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Riverside The Recipient of Two Awards &Riverside‘s Chair Honoured for 10+ years of service at The TABIA Awards Night!
We were thrilled to have won the Gateway Award for the Lighting the Riverside Bridge & Wayfinding and the Innovative Event Award for our Light up the Riverside/ Shop The Neighbourhood and changing of the Bridge Colours event on Nov 28th.
Plus, the Riverside BIA Chair, Mitch Korman was honoured for having served over 10 years on the Riverside BIA Board!
Congratulations to the Board, Committee Members and Riverside Businesses for supporting all of these great initiatives! Without your hard work and perseverance, the BIA wouldn’t be where it is today.
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CONGRATULATIONS on
Another Successful Light Up Riverside!
As always this event is such a collaborative effort, and it wouldn’t be possible without so many community players. Did we mention that this event won a TABIA Innovative event award on Tuesday?! A HUGE thanks to:
Matt & Ben for all of their ongoing support for this community event that really brings the whole neighbourhood together, and kicks off the holiday season.
BIA Chair, Mitch Korman for always coming through to officially representing the BIA and acknowledge all those who make this event happen.
Sister Gwen, Anne Le Fresen, and all the sisters from Mustard Seed who graciously offer the use of their beautiful Mustard Seed Gardens for this event
Thank you to Paul Stone from Jimmie Simpson Community Centre who put on the Santa Costume and continues to be the highlight from so many kids.
An Sibin Pub for providing their wildly popular Guinness Stew, and always being such a community player and going above and beyond to be a part of every neighbourhood initiative.
The Beach Chorale for uplifting us with their music and encouraging us to sing along
Our BIA Maintenance staff, Drew, for all of his work making sure Riverside and the lights look fantastic – and once again doing a quick re-jigg with the lights, and staying late to tidy up
We were also so grateful for all of the wonderful volunteers who have come out to help with planters, decorate the garden, and help out on the day of the event.
My BIA colleague, Jennifer Lay, who coordinated everything this year (I just stepped in on the day of), and was so super organized about everything.
Lastly, I would like to give a big shout out to all of Riverside‘s Businesses who promote and participate in events like this, which make the main streets of Toronto vibrant places where people want to live, work and play.
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EXTENDED TO DEC 14th: Queen Street East’s Window Wonderland Contest
Some of the Window Wonderland’s on display in Riverside!
Due to some unseasonably warm weather, this context will be on for an extra week while folks get in the mood for winter and the holidays!
All Riverside BIA businesses are invited to enliven their shop window in the theme of ‘Window Wonderland’ and compete for best window. The BIA will buy a $100 gift certificate from the winning Riverside shop for the winning customer to spend!
This contest is also happening all along Queen Street East from Leslieville to The Beach BIAs – let’s make Queen Street East shine this holiday season!!
Contest rules:
- Please have your ‘Window Wonderland’ scene installed the week of Nov 16
- Up until Dec 14th, encourage your customers to share photos of your window on Instagram/Twitter, using hashtags #WindowWonderland and #QueenStEast.
- By Dec. 15, the Winning Window for Riverside will be announced, based on the photo with most likes/retweets – and the phototaker will get a $100 gift certificate to spend at that business for their holiday shopping! (courtesy of the BIA)
- Dec. 15-20 BIA will feature the winners!
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GET YOUR TICKETS! Riverside Antler Breakfast is Back December 18th
Check out this video from 2014 to see all the fun that’s in store!
Come out at the crack of dawn for some hearty eats, fun-filled music, great company and of course, your antlers – all in support of a good cause in your local community! The Culinary Adventures Company presents the 2015 Riverside Antler Breakfast December 18th starting at 8am at An Sibin Pub. Tickets are $20 each ($10 for kids under 12). For this great price, a full delicious breakfast awaits you! Here what’s on the menu: Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Beans, Ham Carving station, Cheese Platters, Fresh Fruit Platters, Yogurt, Fresh Baked Croissant, Tea/Coffee, Apple & Orange Juice.
You’ll also enjoy live music, Santa for the kids, and lots of giveaways!
Get your tickets online now or at the BIA office (761 Queen Street East). You can also donate directly online.
This year’s proceeds are again in support of the Rivertowne Breakfast Program, championed by Joan King and the Rivertowne Safety First Program. This program, currently funded by local mothers and community partners (Ralph Thornton Centre and Chef Scott, founder of Culinary Adventure Co.), provides children, youth and families in the neighbourhood with a free, warm breakfast once a week. It also aims to bring people in the Rivertowne community together regardless of their family’s income level and give them something to look forward to while building a sense of community.
p.s. Culinary Adventures Co. is also donating 5% of its online gift card sales for the month of December to the Rivertowne Breakfast Program!
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Riverside Businesses Give Back with ‘Goldiboxes’
Riverside businesses are taking part in the GOLDIBOX program, an initiative of Super Six For Kids, a group of George Brown students, who have brought these gold boxes to selected locations around Toronto for the next two weeks. It’s easy for businesses to take part – just put out your GOLDIBOX and tell your customers to drop in gently used children’s book! Super Six for Kids has the goal of collecting 500 donated books for The Children’s Book Bank.
Participating Riverside businesses include:
- Pulp Kitchen: 717 Queen Street East
- Common Sort: 804 Queen Street East
- Appetite: 722 Queen Street East
- Common Sort: 804 Queen Street East
- Dark Horse Espresso Bar: 630 Queen Street East
- Dimension Framing: 732 Queen Street East
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Sundays, the Ralph Thornton Centre is making “Date Night” a reality for parents in Riverdale
By purchasing a weekly “Date Night Passport”, parents can leave their children at the Ralph Thornton Centre on Sundayevenings. From 4:30 to 8:30 PM, RTC will provide “dinner and a movie” and other activities for the children in a safe, supervised environment. In addition, the “passport” will entitle parents to a 20% discount – only valid on that particular “Date Night” – to a number of local restaurants and other services. Passports will cost $20 for each child age 6-12, and $30 for each child 2-6. (Every additional child per family will be “discounted” by $5 off the one child price!)
How to be a “Date Night” Restaurant
- Sign a simple agreement to participate, by agreeing to offer a 20% discount to “passport holders” between 4:30 and 8:30 onSunday evenings
- Provide a copy of their current menu so they can be posted on the “Date Night” bulletin board
- Promote this opportunity through flyers (provided by RTC) and their social media and other advertising .
This initiative is sponsored by the Ralph Thornton Centre and the Riverside BIA. For more information, contact info@ralphthornton.org.
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Welcome to the Neighbourhood: I’ll be seeing you!
I’ll be seeing, owned by sisters Natasha and Vanessa, opened up at 747 Queen Street East on December 2nd. Just walk in and you’ll find beautiful vintage decor: from the sister’s mom’s antique couch at the entrance to the hand-picked plate collection at the back. Feels just like a home (if we were super stylish that is!).
The sisters, originally from the west end and now living in Riverdale, have been frequenters of Riverside for some time now and had their eye on spaces for a business idea. Now, with a ‘dollar and a dream’ they’ve opened up their establishment for drinks and light fare, with potential for lunch options in the new year.
Don’t miss stopping in to say hello!
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Help Oma in helping 3 families have a brighter holiday season
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