Bin recycling program for two reasons. One, as you stated, is that black plastic cannot be sorted at the material recovery facility (recycling sorting facility). The optical sorting technology used to sort plastics cannot "read" items that are black because the conveyor belt is black. All black plastic ends up in the garbage stream and is sent to landfill. The other reason that black plastics aren’t accepted in the Blue Bin recycling program is that black plastic is not desirable to the end markets, so they are of little value and hard to market. As you can imagine, we must verify that we have sustainable, long term end markets for all materials that we accept in our Blue Bin program and that we are able to manage these materials at a reasonable cost. I cannot comment on what other municipalities are doing, however Toronto continually monitors markets and technologies in efforts to make continual improvements to our waste diversion programs. We also educate residents about how to properly sort waste items to reduce contamination in the Blue Bin. We do this through regular campaigns like Recycle Right, posters, calendars and tools like Waste Wizard. Municipalities alone cannot directly influence manufacturer's packaging design choices because it is not in our jurisdiction to do so. However, the new provincial Waste-Free Ontario Act (replacing the Waste Diversion Act) will see a shift towards an Extended Producer Responsibility waste system that will aim to hold manufacturers responsible for the management of their products and packaging, possibly encouraging them to consider product designs for the environment. Thank you for your efforts in participating in our waste diversion programs. Regards, Katrusia Balan Research Analyst Solid Waste Management Services, Waste Management Planning City of Toronto City Hall, 25th Floor, East Tower 100 Queen Street West Toronto, ON M5H 2N2 416-392-7827 katrusia.balan@toronto.ca |
Navo and RuthAnn invite Wynford Tower residents to join them in the pool at 9 AM Tuesdays and Saturdays to swim
(or paddle, water exercise, whatever) and socialize. No instruction, no races, no aquafit, no food, no cost. Bring your own drinking water. Hope to see you there starting Saturday, July 15. |
Please join us outside the front lobby from 10:30 to 11:15 every Monday and Thursday morning for an exercise class led by our own Patty. Exercises will include warm-up, cardio, deep breathing, stretching from head to toe and cool down segments. Bring water and a towel. Hoping to see you starting July 17. |
It was a surprise to discover recently the wide range of medical services offered by the Wynford Urgent Care Clinic in the
Pharmasave across the street from Wynford Tower. See Wynford UCC Services (Opens in new window.) |
Wednesday a week ago, I had a phone call from someone saying that he was from some outfit called: "Express Couriers,"(The name could be any courier company) He asked if I was going to be home because there was a package for me that required a signature. The caller said that the delivery would arrive at my home in roughly an hour. Sure enough, about an hour later, a uniformed delivery man turned up with a beautiful basket of flowers and a bottle of wine. I was very surprised since there was no special occasion or holiday, and I certainly didn't expect anything like it. Intrigued, I inquired as to who the sender was. The courier replied, "I don't know, I'm only delivering the package." Apparently, a card was being sent separately... (the card has never arrived!) There was also a consignment note with the gift. He then went on to explain that because the gift contained alcohol, there was a $3.50 "delivery/ verification charge," providing proof that he had actually delivered the package to an adult (of legal drinking age), and not just left it on the doorstep where it could be stolen or taken by anyone, especially a minor. This sounded logical and I offered to pay him cash. He then said that the delivery company required payment to be by credit or debit card only, so that everything is properly accounted for, and this would help in keeping a legal record of the transaction. He added couriers don't carry cash to avoid loss or likely targets for robbery. My husband, who by this time was standing beside me, pulled out his credit card, and 'John,' the "delivery man," asked him to swipe the card on a small mobile card machine with a small screen and keypad. Frank, my husband, was asked to enter his PIN number and a receipt was printed out. He was given a copy of the transaction. The guy said everything was in order, and wished us good day. To our horrible surprise, between Thursday and the following Monday, $4,000 had been charged/withdrawn from our credit/debit account at various ATM machines. Apparently the "mobile credit card machine," which the deliveryman carried now had all the info necessary to create a "dummy" card with all our card details including the PIN number. Upon finding out about the illegal transactions on our card, we immediately notified the bank which issued us a new card, and our credit/debit account was closed. We also personally went to the Police, where it was confirmed that it is definitely a scam because several households had been similarly hit. WARNING: Be wary of accepting any "surprise gift or package", which you neither expected nor personally ordered, especially if it involves any kind of payment as a condition of receiving the gift or package. Also, never accept anything if you do not personally know or there is no proper identification of who the sender is. Above all, the only time you should give out any personal credit/debit card information is when you yourself initiated the purchase or transaction! |
The following email dated 2017-07-02, 4:32 PM was received from John and Mary Persaud. Along the lines of cigarette butts and ashes blowing in to balconies is the issue of cigarette smoke blowing into the apartment. We do not smoke but throughout the day and night cigarette smoke blows into our apartment from other smokers. I like to keep my windows and balcony door open to let in air. When I do I save in air conditioning as I do not put on the air conditioner but it is becoming impossible to do that as my apartment reeks of cigarette smoke. Smoking on balconies should be banned - there should be an outdoor smoking area for smokers to go and smoke. I do not want to get cancer from other people's second hand smoke. Thank you, John and Mary Persaud |
We have received a note from Sarah ?? telling us that there are invasive plants around Wynford Tower and on Wynford Drive
west and south of us. One invasive species is Garlic Mustard, Garlic Mustard.pdf. Another invasive species found in our area is
Dog Strangling Vine For information on how to deal with invasive plants, see Guide to Controlling Invasive Woodland Plants. One suggestion in this document is to cut the plants close to ground level shortly before they go to seed, usually in June. Pulling the plants can be problematic by causing more plants to grow the next year. Note: These links open new windows, which can be closed individually. |
With a toonie well spent You can help the environment. To keep your butts from going astray Deposit them in a pocket ashtray. $2 from Henry Furman: 416-461-5454; hf55@rogers.com |
Black containers and green plastic bags go to the garbage, not recycling, as shown on the notice on the front of each bin. |
Because we can be Fined if our Recycle bins contain black or green plastic bags or unflattened boxes or black containers when they are picked up. Let's Recycle Properly! Note: A list of recyclable items, taken from the Toronto 311 website, is at Recyclables.pdf For specific questions, ask the Waste Wizard |
The Aga Khan park, just a few minutes walk from Wynford Tower, offers a number of free activities this summer, including
Canada Day celebrations on July 1st from 12 to 3 PM plus dancing and films under the stars. For details, see Aga Khan Summer 2017. (Opens in new window.) |
We welcome to our fair abode Audrey Roman, who moved here recently from her condo in Markham. She is a Torontonian who has lived in a number of different locations around the city, and she feels that Wynford Tower is well located to be accessible to her three sons. She finds that the building lives up to its reputation of large rooms and good maintenance. She is still learning about surrounding amenities, but finds that most of her needs are reasonably near by, especially since she has a car. One of Audrey's sons is Brian Roman, singer par excellence, whom we had the pleasure of hearing at a concert in Markham a couple of weeks ago; it was very well worth the trip to Markham. We wish Audrey a very enjoyable life in her new home at Wynford Tower. |
Belated condolences to Carole Smith, 2406, whose husband Morton died 24 April 2017. His obituary is posted at Morton Smith Obituary |
Several residents suggest the following person to install pigeon screens on balconies. "He is reasonable, prompt, and does a good job." His name is Colin, and his number is 416-893-5744. |
Eddie Oliveira is back at the front desk, having had a cyst removed from his back two weeks ago. The
dressings still have to be replaced twice a day. He needs help from his wife for the evening change, but
he can handle the less complex change himself during the day. Hoping the biopsy turns out okay. Welcome back, Eddie! |
Hey Bill! Thank you for taking your time to ask me how I am feeling. My recovery is going well, I may go back even earlier than expected. My lovely wife is taking good care of me, she is really helpful, especially when the gauze needs to be changed. After the first week I started feeling bored at home, is good to relax and take my time, but gosh how I miss doing something useful! Hope to see you soon ! Eddie Oliveira |
Eddie Oliveira, our friendly and helpful concierge, had a cyst removed from his back
last week. The recovery period was estimated by his doctor at 2 to 4 weeks, so we
may not see him back for a while yet. We wish him a successful recovery. |
M&R advises that the electricity in Wynford Tower may undergo interruptions from 9 AM
to 4 PM Thursday May 25, as the electrical contractor repairs any faults that are
found in the distribution panel inspection that day. If you have a health condition that requires electricity and may require use of the elevators, please find alternative accommodation for this time period. More detailed information will be available in the notice to be distributed to all apartments. |
The current May heat wave reminds us of the news item posted last September, which told
us that: A landlord is responsible for providing heat to a residential dwelling at a minimum of 21 degrees Celsius between September 15 and June 1 of each year. Air Conditioning should go on, if provided/supplied by the property owner, from June 2nd to Sept. 14th to maintain an indoor temperature of not more than 26 degrees Celsius. Municipal Licensing & Standards is unable to take any action outside of these dates. Source: Toronto/311 Beat the Heat No, the heat can't really be overcome, but we can: Close drapes to keep out sunshine. Open windows at night to cool the apartment for the coming day. Turn off unnecessary electrical devices (a desktop computer releases about 200 Watts, a laptop about a third to a half as much, significant heating effects). Note that these tricks are useful even when the aircon is on. Any other suggestions? |
I am sure you have heard the complaints regarding the influx of pigeons landing on some balconies. Having been in the building for some time, I have never seen it
this bad, which makes you think someone is feeding them. I have put a notice in the laundry room just asking if you are feeding them please don't. Just wondered if you could add something to your notes, to assist in bringing the problem to more tenants attention. (Ed: Yes!) Thanks Sheila Stone, 2107 |
Just a reminder that left turn is not permitted from Wynford Heights Crescent onto Wynford Drive or vice versa at the corner by Tim Horton's. The police were ticketing violators last week. |
About 5:15 AM Sunday, 30 April 2017, the Wynford Tower fire alarm sounded. It continued
until Toronto Fire announced about 6 AM that they were investigating a fire alarm in the
garage and residents should stay in their apartments until further notice. The alarm
then resumed until about 6:30 AM when it stopped. No further announcements were made
regarding the cause of the alarm or the All Clear, so residents at some point assumed
all was well and resumed their normal lives. Eric Thom (209) went to the lobby when the alarm sounded and was told by the Toronto Fire supervisor that it is best to stay in our concrete enclosed apartments, rather than go to the lobby and interfere with the fire fighters. This is one option given in the Fire Safety Plan posted on the Disposal Room door on each floor. That notice dates from 1981. A more recent notice is on the internet at Toronto Fire Services but it tends to be more verbose and more ambiguous than our posted plan. |
Under the leadership of Linda Vir, Wynford Tower residents were invited to participate in the Community Cleanup on Sunday afternoon 23 April, 2017 starting at 1 PM, as detailed in the notice at Spring Cleanup Notice. Some photos of the event are published on page 2017 April Cleanup Photos. |
About a dozen Wynford Tower residents saw the movie Manchester by the Sea in the Card Room Wednesday evening 15 March 2017. The movie, a rather slow moving tear-jerker with numerous flashbacks, had received considerable acclaim, but some of the viewers were less enthusiastic. (RuthAnn, owner of the movie, having seen it before, provided a box of tissues.) |
Nancy Ackerman, who moved from Wynford Tower to Brossard, Québec in July 2016, visited
Toronto this week to attend the Orpheus Choir concert 26 February at which a protégé of
hers is now in the Toronto Children's Chorus, the "guest artist" at the concert. Nancy and some Wynford Tower friends were hosted at lunch on Friday by Elizabeth Cameron, at which time Nancy's recent birthday was also celebrated. Nancy mentioned that many of her neighbours and regular associates are French speaking, so her fluency in French is a definite asset. She also mentioned that several Montreal south shore communities, including Brossard, provide free transit for seniors, except during rush hour, on the Réseau de transport de Longueuil. |
On Wednesday 25 January 2017, Eric Thom was discussing waste disposal with a City of Toronto rep, when the sheet glass and construction materials shown in the photo were noted in a recycle bin. This is a "No-No": sheet glass and construction materials go in the garbage, not in the recycle bins. |
On Wednesday, 18 January 2017, RuthAnn Doyle and Eric Thom took it upon themselves to pick up litter from the Wynford Tower grounds, and ended up with four garbage bags full. Some litter was frozen to the ground, so it may be a bit early for such an endeavour, but perhaps we could plan another cleanup party for later on when the ground has thawed. |
At the 16 January committee meeting it was mentioned that the Tai Chi programme
that took place in the card room Wednesdays from 9 to 10 AM is no longer in operation, no reason given. |