The Perth Schoolyard Development Project committee is sending a call-out to all Junction Triangle residents - it needs your votes.
The project is in need of some serious funding and has an opportunity to receive a grant from the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment's Team Up Foundation Fund (TUFF). The fund has a total of $200,000 in grant money to donate to four charitable organizations at the end of March. The winners will be selected by the number of votes it receives."We would like to get this information out with a call to action to West Toronto residents to vote for our grant application and to continue to raise awareness about the initiative," said Allison Grey, who was instrumental in launching the schoolyard improvement project. Perth Avenue Junior Public School's yard is a bare patch of asphalt. A plan to build a rubberized running track could become a reality this summer if enough people vote for the initiative in the $50,000 grant competition. Voting continues until Feb. 20. "Perth Public School is bordered by train tracks, which makes it difficult for us to access other community centres," said Joanne Alfonsi, a member of the redevelopment committee. Alfonsi said a high number of children in the ward come from low-income households and don't participate in recreational activities outside of school, which is just two of the reasons the parents' group decided to launch the project. At the top of the group's wish-list is the rubberized running track. The new and improved playground would be used by not only the approximately 600 students at Perth P.S., but by St. Luigi Catholic School students and members of the Dovercourt Boys' and Girls' Club.Voting for the TUFF grant began Jan. 30. People can vote once a day, every day until voting closes. The first round of voting closes Feb. 20. The top 20 project proposals (based on votes received) will be selected for review by the grant committee.The grant committee will select the top 10 projects for the next phase of public voting. This will occur between Feb. 20 and March 2 with the final round of voting opening March 7 and closing March 16. The top four charitable organizations who have received the most votes will each receive $50,000 for their project proposal.To register your vote, visit Tinyurl.com/6UOPHC2