Turn on the lights, flashlight party says
Dawes Road residents express concerns
Residents of East York's Dawes Road held a flashlight party last week to shed light on their dark corners. 
Hosted by the Association of Community Organization for Reform Now (ACORN), the residents gathered with flashlights at the Dawes Road Public Library the night of March 27 to call for better street lighting to make the community feel safer.
"We got everyone to hold flashlights to highlight the street could use more lighting," ACORN field organizer Stephanie Cheung said.
The demand for better lighting came from community meetings ACORN held with Dawes Road residents, who also identified crime and the lack of businesses in the area as their top concerns.
"People think lighting is something that can be done quickly," Cheung said.
Ward 31 (Beaches-East York) Councillor Janet Davis attended the event along with a Toronto Hydro supervisor who agreed more lighting needs to be added to the intersection of Dawes Road and Victoria Park Avenue.
The supervisor also said the utility will conduct an audit of street lighting along Dawes Road from Victoria Park to the library, at Chapman Avenue.
Ketsia Eugene, leading member of East York ACORN, said the lack of lighting makes residents anxious.
"People need to feel safe walking down the streets. Having better lights will also let us watch over our kids better," Eugene said in a statement.
"Many people living in this area come home by bus late at night and illuminating dark corners will help eliminate hiding places and improve visibility. We know that is not the ultimate solution but it's a step forward to bring much needed resources into this troubled area. We're just asking for what we need, what we paid for and what we're entitled to."
ACORN has focused much attention on the concerns of residents in the Dawes Road area over the last couple of years.
For example, they have held rallies to call attention to apartments where tenants live with mould, walls with cracks and holes, broken ventilation systems and leaking taps.
