M A R C H 2019
Leaside Life
No. 82
Leasider Karen Fraser wins Agnes Macphail Award page 5
leasidelife.com
Meet Miya Karatsu: Leaside Wildcat and hockey player of the month
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
LEASIDE RALLIES AROUND BELOVED TEACHER • PG. 4
TERRY FALLIS’S TRIBUTE TO HIS DAD • PG. 2
Miya with her Dad Kevin celebrating a tournament win at Notre Dame. Story page 6.
SCHOOL BEAT: LHS KINDNESS CAMPAIGN • PG. 16
WILLOW STOTT
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Dr. James Coryell Fallis – the end of an era Dr. Fallis in cottage country.
Leaside Life • March 2019
Terry Fallis Columnist
In early January, my father, Dr. James Coryell Fallis, well into his 90th year, passed away. Our mother died back in 2002, so with Dad now gone, it is indeed the end of an era. We’ll all miss him, but with so many great memories to sustain us – usually fuelled by laughter – we’ll be okay. Dad’s sense of humour was legendary. But to his kids, it was just a normal part of everyday life growing
up in our house. In hindsight, I realize now that it was more of a perpetual master class in humour. And it lives on in the families of his three remaining children. If you were to join any of our family dinner tables on a Sunday night, you would know that Dad’s gift for humour and laughter is alive and well in the generations that followed. His humour was often delivered
straight-faced, leaving the uninitiated to wonder if he was being serious. We all warned our future spouses about this when we first brought them home to meet Mom and Dad, and they all took it in stride. Dad welcomed our partners into the fold with great warmth while occasionally lamenting the associated depletion of his wine cellar. Dad also loved language, a passion likely inherited from his mother, who was an inveterate reader. Our father engendered in all of his offspring his respect, even reverence, for language and its proper usage, though I’ve been told by annoyed colleagues that it found the most fertile ground in me. I remember family dinners when Dad and I would debate the geopolitical implications of the split infinitive and other important and pressing matters. It did help to cut
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able. He was a pioneering pediatric surgeon. I know many of you have pondered over the years just who was the first physician in North America to use the gastric tube in a pediatric patient. Well, ponder no more. It was Dad in the late 1960s. He practised first at the Hospital for Sick Children, then at North York General, before returning home to Sick Kids to become the first Director of the Emergency Department, a role he loved. He also played an important part in creating the air ambulance service in Ontario. I do feel compelled to report that despite persistent badgering from his children, only my twin brother Tim – technically the firstborn – somehow finagled a flight on Bandage 1. I’m quite certain he was not injured at the time. Dad also indulged his interest in language by writing several books, a tendency I seem to have inherited. Yes, it’s always tough to lose a parent. But my mother and father passed along so much to their children, and through us, to our own kids, they’ll be with us for quite a while yet. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dad has already corrected the grammar in this column. We’ll miss him. ■
Leaside Life Published once a month in Leaside, Toronto ON, by FH Publishing Inc., 1444 Dupont St., Unit 11A, M6P 4H3 • 416-504-8047 Circulation 10,000 to every door in M4G PUBLISHER: Lorna Krawchuk EDITOR: Jane W. Auster GRAPHIC DESIGN: Robin Dickie ADVERTISING: Karli Vezina leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com ph. 647-978-4487 or 416-504-8047
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Leaside Life • March 2019
FALLIS, continued down on dinner guests. Growing up, it was certainly handy to have a doctor in the house. Most of the kids in our neighbourhood have at least been examined and diagnosed by my father after some mishap in the park or on a bike. He sewed up many of them as well. But like many physicians who were also fathers, Dad seemed to underplay the severity of injuries and maladies in his own children. The most memorable instance of this came one Sunday morning when my twin brother Tim suffered a leg injury in our weekly Leaside hockey game. When we got him back home, Dad examined him, poked and prodded, twisted and torqued Tim’s leg and pronounced that it wasn’t anything serious. I forgot to mention that this all unfolded on Super Bowl Sunday. When Tim was still in considerable discomfort – okay, call it pain – after the Super Bowl, Dad then took him down to Sick Kids where an X-ray clearly revealed a fractured tibia. Notwithstanding that Super Bowl story, beyond his family, nothing was more important to Dad than his role as a doctor and all it encompassed. Familial pride aside, his impact in medicine was consider-
LEASIDE PEOPLE • MEET YOUR NEIGHBOURS
Community comes out to support popular teacher
Janis Fertuck Columnist
The blossoming career of a popular kindergarten teacher, who has been involved in the field of education for 16 of her 29 years, recently hit a temporary roadblock. Danielle Cummer, who started volunteering at Rolph Road Elementary School at the age of 13 with her beloved kindergarten teacher, Irene Furze, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in December 2018. Few teachers have shown the same determination as Danielle Cummer, and it’s this same determination that will help in her recovery. Her young career is already noteworthy. While at Leaside High School, she ran two programs from her home on Heather Rd. The first,
Danielle works her kindergarten magic.
“Building Blocks,” was a summer camp based on art, math, reading and outdoor play, and the second, an “After 4 Enrichment Program,” focused on reading and education-based games.
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Leaside Life • March 2019
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Danielle says that she was pursuing her goal of “becoming the most prepared teacher ever” and following her philosophy that “the more you teach, the better you teach.” Her personality ensured that her programs were popular. One Leaside mother, Kim Spitzer, reports that her children were lucky to “benefit from her warmth, energy, infectious smile and encouragement” at Rolph, and had “endless fun” at the summer camp. After LHS, Danielle entered the Concurrent Teacher Education Program at U of T. She graduated in 2012 after doing placements at Rolph Road and Bennington Heights. At the same time, she participated in the Tutors in the Classroom Program, helping students develop reading and math skills. With her wealth of experience and stellar reputation, Danielle was recommended by a family friend to The Lawrence Park School (LPS), a private institution offering toddler, preschool and kindergarten classes, as the perfect candidate to create and implement a full-day kindergarten program there. It was her dream to teach kindergarten because it “sets the stage for all future learning.” Danielle’s work in developing the kindergarten program is so well-respected that she is now the lead teacher in the program where she “pours her heart and soul into her work” and acts as “a positive role model to her students and staff,” TEACHER, Page 11
by LORNA KRAWCHUK Long-time social justice leader (and one-time Leaside Life columnist) Karen Fraser has been named the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Agnes Macphail Award, which will be given at a ceremony on Sunday, March 24, 2019. The annual award goes to an East York resident who demonstrates social justice leadership in the community. Named after Agnes Campbell Macphail, the first woman to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons and Ontario Legislature, winners are expected to follow the one-time Leaside resident’s motto: Think Globally, Act Locally. Karen Fraser is an inspired choice to win this year’s award. With her entrepreneurial company, Women Like Me, as a base, she went on to found the first women’s business network in Canada. Her bestselling book, Women Like Me – The Women’s Business & Networking Directory, has been published in nine editions
as a networking support system for Canadian women. Her decades of social justice leadership were the reason Mallory Crescent neighbour Sally Spofforth chose to nominate Karen Fraser.
When teaching at Marc Garneau, Spofforth “often heard mothers of students talk of their rewarding and life-changing experiences after attending Karen’s entrepreneurial classes.” It’s her ability to adapt to change that helped Karen and her partner, Ron Smith, respond to the horror of discovery that her property was the setting for the Bruce McArthur nightmare. Instead of posting “no trespassing” signs as recommended by police, she held inspiring, healing community events for the neighbourhood. And upon hearing that she was to be this year’s recipient of the Agnes Macphail Award, Karen said: “Agnes Macphail never gave up. This annual award is a little nudge to people not to give up. Social justice is slow, but we are getting there.” The 26th annual Agnes Macphail Award Ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, 2019, at East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue. All are welcome to attend. ■
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Leaside Life • March 2019
Social justice leader Karen Fraser is this year’s winner of the Agnes Macphail Award
HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE MONTH
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For Miya Karatsu, inspiration starts at home We all have our own stories about family, the good, the bad and the ugly. Some involve humour. Some involve poignancy. Some involve Hollywood-level draaaammmaaaa. But in the case of 16-year-old Miya Karatsu, family is her inspiration. For years, Karatsu, along with a group of other younger sisters, happily attended their big brothers’ hockey games. At age 8, the girls decided they too wanted to get in on the action, and their hockey careers were soon launched. Karatsu, already a skilled skater, wanted to emulate her big brother Cameron so she entered the Leaside hockey scene. Within three years, Karatsu was playing rep hockey with the Leaside Wildcats and still plays at that level today. Several of the younger sisters, who had cheered on their brothers with Karatsu, in fact, still play with her. Miya says that she has made many great friends on her teams over the years. She is the only girl from Leaside High School on her current team so
FROM THE COVER LEASIDE SPORTS le: Player Profi u ts Miya Kara
has friends from across the GTA. Along with her younger sister Erin, Miya has also been an avid dancer. Their mother, Stephanie, has been a supportive dance chauffeur, with each of the girls logging countless hours in the car and at dance studios and competitions. This year, as school commitments have ramped up, Miya has cut back her dance to only four hours a week. Along with
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KEVIN KARATSU
Leaside Life • March 2019
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
her hockey schedule of two practices and one to two games per week, and her role as leader of her school dance club, Karatsu is one active teen. Off the ice, she is a successful student whose favourite subject is biology. She loves photography and can be found painting, sketching, and baking in her spare time. She also enjoys what almost every other teen likes – some downtime with Netflix. On the ice, Karatsu has found more familial inspiration from her father, Kevin, who she says is a fantastic leader. Popular among all the players he has coached, “K-Dawgâ€? (as he is called fondly by his players) is a great communicator, someone who is constantly studying the game, a coach who runs effective drills at practices, and a supportive leader who consistently and constructively encourages his players, according to his daughter. Miya has adopted her dad’s communication skills and recognizes their importance as a player. The left winger has a keen sense of positioning, skating hard to where she needs to be. As for inspiration outside her family, Karatsu was fortunate to meet, and work with, members of the Canadian Olympic women’s hockey team in Montreal when she was in Grade 6. Having the opportunity to hold an Olympic gold medal in her hand and work with Hayley Wickenheiser was a truly memorable and motivating experience. Comedian George Burns once commented that “happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.â€? For Miya, happiness is being with her close-knit, caring, and inspirational family in her very own home. â–
Leaside Life • March 2019
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LEASIDE PEOPLE • MEET YOUR NEIGHBOURS
North Leasider Lucas Gilbart eagles his way to prestigious golf championship LEASIDE
To be a successful golfer, one must be focused, hard-working, even-keeled, confident, persistent, poised, and patient. These are not always traits one would associate with a 10-year-old. But Lucas Gilbart is not your average 10-year-old. Lucas is a bright, reflective kid who is as passionate about the game of golf as he is about the environment, school, the multiple other sports he plays, and his family. He’s a Grade 5 student who is mature beyond his years but whose 10-year-old playful self still shines through in his enthusiasm and curiosity. This summer, the St. Anselm student will be playing in the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship at the prestigious Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Lucas qualified for the championship this past fall with a win in the U.S. Kids Niagara Golf Series. Lucas will approach the championship as he has every other
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tournament, with his mind focused and ready to work. You might assume that a 10-yearold golfer would hail from a family of golfers. But Lucas’s parents, Mike and Jennifer, are not golfers, however they provided Lucas, along with his younger sister, Ava, with an array of sports equipment as toddlers. Lucas, they say, dragged his plastic golf set with him everywhere, and at the age of 5, his parents took him to a driving range where he would never want to leave. By the age of 6, Lucas was playing games, and by 8, he'd begun to work with a golf instructor and entered his first tournament. He now has a junior membership at the Summit Golf Club and practises at the Tour Experience Golf facility in the off-season. His instructor, former professional golfer Sean Burke, comments that from his initial meeting with Lucas, he “could tell (Lucas) had something special. His ability to understand concepts, his work ethic and competitiveness have played a major role in Lucas’s development.” While Lucas improves as a player each year, His coach also emphasizes the goal of ensuring the young golfer still loves the game. Lucas does love golf but is also an avid participant in hockey, soccer, skiing, mountain biking, tennis, baseball, swimming, and track and field. He also plays piano and is passionate about the environment. His family participates in an annual tree planting event at Warden Woods, and after witnessing the threat to marine life in Florida, Lucas educated himself about red tide, the growth of harmful algal blooms in coastal waters. Living near Serena Gundy Park means that Lucas, along with family and friends, can often be found playing on the trails and splashing in the creek.
US KIDS GOLF
Leaside Life • March 2019
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Lucas looking very much the pro golfer. With his dad as his caddy in tournaments and his sister and mom cheering him on, Lucas’s family is now very familiar with the game. Seven-year-old Ava has also taken up the sport and played in tournaments. Lucas has a vast display of trophies, plaques, and ribbons in his bedroom as well as a display case which houses golf balls from memorable tournaments along with ones from his first hole-in-one, his first eagle, etc. Despite his early success, the young golfer saves his competitive side for the golf course. He has watched golfers both in person and on TV and says that his favourite player is Jordan Spieth because of his ability to retain his calm and poise even after a bad shot. With a supportive family at Lucas’s side, a strong sense of commitment to the environment, and a solid work ethic, this young athlete will be one to watch on the golf circuit for many years to come. ■
MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS
Floka dresses the tresses in Sunnybrook Plaza You must have seen the sign for Sunnybrook Plaza mainstay Floka Salon & Spa, but do you know the derivation of the name? Brothers-inlaw Bashkim Breznica and Al Kerimi are Albanian, and the word for hair in Albanian is “flok,” so Al thought that Floka would be the perfect name for their salon. Those of you with long memories will remember the salon Altered Image in Floka’s space before Bashkim and Al bought the business in June 2005 from its owner, who worked with them for a few months during the transition and then retired. How did the brothers-in-law find themselves together in Sunnybrook Plaza? Bashkim is Albanian, but grew up in Kosovo, and came to Canada in 1993. Al is also Albanian, but his family, originally from what is now the Republic of North Macedonia, came to Canada before he and his sister, Irene, were born. Irene and Bashkim met at an Albanian community function and married in 1995. Many in Al and Irene’s family
Lorna Krawchuk Publisher Leaside Life
had been in the hair business for five decades, so it made sense for Al to follow in the family tradition. Bashkim always had a passion for the beauty and fashion industry but didn’t actually begin his career until 1996. He worked in various salons for nine years and gained a lot of experience both in styling hair and running a business. The search for a location for the salon took a lot of research. They wanted to be close enough to downtown, have parking, and be in a location with a close-knit community. It was a bright, sunny day when they first drove into Sunnybrook Plaza. The baseball diamond across Eglinton was full of children with their families. People were out walking their
Bashkim and Al. dogs, and the plaza was humming. They knew this was the place. Sunnybrook Plaza was the ideal location in 2005. But now? The plaza will be redeveloped in the next few years, and they will be forced to move. In the meantime, the continuous upheaval of the Crosslink LRT construction makes it difficult for regular customers to get in and out, and for new ones to even notice the salon exists. The search is on for a new location, preferably in our neighbourhood, but that, as you can imagine, is a challenge – rents are high, and finding parking for staff and customers is difficult. Floka is a large salon, with a number of hair stylists on the main level. The lower level, previously unfinished, was completely renovated to add a spa, washrooms, office, stock room, staff lunch room and laundry room. Bashkim and Al have a philosophy that “you have to give to get.” The salon is generous in supporting local events and charities, including the upcoming Laugh Out Loud in Leaside #10 on March 1. They also have loyal customers – some of whom come from as far west as Niagara and as far north as Sudbury. They hope the business will continue into the next generation. Bashkim and Irene’s daughter, Adelina, is completing her hair styling schooling and will graduate in June. She’s already working at Floka. ■
IRENE BREZNICA
Leaside Life • March 2019
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Leaside Life • March 2019
according to the school’s directors, Jennifer Currie and Kirsten Bell. But Danielle’s school year was disrupted by the recent leukemia diagnosis. She spent a month in Sunnybrook Hospital undergoing intensive chemotherapy and will receive ongoing treatment on an outpatient basis for the next several months. Thankfully, she is now in remission and has been given the prognosis of a full recovery. Throughout this period, the community has rallied around Danielle and her boyfriend, Stephen Kupfer, a French teacher at Crescent School. The parents of students Danielle has taught at LPS stepped up to create a “Meal Train” to provide dinners and a GoFundMe page for donations to enable Stephen to take a leave of absence to be with Danielle during her treatment. The Meal Train roster has been full since December 10 with parents of students, neighbours and friends coming forward. A similar group has donated $39,225 so far towards a goal of $50,000 to the GoFundMe page. Chrystal Saffer, organizer of the Meal Train, speaks for all of those involved when she explains that because of what Danielle has done for their children, they “wanted to give back all of the love and support she deserves…and to create a sense of knowing we are all in this together.” Danielle’s mother, Janet DaCosta, says they have been “overwhelmed by the generosity” that has allowed them “to focus on Danielle’s recovery.” For more information on the GoFundMe campaign: https://ca. gofundme.com/help-danielle-fightleukemia. ■
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MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS
The eyes have it in Dr. Savitska’s office
Leaside Life • March 2019
by KEN MALLETT Does your young child see the world the same way you do? Maybe not. But there’s a new eye doctor in Leaside who can help. Binocular vision – the ability of both eyes to focus on an object and the ability of the brain to reconcile and interpret the slightly different images – are what give us the ability to judge distance. It is why we can drive a car. Most babies develop this ability within the first two years of life. But in some children, something goes wrong: the muscles that control the movement of the eyes and the ability to focus don’t develop properly. The brain fails to learn how to interpret the conflicting images and learns to disregard the signal from one eye. The result is monocular vision, which presents an image of the world as flat, not three dimensional, as you see it. If your child has this condition he or she sees the world in a way you don’t. The child’s eyes do not move together, a condition commonly described as “cross-eyed” or “lazy eye.” Glasses don’t treat this problem. But Dr. Olga Savitska does. Dr. Savitska recently joined the team at Bayview Vision on the Bayview strip, where Dr. Dennis Bader has been caring for patients, especially children, for more than 40 years.
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“She will add a new dimension to our clinic,” Dr. Bader says. Dr. Savitska specializes in pediatrics, neuro-rehabilitation and vision therapy, a collection of techniques used to correct deficiencies in vision, mainly in children but also in adults. Dr. Savitska regards the act of vision – seeing something correctly – as a complex neurological processing of information in the brain as well as the mechanical function of eye movement and focus. So, she tests patients for visual efficiency as well as visual information processing used to examine all aspects of vision. Vision Therapy is the array of treatments used to correct deficiencies. “In a nutshell, Vision Therapy is an individualized group of exercises that help retrain the visual system and help rebuild pathways or processes that have been disrupted,” Dr. Savitska says. “There are many aspects of our vision and it is not as simple as 20/20. I look at all aspects – eye teaming, eye tracking, eye focusing, visual information processing, visual-motor development – in order to diagnose the problem and help individuals to train the deficiencies.” Dr. Savitska received her Doctor of Optometry from University of Waterloo School of Optometry where she received the distinguished RACH Memorial Award as well as the COVD Award for Excellence in Vision Therapy (College of Optometrists in Vision Development). “Vision therapy is beneficial for individuals with learning related disabilities, patients suffering from post concussion visual symptoms, and for
Dr. Savitska
patients with strabismus and amblyopia (lazy eye). Vision Therapy is safe, drug-free, and effective for both children and adults.” Prescription glasses are a major part of optimizing vision, but having 20/20 eyesight does not ensure good vision. “The act of vision is the complex neurological processing of information in the brain and integrating this information into the rest of our dominant senses,” Dr. Savitska says. “This allows us to visually process information.” In computer terms, seeing is not just about receiving a clear signal – as by using corrective lenses – but also processing that signal correctly. To attain that goal, Vision Therapy treatment exercises use therapeutic lenses such as prisms and filters, occluders, balance boards, electronic targets and a variety of special tools designed for specific and unique vision therapy activities. Dr. Savitska is happy to be in Leaside and helping Leasiders’ vision. “I grew up in Toronto and family and friends live in Leaside. I hope to be moving here soon, but for now I am an aspiring Leaside resident,” she says. ■
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MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS
Heather Bolt turns passion into fashion at Dotty Dress Studio by SUSAN POAPS With a keen eye for fashion trends, Leaside resident and owner Heather Bolt realized her true calling and established Dotty Dress Studio in 2010. “In university, I found myself sewing and altering pieces and my roommate finally asked me why I was considering law school when it was clear I should be working in fashion, and she was right,” says Heather. After completing the fashion design program at the Academy of Design in Toronto, she worked for a number of international fashion brands but realized there was a demand for sophisticated and flattering pieces for women that wasn’t being met. “Women were telling me they weren’t comfortable going sleeveless at the office so I designed something stylish and flowing that was universally flattering, machine washable and wrinkle free.” GREETING CARDS • STAMPS
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Leaside Life • March 2019
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With locally sourced materials, Heather remains hands-on as the sole designer overseeing all aspects from initial sketches to marketing to final sales. While online sales are steady, the majority of sales are at The One of
City engineer – and coach – leaves mark in Leaside served over two decades. After the war, William Lindsay William Lindsay Malcolm (1884Malcolm became a professor of civil 1948) was a city engineer and engineering at Queen’s University, planner in the early 1900s, serving but he also boasted a very overseas in World War I when different skill as a E Malcolm Road was built LEASID talented football F O S REET around the new town THE ST coach. Recognizing . D R M L O of Leaside and the C his unique talent, L A M 150 railway tracks. Queen’s made him an William Malcolm had honourary coach of their footgraduated from Queen’s University ball team. in Kingston in 1905, then became In 1934, Professor Malcolm became known for his expertise in civil plana professor of civil engineering at ning and municipal engineering. In Cornell University, but a few years 1907, he worked at Queen’s, where later suffered a heart attack that he designed and built their university forced him to slow down. He died in stadium, a hockey rink and sanitary Ithaca, New York, home of Cornell, engineering building. on January 18, 1948. He was buried He then was city engineer for the in the family plot in historic Cataraqui town of Guelph and a consultant on Cemetery in Kingston, Ont. ■ the Canadian Highways and Building Program. In 1912, William Malcolm earned a land surveyor’s certificate with the newly-formed Association of Ontario Land Surveyors before fighting overseas in World War I. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel Queen’s University in 1919 with the Canadian Army in which he by JEANNE HOPKINS
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a Kind Craft Show and Sale. Toronto retailer Pearls and Pockets on Queen Street East carries her line as well as the Red Tulip in Barrie, Jan’s Closette in Collingwood, and Flock in Ottawa. But why the name, and who is Dotty anyway? Turns out Dotty isn’t even a person in Heather’s life. “My best friend suggested the name since I love polka dots!” Heather tells me her inspiration for Dotty comes from “helping to lead and inspire every kind of woman.” In keeping with this spirit, and in conjunction with International Women’s Day on March 8, Dotty Dress Studio will be part of Dress for Success, an organization which empowers women breaking in to the workforce by providing professional clothing. Local Leasiders can donate business clothing and in return receive a discount on Dotty items. To donate, visit https://toronto.dressforsuccess. org/get-involved/donate. ■
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Kindness Campaign turns adversity into action by SUSAN POAPS In late October, a Grade 10 student at Leaside High School was viciously assaulted by a former LHS student while a group of Grade 12 LHS boys surrounded him and watched. What provoked the older students to plan this organized attack? Was it the fact that the younger student called out the “bullies” of Leaside and LHS? Why didn’t even a single student step in to help, but instead stood by, while blow after blow prevented this young student from escaping? Why did the boys run when a passerby stopped to help the young boy bleeding profusely? How can we, as a community, change the culture of standing by to one of caring – and acting to support one another? There is hope that the tide may be turning. The Toronto District School Board’s code of conduct states: “The TDSB is committed to creating school learning environments that are caring, safe, peaceful, nurturing, positive, respect-
ful and that enable all students to reach their full potential. Every student has the right to learn and work in an environment free of discrimination and harassment.” The board adds that it has a zero-tolerance policy toward bullying. A “kindness” assembly as part of
a #kindnesscampaign, held fittingly on Valentine’s Day at Leaside High School, reinforced that message with a powerful appearance by an inspiring young man named Josh Yandt, also known as “the door man.” (More on this name later.) His story went viral in 2012
Josh Yandt (fourth from right) with LHS parents and the School Action Team.
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Josh Yandt “The door man” speaks to the LHS community about bullying and acts of kindness. after a CBC National journalist (and Leaside High School mother, Ioanna Roumeliotis), reported it. A difficult upbringing with an alcoholic and abusive father followed by the early death of his KINDNESS, Page 29
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Leaside Life • March 2019
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It’s that time of year. Growing up in Leaside, I have vivid memories of the anticipation all of us kids felt as March Break drew near. The days leading up to Christmas and summer vacation seemed to slow to a crawl, but nothing felt longer than waiting for March Break. I know we kids were not alone in looking forward to a week off. The teachers who are friends of mine tell me that they were just as ready, and probably needed it more. In fact, I wonder if the powers that be instituted March Break in the first place, because until then, so many teachers were having March breakdowns. And who can blame them? At this time of year, teachers are often whipsawed by two powerful forces. The months of cold, snow, sleet, slush and grey, overcast skies that precede March Break are enough to make even the strongest of us falter. Then, you add in a classroom of 30 kids in the throes of mid-winter cabin fever, and even the most experienced teachers can begin to lose their grip on sanity. So, March Break is great for kids and for teachers, but what about for
Terry Fallis Columnist
parents? When I was as student at Bessborough Drive Public School, I just assumed our parents loved March Break as much as we did. I mean, what’s not to love? They got an uninterrupted week with their
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children without worrying about math homework, that project on timber wolves, and early morning basketball practice. But having lived through 15 years or so of March Breaks with our two sons, a week off school in winter isn’t always a win-win. In hindsight, I sympathize with my parents. I don’t recall too much about our family’s March Break adventures. Perhaps I’ve blocked out the memories. But I seem to remember we would often take a driving trip to exotic locales like Niagara Falls and London to visit family and friends. Some of our classmates were headed for warmer climes with trips to Florida or the Caribbean. But we seemed to stick a little closer to home where we could appreciate the frigid temperatures, harrowing driving conditions, and seasonal precipitation. But as long as the motel had a pool and a restaurant, we loved it. I’m not certain my parents enjoyed it quite as much, though they always looked like they were having fun – at least until my twin brother Tim and I started our trampoline routine on the motel bed. Travelling with four kids was not easy. Our parents were badly outnumbered. Somehow, we survived. Our parents were always quite relieved the following Monday – even thrilled, I suspect – when we glumly headed back to school. When both parents are working outside the home, managing March Break is even more challenging. My wife and I confronted this logistical odyssey every year, almost always coinciding with a very busy time at our respective day-jobs. There’d often be at least one impromptu “take-your-child-to-work-day” during the March week off school. I remember our two sons watching videos in my company boardroom as part of making it through March Break. They sometimes gave advice to my clients, too. Those days are behind us now, but as we approach this year’s March Break, I see anticipation in the eyes of children and parents alike, though I think I’ve caught a barely discernible sense of dread in the eyes of some frazzled mothers and fathers. Those grown-ups you encounter with an extra spring in their step, whistling happily as they saunter through the snow, must be teachers. ■
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Innovation is in Leaside’s DNA
Leaside Life • March 2019
20
Once again, I draw inspiration from our Leaside gardener Debora Kuchme. Last month she wrote, “In 1913, like a mindful gardener, Frederick Todd planted the seed for Leaside to become a Garden City. ...He set out to create a live/work town that was socially, economically, and ecologically sustainable.” She goes on to reference Connor Turnbull, who noted that “change is afoot and there is a fear that Leaside will change in drastic ways. But we think that there is a thoughtful path available rooted in the DNA of Leaside’s design.” Yes sir, indeed. Today, I would like to emphatically argue that, firmly rooted in Leaside’s DNA is the spirit of INNOVATION. Invention, modernization and revolution are all synonyms for innovation. From the prescience of Canadian Northern to embrace the idea of live/work, to the ground-breaking design of Frederick Todd, to the first air mail flight in Canada, to the cutting-edge technology developed on Research Road by Research Enterprises Limited, Leaside has been the embodiment of innovation. More so than at any
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Glenn Asano The Business of Leaside
other time, that spirit of innovation is just what Leaside needs if we expect to successfully navigate the impending onslaught of disruption and change that the coming of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) will bring. Navigating 4IR’s disruption 4IR refers to a rapidly coming ‘age’ characterized as a world that will be transformed with the fusion of technologies, blurring the lines among the physical, digital, and biological spheres. Think robotics, the “Internet of Things,” artificial intelligence, and remarkable advances in science and health that will allegedly benefit us all. It is said that the first industrial revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production, the second used electric power to create mass production, and the third used electronics and information technology to automate production. About the fourth, to quote the World Economic Forum, “We stand on the brink of a technological revolution [4IR] that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before…[and] one thing is clear: the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all stakeholders of the global polity, from the public and private sectors to academia and civil society.” Hmm, an integrated and comprehensive response involving all stakeholders? Well let’s start with Leaside as a model of evolution. Why? Because Leaside has an obvious opportunity to get ahead of the 4IR curve and be the model neighbourhood if we: (1) reenergize our spirit of innovation, (2) rethink the importance of the underappreciated Leaside Business Park that, thanks to Frederick Todd, sits at our doorstep, and (3) leverage the considerable amount of ‘talent’ already residing in the ‘hood (i.e. professional, creative, technologically savvy, entrepreneurial). In doing so, I feel we as a community have more
to gain than lose from the coming revolution. So, how do we start? Like most everything that grows, we start with a seed.
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” —Warren Buffett
The seed was planted in Leaside Life last month by Geoff Kettel when he identified two examples of differing visions of development playing out in the Business Park. He wrote, “the 154 Wicksteed project appears to reflect a desirable evolution on Employment Lands…maintaining technically skilled and well-paying jobs.” This alternative was compared with further retail development. There exists an extensive literature supporting an established framework for estimating the effect of commercial development on communities. Indeed, of the three broad categories – retail, office, and industrial – office space is known to create more jobs per square foot of usage. This would be in line with the City’s growth directive tied to the new Laird station (i.e. add 12,000 more jobs). More importantly, Geoff’s nod to skills-oriented jobs is on point in terms of the types of employment expected to grow in the future. However, the promise of live/work benefits resulting from Leaside’s proximity to the Business Park remains unrealized since there appears to be a mismatch between the type of jobs Leasiders excel at and the jobs that might currently be on offer. We need to take an active interest in Leaside’s employment lands Curious to learn more about the newly proposed ‘Leaside Innovation Centre’ planned for 154 Wicksteed, I spoke with developer Charles Goldsmith, the visionary behind the project that just might be the sign of a commercial rejuvenation that benefits our community in the long run. Incidentally, Leasider Marcus Gillam is the builder. Fittingly modern in architecture, with a state-of-theart tech-friendly infrastructure, the space was designed not only for tenants in IT/science-related fields, but also creative design, studio production, and advertising. Assuming one worker for every 200 square feet, that would result in 400 new futureproof higher paying jobs coming to Leaside. Hoo-ha! Although my teen-
ager might think all part-time jobs paying $11 per hour are the same… the fact is, the same menial job at one of the myriad storage centres in Leaside would not yield the same sort of career-projecting experience as a similar role in a tech development lab, a start-up in an incubator, a design studio, or even getting coffee for a robotics engineer. And it’s not just about our kids. Existing local businesses would benefit from an influx of high-spending workers, and I for one, should the right type of jobs appear, would love the opportunity to be able to realize the live/ work dream by simply crossing the east-west divide at Laird. Here lies our challenge. Residents and our City representatives need to take a proactive interest in how the coming 4IR will play out in Leaside. Is there anyone calling the shots for the Leaside community? If the prognosticators are to be believed, our evolution will come sooner rather than later and having a ‘playbook’ at the ready would put our community in a stronger position to manage the change in a way that maximizes the benefits for those that live here well into the foreseeable future. Playbook, you say? Yes, I intend to periodically write about how key initiatives or ideas proposed by groups, companies, and government players will affect the value of Leaside’s ‘neighbourhood equity’ score. One I can think of immediately is learning from and building links to the ‘Tech North’ or ‘Toronto-Waterloo Innovation Corridor’ supercluster idea – an idea which might be our best chance to be part of a toptier innovation ecosystem. In the meantime, it would be prescient to build your awareness of the coming change, consider ways Leaside should best prepare itself, stroll through the Leaside Business Park, reimagine Leaside’s employment lands, and support the LPOA in its effort to strike the right balance between smart, mutually beneficial development and our community. Will Leaside be better or worse off as a result of 4IR? What type of commercial activity is the best fit for Leaside’s employment lands? Let us know at leasidelife@gmail.com. Leasider Glenn Asano is a partner and principal consultant for the strategy and business development practice at Centred Performance. He is also an Instructor with the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. ■
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Leaside Life • March 2019
INNOVATION continued
CYCLING IN LEASIDE
Want traffic calming? Get more people out on bikes
Leaside Life • March 2019
by HOLLY REID What happens when you come upon a cyclist on the road ahead? Do you slow down to assess the situation and then proceed with caution? Or do you dash ahead, accelerating to get past and on your way? Hopefully, you choose the first option and, thankfully, that is what many drivers do. Getting more people riding bikes on our streets is one way to help reduce vehicle speeds. As Dan Clement, acting manager of traffic operations transportation services, North York district, notes, “Cycling and traffic calming can complement each other.” Narrowing the roadways Wide-open, straight roads signal to drivers that speeding is safe. In Ontario, cyclists are expected to ride about one metre from the curb or parked cars, more if needed for safety. And by law, drivers are required to leave at least one metre between their vehicle and the person on a bike when passing. That is at least two metres of road narrowing right there. Add in space for on-street parking and a street may no longer be attractive for those who want to speed through our neighbourhood. Painted bike lanes and sharrows (shared lane markings) indicate to drivers that they can expect to encounter cyclists on route, and sharrows are well suited to the Leaside environment. But Shawn Dillon, manager of cycling infrastructure & programs, at the City of Toronto, explains that sharrows alone will not reduce vehicle speeds. It’s the presence of cyclists on the roadway that creates the perception that lower speeds are needed.
More trips under 5 km by bike According to a 2016 study by Ryerson University’s TransForm Lab, about one-third of car trips in Toronto are potentially cyclable. These are trips of 5 km or less – to school, work and transit, and for errands and other outings. If people were making more of these trips by bike, that’s fewer cars on our roads, reducing congestion and improving air quality. Where would you cycle in Leaside if you felt safe doing so? And what would it take to make you feel safe? Lower posted speed limits If we want to lower posted speed limits in Leaside, having cycling infrastructure on our streets can help. According to the City’s Traffic Calming Guide for Toronto, either a signed shared roadway (such as Broadway), or the presence of sharrows or a contra-flow bike lane on a one-way street, along with a peti-
tion from 25 per cent of residents, will get the ball rolling (although the North York Community Council has the final say). The measures proposed in the Leaside Property Owners Association’s Traffic Calming Plan can work hand-in-hand with increased cycling to reduce vehicle speed and traffic in our neighbourhood. Cycle Don Valley Midtown is looking at how to take advantage of cycling infrastructure to create safe and connected routes where Leasiders want to ride. Holly Reid is a recreational road rider and cycling commuter. An advocate for safe cycling, she is a member of Cycle Don Valley Midtown, Cycle Toronto’s advocacy group for Wards15/16. ■ Sharrows (pictured here) indicate where cyclists should ride. For motorists, they are a reminder to share the road.
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Are you a Vision Zero champ?
in a January 1st Leaside Life online article, the Leaside Property Owners’ Association presented their proposed Leaside Traffic Calming Plan at the December 10th Annual General Meeting, held at the Leaside Arena. (Read more about the LPOA’s Traffic Calming Plan at https://lpoa.ca/leaside-traffic-calming-plan-next-steps/.) The Plan’s five objectives are to make streets safer for vulnerable road users
(pedestrians, cyclists), discourage traffic infiltration, avoid displacing through traffic to adjacent streets, encourage and facilitate other travel modes (transit, cycling, walking), and maintain and enhance neighbourhood character and quality of life. The proposed plan includes road cushions (modified speed bumps which allow unimpeded passage by emergency vehicles), bike lanes, crosswalk improvements, raised crosswalks, red light camera/photo radar and gateway feature/curb radius reduction. Sergeant Brett Moore of Toronto’s Traffic Safety Program and a staunch advocate of Vision Zero has a simple yet powerful message: “We all need to work together for road safety. Pay attention, avoid distractions and slow down to ensure you and everyone sharing the roadways gets safely to their destination.” He appreciates that his job is made easier because “the police, public health, transportation, the school boards, school and community organizations are all working together for road safety.” Are you a Vision Zero champion? We want to hear your safety ideas. ■
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Leaside Life • March 2019
Traffic is a hot topic in Leaside – and for good reason. Traffic volume and speed, distracted drivers and walkers, icy roads and sidewalks all make for a dangerous mix for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers sharing the roadways. In 1997, Claes Tingvall of the Swedish National Road Administration, authored The Zero Vision: A Road Transport System Free from Serious Health Losses. Since those early days, the Vision Zero concept has spread internationally. According to the Vision Zero Toronto website (www.Toronto.ca/ visionzeroTO), the program influences how we design our streets, enforce traffic laws and educate our road users to reduce and eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on our roads. The six focus areas are pedestrians, school children, older adults, cyclists, motorcyclists, aggressive driving, and distraction. The plan relies on new and existing engineering, education, enforcement and technology safety measures. Councillor Jaye Robinson was an early adopter of road safety in the city. “When I became the new chair of public works and infrastructure in 2014, I was committed to developing a city-wide strategy to reduce traffic fatalities. A year later, I introduced Toronto’s first road safety plan based on the international standard – Vision Zero.” Councillor Robinson continued, “I think the enhanced school safety zones are succeeding throughout the city. I’m pushing for every school in Leaside to have a safety zone implemented within the next two years. We’ve also seen great results from the mobile Watch Your Speed Program in Ward 15. The driver feedback signs are reducing average vehicle speeds by 34 per cent.” She also reported that, in Leaside, “As part of the City’s Vision Zero Road Safety Initiative, there are two School Safety Zones scheduled to be implemented in Leaside this year at Bessborough Drive Elementary and Middle School and Northlea Elementary and Middle School. School Safety Zones feature measures like signs with flashing beacons, pavement stencils, ‘Watch Your Speed’ driver feedback signs and zebra markings at school crosswalks.” For more from Councillor Robinson, go to page 24. As reported by Carol Burtin Fripp
SUZANNE PARK
by SUZANNE PARK
Safe routes to school in Leaside Over the past month, I’ve met with friends and neighbours across Leaside to discuss issues ranging from snow removal to major construction projects. Above all, I continue to hear that traffic infiltration and road safety remain top concerns for the residents of Leaside. In 2015, I introduced Toronto’s first Road Safety Plan, based on the international standard, Vision Zero, as the newly-appointed Chair of Public Works and Infrastructure. The Road Safety Plan uses a databased, strategic approach to implement more than 50 countermeasures in priority areas throughout the City. One of our most successful road safety initiatives to date has been the introduction of enhanced protections around schools. School Safety Zones include lower speed limits, improved street lighting, leading pedestrian intervals, mid-block crossings, increased enforcement, improved pavement markings, flashing signage, and electronic driver feedback signs. The “Watch Your Speed” signs alone have reduced average vehicle speeds by 34 per cent.
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Leaside Life • March 2019
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As the new councillor for Leaside, I’m committed to ensuring that every local school has a new School Safety Zone installed this term. This year, two School Safety Zones will be implemented in Leaside at Bessborough Drive Elementary and Middle School and Northlea Elementary and Middle School. In the meantime, I’m also working with community groups to address the issue of crossing guard vacancies in Ward 15. As you may know, oversight of the crossing guard program is currently being transitioned from Toronto Police Services (TPS) to the City’s Transportation Services division. While Toronto police maintain responsibility for the provision of crossing guards for the 2018-2019 school year, the City has contracted an independent security service provider for relief coverage when a regular crossing guard is absent from work. Beginning in September 2019, the City of Toronto will be responsible for all aspects of the crossing guard program. It became clear early on in this transition that many intersections across the City are being left unstaffed. Part of the issue is that there has been a record number of crossing guards retiring this year, combined with an influx of new school crossing locations. At the first City Council meeting this term, I moved a motion directing the general manager of transportation to investigate the issues with the transition and report back to city council with a comprehensive strategy to improve and enhance the program. I have also shared our community’s concerns with the general manager of transportation, city manager, and mayor. As a result of our collective efforts, I’ve been advised by City staff that an additional contract will be in place this winter, resulting in new staff to fill the remaining crossing guard vacancies in Ward 15. Thank you to all Ward 15ers for your continued engagement on this important issue. I look forward to our continued work together to improve road safety in Leaside and across Don Valley West. ■
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Student and Parent Census highlights learnings for Leasiders
Trustee
can then translate this information into action points in their “School Improvement Plan” (or SIP, as it is commonly referred to within the TDSB), a document which outlines a school’s unique education plan —
nently on most of our local school SIPs. In fact, you may already have heard about many of the initiatives in local schools related to this TRUSTEE Page 27
Leaside Life • March 2019
Rachel Chernos Lin
a kind of roadmap for improving student performance. The SIP outlines the goals, timelines and ways achievement will be measured. It is also a document that is fluid and open to change as the school year progresses. Mental health and well-being tend to feature promi-
SHUTTERSTOCK
If you were a parent or student in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in 2016-2017, you may recall having completed the Student and Parent Census during the course of that school year. All in all, over 220,000 parents and students participated in that survey. You may sometimes wonder whether such surveys ever amount to anything. From my experience so far, I can assure you that with respect to this census, the results are indeed informing programming and operations decisions both at the board and within our local schools. Last May, all school principals received a report on the census data specific to their school populations. School trustees have also recently been sent copies of all school census reports in their wards. By now, all Leaside-area school principals have had a chance to go over their reports in detail with staff (such as members of their admin team, a superintendent, or a group of teachers), to evaluate and identify areas of strength and weakness within their schools. The data related to Leaside schools are fairly consistent with findings from across the TDSB. Children are generally happy at school, and feel safe and welcomed in their school buildings. However, as they get older, this positive outlook begins to decline, with high school students reporting that although they feel supported academically at school, they don’t always have a trusted adult they can talk to in the building, especially about non-academic concerns. Of particular relevance to Leaside schools, the data reveal that students from higher income families are more likely to feel anxious and stressed about school marks and their futures. As they get older, students report spending less time in organized sports and more time on their technological devices, often on social media or playing video games late into the night – habits which interfere with proper sleep. Teen struggles with respect to positive mental health and well-being, though present across the board, were found to be more common in areas of the city such as Leaside. The census data, together with other metrics like EQAO results and literacy metrics, help to illuminate the areas staff should focus on within their particular schools. Staff
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High school co-op placement— my window on the world of work
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Leaside Life • March 2019
by ZHEN PARK I recently completed a Leaside High co-op course. For high school seniors, questions about your future linger in every corner. Where are you going to go for post-secondary? What are you going to study? Where do you see yourself in five years? These questions can be hard to answer for students who don’t know what they are interested in or aren’t sure if their idea of a career is a good choice. At Leaside High School, co-op is a two-credit course offered for students in Grade 11 or 12. It does take a bit of course rearranging to fit in co-op as it takes two course spaces. In my case, I had to drop other courses I was planning to take to make room for co-op, however it was totally worth it. The process to receive your placement is beneficial in itself. Once you have an idea of what you would like to do, Ms. Sandra dos Reis, the co-op teacher, works hard
Zhen, left, with York University student volunteer Celina Cong at the Science Centre Innovators Ball.
to find you a good placement. The process is done in the same way as a job application where you complete a résumé and cover letter as well as prepare for an interview. The process is not always smooth, but everyone eventually gets
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a placement. I recently completed the co-op course with a placement in the Development Department at the Ontario Science Centre. It was an amazing experience where I was able to learn the different aspects of fundraising development and work with an excellent team. I was lucky to have my placement during the RBC Innovators Ball, a big fundraising gala the Centre hosts every year. With my interest in events and fundraising, being able to be
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CO-OP continued a part of such a huge event was a dream come true. I got to see the work that goes on before, during and after the event and was given opportunities to contribute in a meaningful way and help with the success of the evening. Co-op was a great experience and was usually the best part of my day. It shone a light on the many opportunities for professional development and skills such as how to use different software programs, merge files, be a team player and improve my communication and design skills. I also had the opportunity to interview various department members to talk about their career paths and what their jobs entail. This not only gave me insight into different paths available for this career but also provided perspective on the importance and impact of fundraising. In the end I gained valuable experience and insight from my co-op placement and also met great people along the way. ■
Leaside Life • March 2019
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Trustee... From Page 25 action point — such as mindfulness, wellness days, and clubs and events focusing on inclusivity. Through my community outreach, I will do my best to make mental health and well-being a key topic of discussion. While my next forum, on March 7th at Hodgson School at 7 p.m., will focus on the TDSB budget, I will also be co-hosting an evening of learning about mental health and eating disorders on March 28th at Cosburn Middle School. I hope to see many of you at my March events. ■ Leaside High School 75th Reunion Dinner Gala The organizing committee have announced that the 75th Reunion will be held on October 24, 2020 at the historic Beanfield Centre. A limited number of discounted early bird tickets have just been released and can be purchased at https:// lhsreunion.brownpapertickets.com for only $125 each. Interested in getting involved? The next 75th committee meeting will be held in the Leaside High School library, April 4th at 6:30 p.m.
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Embrace the seed: it’s more than a garden trend
Leaside Life • March 2019
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One morning, while eating grapefruit, my friend Bonnie’s daughter asked, “What would happen if we planted this seed?” So, together they planted it, gently watered and patiently waited with big hopes for a tiny sprout to appear. That was 37 years ago and today that grapefruit plant stands over 6 feet tall. It takes two people to move it safely out to the terrace for its summer rejuvenation and even though it has never produced fruit, this plant is loved more for its bounty of sweet and cherished memories.
The Leaside Gardener: Debora Kuchme Columnist
and last month, with perfect timing the Leaside Garden Society presented Mark Stewart, knowledge resources manager at the Toronto Botanical Gardens, to talk about seeds and seed saving.
Nurturing nature and having nature nurture us is a big trend for 2019.
Climate change gardens are the biggest garden trend for 2019.
I think most children are naturally curious about a seed’s amazing growth potential and as a child, I was too. Yet over the years I became disenchanted with seeds as my efforts were both challenging and disappointing, and like many gardeners, I chose to wait for starter plants from garden centres. It wasn’t until I started to grow food that I began to question the seed quality and origin of these starter plants. I simply needed to know more about seeds. As they say, timing is everything
Mark spoke about the importance of plant diversity and how traditionally, seed-saving farmers and gardeners kept thousands of heirloom varieties alive. More variations mean a greater chance of adaptability and likelier to withstand threats like disease and climate change. But in the last 100 years, we have lost 75 per cent of agricultural plant biodiversity and by losing our seed-saving traditions, many local varieties have disappeared completely. Gardeners, we can help!
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In partnership with the Toronto Seed Library, the TBG created its very own seed library and Mark Stewart is the librarian. There, he organizes a collection of open-pollinated and heirloom vegetable, herb and flower seeds that you can check out (like a book) to take home and plant in your garden. When the plant sets seed, you are asked to save some and return them to the library
for another gardener to grow next year. This is to ensure seeds will be available for future generations. Then there’s Seedy Saturday (or Sunday) that annually hosts a seed exchange to educate the public about seed saving and environmentally responsible garden practices. Here gardeners can swap, donate or buy open-pollinated and heirloom seeds from local seed suppliers. I missed the TBG Seedy Saturday on Feb. 23, but we all have another chance on Sunday, Mar. 17 at the Evergreen Brickworks from 10a.m. to 4p.m. I’m inspired, and with March 17 still weeks away, I decided to take a cue from Bonnie and try to grow my own houseplant from seed. Since I start every morning with organic lemon juice, why not put those seeds to test? I found instructions online and my seeds are now germinating between damp paper towels, sealed in a plastic sandwich bag, warm and cozy in a wooden cigar box on top of my fridge. Will it work? I have no idea, but I am patiently waiting with big hopes for a tiny sprout to appear. Here’s to seeds and new life! Visit leasidelife.com to see the extended version of this article along with more garden trends for 2019. ■
From Page 16 father took a heavy toll on Josh. An undiagnosed thyroid condition also affected Josh’s ability to fit in at school. The result was repeated bullying by his peers. “I was tired of not being seen by others,” he said. “People saw me as easy prey because I was afraid to stand up for myself. I became depressed and suicidal.” In a video, he is quoted as saying: “I was sick and tired of being a no one. I wanted to be someone. And I wanted to reach out to people and show who I was. Being nice should be the norm. It’s not something I expected to stand out.” A move to London, Ont. meant a fresh start for Josh and his family and it was then that he felt the need to reach out to his fellow students through a small, kind gesture which had a very big impact. Josh began “opening doors” for other students at his school as a way to inspire kindness – and it worked. “I realized by helping others, I was helping myself. Daring to be kind
and giving a little bit of your heart to others helped me to overcome my fears.” Since the CBC story aired in 2012, Josh has travelled all over the world as a motivational speaker sharing his story and inspiring kindness wherever he goes. Asked by a student in the Q and A section of the Leaside High kindness assembly what he would say to his bullies if he had the chance, Josh replied, “I would forgive them because everyone makes mistakes and no one knows what they might be going through.” After the assembly, Leaside High School Vice Principal Craig Haid thanked him “for surviving and sharing your important story.” As part of this initiative presented by parents, school administrators and Leaside High School’s School Action Team (SAT), students are being encouraged to perform three acts of kindness a day and post on social media under the hashtag #kindnesscampaign. “As parents we are determined to help develop a culture of empathy and kindness in our children’s schools,” says Ioanna Roumeliotis. ■
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Leaside Life • March 2019
Kindness..
It’s always helpful to know the rules. My husband is a referee and he will tell you this is so. The bylaws for Littering and Cleaning and Clearing are defined in Toronto Municipal Code 548: 548-3. Littering and depositing waste prohibited. No person shall throw, place or deposit or permit or cause to be thrown, placed or deposited any waste on any land not including buildings, within the City, including ponds, lakes, rivers and watercourses, without the consent of the owner or occupant of the property. 548-5. Cleaning and clearing. The owner of land on which waste has been thrown, placed, dumped or deposited shall immediately clean and clear the waste from the land. These bylaws illustrate a recent situation regarding the state of the grounds at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. Driving by, I saw a large, flattened La Rocca cake box and numerous ditched Tims coffee cups. As an aside, did you know that Tim Hortons, Nestlé, McDonald’s, Starbucks and Coca-
Cheryl Vanderburg Leaside Litterati
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Cola account for 40 per cent of identifiable trash? I couldn’t help pulling into the parking lot for a quick spot clean. However, the overwhelming amount of garbage nestled in bushes and under trees prompted me to send the following email to arena staff.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Leaside Life • March 2019
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Leasiders, are you doing your bit to combat littering?
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Some person(s) was breaking Bylaw 548-3 by littering. And the owner of the land was breaking Bylaw 548-5 by not cleaning and clearing it immediately. “Good morning! I’m writing about the litter situation in the grassy areas surrounding the Leaside Arena. This morning I did a bit of a cleanup from the entrance to the Millwood corner lights. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time or garbage bags to complete the total perimeter. It was pretty disgusting. Enough Tim Hortons coffee cups to sink a ship – he would be very disappointed to see his legacy has created this situation. And numerous, other assorted riff raff. I’m not sure who is creating this problem – users of the arena, construction workers or the general public, but it does need addressing as it a real eyesore and an embarrassment to our community. As always, I am happy to help. ...I look forward to your response.” Within an hour I received this from the general manager: “Thank you for bringing the garbage situation to my attention, and I will have staff address the cleanliness in the next couple of days, as I do require additional staff to clean the surrounding grass and gardens. As you can well imagine, the two con-
LITTER, continued
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Leaside Life • March 2019
struction towers do cause a majority of the mess in the perimeter of the parking lot. My staff are picking up litter weekly from the parking lot but do not push the boundaries to the aforementioned areas. Once the snow melts in the spring our lawn care company handles that area. I will have staff be more attentive while there is no snow on the ground.” I replied: “Thank you for your response, the information and your action. It is totally unfair that your staff need to clean up other people’s litter and thank you for doing it. I also addressed the email to Baghai Development Limited. Perhaps the company can speak with their crews and help with cleanup.” I also took the opportunity to reach out to the board, who are responsible for the facility on behalf of the community and the City of Toronto. I was heartened by the response from chairman Jeff Dover, who thanked me for caring enough to bring the topic to their attention. He said: “The Gardens is a community landmark and source of pride for Leaside. As a result, we encourage all users to be mindful of this and treat the facility as such. We also would like to remind our user groups and the community at large to join us in April when we participate in the ‘Clean Toronto Together’ initiative, an event where everyone’s effort will truly help make a difference.” The cost of litter is staggering. Robert Orpin, director of collection operations, told CityNews, “If nobody littered in the city, that’s potentially $25 million in savings.” Think of how many people could be fed and housed, how much infrastructure repaired, how many recreational facilities refurbished, and so on. Leaside is our home and we all need to take good care of it. I don’t know how to stop people from littering. But I do know that if each of the 10,000 doors in M4G that receive Leaside Life picked up just one piece of litter a day, our neighbourhood would soon be spotless! ■
Leaside Life • March 2019
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How will Leaside fare in the provincial avalanche of change? Remember former education minister John Snobelen’s famous injunction: “Let’s create a crisis”? New claims of crisis whether in education, healthcare, child care, housing, or planning are being used to justify changes that are being proposed and implemented with little planning, consultation, and little to no chance of appeal. As a resident of Leaside, Toronto, and Ontario I feel like I and everyone around me are all of a sudden being blasted by these changes. Just to focus on planning and housing, the government is working on major changes, some of which have been announced, and some which are expected later this spring. Here’s what’s being proposed currently that will affect Leaside. The province has proposed amendments to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2017, to address policies seen as potential barriers to the development of housing, job
Geoff Kettel
Saving old Leaside
Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) show increased density across the Eglinton corridor.
creation and business. These amendments affect both Leaside residential and industrial areas in at least two ways: First, the amendments propose to increase the radius of the Major Transit Station Area (MTSA – the area to be intensified) from 500m to 800m. An intensification zone with a radius of 800m measures 201.0 hectares in area, which represents a 2.56-fold increase over the 78.5 hectares covered by the current MTSA, with a radius of 500m. Three MTSAs affect Leaside – Leaside (Bayview), Laird and Leslie. Based on the current 500m radius, the increased density has been able to be channelled such that the existing residential areas would not be greatly affected. At Laird, for example, the required density increase is being contained within the former industrial lands of the Laird/Eglinton/Vanderhoof/ Aerodrome block that is part of the Laird in Focus Study and Plan. At 800m radius, there would be vastly more pressure to expand mid- and high-rise projects into the neighbourhood-designated lands – the existing Leaside residential area. Second, the Amendments will allow for areas designated as Employment Area in the Official Plan to be converted more easily, instead of having to wait for the next “municipal comprehensive review.” To ensure employment areas that are crucial to the province’s economy are not converted without a more comprehensive assessment of employment land need, the government is proposing to identify Provincially Significant Employment Zones (PSEZ) that would not be eligible for conversion during the proposed transitional period. However, Leaside is not one, and in fact there are very few areas so designated in Toronto. It is a concern that the Leaside Business Park, which still retains several manufacturing businesses with well paying jobs, could more easily be squeezed out by retail and even residential uses. The government has also been holding consultations with key stakeholders on housing supply issues and is considering changes to the Planning Act and the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS). Full disclo-
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Leaside Life • March 2019
CHANGE, continued sure: I have participated in a couple of meetings as representative of the Federation of North Toronto Residents Associations (FoNTRA). At this moment there is no indication as to what proposals the government will bring forward. We will know more in the spring. The reality is that these provincial changes are complex, requiring an understanding of the current processes to evaluate them, and will have a long-term impact on Leaside …and the City. And they are in addition to the regular diet of local planning studies such as Laird in Focus and site-specific development applications that require our community’s constant attention. So, what can we do about it? First and most important, please pay attention. In just one instance to date, the government blinked – it withdrew its Bill 66 – The Open for Business Planning law that would have allowed individual developments to be exempted from a stack of planning and environmental legislation. We need to ensure that simplistic and hastily conceived legislation does not pass without proper consultation. Peace, order and good government, anyone? ■
Sump pumps and skating rinks
Leaside Life • March 2019
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by GEOFF KETTEL North Leaside has lots of groundwater; the trouble is some of it ends up on the sidewalk. And at this time of year that means you end up with a skating rink. This is what happened recently at a new build on Rykert Crescent. Sump pumps are often required when basements are dug down deep into the ground. The pictures show what happens when the sump pump empties onto an impervious surface, flows down the steps and onto the sidewalk, resulting in a thick layer of ice. Pedestrians, beware! Of course this is not what is supposed to happen. The City requires that sump pump discharge be onto the lawn, which was not done in this case. Hopefully this will be fixed soon, in time for the warmer weather. ■
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Leaside Life • March 2019
INTERESTED IN SAFE CYCLING?
Community Variety Show. In the Sanctuary on Fri., March 29, at 7pm. Allages show featuring music, dance, poetry, humour and other creative acts. Support our community’s talent and raise money for Thorncliffe Children’s Day Camp. Adults $10, Family $25.
Cycle Don Valley Midtown meets every month. Join fellow cyclists to advocate for safe cycling routes in our neighbourhoods. Next meeting: Wed, March 27th, 7pm. Leaside Commercial Centre board room, 42 Industrial St. For more info or to RSVP contact: hollyreid@rogers.com or gkettel@gmail.com
PLAY AT SUOMI-KOTI CENTRE 795 Eglinton Ave. East (west of Laird) Suomi-Koti Nursing Home invites you to the play I’m Still Here, a drama on living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. All welcome. A discussion will follow. March 16, 3 to 5pm. No entrance fee; donations gratefully accepted. Donations of $10.00 or more eligible for tax receipts. Register by Mar. 10. Email lou2lee@icloud.com and rsvp.
ST. CUTHBERT’S CHURCH 1399 Bayview, 416-485-0329 World Day Of Prayer, March 1, at 2pm. This year’s service has been beautifully written by the women of Slovenia with the theme Come, Everything is Ready! Christians in more than 170 countries around the world and 2,000 communities across Canada will meet to pray and act in solidarity with these wonderful women. Please join us. The church is wheelchair accessible. Pancake Supper Food, fun and games in Lamb Hall $7.50/adult • $5/kids over 5 Kids under 5 are free • $20.00/family, Tues., March 5 from 5:30 to 7:15. Ash Wednesday services on Wed., March 6 at 10am and 7:30pm.
ST. AUGUSTINE’S CHURCH 1847 Bayview Ave. 416-485-2656 Pancake Dinner: Tues. March 5th, 5-7pm Menu: blueberry/plain pancakes, syrup, sausages, fruit, coffee/tea/juice. $20 family, $7 adult, $5 children 12 and under. Tickets available at the door.
CAN. FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN LEASIDE-EAST YORK The Power of Women Working Together Monthly meeting 7:30pm. Thursday March 21, at Northlea United Church, 125 Brentcliffe Rd. Speaker Mary Lou Dickinson, fiction writer and author, speaking on Writing Later in Life The Writing Process. Visitors and new members welcome. For more info visit www.cfuwleasideeastyork.ca, email joincfuw@gmail.com or phone Janice Mitchell at 416 930 8581.
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Annual Pancake Supper Join us for our annual “Pancakes and Plaid” Supper on Tuesday, March 5, at 6 pm. Wear your plaid and enjoy delicious pancakes and real maple syrup. Cost is “Pay what you can.” Proceeds support the El Hogar Service Team in Honduras.
NORTHLEA UNITED 125 Brentcliffe Road; northleaunited.ca; 416 425 5252 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper: Tues., March 5, 6-6:45pm. Lots of great eats & fun for all! Everyone Welcome! Free Will Offering to benefit the Flemingdon Park Ministry and The Common Table Project. After supper, join everyone for the Service of Ashes 7:15 pm in the Sanctuary. Looking for an oasis of candlelight, prayer, meditation & music in your busy life? Taizé— Wed., March. 13, 7:45-8:30 pm. Additional services April 10th.
LEASIDE LIBRARY 165 McRae Drive, 416-396-3835. Sing, Hop and Laugh with Razzmatazz Mon. Mar. 11, 2-2:45pm. Sandy invites you to hop like a bunny, ride a bumpy bus, clap your hands, and sing along! In this hilarious puppet show, you can help Lulu the Bird and Unicorn teach Sneaky Hand how to be a friend. Family Movie Matinée Tue. Mar. 12, 2-3:30pm. Join us for a screening of Puss in Boots. For all ages. Drop in. No registration required, however space is limited. How To File A Simple Tax Return Fri. Mar. 29, 2:30-4pm. A representative from the CRA will help you understand why you pay taxes and how taxes are used. Discover Your Heritage. Tue. Mar. 5, 2pm-4pm.Explore Ontario of yesterday and today with Barry Penhale and special guests. For more info contact Marjorie McLeod at 416-425-1392. Youth Advisory Group Volunteers earn community hours and gain valuable skills by designing teen programs, providing input, helping out your community and making new friends! Wed. Mar 6 and 27, 4:30–6pm. For full library listings see www.torontopubliclibrary.ca Send us your free listing for April by March 10th leasidelife@gmail.com ■
Re: Streets of Leaside I am glad that Leaside Life, a publication I have long admired, has again recognized my late dear friend Dave Stickney. However, I do feel a need to make some corrections not because I am a retired English teacher but because such a topic does warrant accuracy. First, nobody lived on Markham Avenue with that address. This made the name change uncomplicated. It should be noted that Ann Brown, with support from Jon Burnside, was the chief instigator of this change. David died at Goulding Park, near Yonge and Steeles. He was coaching the York Mills CI women’s soft ball team at the time. It would be fanciful to think that he died where he played baseball as a child, while coaching Leaside girls, but let us avoid myth-making. He was very involved with The United Church long before his retirement both as a youth leader and church usher. His memorial park bench is next to the stairs that run down from Cameron Crescent, where he lived, to the east end of the Leaside football field. They were called Stickney’s Steps because he took it upon himself to keep them safe after every snowfall, such was his community spirit. The Seon [note spelling] family lived on Parkhurst and sent their Children to LHS. In later years, the Seons were very much David’s surrogate family. I do feel that these corrections are necessary to preserve an accurate record of our dear departed friend. Meanwhile, keep up the good work at Leaside Life! Nicholas Mitchell ■
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Traffic, traffic, and more traffic! In my February Leaside Life column, I suggested the possibility of holding local ‘pop-up’ traffic meetings to discuss the LPOA’s recently presented traffic-calming initiative in more detail, and to hear your suggestions and concerns. Last month our traffic consultant Gene Chartier and I had a helpful and detailed meeting with Councillor Jaye Robinson, to look at the process for moving the plan ahead. The City’s supervisor of traffic operations also attended. Nothing is going to happen overnight. Transportation Services is undergoing reorganization, and as this occurs we will observe and assess their changes. I know that most of us become impatient with the slow pace of change (I hear from you about that!), but in this case I believe it is worthwhile to take the time to get the approach right. For instance, there is a new City Hall entity called the Neighbourhood Studies Group, currently being organized and staffed. This office offers an opportunity for very useful dialogue between City staff and ourselves on traffic-calming policy and implementation. In the meanwhile, holding a number of small-venue meetings with Leasiders on assorted traffic aspects would be very helpful, and provide feedback we can take to the City. You do not have to be a traffic engineer to have worthwhile ideas and suggestions! Living as you do in the community, YOU are the experts, and your input is very valuable. You can reach me through lpoa.ca or via Leaside Life. And now to follow up on a matter I first raised in my September 2018 column: changes to the signage at the extended crescent-shaped intersection of Astor Ave./Moore Ave./ Southvale Dr./Mallory Cresc. Right
Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LPOA
I learned at my City Hall meeting that Traffic Operations were planning to eliminate both flashing lights when moving the stop sign locations. I was very concerned that we would end up with a situation far less safe
ROBIN DICKIE
Leaside Life • March 2019
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now there are stop signs for eastwest traffic, with flashing red lights (also known as flashing beacons) affixed to their tops. In order to provide a safer crossing for pedestrians at the intersection, the City had planned to move the westbound stop sign (now on the N/E corner of Southvale/Astor) a few feet farther west, thus allowing for a painted crossing directly across from Moore/Southvale. The flashing light on that stop sign, as well as the flashing light on the eastbound Moore/Mallory stop sign, was to remain. These flashing beacons improve visibility of the stop signs from afar, an important consideration. Before they were there, this curve in the road provided an irresistible temptation for drivers to speed, especially at night.
than the present arrangement. To do this without any neighbourhood consultation with nearby residents also struck me as counterproductive. Since then I have heard that Traffic Operations is now considering at least temporarily holding off on removing the flashing beacons (or removing just the head but leaving the wiring) during a monitoring stage. I am assured that some consultation of residents will take place. The LPOA has offered its assistance with that consultation.
ab
Our next monthly LPOA board meeting is on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6TH at 7:30 p.m., in the Trace Manes building. These board meetings are always open to the public. We encourage you to attend. ■
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