Sumach-Shuter Parkette advocacy group

We were surprised to learn that our City Councillor Moise has renamed Sumach-Shuter park, without consulting with Trefann Court residents or giving prior notice. Persons who grew up in Regent Park and Trefann Court and who are familiar with our long history of community activism, were also shocked. No chance to voice our input, since no deputations on this motion were allowed at community council. The city ignored its own "Property Naming Policy" and "Guiding Principles for Commemoration". No signs were posted at the park to notify the neighbourhood of this potential name change. Surprise!

(Use your brower's "back" command after viewing each link. Contact us at info@trefann.org)

Contents: media coverage | key events | our concerns | what Moise claims | other names | park history

Media coverage

• May 31   interview with the CBC, also broadcast by CBC on radio and TV (this interview also posted on MSN)
• June 16   Toronto Sun (print and text only versions)
• June 26   Toronto Sun (print and text only versions)
  "The late activist Louis March is certainly worthy of the honour of having his name on a city park, but the “way too small” Sumach-Shuter Parkette is not a fit. ... According to the group’s founder, Sureya Ibrahim, Mothers of Peace initially wanted to rename Regent Park’s namesake green space, ... Regent Park locals who spoke with the Sun said everyone in the area calls [Regent Park’s large green space] the “big park” – “which is why it’s always been right for some type of renaming, just because it does get very confusing when you have to say, ‘it’s the Regent Park inside Regent Park.’ March spent “a lot of time” in the big park."
• "Free for All Friday" on 740AM Zoomer Radio:   June 6 | June 13 | June 20 | June 26
• Bridge Community News:
  June 2025 editorial: "Councillor Moise should consider rescinding his member motion and proceed with the renaming through the local community council. Pushing ahead sends the wrong message."
  Aug 2025
• Cabbagetown Neighbourhood Review:   June 5 | June 12 | June 19 | June 26 | July 3 | July 10 | July 17 | July 24
  July 10: "[Moise] feels the deal is done and he won’t change its course. This kind of behaviour is becoming a hallmark of Mr Moise’s term. He’s created controversy by being stubborn on other issues. It’s time he learned greater flexibility and a willingness to compromise."
• IntegrityTO blog (June 13) | X Twitter (June 6) | Instagram (July 20)
• June 7   Caribbean Camera Newspaper
• June 7   Community Media Portal
• Regent Park TV: June 9 | July 18 | July 20
• July 20 (park renaming): CityNews video and web | CP 24 | Now | Toronto Today

Key events

• who was Louis March? He was the founder of the Zero Gun Violence Movement, community organizer, and dedicated Black Canadian activist. He spent decades focusing on community advocacy in his home, Scarborough, and beyond — networked, in hopes of bringing together a broader coalition to fight gun violence. March passed away in July 2024 after a brief illness.
  (source: CBC and Toronto Star; "Regent Park" not mentioned in either of those reports. A Google search shows very few reports in mainstream media for "louis march" activities in "regent park")
• Feb 28   this request was posted on Councillor Moise's projects website: "City policy says that names should be informed by historical research. If the park is to be renamed, it should reflect the history of Trefann Court." Councillor Moise had three months but still ignored this request to consult with Trefann Court, or to follow city renaming policy.
• City's Property Naming Policy and Guiding Principles for Commemoration were ignored by Moise
• emails sent to City Council, sent prior to their May 21 meeting: by Bill | Lynn | Pinoo
• May 21   Moise's motion to City Council: renaming of the Sumach-Shuter Parkette to Louis March Park
  - bypassed Toronto / East York Community Council
  - ignored provisions of the City of Toronto Property Naming Policy
  This motion was approved by City Council, 22-1. Watch the City Council debate. (This link takes you directly to when Moise's park renaming motion (MM30.20) was debated and approved.)
• subseqeunt emails sent to the Mayor and city councillors, by persons concerned about this renaming: May 26 | May 29 | June 1 | June 1 | June 2 | June 4 | June 5 | also June 5.
• June 15 - started delivering flyers throughout Trefann Court, Regent Park and Corktown (see map), to encourage persons to sign our petition
• June 25: hardcopy letter sent by this group to the Mayor and every city councillor, along with a copy of our petition. (As of June 23, the petition had 933 signatures, including 155 names from the local “M5A” area.
• July 2 - a few of us met with Councillor Moise on July 2, expecting an opportunity to ask about the process leading up to his City Council motion which renamed the Sumach-Shuter Parkette. We were surprised to find that 6 representatives from Mothers of Peace (MOP) also attended this meeting as well as Moise and his staff; we were not advised that MOP had been invited to our meeting. Ambushed! Because of MOP presence at this meeting, unfortunately much time was spent in adversarial debates between our group and MOP, and we didn't have the opportunity to ask Moise many of our questions.
• July 3 - Mothers of Peace posted information about their planned renaming event on July 20 (see image to the right)
• July 4 - Moise didn't answer all of our questions when we met on July 2, so we submitted questions to him in writing, and requested a timely written response. No response from Moise, so we re-sent our questions on July 15. On July 17, Moise responded: "All of the below questions were asked and adequately answered during our meeting.", The four persons from our committee who attended the July 2 meeting disagree with Moise's assertion
• July 20 - park renaming speeches by Mayor Chow, Councillor Moise and MPP Chris Glover (who is not the provincial rep for this riding)
• It's still a parkette, and it's not in Regent Park. It's been called Sumach-Shuter Parkette since 1970. Councillor Moise says it is now to be called a Park, but its size hasn't changed. "Parkettes (typically 0.5 hectare or smaller in size) serve local residential neighbourhoods within walking distance." (see link, pages 57, 77) While the park name has changed to Louise March Park, Toronto Parks and Rec confirms that it remains classified as a parkette."

Our Petition

• We started our petition on June 5 (requesting that "City Council pause the decision to rename the park, until such time as a fuller community consultation is completed."), and sent an initial copy (with 193 signatures) to City Council on June 9.
• We sent a printed copy of our petition (933 signatures) to all city councillors on June 25.
• In early July, we approached a few of the more rational city councillors, requesting them to present our petition to City Council, but they declined, because of an informal understanding among councillors not to get involved in items "considered a local matter" (eg. Councillor Holyday)
• We sent a printed copy of our updated petition (1,149 signatures) to Councillor Bradford on July 18 and asked that he present it to City Council on July 23; unfortunately that didn't happen. As of Aug 4, there are 1,317 signatures (and an additional 27 hardcopy signatures): 50% more than the number of persons who signed the MOP petition.
• However, a petition is not officially accepted by City Council unless it is presented by one of the councillors.

MOP petition had approximately 850 signatures but was not filed with the City Clerk.

Our concerns

When it ignores its own rules as it has done with the renaming of Sumach-Shuter Parkette, City Council lacks credibility as a responsible local government. Citizens lose respect for the Mayor and every one of the 21 city councillors who supported this renaming motion. The following explains our concerns.

A number of local residents recently emailed the Mayor, with questions and concerns about the surprise renaming of Sumach-Shuter Parkette approved by City Council on May 21-22. This is the only park which is within the bounds of the Trefann Court neighbourhood. The park exists because this community successfully opposed Toronto plans in the 1960s to make the area into an industrial zone. Don't former and current Trefann Court residents get any input into the renaming of our park?

Specific questions emailed by residents in early June have been ignored. Instead, everyone got the same pro-forma response from Councillor Moise:
- Louis March was a widely respected advocate for youth, equity, and public safety
- a community-led petition is justification for this renaming motion
- Louis March died less than a year ago, but in spite of Commemoration policy rules, "there is strong community support" for this renaming
(source: reply to Debra's May 27 email)

City policy says "The City will not consider commemorative naming proposals that would ... refer ... to someone who has died within the last two (2) years, except under special circumstances." What are the special circumstances to justify this rushed renaming?

The real question that local residents have is the process that the city followed. No one at City Hall has answered the following:

1) Toronto has a "Property Naming Policy" and "Guiding Principles for Commemoration". Were they followed? No. Any reason given for ignoring that policy? No. Three months ago, a Trefann resident posted a request on Councillor Moise's "projects" website: "City policy says that names should be informed by historical research. If the park is to be renamed, it should reflect the history of Trefann Court." Councillor Moise had three months but still ignored this request to consult with Trefann Court, or to follow city renaming policy. Why?

2) Local issues are initially discussed at Community Council, to allow the public an opportunity to provide their input via verbal deputation. Was this motion presented to Community Council? No. Any reason given for bypassing that step? No.

3) Any reasons given for rushing this motion through City Council, with no discussion or debate? No. Watch this item at May 22 City Council.

How can Councillor Moise claim "there is strong community support", when there has been no consultation with the local community who reside in the vicinity of the park?. From January through May, there was no mention of this proposed renaming in Councillor Moise's monthly email newsletter. There was no sign posted at the park to inform the local community about a planned renaming. (In contrast, the city requires a sign to be posted onsite, to inform nearby residents in advance of any proposed minor bylaw variance application under consideration by the Committee of Adjustment. Isn't renaming a city park more important, and more deserving of advance notice to nearby residents, than someone applying to build a bigger backyard deck?)

CBC reported "Moise insists everyone in the city — including those in Trefann Court — had an opportunity to comment on the issue"; his statement lacks credibility. More evidence of lack of community consultation: 1,300+ persons have signed a petition requesting "City Council pause the decision to rename the park, until such time as a fuller community consultation is completed."

City policy says that names should be informed by "historical research, community insights, supported by meaningful engagement of the community". If this park is to be renamed, our local history should be considered. There are many people from our community who have deep ties to Regent Park or Trefann Court, for whom this park could and should be named after.

For the reasons stated above, we're requesting that:
- this park renaming decision be re-opened by City Council,
- the City of Toronto Property Naming Policy be followed, and
- this renaming motion be referred to the Toronto and East York Community Council, to permit public deputations