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Switchback Cyclery Celebrates 2nd Anniversary by Giving Back with Propelling Community Project

Get your limited edition silkscreen poster to support your community!

Switchback Cyclery is a service-focused bike store in Riverside that grew out of an initiative of the Sanctuary Ministry to create long-term opportunities for street-involved people, providing them with new skills and a supportive community. Opened in June 2013 in the Riverside neighbourhood, the store has built a loyal following and was named by NOW Magazine readers as Toronto’s Best Bicycle Store in 2014. 

To help celebrate Switchback’s second anniversary and promote the store’s mandate of “Propelling Community”, Projektor Brand Image, the firm that created the Switchback’s brand identity (a 2014 Redgee winner for identity), has illustrated and produced a limited edition of 75 silk screen posters. These posters are a celebration of the wide range of cyclists, businesses and people that make up the Riverside community.

Get your poster at Switchback (651 Queen St E) for $35, with $10 of every poster going back to the Sanctuary to further fund their mission!

 

 

SB_posterSB_poster_detail2 (1)Photo1

Come on out to Riverside’s Good Food Markets!

Fresh and Affordable Produce at Riverside’s Good Food Markets Every Thursday from 2-6PM @ Queen/Saulter and Joel Weeks Park

GFM June 2015

Queen/Saulter Market Coordinators Antonio and Stephen!

Good Food Markets are up and running in two locations in Riverside this season with healthy, fresh and affordable produce every Thursday (May to October):

  • 1)  The Queen/Saulter Good Food Market (right beside the Library) runs May to October
  • 2) The Rivertowne Good Food Market in Joel Weeks Park (Munro and Matilda St) runs June to September

A project of local community associations, the Riverdale Food Working Group and the Ralph Thornton Centre, these markets are  “a community-led initiative working to make Riverdale a food friendly and food secure neighborhood”.

Volunteer based, Good Food Markets are a great example of a successful community involvement where people work together for the common goal of providing high quality, fresh and affordable food to our neighborhood.  Fresh Produce is delivered on market day, and is available essentially at cost for community members.

FoodShare Toronto is the supplier for the Good Food Markets in Riverside.  They deliver fresh,  affordable,  local,  and healthy fruits and vegetables on  market day. About 80% of what we order each week is local, with at least 2 organic items.

Special this season!

The Queen/Saulter Good Food Market will include FRESH HERBS, HERBAL TEA, and HERBAL WISDOM on select dates, thanks to local herbal expert Herbal  Danette Steele. Don’t miss Danette from 4-6pm on:  June 11, June 25, July 9, and August 13.

(Show up and you may have the chance to join an impromptu plant walk, view a show case of herbal/plant books in the library, or view medicinal tea-making demos!!)

Herbalist Danette Steele

Herbalist Danette Steele

Danette is an expert Herbalist with more than 25 years experience working with people and plants in the field of herbal medicine. She provides health and wellness consultations with clients as part of her clinical practice as well as part of the amazing team at Oma Chiropractic. Danette uses preparations made from whole plants to promote health, wellness and vitality.

BENEFITS OF THE RIVERSIDE GOOD FOOD MARKET:

For all of those interested in affordable healthy eating, the Riverside Good Food Markets are an amazing opportunity for you to eat healthy at affordable prices, as you help your community at the same time.

 

 

Would like to VOLUNTEER with the Market? 

Contact Stephen at SFenn@srchc.com

Toronto Flower Market is back in Riverside on Saturday, JUNE 13th!

‘Celebrating locally grown flowers, the growers that cultivate them and the florists that style them’

WHERE: 659 Queen Street East, Toronto

WHEN: 10AM to 3PM monthly on May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10 2015

Follow: Facebook , Twitter

picnic blankets - from TFM Facebook
After two successful seasons on Queen West, the Toronto Flower Market has found a new home in Riverside for its third season at 659 Queen Street East . They are a market that ‘celebrates locally grown flowers, the growers that cultivate them and the florists that style them’. Field growers, La Primavera Farms, along with 13 other participating vendors have been working all spring to bring fresh and stylish blooms each month at the market.

The second monthly market is coming up this Saturday, June 13 10AM-3PM. Toronto Flower Market says “COME EARLY, IT’S PEONY SEASON & THE GOODS WILL GO QUICK!” It will be your last chance to shop PATCHOULI floral love + design before their new family addition 🙂 Also, NOT TO BE MISSED: Flower Market picnic blankets and grab a Gardens of Toronto Map!!

Images from Toronto Flower Market, Illustrations from Spoon Studio

 

Get “Mugged” with Ralph Thornton Centre at June 6th Eats & Beats StreetFEST!

Meet the cool people behind ‘Klink Coffee’ and take a chance to get “mugged”

As part of the June 6th Riverside’s Eats & Beats StreetFEST, the Ralph Thornton Centre is showcasing all things coffee! Follow the pink flamingoes to the centre’s back entrance and join them on the Third Floor from 1-6PM for a cup of delicious coffee from Klink CoffeRalph Thornton Centre pic 2e Company, a social enterprise created by St. Leonard’s Society of Toronto which helps make communities safer and families stronger by providing jobs and training.

Also, RTC challenges you to “get mugged” by buying a voucher for $5, which can be redeemed for $5 worth of produce from any of the Good Food Markets. Alternatively, the voucher can be used to purchase a mug from a large variety of options, with every mug containing a surprise!

Ralph Thornton Centre’s History

Ralph Thornton Centre (former Postal Station G) is a “multi-purpose community facility” established by Toronto City Council in 1980.

RTC believeRalph Thornton Centre pic 1s in bringing community to life and to build a healthy neighborhood as everyone regardless of race, culture, gender, income, or social status is welcomed. Their mission is to develop programs and work with individuals and groups to build a caring, healthy Riverside where residents can meet together and celebrate special events.

Offering a variety of programs from arts, medication and environmental action, the RTC is a great place to become involved with the community.

LET US KNOW YOU’RE COMING to the EATS & BEATS Festival 

Thank you to Toronto 2015 IGNITE and Metroland media for their support of Eats & Beats 2015

 

Kick start your summer with healthy and fresh food!

Explore the variety of fruit and vegetables on offer and maybe try something new for your dinner that night!

As part of Riverside’s June 6th Eats & Beats StreetFEST, the Riverside Good Food Market will be selling  fresh produce at Saulter and Queen St E! Catch them during the festival and every Thursday at the same location, 2-6pm from June to October!  Good food pic2

About Good Food Markets in South Riverdale

The Riverside Good Food Market (GFM) is a project of The Riverdale Food Working Group (RFWG), “a community initiative working to make Riverdale a food friendly and food secure neighborhood”. From a study in 2009, the RFWG found that a lack of money and/or expensive food costs is the main barrier to eating healthy meals.  In response, they launched several Good Markets in south Riverdale:  the South Riverdale GFM in 2012, and Eastview and Riverside GFMs in 2013

Their mission is to build a healthy and fair food system, address food insecurity issues and engage community residents to take part in activities that will increase access to healthy and fresh food.

Good Food Markets are not for profit and sell high quality, affordable fruit and vegetables. They bring healthy produce to neighborhoods where it might not otherwise be available, and where farmers’ markets are not viable because sales are too low to cover costs. They are run by a base of vGood food pic1olunteers and the community.

Fresh produce is delivered on market day for the community to enjoy. 80% of products are sourced locally, with at least 2 of them being organic items.

These markets feature seasonal local produce, plus imported favorites, to offer the greatest quality and cultural value to the neighborhood they serve.

Each market uniquely reflects its community and is a vibrant and important gathering place providing opportunities for neighbors to meet, share information and celebrate, for instance the Eats & Beats StreetFEST.

 

LET US KNOW YOU’RE COMING to the EATS & BEATS Festival 

Thank you to Toronto 2015 IGNITE and Metroland media for their support of Eats & Beats 2015

 

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