The Toronto Estonian community has two options.
We can lament, and be negative about the passing of an era in the ‘Grand Dame’ of Broadview or, we can celebrate how much we accomplished in this phase of the Estonian community in Toronto (since this is the second Estonian House).
I for one, will celebrate what was.
I will celebrate that the early, well populated activities, and celebrations were powerful messages of a small community in a big sea of ‘English’ and ‘Canadian’ influences. People came together to make statements of survival, in a new land and against the powers that brought our parents here.
I will always have warm memories of a childhood and youth spent attending events, groups, clubs, etc., and then, as an adult, giving back to some of the very same groups, clubs, in which I participated.
I also see a community that no longer has the numbers that it once had. Events have a smaller turnout.
Clubs are smaller or in the case of guides and scouts, the groups have been amalgamated. Many of our most active youth of an era passed, have for a variety of real reasons, faded into the greater Canadian community. Some have returned, many have not. The many well outnumber the some.
My decision to support the new Eesti Keskus / Estonian Centre is because I am looking forward to the most proactive way to ensure there is a sustainable and useable building that will take our younger generations well into this century. So they can have a solid footing in which to create their memories.
I am not choosing for me anymore, I am choosing for the future, and what is right.
And I will always be indebted to what was.
Katrin Kütti-Otsa
Toronto eestlaskonnal on valida kahest:
Võime haliseda, et üks ajastu Broadview Eesti Majas (meie väärikas „vanadaamis“) on otsa saamas või selle asemel hoopis tänulikud olla, kui palju on eesti kogukond seal pika aja jooksul saavutanud (see pole ju meie esimene Eesti Maja, vaid juba teine).
Mina otsustan rõõmu tunda ja olla tänulik. Tunnen uhkust nende aegade üle, kui rahvast tuli kokku hulgaviisi ja me andsime teada nii kohalikele kui ka vaenulikule võõrvõimule kaugel, et oleme asu(s)tanud uue paiga ja et me oleme aktiivsed ja elujõulised! Meie väike rahvas paistis ingliskeelses keskkonnas silma ja meie hääl oli tugev! Me saavutasime palju!
Mulle jäävad igaveseks meelde lapse-ja noorpõlve aastad, kui ma tegutsesin mitmetes organisatsioonides ja gruppides ning täiskasvanuna jätkasin panustamist, olles ise erinevate nende tegevustega jätkuvalt seotud.
Samas märkan, et meie kogukond on kahanemas. Üritustel on tublisti vähem rahvast kui varem, organisatsioonide liikmeskond on vähenenud (nt gaidide ja skautide neli lippkonda on koondatud kaheks). On ka gruppe, mis on nüüdseks tegevuse üldse lõpetanud.
Olen ka tähele pannud, et aktiivsemad noored on aja jooksul haihtunud loomulikel põhjustel, sulandunud Kanada ühiskonda. Mõned on leidnud tee tagasi, kuid paljud ei ole. Need ‘mõned’ on vähemuses võrreldes ‘paljudega’.
Minu otsus toetada Eesti Keskust tuleneb sellest, et vaatan tuleviku poole reaalselt, positiivselt ja progresiivselt. Soovin, et tulevastel põlvkondadel oleks samad võimalused ja elamused turvalises ning kindlas ehituses. Soovin, et nendel noortel tekiksid omad mälestused, millele nüüd aluse paneme.
Otsustan nõnda mitte enda pärast vaid tuleviku heaks! Jään alati minevikule tänulikuks ja võtan mütsi maha selle eest, mis oli!
Katrin Kütti-Otsa
In support of the Madison project:
I believe that, if executed successfully, the Madison project would breath new life into the Toronto Estonian community. By modernizing our facilities we can re-invigorate the youth and amp up community engagement across all categories (arts, education, food etc).
I would love to see a revitalized and modern Estonian food business emerge and draw in business not only from Estonian customers but also from the surrounding multi-cultural population. How wonderful would it be to put Estonia back on the Toronto food map. It could be a hotbed of activity that my generation has never seen in this city.
The centralized location is perfect for this project and will bring our community together with increased participation and volunteer involvement. I fully support this undertaking and feel immense hope for the future.
Paul Lillakas
Toetan Madisoni projekti!
Usun kindlalt, et Madisoni projekti õnnestumine annaks uut hoogu kogu Toronto eestlaskonnale. Kaasajastatud kogunemiskoht elavdaks noorte tegevust ja võimendaks kogukonna ühtekuuluvust kõikides valdkondades, sealhulgas kunst, haridus ja toidukultuur!
Oleksin väga rõõmus, kui Madisonile rajatava Eesti Keskuse osaks oleks ka toitlustusettevõte, mis tooks kohale mitte ainult eestlasi vaid tutvustaks eesti toidukultuuri tervele kesklinna multikultuursele elanikkonnale. Väga tore oleks, kui Eesti maitsed jõuaks Toronto toidumaastikule. See oleks midagi sellist, mida minu põlvkond siiani Torontos näinud pole!
Uue keskuse asukoht on ideaalne ja tooks meie kogukonna taas kord aktiivsemalt tegutsema ja üksteisele abiks olema! Toetan südamest seda projekti, mis annab lootust minna vastu paremale tulevikule!
Paul Lillakas
The Toronto Estonian community has two options. EST, ENG Estonian Life (5)
Toronto Eesti Maja tulevik | 23 Dec 2017 | EL (Estonian Life)Eesti Elu
Viimased kommentaarid
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
"And I will always be indebted to what was."
Debt will be a huge issue in the future. Will we even get this limited size building completed is the big question.
The organizers have really upset a large segment of the community who would have been funders by going ahead with their plans without heeding concerns. The organizers' "let them eat cake" attitude shows how out of touch organizers are with the community's desires and needs, otherwise they would have been able to anticipate the magnitude of the backlash to their plans -- the rift could have been prevented. This high and mighty attitude of the Madison project organizers is extremely offensive.
Lack of parking and future skyrocketing cost of it is a major issue. Not all community members have deep pockets to cover parking and future expensive Madison hall rentals. People do not want to come into a congested area, especially commuters. This is not an age-friendly plan.
Why is it okay to move forward with such deficiencies staring us in the face? Just to get something done and out of the way?
Organizers are ramming through their limited vision for a small segment of the community. They have just been crafty about it by securing a huge block of shares to affect voting their way.
We should be building elsewhere cheaper with parking or reconstructing and modernizing the present building.
Debt will be a huge issue in the future. Will we even get this limited size building completed is the big question.
The organizers have really upset a large segment of the community who would have been funders by going ahead with their plans without heeding concerns. The organizers' "let them eat cake" attitude shows how out of touch organizers are with the community's desires and needs, otherwise they would have been able to anticipate the magnitude of the backlash to their plans -- the rift could have been prevented. This high and mighty attitude of the Madison project organizers is extremely offensive.
Lack of parking and future skyrocketing cost of it is a major issue. Not all community members have deep pockets to cover parking and future expensive Madison hall rentals. People do not want to come into a congested area, especially commuters. This is not an age-friendly plan.
Why is it okay to move forward with such deficiencies staring us in the face? Just to get something done and out of the way?
Organizers are ramming through their limited vision for a small segment of the community. They have just been crafty about it by securing a huge block of shares to affect voting their way.
We should be building elsewhere cheaper with parking or reconstructing and modernizing the present building.
Are you going to rent space and cater to the Estonian community at Madison?
Can you afford the rent... this is an expensive venue and for smaller spaces higher rent.... should the management realize that that they need to pay for a super large mortgage and a small venue means higher rent per sq ft.
Currently at the Estonian House we have a caterer who is super busy ... as I saw during the Christmas Holidays...
Finally, I hear that on Saturdays the "youth" are overflowing at the current Estonian House.. so.... why do you feel they need a smaller venue and how does that "invigorate" youth? There will be even less space... where the community will most likely rent Lativian Centre or the Baptist Church so as to have enough space to keep the "youth" together and be invigorated.
And why do Estonians have to be on the "food map" of Toronto... Currently our community is serviced by Caterers... and no Veri Vorst if they are "on the map"... as you should know.
Can you afford the rent... this is an expensive venue and for smaller spaces higher rent.... should the management realize that that they need to pay for a super large mortgage and a small venue means higher rent per sq ft.
Currently at the Estonian House we have a caterer who is super busy ... as I saw during the Christmas Holidays...
Finally, I hear that on Saturdays the "youth" are overflowing at the current Estonian House.. so.... why do you feel they need a smaller venue and how does that "invigorate" youth? There will be even less space... where the community will most likely rent Lativian Centre or the Baptist Church so as to have enough space to keep the "youth" together and be invigorated.
And why do Estonians have to be on the "food map" of Toronto... Currently our community is serviced by Caterers... and no Veri Vorst if they are "on the map"... as you should know.
There have been plenty of issues raised and questions asked that have gone unanswered. If you missed the discussion you can catch up by reading some of the articles and comments here:
http://www.eesti.ca/toronto-ee...
http://www.eesti.ca/toronto-ee...
Toronto Eesti Maja tulevik
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