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Video available upon request. Contact Jessica to be put in touch with
students and teachers.
Read the article on our
event in Metro News.
The winners of a kids colouring competition for clean and affordable Union
Express trains were announced this morning at 9.45am during the week of the
official launch of the Union Pearson train.
The awards were attended by a class of kids from Perth Ave. Public School
which is located only one football field away from the dirty diesel train
tracks.
Up to 400 diesel trains a day will run from Union Station to Pearson
Airport as part of the new Union Pearson Express service, scheduled to
launch on June 6. The trains pass through one of the most heavily populated
regions in Canada, close to 76 schools, 96 day care centres, and four
long-term care facilities. Studies link diesel trains with adverse health effects including premature
death, asthma, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Ironically, the dirty
diesel train service is being officially launched on Canada Environment
Week.
Enlarged versions of the winning posters will be unveiled at the press
conference to an audience of students who participated in the colouring
competition. Speakers at the press conference were:
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Arden Charnock, one of the winning students from Perth Ave Public
School
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Arwyn Carpenter, a teacher at Perth Ave Public School
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flight attendant, Tracy Rowan. Tracy is also the co-chair of the CUPE
division that represents flight attendants
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Jessica Bell from the public transit advocacy group, TTCriders.
“Kids have a right to breathe clean air, and this colouring competition
gives our kids the chance to creatively stand up for clean, affordable
trains,” said Arwyn Carpenter, a teacher at Perth Ave Public School. “I
asked my students to participate in this colouring competition because I
know our school and our parents and teachers believe in healthy affordable
public transit.”
Over 12 schools and 140 students participated in the colouring competition
to call for the new 23 km Union Pearson train to be electrified, priced at
TTC fare rates, and have more stops.
“I commute from downtown Toronto to the airport for work and I will not use
this train because I cannot afford it,” says flight attendant, Tracey
Rowan. “The Union Pearson train needs to be affordable and useful for all
Torontonians, including Pearson Airport’s 20,000 airport workers,” she
says.
Diesel fumes include many toxic chemicals including arsenic, benzene,
cadmium, dioxins, lead, and mercury. Numerous studies link diesel trains
with adverse health effects, including premature death, asthma,
cardiovascular disease and cancer. The coalition is calling on Queen’s Park
to lower the fares, build more stops, and run clean electric trains that do
not contribute to local air pollution and health problems.
It will cost up to $27.50 to ride the train, 900% higher than the cost of
riding the TTC. The train will only have two stops between the terminals,
despite the line traveling through one of the most densely populated areas
in Canada. For comparison, the 26 km Bloor-Danforth TTC line has 31 stops
in total.
More information on the competiton is at
www.ourunionpearson.ca
and http://www.ttcriders.ca/cleantraincolouringentrants/
THE FIVE WINNERS
Knob Hill Elementary 25 Seminole Ave,Scarborough Teacher, Yin Liu The child who drew the winning entry is Adrianna.
Perth Ave Public School 14 Ruskin Ave, Toronto Teacher, Arwyn Carpenter The winning poster was
completed by Arden Charnock, grade 3
Garden Ave Public School 22 Garden Ave Toronto Teacher is Brian McClure This school had two winners: one poster was completed by Eli Davids, and
the other poster was completed by Sophia Dykes, Olive Gilbert and Lara
Mattmueller.
Howard Park Public School 30 Marmaduke Street, Toronto Teacher is Dina El Shimy The winning poster was completed by Freya Safieh, Rael Bain and Emily Ye.
They are 10 years old.
TAKE ACTION
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SEND A MESSAGE to all elected officials asking them for for clean, affordable trains. We had one wonderful grade 6
class all write persuasive letters to their elected MPP. Very inspiring.
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