TORONTO'S Priority Neighbourhood

What are priority neighbourhoods?

Who: Identified by city council and United Way

When: Started 2004

Why: To reduce crime, increase opportunities for young people and improve services for people in underserved areas.

How: Neighbourhoods were measured for key services, including libraries, schools, community centres, settlement and employment services, as well as for things like median household income, education levels and knowledge of English or French.

What: In total, 13 neighbourhoods were identified: Malvern, Jane-Finch, Jamestown, Kingston-Galloway, Victoria Village, Dorset Park, Eglinton East, Scarborough Village, Black Creek, Westminster-Branson, Crescent Town, Steeles-L'Amoreaux and Kennedy Park.

Under a new ranking system revealed by city staff on Monday, each of Toronto’s 140 neighbourhoods has been given an “equity score” based on 15 criteria that includes health, economics, political participation and education. A team of experts set 42.89 as a benchmark score. Communities that fall below the line are designated as a “Neighbourhood Improvement Area,” which replaces the old “Priority Neighbourhood Area.”

Black Creek scored the lowest, with 21.38. Lawrence Park north was the highest, with 92.05.

Westminster-Branson, ranked 38th overall, came in at 46.57. This north Toronto neighbourhood is one of eight that no longer qualifies as a priority investment area. Malvern, Dorset Park, L’Amoreaux, Yorkdale-Glen Park, Steele, Englemount-Lawrence and Humber Heights-Westmount round out that list.

Each was part of the city’s original neighbourhoods program, which was launched eight years ago after the so-called Summer of the Gun.

The designation meant the community of about 24,000 in Ward 10 received a new community hub and health centre development, renovated facilities and additional recreation and employment supports, among other things.

16 new areas will get extra funding, while 8 drop off the list in a new ranking system means missing out on millions of dollars worth of capital funding and resources.

Added IN Priority designation:

Beechborough-Greenbrook
Oakridge
Elms-Old Rexdale
Regent Park
Thorncliffe Park
South Parkdale
Rockcliffe-Smythe
Rustic
Morningside
Ionview
Downsview-Roding-CFB
York University Heights
Thistletown-Beaumond Heights
Keelesdale-Eglinton-West
Weston-Pellam Park
Kingsview Village-The Westway

Off the list :

Malvern
Dorset Park
Westminster-Branson
Yorkdale-Glen Park
L’Amoreaux
Steeles
Humber Heights-Westmount
Englemount-Lawrence

 SOUTH PARKDALE neighbourhood is one of 16 communities in need that didn’t meet the threshold back in 2005 but do now. A low-income area just outside the southwest downtown core, South Parkdale has high unemployment, a high occurrence of preventable hospitalizations, and a higher than average number of people drawing on social assistance.

THORNCLIFFE PARK: Thorncliffe residents score average in terms of the number of residents who graduated from high school and post-secondary institutions. The difference is that, for many of his constituents, those diplomas were earned outside of Canada and haven’t translated into well-paying careers in Canada.
Instead of single-parent homes, in Thorncliffe, “many families are crowded together in dwelling units."



source:thestar

Renovations that bring the greatest percentage return on investment:

I working with Buyer who is also contractor and we are searching for the house that need some Renovation. After looking some house I and my buyer sat and decided which improvement in the house will appreciate more in money …

"Whatever your home improvement is ... I strongly discourage designing new spaces in a fashion that's incongruous with the rest of the house's architectural vernacular."

According to Remodeling magazine's annual Cost vs. Value Report for 2014  followiing are the few :

v  Front Door :  A new front door, which on average adds 96.6 percent of the amount you spent to the value to your home. "It has to be the right front door." Keep in mind that sometimes painting the existing front door provides the same payoff.

v  Replacing old elements, such as doors, windows and siding, in general yielded a better financial return than bigger remodeling projects, such as additions.

v  The report found that kitchen projects yielded a higher return than bath projects, with a minor kitchen remodel adding 82.7 percent of the project's cost back to the home's value. Kitchens are important, because would-be buyers often overestimate how much they would cost to update. The average cost of a minor kitchen remodel -- new cabinet doors, appliances, countertops, sink, faucet, paint and hardware -- usually $18,856 nationwide, according to the Cost vs. Value report. 

But, like the front door, it's important to do the right kitchen remodel. Adding a $75,000 kitchen to a $100,000 house is unlikely to yield $75,000 in value.

 As a general rule, look to spend about 25% of the home's value for a new kitchen and 12 % to 15% for an updated bathroom.

Which improvements will pay off  what varies not only regionally, but also neighborhood by neighborhood :

v  A pool will add more value to homes in some warmer climate neighborhoods than in colder climate it is just an expanse to have it.

v  Turning attics into usable space or into bedroom  is a popular and profitable improvement.

v  Replacing windows with French doors that open to the backyard is another popular, and not very expensive, renovation project. "It makes the room feel bigger and gives you somewhere to go," 

v  For people who plan to stay in their homes, investing in those projects, as well as in more energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems and appliances, saves money all year.

Here are the home renovations that Remodeling's Cost vs. Value study says will give you the biggest bang for your buck, as well as projects that generate the lowest return.

Renovations that bring the greatest percentage return on investment:

-- Entry door replacement: 96.6 percent

-- Deck addition (wood): 87.4 percent

-- Attic bedroom: 84.3 percent

-- Garage door replacement: 83.7 percent

-- Minor kitchen remodel: 82.7 percent

Renovations that yield the smallest return:

-- Home office remodel: 48.9 percent

-- Sunroom addition: 51.7 percent

-- Bathroom addition: 60.1 percent

-- Backup power generation: 67.5 percent

-- Master suite addition: 67.5 percent

courtsey : U.S.News & World Report LP

soul weight..!!! Amezing

My daughter was reading somewhere that when one person dies his weight is 12 pounds lighter then when he was alive. Scientis still puzzled by this , they couldnt figure it out the reason of this sudden weight loss. But Spiritual Pundits believe that this is soul weight , so when person dies soul leaves the body.