Leaside Life Issue 169 June 2026

The kids are all write –welcome to our youth issue

This issue, you might notice, Leaside Life is doing something a little different.

For this special youth edition, we’re handing the pen to the next generation of storytellers, students, athletes, artists and young people growing up right now in this community. As a journalism student at Carleton University and this issue’s editor, working on this edition has been a full-circle experience for me. Before heading off to university, my whole life had been spent in Leaside, and coming back to tell stories about the community from a younger perspective has been incredibly special. It reminded me how much this neighbourhood shapes the people who grow up here, and how every generation experiences it a little differently. This issue is both a celebration of the neighbourhood so many of us call home and a snapshot of what it feels like to be young here today.

Carmen Fejer Guest Editor Leaside Life

Whether it’s memories of school traditions, the rise of iPads, or simply what it feels like to be young in this community right now, this issue is all about youth perspective. Leaside is often described through its traditions: the familiar streets, local businesses, community events and generations of families who have built lives here. But communities like ours are always evolving, and young people are a huge part of that change. This month is all about highlighting their perspectives and experiences – the things that don’t always make headlines but shape the

EDITOR Page 41

Stickers, gelato & friends: a 6-year-old’s Leaside

by NIKANOR JOGOV-HARRISON

I like living in Leaside because it’s a nice community. There are all these nice, friendly, lovely people! I like being with the people I love – the people in church, in stores, in school. I like going to St. Cuthbert’s – there’s a nice community there. Everyone knows me. The people at church take care of me and play with me. Sarah teaches me and plays with me. Kathi and Mr. Bob let me be in the garden and plant squash and water the flowers and grow food. Janet runs the very lovely church and talks to me and lets me blow out the candles. I also love Gary because he plays with me and holds me up.

The Badalis are lovely. They know me and talk to me and are friendly. They sell tasty food. They let me see the pineapple machine. No Frills gives me stickers, and I love that.

I love COBS because they let me have samples. Hollywood Gelato has really yummy ice cream. I also get to go to Hapkido. I got to learn, and I got to have so much fun there. I also like the playgrounds around

us – there are so many good ones! Trace Manes Park is neat because each summer they have a party there. I like the community centre because I get to do cool stuff there. At the library I can get very fun books.

4cats is great. I got to do so much clay stuff there. I got to have a camp there. I got to have my birthday party there with my friends, and we made unicorns out of clay. Prince Ani and Chickenburger helped me do all the crafts and they’re so nice to me.

I have really nice teachers at my school. I get to learn math, science and history. I know everyone and have lots of friends.

Also, our neighbours are so nice. Andrew tells me things about his garden. Nina is so nice and brings us yummy treats that she bakes.

I love living here. It’s so nice and I am so lucky. n

ENTER MY FATHER'S DAY DRAW

“Tarof” and technology: building a better way to listen

Leaside is changing. Our community is more diverse than ever, and at the same time, new technologies are quietly reshaping how young people learn to communicate with each other face-to-face. In my experience, technology can help with the bottlenecks, the missed translations, and the rushed minutes, but it can’t replace the act of looking into someone’s eyes and getting to know them. I won’t ever know every culture, and I won’t connect with every person I meet. But I’ve learned, from a hospital room in Leaside to a market stall halfway around the world, that walking into a room with a smile isn’t a small thing. It’s the beginning of building trust. And trust, in the end, is what every community is built from.

Tarof , the etiquette of putting another’s comfort before your own, is a Persian word that doesn’t quite translate into English. It manifests as a gentle dance of offering, declining, and persistently offering again, often when sharing food at the dinner table or insisting on paying the bill. While

Armiti Zarbakhsh Guest Columnist

LEASIDE PEOPLE

tarof keeps everyday life warm and considerate, I’ve witnessed this cultural cue become dangerous within the setting of a Toronto walk-in clinic. The day my mother was hospitalized after her medication wasn’t adjusted, I understood, for the first

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time, how a healthcare system can fail when it doesn’t ‘hear’ its patients. Since graduating from high school and moving through life, I've made it my goal to learn to listen for the unspoken cues. And I believe I’ve found that the simplest way, across languages, abilities, and generations, is a smile.

I first started practising this as a student at Leaside High volunteering in the Complex Continuing Care unit at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Many of the clients I worked with were non-verbal and with limited mobility. As a result, I’d often walk into the room leading with a smile and watching closely for non-verbal cues: a soft smile back, a small twitch of a hand, a gaze that lingered a moment too long on the row of dolls taped above the bed.

These were words, only spoken differently, and once you learned to read them, a whole conversation emerged. One afternoon stayed with me. A young client kept returning her gaze to the dolls in their pretty dresses on the windowsill, and I realized she was telling me something. I reached for materials, and together we created a new dress for the doll. The joy on her face that day taught me more about communication than any textbook ever has.

Five U of T students explore responsible growth at Bayview-Eglinton

by Ezgi Erzincan, Margad Sukhbaatar, Rachel Lau, Pak Yin Lau, Hang Vy Le

Toronto’s push toward transit-oriented development has added pressure to intensify neighbourhoods around new rapid transit infrastructure.

The current built form of the Bayview-Eglinton Focus Area (before development applications) DEVELOPMENT

With the opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT (Line 5) and the Province’s approval of Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) and Protected MTSAs through Official Plan Amendment 537, the BayviewEglinton intersection has become a key site for development. At the same time, community concerns have emerged regarding traffic congestion, housing affordability, and the compatibility of new development with existing neighbourhood conditions.

Research process

As part of our research process, we consulted various residents’ associations working alongside the Federation of North Toronto

Residents’ Associations (FoNTRA). This allowed us to retain qualitative data from residents who shared concerns regarding how incoming developments would affect their day-to-day life and the services they access, as well as how developments might impact residents’ homes.

In addition, the team conducted a policy review of existing municipal and provincial planning policies relevant to the Bayview Focus Area – for instance, new policies surrounding increased densification requirements at transit stations, mixed-use residential and commercial spaces, as well as housing affordability measures. In addition, development applications were mapped to visualize the scale of proposed intensification and examine how increased density could affect the built form of the neighbourhood, such as shadow studies, transportation patterns and demands, and mapping community amenities.

Key considerations

Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) and Protected Major Transit Station Areas (PMTSAs) concentrate housing growth near transit to address Toronto’s housing shortage and grow transit-oriented areas. This has enabled a rapid rise in high-density development proposals in Bayview-Eglinton, which drastically contrasts with the existing low- to mid-rise neighbourhood and places cumulative pressure on existing local services. These projects begin to negatively impact the neighbourhood’s quality of life.

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT promises a significant increase in transit capacity, yet the surrounding streetscape has not fully adapted to the proposed density. As new residents move into the area, the wide arterial roads, narrow sidewalks and long crossings raise questions about whether the public realm can support the everyday movement transit-oriented communities rely on.

While public meetings and feedback channels exist, residents often feel decisions are largely predetermined by the time it takes for projects to reach consultation stages. Experiences from Golden Mile and

The proposed development applications of the Bayview-Eglinton Focus Area.

Eglinton West suggest that growth is most effective when community knowledge, infrastructure planning, and development timelines are considered together, revealing a broader challenge of managing rapid intensification in ways that make neighbourhoods functional, walkable, and responsive to the communities already living there.

Design Intervention: Comprehensive Urban Policy and Design Guidebook

The goal of the guidebook is to draw not only on policies but also on the direct experiences and connections that the MUCP team has built over the past few months with North Toronto-area residents. This will then translate into an assessment of urban policies and design guidelines drawing from our focus area and other notable Toronto area case studies, highlighting the importance of what proper community consultation looks like. Highlights include:

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What’s bred in the bone: the quiet pressure to succeed

As I approach the end of high school, I’ve started thinking more seriously about my future and what success means to me. Though, the strange thing is that success is difficult to define because it’s subjective. Yet growing up, it seemed to be marked definitively by good grades, achievements, acceptance letters, and clear paths forward.

Maybe that’s what happens when you grow up in a place like Leaside. And so, the question becomes: what exactly are young people taught success looks like, and what effect does that have on them?

Growing up in Leaside, I never questioned the quality of life around me: strong schools, thriving businesses, or professional success that seemed to surround every family. Of course, what seven-year-old stops to think about all of that? When you grow up immersed in a particular environment, it simply becomes normal. The careers of people just on my street – like doctors, lawyers,

Ryan Asano Guest Columnist

and professors – did not register to me as extraordinary achievements, but as ordinary expectations.

This idea of success isn’t taught explicitly in one place but rather absorbed through the constant expectations and everyday conversations that surround you. It shows up in the assumption that university is the next step, in how certain grades are discussed as thresholds rather than achievements, and in how extracurriculars are treated as necessities rather than choices. Ask any student how many times they’ve heard from someone else after getting back a test, “oh my god… I only got a 90. This type of environ-

ment serves as a constant reminder of this standard you apparently need to achieve over the one you set for yourself.

Now, ask any student if they’ve felt bad, after silently comparing their own scores to others. It may not be every time, or every other time, but even so, there truly is an accumulative psychological impact for each moment we berate ourselves for a weak performance on a test. I vividly remember working late on a science lab in Grade 10, refining an analysis that was already solid.

It wasn’t as if that grade would change my life, and it wasn’t even about expectations of other grades to be earned. I was forcing myself to keep working because I simply felt I had to.

It’s easiest for me to reflect on my school pressures as a now Grade 12 student, but this competitive environment persists throughout places like Leaside. It's not to say the pros of living in a well-developed neighbourhood don’t majorly outweigh the cons. But I think it’s important that we don’t push (unreasonable?) expectations onto our youth. Ultimately, success should feel like something we define for ourselves, not something we are constantly measured against. If we can learn to step outside those quiet expectations, we might find that achievement and wellbeing can exist together. n

Need a job? Create your own! I did

Every teen knows how hard it can be to find a summer job, especially one that feels exciting and meaningful. Many students must apply to dozens of places before they find something, and some have no luck at all in such a competitive job market. This year, I decided to skip the application process entirely and create my own dream job…right here at home!

Introducing The Backyard Club, a neighbourhood summer camp based in Leaside-Bennington, which includes dance, swimming, games, arts and crafts, and other outdoor adventures for children aged 5-11. The idea came earlier this year when I realized how challenging it was for my friends and me to find summer jobs. I knew working with kids was my ideal, and from there the planning began – designing a logo, registration forms, daily activities, and social media content to get the word out.

I graduated from Leaside High School last year and am currently in the Concurrent Education program

Charlotte Hammill Guest Columnist

at Queen’s University. I’ve spent years working with children through teaching dance at The Hive Dance Company, being a camp counsellor, participating in classroom co-op, and babysitting. I plan to become an elementary school teacher, so creating my own summer camp felt like a natural fit.

I loved the idea of creating something smaller and more local. Many summer day camps involve long commutes across the city, but I wanted to start something close to home for Leaside families. Somewhere walkable, familiar, and with a strong focus on the local community. It has already been rewarding to see how supportive neighbours, families, and local businesses have been of The Backyard Club. For example, when I enquired about participating in the Bayview Sidewalk Sensation, COBS Bread immediately offered us space in front of their store to advertise. Growing up in Leaside, I found that summers always felt community oriented. Playing at local parks and splash pads and attending neighbourhood summer camps were always my favourites. As I started planning The Backyard Club, I realized how special it would be to create something in the same community that shaped so much of my own childhood.

I’ll be running the camp alongside my friend and fellow Leaside High School graduate, Jamison O’Connell. The team also includes Ella Grayson, an NLS-certified lifeguard and swim instructor, who will supervise swimming and organize swim activities.

Dance is a major focus of the camp, as both Jamison and I grew up as competitive dancers at local dance studios. There will also still be plenty of time each day for swimming in our backyard pool, trips to nearby parks and the Brickworks trail, arts and crafts and other games.

More than anything, I wanted to create the kind of LeasideBennington summer that I loved as a child. A fun and safe camp experience for kids right in the backyard! The Backyard Club will run during the last two weeks of July, with both weekly registration and daily drop-in options available. For more information, visit @thebackyardclub_ on Instagram. n

LHS answers the call during annual Charity Pairs Week

Every year Leaside High selects a local charity to support.

This time it was the Red Door Family Shelter, and our school community really answered the call. As the co-president of Leaside’s Student Council, I decided that our multifaceted annual Charity Week is one of my favourite events to host.

Officially known as Charity Pairs Week, it’s a time when LHS dedicates a whole week to help a local charity in need. The event is unique to Leaside High and has proven to be one of our most spirited weeks of the school year.

The Student Council organizes student volunteers to dress up as a pair of any characters that strike their fancy, putting their heart, soul and creativity into their fundraising endeavours. This year the volunteers outdid themselves, hitting the halls as Mario and Luigi and even paired fruits, just to name a few! My friends and I dressed up as characters from the popular video game Subway Surfers.

Volunteers could be seen throughout the school at lunch asking stu-

Keira Stekovic Guest Columnist

dents to donate pocket change in colourful tubs, holding speakers for audio effect, and meeting new students, especially those from the Grade 9 cohort. Everyone agrees it gives the students a chance to both help a charity in need and spark their LHS school spirit near the

Stanley’s White House Meats

Keira and the Leaside High School team with the cheque for the Red Door Shelter.

beginning of the year.

The Red Door Family Shelter was our organization of choice. Founded in Toronto in 1982, the shelter focuses on women affected by domestic abuse and provides emergency care to those who need it, including refugees with nowhere else to turn. The shelter’s activities could also include families experiencing a housing crisis, making the charity especially important given the current housing shortage in Toronto. The aim is to break the cycle of homelessness.

When choosing the recipient for Charity Week, the Student Council tends to focus on smaller charities that may be overlooked in our community. The Red Door Family Shelter is headquartered not too far away, in Leslieville.

Our goal this year was to raise around $2,000 in cash from our school community. By the end of Charity Pairs Week, we had surpassed our goal, raising a grand total of $2,556.26. Additionally, the parent council donated another $750.

Say cheese! The story of Georgia’s famous khachapuri

Dylan Tkaczuk Guest Columnist

Worry not, dear readers! Leaside Cooks is alive and well, despite this month being Leaside Life’ s youth edition. For this month, Mitch Bubulj passed me the keys to the kitchen and allowed me to take the reins. I was excited and hoped I would be able to fill his culinary clogs. Thinking about whom I would interview and ask to make a meal, I immediately thought of one of my closest friends and fellow foodie, Brady Embir.

Brady, a Grade 10 student at Leaside High School (LHS), is an exceptional cook who really knows his food. I have many fond memories of his family’s hospitality and enjoying their outstanding meals in his home. One that stands out is their lobster boil, which includes

great seafood, and a fun evening that lasts for hours.

When I asked him to choose a dish that holds significance in his life and represents his culture, Brady chose khachapuri

A traditional Georgian dish, khachapuri is a cheese-filled bread that is not only a delicious dish but also a significant part of Georgian culture, making it one of the country’s most famous culinary offerings. Georgia is unique in that the country is situated at the intersection of Europe and Asia and is a former Soviet republic.

The name of the dish derives from the Georgian words khacho (“curd cheese”) and puri (“bread”), originating from ancient times when highlanders required nutritious, simple food.

Georgia is, after all, the home of the Caucasus Mountain range. Khachapuri comes in various forms, including a pizza-style and a boat-

shaped variety, which is the version Brady prepared and shared with me.

Brady’s connection to khacha puri comes from his paternal grandparents, who often made the dish when he visited them. During his childhood, his grandfather would teach him how to make their family’s khachapuri recipe, creating lasting memories and nurturing Brady’s passion for cooking.

Brady has always been interested in trying out diverse and exciting recipes for dinner, influenced by his family’s love of food. “Cooking has been a central part of my life, further enriched by my mom, Janet, who was a pastry chef and attended The New School in New York City for culinary studies,” he told me. “Khachapuri is not only a source of nostalgia for me but also a symbol of my culinary heritage.”

Brady hopes that by sharing this dish, people in the Leaside community will explore and appreciate its rich flavours and cultural importance. I hope you enjoy khachapuri as much as I did! Link to recipe: https://simplyhomecooked.com/ khachapuri-georgian-cheese-bread/#recipe. n

Leaside’s hot spots – for kids by a kid!

by Lucas Reynolds, Grade 2 student

I’m Lucas Reynolds and I’m 9 years old. I’ve lived in Leaside for five years, and before that I was in Davisville, so I know all the best spots in the neighbourhood for kids, from parks to activities to stores. Here are some of my top recommendations if you’re a kid:

TRACE MANES PARK

This is the best park in Toronto! It’s really fun for kids because of the giant slide structure, which is great for hide and seek. They have a splash pad, which is fun to run around in. My little brothers really like the swings and sand pit. In the summer, an ice cream truck comes by, so be sure to ask your parents for $5 for an ice cream cone.

SKY ZONE

You can jump on trampolines and dive into a foam pit. They also have trampolines for dodgeball, basketball and soccer. What could be better! There is a big game area with air hockey, claw machines, and a giant iWall. You will be sure to have a blast holding your birthday here.

GEORGE’S BARBER SHOP

This is a great place to get your hair cut. You can get cool designs shaved into your hair after your haircut. I usually get a lightning bolt! George gives you candy and chocolate at the end, and he even has a drink fridge filled with stuff I never get at home like Pepsi and Iced Tea. Also, if you’re a little kid and it’s your first haircut, you’ll get a cool toy at the end.

LEASIDE MEMORIAL COMMUNITY GARDENS

There is so much to do here. You can play hockey, swim, or curl. It even has a hockey shop inside where I get my skates sharpened after a long hockey game. They also have a snack bar and lots of toy machines, so I like to pack toonies and bring home some toys.

BOMOU BAKERY

This is my favourite bakery in the neighbourhood. It’s on the Bayview strip, and they have all sorts of treats like cookies, croissants and even little Labubu-shaped chocolates. My favourite thing to order is the hot chocolate with whipped cream and a butter croissant. My mom always gets the best sourdough bread from here.

LEASIDE TENNIS CLUB

waitlist though because it might be a year or two before you get in!

LEASIDE FAIRGROUNDS

This is a really fun place to play pickleball. They also have a nice lounge where you get to sip a cold drink on a comfy couch and watch television shows. I’m taking lessons right now and will be able to play by the end of the summer.

LEASIDE BASEBALL

This is my fifth year playing for the Leaside Baseball team, and I love it! It’s easy too, because all my games are in the baseball diamonds around Leaside. Sometimes you can crack homers, or get struck out, but regardless, it’s fun to play with all my friends. They do spring and fall leagues and also have a great camp in the summer.

HOLLYWOOD GELATO

If you like ice cream, then you’ll love Hollywood Gelato! They have a lot of flavours of gelato here, and they always add new ones every month, so definitely ask for some samples before you pick. I’d recommend Cookies and Cream, though. Yum! It’s a great place to go in the summer and sit outside on the patio.

MABEL’S FABLES

This is one of my favourite places in the neighbourhood because I love to read. It’s the best bookstore. They have books for all ages, but most of it is for kids like me. The people that work there are really nice and will always help you to find a book that you will love. n 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I’m a junior member here and it’s a really fun tennis club. You can rent a ball machine and play tennis for two hours with family and friends. Get your parents to put you on the

Those are my Top 10. I hope you visit some of these places and love them as much as I do!

Summer in the ’hood, Leaside-style

Ready for some fun this summer? You don’t have to go far. Here are some great spots to hang out, relax, or get active in Leaside:

FOCUSED STUDIOS

Located at the intersection of Mount Pleasant and Eglinton, Focused Studios is a great place to get moving while having fun. Focused is a brand-new dance space with amazing and welcoming teachers. They offer a variety of beginner-friendly classes such as ballet, hip hop, jazz funk and even K-Pop. One standout class is ‘Pop Hits Choreography,’ taught by studio owner Andrea Bruce, which combines upbeat music with high-energy routines. It’s perfect for beginners wanting to try something new or for those with a little more experience. Most Focused Studios classes are for ages 16+.

SKY ZONE

Sky Zone was such an iconic part of many of our childhoods, but just because we’re a little older doesn’t mean we have to give it up. It's the perfect rainy-day activity to burn off energy and stay active. Whether you’re challenging your friends to trampoline basketball or playing ultimate dodgeball, you’re guaranteed to have a good time. More recently, Sky Zone has added a jousting beam over the foam pit, an eight-foot-high jumping platform and a large soccer area. You can also enjoy the evening with their ‘GLOW’ after dark on Friday and Saturday nights, featuring a neon theme, black lights, lasers and music.

BAGEL HOUSE

Bagel House on Bayview is a go-to spot and a local staple, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which makes it perfect for hangouts and warm bagels at all times of day or night.

Dylan Angel Guest Columnist

The bagels are made fresh every morning and are absolutely delicious! They also offer pastries. Prices are reasonable, and they have one- and twoday-old bagels at a discounted price. The workers are friendly, and Bagel House offers indoor and outdoor seating.

FAIRGROUNDS PUBLIC RACKET CLUB

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Explore your competitive side with pickleball or padel at Fairgrounds Public Racket Club. It’s a fun place to try something new, whether you’re with friends, family or joining open play and meeting new people. You can utilize their beginner-friendly coaching or rent a court to play. They also have rackets for rent, so all you need are running shoes. The club is well-maintained and has many courts, so there are lots of opportunities to get your spot.

YOGA KAWA

Whether you need a pick-me-up or just want some cuddles, Yoga Kawa on Mount Pleasant is the place to go! They offer puppy yoga with many different breeds, as well as goat, kitten, and bunny yoga. There’s something for everyone. Puppy yoga includes a one-hour session with about 40 minutes of beginner-friendly yoga; you can spend the rest of your time cuddling with your new fuzzy friends. You can check out their Instagram to see which breed will be attending that week. Here, you’re pretty much guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face. Yoga Kawa gives new meaning to Downward Dog. n 1 2 3

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Painting Leaside – and the world – with youth creativity

As the school year winds down, the students of Leaside High School are working hard to showcase creative crafts in many forms, including a ‘two-in-one play,’ music, photography, digital design and more. The event, titled Leaside Arts Night, took place on May 14, where the community got to savour their work.

Leaside is no stranger to the arts, and students are free to express themselves and see their visions come to life. Youth creativity is important, as not only is it one student showcasing skills, but a collective experience of art bringing people together so everyone can share in the love.

In the week of planning leading up to the play, students on the Events council took on the responsibility of creating and designing decorations for the night. The big theme this year was the classic Alice in Wonderland , which was also the subject of the play. From posters to roses, and key lanyards, the students brought the tale to life. The president of the Events council Jonathan Lim said, “I enjoy creating and

Kevser Oz Guest Columnist

“Creativity is contagious, pass it on.”

engaging with others, alongside their hands-on work.”

In support of the night, the school decided to go with a “pay what you can” initiative, demonstrating that the showcase of these pieces is more important than profit alone. For youth, support like this is vital as it encourages us to continue following our passions.

Leaside Garden Society MAGICAL GARDENS TOUR

SATURDAY, JUNE 20TH, 11 AM TO 4 PM

2026 is our 40th anniversary!

Explore local gardens, meet the gardeners, exchange ideas, ask questions or simply smell the flowers!

Tickets will be $15.00 each (cash or cheque payable to the Leaside Garden Society only please), available by May 23rd, at these locations:

Bob’s Garden Centre - NE corner of Mt. Pleasant & Erskine

Write Impressions - NE corner of Bayview & Millwood

Avoca Chocolates - NE corner of Millwood & Rumsey

Fix It Again Sam - Plaza, Millwood & Sutherland

Bonnie Byford Real Estate - 1536 Bayview near Millwood

On the day of the tour - Outside the Leaside Library from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Toronto Master Gardeners will answer your gardening questions in the Leaside Library.

Email: leaside@gardenontario.org www.leasidegardensociety.org

The art exhibition itself included many different types of art. Photography student Oriane Haibe-Kains displayed her Victorian-inspired piece influenced by historical icon Julia Margaret Cameron (see above). She used her own interpretation for the photo, using a manual camera and transforming the image through her own eyes. “Visually showing what I feel ... and creating a picture I can really understand is what perspective and creativity is all about,” she said. Another student, Semira Jappar, said she felt as though she was able to freely express herself through her creations. She was responsible for creating decorations. “…when people see what I create, I hope it inspires them.”

Ultimately, Leaside High School’s art exhibition proved to the community that the world will always need young creative minds to thrive. When youth are given the opportunity to express themselves, beauty is created, and connections are made.

The idea that art is not as important as the sciences and maths is a myth, and these youth proved that dedication and creativity live on. So, as the curtains were drawn for Alice in Wonderland, and light shone upon the countless art works, Leaside was ready to inspire the next generation of young artists.

From the plays acted and written by students, to decorations designed with love, Leaside High’s youth have built a thriving community. n

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Litter, begone! The 195th Toronto Pathfinders tackle Laird

If you frequent Laird Drive, you may be familiar with its serious litter problem. With the rise in foot traffic in the area (hooray for the Eglinton LRT!), Leaside’s reputation as a clean environment is at stake.

But who could lead the charge to clean up? If only there were some motivated young people with a passion for environmental stewardship, ready to pitch in. …Enter the 195th Toronto Pathfinders!

The 195th Toronto Pathfinder unit is a senior branch of the Girl

Isabella Wijeysundera Guest Columnist

street to greet them and share that “it’s great to see young people caring for the earth.” The Pathfinders even had an exciting encounter with a Leaside celebrity: InsideOut Studio Director Barry Samuel. When the

Guides of Canada for girls aged 12 to 14. The unit was established in Leaside by local resident Trish Berry in 2020. It is currently led by five volunteer adult Guiders, who use Canadian wildlife names: Lynx, Mighty Eagle, Red Wolf, Raccoon, Caribou and Horse. The 195th Toronto Pathfinder unit meets on Tuesday evenings at Northlea United Church, where their meetings focus on leadership, community service, and creative activities. Every year, they undertake a community cleanup. In past years, they have cleaned up the Mud Creek trail in collaboration with Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup. This year, they participated in the inaugural Don’t Mess With Leaside campaign.

Let the picking begin Armed with grabbers and gloves, the Pathfinders trekked south, being stopped several times by Leasiders who would enthusiastically applaud their initiative. One man crossed the

group passed by the gym, Barry dashed outside to say hello! After two hours of picking up trash, the Pathfinders filled nine garbage bags. Though it was only a dent in the litter problem on Laird, they are helping put Leaside on the path to becoming litter-free.

Guiding is bold, fun, energetic, and gives girls the tools and resources they need to achieve greatness. Our programs, designed for girls aged 5-17, cover everything from outdoor adventures and STEM projects to arts and leadership training. The program is divided into Sparks (aged 5-6), Embers (aged 7-8), Guides (aged 9-11), Pathfinders (aged 12-14) and Rangers (aged 15-17). New member registration for 20262027 opens on Mon., June 8, 2026, at 10 a.m.

Girl Guides of Canada is also actively seeking adult volunteers to mentor girls, with roles available for weekly unit guiding or flexible, short-term opportunities. Volunteers

empower girls and build leadership skills. If you are interested, apply online at www.girlguides.ca to start the screening process.

Isabella Wijeysundera (18 years old) is the Ontario and Nunavut Youth Forum Representative for Girl Guides of Canada. n

From rainbow pens to Minecraft – a return to Grade 2

by CARMEN FEJER

Back in my days as a Grade 2 student at Children’s Garden School (CGS), the biggest debates were usually over hockey cards, who got the rainbow gel pen, and how fast someone could get down the playground slide. Now, in 2026, things look a little different.

The instructional cursive-writing workbooks I once carefully traced letters through have been mostly replaced with iPads and keyboard practice. Students talk about their love of learning programs such as Minecraft Education and Prodigy, the same way my classmates once discussed Sticky Notes and Monopoly.

But after spending time interviewing a Grade 2 class at CGS for this youth issue, one thing became abundantly clear: while childhood changes shape, it never really changes spirit.

The classroom I once sat in myself was filled with the same colour and enthusiasm as back in 2014 – the

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same confidence, excitement, and zest for life, only a seven-year-old could have.

When I asked the students what they loved most about CGS, answers ranged from gym class and comic creation to teachers “who are always kind” and “respect us.”

for the day and canceling their normal math classes. The modern version just includes slightly more ambitious plans than a seven-yearold Carmen could ever have dreamt of.

One student passionately explained the importance of keyboard skills, while another listed off his favourite activities with the speed of a sports commentator: “ Minecraft Education, Prodigy, paper airplanes, iPads, keyboard games.…”

Some things, however, remain timeless.

Kids still love dodgeball. They still dream about becoming principal

Top: The kids at Children’s Garden School today. Middle: A young Carmen. Below: Carmen and friends.

One student proposed “field trips all day” to places like the CN Tower and Canada’s Wonderland with all their classmates in tow.

Another mentioned turning CGS into an arcade with “no teachers!” or making the teachers become children instead. Honestly, it’s hard to argue with such a profound vision.

My interviews also revealed something else: Grade 2 students today are growing up in a world that feels much bigger than the one I knew at their age. In a world increasingly growing with technology and new ideas, it seemed fitting that many of their thoughts revolved around the big names in popular culture.

They talked about Drake, Elon Musk, the Raptors, and YouTube, the same way previous generations talked about cartoons and Disneyworld.

And yet, mixed with the conversations about technology, celebrities and streaming sites, there were small reminders that kids still see the world in a wonderfully honest way.

One student proudly announced, “Guess what, my birthday is tomorrow!” while another wanted readers to know that “Grade 2s are smart.”

But amid the excitement, one student made a comment about an age-old problem, something that affects their generation more than any other.

“I want people to respect the earth

First annual Leaside Day a huge success

The weather was forbidding, but that didn’t stop the steady flow of residents, local organizations, volunteers, and community leaders from coming out in droves for the inaugural Leaside Day, held at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens on May 23. The event focused on connection, discussion, and neighbourhood engagement, showing how much people care about Leaside, its strong sense of community, and its potential for an even brighter future. By Maria Stefanishina.

The Leaside Residents Survey –highlights

The day began with presentation of the results of the recent Leaside Residents Survey, advertised widely around Leaside throughout April. Leaside Life business columnist Glenn Asano, creator of the Leaside Residents Survey, presented his findings.

The survey received 1,218 responses, far more than the expected 500, along with over 500 written comments. Most responses came from long-term residents, with 57% having lived in Leaside for more than 20 years, 41% aged 65 and older and 58% of respondents being women.

Among the biggest concerns people raised were traffic (29%), safety and crime (18%), and housing (15%). Overall, Leaside was graded 66 out of 100, showing that while residents care deeply about the neighbourhood, there are still clear areas people want to improve together.

During his presentation, Asano said, “You can build a neighbourhood out of concrete, but you can only grow one with people.”

A neighbourhood is not only made up of roads, buildings, and infrastructure, but also of the people who are willing to care about it and contribute to it.

Gil Penalosa of 8 80 Cities

The conference was then followed by a keynote presentation by urbanist and city advocate Gil Penalosa of 8 80 Cities, whose speech focused heavily on accessibility, safety, health, and improving quality of life.

One of his biggest ideas was that communities should work for both an eight-year-old and an 80-year-old. If a place is safe and accessible for both, it’s better for everyone.

He spoke about walking, cycling, road safety, parks, and reducing car dependence, even suggesting occasionally closing roads to create safer, people-focused spaces for biking, walking, and community use.

He also talked about AAA bike lanes (All Ages and Abilities), lower speed limits, and making daily destinations easier to reach by foot, along with increasing green space to improve both health and air quality.

He emphasized schools as the heart of communities like Leaside, suggesting they could also be used as community hubs.

His vision was summed up in one quote: “Leaside could be the first neighbourhood where living healthier and happier is the easy choice.”

Toronto’s new congestion tsar

Andrew Posluns, Toronto’s first congestion tsar, has a big job ahead of him. Not only is he helping to plan for the FIFA World Cup traffic, but he is also exploring all of our streets in search of better ways to help us get around. He’s mindful of Leaside’s specific congestion concerns, especially around construction. Look for changes!

Afternoon festivities

In the afternoon, the event opened to the public with celebration, activities, booths, networking opportunities, special guests, and free cake and hotdogs from local legend GrillTime. The atmosphere became much livelier and gave residents time to talk, connect, and learn more about the community. Personally, I learned about the Leaside Gardening Society, our very own Sports Hall of Fame, and the Leaside Lawn Bowling Club.

People continued showing up throughout the day, which reflected on the strong connection in this neighbourhood. Adults made up most of the attendees, but it was nice to see the younger generation sprinkled throughout. Organizations like the Toronto Circus Centre helped attract younger families through activities like juggling. It was meaningful to see children being introduced to the community they will grow up in.

Leaside Day felt like a relevant and successful event. It brought together an engaged group of people, sparked important conversations, and reminded us that strong communities are built by people who care – even on the rainiest of days. n

Why Leaside’s past matters to young people growing up here

Leaside is a one-of-a-kind community, starting with its name, taken from both the Lea family and an octagonal house to its marvellous urban planning. Example: Bessborough Road. It’s a wide, treelined boulevard with stunning architecture on either side of the street. Regardless, if you’re simply taking in the gardens, or reading a book at the Leaside Public Library, our community abounds in amenities.

Leaside’s next chapter

Leaside is a well-connected community – not only by bus or car (and finally, the LRT), but also by bike. I have fond memories of biking with my friends and family, from Sunnybrook to the Don Valley. The fact that Leaside sits like a peninsula

with parks surrounding it from the north, east, and south side is testament to its masterful planning. Not only does this provide sound insulation from the city’s busy streets, but the presence of many trees cools Leaside through a process called carbon fixation.

But it’s not just Leaside’s natural features that make it great. Leaside could very easily be considered a 15-minute city (allowing for work, life, and play all within a radius of 15 minutes by foot or through connecting means). It’s not just a coincidence that this is the case; Leaside was planned as a Garden City, a movement dating back to the start of the 20th century by the Canadian Northern Railway Co., that focused on self-sufficiency while maintaining adequate connection to the city centre. Leasiders can see every need met within the community, from dining and shopping on Bayview, to schooling for one’s children and literary enrichment in the Leaside Public Library.

Change is coming, change is here

The face of Leaside is changing. Along with major high-density developments, the addition of a rapid transit line, and the rezoning of plots, Leaside will become unrecognizable. We should ask the question: is this the change we need? To answer this question, we must consider what Leaside has become over the past decade.

The construction of the Eglinton LRT has rerouted many daily commuters through streets like Glenvale, McRae, and Rumsey. Along with the fact that traffic calming measures on these roads, namely McRae and Rumsey, are practically nonexistent, Leaside’s streets have become thoroughfares. This suggests that activities like street hockey can’t be played as easily, our streets have become louder, and because of the partial grid nature of Leaside, some streets have become veritable racetracks. They lack the character that once made up our neighbourhood. To preserve our heritage, we’ve been working with the Leaside Heritage Preservation Society to create an interactive map of Leaside showcasing our historic buildings and houses.

Adding soul

However, many of the new higher density projects around Leaside seem to lack soul. From the monotonous shades of grey, black, and brown, to the standardized modern boxy design, these buildings all align in one key manner: they are uninspired. Are these the types of structures we want to see?

The solution is simple. Vision and imagination! A vision to create something beautiful, and something that will leave a legacy. Imagine a Leaside filled with murals, skyscrapers that instead of being a dull brown are

A father, a son and a bald spot walk into a barbershop

Benjamin Flemming Guest Columnist

Full disclosure: my dad is one of the owners of Leaside Life, so when the youth issue came around, I was basically forced – sorry, “voluntold” – to write something.

I figured if I had to write about something local, I might as well pick something useful...like hair. I needed a haircut anyway.

That brought me to Leaside Fades. For the past eight years, Leaside Fades has been operating out of its original location at 866 Eglinton

Marca College of Hair and Esthetics. Interestingly, barbering was not his first career; like me, he studied and had worked in business but told me he prefers the freedom of cutting hair – less pressure and nicer people.

As he cut our hair, Shayan talked about how much the business has changed. He said a lot of guys care

joked that everyone in Leaside seems to have good hair. So maybe my dad is ahead of the trend – even with the bald spot, he still has a good amount on top.

Within about an hour, both of us had solid haircuts. A men’s cut is now $35. Shayan pointed out that the same cut 10 years ago would

Ave. East. Earlier this year, owner Sam expanded and opened a second location at 909 Millwood Rd., in the plaza where Lena’s Barbershop used to be.

When I spoke with Sam, who usually works at the Eglinton location, he said opening another shop in Leaside just seemed to make sense. The two locations are only about five minutes apart, so he can keep an eye on both.

I went to check out Leaside Fades with my dad – a father-and-son barbershop outing – we were both desperately due for a cut, and I was extra happy because he was paying.

For me, that location also came with some history. I used to get my hair cut at Lena’s before it closed. Lena and I never had deep conversations. It was usually sit down, get the cut, pay, and leave. But she was always nice, she was quick, the haircut was good, and the price was right. So, walking back into the same space, now as Leaside Fades, felt kind of familiar but new at the same time.

Shayan, one of the barbers at the Millwood location, says he has been cutting hair for five years, including the last two years with Leaside Fades, and figures he has done more than 12,000 haircuts. He came to Canada 15 years ago and studied at

more about their hair and many come in every two or three weeks just for a touch-up. My dad and I are not those people! As I mentioned, we are more in the “wait until we look like sheepdogs” category.

Fade in

Of course, Leaside Fades does not only do fades – they do all kinds of cuts, but the fade is still one of the big ones. Shayan explained that fades have roots in the military and that there is not just one kind of fade –there are bald fades, drop fades, taper fades, burst fades… the list goes on.

My dad and I have always kept our hair a bit longer. My dad seems to think this makes him look younger. My mom may not agree. Before we went to the shop we looked online for different styles, and my dad decided maybe it was finally time to try his first fade. We showed Shayan a picture with a tight fade, but Shayan was not having it. In his professional opinion he said basically my dad had a big head and that he would not be happy with a fade – and then to my dad’s horror, he also pointed out what might be the start of a bald spot on top.

Shayan also mentioned that even though fades are very popular, a lot of younger boys are starting to grow their hair longer again. Shayan also

have been about $25, so considering how much everything else has gone up, the price seemed fair. As for tipping, he said it depends – a few leave $0, but most tip in the range of $2 to $10. Both Sam and Shayan said they often see fathers and sons coming in together. In our case, it was our neighbour Ed Wong who suggested we give Leaside Fades a try – and we are glad we did.

Long, short, full, faded, or in my dad’s case, wisely not faded, there seems to be no shortage of people keeping Leaside Fades busy. And with Father’s Day coming soon, maybe skip the tie and treat your pops to a haircut at Leaside Fades. n

Star struck! Meeting my idol when Canadian Olympians came to Leaside

Chloe Martin

Grade Six

Student

Most hockey fans dream of meeting their idols someday. This year, my dream came true, as I got to meet three (!) Olympic gold medallists at our local arena, Leaside Memorial Community Gardens.

In March, I learned I could leave school for half the day to meet my idol Renata Fast at LMCG. As a long-time Leaside Wildcats player, I could barely focus during school because I was counting down the minutes till then. When we arrived, she wasn’t there yet, but the arena was already teeming with excitement. There were balloons, streamers, and banners everywhere.

Renata Fast, one of the best defenders in the PWHL, was coming off her Olympic silver medal in hockey. Speed skater Ivanie Blondin was also there after winning gold in the women’s team pursuit and silver in the women’s mass start at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. While waiting for them to arrive, I went out and skated on the new, fresh, ice. Fresh ice, in my opinion, is awesome – idols or not. Have any of you skated on fresh ice? If so, you know what I’m talking about. I was skating in loops around the rink, having fun with my friends. It felt unreal.

Then Renata and Ivanie arrived, and we quickly took off our skates and listened to them speak. Renata was so respectful and looked so happy to be there. One thing I still remember is that she had the friendliest smile ever. Meeting her and seeing how kind and down-to-earth she was made me admire her even more.

We got to take photos, and I got Renata to sign my jersey – a custom Toronto Sceptres, Renata Fast jersey. Seeing my jersey signed by my favourite hockey player was so cool. I think it even made her smile to see her jersey on a young girl like me. Once we all had our skates on, we were able to skate laps and talk to both Olympians for a long time. Even Ivanie Blondin had hockey skates on, which I thought was cool

and funny. We also got to race with both Renata and Ivanie. Imagine competing against your idol in your favourite sport.

I learned Renata has many different hobbies apart from just hockey. She loves to read, which I thought was very interesting because I also love reading!

A week after meeting Renata Fast, I met another Olympian – this time, current Toronto Sceptres player Emma Maltais, who is also my sister’s idol. She was filming a commercial for Royale which included a lot of girls’ hockey players like me, also at Leaside Arena! The photographer made us do some cheering and funny faces before Emma came in. When we saw her, we all started cheering. She was so great with the various age groups.

After we were done filming, we were able to take a photo with her. My sister came and got Emma to sign her Toronto Sceptres jersey. Emma thought that it was very cool that my sister had a custom jersey of hers.

We then were able to go on the ice with Emma and do drills with her! About 50 girls took to the ice, and my dad (who is a coach) ran the drills while Emma passed us the puck. At the very end she showed us her wicked slap shot – amazing to see in person.

Meeting three Olympic gold medallists in a week, including two Toronto Sceptres players, was unforgettable. Meeting two of my favourite hockey players made me love hockey even more. If you can ever meet your idol, make the most of it! n

Leaside runs together for youth mental health

by CARMEN FEJER

Each spring, hundreds of students, families and community members lace up their running shoes for a cause much bigger than simply crossing a finish line.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Spring Into Action (SIA) Youth Mental Health Day – an annual fundraiser and community walk or run dedicated to supporting youth mental health initiatives and reminding young people that they are never alone.

This year’s event will raise money for Stella’s Place, a GTA-based charity that focuses on providing free mental health support to youth aged 16-29.

Held in Leaside, SIA brings together participants of all ages for a day of movement, community and conversation surrounding mental health. Whether participants are seasoned runners or those walking with friends and family, the message behind the event remains the same: showing up for youth matters.

This year’s event will take place at Sunnybrook Park, on June 13, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Anyone is welcome to walk, run, or cycle their choice of 2km or 5km along the Sunnybrook Park Trail. Tickets are available for the race at RaceRoster. com, from now through June 11.

The event is the brainchild of Barry Samuel, founder and director of

Inside Out Studio, whose own experiences with mental health struggles inspired him to create a space for support, awareness and community connection. What began as a local initiative has now grown into a two decade-long community tradition.

“In 2006, Spring Into Action began as a small community event proudly in our own neighbourhood with a festival, barbecue, and a walk, and then evolved into the charity event it is now,” said Samuel. “I started it because the more I looked around our neighbourhood, the more I realized how youth were struggling with their mental wellbeing.”

Since then, SIA has become more than just a fundraiser. It’s a visible

reminder of the importance of discussing mental health openly, especially among young people.

The event is also partially managed by youth in the community, with young leaders helping organize both the walk and party afterwards. It’s truly an event for youth, by youth.

The need to raise awareness

For many young people today, mental health challenges can feel overwhelming. Students are navigating academic pressure, social media, uncertainty about the future and the everyday stress of growing up in an increasingly fast-paced world.

While conversations around mental health have become more common in recent years, stigma still exists, making events like SIA meaningful.

“Mental health affects every young person differently but knowing there is a community willing to support and listen can make a huge difference,” said one young participant.

The event also highlights how far conversations surrounding youth mental health have come. Where previous generations may have avoided speaking openly about anxiety, stress or emotional wellbeing, today’s youth are encouraging honest discussion and support.

On race day, that support becomes visible throughout the community. Families gather, students run alongside friends, and volunteers cheer participants on from the sidelines.

For younger participants especially, seeing an entire community rally around youth mental health sends a powerful message: their wellbeing matters.

After 20 years, that message continues to resonate more than ever. n

THANK YOU TO OUR LEGACY PARTNER:

On behalf of Northlea Elementary & Middle School, THANK YOU for your generous donation to our schoolyard revitalization campaign.

Your support helped transform our schoolyard into a safer, more inclusive space, for Northlea students and the community at large, for generations to come.

Rooted in Leaside and ready for my next chapter

by TEYA KNIGHTINGALE

I moved to Leaside in 2019, just as I was graduating middle school. Although in many ways that feels so recent, I have since completed high school, my undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, and I am now heading to the University of Oxford for graduate studies. My high school experience was almost entirely virtual as I switched to an online school halfway through Grade 9, around the time the pandemic began. It was there that I completed the rest of my diploma virtually. With this came social isolation; I had no teachers to talk to, friends to eat lunch with, or school events to take part in. High school consisted of sitting at my computer, whether that be in my room, my backyard, or sometimes in the Leaside public library; this went on each day, every day, seven days a week, all year round.

Learning independently and having to create my own deadlines and exam schedules, I found, was one of the best lessons in time management, one that came to greatly benefit me through university. Although I built strong habits, I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a very lonely time. Luckily for me, I met some incredible individuals at the St. Cuthbert’s Church community garden. My flexible school schedule allowed me to spend my mornings with my fellow gardeners planting beans, harvesting kale, and feeling far less alone. My garden friends, and long walks through the Beltline trail with my family, got me through high school.

My university experience

Then came university. A complete change. A bright light bursting with opportunity, friendship, and great challenges. The University of Toronto's business program was my dream all through high school, and location was one of many reasons. Coming home each evening after weekdays on campus and summers downtown for internships was something I have cherished. Despite a busy four years, I found pockets of time to visit my garden friends, walk through Leaside after hard exams, or bring friends to Bayview for celebratory dinners. These moments reminded me how lucky I was to still call this neighbourhood home.

On a December morning, I received

the email letting me know I had been accepted into the University of Oxford’s most competitive Master Program in Sustainability, Enterprise, and the Environment. Oxford became my dream over recent years, just as the University of Toronto once was.

I don’t think “dream” really captures how getting into Oxford felt for me, though. More like a fairy tale, something magical and far away. Of course, now it doesn't feel so far away. In four months, Oxford will be my new neighbourhood. I will still find myself enjoying evening walks, admiring trees, and petting any cats I find, only along new English streets and in new gardens. And so once again, a big change is coming, one that will again bring new opportunities, friendships, and a whole lot of learning.

I may be calling a new place my home soon, but I will forever be shaped by the people and nature that make Leaside the neighbourhood it is. n

and just stop littering!” said sevenyear-old Ethan. “It makes me sad to see garbage, and I always try to pick it up, so dogs don’t eat it.”

In a world full of powerful figures, how is it that a young boy of seven has more compassion for the earth than many adults could ever hope to have?

Maybe that’s what being a Grade 2 student in Leaside right now really means – that between typing and creating virtual worlds in Minecraft, caring about our own world is truly what matters to youth.

It means learning keyboard skills instead of cursive, swapping the glitter pens with mouse pads, and dreaming simultaneously about basketball camp and the snacks your mom has hidden in the top cupboard.

But it also means still being imaginative enough to turn your school into an arcade for the day.

Still believing your teacher is the smartest person alive.

The community we know is ever-changing, but some things about childhood, thankfully, never really go out of style. n

My time of night – Leaside after dark

by STEVEN DIMITROPOULOS

Going on walks is a popular pastime around Leaside. A less popular pastime is going on walks around Leaside at night.

I’ve walked around every inch of this city and there is nothing quite like walking around Leaside during owl hour. No construction, no cars, no conversations, it’s surreal…as if you were stepping into a dream.

As the neighbourhood rests and recharges, my day is just getting started; the nighttime is my time. I have trouble focusing during the day, as there is much that distracts me – friends, family, and the eccentrics of Leaside who make it hard to sit still…but at night, it’s just me and the streets I grew up on under the gleaming moonlight.

I would categorize the neighbourhood at night as a liminal space. A liminal space can be defined as an ‘in-between’ place where reality feels off. These places are eerily empty, and psychologically produce feelings of nostalgia and isolation, which at times can feel unsettling. You

might have experienced this feeling if you’ve ever been to an airport at night, a hotel off the highway, or Toronto’s underground PATH system, to name just a few.

Leaside after dark acts as a transition between days, like a loading screen in a video game. By the time the neighbourhood’s last window loses light, I depart my home with nothing but a set of keys, a pen and a notebook. I get such comfort walking around in silence. The daytime traffic of my mind clears up, finally allowing me to get to work. Feeling isolated from reality flushes my mind of the daytime troubles, refilling it with fresh creative thoughts and ideas as I wander the streets with no destination. Passing by benches gives me the chance to sit down, write and rest as I venture through this dreamlike world. Time slips away as Leaside swallows me deeper into a world only described as tranquil.

But the tranquility doesn’t last forever. Too much time spent in this altered reality can feel unsettling. It’s quiet…but too quiet, almost like that feeling in a movie where you can tell something bad is about to happen. In the streets of Leaside, there should be voices, cars running, and dogs running, but at night…silence. There’s no logical reason to think this, but eventually the isolation turns feelings of solitude to paranoia; this is my brain telling me it’s time to go to sleep. Anxious, I’ll hurry home, but no matter how unsettling this feels, there’s not a doubt in my mind I’ll be back again, in my own liminal space, tomorrow night. n

A night of comedy shows Leaside is ready to laugh

by STEVEN DIMITROPOULOS

In the April edition of Leaside Life, I wrote an article about how Leaside needs more entertainment.…then I decided to do something about it. After nearly four years of writing and performing comedy, I produced and hosted my first stand-up comedy show, Leaside Laughs , at the Amsterdam Barrel House. The show featured a hilarious lineup of pro comics from around Toronto including Tia Percy, Liam Andres, Darren Bourke, Dimi Kolovopoulos, and headliner George Rivard, who has been on network shows such as Just for Laughs, CBC and SiriusXM. This event attracted more than 80 people across different generations, who came to laugh and simply have a good time.

catch up with old friends and share a laugh with some new ones. The aftermath left people wanting more, which tells me there is a very real demand for entertainment around the neighbourhood.

After the show many stuck around for drinks, music, and world class banter. It was a great chance to

Soon, I would love to see more local musicians, filmmakers, comedians, and artists put on a show for the neighbourhood. Leaside has massive potential to become an arts and entertainment hub – which would be huge for the local economy, small businesses, and residents. Right now, we are faced with a rare opportunity to pioneer a significant cultural movement, something Toronto desperately needs. This city is being overtaken by big business and condo sharks, and the last thing we want is for Leaside to be swallowed into that grey hole of genericism. We are a small community filled with creativity and identity, so why not show that off? n

ETOBICOKE AND GTA

• CONCRETE REPAIRS: STEPS/WALKWAYS/PADS

• STONE MASONRY: BACK DECKS/FRONT PORCHES/STEPS

• INTERLOCK PAVERS: BACK PATIOS/WALKWAYS/STEPS

• RETAINING WALLS

• TUCKPOINTING

• BRICK REPAIR

• CHIMNEY REPAIR

• WATERPROOFING

From Leaside High to the University of Toronto

I carried that same first impression to the rest of my life in Leaside. Throughout high school, I volunteered at Churches on the Hill Food Bank, delivered groceries with Meals on Wheels, and helped at Pedalheads. Each of those experiences taught me how to connect with people of all backgrounds, build community, and form partnerships along the way. Leaside, in many ways, was my first classroom in public health.

University took me a few subway stops down the line, but the lesson travelled with me. At the University of Toronto, I’m studying human biology and public health, and the volunteer instincts from Leaside have quickly found new outlets. Along the way, I helped launch a crisis-response project for student mental health and researched the causes of long waittimes across the GTA. After months of interviews with patients, physicians, and administrators, I kept hearing the same thing my mother had experienced: language barriers causing rushed visits, lost cultural nuances, and exhausted people on both sides of the desk.

So, I co-founded Universal Logistics Assistance (ULA), a tool that lets patients describe their concerns in more than 10 languages before they step into an exam room. Throughout the process, we leaned heavily on Leaside alumni and community members for their expertise. Across all of it, the same lesson held: a smile, a slow opening question, and a willingness to set the script aside can turn strangers into co-designers and make every interaction more meaningful. Leaside Life featured Armiti Zarbakhsh as one of Leaside High’s outstanding graduates of 2022. n

Street section cuts showing the contrast between the existing low-rise context and proposed high-rise intensification at 550 and 503 Eglinton Ave. East.

Implement transit-first solutions

• Enhance pedestrian infrastructure, traffic calming measures, and control parking supply to reduce automobile reliance.

Encourage a more diverse housing mix

• Require a minimum share of family-sized housing (e.g., 25% two-bedroom and 10% three-bedroom units) in large developments to support long-term community stability.

Balance growth with neighbourhood character

• Require gradual height transitions between high-rise developments and surrounding low-rise neighbourhoods.

Plan for mixed-use and public services

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY CHAMPION, SCHOLARS OF LEASIDE:

On behalf of Northlea Elementary & Middle School, THANK YOU for your generous donation to our schoolyard revitalization campaign.

Your support helped transform our schoolyard into a safer, more inclusive space, for Northlea students and the community at large, for generations to come.

EDITOR From Page 2

character of a neighbourhood just the same.

Putting this issue together has been a reminder of how engaged and thoughtful young people in this community really are. From stories about school life and local hotspots, to reflections on growing up in our ever-changing world, these pages capture voices that deserve to be heard.

I hope this youth edition brings a sense of nostalgia to longtime residents, excitement to younger readers, and reminders of how connected we truly are.

Most of all, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. n

CHARITY From Page 12

Cassandra, the student in charge of donations and fund-raising, said, “The money raised will help fund meals, housing, and support services for families in need.”

As the co-president of Student Council and in my final year at LHS, I felt a lot of joy seeing our student body rise to the challenge collectively and put their school spirit on full display. Charity Week brings out not only a sense of fun, but also much needed resources for a worthy charity in need.

What I have taken away from Charity Pairs Week is that a small action can make a big difference, and that together we become strong agents of change. If you would like to learn more about the Red Door Family Shelter Charity, visit their website at www.reddoorshelter.ca. n

bright and vibrant blue or orange, a community where the streets are given over to pedestrians and street hockey games, and a lush, well-kept environment. Picture all new developments where every face of the building reflects the community through art, where roads are dead ends except for pedestrians and cyclists, where our public spaces can be expanded for community members of all ages. Unfortunately, a lot of urban design is hampered by bureaucracy. Still, there are programs the neighbourhood could use to kickstart projects like these, on a smaller scale. For example, the City of Toronto offers programs to businesses and community groups to fund murals in Business Improvement Areas (like Bayview-Leaside). For grander change, strong community involvement must occur. Trekking through bureaucracy is like the trial of Sisyphus, the mythological king doomed to push a boulder up a hill only to have it roll back, but with

enough conviction, it can be done. The future of Leaside is not set in stone (unless it’s building stone), and Leasiders may want to look to the past to decide their next steps. The past can help us inform the future, for the better.

Check out the Heritage interactive map at: https://www.google.com/ maps/d/edit?mid=1qrugMiROFKjKTF8tzMtthc9Rq99OdvA&usp=sharing. n

Youth Events

LEASIDE HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT

Thursday, June 25th, 1:30 p.m. Parkview Manor

GROOVE ROOM COFFEE HOUSE

Friday, June 12, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. St. Augustine’s Church info@saintaugustine.ca

BAYVIEW LEASIDE BIA SIDEWALK SENSATION

Sat., June 6 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Bayview Ave. A family fun day

SPORTS CARD SHOW

Saturday, June 7 & 14 – 10:00 a.m. –3:00 p.m. Leaside Memorial Garden

LEASIDE PA DAY CAMPS

Friday, June 5th, Toronto Circus School Maker Kids

Canadian Contemporary School of Art Pawsitively Pets for Kids. n

leasidelife.com

Editor: Jane W. Auster

Publisher: Lorna Krawchuk

Webmaster: Erin Sorhaug

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FH Publishing Inc.

30 Commercial Rd., Toronto, Ontario M4G 1Z4

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

leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com leasidelife@gmail.com

Published monthly in Leaside, Toronto, ON.

Circulation 10,000 to every home and business in Leaside & Bennington.

by ZARA K.

My Leaside, my community

Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Think about the last time you had a meaningful connection, a good conversation, nothing long or deep; no rehearsals or publicization. Many of my connections have taken place along Bayview Avenue, where local businesses meet their neighbourhood patrons.

At Badali’s , where I entered looking for a mango and left having discussed my recipe for that evening.

At Passion Fruits , buying fresh flowers before asking about the bouquet I wanted to put together for my mother.

At Sage Pharmacy , looking for an answer to a health concern, but staying to speak with the pharmacist for half an hour about reworking my skincare routine. Being known, recognized, and remembered. That’s what being part of a community is like. Less about the product or service, more about the conversations and Leaside experiences. Growing up

in this neighbourhood, I’ve seen many local businesses disappear with franchises taking their places. While new is often exciting, it also can break my heart.

But our neighbourhood gives me hope. As I see the older patrons and young students choosing local, I am reminded of the power of community and what we can achieve when together.

However, as quick convenience begins to override our innate longing for human connection, staples of our Leaside community suffer. Every time we choose to step in the big, mega commercial businesses, we slowly kill the very staples that make up our community.

Supporting local means choosing businesses that operate as part of our community, not just in it. Together, let us value our Leaside voices and uplift them.

Support local, support Leaside. Our Leaside. n

ATHLETE, HISTORICAL TEAM OR BUILDER?

Nominations are now open for induction to the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame. In addition, we are looking for nominations for the annual Athlete of the Year and Team of the Year awards. Visit leasidesports.com for eligibility criteria and to nominate. Nominations can also be made by emailing leasidesportshalloffame@gmail.com.

2026.