Picking litter in all the community gardens (Local 416 does not do this)
Up-keep of the garden fences
Giving out information about the Wednesday and Sunday “garden parties,” giving out plant information
5. Recreation state-of-good-repair of the park and rink house (spring/fall):
Monitoring state of paths, trees and park furniture and alerting supervisors to areas that need attention
Working with volunteers to do minor repairs and painting that parks does not do
In fall, readying the park for winter by cleaning and organizing sheds; in spring, clearing up the winter’s jumble in the rink house and getting all supplies, equipment ready for warm weather
2. PARK HOSPITALITY
1. Running the Dufferin Rink Zamboni Cafe Snack Bar:
Basic every day running of the zamboni snack bar includes: Preparing coffee, hot chocolate, cookies, mini-pizzas perogies, soup and any special foods
Running the zamboni café, so there’s cheap, nutritious food but also as an opportunity for staff to make connections with youth, people with young children, kids at the rink on their own, new rink users, etc., also as an information post
Liaising with public health regarding regular inspections and follow-up
Friday Night Suppers at the rink house – to build a stronger neighborhood but also to support families with young children
Approaching new rink users, making sure strangers feel comfortable
2. Running playground snack bars at Wallace and Campbell Rinks:
Selling coffee, drinks, hot chocolate, hot dogs, etc.
Daily set up and take down of the snack bar
Bringing cookies and other supplies from Dufferin Rink to Wallace and Campbell
Using the rink as an opportunity for staff to make connections with youth, people with young children, kids at the rink on their own, new rink users, etc., and to provide information
3. Running the playground food cart at the Cob Courtyard
Preparing coffee, lemonade, cookies, salads and any special foods in the rink house kitchens
Daily set-up, take down and cleaning of the food cart
Liaising with public health regarding regular inspections and follow-up
Using the food cart/ outdoor cob kitchen as an opportunity for getting to know park users, give information, hear complaints, work with volunteers
4. Organizing weekly community supper which includes:
Planning the menu
Sourcing and purchasing food
Cooking for ~250 people per night
Set up and take down of supper beside the bake ovens
Serving a large volume of people, introducing new people to their neighbours
Liaising with public health regarding regular inspections and follow-up
5. Running Pizza days which includes:
Set-up and take down of make-your-own-pizza day and children's play area at the bake ovens
Manning the pizza oven and helping people make their pizzas, including helping kids pick their own toppings in the children’s gardens
Food prep in zamboni kitchen, lighting the fires
Booking birthday party groups, school groups
Introducing people to each other
3. SPECIAL PROGRAMMING
1. Skate lending at Dufferin, Wallace and Campbell Rinks:
Taking inventory of the skate and hockey equipment donation
Setting up and maintaining a system for skate rental
Contacting all schools and daycares in the neighbourhood in order to inform them about the skates (free to school classes)
Posting signs and telling people about the program
Taking continuous stock of the equipment -- skates needing sharpening, laces, insoles, sticks need replacement – and keeping the rental room in a state of good order (since it’s also the water-heater room for the zamboni)
Sharpening skates
2. Running special shinny programs:
Running adult beginner shinny programs at Dufferin & Wallace rinks
Outreach to new comers, people who've never skated before
3. Year-round support of the Dufferin Grove Park Organic Farmers’ Market:
Liaison with the market manager, public health, by-law and various other inspectors/officials
Helping with the weekly set-up and take-down of the market
Giving information about the market throughout the rest of the week
Running a special market snack bar with additional food
Running a bread vending table
Baking bread in the outdoor ovens, including teaching community people who want to learn about outdoor bread ovens
4. Helping with special community volunteer projects:
Learning about every aspect of the project
For building projects like the cob courtyard, helping to set up a shed and a “yard”
Keeping that area clean and orderly
Arranging food and refreshments for the volunteers
Helping with child support for the volunteers
Coordinating the volunteer efforts
Checking up on the project sites on a daily basis
Coordinating any necessary repairs
5. Supervising park campfire permits (between 150 – 200 per year):
booking campfires, scheduling and carrying out fire safety training sessions, including educating campfire users about their community responsibilities as “ambassadors”
monitoring the condition of the fire-sites, removing debris
supplying campfire volunteers with water and shovels
campfire follow-up, which includes making sure everything goes well, fire put out, park equipment returned
7. Coordinating with special programs that are externally generated:
large school picnics
Toronto Youth Council picnic, Fall Children’s pow wow, St.Anthony’s Church, etc.
Art day camps
Rehearsals
Bake-oven picnics and pizza parties
Soccer club car washes
4. PARK SAFETY/COURTS
supervising the park, tracking bad behaviour
following up park user complaints and concerns
liaison with St.Mary’s School and Kent Senior School staff and students
daily contact with basketball players, checking with them for trouble before it starts, peacemaking in summer, working with police/probation if necessary
counseling and troubleshooting in winter with rink youth, liaison with Dufferin Mall Youth services for counseling
supervising park youth doing hours for trouble they’ve made
fostering communication between these youth and other park users