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Volume 54 No. 23
BEACHMETRO.COM
FEBRUARY 17, 2026
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Winter Stations now on display along Woodbine Beach
PHOTO: JESSICA SHACKLETON
Final work is shown being completed on the CHIMERA Winter Stations installation on Woodbine Beach last week. Winter Stations 2026 officially opened on the morning of Family Day, and will remain on display along Woodbine Beach until the end of March.
Final picture shows for Local politicians on the move Beaches Cineplex Cinema By Matthew Stephens
THE LOCALLY renowned Cineplex Cinemas Beaches is shutting its doors today after providing more than two decades of entertainment for the community. “We have loved being members of this wonderful neighbourhood for the past 20 years,” Cineplex said in a statement sent to Beach Metro Community News last week. Cineplex said the theatre’s landlord will be leasing the property to another business. Publicly accessible building permits show that health and wellness business Altea will take over the space – although it remains unclear whether renovations are required before the property reopens. The six-screen theatre at 1651 Queen St. E. opened in 1999 under the Alliance Atlantis brand before being acquired by Cineplex in 2019. Cineplex Cinemas Beaches has been a pillar in the neighbourhood – with many locals opting for its quieter atmosphere over the city’s busier Cineplex locations.
“Used to go here all the time, it was close by, small six screens, it made going to a movie quite quaint and cozy,” said one resident in a Facebook post. News of the cinema’s closure has sparked ongoing discussion among community members, many of whom have taken to social media to reminisce and share fond memories during its heyday. “Sad. Nothing compares to the cinematic experience of watching a film on the big screen. We’ve been going there pretty much monthly since it opened eons ago,” said another Facebook user. With the Fox Theatre at 2236 Queen St. E. now serving as the closest option for cinephiles in the Beach, many residents have expressed disappointment at the lack of nearby options to catch the latest blockbuster movies. “We are grateful to the Beaches community for their support,” said the Cineplex statement. Cineplex Cinemas Beaches will host its last film screenings today, Tuesday, Feb. 17.
in Scarborough Southwest By Matthew Stephens FORMER SCARBOROUGH Southwest MP Bill Blair’s domino effect resignation has drawn attention to the political plans of Beaches-East York MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith. Blair was appointed as Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom on Monday, Feb. 2, and announced he was resigning his MP seat that day. The next day, Scarborough Southwest MPP Doly Begum, who was also the Deputy Leader of the Ontario NDP, announced she would be running for the federal Liberals in the byelection that will be called in the riding to re-
place Blair who was also a Liberal. Which then put the spotlight on an announcement later the same day by Erskine-Smith who said he would be seeking the Liberal nomination to run provincially in the byelection that will be necessary to fill Begum’s Scarborough Southwest seat at Queen’s Park. “Doly Begum has been a strong progressive representative, she’s going to make a great Liberal MP for our east end community, and I have no doubt that she’ll make a bigger difference as a member of our federal team,” said ErskineSmith in a newsletter following Begum’s announcement. “I know that the biggest difference I can make is rebuilding our provincial
Liberal party to deliver for Ontarians.” Erskine-Smith is expected to also be seeking the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party when it comes time to select a new leader. Erskine-Smith said he would continue his federal duties as MP for Beaches-East York until the nomination race for the provincial Liberal candidate position in Scarborough Southwest is complete. Critics, including Qadira Jackson who was the Liberal candidate for Scarborough Southwest in last February’s provincial election, have taken Erskine-Smith to task for his actions. Continued on Page 9
Crossword answers to appear in same edition as puzzle THE VOTES are in and Beach Metro Community News readers have let us know that they want their crossword puzzle and the answers to it to appear in the same edition. The crossword puzzle has been
a big hit since we introduced it in our Jan. 20 paper. For the last two editions we’ve been asking readers if they preferred the answers to run in the next paper or in the one the puzzle appears. The vote was overwhelmingly
for puzzle and answers in the same edition, and your wish is our command. This week’s crossword puzzle is on Page 22, and answers will appear on Page 24. No peeking now, and enjoy the puzzle.