Home maintenance is important for everyone's home value

This post comes from Kim Fraser on Humphrey's Gate:

As I look around our neighbourhood it is obvious that our stairs/landings are in sad shape and have been for a while. We are all hoping that homes selling in our neighbourhood will soon consistently sell over the $800,000 mark and yet the first thing a prospective buyer see’s is a crumbling and falling apart front entrance. That just sets them up to be looking for other problems. And for those of us who have no intention of selling just yet, house pride is important for ourselves and our neighbourhood. I recently had the really good fortune to hire an honest and fantastic company to do my repair: Verdant. Here are some words below from the owner Caleb with respect to the job he did for me. I am thrilled with my repair so feel free to stop by and take a look at 7 Humphrey Gate. Keep in mind that the price Caleb quotes should be shared between the two households. I have also added some before and after pictures.

We were recently given the chance to repair a step at a residence within your neighborhood. As many of you are aware the steps have been greatly deteriorating causing concern for safety and appearance. During my repair of the step I came across a few alarming issues with the installation of these steps:
1. Incorrect base material. Much of the interlocking stones have been laid on what is known as limestone screenings. The issue with
this material is that it retains moisture therefore creating freeze thaw issues which in turn promotes movement and separation throughout the steps. The second issue which stems from the first is that when limestone reacts with water a highly acidic environment is create which will then in turn corrode the concrete material.
2. Improper compaction of base material. Upon visual inspection it is clear to see most steps are settling closest to the house due to improper compaction in this region. Also with such a small space to work with many of the gravel lifts likely did not see a correct compaction as the compaction equipment would have likely moved the stone if used in such a tight space.
3. Improper Construction of Interlocking stone. Upon deconstruction it was evident that an adhesive was not used to secure the stones together.

Repair process by Verdant:
1. Disassemble & clean all stones.
2. Remove old gravel base and install new base with “A” Gravel to a minimum of 6” thick. Base installed & compacted with equipment to assist water drainage with sloping directed to rear (closest to house).
3. Install drainage pipe to direct all water out from within steps.
4. All wall blocks are installed on a poured concrete foundation 3” thick to turn the units into one solid mass.
5. All stones are installed with a slight 2% slope to allow water to drain off and away from the house avoiding ice buildup.
6. After the first tier is installed we use HPB (High Performance Bedding) which compacts to 98% upon installation without the use of compaction equipment. This material is also highly porous which does not retain any moisture allowing all water to drain to the tile drainage. With the use of this material we eliminate all future issues of compaction, freeze thaw action and moisture damage.
7. Steps are completed with polymeric jointing sand installed to reduce insect and weed infestation.

If you are reading this and have the same issue we can provide a repair service starting at $1,175.00 plus taxes which includes warranty. This is a base price as damaged interlocking stone requiring replacement will increase costs.

For more information call or email us at:
cell: (226) 238-0591
email: verdant.dbm@gmail.com

We're planning the neighbourhood BBQ - Sept 13

Sept 13, 12 pm to 4 pm - weather permitting
Mark your calendars and plan the menu. Everybody bring a picnic for the family and one dish to share. Like last year, everyone is welcome. Tell your friends and neighbours - make sure everyone knows.

Lawn signs will go up on the Sunday of the long weekend. We want everyone to know about our little picnic. This is a great opportunity to meet the new neighbours that have moved in over the last year.

What we need:
ideas for games for children
portable picnic tables for the community pot luck
GREAT WEATHER

You're invited to a pancake breakfast

Everyone is invited to a neighbourhood breakfast. Read on to find out more.

My daughter Sophia and I were making breakfast this past Saturday (well....actually she was!) and came up with a brilliant idea as we were talking about how fun it was to be in the kitchen together.

She talked about how cool it would be to turn our house into a restaurant for a morning and serve breakfast to anyone that wants to come. We'd have all different kinds of pancakes (blueberry, banana, chocolate chip...and maybe even something a little funky like pumpkin). We'd serve orange juice, eggs if people want, and some fruit and have lots of whip cream and syrup! She also said she'd make menus. We talked about how many people we could seat at a time, what the hours would be, what we would we charge and what the money would be for.....and well....as it was all coming together, she had my buy in to help make it happen, so in honour of this morning's manifestation....

If you're craving pancakes on Saturday, then there is no better place to come get them than from our masterful chef Sophia who whips up every batch with a special dose of love. Come on your own, bring a friend, or come with the whole family. We'd love to see you. We can sit 20 people at a time and it's super casual (because we want you to feel right at home when you're here!)

SOPHIA'S PANCAKE HOUSE RESTAURANT
DATE: SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2015
TIME: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
LOCATION: 41D GREEN BELT DRIVE
COST: $7 per person (includes unlimited pancakes, orange juice, coffee and tea and fruit - scrambled egg option add $3.00)

Proceeds will be going towards GirlLeadership.org, an organization that teaches girls the skills to know who they are, what they believe, how to express it, empowering them to create change in the world!

We will do seatings at 10:00 am, 11:00 am and 12:00 pm. If you'd like to make a reservation if you're a bigger group, please email me back to make an e-transfer to hold your spot or call 416-735-7044.

And once you are done your breakfast, there are some great trails just around the corner to take in a good dose of nature!!

Please come join us!! AND don't forget to tell your friends!

Tia and Sophia

Tree lined streets make for desirable properties

"Leafy tree lined streets" is one of the most sought after elements when people look for a new home. They speak to established neighbourhoods with roots in the community as deep as the roots of the trees. We have trees lining our streets, but they will continue to be small if they do not receive water during these summer months.

Trees need water... a lot of water.

How much you ask, a general rule of thumb is to apply 10 gallons of water for every inch of trunk diameter when you water. Measure the trunk diameter at knee height. You can eyeball the diameter or hold up a ruler or yardstick to get the inches. The general watering formula is: Tree Diameter x 5 minutes = Total Watering Time.

It takes about 5 minutes to produce 10 gallons of water at a medium pressure. A 4" diameter tree will need 20 minutes of watering time to supply the 40 gallons it needs. Most trees will need to be watered each week, May through September.

Although there are many ways to water your tree, a soaker hose is probably one of the best ways. Just remember, to get that grand leafy treed look, we need to water our trees.

Time to plan for summer fun

It's time to plan our 2nd annual neighbourhood picnic in the park. If we plan for Sunday, Sept 13th, it's the first Sunday after the long weekend. Most of our neighbour friends will be back from their various summer adventures with plenty of tails to tell.

2nd Annual End of Summer Neighbourhood BBQ

When: Sunday, Sept 13th (weather permitting)
Time: 1:00 pm
Where: Our Neighbourhood Park (maybe named Enzo Park)
What to bring: Pot-Luck so bring a dish to share.

We'll see if we can get the Firehall to participate again.

If anyone wants to organize childrens games, volunteers are welcome.

More townhouses for Green Belt neighbourhood

Gohds Builders are launching the campaign for new townhouses to be built on the remaining lands near the railway lines. Starting at $819,000 for 1800 square feet, the new homes introduce a new design and layout for the neighbourhood.

Prices range from the basic $819,000 to $1.4 million for 3400 square feet. Check out the floor plans and description at http://ghodsbuilders.com/Englishlane/

Exercise, companionship and tighter abs - all waiting for you in our own neighbourhood

Ready for a fitness makeover?

Personal trainer, Peter Toublaris is will to do a 45 min bootcamp starting July 20th 3 times a week (Mon/Wed/Fri at 6:00 pm) at the bottom park of Moccasin Trail and wanted to see if there is anyone in our community interesting in joining. Certified from National personal training institute, trx certified, first aid/cpr certified, Peter has over 6 years experience with top performing athletes.

it will be a 4 week session where people can buy a bundle or drop in
$180 for 4 weeks
or $20 drop in

Number to register is 416-875-2663

Colour matching our Exterior Paint

This article comes from Kim Fraser on Humphrey Gate

This is reposted from an earlier blog post. I have been asked by several of our neighbours for the colour of the paint on the 3 story townhouses.

Our townhouses are of the age where they all are in need of some touch ups and a tour of the neighbourhood will show that many of us have attempted and failed miserably in the colour match department. Now trying to get a colour match truly is a pain in the you know where. It will be slightly different for all of us due to weathering, sun discoloration and just plain dirt, but the closer we can get the less our homes with look like a hodge podge of splotches. Here is the closest I have found after upteen attempts. (I covered up some crack repairs and if you don’t know where to look they blend in very nicely). First off you don’t need stucco paint, a high quality exterior paint like Behr’s from Home Depot does nicely. I experimented with their sample sizes (about $5 each) . I had them colour match a piece of stucco which is not fool proof due to the texture. The colour match is : Base UL 204: CL 23 , LL 110, RUL 1. I then had to add the colour Spanish Tan (MS-21) in a 2:1 ratio to get a good match. E.g 2 tsp’s of the colour match mixed with 1 tsp of the Spanish Tan. That ended up being a good match ( that is what I used for my repair. I then painted that onto a stir stick with the intention of getting that colour matched in the future when I need to paint a larger space e.g the underside of my car port. If you find something better please let us know.

Kim

Toronto Jazz Festival comes to Don Mills

The Toronto Jazz Festival has FREE concerts at the Shops of Don Mills. Check it out http://torontojazz.com/venue/shops-don-mills

Buidling Neighbourhood Spirit

Summer has come and we're all coming out of hibernation - at least that's the way it seems.

For the end of May, that meant the first Green Belt Drive Neighbourhood bike ride. An adventurous ride from the centre of our neighbourhood, along Don Mills to the Science Centre and then through the park system to Woodbine Beach and Tim Hortons and back. Followed with a back yard BBQ by the park . Since most of us (Rahim excluded) had not been on bikes in quite a while, it was quite a test.

But a test that will be repeated throughout the summer. It’s totally unofficial, but if you’re interested in coming along, we’ll try to post plans for new trips. We’re thinking of early-ish Sunday mornings as a starting point.

Sex assualt in Don Mills area

Toronto Police released a composite sketch on Monday of a suspect wanted in a Don Mills sex assault.

Police say that on Friday a 24-year-old woman was cleaning a house listed for sale in the Deepwood Cres. and Greenland Rd. area (south of Lawrence behind Don Mills school). At about 3 p.m., they say, an unknown man knocked on the door and claimed that he was interested in the property.

After a short conversation, the suspect gained entry into the home and sexually assaulted the woman, police said.

During the assault, the man was disturbed by noises coming from outside the home and left the house, police said.

He is described as white, in his mid-20s, about 5-foot-8 inches (1.7 metres) tall, and weighing about 130 lbs (59 kilograms) with a thin build and straight, medium-length red hair that sticks out at ear level. Police said he was wearing a faded orange T-shirt torn around the neck area, blue jean shorts cut off below the knees with frayed edges, and black running shoes with white writing on them. For more information go to www.thestar.com

There are rules regarding on-street parking during the winter

NO PARKING ON STREETS DURING SNOW EVENTS.
It's the law.
There is no legal on-street parking during the winter months. And it's a major problem in our neighbourhood. No safe off-road parking areas exist. Our roads are too narrow and restricted and the plow needs to get through.

I've been advised that neighbours have called the City's 311 line to complain about the lack of snow clearing from David Dunlap Circle and Jessie Drive.

WARNING: this may mean that cars will be ticketed and could be towed.

Please also be aware of neighbours trying to back out of their driveways, snow banks create restricted lines of vision. Those backing out are blind.

Also, those who are parking in the boulevard restrict the ability of the snow plow to do their job. They cannot push snow tightly back as they fear hitting the parked car.

More complaints will mean more tickets.

Coyotes spotted in the neighbourhood

Our neighbour that lives in one of the semis on the extension of Moccasin Train east of Nob Lane, has sent in this report.

Lorraine reported that last night at 8:30 my husband was walking our dog and he came across 2 Coyotes on the path to the school.....he stomped his feet and they didnt approach they ran off .

At 9:00 pm we watched two coyotes (from our living room window) trot up moccasin trail street ....

They must be hungry to come out of the valley, there was two of them together and they looked whiteish in colour and the size of a medium dog

Advise people to keep their dogs close to them and the little dogs on a leash ...and becareful when letting your dog out in your backyard at night