Gratitude & Community Wins: A Fall Update from Willowdale

As I prepared Thanksgiving dinner this year, I found myself reflecting on a line from Aesop: “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” In the busyness of day-to-day responsibilities, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s working, what’s strong, and what’s growing. There are days when the demands of public service feel especially heavy: advocating for resources, facing complex city challenges, and trying to meet rising needs with limited tools. And yet, again and again, I’m reminded of the strength of our Willowdale community.

This is a place where people look out for one another, where neighbours work together to build spaces that are inclusive, welcoming, and full of possibility. For that, and for all of you, I am deeply thankful.

The holiday also came with a less heartwarming experience: My dog decided to chase family members outside as they were leaving and found himself nose-to-nose with a skunk… right under my car. He’s now smelling fresh again (thank you, hydrogen peroxide solution!), but my car still reeks of Eau de Skunk. If anyone has a miracle remedy for getting rid of that smell, please send it my way. My commute needs some freshening up!

Now, on a more serious note: we’ve made important progress in recent years: faster emergency response times, restored TTC service levels, and extended library hours. These improvements didn’t happen by chance, they’re the result of deliberate investment and difficult decisions made to stabilize city services after years of deferred repairs and growing costs.

Where should the city invest more? Where can we make smart savings? Want a chance to share your thoughts directly with city staff, our Budget Chief (and Councillor) Shelley Carroll, your neighbours, and me, your local councillor? Your voice matters and we want to hear it! Join us at North York Memorial Hall, 5110 Yonge St, M2N 5W4 on Wednesday, October 22, from 7:00 – 9:00 PM. RSVP here!

Next, on October 11th, thousands of residents gathered at Centre Park for the official unveiling of the Little Iran street sign. The event featured music, dance, and the exciting announcement of a future Persian Garden, a cultural landmark that will honour Iranian heritage for generations to come.

We were joined by Mayor Olivia Chow, local leaders, and internationally renowned Iranian architects Kamran Diba, Hossein Amanat, and Siamak Hariri. It was a proud, joyful moment for our city and a powerful recognition of the Iranian-Canadian community’s contributions to Willowdale and Toronto at large. This milestone reflects values we hold dearly: diversity, inclusion, and respect, not just in words, but in how we build our city and honour the people who call it home.

As we head into the final months of the year, I’m reminded of the importance of staying connected, not only to the issues, but to each other. Whether it’s through city-wide conversations about budgets, celebrations of community identity, or the small moments that bring unexpected challenges (or the occasional skunk), there’s strength in showing up together.

Thank you for continuing to be part of this journey. I look forward to seeing you soon at our budget consultation, in the community, or wherever important conversations are taking place.