Volume 51 No. 21
BEACHMETRO.COM
January 24, 2023
Winter Stations set to begin next month THE WINNERS have been selected for Winter Stations 2023, and six of the art installations will be going up along Woodbine Beach next month. Winter Stations began in 2015 as a way to highlight the beauty of the Eastern Beaches and make them a destination point for outdoor art installations during the winter. The artworks are set up at the lifeguard stations along Woodbine Beach, and each year an international competition receives entries connected to that year’s Winter Stations’ theme. The theme for Winter Stations 2023 is Radiance, which is defined as the quality or state of being radiant. “Radiance is a powerful thing to harness, as it reflects brilliance, inner security, kindness, and gratitude – but it’s also unique in that it has a positive ripple effect from its origin,” said the guidelines for groups submitting designs for the Winter Stations 2023 competition. “Radiance is beautiful in the way it spreads organically. This year we want you to celebrate your growth, inner strength and freedom in defining what radiance means to you.” There are eight winners for this year’s Winter Stations including five from design companies (three from Canada, one from Mexico, and one from the United Kingdom) and three from Canadian universities. Those winning designs are from the University of Waterloo, the University of Guelph and ToContinued on Page 18
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY 1972•2022
PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON
Grayson Clifford is presented with a congratulatory scroll from the Province of Ontario by Beaches-East York MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon during a ceremony to mark the final day of The Joke House on Norwood Terrace. The Sunday afternoon celebration recognized 1,001 days of jokes posted to cheer up the community through the challenging days of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
The last laugh comes to The Joke House By Alan Shackleton
THE LAST laugh was celebrated at The Joke House on Norwood Terrace this week. Joke number 1,001 had been up on the front porch of the home between Norwood and Enderby roads (north of Gerrard Street East) since Wednesday, Jan. 18. It stayed until this Sunday just passed. And on Jan. 22, neighbourhood residents helped Grayson Clifford, 7, and his parents Eric and Robyn mark the milestone of 1,001 days of posting a joke along with the end of The Joke House’s run. Looking back on the past 1,001 days, Grayson said he was happy The Joke House was there for the community over what have been a tough few years due to COVID-19. “I thought it was nice to give people some smiles and also have some fun,” he said. “I think that it gave people some-
thing to be happy about during COVID,” added Grayson. Since late April of 2020, Grayson and his family have been posting a joke each day in front of the house. It was done as a way to cheer people up during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “So the story is that there was a joke house at Enderby and then they stopped, so I thought we could take it on especially during the pandemic,” said Grayson. The celebration of the last joke on Sunday afternoon also served as a donation drive and fundraiser for The Daily Bread Food Bank. Sunday’s event collected 184 donations of non-perishable food items along with $400 in monetary donations for The Daily Bread Food Bank. In February of 2022, the family also held an event for Daily Bread in which 300 food items and $600 in cash was collected.
Grayson said Sunday’s food drive was held “so that people who don’t have food can get food.” Along with friends and neighbours, Beaches-East York MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon also stopped by on Sunday afternoon to congratulate Grayson and present him with a scroll from the Province of Ontario. “I hear you are the legend of laughter,” McMahon told Grayson. “The community is very proud of you and you are known far and wide for your jokes. Thanks for spreading cheer in the community.” The last joke, number 1,001, was written by Grayson and his dad. It reads: “I know this may sound silly, but... ...rootie-tootie, farty, party.” “It’s a dad original,” said Grayson.
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However, Eric insisted it was a team effort and they came up with it while driving in the car. Grayson said 1,001 is his favourite number and it was decided it would be a nice number on which to end The Joke House. Grayson and his dad wrote many of the jokes but they also had friends, neighbours, family and complete strangers sending them jokes. That included people who would knock on the door with jokes. While it is hard to remember all the jokes, Grayson said one of his favourites was: “What do you call a silent fart? “A mute toot.” Eric and Grayson said there have been a number themes to the jokes over the past 1,001 days (beyond the always popular farts) including IKEA jokes, knock, knock jokes; cheese jokes, and cow jokes to name but a few.