COME ONE!!! COME ALL!!! TO THE

YIMBY (Yes, In My Back Yard) FESTIVAL 

The Gladstone Hotel is hosting a one day gathering of Neighbourhood Groups and Citizens Organizations from across the GTA.

Saturday October 28, 2006
11am-5pm


Gladstone Hotel, 2nd Floor
Family-Friendly Event

Free Admission

YIMBY or Why Yes?

As Toronto continues to densify and our neighbourhoods get larger and more complex, how does the citizen express hope, dreams and new ideas for the city? Through the neighbourhood group!!!

The
focus of this festival is on positive change. The upcoming election brings galvanized energy and ideas to municipal politics. As much as neighbourhoods get unfairly labeled as NIMBY, we know YIMBYs to be the instruments of some of the best urban policy and ideas.

On the "Eve" of the municipal election, 30 associations are setting up shop at the Gladstone Hotel in order to share strategies, network, educate "hope-to-be" Councilors and MPPs and talk to YOU about the issues that concern all of us across the GTA.

Who will be there?

Active18, Model48, A Day in the Life, Spacing Magazine, DigIn, RISE, the Riverdale Initiative for Solar Energy, Homecoming Community Choice Coalition , Multistory Complex, St. Clare's Multifaith Housing Society, Urban SeedSavers Network, Parkdale Residents' Association, Sistering, St. Christopher's House, The Wellington Place Neighbourhood Association, Palmerston Area Residents Association, FoodShare, Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, Indiepolitik, Niagara Neighbourhood Now, Toronto Public Spacing Committee, Parkdale Liberty, PARC (Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre), King Spadina Residents Association, Draper Street Residents Association, Friends of Dufferin Grove Park, Annex Residents Association, Toronto Association of Business Improvement Area, Voices from the Street, West Queen West BIA, The South Rosedale Ratepayers' Association, St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, The Queen Beaconsfield Neighbourhood Association, ideaNation, CommunityAIR, Gooderham Worts Neighbourhood Association.

As you can tell by the names mentioned, there is a lot of amazing work being done through citizen's work. Democracy is alive and well at the street level. We hope that coming together face to face will help empower these groups and you to have a strong presence in the election and in the next city council.

FAQs:

• Can anyone come to the event? Yes the event is family-friendly and open to all who want to learn more about these associations (or even start their own!!!!)

• How can my neighbourhood group sign up? Registration is still open on Saturday morning from 10am-11am, please e-mail [email protected] and let us know you will be attending. Neighbourhood Groups pay $25+tax to have a table and display your group's issues and strategies.

The Yimby Festival: It's kinda like a country fair but without the chainsaw competition and candy floss!!

Press Contact: Magda O at 416-531-4635, ext. 7117 or [email protected]
or visit http://www.gladstonehotel.com/yimbyfestival.htm

Gladstone Hotel 1214
Queen Street West Toronto ON WWW.GLADSTONEHOTEL.COM

Official Website: http://www.BecauseOnNovember13YouCanElectHiMYSYeD.TYO.ca