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Catch da Flava 2 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

L E T C ATC H D A F L AVA B E Y O U R V O I C E

CATCH DA FLAVA youth mag-azine is published by the

Regent Park Focus Media ArtsCentre. The magazine is distrib-

uted free to libraries, community groups, and select-ed schools across downtown

Toronto.

CATCH DA FLAVA welcomesletters and articles from youngpeople (up to 24 years of age).

Submissions should be NO LONGER THAN 1000

WORDS IN LENGTH.

If you would like more information about how you can

contribute to CATCH DAFLAVA ,

call us at (416) 863-1074 or submit directly to

[email protected]

NEXT DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS:November 15, 2006

CATCH DA FLAVA reservesthe right to edit submitted arti-

cles for space and clarity.

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(including 85 community sites in downtown Toronto)

P U B L I S H E D S I N C E1 9 9 5

V O L U M E 1 2 I S S U E 2J A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 0 7

The Regent Park Focus media arts centre is committed to theuse of communty-based media to promote health and Engageyouth. Regent Park Focus is home to: Catch da Flava youthhealth and culture magazine, Catch da Flava Online, Catch daFlava Youth Radio on CKLN 88.1 FM, EYE Video YouthProductions, The Zapparoli Studio for Photography, & The Underground Music Recording Studio

PROGRAM CO-ORDINATOR: Adonis Huggins EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: James SandhamLAYOUT DESIGN: AJ FrickCOVER DESIGN: Raymond WilsonCOVER IMAGE: Tyrone MacLean-WilsonTREASURER & ADVERTISING MANAGER: Emmanuel KediniYOUTH WRITERS AND EDITORIAL STAFF: Tyrone MacLean-Wilson, Steve Blair, Jerry Zabarte, Sam Lao, Naila Obaid,Leonard Edwards, Tianna Saltus, Iftekhar “Prince” Chowehury,Gillan JohnsonGUEST WRITERS: Luda Zadorovich, Janet Anderson, MarieGedge, Janet AndersonCATCH DA FLAVA IS SUPPORTED BY: The Tippet Foundation,The Rotary Foundation, United Way, the Ministry of HealthPromotion, and The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

REGENT PARK FOCUS YOUTH MEDIA ARTS CENTRE IS LOCATED AT: 600 DUNDAS ST. EAST, TORONTO, ONTARIO, M5A 2B9

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WEBSITE: WWW.CATCHDAFLAVA.COM© 2006 NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE

EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER, REGENT PARK FOCUS.

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T SEDITORIAL...3WHAT’S YOUR BEEF: The Michael Richards Outburst...4FACE OFF: Quebec as a Nation...5FEATURE: TDOTWIRE...6LOCAL VOICES: Regent Park Through My Eyes...8POETRY CORNER...9IN CONBVERSATION WITH: John Clarke...10FEATURE: Lasse Lau’s Luxury...12-13FEATURE: Slow Cities, Fast World...14-15FEATURE: A Greener T.O....16ASK DA SEXPERT: Young Love...17-18LOCAL: FYI Scholarship; Peace Tree... 18LOCAL VOICES: Regent Park Trees...19FEATURE: Regent Park Mosques...20FEATURE: Moving Back...21COMICS...22-23FEATURE: Regent Park Redevelopment scheme....back cover


EDITOR’S DESK:

f any of you have been traipsing aboutToronto's local art events over the past year orso, it's likely you've encountered the work ofthe Upper Parkdale Benevolent Art Guild, or

UPBAG (www.upbag.com) for short. Since the sum-mer of 2005 they've been exhibiting their "Soft City"installation, an urban topographical sculpture madeof foam, felt, and cotton stuffing, at a variety oflocations. It contains stuffed replicas of severalToronto landmarks as well as the stuffed architec-ture dreamed up by UPBAG members and the gen-eral public. The original "Upburg Settlement," firstdisplayed in 2005 as part of AlleyJaunt, a celebrationof local art in local places based in the Trinity-Bellwoods neighbourhood, grew over the followingmonths into the Soft City and has since been dis-played at the Toronto the Good Festival ofArchitecture and Design, Doors Open Toronto, andthe Power Plant, among others.

The appeal of the Soft City is the message behind it- especially resonant in these anomic times.According to UPBAG member Yvonne Ng, the SoftCity speaks to the idea "that cities sort of exist ashard materials, infrastructure and buildings andstuff, but what makes a city a city is all the soft ele-

ments, and the way we invest all these hard struc-tures with meaning and emotion and history." Manyof the buildings incorporated in the Soft City "areinspired by buildings that we're surrounded by inToronto," Ng explains, "but some of them are build-ings from our imagination, our childhoods, or justcrazy things we make up." The point is that space,cities, or buildings only become a meaningful con-text or community when we start investing it withpurpose, thinking, creating, and living in it.

It's a theme especially relevant to this issue of Catchda Flava, in which we explore the idea of urbanrenewal. As the Soft City suggests, urban renewalmeans more than just revitalizing a city's buildings -it also means revitalizing a city's ideas. After all,buildings are only a small part of what makes a city.Ultimately, it is the people who inhabit them, and theideas they create, that leads to meaningful and gen-uine transformation in a city. We here at Regent ParkFocus try to use Catch da Flava and the articles localyouth contribute as a platform for the exchange ofsuch ideas. It's just one part in the ever-continuingprocess of urban renewal.

JAMES SANDHAM, ed.

IAbove: detail of UPBAG’s the Soft City. Featured here, the CN Tower. Photo by UPBAG.


Yeah, I heard some of it. Twoblack guys were disturbing himand he went ballistic on them.He was saying this-this aboutblack guys and stuff like that.No matter what, I don't think hehad the right to do that 'cause,you know, he is older than thatand he should be able to controlhimself. Not just 'cause he isold, he is a millionaire, he can-not just do anything. So he hasto know how to hold himselfaround people. I would notaccept his apology 'cause thewhole thing, the entire race, it'snot just the two guys in front ofyou, it's the whole race.

My input is that I don't think heis "racist racist." Deep downinside, all of us have someracism in us no mater if we wantto admit it or deny it. About hisapology, well, I could care less.If that is the way that he seeshis point of view, then that's hispoint of view and ain't no onegoing to say anything. And hesaid he was pissed off, but evenif you are pissed off, you stillmade a comment like that andit's unacceptable either way. Soit should be like Mel Gibson: MelGibson mad a crude commentand he was scrutinized for it soKramer should also be scruti-nized for it.

Well I heard after it had hap-pened on the radio or on the TVthat he had made some racialremarks, and then I saw hisapology, but I still think it isinappropriate. I think he shouldhave had better control of him-self considering he is a speaker.He is somebody that is trainedand that is his job; he shouldhave had more control. I don'tbelieve that it was a mistake, hedid it on purpose, and those arehis real thoughts and feelings.And I think it was really wrong,really wrong. And his apology Idon't think was much. I think heapologized because he felt hehad to, he was told to do it,which is good, to a point, but Istill think what he said was hisreal feelings.

WHAT’S YOUR BEEF: The Michael Richards outburst

ANONYMOUSFIONA ANONYMOUS

By da Flava’sJERRY ZABARTE


The Quebecois are now a nation within Canada.Congratulations. Now can someone please explainwhat exactly this means? And how did such a vaguemotion even get passed anyway?

When discussing the motion in the House ofCommons on November 22, both Harper andGraham used the terms "Quebecois" and"Quebecers" interchangeably. Later, when talkingwith the press, Harper explained that "Quebecois" ismerely French for "Quebecers." I guess Quebecersare just people who live in Quebec, just likeTorontonians live in Toronto. Ergo, by this logic,everyone living in Quebec are a nation withinCanada.

But that doesn't quite make sense. According to theCambridge Dictionary a nation is "a country, espe-cially when thought of as a large group of people liv-ing in one area with their own government, lan-guage, traditions, etc." Well, Quebecers all live inone area, but they certainly aren't a country (at thispoint), and while they do have their own provincialgovernment it's still overseen by Ottawa. So thatdoesn't clarify anything.

A second definition for nation is "a large group ofpeople of the same race who share the same lan-

guage, traditions and history." But not all Quebecersspeak the same language (some speak English,some speak French; many speak both) and I can'timagine that everyone in Quebec shares the sametraditions. For example, my grade school Frenchteacher grew up in Quebec and her family hadtortierre every Christmas; would that that thereforemean every family in Quebec eats a tortierre duringthe holiday season, and they all celebrateChristmas? It seems unlikely.

In any case, I think this will suffice to illustrate themeaninglessness of the whole "recognition-of-the-Quebec-nation-within-Canada" thing. After all, themotion didn't even mention changing the legal rightsor function of Quebec, and Harper has specificallystated that this isn't about separation but "recogni-tion" (another term that could use defining) - so whythen is the House of Commons taking the time todiscuss and vote on this? Don't we have troops inAfghanistan? Aren't there more important issues todebate?

By da Flava’sSTEVE BLAIR

After eleven-months of misgovernment it's good tohear Stephen Harper has finally done somethingright: he has recognized the Quebecois as a nationwithin Canada. It's always good to have some truthand maturity in politics, and Harper has displayedjust that in this approach to the treatment of aminority group.

The Quebecois, after all, were one of the foundingpeople of Canada, yet since that day in 1867 everystep of their journey has been about survival. Theywere politically silenced, economically exploited, andsocially marginalized. They were kept down for cen-turies, but now the Quebecois have woken and arefighting back. Harper - regardless of what else hap-pens in his government - will be remembered in his-tory for his straight talk regarding the Quebec ques-tion.

The Quebecois is a distinct ethno-cultural group in aterritorial region with common political and econom-ic institutions and a unique and common language.There isn't a better candidate for national recogni-tion than the Quebecois. These facts have been rec-ognized and widely-accepted within Quebec for thelast forty years. By pre-emptingthe Bloc's more separatist-friendly motion in theHouse of Commons, and by saying what needs to besaid, Stephen Harper should be rewarded for hishonesty in the nextelection.

"Earthquakes have power, and space cannot end,but nothing has justice except that which has reasonand acquaintance with the divine."- Plutarch: "Aristides the Just", Translated by Wilmot H. McCutchen SAMMY LAO

FACE OFF: Quebec as a nation

THE QUEBECOIS ARE A DISTINCT FOUNDING NATION OF THE COUNTRY OF CANADA

THE MOTION IS MEANINGLESS; WHAT DEFINES A “QUEBECOIS” ANYWAY?

WAS IT WISE FOR THE HARPER GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE QUEBEC AS ANATION WITHIN CANADA?

YES

NO


TDOTWIRE:

t’s after school. You sit on the bus eagerlyanticipating the stop to the place you call “thehood.” Scrambling out of the bus and into yourcozy house, you throw your bag on to the floor

and glide across the living room to the computer.You quickly type in the website address as if your lifedepended on it, waiting for what seems like a life-time. Finally, you’re at ease as the letters TDW popup on the screen. You login.

If this is a regular routine for you, you may haveTdotitis, a severe addiction to the website Tdotwire(http://www.tdotwire.com).

Like HI5 and ZUUP, Tdotwire (TDW) also allowsusers network and browse through blogs and pro-files. And with approximately 5200 members onlinedaily, it’s no wonder why TDW has grown to be oneof the most addictive forum site for teens who residein the GTA and Toronto. Successfully running for thepast 4 years, the number of new members register-ing on TDW is growing everyday.

But Tdotwire is much more than your average run-of-the-mill forum site. It’s a place where teenagersas well as young adults connect through pictures,

profiles, forums, tag boards and private messages.It’s a site where promoters put provocative flyer adsof their up-and-coming all ages’ events. And ofcourse, let’s not forget about ratings, the leadingreason why most Tdotwire members post their pho-togenic, enticing and racy photos of themselves.

“Tdotwire is like a drug for me. I get to look at pret-ty girls and privately message them. A lot of myboys have an account on Tdotwire. It’s just a funway to waste time,” says Jun, a grade 12 male stu-dent of J.C.I.

TDW has grown to be more than “just a waste oftime.” It’s the new virtual reality where teens findthemselves entwined between actuality and cyber-space.

IAbove: User photo from a profile on Tdotwire

Will the epidemic ever end?

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...

“ ’’““TTddoottwwiirree iiss lliikkee aa ddrruugg ffoorr mmee......IItt’’ss jjuusstt aa ffuunn wwaayy ttoo wwaassttee ttiimmee””

- JJuunn


This could partially explain why some teens grow todevelop a dependency on TDW. Self-esteem plays abig role for TDW members. Viewers who browsepages can rate a person's profile (in terms of looks)from 1 and 10 (1 being terrible and 10 being spec-tacular). Consequently, these ratings either raiseyour confidence or provoke you to put a paper bagover your head.

"I'm confident and I know I'm sexy. I like going onTDW, because of the forums and the ability to putmy opinion out there. I debate and argue with peo-ple online. Shoot, I've even met some pretty fit girlson there in real life," says Chris Roget of BirchmountC.I. "Besides the girls, I like the forums becauseeveryone is in a close age range and I can relate tothem better."

Furthermore, TDW forums give teenagers thechance to speak their mind about a wide variety oftopics like music, arts, school, fashion - or even themost ridiculous ideas only a high school studentcould think of.

"I once saw a thread from this guy in Brampton,"says Kaye Dante Melendez, Grade 10 of J.C.I. "Itwas about how Anna Nicole Smith's baby would lookif she was impregnated by a horse."

But while the outcome of a half-animal, half-washed-up-blonde-celebrity-baby threads can cer-

tainly make for gripping reading, there is a morereasonable explanation as to why high school stu-dents are hooked on TDW. When asked how theyfound out about TDW, Myspace, HI5 or ZUUP, 4 outof 5 high school students asked reply they "foundout through a friend and have been continuing usageever since." In other words, the popularity of thesesites stems from their ability to keep peers connect-ed and up-to-date with one another. These sitesbecome the crucial factor of the social networks theyfacilitate. And as such, they become the new hang-out, the new after-school extra-curricular activity,the new Lava Life for teenagers. Like its predeces-sors Myspace and HI5, TDW has turned into thecyberspace club for students and young adults alike.

Unfortunately there is no intervention for the victimsof TDW. When you become a member, there's noway out.

By da Flava’s GILLIAN JOHNSON

Wanna produce your own tracks for FREE?

Come check out the underground music studioat the Regent Park Focus. Work with industryprofessionals and learn to mix, record and pro-duce your own beats for FREE.

Where we’re at: 600 Dundas St. E (rear base-ment)How to reach us: Call 416-863-1074Our website: www.catchdaflava.com

“ ’’""IItt wwaass aabboouutt hhooww AAnnnnaa NNiiccoolleeSSmmiitthh''ss bbaabbyy wwoouulldd llooookk iiff sshhee wwaass iimmpprreeggnnaatteedd bbyy aa hhoorrssee..""

- KKaayyee


REGENT PARK:

f there is any community accustomed to neg-ative stereotype and systemic discriminationfrom the public, it's the residents of RegentPark. The neighbourhood has long been

exposed to contemptuous or pessimistic judgmentfrom the media and the general pubic, and this cyn-ical view of Regent Park has cause the community tobe labelled one of Toronto's high-risk communities.

When I first came to Toronto for further studies,from a moderately well established community, Ihad been informed about Regent Park as being oneof the most dangerous areas in Toronto. This infor-mation was given to me even before I was able tolocate it on the map and before I was ever able tovisit the community in person. My educational insti-tution also played a key role in shaping my first per-ception of Regent Park by using orientation forms toadvise international students that "it is in students'best interest to stay away." But all this did wasaroused my curiosity about the mystery that isRegent Park.

I have had the privilege of meeting a student in myprogram who is a resident of Regent Park, and on

our first encounter he had challenged my negativeperceptions of the place. He was more than delight-ed to show me his neighbourhood in an effort tochange my perceptions of the Park.

Based on my preconceptions I already had a mentalpicture of the neighbourhood. I thought I would seegangsters sitting out in the court yard, drug addictsrunning around after their next high, or - worse -hear gun shots brazing through the neighbourhood.

On my very first visit to the Regent Park I wasstunned to see the rundown buildings, vandalism,shattered windows, graffiti, and displaced garbage.My first reaction was to call a fellow student and tellher what I have seen. In my opinion, this was not "ahigh-risk neighbourhood or ghetto" - this was aneighbourhood where poverty, unemployment andunder employment are real issues. However; themedia and society magnify the crime and drug usewhich in turn have given Regent Park its horriblelabel.

When I look at Regent Park and its residents I seepeople that are intelligent, people that are asking for

IAbove: view of Regent Park north


Through my eyes


proper representation, and who have been shut outof society. I see marginalized low-income youngpeople asking for equal opportunities for educationand social and recreational facilities.

With the new revitalization of the area I challengethe residents of Regent Park to live a life that areexemplary to others, to live above the stereotypesand the negative perceptions that many in societyhold. I believe this revitalization is the best time forcommunity action. With a new physical environ-ment, this is the prefect opportunity for the RegentPark residents to renew their vision and change the

negative perceptions. I encourage the community tostrive to be an influential neighbourhood and to pro-duce citizens of Canada that will be mentors or mod-els for other low income or marginalized people.

I am sure Regent Park will soon stand out in thismulticultural and metropolitan city as place to liveand break the circle.

By da Flava'sLEONARD EDWARDS, 23

POETRY CORNER

let's look at magazines!

cautiously choosing Vogue,dreading what's inside,i slowly began.

skinny women, expressionless faces.zombies, modelling anorexia.

disgusted, i shut my eyes.

during the class discussion later,the boys loved it.

"sexy, frisky, daring,bold, risky, wild."

disgusted,i shut my ears.

see no evil.hear no evil.

but i still couldn't…wasn't able to…shut my mind.

NAILA OBLAID

The sky tonight upon my wall,

I watch the gray and shaded lines,

Shadows gaze at me and fall,

They hit my eyes like painted vines.

Tree branches hit my window hard,

The gift of vision comes to me,

The game hands me a fallen card,

Pain of the storm now I can see.

The sonnet pours out like water,

The shadow cast begins to shake,

Do you beseech this fallen daughter?

Waves embrace the mystic lake.

Rhyming words come with a joy

Shadows moving me like a toy.

LUDA ZADOROVICH

A MYSTIC SONNET MEDIA CLASS, 4TH PERIOD


IN CONVERSATION WITH:

he Cabbagetown Restaurant on the cornerof Parliament and Spruce Street has beenthe center for complaints from the neigh-boring residents for many months now.

There have been reports made against the restau-rant about its customers on the patio conductingcriminal activities and creating uneasy feelingstowards the neighbors and those who walk by.

The restaurant is now at risk of losing its liquorlicense for two violations and also because theneighbors simply don't want the drunk customersnear their homes causing ruckus.

On Sunday January 21st, members of Catch daFlava attended an event in support of theCabbagetown Restaurant, during which we spoke toJohn Clarke, the organizer of OCAP.

Catch da Flava: Why is OCAP here today?

As I don't need to tell you, this whole area is beingsubjected to a process of gentrification. They[Cabbagetown residents] want to turn this into what

I might call a yuppie colony. This restaurant is oneof the places that still exists where poor people cangather and socialize, and they want to close it down- not because of any of their ridiculous allegationsabout immorality and Sodom and Gomorrah orwhatever, that's all just a load of fabricated non-sense. What they recognize is, if you're going tobreak a community you have to take away theplaces where people have a sense of belonging,where people have a sense of congregating togeth-er, and that's why they want to close this placedown. There's no doubt about that. So, because thisis a restaurant and a place where people grab a beer,they've gone the route of taking the liquor license.

TAbove: storefront of the Cabbagetown Restaurant and Bar, on Parliament Street.

“ ’’The idea of the mixed income neighborhood is a big lie

- John Clarke


John Clar ke

They've dragged Victor and his father, who actuallyowns the place and are immigrant people fromChina, they've dragged them before the alcohol andgaming commission to try to take away the license.The hearing that took place was a farce, it was akangaroo court, and there's no doubt in my mindthat on February 7th they're going to bring down averdict to take away the license.

Catch da Flava: What will happen then?

Victor has the right to an appeal, so we're going tomake sure that there is proper legal representationthis time, and he gets to argue a case that is legal-ly sound and credible and gets to expose the non-sense being thrown against him. At the same timewe're going to rally the community to support him.We want people who live in this neighborhood,whether they are people of good conscience orwhether they're people directly affected by thepoverty, to come out and show their support toVictor Jiang by signing a petition against the actionsof the Cabbagetown Business ImprovementAssociation and gathering here to eat and socialize.This restaurant is important to Victor and his family,this place is their livelihood. This restaurant is also an important gathering place for the community, butits more than that: it's a symbol of a whole process

of trying to destroy a community that has been herefor generations. I mean, for God's sake, one of thefinest books of Canadian literature is about theworking class neighbourhood of Cabbagetown. It'sabout what this community has always been, andthey wanna turn it into a fluffy yuppie paradise andI think that's something that's gotta be resisted; it'ssomething that's gotta be fought. This neighborhoodneeds to be a place where poor people can live andthis community needs to be defended.

Catch da Flava: How do you plan to do that?

The local Cabbagetown business association put upmoney to pay duty police officers to harass thisplace. The cops, we know who they serve and pro-tect, think they can sweep this place away. What wehope to do is build enough of a movement arounddefending the Cabbagetown Restaurant that thepolitical price for closing this place down is too greatand they back away. We’re not gonna resolve this byhaving polite meetings with Pam McConnell or talk-ing to the cops’ liaison people, we’re gonna have todeal with this as a fight. It is a fight and they'veattacked us and we’re gonna fight back.

Catch da Flava: How is this notion of revitalizationgoing to affect the low income community?

You know, the idea of the mixed income neighbor-hood is a big lie. I don't think in an economy like theone that we live in, that if upscale people move in toa poor neighborhood they want a mixed neighbor-hood. No, they want a neighborhood that elevatestheir property values and improves their quality oflife and they want the poor gone! I'm very, very sus-picious of this notion of transforming Regent Parkinto a so-called mixed neighborhood. I know theyhave similar plans for Lawrence Heights. I know theyhave similar plans for poor communities throughoutthe city and I think that is something that should beopposed because it’s not gonna produce a placewhere the lion lays down with a lamb. Its gonna bea means to expel poor people from communitiesthey live in.

Tune in to “Hands off Cabbagetown” atwww.regentpark.tv to find out more about the issue.

By da Flava’sSTEVE BLAIR & JERRY ZABARTE

“ ’’


“ ’’

If you're going to break a community you have to take

away the places...where people have a sense of congregating together,and that's why they want to close this place down

- John Clarke

They want to turn this into... a yuppie colony

- John Clarke


FROM UTOPIA TO LUXURY:


Artist’s Statement:

Displaying the word "Luxury" on a banner hangingon a deserted Regent Park building known as 'TheProjects' seams by at glance problematic because itcould be read as if Public Housing itself is a Luxury.Although the banner contains a subversive twist byreferring to Luxury as what is left on television afterprogramming has ended, with the off-program tele-vision snow as background and containing the text a"place to call home." The banner still doesn't quitseam to fit on-site, although there is always manyoptions of readings.

On the other hand, if the Luxury banner was dis-played on one of the new Condo developments oreven on the surprisingly similar looking architectur-al drawings from the Regent Park revitalization plans-- the proximity of the banner parallel with the site-would assimilate almost completely, and the fate ofthe sign would probably not be noticed at all fromany of the new developments.

The reason to propose the banner displayed onPublic Housing is to illustrate by juxtaposing thespatial clash between two ideological positions ofstructures built in the same city. The visualizationthat this project wants to enlighten is a long goingparadigm shift in housing and public policies thatslowly is moving from utilitarian to laissez-faire.Projects all over North America are being torn down-- and fewer get replaced like the case of RegentPark, which is only possible with private investmentsfrom the selling of land. But many Projects especial-ly, in the US, disappear completely from the radar.The current situation of Public Housing in NewOrleans just to mention one, illustrates the 'new'agenda of urban planning.

There are many questions to be answered with theCondo Boom in Toronto and the demolishing andrevitalization of Regent Park. Why did the macroscale plan of public housing estates not work inToronto when it works in other cities? Why wasRegent Park for at least a decade neglected by thecity to the point of urban blight? Could there havebeen an ideology that has criminalized the neighbor-hood? This is not to claim that the general revitaliza-tion plan for Regent Park is unprepossessing, but isinstead to focus on what the stigma may revealunder a larger picture of a hegemonic ideology.

When Public Housing was built it came with a post-war ideology led by the Bauhaus School that saw thenew industrial capacity as a possibility to erect bet-ter social conditions. It was idealism lead by ideas ofutopia of how to distribute and collectively changesocial behavior by distributing modern amenitiesand stabilities. Regent Park like many similar estatesaround the world at that time was modeled on theideas of Corbusier and Gropius and in this case par-ticularly influenced by Howard's book titled "GardenCities of To-Morrow." This book offered a vision oftowns free of slums and enjoying the benefits ofboth town and country.

The Condo Boom of cultural extravagance and con-sumer culture where luxury and pleasure is the drivefor individual entrepreneurship and success hasdeserted the idea of the common good. It is a desiredriven by economy put into practice by mass culturethat is more about fetish, affect and leisure. Thisshift from Utopia to Luxury - from collective to indi-vidual - is the effect of a long going strategy ofimposing the de facto neo-liberal global economy.The government as a result of these policies is los-ing ground where the power and capacity to addresspreviously critical social liabilities evaporates.

With the "Luxury" banner placed on a Regent Parkbuilding, it is an attempt to cut through the smokescreen of culture and identity policies that preventsus from seeing the government's increasing detach-ment from our body and unravel the new spatialfrontiers where housing, for the most of us, is nevergoing to be luxury. On Sunday, December 22nd,1946 Mayor Robert H. Sounders, when he endorsedthe idea of building Regent Park on a regularlyscheduled radio speech on C.H.U.M. Toronto, deliv-ered an important message "... the true greatness ofa city is measured not by its artistic and commercialattainment alone, but also by the home of the citi-zens and the conditions under which the least afflu-ent of them are forced to live."

Luxury Displacement is part of the CRYSTAL PALACEseries

The Crystal Palace is an ongoing artistic researchinvestigating the state's gradual distancing and dis-connecting its power from the citizen's body.

Graphic artist Lasse Lau on Displacement in Regent Park

rban revitalization is an ambiguous term,but for many it is associated with ideas ofgrowth and progress, with moving forwardin a new and dynamic way. At least, that's

what it's often associated with here in NorthAmerica. But across the pond in Europe a growingnumber of cities are starting to redefine the term.For them, urban revitalization means a return to oldways, the rediscovery of traditional economies, anda general slowing down of life. It means forgettingabout growth and instead shrinking their vision tothe local level. Seem retrograde? Welcome to theSlow Cities.

The Slow Cities Movement was founded in 1999 asan offshoot of the Slow Food Movement. Slow Food,established in Italy by Carlo Petrini in 1986, beganas a reaction to what Petrini saw as the negative by-products of globalization - the standardization oftastes, the increasingly frantic pace of life, the lackof personal connection with one's urban environ-ment. The two movements have since grown to bedeeply intertwined, sharing a common philosophyand social goals centred on the idea that peopleshouldn't forget to take pleasure in everyday lived

experience. Petrini soon found that he wasn't alonein this way of thinking, and the Slow Movement wasborn.

As the name suggests, Slow Movement supports theability to live slowly. Slow Cities aren't trying to pro-vide their residents with new highways, bigger com-mercial developments or rapid transit systems, nordo they want global connectivity or multi-million dol-lar cultural institutions. Instead, they want to letpeople relax - they want to slow things down so peo-ple can take their time and actually enjoy whatthey're doing.



SLOW CITIES, FAST WORLD: Urban renewalaround the world

U

“ ’’“Speed and efficiency,the Slow Movements argue,

have become pointless obsessionsleading to the regulation of everything

from what we eat to when we sleep”


In practice, this means fostering local, organic foodproduction methods, traditional forms of cooking,and urban designs that provide space for people tostop, take a break, and talk with their neighbours.

Speed and efficiency, the Slow Movements argue,have become pointless obsessions leading to theregulation of everything from what we eat to whenwe sleep, and when and where we socialize. TheSlow Movements contend that speed and efficiencyhave become so dominant in our lives that the endto which they are supposedly employed - the cre-ation of free time - has been forgotten: our timeends up considerably less free and increasingly con-strained.

But this, they say, is a paradox of our own makingand can be resolved by creating communities thatfoster a more locally-attuned lifestyle.

The Slow Movement might sound idealistic, but it's aconcept with growing legitimacy. And although a citymust have a population under 50 000 to officiallyqualify as a Slow City, many of the Slow Movement'sprimary principles are nonetheless popping up inurban revitalization projects in some of Canada'slargest cities. Slow Food chapters have already beenestablished in Vancouver and Calgary, for example.

But the Movement's larger impact is it's recognitionof the need for community space and environmen-tally attuned economies. The Slow Movement real-izes that revitalization does not happen from the topdown. Change cannot be forced. It must be fostered.

And this means creating communities where peoplehave space to talk, to solidify a vision of their com-munity, and can then take action to implement it intune with local patterns of life in the community.Appropriately, these principles that are beingemployed - slowly - in an ever-wider number ofurban revitalization schemes.

By da Flava’sJAMES SANDHAM

“ ’’“Slow Cities aren't trying to provide their residents with

new highways, bigger commercialdevelopments or rapid transit

systems... Instead they want to let people relax.”

anes reserved for public transit. Cashrebates for purchasing energy-efficientappliances. A recycling program expandedto include kitchen waste. Toronto Council

has made it clear that they’re trying to make this aneco-friendly city. Unfortunately, external efforts(such as those from the municipality) are largelyineffective because they address only the probleminstead of extinguishing the source. What is neededis a whole new frame of mind.

Is throwing your pop can in the recycling bin goingto change the world? No, but it could change yourlife, choice by choice. Here’s how to adjust your per-spective to be environmentally friendly and subse-quently increase how much you get out of life.

SEVEN STEPS TO A HEAVENLY EARTH:

Make all decisions by asking yourself, “What’s bestfor the earth?” This doesn’t mean becoming a hippy.It means thinking about how your actions affect youand the environment.

Relinquish ownership of the earth. You are a tempo-rary occupant of this planet. Everything is on loan,and needs to be returned the way it came or better.Become a minimalist. All objects were at some point

constructed from raw materials and therefore theytoo are on loan. Don’t take more than what youneed.

Make an effort to be aware of the earth. Learn toappreciate nature and being outdoors. Think of howsmall you are compared to the entire planet and allof humanity.

Develop an awareness of your immediate surround-ings. Notice how someone reacts to your smile, oradmire the walkway to your apartment building afteryou’ve picked up the garbage by the curb.

Acknowledge your connectedness with the earth andwhat that means to your life. Discover the interac-tions happening between you and your environment.

Unify all areas of you life: your mind, your body,humanity, and nature.

All of this is easier said then done. With every activechoice you develop your environmental orientation.At first this increase in awareness may seem like aninformation overload. You may have to continuallyrefocus to be alert. But who knew that catching a bitof Green Urbanitis could improve mental health?

MARIE GEDGE

L

A GREENER T.O.:


It’s all in your head


y parents were high school sweet-hearts. They met when they were 16years old, got married at 19, had fivechildren and haven't looked back since.

My experiences in courtship have been far from sim-ilar.

Which isn't to say that marriage at 19 would havemade me happy - far from it. But the idea that thereis that one person that completes, challenges, andexposes traits in you that you yourself didn't evenknow existed is something for which I will never stopstriving. It's the hopeless romantic in me.

There is a portion of my peer group that similarlyhopeless and romantic - they are "in love?" as theysay - but when I see many of these relationships Iam not convinced. Many of these relationships arebased on convenience, "the comfort factor," or per-sonal insecurity, and this can create a loss of percep-tion and inability to confront the reality of a situa-tion. Sometimes you have to step back and see arelationship for what it is.

For example, there are those who smudge theboundaries between friendship and love. This hap-pens a lot and someone always ends up heartbro-

ken. Unfortunately, I've been on both sides toomany times; it's easy to fall in like with your friends:they're great people, you already know you getalong with them, and there is always that naggingquestion at the back of your mind - "what if?"

The problem is that this question is often only fur-ther investigated at the one time most youngromantics feel confident enough to confront theiremotions - that is, when they're drunk. After yourfourth cup of liquid courage, emotional questionsoften seem to make a lot more sense; you can'tunderstand why it never occurred to you earlier thatyou and Jake were clearly meant to be together. Heseems to be in a conversation but you just know thathe will be more than understanding, even overjoyed,when you profess your undying love…

It's almost impossible to leave satisfied from a situ-ation like this. At best there will be a sloppy hook-upand an extremely awkward future encounter whereboth parties claim to forget what happened that sor-did night, although both know all too well. Thingswill return to normal eventually but the the touch,sound, smell of that person, your friend, will neverbe quite the same. Even a hug from them, oncecomforting, can feel uneasy.

M

ASK DA SEXPERT


Navigating dating withoutgetting caught in the quicksand


Then there are the strangers, those random individ-uals that you can't help but notice. These ones havethe uncanny ability to speak through a glance. Yousee them in passing - not everyday, but when theyare around you can't help but notice. Even withoutwords you already know this person, you start tobuild them up, and you see them as you want themto be.

Part of you wants to meet them but they are bestleft at distance. They will not meet the ideal that youhave created. Luckily, this captivation only lasts forso long. Inevitably, you'll overhear them talking or

even end up meeting them - and with each word apart of the ideal you've come to love will die. To fallin love with an ideal inevitably ends in disappoint-ment and heartbreak. It's sad. But it's true.

Yup, in the land of love there's a lot of quicksand.Sometimes marriage at 19 doesn't sound so badafter all.

By da Flava’s SEXPERT

TTC SUMMER JOBS: Youth 16-30 living in priority neighbourhoods includ-ing Regent Park and St. Jamestown who are out ofwork, out of school, and experiencing a difficult timeentering the workforce.

A commitment has been made to hire 100 youth forthe seasonal maintenance and and summer joboppertunities combined.

For full details on Summer Student Oppertunities(approximately 5 months),

visit www.toronto.ca/ttc/jobopps_students.htm

or phone 416-397-7317

Youth opportunities

PEACE TREE: Gets all lit up

On Thursday November 7, students from severalclasses at Nelson Mandela Park School braved thecrisp winter winds to decorate an evergreen calledthe Peace Tree, located in Regent Park's PeaceGarden. The children made their own beautiful paperdecorations and with the assistance of their teach-ers, the Peace Tree organizers, and TorontoArgonaut Raymond Fontaine they placed their deco-rations on the Peace Tree giving it plenty of colourand holiday spirit.

The following night people of all ages from theRegent Park community gathered in the PeaceGarden for the first annual lighting of the Peace Tree.The evening started with a festive candle lit carolsing with everyone's favourites. It was then time forthe main attraction, and after a countdown thePeace Tree was finally lit for all to see.

By da Flava’sSTEVE BLAIR

KIWANIS KIDS: Eat right

Kiwanis Boys & Girls Clubs is cooking up new waysto improve the nutrition of local children and youththanks to a $10 000 “Eat Right” Nutrition Grant fromthe Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada (BGCC).

The club will use the grant to purchase appliancesand equipment, train staff and volunteers, facilitateenhancements to better meet the nutritional needs

of our members and provide healthy meals andsnacks for hungry children and youth.

Congratulations Kiwanis from everyone at Catch daFlava!

By da Flava’sSTAFF


REGENT PARK TREES:

s the redevelopment plans for Regent Parkcontinue, the area is undergoing a massivetransformation, one that affects more thanjust its present day residents. Last year's

ribbon cutting ceremony not only announced thefirst phase of redevelopment for Regent Park, butalso the first phase of doom for an urban forest.

Before Regent Park's revitalization began it washome to more than 1400 trees. A significant numberwere over 50 years old before the first phase of thesix scheduled re-developments began. However, theCity of Toronto's Forestry Services Department hasstated that redevelopment would require theremoval of a large majority of the existing trees.This is in direct contradiction to the city's goal ofreaching 35% canopy cover. When I walked the firstredevelopment zone a number of months ago withTodd Irvine, an urban forestry consultant, I observedat least two dozen trees of a size and conditionworth preserving. Considering that there are sixredevelopment zones and the plan was to save fourtrees in the first zone, will that mean only 24 of the1400 trees will elude the chain saw?

Trees that are 50 years and older can never bereplaced by newly planted trees. There are a myriadof reasons for this which can be further explored atleaftoronto.org, or by [email protected]. The bottom line is that thesetrees, our city's environmental and aesthetic sen-tinels, deserve and should be partnered with a newapproach to urban renewal. We must avoid the dis-turbing and laughably stupid practice of choppingdown trees and naming our streets after them,especially given the value they add to all levels ofhuman society.

The operative word in Regent Park is "park", andwhat it conjures up in one's mind upon hearing it. Ihope Toronto's citizenry will consider what we arelosing if the plight of these trees is not factored intoRegent Park's redevelopment.

For more information contact [email protected]

JANET ANDERSON

AAbove: trees in Regent park being cut down, photo by Tyrone MacLean-Wilson

Need to be saved


REGENT PARK MOSQUES

id you know that there are three mosquesin Regent Park?For those who are unaware, a mosque is aplace of worship for followers of the

monotheistic faith Islam. Muslims often refer to themosque by its Arabic name, masjid. The word"mosque" in English refers to all types of buildingsdedicated for Islamic worship, although there is adistinction in Arabic between the smaller, privatelyowned mosque and the larger, "collective" mosque(masjid jami) which offer community amenities.

The primary purpose of the mosque is as a placewhere Muslims can come together for prayer.Mosques are also known around the world for theirimportance to the Muslim community and theirdemonstration of Islamic architecture. They havedeveloped from the open-air spaces such as theQuba Mosque and Masjid al-Nabawi in the seventhcentury, and today most have elaborate domes,minarets, and prayer halls.

Mosques originated on the Arabian Peninsula, butnow exist on all the world's inhabited continents.They are not only places for worship and prayer, butalso places to learn about Islam and meet fellowbelievers.

However the mosques at Regent Park are not madewith domes nor do they have Islamic architecture. Infact, they are often located in basements and apart-ments. But despite humble exteriors, inside they arelike a House of Commons, a place where the affairsof the community take place.

People from a variety of ethnic backgrounds come topray in Regent Park mosques. Children go to learnhow to read, write, and speak Arabic. They also havekarate classes where they learn the art of defense.These mosques help kids that need assistance withmath, science, or other school work.

Most Muslims try to go to the Mosque for Fridayprayers. There are no statues or paintings in themosque; rather, it is decorated with quotations fromthe Qur'an and with beautifully intricate tiled andpainted patterns.

As the Muslim population grows, so does the needfor a bigger mosque. The community is currentlytrying to build an actual mosque so that it can beseen from the outside and recognized for what it is:open to all, if one believes or not, and is there forthe whole community.

By da Flava’sIFTEKHAR “PRINCE” CHOWEHURY

DAbove: example of a traditional Mosque

A new form


MOVING BACK:

magine after spending your whole life living inone place and suddenly moving because yourneighborhood was going to be redeveloped.After two years you receive a letter in the mailinviting you to move back to your "home" -

would you go back?

Tammy was twelve when her family was forced tomove out of their co-operative housing unit becauseher community was to undergo redevelopment.Initially the redevelopment was supposed to take ayear; eventually, it took two years to complete. Afterthree years, former residents were given the oppor-tunity to move back to the community on a short-term lease which could be renewed upon passing thetrial period. Tammy's family decided against movingback. One reason was that during the redevelop-ment her family had immigrated to Canada. Theyhad become acquainted with their new surround-ings; Tammy's mom had found a job she enjoyed,and Tammy and her sister had finally made newfriends.

While Tammy is not from Regent Park, these issuesmay be some that Regent Park residents will face.Although many people feel they would love to comeback home, moving back may not be very practical.If there are children involved parents may have to

find alternative schools and recreational activities forthem. Moving, for children, can be a detrimentalexperience as they have to find new social groupsand activities. Parents may be forced to find newjobs if they aren't able to commute to and fromwork.

The cost of moving is a significant factor. When youmove from one place to another you may have topay movers, and pay to shut down utilities. Often,you will have to pay again to get these turned backon. In the case of Regent Park, many of these costsare being paid by TCHC, but certainly not all ofthem. Lastly, there may be conditions to movingback: your rent may have increased, or you may beon a fixed leasing term or, worse, a probationaryperiod. All of these things must be taken intoaccount before residents make the decision to moveback "home".

Take a minute to think about it. If you had to gothrough all of this, would you? Does it matter thatmuch to you where you live, or does your communi-ty mean so much that you couldn't see yourself liv-ing elsewhere happily?

By da Flava’sTIANNA SALTUS

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What happens when the redevelopment’s over?

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