ORGANIZATIONS:

There are a number of great organizations offering recreation or further education around our neighbourhood.  You may want to check these out:

Athletic

• Lawrence Park Tennis Club: With three beautiful clay courts tucked in the ravine beside our neighbourhood, Lawrence Park Tennis Club is a community club offering memberships to children and adults.  From junior lessons to adult teams or playing with a pal, there is something for everyone.
• Lawrence Park Athletic Association: The LPAA is a neighbourhood recreational organization designed for children and teens from the ages of 4 – 16 who want to belong to a sports team in their community. The LPAA promotes fun, camaraderie, teamwork and skills development through its baseball, hockey, soccer and swimming programs.
• Yoga in the Park: In the summer weather, Lisa has been offering yoga in Lawrence Park.  Contact her at yogicheart@gmail.com to check on programming for the coming year.
• Lawrence Park Lawn Bowling Club: This club is nestled in the ravine beside Alexander Muir Gardens and offers in-house competition and casual play as well as opportunities to enter tournaments.

Education

• Living and Learning in Retirement: LLIR is the oldest 3rd Age learning program in Canada. It is offered in partnership with Glendon College and is an autonomous, not for profit organization for retired persons eager to pursue the challenge of continuous learning, but without examinations or term papers.

Municipal

• Our local Toronto Public Library branch is the George Locke Library at the corner of Yonge Street and Lawrence Avenue.  A variety of children’s programming is offered at the library and there is a small free parking lot on the east side of the building. The library was opened in 1949 and is named after the Toronto Public Library’s chief librarian from 1908-1937.
• LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests) is a not-for-profit, Toronto based organisation committed to helping plant and preserve the urban forest in and around Toronto. The LPRA encourages residents to work with LEAF to help rebuild our canopy and maintain the park-like setting which was a key principle on which Lawrence Park was designed. You can learn more about LEAF’s at home consultation and subsidized tree planing program at: http://www.yourleaf.org/backyard-tree-planting-program.
• The Committee of Adjustment meets every two weeks, usually on a Thursday.  Our neighbourhood falls under the North York Committee of Adjustment. The meeting schedule is available at: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=ad240621f3161410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD.
• City of Toronto has a number of bylaws pertaining to trees both on City property and private property.  Information can be found at: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=470bdada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD.

EVENTS

Through out the year, there are events taking place within walking distance of Lawrence Park. Here is a selection…

North Toronto Historical Society:

• The North Toronto Historical Society is a volunteer organization which was established in 1975. Its goal is to preserve the history of the area formerly known as the Town of North Toronto. Regular meetings are held at the Northern District Library at 40 Orchard View Blvd. (1st block north of Eglinton Avenue, west side of Yonge Street). Click here for a list of upcoming talks.

Local Business Associations

A BIA is an association of local business people and commercial property owners who join together, in partnership with their local municipality, to develop a stronger business community. Self-managed and self-funded, BIAs enable communities to raise funding to support the promotion and beautification of neighbourhood businesses through improvements to streetscapes, staging festivals and special events, and economic revitalization programs.

• The Yonge-Lawrence BIA extends from up Yonge Street from Lawrence Avenue to xx. Click here for a list of events supported by the BIA, from an Art Walk to Street Festival to Santa’s Visit.
• The Uptown Yonge BIA includes the 9 block business district on Yonge Street south of Glengrove Avenue to Roehampton Avenue.

North Toronto Group of Artists:

• The NTGA group of local artists, whose artworks encompass a wide variety of medium and styles, hosts two events annually – a studio tour in the Spring and the Fall Art show and Sale. Information is posted on their website.

Lawrence Park Community Church: 

• The Lawrence Park Community Church regularly hosts a variety of events (speakers, meditation) open to members of the community.  For more information, check their Events page.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Geographic Centre of Toronto: 33 Wanless Crescent! Click here for a fun article from Torontoist.com and another from Metro News.

If you’d like us to profile an event you’re organising, please email Communications@LPRA.ca and we’ll add it!