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Jazz festival’s StreetFest on Queen slated for this week THE BEACHES International Jazz Festival’s popular StreetFest celebration along Queen Street East is set for this Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. This year’s StreetFest is slated for the nights of Thursday, July 23, Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25. From 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on all three of those nights, Queen Street East will be closed to vehicle traffic between Woodbine Avenue and Beech Avenue as music lovers fill the street to hear dozens of bands perform. The road closures on Queen Street East will begin at 6 p.m. each night. The StreetFest will finish each night at 11 p.m., and the street will then be re-opened for cars, buses and streetcars at midnight. Numerous bands and musicians will be performing nightly during StreetFest at locations along Queen Street East. StreetFest is an extremely popular event and a decades-long Beach tradition, and large crowds are expected to atContinued on Page 2
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PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON
A Balmy Beach Rugby Club U12 player runs with the ball in a match against the Caledon Cavaliers during the club’s annual sand rugby tournament held on Sunday, July 12, at Woodbine Beach.
Shahnawaz to run for federal Liberals in Beaches-East York By Matthew Stephens
TANVEER SHAHNAWAZ has won the nomination to become the Liberal candidate in the upcoming federal byelection in the Beaches-East York riding. “I’m honoured that you’ve selected me as our next Liberal candidate in Beaches-East York,” said Shahnawaz during his victory speech on Saturday, July 18, in the gym of Gledhill Junior Public School on Gledhill Avenue, where a large crowd of residents and prominent political figures such as Liberal MP Doly Begum of Scarborough Southwest and Gary
Anandasangaree of ScarboroughGuildwood-Rouge Park, were in attendance. “I also want to thank Prime Minister Mark Carney for believing in our riding’s democratic process, and for holding his first open nomination here in Beaches-East York,” said Shahnawaz. In a vote of 873 counted ballots, Shahnawaz secured the nomination over competitors Summer Nudel, Arthur Potts, and Claire Seaborn. The results of the ranked-ballot vote were announced shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday after six hours of voting by Liberal riding
association members. Among several issues discussed during their opening speeches, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s planned expansion of Billy Bishop Airport on the Toronto waterfront resonated with each contestant seeking the nomination – all of whom vowed to oppose the expansion. “Before I go any further, I want to talk about the island airport. For many of you, this is why you’re here today listening to these speeches,” said Nudel during her opening remarks. “It is unclear to me what problem is being solved by flying jets
from Billy Bishop? Assuming there is a true need for more airport capacity, I believe we should invest in expanding Pearson Airport.” Potts, who was the Beaches-East York Liberal MPP from 2014 to 2018, said he aimed to shift the federal Liberal’s focus towards a stronger “climate change commitment,” and will also help deliver better solutions to the country’s affordability crisis. “These massive wildfires in the north; 177 and counting. They’re affecting the air quality here, and it’s a testament to the fact that the globe is warming. The NDP will
exploit this issue,” said Potts in his speech. “I have the debating skills, a legislative record that demonstrates my commitment to affordability solutions, and counter the accusations that we’re not doing enough.” With an extensive career in law and federal policy, Seaborn said she would advocate for the federal government to allocate more funding to community services such as housing, healthcare, transit, and childcare. “In my almost 38 years of life, I’ve already accomplished some Continued on Page 2
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pretty big things. I spent five years commuting to Ottawa as a chief of staff and policy director to Liberal Cabinet Ministers,” said Seaborn during her speech. “I’ve moved over 50 funding proposals in the federal government, from ideas to reality. I’ve passed, enforced, and defended federal laws, and I’ve managed the team and budget of over 20 people in the minister’s office.” Before securing the nomination, Shahnawaz served the Beaches-East York community as a key staffer with the office of former Liberal MP Nathaniel ErskineSmith. Shahnawaz had the endorsement of ErskineSmith in the nomination race. Shahnawaz, who grew up in the riding’s Crescent Town neighbourhood northwest of Victoria Park and Danforth avenues, has also served in roles as MP constituency office manager and co-chair of the TaylorMassey & Oakridge Community Response Team. “I’ve learned from the best, and I’ve got big shoes to fill with Nate leaving those behind, but I’m also very galvanized with my deep connections to speak up,” said Shahnawaz in an interview after the nomination race. In an interview after the results were announced, Erskine-Smith told Beach Metro Community News that Shahnawaz’s unwavering dedication to the community helped him secure the nomination as the next federal Liberal candidate for the riding. “Tanveer worked really hard, and I know him to be honest, I know him to be hard-working – and I know he’s got relationships and cares deeply about every corner of the riding, and he’s going to be great for us,”
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Tanveer Shahnawaz, second from left, celebrates with dad Shaikh, mom Nawazish and brother Ovee after winning the nomination to be the federal Liberal candidate for the riding of Beaches-East York. The nomination meeting was held on Saturday, July 18, at Gledhill Junior Public School.
said Erskine-Smith, who recently stepped down as MP for Beaches-East York. With the federal Liberals using a computerized system to count ballots, Erskine-Smith suggested that regulations should be changed for the party’s nomination races at the provincial level. Erskine-Smith lost a close nomination race in May for the provincial Liberal nomination in Scarborough Southwest. He appealed the results of the 19-vote, counted ballot loss to the Ontario Liberal Party but it ruled against him. “It was a close and competitive race, which I think is really healthy for our local democracy,” said ErskineSmith of Saturday’s federal Liberal nomination race in Beaches-East York. “This was a very well-run nomination race, and you could tell just how civilized it was throughout the day. The rules provincially need
to change in line with the rules we have federally.” With residents facing a variety of weather conditions to visit the school and cast their votes, Shahnawaz attributed much of his victory to his long dedication and connection to the BeachesEast York community. “We’ve had folks brave the rainstorm. Pretty sure I heard some thunder and lightning, and I think that’s a testament that BeachesEast York was the first riding that Carney and folks decided to make an open nomination, and I think we being here are reflective of that,” said Shahnawaz. “I’m super energized to carry on with strong local representation.” At the federal level, he said that amplifying residents’ opposition to the imposed island airport expansion will be a priority. “We’ve got Ford’s airport expansion plan that I’m
very against, and I think that if I can have a say with the 416 (Toronto) caucus, with Ontario caucus, with the national caucus, and making sure that I already know how to make our voice heard, and amplifying those concerns,” said Shahnawaz. A date for the federal byelection in Beaches-East York has not yet been announced. However, Beach Metro Community News is aware of speculation that it could take place before the end of this September. While other parties have not yet declared their candidates for the federal byelection in Beaches-East York, there has been speculation that Avi Lewis, the recently named new leader of the federal NDP, might decide to run in the riding. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding that speculation at this point in time.
Final jazz festival events this weekend ‘Jazz’ from page 1
tend on all three nights. Food and treats from the city’s best restaurants will be part of StreetFest, along with local artisans and vibrant market stalls from businesses along Queen Street East. Transit routes will be altered by the TTC during the times of StreetFest. To avoid Queen Street East during Street Fest, the TTC’s Main Street 64 bus will take an alternate route during the street closure hours. The 64 bus will go south on Wineva Avenue, past Queen Street East, along Alfresco Lawn and then up north on Lee Avenue to Kingston Road. Residents are also reminded not to park cars on Queen Street East, between Woodbine and Beech, after 4 p.m. on July 23, 24 or 25 as they will be towed in ad-
vance of the StreetFest road closure. For the complete list of bands playing and where they will be performing, please visit www.beachesjazz.com/streetfest The 38th annual version of the Beaches International Jazz Festival will also conclude this coming weekend. The OLG Bring Home the Win Weekend Series takes place at Woodbine Park from July 24 to 26. The weekend features Groovin’ in the Park, a twoday throwback dance party running its Friday Dance Party and Saturday Fever from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. each night. The music will spotlight house, disco and funk. Groovin’ in the Park is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The event brings together DJs and live audiences inspired by clas-
sic 1990s and 2000s music culture. Admission is free, and the events are focused on accessibility, community, and culture. If you need a fun afternoon to prepare for Saturday Fever, enjoy Long Live, a high-energy Taylor Swift tribute band, which will be on stage from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Long Live will be playing all the iconic Taylor Swift hits. For the final day of the 2026 Beaches International Jazz Festival, a number of artists will be performing on the Woodbine Main Stage on Sunday, July 26. The music begins with Little Magic Sam at 1 p.m.; Sultans of String at 3 p.m.; Joel Dupuis at 5 p.m.; and Arsenals at 6:30 p.m. For more information, please visit www.beachesjazz.com
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
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Danforth Shooting victims and families forever impacted by the violence o July 22, 2018 By Alan Shackleton
THE EIGHTH anniversary of the Danforth Shooting will take place tomorrow (July 22). As family members and others impacted remember those killed and injured, a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the gun used in the shooting has cleared a significant legal hurdle after a decision by the Supreme Court of Canada last month. The Danforth Shooting took place on the night of Sunday, July 22, 2018, in the area of Danforth and Logan avenues. East Toronto resident Reese Fallon, 18, and Julianna Kozis, 10, of Markham, were killed in the shooting and 13 other people were injured. The shooter also took his own life that night. Fallon had graduated from Malvern Collegiate in June of 2018 and was looking forward to studying nursing that coming fall at McMaster University in Hamilton. She was out with a group of friends on the night of the shooting and they were in the Alexander the Great Parkette at Logan and Danforth when the gunman began firing randomly at people on the street and inside businesses. Among those injured in the shooting that night was Fallon’s friend Samantha Price. Her father Ken said those who had loved ones killed or injured in the shooting will always be impacted by the events of that night. “This July 22 will mark eight years since the senseless shooting on Danforth Avenue—the night we lost Julianna and Reese, and so many others were hurt and terrorized,” he told Beach Metro Community News last week. “For the families and survivors, the consequences are still present in our thoughts.” Price’s family, and others impacted by the shooting, launched a lawsuit against gunmaker Smith & Wesson in December of 2019 and it has been working its way
through appeal courts since that time. However, one of the final legal hurdles has now been cleared for the class action lawsuit to continue forward after the Supreme Court of Canada said in June that it would not hear an appeal trying to stop it from being certified. “Recently the Supreme Court of Canada refused to interfere with a Court of Appeal for Ontario decision allowing a class action lawsuit to proceed that some of the Danforth survivors and families launched against Smith & Wesson, the manufacturer of the M&P 40 handgun used that night,” said Price. “Our civil lawsuit, now a certified class action, contends that Smith & Wesson failed to implement safety technology they had publicly committed to, in order to make their handguns safer and more secure against unauthorized use. We contend that Smith & Wesson’s decisions directly contributed to enabling the violence committed against our community and our loved ones that night. We still grieve our losses and deal with our injuries. At the same time, we look forward to the case moving forward in the coming months.” The lawsuit is seeking $50 million in general damages and $100 million in punitive damages against Smith & Wesson, which manufactures guns in the United States. The lawsuit alleges Smith & Wesson did not put existing safety technology into the make of gun (a Military and Police 40 semiautomatic handgun) that was used in the Danforth Shooting. According to the lawsuit, smart gun technology would have prevented the gun being used by anyone other than the legal owner. The gun used in the Danforth Shooting had originally been legally sold in Canada, but was then stolen from a gun dealer in Saskatchewan in 2015. The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in a court of law.
St. Clair O’Connor Community camp brings seniors, youth together By Julia Sawicki
THE ST. CLAIR O’Connor Community (SCOC) started its intergenerational summer camp last month, welcoming children and seniors for a program full of activities and stories that help different ages and generations connect through shared joy and experiences. Started by Rebecca Freeman, Director of Programs and Community Development at SCOC, and planned by Maya Shipley, an activation aide, the camp is now in its second year. Campers take part in physical activities, crafts, card games, trivia, and social events. Building on last years’ experience, organizers have been paying close attention to what participants enjoy most and using that feedback to shape the program. “When we created this program, we really wanted it to be a part of SCOC,” said Freeman. “Now we’re just getting feedback, seeing what the residents are enjoying, and continuing to build on that.” While the camp gives participants an opportunity to have fun, many said their favourite part is learning from different generations and hearing about each other’s lives. “I like that, going around and telling people’s stories,” said Gwen, one of the senior members. “It’s interesting, finding out where other people have been, because
everyone has a different story. Thank goodness; wouldn’t it be boring if we were all the same?” For many of the senior campers, who don’t often have the chance to spend time with children, the camp is a welcome change of pace. It also gives younger participants an opportunity to learn about older generations and hear their experiences. According to Freeman, fostering those connections has been the foundation of the intergenerational summer camp and reflects the spirit of the broader SCOC community. “Just being able to bridge the gap between generations is really special,” said Freeman. “I’m really proud of what we have going on here.” Freeman hopes people recognize that SCOC is a truly multigenerational community, serving not only seniors but also children and families, creating broader experiences rooted in shared interests, that all ages can appreciate. “Our summer camp is just an expansion of what the community represents,” she said. The SCOC camp will be running until Aug. 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Prices are $40 a week or $140 a month. For more information or to register, please visit https://scoc.ca/
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Author de Nikolits’ new novel draws inspiration from the Beach By Julia Sawicki
AUTHOR LISA de Nikolits’ new novel draws inspiration from the Beach as she tells the story of the secrets uncovered when you look deeper into a picturesque and serene community. That Time I Killed You proves the age-old cliché: “Nothing is quite as it seems.” De Nikolits has been writing for years, working as both an art director and an author, across multiple media and forms of storytelling. Her interest in crime and noir fiction writing extends past the surface level, diving into why her characters do what they do, and what happens after. “The tagline for the book
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is ordinary people doing very bad things,” she explained in a recent interview with Beach Metro Community News. “It happens. But the thing is, we’ll see something and we know the crime, but then we don’t know the after or the why… Sometimes, there’s just not the reasons we expect. Everything will point to it being something, but then it actually isn’t. It’s something completely different.” Her new book is a reflection of that idea. That Time I Killed You began as a short story in 2004 and only focused on the crime. But de Nikolits couldn’t let the story die off there; she needed to see her characters’ stories through, while asking the most important question. “What happens after you get away with murder?” Main character Janis Wheeler has grown comfortable in her perfect life, with her adoring, supportive husband, children and a passion for baking. But what hides underneath is a secret that could destroy everything she’s built. With a knock on her door, she’s suddenly facing her past, and has to decide what she’s willing to do to protect everything she loves. The book takes place in a community, Sandpiper Crescent, that is an alter ego for the Beach created by de Nikolits. Remembering the summer when Wheeler Avenue was dug up, de Nikolits said she sat in her sunroom watching the construction, something she compared to “living on Mars with machinery.” The destruction inspired
PHOTO: JULIA SAWICKI
Author Lisa de Nikolits sits on one of the Kew Beach Lawn Bowling Club’s greens recently. Lawn bowling make up a plot point in her most recent novel That Time I Killed You.
the book’s main plot points, and also gave her the last name of the protagonist. With nods to the Glen Stewart ravine, Bellefair Avenue, and the Kew Beach lawn bowlers, de Nikolits’ tale is full of references to the neighbourhood she called home for many years before recently moving. She said the writing process begins with a room covered in paper and some crayons, mapping out her plot, going back and forth between ideas and characters. But as any writer will admit, her stories often don’t work out the way she planned. Characters will surprise her, she said, taking on larger roles than planned, as plot threads take on a new meaning while she writes, looking at the paper and asking herself what the “falling dominoes” could mean. Then, when the planning is complete, her work comes in bursts. “I call it binge writing,” de Nikolits said.
During those periods, everything else takes a back seat. She has written as many as 80,000 words in just 12 days. “Fortunately, I don’t sleep a lot,” she laughed. Ideas don’t stop arriving and de Nikolits said she records voice memos, scribbles on napkins and refuses to speak after waking up from a particularly vivid dream. Even after 14 books, finishing the writing of one only leads her to another, she said. “I always see myself this way: There’s a horse race and I’ve got my blinders on, and the gate opens, and I’m going. I’m just going to do my thing, and I’m going to keep writing my books,” said de Nikolits. “There’s a time where everything does come to an end, but it hasn’t yet. And I’m really grateful for that.” For more information on de Nikolits, or to purchase That Time I Killed You, go to https://lisawriter.com/
Food Truck Festival at Woodbine Park planned for August long weekend THE TORONTO Food Truck Festival returns to Woodbine Park in the Beach over the upcoming August long weekend. The festival takes place from Friday, July 31, through to Monday, Aug. 3, as Toronto celebrates the Simcoe Day long weekend. There will be a variety
of live music performances throughout the event, food from between 30 to 50 of the top food trucks in the province, activities for children, and even a chance for those attending to take part in live-eating challenges. Vegetarian, halal, vegan, and gluten-free food trucks will be among the partici-
pating vendors at the festival. Admission is free. The festival is also licenced for alcohol service to those who are of legal age. Woodbine Park is at 1695 Queen St. E. For more information on the Toronto Food Truck Festival, go to www.canadianfoodtruckfestivals.com/toronto
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BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
Council expected to discuss Woodbine development proposal next week By Matthew Stephens
FOR THE second time since April, Toronto Council has deferred a decision on a development proposal at 419-425 Woodbine Ave., just south of Kingston Road, where soil contamination and rental replacement concerns remain to be addressed. The current proposal at the site calls for an 11-storey mixed use building with 123 residential units, including 11 rental replacement units. The proposal features 7,844 square metres of total gross floor area with 132 square metres of commercial space at grade, as well as 124 vehicular parking spaces and 152 bicycle parking spaces in a two-level underground parkade. During the Wednesday, June 24, Toronto Council meeting, Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford said he is still working with the applicant and developer to address concerns regarding the site’s environmental assessment and rental replacement demolition. “I’ve been having ongoing discussions with residents and the applicant and we’re still working through that, so I just wanted to defer this until July,” Bradford told Toronto Council. In a recent statement to Beach Metro Community News, Bradford said discussions are still “ongoing” to determine the site’s environmental conditions. “Since this development application originally came forward and residents raised concerns about the environmental conditions of the site, I have had continued discussions with city staff, residents, and the applicants,” he said. After concerns related to possible soil contamination were raised, Bradford first pushed to defer the proposal at April’s Toronto Council meeting. At that meeting, he
said he and the community were “not satisfied” with the potential health risks associated with the proposal in its current form. “Over recent weeks, I have been working closely with residents and community leaders who raised concerns about the environmental issues on this development site,” said Bradford in an email to Beach Metro Community News after the April meeting. “That is why I have directed staff to reexamine these issues more carefully, and determine whether the known contamination and pollution on the site can be adequately managed or whether this proposed development would put the health of community members at risk.” In a review of the developer’s environmental assessment, which residents say was “based on a much smaller project,” they identified a large portion of “heavy” soil contamination from “historical gas stations, dry cleaners, and contaminated fill.” According to the most recent environmental assessment from 2022 done by DS Consultants Ltd. for the developer, the proposal had called for a two-to-three-storey building with one level of underground parking. However, with the new proposal increasing nearly four times higher and adding an additional level of underground parking, residents said the project is expected to dig out more land than the developer previously anticipated. The registered land owner for the site is 421 Woodbine Avenue Holdings Inc. Bradford said in his most recent statement that residents deserve transparency through an updated assessment of the site’s environmental conditions before council considers the proposal again at next week’s meeting.
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In My Opinion
MPP vows to oppose Billy Bishop airport expansion MARY-MARGARET MCMAHON MPP Beaches—East York
T
he endless delights of our Toronto waterfront are on full display this summer, but the Doug Ford government remains resolved to threaten the health and accessibility of the water, the land, and the life that depends on it. All of this for an idea with no environmental impact assessment, no health study, no details, and no business case! As soon as Bill 110, Building Billy Bishop Airport Act, 2026 was introduced this spring at Queen’s Park, I was brought back to my time at Toronto Council in 2013 when this expansion proposal was tabled and rejected by members of council, the federal government, and thousands of Toronto residents!
Constituents from all around the city have echoed this same sentiment, the waterfront is an oasis in the city, and they are against a Billy Bishop Airport expansion. Do I care deeply about Toronto’s waterfront? I sure do and will be fighting hard to protect it and Little Norway Park, the Island, and Bathurst Quay. Little Norway Park is a wonderful gem of greenspace equipped with amenities for baseball, soccer, and swimming. It is also a historical landmark in the heart of the city. The park marks the Royal Norwegian Air Training Base where pilots would train to then join the Allied efforts to defeat Nazi Germany in the Second World War. It commemorates the thousands of heroic people who contributed to and sacrificed their lives in the fight against Nazi Germany. They fought for our freedom. And it is the spot where Norwegians continue to gather
for cultural events to this day. If you heard me speak at Queen’s Park back on May 4, you heard Premier Ford in response to my line of questions, on record, promising that his government will not touch Little Norway Park in their Toronto waterfront land grab—I’ll be holding them to that. Those in favour of the Billy Bishop expansion claim that it will be a major economic driver, bringing in $8.5 billion. This figure is almost half of what Pearson grosses at $19.6 billion and that is with a share of 95 per cent of air travel. How will Billy Bishop, a fraction of the size and offering a fraction of the flights, even with an expansion, produce this much? The expansion is far beyond what is presented. Billy Bishop Airport would demand 900 metres of new landmass - a 600-metre runway and 150-metre buffer zone on each end. Unfortunately,
this extra 900m does not even scratch the surface of waterfront disruption. The Billy Bishop Airport expansion would need hundreds of more metres of buoys and guide lights extending into the water, repair hangars, marine exclusionary zones, and new customs facilities if flight paths are added. Time and time again studies show that airport cities experience poor air quality, and this can lead to adverse health effects like premature death, pre-term birth, decreased lung function, cancers, and more. While we presently experience the devastating effects of wildfires, we simply cannot afford to compromise our air quality any further. If this government was serious about healthcare, then they would focus more of their energy on securing full-time physicians for ridings around Ontario that are struggling. The Member for Kiiwetenoong pointed out that
there are 27 gravel airstrips that require and deserve investment, time, and attention to truly connect Ontario. These runways need to be extended to permit safe landing and takeoff, improved runway lighting and approach guidance, de-icing servicing, proper drainage infrastructure, and more. This begs the question, if the destination or departure airports lack funding and resources for safe and efficient takeoff and landing; if a plane cannot leave the airport due to poor weather conditions and lack adequate navigational aids, and they cannot land safely, how is a Billy Bishop Airport expansion that will leech billions of dollars that could be going into the airports that really need it, going to assist these underserved communities? We are left scratching our heads, signing petitions, mounting No Jets TO signs, and desperately hoping for better decisions.
SERVING THE BEACH, BEACH HILL, BIRCH CLIFF, CLIFFSIDE, CRESCENT TOWN, EAST DANFORTH, GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR, LESLIEVILLE AND UPPER BEACH Beach Metro Community News, published by Ward 9 Community News Inc., is a non-profit, non-partisan community newspaper founded in 1972 and published 23 times a year. It is distributed free by volunteers in East Toronto and Southwest Scarborough and paid for by our advertisers.
2196 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, ON, M4E 2C7 PHONE: 416-698-1164 beachmetro.com PUBLISHER & GENERAL MANAGER Susan Legge susan@beachmetro.com EDITOR Alan Shackleton (ext. 23) alan@beachmetro.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Mark Ireland (ext. 26) mark@beachmetro.com PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Melinda Drake (ext. 27) melinda@beachmetro.com NEWS REPORTER Matthew Stephens matthew@beachmetro.com ACCOUNTS MANAGER Hope Armstrong (ext. 22) hope@beachmetro.com CLASSIFIED AD/PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY LEAD Carolin Schmidt (ext. 22) carolin@beachmetro.com NEXT ISSUE: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 ADVERTISING DEADLINE: 5 p.m., Monday, August 17 VOLUNTEER EXECUTIVE: Mary Beth Denomy, Desmond Brown, David Morrow, Doug Black, Tim Doyle, Daniel Loberto, Sheila Blinoff This newspaper accepts advertising in good faith, but does not endorse advertisers or advertisements. All submitted editorial material is subject to editing.
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Letters to the Editor
Summer safety solutions start at home Cartoon on jets nailed it More than 20 years ago I wrote a Letter to the Editor regarding teenagers terrorizing the neighbourhood each summer evening in the Beach. Seems that after years of complaining to our local police and elected representatives nothing has changed! Even today, in the evening it is an adventure for Beachers to walk Queen Street East without being forced onto the roadway. Walking the dog on the Boardwalk becomes a frightening experience with gangs of youth screaming, fighting, etc...
In a recent Beach Facebook post I learned that Queen Street East and Bellefair Avenue is an apparent free-for-all on Friday and Saturday nights with storefronts vandalized, thefts and excessive noise. Now, as in the past, this behaviour is attributed to local teens attending local high schools. Years ago I met a parent of a Malvern Collegiate student who told me I was over reacting regarding my concerns. The parent said the kids were just having fun doing teenage stuff. I asked her what street she
lived on so that they could party all night on her street, they could vandalize her car and property, and steal articles from her porch. Of course, she just turned and walked away. It is our kids who are fueling this problem, and that always has been the case. Special events such as fireworks do require extra resources when the tourists attend. The solution, though, starts at home.
D. Beal
I cannot congratulate cartoonist Bill Suddick enough for nailing it with his editorial cartoon about the impacts of jets at Billy Bishop Airport in the June 23 edition of Beach Metro Community News. It absolutely proclaims what my letters to Premier Doug Ford, and protestations in every citizen forum I come across, could not quite pull together. Thank you! I note the condos already blotting ordinary citizens experience of the lake, and now also the vibration, noise levels of jets? The real possibilities of accident from runway issues with construction on the shoreline of every imaginable Ford brainstorm; our beloved Ontario Place lost and all sorts of sorry substitutes for the family benefits it and Harbourfront provide. The gift of the lakefront accessible to ordinary people - that is encapsulated in that cartoon! And in the muddle, that’s me in the rowboat! Oh wait, I am the flying citizen in the upper corner. You said it all. Thank you to Bill Suddick. Sandi Richardson
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
Letters to the Editor
138 Woodmount Ave
Opinions o Beaches-East York council candidates on Ted Reeve Arena sought This is an open letter to the individuals running for the position of Beaches-East York councillor in this October’s municipal election. My name is Chris Kidd. My wife and I have lived in the Beach community for more than 30 years. We have been part of youth activities/programs (sportball, Beach Community Soccer, Ted Reeve Hockey, music, dance…) since our oldest was born more than 25 years ago. Over the last 10-plus years our involvement transitioned to lacrosse – our kids decided to make that a focus of their lives. For the last couple of years, I have been involved in conversations with the Ted Reeve Arena Community Board of Management regarding Beaches Lacrosse Club playing at the arena. In the past we have presented the benefits lacrosse has brought to the youth in our community. Those benefits include: • 80-plus young men and women currently playing university lacrosse in the United States and Canada. • Youth and adults repre-
senting Ontario in national championships. • Kids/adults representing Canada (and other countries) at international events. • Multiple young men playing professional lacrosse in the United States and Canada. • Providing young people another option to stay engaged in our community and create relationships. One young man has shared that without lacrosse he would be dead or in jail. Lacrosse is not the only activity that generates community/relationships while making kids’ lives better, but I have seen it make a difference in an amazing number of our young residents. In late 2025 the Ted Reeve Board had three new people join its board of nine. I reached out to the chairman and asked to present the Beaches Lacrosse program to the new board during the December meeting (the first meeting with the new board). I received the following email response… “Please note that the upcoming Board meeting on
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, at 6:00 PM is confirmed, but its agenda is strictly focused on operational and financial matters and does not include discussion of scheduling or facility allocation. As such, the Board will not be accepting any community presentations during the December 2nd meeting. A dedicated opportunity for all interested community groups to present on facility needs, scheduling, and allocation matters will be provided at the January 2026 Board meeting. We would be pleased to add your group to the agenda for that time to present your case and answer any questions from the Board.” Within 24 hours I responded on email acknowledging that the chairman’s email stated they would not be voting on keeping the ice in at the main rink and lacrosse remaining for the spring and summer at the Dec. 2 meeting, and that Beaches Lacrosse would present its position at the January meeting. So I was shocked when during the Dec. 2 meeting (with-
Thanks to kind person at local market On July 9 I had taken my mobility scooter to go shopping at the Greenwood Market, a small but comprehensive store on the Danforth between Linsmore and Greenwood. I had just checked out when the sales person remarked that it was raining. As usual, he had put my bags of groceries onto my scooter parked outside, so he knew. By the time I had made my way, on my canes, to the door, the deluge had hit. This lovely man asked if I would like to sit and soon had constructed a stool for me from produce crates. He
brought the bags of groceries back under the awning, put a piece of styrofoam over the scooter seat and a shallow waxed box over the dashboard and handle bars. He then went for a black garbage bag to put over the back of the scooter seat. Then he asked if I would like water or needed anything. By this time he was more than a little damp and was having to go back into the cold storage where the vegetables, deli meats and dairy products were carefully refrigerated. As we watched the gutters overflow onto the sidewalk and the sidewalk start to flood,
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he asked for the key and went out again to drive the scooter onto higher ground under the awning. Finally, when the torrent eased off and I said I would head home, he helped me bungie the canes to the scooter. Although I had managed to wipe the puddle off the seat, he provided me with two sturdy pieces of dry cardboard to sit on. I hope Beach residents venture up to the Danforth and also encounter this imaginative, creative and most gracious shopkeeper.
out hearing from Beaches Lacrosse) the board voted on whether the ice would be removed to allow lacrosse back in the arena in the spring and summer (as it has been for the last 30 years). The board voted to keep the ice in. It all seems offside to me and I said so to the board at its Jan. 13 when I and others asked for the decision regarding the ice in summer to be re-examined. It was not. So far, in my opinion, the City of Toronto has been no help in this situation. The politicians seem to want the bureaucrats to step in and bureaucrats seem to want the politicians to do something. The net result is that our local kids suffer and our community no longer has a lacrosse game-ready facility. For those running for council in Ward 19 Beaches-East York, I ask: “Do you support all Ward 19 youth? How will you address the situation at Ted Reeve Arena?” Chris Kidd
We love letters Send your letters by email to editor@beachmetro.com or by regular mail to Beach Metro News, 2196 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, ON, M4E 2C7.
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Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
Community Calendar
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JULY 22: A Senior Moment luncheon for ladies at The Breakwall BBQ & Smokehouse, 1910 Queen St. E., 1:30 p.m. The theme is to bring a friend. Text or call 647-829-8042. JULY 23-25: Beach Jazz Streetfest along Queen St. E. between Beech and Woodbine Aves., 6-11 p.m. Queen Street will transform into a free street festival with diverse bands, food trucks, vendors, and more! Street closes at 6 p.m., bands play from 7-11 p.m. Info: beachesjazz.com JULY 25: Mark Battenberg Music Presents “Mystic Music for a Midsummer Night” at Danforth Mennonite Church, 2174 Danforth Ave., 7:30 p.m. Please join Guitarist Mark Battenberg and Shakuhachi flute Master Debbie Danbrook for a mystical evening of original eclectic music and poetry, to celebrate the beautiful season of summer. Admission is $20 or pay what you can. JULY 26: Quack Fest at St. Matthew’s Clubhouse, 450 Broadview Ave., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. This family-friendly duck extravaganza in the park features an all-ages movement and sound workshop, followed by an interactive performance of “to – or to not to?” by Litt Dance Collective. This piece will feature live music, contemporary dance, and the sound of real and rubber ducks. There are two time slots to choose from at 11am & 1pm. Duck-themed merch will be available by donation and light refreshments will be provided. Event is Free/PWYC. Info: eastendarts.ca JULY 26: Dance & Draw at St. Matthew’s Clubhouse, 450 Broadview Ave., 5-7 p.m. Dance & Draw is a container for dancers and visual artists to connect and create. The activity will be an open improvisation jam for dancers and an opportunity for visual artists to draw moving bodies! The session will end with a closing conversation to reflect on the experience and a 20-minute social for micro conversations! Info: eastendarts.ca JULY 31-AUG. 3: Toronto Food Truck Festival at Woodbine Park, 1695 Queen St. E. Enjoy food from up to 50 participants, including vegetarian, halal, vegan, and glutenfree. Info: www.canadianfoodtruckfestivals.com/toronto AUG. 8: Historic Walk along Kingston Road with Beach Metro News columnist, Gene Domagala, 1 p.m. Meet at the southeast corner of Kingston Road and Victoria Park for the walk’s start. AUG. 12: A Senior Moment at The Remarkable Bean, 1:30 p.m. Join us for coffee and dessert. Text or call 647-829-8042. AUG. 22: A Senior Moment luncheon for ladies at The Stone Lion, 1958 Queen St. E., 1:30 p.m. Text or call 647-829-8042 TUESDAYS: EUCHRE at the Church of St. Aidan, 2423 Queen St. E., 7-9 p.m. Join us for a fun and friendly evening of progressive Euchre. Enter from the northeast side door, $5 to play, all proceeds go to outreach. Beginners welcome. THURSDAYS: CONTEMPLATIVE AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION at the Church of St. Aidan, 2423 Queen St. E., 7:30-8:15 p.m. All ages and stages of experience welcome! Free. Type of meditation will vary based on the instructor. Just drop in or email office@ staidansinthebeach.com for more information. THURSDAYS: CALVARY GRACE FOOD BANK, 72 Main St., 6-8:30 p.m, by appointment only, through Daily Bread Food Bank. Info: 416-691-2899, gpcc@calvary-baptistchurch.ca, www.gracepascoefoodbank.ca/access-our-services FRIDAYS: GRANTFUL FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP Food Bank and Soup Kitchen, 2029 Gerrard St E., 3:30-6 p.m. Registration is required. New clients must present identification for members in their household on their first visit and annually thereafter. Time slots are handed out and clients are encouraged to arrive at the food bank the time slot they have selected. Info.: 416-690-5169 ST. JOHN THE COMPASSIONATE MISSION “Friendly Visitors Program” is welcoming new volunteers. FVP visit people who are shut in, referred either by agencies or individuals living in the east of Toronto. Many of the folks we are visiting have been previously homeless or in difficulty life situations. This requires from our friendly visitors a deeply compassionate, nonjudgmental approach. Interested persons can email at: info@ stjohnsmission.org /attention Starotza Miroslava SPANISH CLASSES with Maria Eugenia at Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre, 93 Birchmount Rd., Wednesdays, July 8-Aug. 28. Beginners 1-2 p.m., Intermediate 2:15-3:15 p.m. Info: 416-396-4310 BEACHES MENTAL WELLNESS GROUP meets each Monday at 7:15 p.m. at East End United Church, 310 Danforth Ave., and each Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Community Centre 55, 97 Main St. at Swanwick. Info: www. mentalwellness.help. Or join us most nights of the week on Zoom. Go to: https://www.meetup.com. Ask to join us: Mental Wellness Peer-to-Peer Support-Groups. A A at Community Centre 55, 97 Main St., Saturdays 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Info: 416-691-1113 AL- ANON at Community Centre 55, 97 Main St., Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Alateen members are welcome to attend. Info: 416-691-1113 EAST YORK FARMERS’ MARKET at East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Ave., Tuesdays 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Info: www.facebook.com/EastYorkFarmersMarket COURTYARD FARMERS’ MARKET at Robertson Parkette, 1549 Danforth Ave., Wednesdays 3:30-7:30 p.m. Info: courtyardfarmersmkt.ca EAST LYNN FARMERS’ MARKET at East Lynn Park, 1949 Danforth Ave., Thursdays 3-7 p.m. Info: www.eastlynnparkfarmersmarket.ca LESLIEVILLE FARMERS’ MARKET at Greenwood Park, 150 Greenwood Ave., Sundays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Info: leslievillemarket.com MOVIE NIGHTS IN the Beach at Kew Gardens, Wednesdays, starting at sunset. Presented by the Beach BIA. Info: makewaves.to BEACHES LIONS CLUB meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday
at their Clubhouse, 10 Ashbridges Bay Park Rd. Interested in serving your community? Info: www.beacheslions.com BEACH PHOTO CLUB. Are you interested in photography? We invite all shutterbugs to check out our local photo club. We offer a range of activities including guest speakers, mentorship, opportunities to share your work, photo excursions, competitions, practical seminars and more! We meet the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from September to June, 7-9:30 p.m., at Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave. (unless specified in program). 2026/27 season starts Sept. 10. Info: beachphotoclub.com or email beachphotoclub@gmail.com EARLYON FAMILY RESOURCE CONNECTION, 184 Main St. Play Learn Explore: Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Friday & Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. All children from birth to six years are welcome. Info: 416-6900102, Jennifer.hooker@familyresourcecentre-dcc.net GERRARD/ASHDALE LIBRARY, 1432 Gerrard St. E. •Aug 1, 8, 15: Chess Club, 1-4 p.m. For all ages and levels, drop-in. •Aug 13: Cozy Corner Club. 2-4 p.m. A casual monthly social gathering for adults. Registration required. •Aug 15: Le bonnet magique avec Mireille Messier. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Story and craft in French for ages 3-8. Registration required. Info: 416-397-7717 FORWARD BAPTIST CHURCH CAMPS •Create Camp | Grades 4-8 | July 27-31 | 9am-3pm | Cost: $120 •Youth Camp | Grades 6-12 | Aug 10-14 | 9am3pm | Cost: $120. Info: forwardbaptist.churchcenter. com/registrations/events, info@forwardbaptist.com “MEDITATIONS FOR WORLD PEACE” CLASS at Atisha Buddhist Centre, 1823 Gerrard St. E., on Sundays from 10-11 am (Free). Wednesdays “Simply Meditate” on Wednesdays from 10-11 am ($10). Thursdays Lunchtime Meditation 12:15-12:45 pm ($5). Drop-in classes. Everyone is welcome. Info: atisha.ca, atisha.centre@gmail.com BEACH UNITED CHURCH, 140 Wineva Ave., invites you to share in worship with us each week. We offer a combination of in-person and YouTube livestream opportunities on Sunday mornings at 10:30 am. We are an inclusive, affirming congregation and our building is fully accessible. Rev. Dr. Ellen Redcliffe offers inspirational and thought-provoking reflections, supported by Music Director Dr. Steven Webb and the church choir, which welcomes new members at all times. Nathalie Zeta, our youth coordinator, offers engaging programming for our younger members and guests during the Sunday service. All are welcome! Beach United also offers vibrant music and educational programs open to the entire Beach community. For links to our upcoming worship services, or information about upcoming events and programs, please visit our website beachunitedchurch.com. THE CHURCH OF ST. AIDAN (Anglican), 2423 Queen St. E., is an energetic, active faith community committed to following Jesus as we gather for meaningful worship, spiritual growth, and community engagement. We live this out through our vibrant children’s and youth programs, diverse sacred music offerings, and active community outreach and environmental stewardship ministries. On Sundays, we welcome you to join us for worship at 9:30 a.m. (with music and children’s programs). Wednesdays please join us for the Eucharist Service at 10:30 a.m. Learn more about us: www.staidansinthebeach.com, 416-691-2222 ST. SAVIOUR’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 43 Kimberley Ave. at Swanwick. All are welcome. Sunday services at 10:30 a.m. - both in person and via Zoom. Info: 416-6996512, www.stsaviours.ca, https://www.facebook.com/ churchwithreddoor/. Sermons available on Proclamation! Podcast (now available for free on iTunes). BEACHES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 65 Glen Manor Drive. (S of Queen). We are an inclusive and affirming congregation in the heart of the Beach. BPC has strong commitments to community service and social justice issues. We provide non-perishable food for those in need through our Free Food Pantry located outside the church building. Every Wednesday we host a Coffee Outreach from 1-3 p.m., an opportunity for people in the neighbourhood to gather for coffee, snacks and fellowship. A full lunch is provided every 2nd Wednesday of the month. For a link to the services and more info please visit our website at www.beacheschurch.org or call 416699-5871. Minister: The Reverend Katherine McCloskey FALLINGBROOK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 35 Wood Glen Rd. Please join us for worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. with the Rev. Angela J. Cluney. All are welcome! Fallingbrook is an affirming congregation and is accessible by a lift. Please join us on Live Stream via Facebook or through our church website at 10:25 a.m. for our Prelude with our Music Director Nick Jessome. Weekly Worship services and Special Music selections are posted for viewing on our website. For more details about our church activities including: Bible Study, Book Club, Tea Time, Hobby Circle, Wee Folks, Choir or other upcoming activities, please contact us by e-mail at fboffice@rogers.com or call us at 416-699-3084. Info: fallingbrookpresbyterianchurch. com. Easy access by TTC from the Victoria Park subway.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Neighbourhood Stops and Shops
PHOTO: SUBMITTED BY INVICTUS PICKLEBALL VACATIONS COSTA RICA
Invictus combines professional pickleball coaching with the natural beauty of Costa Rica, offering guests everything from covered courts to relaxing outdoor lounges overlooking the jungle.
Why Beach pickleball players are heading to Costa Rica When former Beach business owner Sheila Carroll began developing a property in Costa Rica four years ago, she wasn’t simply dreaming of opening another tropical getaway. She wanted to build something that would benefit the local community. Today, that vision has grown into Invictus, an all-inclusive pickleball retreat in the coastal town of Uvita that combines worldclass coaching, rainforest accommodations, wellness programming and unforgettable adventures with a larger purpose: helping create opportunities for the people who call the region home. “The pickleball and retreats are incredible, but they’re really the vehicle,” Carroll said. “What I’m trying to build goes far beyond the courts.” That mission focuses largely on creating opportunities for single mothers and the local community and economy at large. Since launching Invictus, Carroll has helped a local woman expand her restaurant, supported another in building a property management company that now employs 15 local people, funded a mother of four to complete her nursing education, and helped establish a daycare that gives women the opportunity to work, study, and build businesses while their children are cared for. The name Invictus itself reflects that mission. Inspired by William Ernest Henley’s famous poem, later credited by Nelson Mandela with helping him endure years of imprisonment, the word means “unconquered” or “undefeated.” “Sometimes all people need is someone to give them a branch for elevation so they can become invictus themselves,” Carroll said. For visitors, however, the first impression is often much simpler. Imagine waking to the sounds of toucans and howler monkeys outside your jungle cabana before enjoying breakfast overlooking four covered pickleball courts, where professional coaches lead clinics tailored to every skill level. Afternoons might include an excursion to the famous Whale’s Tail formation at Marino Ballena National Park, a visit to nearby waterfalls, a yoga class or simply relaxing by the pool before returning to the courts for evening open play. “It’s really a choose-your-own-adventure experience,” said Sofia Rodrigues, who works alongside Carroll to help grow Invictus.
“Some guests want to play pickleball all day. Others want to mix in wellness, excursions, and time to simply enjoy Costa Rica.” The retreat welcomes everyone from first-time players to experienced competitors, while also recognizing that not every guest travels with a paddle in hand. “We have lots of people who don’t even play pickleball,” Carroll laughed. “They come for the excursions, the wellness classes, the beautiful surroundings or because their partner plays. There really is something for everyone.” Family has been woven into the design of Invictus from the beginning. Alongside its courts and wellness spaces, the property includes an on-site daycare and is building a playground beside the courts, making it easier for parents to enjoy the retreat together. Carroll hopes to expand those offerings through family-focused retreats in the future, another reflection of her belief that supporting families strengthens entire communities. Community also extends well beyond the resort’s guests. Monday evenings have become a popular tradition known as Canadian Night, when locals, expats and visitors gather for pickleball, conversation and even poutine, a little taste of home in the Costa Rican jungle. That welcoming atmosphere is one of the reasons Sarah Graham, founder of Toronto Beaches Pickleball and a local public school teacher, connected with Invictus after discovering it through a Canadian travel magazine. She’ll return this summer to support youth pickleball programming and the Invictus Cup tournament before hosting the inaugural Toronto Beaches Pickleball Retreat from March 11 to 20, 2027. For Carroll, introducing fellow Beach residents to the Costa Rican community she’s come to love feels especially meaningful. “We’re creating a place where people can improve their game, experience Costa Rica, make lifelong friends and have an incredible vacation,” she said. “If they leave knowing their trip also helped support the local community, then we’ve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.” To learn more about Invictus or reserve a spot in the March 2027 Toronto Beaches Pickleball Retreat, or explore other packages, visit the Invictus website. https://www. pickleball.cr or email sofia@invictus.biz directly. BMN Sponsored Content
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Tuesday, July 21, 2026
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Beach Memories
Historic Walk on Kingston Road set for Saturday, Aug. 8 GENE DOMAGALA Beach Memories
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will be leading an Historic Walk on the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 8, along Kingston Road. We will be meeting at 1 p.m. at the southeast corner of Kingston Road and Victoria Park for the walk’s start. Kingston Road is one of the oldest and most important roads in Ontario. Originally it was a major trail for Indigenous people who
travelled along the shores of Lake Ontario. Then in the 1700s, the French explorers also travelled along the same route and it became known as the road to Montreal and Quebec. Many years later the English took possession of the road after defeating the French for control of Canada. The road took on a different meaning when the English started to settle in the town they came to call York (now Toronto). York was centred around Parliament and King streets, but Lt. Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe wanted a road built from York to the town of
Kingston at the east end of Lake Ontario. Simcoe hired an American contractor named Asa Danforth who started building Kingston Road in 1793. But Danforth never completed the work on the road. However, it was eventually completed and since it was the road to Kingston it was called Kingston Road. On our Aug. 8 walk we will visit many historic sites that made, and still make, Kingston Road an important part of our community. The walk will head west along Kingston Road from Victoria Park Avenue.
We will note historic and religious buildings, and also see the Toronto Brick Yards location. That site produced many of the bricks used for homes, buildings and stores in the area. We will also visit local schools along the walk that are located on or near Kingston Road. Did you know there were hotels and taverns along our part of Kingston Road, and one of them was called the Ontario House? There are many historic sites to see on this walk including natural areas and the area that was once home to one of the first municipal golf courses. There is also a bowling alley
that is still in existence on Kingston Road. Do you know where it is? Kingston Road has many places to see and stories to be told about it. Some are historic and some are more linked to our modern-day times where we have bookstores, shops and restaurants and bars that make our community special. To learn more, please join me on Aug. 8 for the Historic Walk along Kingston Road as we find out about it “then and now”. Historically Yours!
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Deja Views
A look at the Kew boathouse in 1932 By David Van Dyke
PHOTO: CITY OF TORONTO ARCHIVES
The photograph above left was taken in the summer of 1932. It depicts the once magnificent Kew Beach Park Boathouse, located close to the shore between Kew Gardens and the Leuty Lifeguard Station. Today, this former glorious structure is gutted and used primarily for people with yoga mats and Beachers seeking temporary shelter from the rain. Alas, I should be happy that they didn’t just tear the whole thing down. Do you have any old photographs of Kew Gardens, the Boathouse or Leuty Lifeguard Station you’d like to share with our readers? Please contact me g d va n d y ke 6 1 @ g m a i l . com
PHOTO: DAVID VAN DYKE
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Update on candidates registered for East Toronto council races THERE ARE now 10 candidates registered to run for councillor in Beaches-East York in this fall’s Toronto municipal election. As of 9 a.m. on Monday, July 20, the candidates signed up to seek the seat are: Jaana Syeda Ali, James Dann, Natalie Johnson, Tycen Legg, Kevin Morrison, Adam Smith, Austin Vieira, Jeff Wahl, Devin Wilkins, and Jennie Worden. Toronto’s municipal election will take place on Monday, Oct. 26 and candidates have until the afternoon of Aug. 21 to register to run. As of July 20, there are six candidates registered to run for the position of councillor in Scarborough Southwest. They are Malik Ahmed, Rachel-Ariel Karokis, Philip Mills, Sharmina Nasrin, Mohammad Ali Reza and
Kevin Rupasinghe. Parthi Kandavel serves the ward as the current councillor. In Toronto-Danforth, as of July 20, Susan Chapelle and Jason Stevens have registered for the council race. Paula Fletcher currently serves as the councillor for TorontoDanforth. Beach Metro Community News will update information on candidates registering in Beaches-East York, Scarborough Southwest and Toronto-Danforth in the lead up to this fall’s municipal election. We will also let our readers know about campaign launches as we receive information about them. For more info on candidates registered to run in this year’s municipal election in Toronto, please go to www.toronto.ca/citygovernment/elections/candidate-list/
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Provincial byelection to be called soon for Scarborough Southwest WHILE THE provincial byelection for Scarborough Southwest has yet to be officially called, the pieces are starting to fall into place for the vote as four major parties have announced their candidates. On Friday, July 10, the Ontario Progressive Conservative party named Dr. Noor Tarun as its candidate for the byelection. And on July 14, a news release from the Green Party of Ontario said Mark Bekkering would be the party’s candidate in Scarborough Southwest. According to Elections Ontario, the byelection must take place no later than Sept. 3 of this summer. Given that provincial elections are announced on Wednesdays, according to Elections Ontario, this one will have to be called either July 22 or July 29. (Please visit the Beach Metro Community News website at www.beachmetro.com for updates on the Scarborough Southwest provincial byelection.) The NDP and Liberals have already named their candidates for the Scarborough Southwest byelection. Running for the Liberals will be Ahsanul Hafiz. Running for the NDP will be Fatima Shaban. Candidates Bekkering, Shaban and Tarun will be familiar to Scarborough Southwest voters as they have all run in past elections in the riding. Most recently, Shaban was the NDP candidate in the federal byelection in Scarborough Southwest that saw Doly Begum elected as the new Liberal MP for the riding in April of this year. Tarun ran for the federal Conservative Party in Scarborough Southwest in the April 2025 federal election. Bekkering was the provincial Green Party candidate in Scarborough Southwest in the February 2025 provincial election.
In announcing Tarun as the Ontario PC candidate, Premier Doug Ford praised the longtime family physician in the community. “Dr. Tarun understands that people want leaders who focus on practical solutions and get results,” said Ford. “He’ll be a strong advocate for Scarborough Southwest as we continue growing our economy, lowering costs for families and keeping our communities safe from crime. I know Dr. Tarun will work hard every day to deliver for the people of Scarborough Southwest.” Bekkering said in the news release announcing he will be the Green Party candidate that Premier Ford and his ruling Progressive Conservative government, which has been in power since 2018 and won its third straight majority government in the 2025 election, has let down the people of Scarborough. “The Ford government has let the people of Scarborough down. Families in my community are struggling to make rent, buy groceries and save for the future. Every year, we feel the effects of climate change get worse. Our community needs a government that’s going to fight for more affordable homes, better transit and a sustainable future,” he said. The Scarborough Southwest Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) seat became open after Doly Begum, who had served in the role for the NDP since 2018, announced in February of this year that she would be stepping down to run for the Liberals in the riding’s federal byelection. That federal seat became open after Liberal MP Bill Blair, who had held the seat since 2015, said in February of this year that he would be stepping down to become Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
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Reel Beach: Movies in East Toronto
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I Will Find You hits the streets running BERNIE FLETCHER
T
oronto is the great pretender, standing in for cities like Boston and New York. In the opening scenes of the new Netflix thriller I Will Find You a little boy and his parents are happily playing together in an idyllic setting in Boston. The actual locations are Woodbine Beach Park and Edwards Gardens. People love a good mystery, which has made Harlan Coben a best-selling author. The eight-episode adaptation of his book I Will Find You has found its audience, becoming the most watched Netflix original series this year soon after its arrival just before Father’s Day. The timing was right because the plot is about a father’s devotion to his son and a search for the truth about what really happened to his boy. Coben wanted to start his story in “a very dark place”. David Burroughs (Sam Worthington) is in “the worst place imaginable”. He’s in prison for the murder of his young son. David is shown evidence that changes everything…his son may well be alive. “Because the past never changes…until one day it does.” With the help of the prison warden (played by Toronto’s Peter Outerbridge), David breaks out and is on the run. There are twists and turns and more cliff hangers than the Scarborough Bluffs. There’s an exciting chase over rooftops in New York City which was filmed around Front Street in downtown Toronto. Another popular film location was the Comrade Bar on Queen Street East near Broadview Avenue. When I was young, my favourite show was The Fugitive with an innocent
Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You is now an eight-episode series airing on Netflix. Filming took place at a number of Toronto locations including Woodbine Beach.
man on the run after being convicted of a murder he didn’t commit. I Will Find You is more action-packed but also more far-fetched. It helps to have a willing suspension of disbelief. Just go along for the escapist ride! This series shares some film locations with Reacher, including the Kingston Pen and the Escarpment House in Caledon (also seen in The Testaments). Sorry, the mansion is off the market after recently selling for $24.5 million. Was Reacher a Beacher? Rumour has it that Alan Ritchson lived in the Beach while filming Season Three last summer, and that he worked out at the YMCA on Kingston Road. Ritchson was spotted filming at the beach and also jogging shirtless along the Boardwalk at Kew Beach. He was nice enough to pose for photos with fans. Ritchson was also seen at
Branson Hospital in North York. No word on whether he was there filming or visiting a friend or putting someone in the hospital. Just kidding, I don’t want the big guy mad at me. I don’t look good in a hospital gown. Watch for Reacher Season Four to premiere on Aug. 12 (Prime Video). Season Five just started filming in Toronto. The spinoff Neagley will be released on Sept. 16. Also on Prime Video (Oct. 31) is The Terminal List starring Chris Pratt with filming at Kimberley Junior Public School at Main Street and Swanwick Avenue. It’s a sign of the times that the Toronto Maple Leafs will no longer be on CBC on Saturday Night. Broadcast television is shrinking. Most of the film production in Toronto has shifted to streaming services. Book adaptations are well suited to a limited series so enjoy the bingewatching, but you’ll have to pay extra for it!
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Neighbourhood Stops and Shops
Renovations
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New Builds
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PHOTO: SUBMITTED BY LAND ARK HOMES
Lakeside village living in Westport, ON. Watercolour Westport was designed around walkability, community connection and access to nature in the heart of Rideau Lakes cottage country.
Westport community inspired by the Beach offers a different pace o life There comes a point for many Torontonians when the question quietly begins to surface: What if life didn’t have to be this busy? It’s a thought that often begins with life’s quieter frustrations. A longer commute, another crowded weekend, too little time outdoors, or simply the feeling that life has become more about keeping up than slowing down. For those who have ever imagined a different pace, Watercolour Westport offers something worth discovering. Located three hours east of Toronto in the historic village of Westport, Watercolour is a thoughtfully planned community designed around a simple idea: build neighbourhoods the way people actually want to live. For founder and builder Stephen Rolston, that vision was inspired by communities that have stood the test of time, including Toronto’s own little slice of heaven: The Beach. “The Beach is one of my points of reference for what we’re trying to recreate,” Rolston said. “We’re trying to give people their home and their cottage in one.” After decades in homebuilding, and nearly 10 years away studying architecture, land planning and community design, Rolston returned with a different goal: not simply to build houses, but to build community. Instead of another subdivision built around cars, Watercolour embraces walkability, front porches, green space and local businesses. Sidewalks and trails connect the neighbourhood to Westport’s vibrant downtown, where boutiques, cafés, restaurants, galleries, wineries and everyday essentials are all within walking distance. “We’re seeing people who are looking to escape high-density living,” said Wafa Martin, Watercolour’s marketing lead. “We have retirees who want a more active lifestyle, and young families who want their children to walk to school, to the arena or to the harbour with a towel over their shoulder to go swimming.” “The common thread,” she added, “is greater wellness. People are asking themselves, ‘Do I just want to live better?’” Westport itself is part of that answer. As the western port of the Rideau Canal waterway and in the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, Westport offers artisan boutiques, live music at The Cove, local wineries, scenic trails and countless ways to spend a day by the water. “It’s a journey of discovery,” Martin said. “People feel like they’ve found something
special.” That feeling is echoed by many who visit Watercolour for the first time. “We’ve asked homeowners what people experience when they come here,” Rolston said. “The word they keep coming back to is ‘beauty.’ Beauty of the homes. Beauty of the community. Beauty of the landscape.” Just as often, visitors describe something less tangible. “They tell us they feel calm. They feel relaxed. They feel peace,” Rolston said. “There’s something about being surrounded by water that changes people.” Watercolour is also making history. Earlier this year, Land Ark Homes received the 2026 Canadian Home Builders’ Association Housing Excellence Award for Best Net Zero Production Home for its Crosby Loft model, competing against production builders from across Canada. Watercolour is also Canada’s first all electric, fossil fuel-free neighbourhood, with Net Zero Ready homes built to standards years ahead of today’s building code. For Rolston, sustainability has never been a marketing slogan. “My faith, my upbringing and my mentors shaped that decision,” he said. “Taking care of the earth wasn’t a suggestion. It was our responsibility.” That commitment extends beyond the homes themselves. Walkable neighbourhood design reduces reliance on vehicles, supports local businesses and encourages the kind of everyday interactions that create lasting communities. Since Watercolour welcomed its first residents, Westport has grown by roughly 200 full-time residents, helping strengthen the local economy while preserving the village’s historic waterfront charm. Perhaps that’s why Watercolour encourages prospective homeowners to do something unusual: don’t come just to tour a model home. Spend a day, or even a weekend, exploring Westport. Wander the main street. Have lunch overlooking the water. Visit a local gallery. Talk to the people who call the village home. Because sometimes, finding the right home starts with discovering a community that simply feels right. Learn more, browse available homes or plan your visit at www.watercolourwestport.com. For a closer look at life in the community, you can also listen to the Watercolour Westport Stories Podcast on YouTube. BMN Sponsored Content
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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY Your gateway to connecting with skilled professionals in our community Interested in advertising your business in our Professional Directory? Contact carolin@beachmetro.com or 416-698-1164 x 22 for rates. Your Professional Directory ad also appears on our website: beachmetro.com
HEALTH
PSYCHOTHERAPY
ACCOUNTING
LAWYERS/LEGAL
Toronto Beach Eye Care
Lisa Romano-Dwyer
OPTOMETRISTS
Dashwood & Dashwood
Registered Social Worker
Bert van Delft CA CPA Professional Corporation
1914 Queen St. E. (E. of Woodbine) Mon.- Sat. by appointment
416-691-5757 TorontoBeachEyeCare.com
BSc, MSW, PhD, RSW
Lakeside Wellness Therapy Affiliates Individual & Couple Care Wellness Life Coaching
416-270-9898 • bert@bvandelft.com 98 Scarboro Beach Blvd.
VETERINARIANS
Kriens LaRose, LLP
Family Dentistry
416-691-8555 www.balsamdental.com
BEACHES OPTOMETRY CLINIC
Dr. Linda Chan, Optometrist and Associates 951 Kingston Rd. (West of Victoria Park)
416-691-1991
Complete financial services for the business owner, manager, entrepreneur & self-employed Corporate & Personal Income Tax Services
416-951-8280 www.modernsocialworker.ca
BALSAM DENTAL * Open 6 days a week * * Evening hours available * New patients always welcome 2200 Queen St. East (at Balsam)
CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT
CHRISTINE KATO, B.Sc., D.V.M.
KATO ANIMAL HOSPITAL 2830 Danforth Ave. (East of Dawes Rd.)
Chartered Professional Accountants
Audit services for not-for-profit organizations kriens@krienslarose.com krienslarose.com 416-690-6800
416-690-2112
Dogs, cats, pocket pets. Housecalls available.
HOUGHTON VETERINARY HOUSECALL SERVICES Vaccines, examinations, diagnostics, palliative care, and home euthanasia provided for your pets in the comfort of your own home.
Dr. Barbara Houghton 647-221-5516
Melani Norman
CPA, CMA Accounting Issues and Systems, Bookkeeping, Personal and Corporate Taxes
Call 416-471-0337
FINANCIAL SERVICES Psychologist
Consultations • Therapy Individuals • Couples Over 20 years experience. Located at Queen & Wheeler
416-691-1071
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Toronto Kids OT Occupational Therapy for kids of all ages. Fine motor, school readiness, self-regulation.
TorontoKidsOT.ca 416-391-6179
NEXT DEADLINE AUGUST 17
CHIROPRACTORS
Peter J. Salah
Janet D’Arcy
Cont.
Geoffrey J. Dashwood
Family Law Lawyer 124 Merton Street, Suite 300 We Collaborate, Negotiate & Litigate
961 Kingston Rd. Tel. 416-690-7222
416.752.8128 peter@salahlaw.ca www.salahlaw.ca
Barristers & Solicitors
Toronto, M4E 1S8 Fax. 416-690-8738
Snider & DiGregorio Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries. 978 Kingston Road,
Toronto, Ont., M4E 1S9
Tel: 416-699-0424 Fax: 416-699-0285 Email: info@sdlegal.ca
Stephen G. King Architect
B. Arch. (U of T) OAA “Serving the Beach since 1987” Sustainable Design, Residential, Restorations, Home Inspections, Commercial, Interiors, Landscapes COMPLETE PROJECT SERVICES FROM DESIGN THROUGH CONSTRUCTION
(416) 694-8181 • sgkarch@gmail.com www.stephenkingarchitect.com Member Ontario Association of Architects
Jon Cummings Architecture Residential new build, renovations interior/exterior, garden suites, lane way houses, multiplexes. Commercial interiors
jcarc.ca
office@jcarc.ca 647-864-8370
Barrister, Solicitor, Notary
REAL ESTATE LAWYER 416 690 1855 [P 416 690 1866 [F 2972 DANFORTH AVE.
Beaches Family Law and MEDIATION
416-690-6195
47 Main Street (at Lyall) 416-763-6884 Linda@BeachesFamilyLaw.com
dbadleylaw@rogers.com
GARRY M. CASS
BARRISTER & SOLICITOR, TEP Wills/Estate Administration/Advice to Estate Trustees
416-767-CASS (2277) x 207 416-795-4899 (cell) 416-491-0273 (fax) garry@garrycass.com
Glover & Associates Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries Real Estate, Family, Litigation Wills & Estates, Corporate
416 690-6257 Open Saturdays
BJARNASON, D.C. Chiropractor
1906 Queen St. E.
(1 block east of Woodbine)
416-694-2868 BEACHES WELLNESS CENTRE
Dr. Johanna Carlo
Family • Wills & Estates Real Estate
2069 Danforth Ave. (Woodbine)
DC, FRCCSS (C) Chiropractor Sports Injury Specialist 2455A Queen St. East John H.
KAMRUL HAFIZ AHMED
DENISE BADLEY-CASTELLO
ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN DR. LINDA WINTER
LAWYERS/LEGAL
Linda Bronicheski, J.D.
Chiropractic &
Registered Massage Therapy 2130 Queen Street East
416-698-7070
ASHBRIDGE’S HEALTH CENTRE Dr. Emily Howell & Associates
Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Orthotics
ARISE Legal Services PC Ayesha (Emma) Abbas
Barrister, Solicitor, Notary
Wills & Estates • Real Estate Family • General 437-992-1267 info@ariselegalservices.com ariselegalservices.com
ashbridgeshealth.janeapp.com 1522 Queen St. E. 416-465-5575 www.ashbridgeshealth.ca
MASSAGE THERAPY
THERAPY LOUNGE Welcome to our new space! 2152 Queen Street East • Open 7 days per week • Book Online
416-691-3700
FUNERAL SERVICES
Shelly Pereira, Paralegal
eco Cremation &
URBAN CALM THERAPEUTICS
Life Celebrations. Done Differently. In Service with St. John’s Norway Cemetery & Crematorium.
Stephanie Gage, RMT Kristina Pearsal, RMT 1789 Queen St. East, Unit 6
www.therapylounge.ca 416-916-7122
Queen and Hammersmith
Commissioner/Notary, Small Claims, Landlord & Tenant/other Tribunals, Municipal Offences, Letters & Mediation. Call for a Free 30 min. Consultation
647-693-6240 Toronto info@toronto-paralegal.net
Burial Services Inc. 647.660.5056 www.ecofuneral.ca
www.urbancalm.ca 416-698-3157
Thank you to these incredible local partners who help bring Beach Metro to you. Check out these spots for the most recent issue on the Danforth!
A&W Coxwell Alterna Savings Bangla Town Grocery Beach Denture Clinic BMO Brad Bradford, City Councillor Cafe Juventus Espresso Bar Canadian Tire Chester Village CIBC City Dental
Coxwell Ultrasound Danforth/Coxwell Library Danforth Family Care Centre Danforth Gas & Wash Danforth Main Pharmacy Danforth Medical Building Danforth Pharmacy Danforth Roofing Danforth Village Medical Dr. T. Mahmood Dulux Paints East Toronto Coffee Co. East Toronto Orthopaedic Clinic Fresh 1 Market Woodbine Golden Pizza Grillies Health Service Centre HIP (Hairs In Place) Hirut Cafe
IDA Danforth Drug Mart IDA Medimost Pharmacy John’s Hobbies Kato Animal Hospital Kera Fresh Meat Liberty Tax Long & McQuade Main Square Dental Mary-Margaret McMahon, MPP Metro Animal Hospital Metro Shoppers World Midas Milk Plus Mofer Coffee Mr. Tasty Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, MP Neighbourhood Link Patisserie La Cigogne Pet Valu Shoppers World
Physiomed Pink Studio Poured Coffee Press Vinyl Cafe ProHealth Pharmacy Quattro Amici Cafe RBC Royal Bank Woodbine RBC Royal Bank Danforth Royal Beef Saron Cafe Scotiabank Seb’s Cappuccino Sobeys Danforth South East Toronto Health Subway Coxwell Subway Main St Subway Shoppers World Sunset Grill TD Canada Trust Coxwell
TD Canada Trust Vic Park The Crossroads BIA The Green Store Tim Hortons Main St. Tim Hortons Woodbine TKO’s Spors Bar and Restaurant Trecce Value Village Valu-Mart Woodbine Vincenzo Supermarket WoodGreen Community Services
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
19
Father’s Day film screening celebrates KS Balgopal IT WAS a special Father’s Day weekend for Kevin Balgopal recently as he was joined by family and friends for the screening of a movie about him at the Fox Theatre in the Beach. Titled KS Balgopal A Lifetime of Adventure, the film was made by his son Jason Balgopal. It chronicles his father’s adventures and achievements from his birth in the British Raj of India, to his education in the United States and then his decision to “move north” to Canada. “I told him about it at Christmas and said we’d show it at the Fox,” said Jason Balgopal. The screening was on the morning of Saturday, June 20 (the day before Father’s
PHOTO: SUBMITTED
The poster for the movie KS Balgopal A Lifetime of Adventure.
Day). A crowd of more than 60 watched the film and also gathered for photos in front of the marquee of the iconic Queen Street East Theatre. “I rented the cinema for the screening and it was great. There were interviews, and old photos that we used in the movie and accompanied by his favourite music selections and music that was connected to what was showing on the screen,” said Balgopal. He said the 86-minute film was a big hit with both his parents and the friends and family members who attended. “Everyone loved the movie, learned something new about my father, and had a wonderful time connecting and reminiscing about times gone by,” said Balgopal. “It was interesting and enjoyable. I had done one for my mother about five years ago so I knew I would be able to find lots of friends and family to talk to,” he said. For the movie about his mother Jeannette, Balgopal had interviewed 30 people who were important to her but they were unable to screen it live at a theatre at the time due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, they did show it virtually. He said his father knew he was working on something but thought it was just a video for “posterity’s sake” and was surprised to discover it was a movie that would be shown at a theatre. “As people got to know about it he was quite excited and engaged about it being shown at the Fox, and everyone was thrilled with the outcome,” said Balgopal. For A Lifetime of Adventure, Balgopal took clips from interviews he had done with his father over the last 10 years and used them to create the film in a way that lets him tell his own story. “I included photos of him throughout his life, including ones which are now over 85 years old. I set the movie
PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Sixty people attended the screening of the film KS Balgopal A Lifetime of Adventure last month at the Fox Theatre in the Beach.
score to include all the most important songs of my father’s life.” Balgopal said having it on the marquee of the Fox was a thrill for his father, as was the
poster made for the movie as well. The poster was created by Balgopal who used a photo of his father from behind looking into a reflection that showed him as a much younger man.
20 BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Find more news at BEACHMETRO.COM
East York parade celebrates Canada’s 159th birthday
Photos by Alizée Legrain
The East York Canada Day Parade marked its 70th anniversary on Wednesday, July 1. The parade along Cosburn Avenue featured more than 35 community groups and organizations, and was followed by a community festival in Stan Wadlow Park.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
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Habitat seeks homeowner applications PROSPECTIVE HOMEOWNERS can now apply for one of 33 attainable homes being built at 355 Coxwell Ave. as Habitat for Humanity GTA recently marked the completion of the building’s structural frame. The July 7 ceremony came less than nine months after Habitat for Humanity GTA officially broke ground on the six-storey modular condominium project on the northeast corner of Coxwell Avenue and Gerrard Street East. The building is expected to welcome residents in the second quarter of 2027. The development will provide 33 below-market attainable homes for eligible Toronto households, creating new avenues for residents who have struggled to find affordable and accessible homes. “Today’s milestone is about more than reaching the top of a building. It’s about reaching the moment when future homeowners can begin to see themselves here. Less than nine months ago, we celebrated the beginning of construction. Today, we’re opening the door for individuals and families to begin their own journey toward homeownership,” said Ene Underwood, CEO for Habitat for Humanity GTA in a July 7 news release. The building was announced in 2025, lauded as the first project under the Ontario-Toronto New Deal. Habitat for Humanity GTA partnered with the City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario, putting forward a $14.9 million investment and giving Toronto residents in the 70th income percentile the opportunity to become homeowners. Applications for 355 Coxwell Ave. are now open. For more information, please visit https://habitatgta.ca/coxwell
416-694-2000 | 2211 Queen St. East beaches@scholarsed.com
1978 Queen St. E., 416 907 2029 www.charmingparrot.com
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Clothing, Accessories, Gift, Kids, Home
A visit to Xola restaurant in the Beach By Marion Wyse
MALINALI FERNANDEZ grew up experiencing the breadth and depth of her home country and how its cuisine varied. Summers were spent in Mexico City with her grandparents, then school time with her parents in nearby Puebla or more remote regions such as Veracruz and Chiapas. She enjoyed the delicious diversity so much that when she and husband Francisco moved to Canada 20 years ago, she started working in a Mexican restaurant on the Danforth. The Beach was their choice of new home for their growing family. As years went by, Malinali wanted more and more to work as well as mother in the area. Then one day, while having ice cream at Ed’s on the northwest corner of Beech Avenue and Queen Street East, she noticed next door was empty. At once she called her sister and husband to come and look. “This was it,” she says with relish. “This is the space where I can make my dreams of creative cheffing come true!” Though the recipe includes hard work and effort, she and her family accomplished just that. Xola opened its doors in 2013. Its name is indigenous Mexican. No one knows exactly how it was pronounced hundreds of years ago, so Malinali pronounces it “Shola”, and tells me the meaning most dear to her heart is: “place close to the water”. Malinali started with traditional Mexican recipes such as taco baja, and found customers enjoyed experiencing this delicious fish as the centre of a complete sit-down meal in an atmosphere of relaxation. Malinali, with chefs Gloria and husband Angel, are constantly improving on the old style recipes as well as creating new ways to present the ingredients. Their menu has become representative of Mexico’s cultured palate pleasures. One luscious example is her duck confit. Also, all her mole (pronounced mo-lay) sauces are skillfully and lovingly nurtured, with select multiple ingredients that vary according to the destined dish. All meats are from Ontario, selected daily at St. Lawrence Market. She wants only the best for her loyal clientele. Patrons coming in enjoy choosing a new dish just brought to the next table, with a smell too enchanting to ignore. Each of her experiments quickly becomes an old favourite. Explaining her process, Malinali tells me: “I decided to make my family recipe for duck confit. I make it sometimes sweeter with pears, sometimes spicier with peppers. Another creation is my chicken wings; I went around to different places in Toronto to see how they do it, but I found some too sweet, some too vinegary. Sure, we Mexicans eat spicy foods, but we don’t quite kill ourselves, right? No, we eat more flavourful kinds of spices. So I say why not have a balance? To achieve that I would use blackberries, hibiscus, chipotle, and caramelized garlic. Something is best sweet or spicy, you know, but not together. All my meats make beautiful dishes, with different peppers, chilli and chilli pasta. “Lamb is one of the favourites at Xola. The other super special for me is mole, which I started experimenting with 30 years ago. Mole is always a very sophisticated sauce with 23 ingredients, one being chocolate. I make a new mole with an older mole as my starter. And it’s lovely. The new is a red, intense red. And then when you add the old mole, it goes dark. Because when you add something already old as a starter, like a sourdough, the result is a balanced chemical reaction. And it’s beautiful how it gets a super deep flavour, right? Also don’t forget to say: my husband makes the best margarita in the world!” Xola has an indoor room and also, from May through September, a street patio. Setting it all up and monitoring daily requirements is son
PHOTO: MARION WYSE
Xola owner Malinali Fernandez by the eagle mural by Mexican artist Andre Castro.
Max, whose friendly machismo ensures patrons are happily seated and served. Behind the scenes, Gloria and her husband Angel, and her busy brother Guillermo, create the suite of menu regulars and specials. Changes are very doable if a patron has special dietary needs. Malinali serves it all and keeps her eye on everything, alert to nuances of pleasure or concern. What struck me going inside Xola, along with enticing aromas, was its side walls. I saw at once how Mexico has been connected to the Beach Village. Malinali tells that story: “When we first opened, the walls were empty. You know how, when you see that in your home, you want to decorate it with something beautiful. You stare at the walls. You imagine, ‘What do I want to put in there?’ I didn’t want anything tacky, or mariachi, or sombreros. In Mexico, we are more than mariachi and sombreros. In Mexico we have Diego, Frida, and Paseo. In any Mexican city we have music, galleries, theatres ~ a lot of art, pre-Hispanic or modern. “Our Beach neighbourhood has always been supportive. During COVID, our regulars ordered from us all the time. The painting on this (western) wall is to remind us of the foxes who came out, especially along the Boardwalk, during those quiet months. The hummingbird beside it is an important bird in both Mexico and Canada. It is like our soul. It is very important if one comes to visit you. On the opposite (eastern) wall is a mural by the Mexican artist Andre Castro. I think it is the first one he did in Canada. It shows the eagle, representing many aspects of traditional and contemporary art which you could see in all places of my homeland.” Something in the flight of the eagle on one side of me, and the pairing of fox and hummingbird on my other, was welcoming in the way affectionate laughter embraces. I was back in Mexico ~ until the Queen streetcar rambled by. XOLA Mexican restaurant is at 2222 Queen St. E. Go online to www. xolarestaurant.com for more information, or call 647-827-9070 or email xolarestauranttoronto@gmail.com
22
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Find more news at BEACHMETRO.COM
Beacher warns local seniors about online romance scams
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By Jessica Shackleton
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MANY YOUNG women are familiar with the concept of hanging out with friends one evening and making a dating app profile. They will then lean over her phone and scroll through the options together, offering opinions. When she matches with someone and starts talking, her friends will do some research. Is this person who they say they are? Do they really go to our university? Profiles include education, age, multiple photos, and jobs. It’s often easy to find this information online, as most people have some kind of online presence. Maybe she’ll talk with them for a while, and if the conversation gets weird, she’ll move on. These apps are 18-plus, and another group that of-
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Crossword 7KH 3DLQIXO 7UXWK Across 1 Small amount 5 "The truth is ..." 11 Short dog, for short 14 Receipt in a "dépanneur" 15 Bread that's not buttered? 16 Gretel's grandfather 17 Beginning of a remark that is "painfully" true 19 Corp. or Co. alternative 20 Wealthy political contributor 21 Pied Piper's place 23 Eye parts containing the iris 24 Part 2 of the remark 26 ___-to (shed) 27 Seven-layer-dip ingredient 28 "When ___ One-and-Twenty": A.E. Housman 29 Caesar dressing ingredient? 30 London lock-ups 31 Part 3 of the remark 35 Steak with a built-in dog treat 37 "Canadian Mint" and "Disco Fever" record co. 38 Belonging to that "homme" 39 Throat-clearing sounds 41 Study of the body: Abbr. 45 Part 4 of the remark 47 Like ___ out of water 48 Escapee's aim 49 Bit of Christmas tinsel, supposedly 50 Ending with hatch or quack 51 End of the remark 54 Golf ball prop 55 "___ of the North" (early film on Canada's Inuit) 56 Talk like a drunk or a racist 57 Newspaper's classified content 58 Gathers information bit by bit 59 Actors Knight and Danson Down 1 Like the Dodger in "Oliver!" 2 Deserve a treat, maybe 3 Ingredient not found in a Long Island drink bearing its name
E\ %DUEDUD 2OVRQ &ODVVL&DQDGLDQ &URVVZRUGV
4 Fellow from Florence, say 5 Tag player's words, maybe 6 Fédéraliste's referendum vote 7 Pocket watch chain 8 Hilo hellos 9 "Only in ___ , you say? Pity..." (Red Rose Tea slogan) 10 Crux of many crosswords 11 Amphibian that'll croak when it's older? 12 Relating to the eye 13 Affliction of a rabid dog 18 Is down with 22 Perrier competitor 24 Bad bird in "Aladdin" 25 Work shirker 27 Spanish shiner 29 III, in today's Roma 30 Anne's Avonlea beau, for short 31 Bespectacled one's moniker 32 Cat-___-tails
33 "Don't look ___!" ("I didn't do it!") 34 Plural "your," in French 35 Lustrous wedding gown fabric 36 Like the last line on an eye chart, for many 39 Lacking a musical key 40 Treating with compassion 41 "There's ___ time for everything" 42 Actress Kidman 43 Equally noisy 44 Hubby's "old lady" 46 Checking for minors, in a way 47 Cry from "Cathy" of the comics 49 Peeves 52 ___ double take 53 Get an ___ (pass with flying colours)
Solution on page 24
ten turns to the internet to find dates is seniors who are reentering the dating scene. A Beach resident, whom we are going to call Veronica (not her real name), said that for most seniors there is no circle of friends sleuthing the internet to make sure matches are legit. While both demographics are looking for connections, older users are more vulnerable to the romance scams and exploitative actions. Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario defines a romance scam as a fraud scheme that targets people on social media through email, text, or online dating platforms. The feigning romantic interest leads to a “relationship” which leads to asking for money. Veronica wants people to take precautions to keep themselves safe. Every year, online romance scams account for tens of millions of dollars in financial losses. According to Elder Abuse Ontario, Canadians lost more than $50.3 million to romance scams in 2023. Older women tend to be targeted more and often lose more than men. Men, however, are more likely to report scams. Scams should be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at https://reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca/. Reporting is important because it can help police with crime forecasting and prevention awareness. Older women living alone, feeling lonely, and craving companionship are prime targets for romance scams and having a trusted person to talk to about dating endeavours can help people avoid falling for one. Retirement is the perfect time to get involved in social activities and get out there. Simply having people to talk to about what’s going on in your life can help protect you from those who try to take advantage of you. “There’s an evilness to hurting someone and targeting older people. I’m concerned for them and angry at those who hurt others,” said Veronica. Scammers can usually tell when a victim is lonely and will capitalize on that, which leads to embarrassment for the victim. Veronica started online dating in 2025 and uses Hinge and Bumble, two of the most popular dating apps in Canada. The free tiers of these apps have worked for her. She’s had her share of attempted scams, including the third person she matched with, but hasn’t fallen for any. However, she knows people who have. “Someone I know personally experienced a
scam, and it broke his heart. It took a while for him to figure it out, and if it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone,” she said. Veronica said it’s important to be upfront about what you are looking for in your profile that you post online. Her other tips include blocking your number when you talk on the phone and meeting in public places on first dates. She also emphasized that it’s important to be honest if things aren’t working out. “I say, tell me if you’re not interested. If it doesn’t go well, then it’s OK,” she said. Below is a list of Veronica’s Top 10 red flags to look out for: • They consistently avoid meeting in person or having a video call. • They claim to live nearby but say they’re working in another country. • When talking on the phone, voices sound very different from their name or claimed heritage. • Their texts are polished and eloquent, but when you speak on the phone, their speech is awkward or inconsistent. • They rush into declaring love or showering you with over-the-top compliments very quickly (love bombing). • When you finally meet, their appearance and stories don’t line up with what they shared in their profile. • They share a hard-luck story, maybe a sick child, eviction, or lost job, without directly asking for money, but make you feel the emotional manipulation. • They push you to move the conversation off the dating platform to apps like WhatsApp or Snapchat, where they’re harder to track. • Their profile is vague or uses questionable photos, they send explicit messages right away, and they are inconsistent or evasive when you ask questions. • They repeatedly cancel plans and ignore your boundaries. After having a bad experience on dating apps or being scammed, it can be difficult to get back out there, but Veronica said that you can’t let it take over. “If you’re being scammed, report it and don’t let it destroy and control you. You’re only human; get out there and keep yourself busy. Sleep, nutrition, and social activity are the keys to longevity,” she said. Along with scammers, there are also nice, normal people on dating apps who have good intentions, and success is possible, said Veronica.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
23
Festival of South Asia along Gerrard India Bazaar
PHOTOS: ALIZÉE LEGRAIN
The 24th annual Festival of South Asia took place along the Gerrard India Bazaar on the weekend of Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12. Presented by the Gerrard India Bazaar BIA, the festival featured entertainment, food, cultural displays, vendors and numerous other activities along Gerrard Street East between Coxwell and Greenwood avenues.
24 BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
The Main Menu
Enjoy summer with these recipes JAN MAIN
Creating And Caring For Gardens And Landscapes Since 2000 www.quercusgardens.ca 416-778-9857
Est. 1988
Renovation Project Planning Design Drawings Budget Development
www.totalrenovations.com
416-694-2488
is an author, cooking instructor and caterer janmainskitchen@ gmail.com
A
s they say, it’s summer and the living is easy! We have waited a long time for this season to come – especially this year. The winter was long, cold and endless. Finally, summer has arrived and with it a parade of crops to add variety, ease and freedom from our winter weary diets. These are just three favourite recipes which are great for picnics, travel and outdoor living in the sunshine! Happy Summer Everyone! Fruit in Daiquiri Sauce
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This fruit salad keeps well covered and refrigerated for up to four to five days. It travels well making it ideal to take on holiday trips or to the cottage. Be sure to save the watermelon shell to use as a bowl holding the salad. It looks stunning served this way! 1 each, honey dew melon, cantaloupe and small watermelon. Cut into even sized balls with a melon baller 2 cups (500 mL) fresh blueberries 1-2 cups (500 mL) fresh
strawberries Daiquiri Sauce 2 limes, zest and juice 1-2 lemons, zest and juice 2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar 1/2 cup (125 mL) dark rum or substitute orange juice 1/3 cup (75 mL) water
Using a melon baller, make even sized melon balls from the melons and place in an attractive fruit bowl) or use the watermelon as a serving bowl. Add blueberries and strawberries, halved. In a saucepan, combine the grated zest from limes and lemon, lime and lemon juice, sugar and water. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool. Add rum or orange juice and pour over prepared fruit. Decorate with fresh mint leaves. Recipe can be doubled for a crowd. The original recipe makes 8-10 servings. It keeps well covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Marinated Coleslaw Cabbage never tasted so good! The slaw can be made ahead and kept covered and cold for up to five days making it an ideal travel companion – not to mention, a welcome addition to the dinner table! Feel free to add or use a
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variety of cabbages to vary colour, tastes and textures – red, napa (the wrinkled one) and regular green cabbage.
ter. I have enjoyed using it regularly for a variety of dishes but have discovered it tasty in burgers. However, the more delicate taste of the chicken or turkey compared to ground beef requires different seasoning. I hope you enjoy it in this recipe. Serve the burger on a toasted whole grain bun with Dijon mustard, bread and butter pickles and a big slice of fresh Ontario tomato! Yum! Burgers can be made ahead and refrigerated several hours before cooking or grilling but keep cold and covered. Once made, any leftover burgers can be frozen for up to two weeks.
1 medium cabbagegreen, napa or red some of all 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar Marinade 1/2 cup (125 mL) cider vinegar 1/4 cup (50 mL) vegetable oil 1 tsp (5 mL) salt 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each, dry mustard, celery seed or caraway seed
Other possible additions to the coleslaw: Grated carrot, corn, blanched cauliflower or broccoli, sliced celery, diced apple, grapes, raisins or crasins, minced fresh parsley or mint In a large mixing bowl, combine finely shredded cabbage or different types of cabbage with onion and sugar for at least 1 hour. In a saucepan, bring vinegar, oil, salt, mustard, and celery seed to the boil; pour over shredded vegetables and mix well. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate, keeps well for up to one week. Serves about 8 people. Recipe doubles easily for a crowd.
1 lb (500 g) ground chicken or turkey 1 slice of brown bread made into breadcrumbs 1 egg 1/2 tsp ( 2 mL) salt, and dry tarragon or thyme 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
In a mixing bowl using fork, mix well, ground chicken or turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, tarragon or thyme and black pepper. Divide into 4 even sized balls and shape into flat patties. May be covered and refrigerated to be grilled later in the day or cooked immediately. Makes 4 servings. If not all the cooked burgers are used, they may be covered and frozen for up to 2 weeks.
Chicken Burgers You now see ground chicken and ground turkey readily on the meat coun-
Mystic Music for a summer night concert set for July 25 BEACH GUITARIST and composer Mark Battenberg will host the Mystic Music for a Midsummer Night concert this Saturday. The July 25 concert will take place at Danforth Mennonite Church, 2174 Danforth Ave., between Woodbine and Gledhill avenues,
starting at 7:30 p.m. Along with Battenberg on guitar, Shakuhachi flute master Debbie Danbrook will perform a selection of original eclectic music and poetry to celebrate the summer season. Admission to this Saturday’s concert is $20 or pay-what-you-can.
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Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
25
Young readers help to deliver Beach Metro Community News
PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON
Mark Fry, Tina Driscoll, and Ian and Vida Stinton in front of the garden at 2363 Queen St. E. in the middle of June.
Gardeners beautify Queen Street
PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Emma and Ella have recently started helping their neighbour deliver copies of Beach Metro Community News. Carrier Barbara Switzer let us know that while delivering her route recently, Emma and Ella asked if they could help out. “Her mother and I watched as they raced to each house laughing,” said Barbara. “They asked when they could help out again.”
LOCAL GARDENERS along Queen Street East are doing their part to keep the Beach beautiful. Tina Driscoll, Mark Fry, Ian Stinton and Vida Stinton have teamed up to create a garden and some landscaping in front of their apartment building at 2363 Queen St. E. “It’s a group effort,” Ian told Beach Metro Community News recently. However, leading the charge is definitely Tina who said that she does have a fair bit of gardening experience. “I wanted the area to look nice,” she said. “I’ve been gardening my entire life. I’m not an expert but I’m not a novice either. Of course, you can always have more gardening knowledge and I like to try and learn new things.” Along with flowers, shrubs and herbs the garden also features a small fence to separate the grass from the sidewalk and a fountain with some stones around it to cre-
ate a central feature. Tina said there are 10 perennials for the garden that will establish themselves permanently so the garden will evolve yearly now that it has been started and laid out. There are also a mix of annuals for colour in the garden as well. The garden has also helped boost connections and spirit among the building’s residents with many volunteering to help. “It’s just a snowball effect,” said Tina of the garden and how it is growing and making the residents happy and proud of their home building. “People smile when they walk by and see it, and I like that.” Ian echoed Tina’s thoughts. “People feel really good about it,” he said of the garden. One of the key things needed to be done to establish the garden was to build a small fence, which has the dual purpose of defining the area and also keeping dogs from damaging the plantings and the grass. “We just needed a fence to keep the dogs off,” said Ian.
Congratulations NEIL MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL Congratulations Congratulations Graduating Class ofSCHOOL 2026 NEIL MCNEIL HIGH NEIL MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL Graduating Class of 2026
Graduating Class of 2026
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Neil McNeil Graduates have accepted offers to:
Neil McNeil Graduates have accepted offers to:
Brock University Carleton University Centennial College Dalhousie BrockUniversity University Durham College Carleton University George Brown Polytechnic rock University
Humber Polytechnic Lansing Community College Laurentian University Humber Polytechnic McMaster University Queen’s University Lansing Community College Seneca Polytechnic Humber Polytechnic
St. Clair College Southern Maine Community College Toronto Metropolitan University St. Clair College Trent University University of Guelph Community College Southern Maine University of Toronto St. Clair College
Western University University of Waterloo Western University Wilfrid Laurier University YorkUniversity University of Waterloo
McNeil Graduates have have accepted offers to: to: NeilNeil McNeil Graduates accepted offers
Centennial College Laurentian University ity Humber Polytechnic Carleton University Lansing Community College Dalhousie University McMaster University ersity Centennial College Lansing Community College Laurentian University 127 Victoria Park Avenue Toronto ON Dalhousie Durham College Laurentian Queen’s University llege University McMaster University University Durham Queen’s University Seneca Polytechnic versityCollege George Brown Polytechnic McMaster University George Brown Polytechnic Seneca Polytechnic ge
n Polytechnic
Queen’s University Seneca Polytechnic
127 Victoria Park Avenue
127 Victoria Park Avenue
Toronto
Toronto
ON
ON
Toronto University Wilfrid Laurier University St. ClairMetropolitan College Western University Southern Maine Community College Trent University YorkUniversity University Western University of Waterloo Southern Maine Community College Toronto Metropolitan University M4E 3S2 416-393-5502 www.tcdsb.org/o/neilmcneil University of Guelph Wilfrid Laurier University Trent University University of Waterloo Toronto Metropolitan University York University University of Toronto University of Guelph Wilfrid Laurier University Trent University University of Toronto York University University of Guelph University of Toronto
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26
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
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STUDIO 1
info@blpm.ca
Porches • Stairs • Walkways Retaining Walls • Drives
Free Quotes • Fully Insured
416-732-1916 jing@rewildlandscape.ca rewild-landscape.ca (10)
416-414-5883
LAWN CUTTING SERVICES
GROWING TOGETHER
10+ years experience
Transform lawns into biodiverse, emotionally engaging living landscapes.
• Small & Big Moves; Long Distance • All Kinds of Delivery Services incl. cottage country • Junk and Rubbish Removal
www.LordoftheStone.com
deb@ameliarosegardendesign.ca www.ameliarosegardendesign.ca (19r)
(10r)
BEACHES PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
- patios - walkways - steps - fences / decks
416-804-0646
• Sodding • Flower Gardens • Brush Clearing • Spring Clean up
Movers
Stone work & repairs
Spring & Fall cleanup. Maintenance. Garden design & plant installation. Seasonal/special occasion planters. Free consultation. Contact Deb
Traditional stone walls, steps, interlocking paths, patios & decks. Landscaping solutions to customize your space. www.scotstonecontracting.ca scotstonecontracting@gmail.com
Rewild Landscape
416-467-6059
LANDSCAPING
AMELIA ROSE
ATYER
905-831-7055
LANDSCAPE • DESIGN & BUILD
(r)
YOUR LOCAL, FAMILY RUN TREE PRESERVATION SPECIALISTS
(10.)
LANDSCAPING
www.stonehengedesignbuild.com
EVERGREEN TREE CARE
tomw83178@gmail.com
Call Scott 416.858.2452 (10)
www.greenapple.ca
Joel@proforestree.ca (10r)
437-993-6144
Interlocking • Retaining Walls • Stone Steps • Walkways • Flagstone • Concrete • Fence & Decks • Sodding & Grading • Tree Pruning • Underpinning & Waterproofing 40 yrs experience
Scotstone
25 years Experience Read our reviews on Homestars.com One-of-a-Kind Outdoor Living Spaces
Front yard parking pads Drawings • Permits • Build 416-288-1499
416-427-0595
Landscaping & Excavation
x5
Beach Lawn Care
Tree Pruning/Removals Planting and more!
EMERALD ISLE
(10 )
Award Winning Design & Build
Green Apple Landscaping
Proforestree
rickscape@hotmail.com Rick 416-821-4065 (10.)
Spring & Fall Cleanups & Pressure Washing Services 5% Seniors Discount Call for free quote 647-507-8948 info@atyerpropertyservices.com
(10..)
(10r)
Specializing in
Interlocking Stone • Planters Retaining Walls • Steps • Fences Decks • Sodding & Repairs
PROPERTY SERVICES
Garden & Tree Lawn Cutting Spring/Fall Clean-Ups 416-414-5883 info@blpm.ca
ITB Landscaping
Interlocking & Paving | Retaining walls Fences & decks | General landscaping Property maintenance
info@itblandscaping.ca www.itblandscaping.ca 416-990-2286 IG@ITBLandscaping (19r)
Seniors Discounts
SUMMER TUTORING
PURRFECTION
Garden Design & Coaching Perennial Bed Makeovers Seasonal Planters
Tree pruning • Tree trimming Problem trees • Tree Removal
Proudly serving the Beach for over 25 years Neil Bennett B.Ed./OCT • Sally Vickers B.Ed./OCT (10r)
We also do Windows and Eaves.
Professional repairs of all brands of refrigerators, stoves, dryers, washers, dishwashers, microwaves, heating & air conditioning. Warranty • Credit Cards Accepted • Seniors Discount •
Book Now For Your Best Summer Event Dates & Times
416-272-9589 • hstarttutors@gmail.com
A family business since 1956
APPLIANCE REPAIRS
Randall 416-450-0599 torontomrfixit@gmail.com
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1st 9am start 148 Pinegrove Avenue at Birchmount & Danforth
647-496-2211 WILDLIFE SHIELD
Cleaning Services
Expert Bookkeeping, Small business
Your Local Rockin’ Roots & Retro Revival Band Good Time Music, Every Time
call ALBERTO 416 690 9389 for
TAX ACCOUNTANT
melinda@beachmetro.com
Private Home & Health Care Specializing in Seniors
• Mice • Cockroaches • Rats • Bed Bugs • Ants • Wasps • Centipedes • Spiders • more THEEXTERMINATORS.CA
Call Christine 647-964-0227 (10)
PerSonaL • SMaLL BUSIneSS corPoraTe • BacK FILInG (12)
THE TWO FOURS
HELP WITH MATH & ENGLISH
EXACT TAX SERVICES
Routes available throughout the Beach, Upper Beach, Danforth, Birchcliff STUDENTS EARN COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS
A BOUTIQUE LANDSCAPE SERVICE
Tutoring
Pet Services
ABSTAX INC.
GINGER GARDENS
Music
thetwofours@eol.ca • 416-690-5442
PEST CONTROL
647-560-3988
416-691-7556
Lorie’s Life Care Services
(10)
www.wildlifeshield.ca
Financial Services
TIM O’MEARA
Personal Care
• Landscaping • Yard Maintenance • Furniture repairs & assembly • Home Repairs • Property Management • Renovations, custom wood working & painting
We BUY and SELL: Furniture, Gold & Silver, Antique Jewelery, Mid-Century Modern, Art & Collectibles! We do house calls!
Serving the Community for Over 40 years (22)
Volunteers Needed to deliver BEACH METRO NEWS
The advertiser is responsible for checking the accuracy of the advertisement after the first insertion. Beach Metro News accepts advertising in good faith and does not endorse any advertiser or advertisements.
(includes HST)
SPECIALISTS IN CDN AND U.S. TAXES
2029 Gerrard Street East
Classified ads also appear on our website: www.beachmetro.com
$33.00
ST. CLAIR ANTIQUES
WEDDING OFFICIANT RITE LIFE
Ads must be paid for at time of placement.
1.5” wide x 1” deep
Collectibles
Announcement
Contact: carolin@beachmetro.com or 416-698-1164 x 22
BLOCK AD
(10r)
BEACH LAWNS
• Weekly & Bi-Weekly Lawn Cutting • Spring Lawn & Garden Clean-ups • Lawn Care, Seeding & Sodding • Gardening, Trimming & Pruning • Landscape Construction 647-210-LAWN (5296) www.beachlawns.ca info@beachlawns.ca (19r)
(10r)
A.S.M. MOVERS
FULL SERVICE Local & long distance. Taking care of your possessions.
416-617-8548 All Season Movers
(10$)
Painters
Larry’s Painting & Repairs Family owned & operated 26 years in business
416-690-3890
GREENHOUSE LANDSCAPING
sales@larryspainting.ca www.larryspainting.ca
For consultations, estimates or fixed pricing, call
PAINTING & DECORATING Interior • Exterior Residential • Commercial Plastering • Drywall
Complete Landscaping & Outdoor Solutions • Landscape Design & Construction • Garden Design & Installation • Property & Garden Maintenance • Light Construction & Renovations
416-264-8286 • 416-893-9858
greenhouselandservices@gmail.com www.greenhouselandscaping.ca (10r)
(r)
PROWAY 416.797.6731
proway.painting@gmail.com Free Estimates & References Available
(19)
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
27
Final approval given to 11-storey building on Main Street TORONTO COUNCIL has given the final stamp of approval for an 11-storey development application just north of the Main Street Library, where surrounding buildings reach just two storeys in height. During the June 24 meeting, councillors voted in favour of developer Batory Planning and Management’s mixed-use residential proposal, which includes 56 units (seven of which are rental replacement units), four visitor vehicle parking spaces, 62 bicycle parking spaces, and retail space at the ground floor.
As part of the approval, Batory Planning is obligated to consult with the councillor for Beaches-East York to commit to a number of measures, including establishing a Construction Liason Committee made up of local residents, local businesses, parent council representatives of Beaches Alternative School and Kimberley Junior Public School. Those liaison meetings are to be held bi-weekly when construction begins, and notes from the meetings will be shared with the members and councillor’s office.
SERENITY PAINTING NEIGHBOURHOOD Beach resident with over 30 years exp Interior / Exterior Work Proper Drywall & Plaster Repairs No job too big or small Have the job done right the first time. Referrals & Free Estimates
Steve 647-853-6420
(10.r)
Patrick 647-404-7139
patrickj480@gmail.com
(10r)
TOM DAY
PERFECT Painting & Repair John 647-702-9502
Complete Renos • Basement • Kitchen Bathroom • Flooring • Carpentry 20+ yrs • References • Free Estimates www.perfectpaintingandrepair.com (10$)
Plumbing & Drains All types of plumbing work. Smallest leak - complete bath reno. Internal & external drain excavating. Call the professionals 416-480-0622 24 hr. - lic# P1624
(10r)
MASTER PLUMBER
WG PAINTING
Local resident w/40 yrs. exp. INTERIOR/EXTERIOR PAINTING All work guaranteed Fully insured • Free estimate Experienced Handyman Available
416-818-7692
warren_gamey@yahoo.com (10r)
ALL PERFECT PAINTING • Interior & Exterior Painting • Deck & Fence Staining • Drywall & Plaster Repairs
Insured & Bonded Over 33 years experience. References.
Mike 647.456.3666 AllPerfectPainting@gmail.com (10..)
WG PAINTING
Local resident w/40 yrs. exp. INTERIOR/EXTERIOR PAINTING All work guaranteed Fully insured • Free estimate Experienced Handyman Available
416-818-7692
warren_gamey@yahoo.com (10r)
SOLO PAINTING
Interior & Exterior Serving the Beaches for 10+ years. Fully insured. Free estimates. Quality work guaranteed!
Fernando at 416-729-2477 solopainters@gmail.com
PLUMBING
Beach resident for 50 years. Discount for seniors and single parent. Lic. Master Plumber • Free estimates
(16)
NEWBRIGHT PAINTING
PLUMBER CONTRACTOR Fully licensed & insured. Lic #T94
George: 416-278-7057 or Gabston Reno: 647-342-2872
(10r)
Marc The Plumber Master Plumber • Lic. & Ins.
C������� B�������� S���� R������ R���������� 416-456-9999 Follow on Facebook (10r)
Electricians LOCAL ELECTRICIAN Fault Finding
EV Charger Wiring & Install GREEN ISLE ELECTRIC
(10r)
CARL THE ELECTRICIAN ECRA/ESA LIC#7001069
CARL 647-787-5818 (r)
416-985-8639
Fully licensed & insured. ECRA/ESA #7008706
Heather Feather Painting, Design and Wallpaper Installation
Experienced, reliable, and detail-oriented painter & wallpaper installer based in Toronto. Specializing in all styles. 20 years professional experience. Clean work, timely service, and satisfaction guaranteed. Colour consultations available!
www.heatherfeather.ca 905-923-0156
(10r)
ROB’S QUALITY PAINTING INC. • Interior & Exterior Painting • Deck & Fence Staining • Stairs Staining • Drywall & Repairs Rob 647-274-1197 rhanousek@gmail.com
(11)
PAINTER GIRLS 416-833-5874
Straight Painting - Wallpaper Faux Finishing of All Sorts Staining Interior and Exterior Affordable-Dependable-Detail Focus Over 20 years of painting experience
(10.)
George: 416-278-7057 or Gabston Reno: 647-342-2872 (10r)
Call Marc 416-910-1235 (10r) 100/200 AMP Service Upgrades • New Wiring New Homes/Additions Lighting Installations Troubleshooting
416-694-6673 ESA/ECRA #7002084
Residential/Commercial
(10$r)
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR Panel & sub panel upgrades Free estimates LED light & pot light installations 100A & 200A service upgrades Electrical problem solving
Frank 647-889-5537
Licensed / Insured ESA 7006786
416-833-3006 (r)
• Renovations • Carpentry
(10r)
www.beachmetro.com
J. BROW ROOFING Shingles • Flats • Cedar Free Estimates Residential & Commercial Cell: 416-788-9020 Lic# B16393
Your Project is our Passion
647-207-0124 patrick@greatwoodsolutions.com
(19)
Roofers
(10.)
Masonry
Roofing & Aluminum An honest family service in the heart of The Beaches www.laniganscontracting.ca
416-569-2181
(r)
ROOFING & SIDING? SOLUTION! Flat and Shingle Roofs Re-roofing, Repair Eavestrough, Soffit & Fascia Workmanship Guaranteed Gus: 416-910-8033
(9r)
416 694 0906
torontoroofingindustries.com (10r)
Shingles, Flats, Eavestroughs Fascia & Soffit Chimney tuck pointing 15% off for Seniors • All work guaranteed
647-857-5656
(9r)
CANADIAN CONTRACTOR
Shingles • Flats Roof Repairs • Metal Work Eavestroughing & Siding Waterproo�ing • Since 1984
www.beachesbluffs.com beachesbluffs@gmail.com
416-988-2589
(9r)
OTTO’S MASONRY
Your neighbour for over 45 yrs!! Chimneys.Brickwork.Interlock Pavers Concrete.Porches.Stone To BOOK NOW Call: 416 467 1717 Email: info@ottosmasonry.ca Website: www.ottosmasonry.ca (15)
JDB MASONRY • Brick / Foundation • Concrete / Stone • Chimney & Parging
Restoration & Build www.jdbuild.ca
416-738-2119
(9$)
YORK MASONRY Specializing in: - Chimneys - Tuck-pointing - Brick/block repair - Patios Serving the Beaches for over a decade.
Adam 416-895-1186 yorkmasonry@gmail.com (9e) yorkmasonry.com
E��’� M������ Repairs • Masonry Cement • Finishing Caulking • Walkways Odd Jobs • Fencing repair
Scotstone
Brick Restoration & Masonry Experts Matching existing brickwork, new builds, tuckpointing, parging, chimneys, natural stone, foundations & concrete.
www.scotstonecontracting.ca scotstonecontracting@gmail.com
Your neighborhood flat roofing specialist.
Licensed masonry contractor
Call Scott 416.858.2452 (10)
647-309-8056
(9r)
BEACHES MASONRY
eMPIre conTracTorS rooFInG
Repairs Tuckpointing • Brickwork 47 yrs. exp.
Free estimates • Factory pricing • Seniors discount •
siteconstruction12@bell.net (10r)
YOUR COMPLETE ROOFING SERVICES.
416-875-5538
empirecontractorsroofing.com Homestars Best Winner 4 yrs in a row.
(3/27)
ShandyMan Contracting Flats • Shingles Eavestrough Work Siding & Alumunium
647-697-8456 info@shandyman.ca Every day is a blessed day
(r)
SMALL ROOFING JOBS
REPAIRS EAVESTROUGH CLEANING & FIXING • YARD CLEANUP No Money Up Front
HAROUTUNIAN MASONRY LTD. 416-715-1111
Trades
(17)
www.stonehengefoundations.com Fully licensed local contractors
(r)
Stucco • Moulding Wall Systems
Drywall, Plastering, Taping 21 yrs Experience • Excellent Job Call Mike 416-854-7024 647 833 7024 (10r) memetkatran@hotmail.com
FLOORING SPECIALIZING IN SANDING & STAINING NEW INSTALLATIONS & REPAIRS JIM 647 405 8457 416 691 8457
(9)
Classic Restoration & Woodworking
Over 40 Years experience
416 759-8878
crandwoodworking@gmail.com (10)
Diligent and quality workmanship including, but not limited to: drywall, tiles, doors and locks, carpentry. Project Management for larger jobs. (11)
JOHN CLARKE
Cell 416 434-2762 Painting - Basement Renos Plaster & Stucco • Interior & Exterior Any Renovation Jobs & Indoor/ Outdoor Spray Painting All Flooring & Brickwork 35 Yrs Exp • Refs upon request
Free Estimates
Contact Joe 416-878-3272 (10)
hanDyMan 40+ years of trades experience
Affordable.
647-521-4828
(10.)
(10)
Home Repairs & Renovations
S.A.C. Masonry
Seasoned Renovator • 40+ experience in the Beaches
Century home exterior restoration. Columns, verandahs, doors & windows. Int. paints. Paint, antique furniture restoration, general carpentry, shelves & custom pieces. Referrals available.
Brick, Block, Stone, Chimneys, Concrete, and all masonry repairs Call Sergio 416 873 9936(10e
CJ DRYWALL & PAINTING Professional drywall and plaster work. Renovation and Repair. Very clean. No job too small.
U Can Do It (Woodworking) ucandoit@bellnet.ca Richard 416-580-4290
(11)
JUST DRYWALL + TAPING AND REPAIRS 416 876 4986
Call C.J. 647 222 5338 (10. )
40 years experience Sam Capetano (10...)
BEACHES HANDY WORKS
UNDERPINNING & WATERPROOFING
.
Dedicated precise worker. All your build and repairs. Indoor or outdoor: dry-wall, flooring, built-in, landscaping, interlocking, sheds, fences, decks, etc. at a reasonable price!
Call Hamid at 647-300-2462 (.r)
BLANK SLATE RENOVATIONS Kitchens, bath, basement, doors, trim, paint, tile, flooring, fences, decks, interlock & more. Insured • Lic. B27597
Hello@blankslaterenos.ca
416.274.5929
(10r)
ALANO TILE & RENO • Expert Installation of Porcelain, Marble, Mosaic • Over 25 years experience • Total Kitchen & Bath Reno • Plus Tile Repai rs
416-561-8713
“Your basement lowering specialists”
416-826-3918 John www.mgcunderpinning.com maximumgen@gmail.com MET# B16348
Since 1998
(13r)
DECKS Clean & Stain Affordable 647-521-4828
(10.)
A & Z HOME RENOVATION Metro Licensed General Contractor
Dara 416-823-5120
(16r)
darahomavazir@hotmail.com Thank you for the business
(10.)
BILL & MARIE
MAT’S RENO matsreno.com 416 888 8462
(12r)
HANDYMAN SERVICES
No job too small. Free estimates. Serving the Beaches for 20 years.
416-278-5328
Maximum General Contracting Inc.
Addition on House • Basement Finishing Leaky Basement • Bathroom • Kitchen Ceramic • Interior Painting • Drywall Plumbing • Electrical • Decks Full Janitorial Services
Basements, Kitchens, Bathrooms Fences, Decks, Drywall, Carpentry
M��� Text/Call 416-617-7205 (r)
Joanne 416-991-2998 birchjr11@gmail.com
JOEFIX
“No Job Too Small”
•CARPENTRY •PLUMBING •ELECTRICAL
No job is too big or small. We do it all. 33 ys in the business • Free Estimates - Plumbing, electrical - Ceramic tiling, painting - Drywall, carpentry
Anything your home may need.
Jack of all Trades
SERVICES
The Handy Couple
Renovations & all home repairs.
FURNITURE REFINISHING + REPAIR
YOUR STUCCO
HANDYMAN •PAINTING •STAINING •DRYWALL REPAIR •PARGING •DECK & FENCE BUILD & REPAIR •INTERIOR & EXTERIOR REPAIRS
NEWFIE TONY
647-462-3556
416-419-8096
www.thebrick.ca (10)
Over 20 yrs experience
Stonehenge Foundations 416 467 6735
(10r)
ecksmasonry@gmail.com (10r) 647-281-3084
Met. Lic. B-16-964
UNDERPINNING & WATERPROOFING
SILVERBIRCH
Brick • Block • Concrete • Stone
LANIGAN’S
amenities. Despite Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford’s “advanced motion” to “secure on-site parking for returning tenants,” the wording of the motion itself suggested parking will only be provided to returning tenants “if” the developer is able to secure on-site parking. “If vehicle parking spaces are provided, the owner shall provide and make available to tenants of the replacement rental dwelling units at least the same number of parking spaces per unit as is provided to the market dwelling units,” read the motion.
HARDWOOD
BEACHES BLUFFS MASONRY
Beach Co Roofing
ELECTRICIAN
416 691-3555
GREAT WOOD SOLUTIONS
Residential • Commercial - Knob & Tube Wiring - Service Panel Upgrades - Renovations & Alterations
MASTER
Small Repairs to complete houses Renovations
(10r)
Steve 416-285-0440 • 416-605-9510
Master Electrician Lic. ESA ECRA #7000314
(10e)
BEACH PLUMBING
Kevin 647 282 8375
MBX ELECTRIC
Licensed & Insured • ECRA/ESA # 7010497
Plumbers
50 years in the Beach
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
ELECTRICAL WORK
Local resident with 20+ yrs experience
by Kevin
Fences, Decks, Porches All interior work. Very established with Senior community. I work locally, I shop locally.
DUN-RITE
MASTER ELECTRICIAN
newbrightpainting@gmail.com (10.)
CARPENTRY
ROOFING, REPAIRS
MASTER ELECTRICIAN INSURED $120 MINIMUM CHARGE
NO MESS, NO FUSS, JUST SUPERIOR WORKMANSHIP INTERIOR • EXTERIOR 30 YRS EXPERIENCE • FULLY INSURED
CALL SEAN FOR AN ESTIMATE
Maybe we can Let’s take a look 40+ years experience Martin 416 579 6534 (10)
Local • Reliable • Professional Servicing the beach over 20 years.
DECLAN O’MEARA ESA LIC# 7002668
ROOF REPAIRS
TORONTO ROOFING INDUSTRIES LTD.
Service Upgrades Potlights & Lighting
416-875-5781
Carpenters
Construction crews will also be required to ensure proper site management, which includes implementing proper signage, safe walkways, and a “24 hours a day/seven days a week contact number for the site superintendent,” according to the motion supported by Toronto Council. A separate item, which focused on the site’s seven rental replacement units, will require the developer to “provide and maintain” replacement units for a minimum of 20 years, and provide them with access to all of the new building’s indoor and outdoor
(10..)
20+ years of Painting & Renovation services around the GTA Satisfied clients, always! Free Estimates
647-713-2624 billygray82@hotmail.com (10)
NEXT DEADLINE August 17
28
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS
Tuesday, July 21, 2026