Ten community volunteers and five new businesses were recognized recently by Member of the Provincial Parliament for Parkdale-High Park Cheri DiNovo.
DiNovo recognized the honourees for their contributions in making the riding of Parkdale-High Park a better place, she said.
Volunteers honoured included: John Bowker, the owner of She Said Boom, on Roncesvalles Avenue, and a driving force behind the Roncesvalles Renewed project, and Tony Cauch, from the Roncesvalles Business Improvement Area, and a member of the board at St. Joseph's Hospital.
"Thank you to all the brave residents, of Roncesvalles, who held in there during the construction," DiNovov said of a major project to reconstruct the commercial strip in Toronto's downtown west end.
Also honoured at the ceremony was: Linda Clement and Martin Lennox from the Junction BIA; Gyongi Hamori, a volunteer in the Roma community; Garry and Sandra Melville, from the Warren Park Rate Payers Association; Tamira Sawatzky, a tenant advocate for Minto residents; Joanna Shepherd Zuk, the founder and co-leader of the Toronto West - Jane chapter of La Leche League Canada; Steve McNally, from the Bloor West Residents Association, who spearheaded the campaign for Annette Street Bike lane; and Gib Goodfellow, of the West Toronto Junction Historical Society.
"Gib has been invaluable in keeping the historical society alive," DiNovo said.
The five new businesses recognized during the levee were: The Abbott, a coffee shop at King Street and Spencer Avenue in Parkdale; Felicious Bistro at Jane Street and Bloor Street; Outhouse Café on Jane Street; Sanction, a skate shop, at Pacific Avenue and Dundas Street West; and Sweetpea's, a flower shop, on Roncesvalles Avenue.
DiNovo hosted her third annual Spring/Summer Levee on June 16 at the Lithuanian Hall on Bloor Street West.
The levee grew out of the tradition of New Years Levees, which are popular among politicians. However, DiNovo chooses to hold her levee in the spring or summer when schedules tend to be less busy and people are more inclined to venture out.