The Trefann Court Residents Association has a long and colourful history; a core of motivated residents is inserting new life into this association. Our Spring and Summer 2008 newsletters have already been distributed, and our initial meeting happened on Feb 28, 2008. We hope this website hopes to keep you informed about news, upcoming events and issues affecting our local neighbourhood, as well as selected items of interest about Toronto. We’d like to hear from you – email us!
The Trefann Court Residents Association is a group consisting of your friends and neighbours. The organizing committee has gotten together to create an organization that will let us all share information, discuss issues and get to know each other. The Trefann Court Residents Association is an organization that will help us become friends as well as neighbours.
Trefann Court is a special and unique area of downtown Toronto and we all share common issues that may not be reflected in larger residents’ associations. The people that live in Trefann Court come from a wide range of backgrounds. Some of us have been here for a relatively short period of time and some of us have been here for generations, but we share the same neighbourhood. We see each other in Stinky’s Park, waiting for the streetcar on Queen or at the neighbourhood pub, but we often don’t get a chance to speak to discuss the issues we see impacting the neighbourhood. But it is about more than this. It is about getting to know the people that live around you. By getting to know each other we will form a stronger (and safer) neighbourhood. There is a sense of community in Trefann Court that we hope will be fostered and grow through the Trefann Court Residents’ Association.
This area is designated “neighbourhood” in Toronto’s official plan, which should help preserve its low-rise character. see Toronto’s Official Plan, section 4.1: “Neighbourhoods are considered physically stable areas made up of residential uses in lower scale buildings such as detached houses, semi-detached houses, duplexes, triplexes and townhouses, as well as interspersed walk-up apartments that are no higher than four storeys.”
In the past, residents in the Trefann Court catchment area have worked, as individuals and small groups, towards beautifying and benefiting their corners in the neighbourhood. Some of these recent successes have included:
- The repairs to the damaged sidewalk slabs on Shuter Street
- annual SuWaDoSh Pot-luck Picnic in the Park: 2007, 2008
- The huge pothole repair on Sumach Street
- The successful negotiation with the City and Parks and Recreation to change the bylaw for Stinky’s Park
- Graffiti removal from the various businesses along Queen Street East
- A close and direct working relationship with 51 Division has been maintained and enhanced.
Combining these ‘small’ efforts as a united ‘voice’ for all of Trefann can only enhance relationships with the City, the Police and most importantly, our neighbours and friends for a better community all around.
As a group, the Trefann Court Association hasn’t been active for several years, but it can re-activate anytime local residents are interested. This website is maintained as a historic record of developments and changes affecting this neighbourhood.
neighbouring associations (and other sources of information):
- Garden District Residents Association
- Cabbagetown South Residents’ Association
Some longtime Shuter Street residents belong to the Cabbagetown South Residents’ Association, even though the area east of Parliament is slightly outside of their “catchment” area. It is a “residents only” association (which is a plus), is very active, and tries to address some of the negative issues impacting daily life in the east downtown.
- Corktown Residents & Business Association
The Corktown Association is a mix of business and residents; it claims to represent a large area, including Trefann Court. It seems there are too many real estate agents and businesses using this association to sell services. They have no membership fee, and so little accountability; they sometimes take positions concerning proposed developments without first canvassing its “members”. Corktown Association’s focus is “south of Queen”.