Leaside Life Issue 166 March 2026

Don’t mess with Leaside!

LOCAL LITTER FREE CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES PAGE 3.

Can spring be far behind?

Last fall I had the pleasure of going on a tree tour of David Balfour Park in Midtown TO. This was no ordinary tour. It was an education – and an eye-opener. The many different types of trees – from natives to invasives (think Norway maples) – were brought to life as our tour guide told stories about how these trees came to coexist with us. Some even crossed the pond and were cross-pollinated with existing trees to create new and exciting hybrids to suit sophisticated tastes of the era.

Our tree storyteller? Arborist Stephen Smith, whose business, Urban Forest Associates, UFORA, launched in 1993, to help improve urban forests. The UFORA plant nursery has been located on Canvarco Road, east off Laird Drive, for the past 15 years.

Publisher Lorna Krawchuk, who’s known Smith for years, interviewed this urban arborist to learn more about his passion. I got a taste

on our tour, which ended all too soon with only a fraction of David Balfour Park covered. I was disappointed that we didn’t have time to climb down the ravine to study the damage the many invasives have caused to their surroundings.

Smith is passionate about his work, and it shows. In addition to his “paid” work for clients such as the City of Toronto, he’s volunteered with advocacy groups like Bring Back the Don.

He knows Leaside’s trees well. Lots of invasives, like the Norway maples, still grace front lawns in the area. He can – and does – recommend native replacements. Plus, he understands our soil conditions and what grows well in our environment.

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by PAUL BOLTÉ

We like our Leaside clean!

In the January issue of Leaside Life, we announced the launch of our 2026 eco-friendly community initiative, Don’t Mess With Leaside – Keep Leaside Beautiful & Litter Free. The goal of this program is to raise awareness about the importance of keeping Leaside free of litter and to encourage residents and businesses alike to make a conscious effort to clean up discarded coffee cups, plastic bottles, and other debris when they see it.

To find out how litter-conscious Leasiders really are, I took to Bayview Avenue to test our community’s commitment to being litter free. Is Bayview litter free?

As part of the Don’t Mess With Leaside (DMWL) community team, I walked along Bayview Avenue from Eglinton to Millwood, watching for visible litter to pick up. Despite the cold February weekend (–10°C) with sidewalks mostly covered in snow, I collected four green bags of litter, mainly coffee cups and plastic water bottles, along

FROM THE COVER

I’m confident and hopeful that most Leasiders don’t intentionally litter. However, my walk along Bayview showed that if we are serious about keeping Leaside clean, there is a lot of work to do.

with an empty plastic antifreeze container. It was unsettling to think about how much more litter was likely hidden beneath the snow.

Days 1 & 2: coffee cup pick-up test Leaside residents often take pride in our clean neighbourhood, but everyday actions don’t always reflect that pride. To explore this gap, I conducted a two-day observation on Bayview Avenue by placing discarded coffee cups on the sidewalk in front of Shoppers Drug Mart. The February weekends I chose were far from ideal, with temperatures dropping as low as –16°C. I knew the cold might reduce people’s motivation to pick up litter. Even so, the lack of action was more surprising than expected, though one moment at the end offered some hope.

Day 1

On the first day, I placed a single coffee cup on the sidewalk. After

DON’T MESS... Page 27

Advice from Stephen Smith –“Take care of the trees you have, and plant some more. There are a lot of choices of beautiful, successful, native trees.”

Why more trees? Quite simply, the tree canopy helps with general and house cooling during the hot summers, and that’s only a start.

Smith knows what he’s talking about.

Arborist Steve Smith grew up near Dundas Street and the Humber River and spent a lot of his youth in those west-end ravines. He then chose a forestry program at Fleming College. For the next decade or so, he worked on contracts with forest-related projects, usually in urban areas. In 1993, he decided the time had come to launch his own business “to improve urban forests,” Urban Forest Associates – UFORA for its website www.UFORA.ca . Joining

Tree huggers, unite

Arborist Stephen Smith showing the new Guide to Trees, Shrubs and Vines of Toronto (which he co-authored) during a guided walk he led in High Park in 2016.

Steve as senior staff is Alex Karney, with forest conservation degrees from the University of Toronto. Together they supervise a crew of 13 during the summer and eight in the winter. There is a specific Leaside connection as well. Canvarco Road, east off Laird Drive, is home to several small,

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independent enterprises, one of which is the UFORA plant nursery, located there for the past 15 years. UFORA provides many services. For instance, homeowners with a renovation project who also have trees on their property can hire Steve to ensure their trees are protected during the process. If you need City permits for tree work, he’s your guy – he’s experienced working with the City and Toronto Region Conservation Authority to get permits. He not only guarantees your trees are properly protected during your renovation, but he also has a habit of dropping by to visit “his” trees, seeing how they’re doing and determining if they need help even after the contract is finished.

Invasive species abound

Many Norway maples (an invasive species) were planted in Leaside 40 years ago and are now coming to the end of their lifecycle. When the time comes for them to be replaced, Steve and his crew can recommend desirable native replacement trees and even do the planting. As well, knowing that most of Leaside’s soil has a clay base, “hard as a rock,” Steve’s team encourage homeowners to give rainwater a chance to soak in by having as many permeable surfaces as possible on their property. There are many invasive species of trees and shrubs on public lands in the City of Toronto. In areas where the City wants to plant native trees, he and his crew are hired during the winter to treat the invasives so they

Leaside’s future should not be an accident

In December, we asked Leaside a simple question: What should our neighbourhood be paying attention to as we look ahead?

We included a short pre-survey in these pages, almost as a test. No major promotion. No mail drop. Only a simple reference in an article and an embedded QR code with an invitation. More than 100 households responded! That alone tells us something important.

People are paying attention. Residents care about what’s happening around them. And if when invited to weigh in on the future of our neighbourhood, many are ready to do so. The pre-survey was never meant to settle anything but to give us direction. And the direction was clear.

Proud of where we live, concerned about where we’re going

Most respondents rated overall quality of life in Leaside as strong, very good, even excellent. That’s something worth recognizing. We live in a neighbourhood people

Glenn Asano

The Business of Leaside

are proud of. But when asked about the next decade, the tone shifted. Confidence was more mixed. People see the pace of change. They feel the pressures growing.

LOOK OUT FOR OUR SURVEY IN YOUR MAILBOX THIS APRIL!

Traffic – a top priority

Traffic and congestion emerged as the clear top priority. Housing, density and development followed, with safety and crime prevention also ranking strongly. Neighbourhood character and community identity were not far behind, along with concerns about cleanliness, maintenance and infrastructure upkeep. The themes were consistent and unmistakable. Just as encouraging, many respondents said they want to stay involved as this initiative moves forward.

We’re listening, and now we want to listen more carefully and more broadly. The pre-survey gave us direction. But to truly understand where Leaside stands and where it wants to go, we need a larger, statistically reliable sample. We need to hear from more households. We need enough participation to be confident that what we see in the data reflects the neighbourhood as a whole.

That’s why Leaside Life , the Leaside Residents Association, and Leaside Memorial Community Gardens are working together to launch the 2026 Leaside Resident Survey (April 1-30). This will be a coordinated effort to reach every household. It will go a bit deeper into the themes that surfaced in the pre-survey by asking about traffic, development, safety, and community life. It will also begin to explore what residents believe should define Leaside over the next decade. This isn’t about a single issue. And it isn’t about a single organization. It’s about shaping priorities for the next decade, together, as a neighbourhood. The next 10 years will matter. Transit is finally coming online. Development continues. Infrastructure decisions are being

made. Demographics are evolving. The pace of change is accelerating. At moments like this, clarity matters. If we want to influence outcomes, whether around traffic mitigation, responsible growth, community facilities, or safety, we need to understand where residents stand. We need credible data. We need broad participation. Direction is helpful, but confidence requires numbers.

Our goal is to gather at least 500 responses. That level of participation would allow us to analyze the results meaningfully and responsibly. It would give community organizations and volunteers something solid to work with. It would provide a clear snapshot of resident priorities for 2026 and beyond.

A community listening moment. You’re invited!

Something is happening in Leaside. A genuine, community-led effort to pause, listen, and set direction for the years ahead. Watch for an invite in your mailbox (yup, old school) and our website (www.leasidelife. com ) for details on how you can participate. Also, be on the lookout for teams of canvassers asking questions live at various locations across the ’hood later in April – yes, this is important enough to have boots on the ground!

The survey will be open for several weeks to ensure everyone has an opportunity to respond. If the pre-survey showed us anything, it’s that residents care. Now is the time to show it at scale.

We can’t control everything happening beyond our neighbourhood, but we can work together to decide what matters here, to identify shared priorities, and we can work together to strengthen the things that make Leaside great with clarity instead of guesswork.

A neighbourhood does not grow by accident. It grows because people show up to listen, contribute, and care. The future of Leaside should not be determined by chance. It will be shaped by those who choose to make time to engage.

The results or this important neighbourhood survey will be presented at the Leaside Day event on Sat., May 23, 2026, in the William Lea Room, Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. n

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Mayhem on McRae – a nasty bank robbery

A few years ago, Geoff Kettel wrote an excellent article for Leaside Life about a sensational armed robbery in 1951 of the Royal Bank on Laird Dr.1

Over 10 years earlier, in 1940, an equally daring robbery occurred at the Canadian Bank of Commerce branch on the southeast corner of McRae and Sutherland. Here’s what went down.

A

vicious attack

On the morning of April 29, cab driver Sydney Purdy, 63 years old, picked up three men at a Jarvis Street hotel who told him to drive them to Leaside. When they got to Bessborough Drive, the men brutally attacked Mr. Purdy. They beat and gagged the unfortunate victim, binding and throwing him, unconscious and bloody, into the back seat.

They then drove to McRae Drive, where one of the men left the commandeered vehicle and entered the Bank of Commerce wearing the taxi driver’s cap and coat. The other two thugs, each carrying a gun, followed close behind.

“This is a stickup, and we mean business,” shouted one of the robbers. After ordering the startled staff of three men and one woman to lie face-down on the floor, they kicked and forced the frightened

employees into a back room and locked the door. The hoods then ransacked the tellers’ cages, stealing $1,500 in cash before fleeing the building.

A brave teller

As the robbers fled, one of the employees – a teller named Delbert Rodman – noticed that the room where they were imprisoned had a rear entrance. Grabbing a bank-issued revolver, he escaped out the back door and ran across the street to Perrem & Knight’s grocery store to phone the police. Seeing him, the robbers opened fire – shooting twice but missing. Arriving at the store, Rodman was met by Mrs. Emily Perrem, the store owner. Together, they jumped into her car and pursued the three gunmen at high speed, south on McRae towards Millwood. As they drove, according to one news report, Rodman fired his gun at the getaway car while several Leaside citizens joined in the chase. It was a wild scene.

Justice served

The bad guys made good their escape, but not for long. After abandoning the stolen taxi and its driver

The Groove Room spreads good vibes

Steve Hardy Columnist

Music lovers come together to share good vibrations at the Groove Room Coffee House.

What began as a small gathering in a Leaside church has grown into a popular community event attracting as many as 60 attendees – all while raising money for local causes.

Held at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church (1847 Bayview Ave.), the Groove Room offers a welcoming space for musicians of all ages and skill levels to showcase their talents. The event was founded 11 years ago aided by Mike Rapson and inspired by his teenage son, Thomas.

“My son was playing with friends and couldn’t find anywhere to perform,” Rapson, a senior member of the church’s leadership team, said. “If you’re not old enough to play in a bar, options are limited. We started

“Music is the universal language of mankind.”

– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

it off really trying to find a place for young musicians.”

Rapson, who began learning guitar in his 50s, teamed up with local instructors and church volunteers to

create a cozy café-style atmosphere. Soft lighting, fresh coffee and homemade baked goods from his wife help set the tone.

“When we started, it was just a small room with about 15 people,” he said. “There were no expectations – just music lovers wanting to listen and share.”

That welcoming vibe is a cornerstone of the venture’s success. Performers range from seven-yearolds to 80-somethings.

“You can feel people rooting for the performers,” Rapson said. “Especially kids and first-timers. That positive energy is what makes it work.”

Musical styles span folk, rock, classical piano, show tunes and even the occasional stylings of bagpipes. Each performer typically plays two to three songs during the two-hour program.

For Ross Beer, who calls himself “one of the eldest in the parish,” it’s a great way to introduce the church to the community.

“We are not bringing them in and trying to be Bible thumpers,” he said. “This is totally open to everybody in the community.”

Pay-what-you-can admission includes a hot drink and dessert, and proceeds support the Flemingdon Food Bank. Limited parking is available, with public transit nearby.

The music brings people in th e doors, but community service

Rink reopens with ribbon cutting and community skate

by MATTHEW BAKER

On Mon., Jan. 26, following a record snowfall in the City of Toronto, Leaside Memorial Community Gardens welcomed the most intrepid members of the community back to the Bert F. Grant Rink with a celebratory ribbon cutting, followed by a free public skate, refreshments, and tours of the newly renovated facility. Residents, local supporters, and arena partners gathered in the morning to mark the official reopening of “Rink B,” a space that has long been woven into the rhythm of community life at Leaside Gardens.

A photo of the ribbon cutting captured the moment: a proud milestone for Leaside and a sign that one of the community’s most cherished facilities is ready for its next chapter. We were grateful to have Bert A. Grant, son of the late Bert F. Grant, for whom the rink is named, in attendance to cut the ribbon alongside Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin and LMCG Board of Management Chair Matt Baker.

The Grant Rink, as it is affectionately known, had been closed since April 21, 2025, to undergo a major refurbishment led by the City of Toronto’s Capital Projects

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team. The work was extensive, and it shows. The reopened rink features refreshed dressing rooms, completely renovated men’s and women’s washrooms, a new universal washroom, and a full overhaul of the rink’s mechanical systems. Most notably, the upgrades now allow the original rink, first opened in 1952, to operate with ice 12 months of the year.

That capability represents a meaningful shift for both organized user groups and the broader community. From minor hockey and figure skating to adult leagues and community programming, year-round ice opens the door to more flexible scheduling, increased access, and new opportunities to use the facility beyond the traditional winter season.

The reopening also served to recognize the contributions helping shape the arena over time. The board of management expressed appreciation to the Bert F. Grant family for their generous donation toward the expansion of Leaside Gardens in 2012, a contribution that helped strengthen and grow the facility for future generations.

Thanks were also extended to the Dr. Tom Pashby Sport Safety Fund, whose directed donation supported the upgrade of the new rink boards on the Grant Rink. These are toplevel boards designed to provide the highest degree of safety for

What’s an MTSA? In the weeds with new transit station area zoning

Blanket “as-of-right” zoning across the City is the new planning regimen in Toronto. As-of-right multiplexes (fourplexes in Ward 15), garden suites, and laneway suites are now permitted in the Neighbourhooddesignated areas under the Enhanced Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) program. Next up, for review and approval, is a program for intensification around the Major Transit Station Areas (MTSA) on subways, LRTs and the GO system. The Provincial Planning Statement (2024) requires municipalities to plan for at least 200 residents + jobs per hectare around subway, LRT and GO stations to increase housing near transit.

Program background

The MTSA and Priority Major Transit Area (PMTSA) program aims to intensify the areas around the stations, based on rings at 200 and 500 metres – characterized as a “10-minute walk.” The City submitted a proposal to the Province

Geoff Kettel On Development

in 2022, and in August 2025, the Province approved Toronto’s 120 proposed P/MTSAs and the core permissions tied to them, and required the City to develop a plan to align the zoning bylaws with the P/ MTSAs. A Zoning Implementation Plan is expected to come to Council

for approval in July 2026, the last Council meeting before the break for the municipal elections in October. In December 2025, the Province proposed a “pause” in the “Priority” MTSA provision, which would have mandated inclusive zoning for affordable housing in the area. The Leaside station was designated a PMTSA, but not the Laird station, with no rationale or explanation provided for their different status. But in any case, this sweetener is now off the table.

City Planning is currently drafting the zoning bylaw changes needed to implement the “as-of-right” permissions and has been conducting public consultations.

In the weeds summary of the proposals

1. P/MTSA boundaries and 200m and 500m zone lines

The overall P/MTSA boundary (the solid black line on the maps) is fixed but City Planning has some flexibility to adjust the exact placement of the 200m and 500m rings around stations.

2. Zoning permissions by Official Plan land use designation Mixed Use Areas, Apartment Neighbourhoods, Regeneration Areas (but not Neighbourhoods, Employment Areas).

• Within 200m of a station: up to 30 storeys on large sites or up to FSI of 8.

• Between 200 and 500m of a station: Up to 20 storeys on large sites or up to FSI of 6.

• Even greater height/density may be possible with a comprehensive plan that delivers public benefits (e.g. parks or new streets).

Neighbourhoods

• Within 200m of a station: up to 6 storeys (residential).

• Elsewhere within the P/MTSA boundary: up to 4 storeys.

What does this mean for Leaside?

1. Up to six storeys are mandated by the Province within the proposed boundaries. Yet when multiplexes came to City Council there was a downtown/suburban split and districts other than Toronto–East York (North York, EtobicokeYork and Scarborough) did not

Wende’s soulful confections rock the Groove Room

by MITCH BUBULJ

For North Leasider Wende Rapson, the Groove Room at St. Augustine’s Church is a family affair. (See Steve Hardy’s article on page 10).

Since 2015 the Groove Room has offered local live music in a relaxed setting while at the same time supporting the Flemingdon Food Bank. It’s Leaside’s own coffee house.

Coffeehouses have a long and musical history in Toronto. During the ’60s, Bohemian Yorkville boasted several, like The Purple Onion and the Riverboat, crowded intimate places full of cigarette-smoking patrons where Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot honed their folk and blues. The Groove Room is like that, only less smoky and sweeter. The sweet part is thanks to Wende.

“The Groove Room was my husband Mike and his then guitar instructor Kevin McLoskey’s brainchild; the offering of home-baked goods was mine,” explains Wende.

“Groove Room sessions are held the second Friday of every month except March, July and August; for the first few years we offered store-bought pastries along with coffee and tea.”

That changed in 2017. “That’s the year I retired,” says Wende, “and I found I had time on my hands. I decided to learn to bake to offer patrons freshly baked pies, cakes and cookies.”

Wende hails from Timmins and came to Toronto to study law. She began her legal career as in-house counsel briefly with the provincial government and then with General Motors and the Royal Bank. With a busy career she didn’t have time to do much baking. Plus, she didn’t grow up around pastry chefs. “My mom was a great cook but what I’d call a ‘utilitarian’ baker – anything she could make in one pan!” Wende explains that her mom was of the generation that marvelled at processed food breakthroughs

of the ’60s – “I remember a lot of Cool Whip in the fridge.”

Folks come faithfully to enjoy the live music and sample Wende’s wares. “I like to challenge myself, so I have started baking thematically: Hungarian, Mexican and New Orleans Mardi Gras featuring King Cake. My daughter Mackenzie is a great baker and so she has been an inspiration and a guide.”

Wende enjoys catering to all generations as well as to those with dietary restrictions. “There are always cookies for the kids” as well as gluten-free offerings for those with gastric sensitivities. This month’s featured recipe is her famous gluten-free Black Forest Cake. She remembers being at staff social functions with a dearth of gluten-free treats. Some people had gluten sensitivity while others chose not to eat gluten for their own reasons but in either case she empathized with them.

know it is gluten-free, then it’s a hit!” she jokes.

Musically, the Groove Room serves up as much diversity as Wende’s confections: bagpipes, percussion, heavy metal, piano and once a family singing Baltic folk songs. You are never sure what you will hear.

Find the recipes online by clicking the Leaside Cooks tab.

She tests out new recipes on her family. “If Mike eats it and doesn’t

The next event is April 10 at St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church at 1847 Bayview Ave., starting at 7 p.m. “The policy is ‘pay what you can’ and attendees are very generous,” says Wende. Last year they raised over $3,000 for the Flemingdon Food Bank. Attend the next Groove Room, meet Wende and Mike as well as Mike’s brother Marty and even Mike’s mom, who help with setup and takedown. Enjoy the good vibes and sample Wende’s wild blueberry pie or gluten-free offerings with a good cup of coffee or tea. You are bound to leave comfortably nourished in body and spirit. n

Thorncliffe Park gets its first TTC station, at least on paper

by JASON ASH

On Sun., Feb. 8, 2026, at 7:30 a.m., Thorncliffe Park welcomed its first TTC subway stop – Laird Station. If you had to read that sentence twice, you are not alone!

After all, it is common knowledge locally that the Eglinton and Laird intersection is in the heart of Leaside. In fact, it is one of the oldest areas of the community given that industrial Leaside established itself near the intersection in the opening decades of the 20th century.

Local history is not the same as City Hall policy, though.

Officially, the City of Toronto has 158 neighbourhoods for social planning purposes, allowing City staff to collect statistical data, analyze, plan, and forecast the need for municipal services for local populations.

The City’s boundaries for Thorncliffe Park, neighbourhood #55 for its own planning purposes, surprisingly include all the land from the east side of Laird Drive

and all the land from the south side of Eglinton Avenue, over to the Canadian Pacific train tracks. In practical terms, this means: Your weekly grocery shopping at Longo’s Leaside is actually a road trip to Thorncliffe Park.

If you own or rent a home in the emerging East Leaside community, you are really a Thorncliffer, not a Leasider.

And, as baffling as it sounds, it means the Leaside Business Park exists fully within Thorncliffe Park, not Leaside. That is, if you take the City of Toronto at its word and put aside your own common sense, of course!

Meaningfully, the City considers Thorncliffe Park to be a neighbourhood improvement area (NIA) that needs additional policy and funding support to succeed and thrive.

So, the City’s decision to merge part of Leaside with Thorncliffe Park has potentially damaging, realworld community planning implications for Thorncliffe Park.

Consider the following

When retail activity in Leaside is assigned to Thorncliffe Park, the performance of Thorncliffe’s local economy is inflated on paper.

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The

step to putting your problems in the rearview mirror is a phone call away.

When families who live across the street from Leonard Linton Park, and in the new towers on Brentcliffe Road, are included in Thorncliffe Park, the measurement of household income and wealth is misstated.

When employment on Commercial Road or Industrial Street is included in Thorncliffe’s numbers, Thorncliffe Park’s true need for public and private investment and development is obscured.

If City staff are using neighbourhood-based data, at least in part, to make policy and funding decisions that affect the livelihood of local communities, then the official neighbourhood boundaries City staff rely upon should at least strive to reflect local reality.

Leaside and Thorncliffe Park have always been great friends and neighbours.

Last month, Thorncliffers celebrated the opening of Laird Station in Leaside. In the future, hopefully on a summer day, Leasiders will take their first rides on the Ontario Line at its grand opening in Thorncliffe Park. In the meantime, let’s encourage common knowledge to prevail at City Hall, so that both communities can prosper together.

Note: this information is based on Neighbourhood Profile Data from the City of Toronto. n

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Keeping kids fit and injury-free

by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO

Research shows that 60 to 70 per cent of young athletes drop out of sports by the age of 13, and by age 17, nearly half quit for good. Among the top reasons are injury and burnout.

So, when 15-year-old Claire Tutching began participating in the Leaside Sports Medicine Youth Athlete Assessment Program in 2024, she was unique not only as a standout volleyball player but also as a teen who remained in organized sports.

Tutching did more than remain; she also plays volleyball at the high school level with Northern Secondary, at the competitive rep level with Leaside Volleyball, and with Team Ontario.

The Leaside Sports Medicine Youth Assessment Program has been a key contributor to her success.

The program is designed to assess youth athletes and work with them to prevent injuries so they can stay in the game.

Recognizing that each athlete’s biomechanics are unique, the youth

assessment program studies everyone’s gait, muscle activations, posture, movement patterns and more. Each athlete is also assessed based on individual sport-specific movements.

With the information gleaned from the analyses, the practitioners develop a personalized plan, which includes exercises and training to avoid future injury and improve performance in their specific sport. Any existing injuries are also treated.

Dr. Joe Kottoor, founder of Leaside Sports Medicine, located at 1929 Bayview Ave., Suite 203, describes the clinic as “a one-stop-shop.”

With a staff comprising physiotherapists, a sports medicine doctor, chiropractors, and massage therapists, athletes have access to high level training and care in one spot.

Kottoor himself has over 20 years of experience working as a chiropractor, rehabilitation specialist, certified personal trainer, medical acupuncturist and Certified Active Release Techniques® Provider. He has worked extensively with athletes from the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, MLS, and with Olympians.

The program has seen outstanding results with youth athletes participating in multiple sports including baseball, volleyball, hockey, soccer, and flag football.

Witnessing many athletes on opposing teams suffering multiple injuries, Claire Tutching appreciates that the youth assessment program has given her the treatment and tools to prevent being sidelined.

For further details on the Youth Assessment Program offered at Leaside Sports Medicine, check out leasidesportsmedicine.com . Many health benefits programs cover physiotherapy and chiropractic care. n

LEASIDE

by STAN FLEMMING

If you’ve lived in Leaside for any length of time, you know something special exists here. In the way neighbours stop to chat. In the familiar faces at the arena, the library, and the coffee shops. And in the quiet, steady work of the community groups and volunteers who keep this neighbourhood connected.

Behind the scenes at Leaside Life , we’ve been talking for a while about how to harness more of that spirit in one place – not just in print, but in person. That’s how LEASIDE DAY was born.

On Sat., May 23, 2026, we’ll be gathering at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens (in the William Lea Room) for a twopart community day timed around Leaside’s anniversary season. The goal is simple: to create a day where people can connect, learn, celebrate, and leave feeling proud

of where we live.

The morning portion (10 a.m.–noon) will bring together community leaders – from local organizations and businesses to faith groups and other stakeholders – for networking and something we’re very excited to share: the results of the Leaside Residents Community Survey, which Leaside Life , along with the Leaside

“Maintain

Residents Association (LRA) and the Leaside Memorial Community Gardens (LMCG), has been spearheading. We’ll also welcome a guest speaker focused on community building and the keys to making neighbourhoods thrive.

In the afternoon (1 p.m.–4 p.m.), we will open the doors wide. All are welcome – so mark your calendars. This will be a fun, welcoming community gathering for all ages – part celebration, part neighbourhood showcase. Residents will be able to meet local groups, explore what’s happening in Leaside, view the results from the Leaside Residents survey, and yes…enjoy a piece of cake.

For more information and updates, visit leasidelife.com (click on Leaside Day tab).

We hope you’ll join us — and help make LEASIDE DAY the start of something lasting. *Note: This year the May long weekend is early – Victoria Day is May 18th. n

The incredible journey of hockey’s Tom Edur

by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO

Playing professional hockey is the dream of many Canadian kids. But, according to the NHL, for male players, only approximately 0.02% of those in the minor leagues will ever play in the league.

So, when a player makes the big leagues and walks away from the game by choice, it always comes as a shock.

Such was the case with Leasider Tom Edur.

Edur began his hockey journey with the Leaside Hockey Association and after graduating from Leaside High School in 1973, helped the Toronto Marlies capture the Memorial Cup.

Too young to be drafted by the NHL after his career with the Marlies, the 17-year-old was signed by the Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association for a three-year, $250,000 contract.

While the Boston Bruins drafted him the next year, Edur stuck out his contract with the Crusaders for the full three years before joining the Colorado Rockies in 1976.

The 6' 1" defenceman nicknamed “Bomber” soon began racking up points and led the team in the plus/ minus category. After being named the Rockies’ best defenceman, he was traded early the following season to the Pittsburgh Penguins where he became the team’s highest scoring defenceman.

Service is Our Specialty Service is Our Specialty

Just months after the season with the Penns ended, Edur shockingly announced that he was hanging up his skates and walking away from hockey and from a contract worth approximately $92,000 per year.

Maclean’s magazine, reporting on Edur’s departure from the game, commented that “Tom Edur, at 23 years of age, had it all, the all-Canadian dream – women, money and a spot in the NHL.”

Why would a 23-year-old player in the prime of his career step away from the game?

Finding a new path

From the very get-go in the professional leagues, Edur was troubled by so-called hockey culture.

He watched as players cheated on their wives during away series and was uncomfortable with both the adultery and the amount of drinking occurring after each practice and game.

Admitting that during “the last month of the (second) season I was drunk every night for 30 days,” he came to realize and regret the effects of his drinking on his body, his game and his moral standards.

Back in Toronto in 1977 after his first season with the Rockies, Edur reconnected with Liz, a former school friend. The two chatted about God, behavioural standards and the fact that she had begun biblical studies with the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW).

He began his own studies and reached out to JW societies when he returned to Colorado and then in Pittsburgh, cementing his decision that, as he noted, “Bible principles and professional hockey just don’t mix.”

By the end of the 1977-78 season, Edur had come to the decision to leave the NHL to dedicate himself to the JW. He was baptized in July 1978, proposed to, and married Liz, and in September informed the Penguins that he was not returning to play.

While the Penguins attempted to lure Edur back with offers of weekends off and more money, he remained committed to his vows.

Edur and Liz worked as JW pioneers in Colorado and moved on to JW offices in Canada, Finland and Estonia to work as translators of JW materials.

The hockey phenom is a remarkable example of someone who chose morals over “having it all.” n

Myopia, paranoia, and yellow despair: a comedy in three acts

by DAVID CRICHTON

Act I

12:15 p.m., January 27th. It’s been two days since our biggest snowstorm in over 20 years. Even with snow piled up where parking used to be, I manage to find a spot, right in front of Bayview Vision, where I have an eye exam at 12:30. Parking karma. It’s going to be a good day. I punch in Green P’s requisite Bayview east parking code, 6412, and give myself a generous 90 minutes of parking allotment. I head inside and in short order, I’m put through my ocular paces. After a stop at the giant View-Master thingy, I head upstairs to have the eye doctor dilate my pupils and stare into my looking balls and search for signs of macular degeneration.

Act II

After my eyes return to “normal” and with my new glasses on order, I walk out to my car — all well within my 90 minutes. But there it is, on my

windshield – the unmistakable flapping of yellow despair. I snatch the ticket from under my wiper, partly out of frustration and partly to proclaim my innocence with a public show of exaggerated indignation. I check the parking app on my phone. Nope, far from expired. I look at the parking sign. No time violations. I check for a fire hydrant. None. I check the ticket. My eyes have no trouble reading the small print in this case: $100! Are you kidding? Scribbled at the bottom are the words “Parked in emergency snow route.” There are no signs, no snowplows. Not even tickets on other cars. So, why me? Who’s out to get me!? (Sure, some may call me paranoid, but as I say, “just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean I’m not being followed.”)

I’m irked. Beyond irked. Superirked. The ticket is like a bothersome stone in my shoe, irritating me just

when I think I’d moved on. These thoughts compel me to drive back to the scene a few hours later to see if I misread the signs. It was then that I notice a Parking Enforcement Officer in front of Bayview Vision. Bingo! Finally, I’ll get to the bottom of this. “Excuse me…not to be a pain, but can I ask you why I got a ticket? I still had time left on my app. It makes no sense.”

Thankfully, the officer indulges my whining. “I know, you’re not the only one…last night at 6 p.m., the mayor announced certain roads as emergency snow routes. This side of Bayview is one of them.”

“But how are we supposed to know that?” I ask.

“I know, they’re not prepared. There should be orange signs in the snowbanks, a warning on the parking app, and the parking machine shouldn’t work. Just fight it.”

“I guess, but I gotta ask, why hand out tickets if all this is the case?”

“We were told to. I know, I know,” she empathizes, seeing my eyes grow wide in disbelief.

“Jeez, thanks, Mayor Chow,” I say to the officer.

“Take photos of the area, your parking receipt, and fight it online.”

Act III

I can only imagine that City Hall is counting on most people paying the fine. I decide I’m not one of them. Around midnight, that evening, I log onto the city’s online parking ticket dispute portal, jump through a few bad web design hoops and get to the page where I can state my case and post my “evidence.”

Three hours later and using 2,126 of my 3,000-word rant limit, my irk is finally subsiding. I put my reading glasses down and rub my eyes. I feel a sense of relief but also a little ridiculous; all this over a hundred bucks. But it’s the PRINCIPLE, I tell myself. I click “submit” and the screen disappears. Wait…I put my glasses on. My heart sinks. It’s just another design flaw of the site, I tell myself. Then I realize I did not hit “submit” but mistakenly closed the tab I’m working in. No! Breathe. Remain calm. I find the page in my browsing history. It will still be there. Please, please, please be there. Not there. NOT THERE? Three hours of rant…gone. Poof. Do I pay or re-rant? n

Superheros dare to wear capes for Holland-Bloorview!

by SUZANNE PARK

Do you dare to wear a red cape? Barb Underhill is a superhero raising funds for kids with disabilities. Before dawn on January 30th she grabbed her skates, donned her cape, faced sub-zero temperatures and arrived at Leaside Arena to join all the other superheroes supporting HollandBloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s Capes on Ice event. Capes on Ice is one of HollandBloorview’s Capes for Kids 2026 campaign events helping to celebrating Capes for Kids’ 10th anniversary. At precisely 6:45 a.m. Capes on Ice kicked off with participants skating laps, followed by a sledge hockey demo. Next, Barb Underhill provided on-ice skating skills coaching. Barb is a skating skills coach for NHL teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning. She breaks down players’ strides, focusing on edge work, posture, and efficiency to make players faster and more balanced. She is also a former Olympian and pairs skating 1984 world champion with skating partner Paul Martini.

MANOR ROAD UNITED CHURCH

Celebrating over 100 Years of Spiritual Guidance and Charitable Good Works

Join us for Sunday worship

10:30am In-person or live on YouTube

SCRIPTURE STUDY WITH REV. DR. JJ

Every Sunday 9:30am to 10am

CREATIVE PLAY FOR KIDS WITH AINSLEY

Every Sunday during Worship

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS: Fri. Mar.6 at 2pm

HOSTING: WORLD DAY OF PRAYER in affiliation with over 20 churches

Light refreshments served

Sunday March 8th at 5:30pm

MULTIFAITH IFTAR DINNER

“LET THERE BE PEACE NOW!”

Friday March 27th at 6pm

MOVIE NIGHT “THE LION KING” Free popcorn

Sunday March 29th at 10:30am

EASTER PAGEANT JERUSALEM: 7 DAYS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

Olympian Barbara Underhill

Following Barb’s coaching session, the morning concluded with hot chocolate and snacks.

Other pros wearing capes Barb is not alone; other pro athletes are daring to wear a Cape for Kids. The Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) are raising awareness of the annual Capes for Kids campaign at their March 3 game at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Players have also visited the hospital, signed autographs and distributed swag to support the Capes for Kids fundraiser, which runs March 6-13, with participants enthusiastically wearing their capes to support kids with disabilities.

Thanks to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the National Basketball League’s Raptors entered all early-bird donors into a draw for a behind-the-scenes experience, during the NBA All Star weekend Feb 13-16th. Included was a pre-game meet-the-players and dinner with Jamaal Magloire,

a former Raptor and current assistant Raptors coach born and raised in Scarborough. Also included were game tickets, post-game photos and shooting hoops on the court.

According to Ashleigh Saith, Holland-Bloorview’s vice president of strategy and public engagement, “This year all Capes for Kids funds raised will contribute to HollandBloorview’s Together We Dare campaign. This ambitious 100-million-dollar campaign dares us to think differently about disabilities and take action to raise funds to shape the future of disability healthcare for kids across Canada.”

She added, “It’s the only medical institution in Canada serving children and youth with disabilities. The campaign will establish a Centre of Excellence in Childhood Disability aiming to unlock new discoveries through research and cutting-edge technology and address healthcare gaps. Ultimately, enabling kids to dream, learn, play and belong.”

https://capesforkids.ca. n

sterling

coins

gold

Teak

jewellery

furniture

watches, etc.

paintings • Doultons • fancy cups and saucers

medals

military

Chinese

Japanese • fine art and quality smalls.

RINK From Page 12

players, and their installation places Leaside Memorial Gardens among a very small number of arenas in Toronto to feature them. In fact, Leaside is only the third arena in the city with these boards, alongside Coca-Cola Coliseum (home to the Toronto Sceptres and Marlies) and Scotiabank Arena (home to the Toronto Maple Leafs). It is a significant upgrade and one reflecting the arena’s commitment to player safety and facility excellence.

For many in attendance, the best part of the morning came after the speeches were finished and skates hit the ice. Families, neighbours, and longtime rink users took their first laps on the newly reopened surface, reminding everyone that Leaside Gardens is not just a facility, but a gathering place that brings people together.

With the Grant Rink now back in action, Leaside Memorial Community Gardens continues to evolve while staying true to its longstanding role at the heart of the community: creating space for sport, recreation, and connection, year-round. n

21 people walked past, one couple stopped and picked it up. I thanked them and asked why they chose to do so. The husband, wearing a Leaside hockey jacket, said, “We always make a conscious effort to pick up litter when we see it on our streets or in our neighbourhood.” Very encouraging words.

I then added an empty plastic bottle beside the cup to increase visibility. After 28 more people walked by, no one picked up either item. In total, 49 people passed visible litter, stepping over or around it, and only one couple acted. While weather played a role, the results were nonetheless disappointing. Still, the test provided a useful baseline for future observations.

Day 2

The following weekend, Super Bowl Sunday, I returned to the same location. The weather was sunnier, with less snow on the sidewalk. Hoping for better results, I placed three coffee cups on the ground and later added a fourth. Once again, people walked past or over the cups. Some stopped to

stare, while four people even kicked them as they passed. After 57 people walked by, not one picked up the litter.

Over the two days, more than 100 people passed visible litter, and only one couple acted. Disappointed, I went inside Shoppers Drug Mart to gather my belongings. To my surprise, I noticed a man outside picking up all four coffee cups.

I went out to thank him and introduced myself. His name was David, and he and his wife have lived in Leaside for 55 years. When I asked why he picked up the cups, his answer was simple and powerful: “I like my Leaside clean!”

While the overall results of the test were disappointing, David’s actions and his reason for acting should encourage everyone in Leaside to pick up litter. If one person can care enough to make a conscious effort, then our goal at Don’t Mess With Leaside doesn’t have to rest with just that one person. It can – and should – be shared by residents and visitors alike, working together to keep Leaside clean, beautiful, and litter-free. n

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Transportation improvements in Leaside and across Ward 15

As we navigate this heavy winter season, I am reminded how resilient our community is in the face of extreme weather. Thank you to everyone who helped clear snow, report snow and icy sidewalks, shoveled, and otherwise helped make Leaside a better place for seniors and children. In particular – thank you to our school crossing guards, who ensured everyone’s journey around the neighbourhood was safe. City Hall has been a very busy place since the New Year began, and my office has been hard at work advocating for improvements in our community.

2026 budget

The mayor’s proposed budget was approved with amendments from Toronto City Council on February 10th. Under provincial ‘Strong Mayor’ legislation, city councillors do not vote on whether or not to adopt the mayor’s budget. They can make amendments to the budget if accompanied by corresponding offsets in spending from the mayor’s budget. As part of this process, we secured a number of area-specific improvements for Don Valley West, including:

• $150,000 for park enhancements

• funding for improvements on Overlea Boulevard; and

• additional funding for road resurfacing projects across the ward.

Increased snow removal

When the Major Snow Event Response Plan was triggered in the big January snowstorm, the City initiated a surge crew, equipment, and other resources to help remove snow following this weather event. I know many of you reached out to my office about the Leaside library and Trace Manes Community Centre – which did not receive snow clearing at the outset of the storm response. I am pleased to report that my office worked diligently with Transportation Services to ensure both this parking lot, and adjacent parking spaces, were cleared. It is critical that our community be able to access these important public

spaces – especially in the colder months, when indoor activities and space become some of the only locations where residents can get out and find connection.

Eglinton Crosstown LRT

I’m thrilled that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is finally open, bringing long-awaited, reliable transit to an important corridor that has needed it for years. Opening day showed just how excited residents are – full trains, long lines, and a real sense of momentum after so much waiting. This is an important first step toward better service, easier commutes, and stronger connections from the Leaside neighbourhood to the downtown core. For residents and businesses in Don Valley West, the impacts of construction were significant. That’s why I strongly support the call for a public inquiry. Transparency and accountability are essential to understanding what went wrong, learning from it, and applying those lessons to major projects already underway, including the Ontario Line – which is already impacting transportation, traffic, and well-being in Leaside and beyond.

As with any new transit system, a start-up period with a few aches and pains is expected, but my office will continue to work with all parties and levels of government to report these issues as they arise. Service will roll out in phases to ensure safety and reliability. While there may be early adjustments, as we’ve seen with recent launches in other cities, the long-term benefits will be substantial: improved transit access, reduced bus congestion on Eglinton, better traffic flow, and renewed accessibility for local neighbourhoods and businesses. n

For the love of languages at Leaside High

by MITCH BUBULJ

Renowned film director Federico Fellini once claimed, “A different language is a different vision of life.”

If true, then Leaside High students have the unique opportunity to see the world in technicolour, especially during the Celebration of Languages, which took place last December, and for the first time, lasted an entire week. LHS is no stranger to giving instruction in foreign tongues. It is one of 14 TDSB secondary schools offering French Immersion. It’s a well-established program now in its 39th year, and it serves close to half the student population. Over the years LHS has also afforded students the opportunity to learn German, Spanish, Latin and Italian. I recall my daughter studying Italian with beloved teacher Enrico Vicentini and raving about the field trip to an authentic Italian pizzeria. There’s no doubt that Leaside languages teachers practise their craft with flair.

The most recent example of the ingenuity and dedication of faculty –language teachers as well as those in ESL and special education – was the Celebration of Languages.

Celebrating languages

Leah Raghunath has taught French at LHS since 2015 and recently assumed a leadership role. “We have always done activities that celebrate languages, especially French and Spanish,” Raghunath explained, “but this year it was decided we would also highlight languages spoken by many of the students of LHS.”

So, along with French and Spanish, Cantonese, Arabic and Russian were also feted; altogether 14 languages were featured.

Much of the work was done by

Raghunath’s Grade 11 Leadership class, a popular course taught traditionally in English, but for the first time also offered to French students. They organized 12 language stations that the entire student body could visit on the ultimate day of the event. They also learned firsthand what cross-curricular cooperation looks like since they worked with ESL students and the World Language Social club in bringing the concept to fruition.

Raghunath fitted the Celebration of Languages event into the course curriculum; it became the culminating activity. This allowed students to work in small groups to plan and advertise the itinerary. The first day was a lunchtime trivia challenge which pitted the Reach for the Top team against teachers. Three of the students stepped up and became DJs who played international music each morning as students moved to their classes. The week also included interactive games, charades and bingo during the lunch hour.

The events were well attended, and participant feedback was positive. But some of the most telling comments came from the students themselves. According to Trishna Shah, “Celebrating cultural diversity is extremely important, especially if we want to create a more understanding and inclusive world, and starting within our school community felt like a meaningful first step.” She noted that “seeing students smile, participate, and learn made the experience incredibly rewarding.”

Leadership student Zoe Lofthouse summed up well what many were feeling: “The event gave me the confidence to step out and learn about languages of which I didn’t know a single word.” And they certainly experienced a different vision of life. n

Leasider Timothy Tiryaki leads with strategy

by GREIG HENDERSON

Founder of the Maslow Research Center and Strategy Inc., with a Ph.D. in Leadership Education, Dr. Timothy Tiryaki moved with his family to Leaside last summer. His son currently attends Bessborough Middle School and will continue to Leaside High School. Timothy wants to deepen his connection with his new community, and, given his multiple talents and insights, he certainly has much to offer.

A globally recognized expert in the area of study where strategy, culture, and leadership intersect, Timothy is the author of Leading with Culture (2024) and Leading with Strategy: Using Your North Star to Guide Decision-Making (2026).

Trained as an industrial engineer, he began his career at Procter & Gamble and worked at Intel, where he gained invaluable experience working in complex,

high-performance environments. Over the past 25 years, he has led transformation projects for various Fortune 500 companies and assembled a diverse portfolio of clients.

Timothy’s first book, Leading with Culture, presents the Maslow Research Center’s findings concerning employee experience in the 21st century and focuses on building people-centred organizations. Drawing inspiration from the fourth and fifth levels of humanist psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the book addresses three crucial questions: How do employees fulfill their needs for esteem, respect, self-confidence, achievement, and recognition? How do they achieve their potential and move towards self-actualization? What do they need and expect from their organizations, peers, and leaders? By exploring realworld stories and illustrative case studies, the book offers a groundbreaking perspective on organizational culture and a comprehensive understanding of workplace needs.

Leading with Strategy

Timothy’s second book, Leading with Strategy, delivers a transformative yet flexible paradigm that clarifies the complex trade-offs in today’s AI-enabled business environment and provides unique perspectives on strategic thinking and leadership. He explores the contemporary maze of leadership dilemmas that have emerged in the wake of the latest generative AI technologies. The strategies Timothy propounds are dynamic tools that transcend staid, one-sizefits-all approaches to common business problems. Strategy, he maintains, is one of the most overused and misunderstood words in business. True strategy, for him, encompasses three propositions: Value creation – creating something valuable and sustainable, not just short-term wins for management but long-term benefits for all stakeholders.

A philosophy of being – not a rigid plan but a flexible way of thinking. It involves asking the right questions and continuously exploring possibilities. It is about framing our actions within the big picture and guiding our choices with purpose.

Learning – testing ideas, adapting, and learning in real time. It embraces trial and error, recognizing that mis-

steps are essential to refining the right approach. It is not a detailed plan meant to be executed without change. Nor is it a quick fix or a checklist of tasks. What Leading with Strategy unfolds is not a solo self-oriented endeavour but a collaborative dialectical process of unlearning, rethinking, discovering, designing, deepening, executing, and evolving.

Broadly speaking, strategy is equipment for living in an age of flux. And that equipment is spiritual as well as practical, a philosophy of being as well as a pragmatics of doing. To help others in their quest for meaningful work, self-actualization, and communal belonging, Tim is launching a non-profit initiative called Strategic Canada, a national movement designed to elevate the strategic capacity of our country –one person, one leader, one organization at a time.

Shared strategy

“In a world defined by complexity, transformation, and accelerating change, strategy can no longer remain the domain of executives. It must become a shared capability, something that empowers individuals, strengthens teams, and drives national competitiveness. Strategic Canada aims to explore and define a uniquely Canadian approach to strategic thinking that integrates innovation, productivity, wellbeing, and cultural diversity.” Visit strategiccanada.org to see how you can participate.

In my experience, many discussions of strategy, culture, and leadership offer reductive formulae and banal bromides, the all-too-familiar staples of the self-help genre. What’s refreshing about Timothy’s approach to the topic is his articulation of what he calls the Paradox Mindset.

“The paradox mindset is the ability to hold conflicting ideas, opinions, and insights at the same time, without rushing to judge, choose, or resolve…. It’s the move from either/ or to both/and. Instead of reacting fast, we stay in the tension….We don’t just pick a side. We reach a synthesis on a higher plane of awareness. This is where wise leadership decisions come from. Not speed. Not certainty. But depth. Growth matters. Learning matters.”

And, Timothy concludes, amid a noisy, messy, ambiguous, and complex world, “paradox is where wisdom lives.” n

Agnes Macphail recipient, Dr. Blair Bigham

by LORNA KRAWCHUK

Dr. Blair Bigham was confirmed as the recipient of the 2026 Agnes Macphail Award by City of Toronto Council on February 4.

Apart from one year during Covid, the Agnes Macphail Award ceremony has been held each year since 1994 close to Agnes Macphail’s birthdate of March 24. The recipient is required to reside in East York and exhibit strong volunteer leadership qualities over a period in social justice issues.

In the words of Dr. Bigham’s nominator, Fernando Valencia, “as a senior editor and a founding member at the Investigative Journalism Bureau, he has contributed to reporting on femicides, helping bring public attention to gender-based violence and systemic failures that place women at risk.”

That is just one facet of the volunteer leadership he has exhibited over the past 15-plus years. One of his supporters described Dr. Bigham

as “a strong advocate for systemic change that uplifts the community.”

Dr. Blair Bigham has built his career “thinking locally and acting globally,” bringing national platforms and international experience directly to bear on the needs, challenges and

voices of his local community. An emergency and critical care physician at Sunnybrook Health Centre, educator and journalist, his work is deeply rooted in East Toronto and throughout the city. He has consistently focused on fairness, dignity and accountability in systems that profoundly shape people’s lives with his insistence that equity and justice be visible, named and addressed. His contributions as a volunteer, advocate and community leader span decades and reflect a sustained commitment to the values of Agnes Macphail. He has chosen the Investigative Journalism Bureau as the registered charity to receive donations contributed towards this award through The East York Foundation, c/o 50 Merritt Rd., East York, Ont. M4B 3K6, or via Canada Helps. All are invited to attend the award ceremony and reception at the East York Civic Centre, 650 Coxwell Ave., on Sun., March 22, starting at 2 p.m. Parking is available in the staff parking area off Mortimer Ave. n

The Leaside Rotary Club supports LiftED

by CRAIG HUTCHISON

The Leaside Rotary Club provides financial support for local initiatives to help in the community – especially child-focused projects. One of Rotary’s seven areas of focus is “Education and Literacy” initiatives, and this is why Rotary has supported LiftED Literacy and Leadership’s literacy programming for several years. LiftED supports students in underserved Toronto communities such as Thorncliffe Park, St. James Town, Scarborough, Jane and Driftwood. Through access to high-quality learning opportunities, LiftED empowers students to thrive and explore their full potential. They do this by providing free out-of-school literacy and leadership programs where students learn new skills in a safe and engaging environment. Their core programs focus on children in Senior Kindergarten to Grade 8. Those programs include Saturday Morning Literacy Clubs, Take the LEAD: A Community Action

Club, March Break Math Literacy and LEAP into Literacy Summer Camps. They reach over 770 kids each year.

LiftED tracks the results and is proud to say that 83 per cent of their students improved their school performance in math and literacy with a 93 per cent approval rating from both parents and kids. One of the parents wrote about the program saying: “My son likes all things about the programs even more than his regular school.”

For more information on the LiftED programs, go to www. liftededucation.org and contact Executive Director Jessica Murphy. LiftED Literacy and Leadership is just one of the local community initiatives that Toronto Leaside Rotary is proud to sponsor and be partnered with. If you want to make a positive change in your Leaside community and around the world, contact Toronto –Leaside Rotary at: info@torontoleasiderotary.com. n

GROOVE From Page 10

has always been a key part of the mission. Early fundraisers supported brain injury programs and children’s camps. In recent years, donations have contributed to ensuring people who need food have access to it.

“We just say, give what you can –and people usually do,” Rapson said. In December, the event raised nearly $800 for the food bank, a record amount.

Volunteers play a big role, helping set up tables, stack chairs and pack equipment. “It’s an all-hands-ondeck kind of night.”

As word spreads, interest grows.

“More people started talking about it and then inviting their friends,” said Ross. “Now we’re getting a regular following.”

Asked to describe the spirit of the Groove Room, Mike pondered a moment before replying – “good vibrations. There’s something special that happens when it all comes together.”

The next Groove Room is Friday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m. New performers are always welcome. Contact Mike at info@saintaugustine.ca for more information.n

William Lea Room Events:

March 1, 10am-3pm Sports Card Show

March 15, 10am-3pm Sports Card Show

Duplicate Bridge Games and Lessons

Wednesdays: March 4, 11, 18, 25

Thursdays: March 5, 12, 19, 26 For more information, please visit www.Torontobridge.ca

Free Adult Public Skating

11am – 12pm for adults (18+) only

Tuesdays: March 3, 10, 24, 31 (cancelled during March Break)

Thursdays: March 5, 12, 26 (cancelled during March Break)

Free Community Public Skating

Saturdays: March 7, 14, 28 5:15pm-7:15pm (cancelled Mar. 21 for Wildcats Tournament). All ages welcome. Helmets mandatory for children 12 and under and recommended for all skaters. n No

leasidelife.com

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Publisher: Lorna Krawchuk

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FH Publishing Inc.

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Comments, Letters to the Editor, Advertising Enquiries: Contact: 416-504-8047 Ext. 120

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Published monthly in Leaside, Toronto, ON. Circulation 10,000 to every home and business in Leaside & Bennington.

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From Page 4

Steve showing the leaf of a horsechestnut tree on a tour of Chorley Park in 2025.

can be removed before the planting season. Often, he and his crew will be out with volunteers ensuring the new planting is done carefully and properly.

When the new walkway from Chorley Park in North Rosedale down to the Evergreen Brickworks was built, it was UFORA workers doing the plantings for the City and looking after them for those crucial first few years.

Steve spent many years as a volunteer between 1989 and 2008 with Bring Back the Don, the mainly volunteer task force working to restore the Don River watershed. This group can be proud of its many success stories over the years, but its crowning achievement actually was completed after the wrap-up of the group, with the reconfiguration and naturalization of the mouth of the Don River from the old Keating Channel to the new mouth of the Don River, creating the beautiful new park, Biidaasige, which opened in July 2025. UFORA, hired by the main contractor, EllisDon, oversaw all the plantings.

If going on an informative urban tree walk somewhere in the city is something that might interest you, remember Steve Smith’s name. He’s often invited by groups to lead these tours, and you’ll definitely learn something new, useful and green. n

MAYHEM From Page 8

(he survived his injuries) in Rosedale, they split up and ran. Within hours, Toronto police had caught one of the suspects – James Hogarth, 29 – at his home on Gerrard St. Two days later, they caught the others, also at their homes – Robert Orr, 23, of St. Clair Ave. West; and Robert Harrison, 19, of Vermont Ave. A fourth suspect named Marjorie Constable, who allegedly was the robbers’ “go-between,” was also arrested.

About a week after the robbery, Leaside mayor Howard Talbot wrote to the Toronto police department praising them for their quick work in catching the suspects and recovering most of the stolen money.

Two months later, the accused were tried and sentenced. All were convicted of armed robbery and sent to Kingston Penitentiary, except for Ms. Constable, who was found innocent and released. Hogarth – a repeat offender – received 12 years; Harrison 10 years; and Orr, seven years. The men were also punished with 10 lashes each by the strap.

Delbert Rodman, the heroic teller, continued working at the bank for decades, rising through the ranks to become an audit officer by 1955. For a while, he and his family lived not far from Leaside at 535 Soudan between Bayview and Mount Pleasant. He died in 1978 at the age of 66.2 n

Hero bank teller Delbert Rodman

EventsMarch

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

Fri., March 6 at 2:00 p.m., reception following. Manor Road United Church, 240 Manor Road E. Written by the World Day of Prayer Committee of Nigeria. All welcome.

LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY

2026 Speaker Series: Thurs., March 12, 7:00 p.m. In-person at the Leaside Library, 165 McRae Dr. Guest speaker: Mary Anderson on The Bowery Project. The Society welcomes guests to join our meetings. Visit: http://www.leasidegardensociety.org or email: leaside@gardenontario.org for more info.

NORTHLEA UNITED CHURCH

125 Brentcliffe Road www.northleaunited.ca

Celebrate the Easter season with us: Palm Sunday March 29 – 10:30 a.m. at the church or online.

Good Friday April 3 – 10:30 a.m. We spend Good Friday with our friends at Leaside Presbyterian, 670 Eglinton Ave. E.

Easter Sunday April 5 – 10:30 a.m. Back at 125 Brentcliffe Road!

ST. CUTHBERT’S, LEASIDE

ANGLICAN CHURCH

1399 Bayview Ave. 416 485 0329 www.stcuthbertsleaside.com stcuthbertleaside@toronto.anglican.ca

Tai Chi Tuesdays 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. in Lamb Hall. Suggested donation $5. Join us!

Spring Sale – Saturday, April 25, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

CFUW LEASIDE-EAST YORK

Thurs., March 19, 7:00 p.m. In person at Northlea United, 125 Brentcliffe Rd. The Pacific Islands - Beneath Paradise. Speaker Diane Goodwillie who has 40 years doing community work in the Pacific Islands and Australia.

LEASIDE DAY - SAVE THE DATE!

Sat., May 23, 10:00 a.m.: Community Stakeholders/Leaders Conference: Networking, presentation of Leaside Residents Survey, special guest presentations. 1:00 p.m.: Leaside public celebration and mini-trade show: swag bags, special guests, activations, cake! Meet your community organizations, clubs, and associations at the Leaside Memorial Community Gardens/William Lea Room. See page 21 for details. More to come in our April issue. n

ZONING From Page 14

opt in to sixplexes (they hung with fourplexes). Is the City now trying to force sixplexes on the whole city and blame the Province?

2. Leaside’s Neighbourhooddesignated lands appear to escape the major intensification mandated for Mixed Use, Apartment Areas, and Regeneration Areas. But maybe not, as the Avenues Policy Review is rolling out across the City. In the Ward 9 and 11 pilot, several Avenues were redesignated from Neighbourhoods to Apartment Neighbourhoods or Mixed Use Areas. When this planning exercise reaches Ward 15 there will be pressure for more Avenues in Leaside to be redesignated. Avenues designation allows midrise – generally 6–14 storeys – and if the Avenue is within a P/MTSA, 20–30 storeys on qualifying sites.

An unfortunate consequence of this plan for intensification is to create “zones in transition” and uncertainly about the future of the neighbourhood. More broadly, it raises questions about the plan

for the additional infrastructure to meet the need for the new people, including schools, healthcare, and community centres.

Given that this program is driven by the Province, with City acquiescence, does public feedback still matter? In-person and virtual public consultation sessions are complete, with input to planning staff requested by Feb. 19. Staff will then report to the Planning and Housing Committee and to City Council this spring (dates to be confirmed).

What can you do?

Study the information available on the City’s website1 and share your concerns with the councillor. The Leaside Residents Association will be developing submissions to Committee and Council and will be looking for your support.

1 Further information on the Zoning Implementation planning exercise is available here: Zoning for Major Transit Station Areas toronto.ca/StationAreaZoning

MTSA maps for Leaside station (page 17) and Laird station (page 18) are available here: City planning zoning for major transit station areas –North York https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/ uploads/2026/02/957d-city-planning-zoning-formajor-transit-station-areas-north-york.pdf n

Transit woes or panacea? Unanswered questions remain about Line 5

Our community has experienced more than a dozen years of construction and traffic congestion, especially around the LRT stations at Bayview Avenue and Laird Drive, as well as by the tunnel’s exit east of Brentcliffe Road.

Not just the arterial streets have been affected: many previously quiet residential streets have also been plagued with extra traffic, even more speeding vehicles, trucks, vibrations and noise. What will change, now that the LRT, aka Line 5, is in full service?

Will commuters who, over the years, discovered and diverted into Leaside’s inner streets, continue to drive their cars through our neighbourhood? Or might large numbers switch to the LRT and other public transit?

If so, does the new LRT have room for that kind of ridership increase?

How long will it be before Line 5 is at full passenger capacity? Keep in mind the amount of residential development being built all along

the new line, including near the new Leaside and Laird stations.

And can it manage the additional passengers delivered to those stations by buses which have now been rerouted to feed Line 5?

Much depends on whether the

transit system offers both capacity and convenience. It is still early days, but I’ve already heard of problems with non-functioning elevators and difficult-to-decode signage regarding how to switch to and from the LRT level to a bus platform.

Even with the line in full service, we still need surface transit, and lots of it, to connect people with the local in-between places they need to reach. An example: many LRT stations, like the Leaside and Laird ones, are not located within comfortable walking distance of each other. Although the TTC has released information about route changes to connect passengers with the Eglinton line, we still have little idea how frequently buses will run along Eglinton Avenue itself. Timing and availability are key. If bus transit is infrequent, long waits for a bus on Eglinton will not be an incentive to use transit.

We hope all will be well, but there are still lots of unanswered questions. Wouldn’t it be ironic if, after all the problems Leasiders have

A note from our publisher Lorna Krawchuk

My family and I are so appreciative of all the love and support we’ve been shown over this past short while since Ted died in January. Close friends heard the news directly, but many more people learned of his death because of the remembrance published in the February issue of Leaside Life and were then able to reach out. One more reason for a true community news magazine! Many thanks.