Leaside Life Issue 63 August 2017

AU G U S T 2017

Leaside Life

John Jacob Astor Page 10

leasidelifenews.com

No. 63

L E A S I D E

P E O P L E

Adil Dhalla, Leaside’s very own CSI man

JANIS FERTUCK

BY TALBOT BOGGS The decade that Adil Dhalla lived with his family in Leaside prepared him well for his current work as a civic entrepreneur and community organizer with the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) in Toronto. Dhalla currently acts as the director of culture for the not-for-profit, providing space, services and programs to more than 2,000 social organizations each year, whose mission is to foster communication and cooperation among individuals and groups to improve local communities. CSI

Leaside’s junior traffic team making it safer at Glenvale and Hanna.

Leaside’s junior traffic officers believe in full stops! By JANIS FERTUCK Anyone driving in North Leaside near the intersection of Hanna Rd. and Glenvale Blvd. in the late afternoon or early evening is likely to encounter a group of children wearing blue and red t-shirts and blowing a whistle. But they are not playing a game. Rather, these local children have taken it upon themselves to encourage safe driving and complete stops at their increasingly busy intersection. With more drivers cutting through the neighbourhood to avoid the construction on Eglinton, the children, who live on all corners of the intersection, were always running back and forth to play together, and were becoming afraid to do so. The problem is especially severe with drivers rushing to get to Bayview before the 4 o’clock deadline for turning north there. Adding to the problem is the fact that a small hill starting at the intersection causes westbound travellers to speed up, and eastbound drivers to gain momentum coming down. Local real estate agent Charlene Kalia, the mother of one of the girls, Madelyn Sergnese, commented that the formerly “well-travelled street has turned into a highway due to the cut-through traffic.” One day in early May while the children were playing a game involving a whistle, they hit upon the idea of blowing that whistle and holding up their hands to signal to impatient drivers who failed to come to complete stops at the intersection. One driver turning TRAFFIC OFFICERS, Page 23 on to Glenvale from Hanna praised their

(known as CSIx in Toronto) has four locations in Toronto and one in New York City. Of his personal background, Dhalla says, “Leaside is like a small village in the midst of a large city. You can walk along the streets and people acknowledge you. They say hello. People matter and are importDHALLA, Page 21 MEET LEASIDER & OLYMPIAN PHYLLIS ELLIS PG. 4 SWEET RETAIL IN LEASIDE PG. 6 ALLAN WILLIAMS ON LEASIDE WWI MUNITIONS PG. 22

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LETTERS

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“What Would Trace Manes say?” First I would like to say to your reporter that if she is to criticize an organization that was established in 1953 and has played every regular season and playoff game at Trace Manes Park with thousands of kids participating in the league over the years (this year the league is at its capacity of 12 teams of 15 players, with more than 140 on the waiting list), then she should at least get the name correct. It is the Leaside Atom Baseball Association (LABA) not the “LAB”. Over the years, including this one, the LABA has had many parent and community volunteers, some of whom have been involved in the league since the 1960s, first as players, then as scorekeepers, umpires, coaches and now as executives. The LABA employs Leaside youth as scorekeepers and umpires, most of whom previously played in the program. I myself played, coached my younger brother’s team

for a season, and then when my two sons were of age to play came back to coach them and have continued to coach long after they graduated. Now both of my sons help me coach and also umpire games and have been scorekeepers in the past. My suggestion to the reporter is that if she is going to publicly criticize a volunteer community organization that has such a great impact on kids and youth in our community, she should at least consider its contribution. Thousands of kids have enjoyed learning and playing baseball, and hundreds of youth have benefited from the responsibility of umpiring and/or coaching. I received your most recent publication on Wednesday, May 31st. On Thursday, June 1st, I coached a game and was the first person for the LABA to arrive at the diamond that night. When I arrived I noticed several pieces of garbage left near the stands along the 3rd base side, which my guess was they were left by the people I observed enjoying their lunch in the park earlier that day, when I was coming back from a meeting downtown. In the past I would have picked up the garbage, but, after reading your article decided to leave it. When the game LETTERS, Page 18

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LEASIDE PEOPLE • MEET YOUR NEIGHBOURS

Leaside Life • August 2017

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Phyllis Ellis, Olympian, filmmaker, master collaborator Phyllis Ellis is a great believer in collaboration. She works now as a filmmaker, but in her past collaborated in a different way – as an athlete, playing field hockey at a level that propelled her to the 1984 Olympics. Those two worlds, sport and arts, have been a part of her life since growing up in Lorne Park, west of Toronto. At 6, she was the lead in her church school play, but when asked what she wanted to do when she grew up, her answer was: “be an Olympian.” She had no idea which sport, because she played tennis, baseball, volleyball and was a run-

ner-sprinter. In the end “field hockey found me,” she says. Phyllis credits two teachers – Norma Walters from Hillcrest P.S. and Joanna Wilton from Lorne Park – with nurturing her early interest in sports as well as dramatic arts. When facing the choice of going to London, Ont. for a track championship or heading to Germany as a member of the field hockey team, not surprisingly, Germany won out, a trip which then led, via a Phys Ed degree from the University of Toronto, to her Olympic year in 1984. Her next years involved moves with her husband to Hartford, Connecticut where she worked in theatre and then on to Minneapolis where she and a friend started and

Lorna Krawchuk Publisher Leaside Life

ran a women’s theatre company. Her children, Max Gavin, now 28 and a hockey coach at Adrian College in Michigan, and Taylor Gavin, now 23 and a recent Queen’s University grad were born during this time. When the family moved to Toronto, an Olympian friend, Jill Woolley, suggested her own neighbourhood of Leaside as a great place to put down stakes. Twenty-two years later, Phyllis still lives in Leaside – most recently, on Sharron Drive. “Leaside is a safe place to raise kids,” she says, and when she became a single mom, the parents of her children’s friends were particularly supportive. She knows most merchants on Bayview by name. “I could live in Leaside and not go anywhere else,” she laughs.

With her first foray into producing – the documentary “Bearwalker,” shot in 1998-1989 and premiered at Sundance – she was very aware of how little she knew. An experienced soundman took her aside, and said: “Never say, ‘I don’t know’. Instead say, ‘I’ll get back to you about that,’ and write it down.” And “put on some sunglasses, so they won’t see the fear in your eyes.” That was her trial by fire in the film industry. These past 10 years have been particularly fruitful for Phyllis. She has had seven nominations for Geminis or Canadian Screen Awards, and won four. Two of these were for her work as an actor in “The Wilkinsons” and as part of an ensemble cast in “Three Chords from the Truth.” She is particularly pleased to have won the coveted Donald Brittain Award for Best Social Political Film for the 2013 film “About Her,” since this is recognition by her peers. Around that time, when a professional colleague asked, “Do you ELLIS, Page 28

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Leaside Life • August 2017

Leaside Life

LEASIDE PEOPLE • MEET YOUR LOCAL RETAILERS

How sweet it is in Leaside! Vicki Hall Columnist

Avoca Chocolates I love the anticipation of a new store opening in our community. When Today’s Menu vacated the corner shop at Millwood and Rumsey for the bigger space next door, it didn’t take long before the old space rented. News broke that Danforth Ave. chocolatier Avoca Chocolates was opening a second branch in Leaside in the corner shop across from the park at 850 Millwood Rd. That corner has seen a few incarnations since I moved to Leaside 14 years ago. For the longest time it was a corner store, then it morphed into a small boxing gym before Today’s Menu moved in.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Simryn Fenby, daughter of Avoca owner Noni Fenby. The Fenbys have always had a soft spot for Leaside. Simryn grew up playing baseball here, so it was a natural location for their second shop. Their first Avoca, on Hampton Ave., off the Danforth, is just a year and half old,

so momentum was great for another location. Avoca is making homemade truffles and an assortment of chocolates all with locally sourced Canadian ingredients when possible. They also feature an ice cream and gelato bar, and unlike the Danforth location, they’re also serving coffee, tea and milkshakes. Simryn also mentioned artisan popcorn made fresh and coated with chocolate and caramel. The shop offers a few tables as well as high bar seating overlooking the park, plus there is a bench outside facing Millwood.

Dolce & Gourmando Stroll up to Bayview, and you’ll find nestled between the Green P parking lot and the Garden Court buildings an unassuming little shop with a decade of history in Leaside – Dolce & Gourmando. Owner Seta Danielian’s forte is gourmet, oneof-a-kind baskets for personal or corporate gift giving. I’ve personally crafted my own basket for a gift for my aunt, but the helpful staff will also put one together for you based on your budget and the occasion. The gourmet food baskets contain a varied selection of British foods and treats, such as Cadbury chocolates

Left: Simryn behind the counter at Avoca; the storefronts of Avoca (above) and Dolce & Gourmando (below) and Marks and Spencer Cookies. Toss in a little Piccalilli and Yorkshire Biscuits and you have a lunch with dessert. This shop is a great place to pick up a hostess gift if you’re staying with friends this summer. Unique tabletop and homeware pieces are available from popular brands such as Riedel, Aroma Botanicals and Maxwell Williams. Live edge charcuterie and cheese boards come in maple, beech or walnut. The shop also boasts a good selection of ecofriendly market bags that can be used in gift baskets, or they make a great gift on their own. Seta also buys and manages giftware at McEwan’s gourmet grocery store at The Shops of Don Mills. There are so many interesting retail options in Leaside – sometimes you just have to walk around the neighbourhood and check them out. �

ROBIN DICKIE

Leaside Life • August 2017

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LEASIDE PEOPLE • MEET YOUR NEIGHBOURS

By LORNA KRAWCHUK If you’ve ever found yourself on Pape Ave. in front of Lippert Music Centre, you might not realize this venerable music emporium’s Leaside connection. Charleen Lippert Beard, daughter of Lippert Music Centre founder Joseph Lippert Jr., and her family have lived on Parkhurst for the past 13 years. But her connections to Leaside go back to when she attended Leaside High School in the 1980s because of its excellent music program. In those days, the #56 bus to take her to school went right past her family’s music store on Pape Avenue and dropped her in front of LHS. Joseph Lippert Jr. started off as an accordion player and 60 years ago went from playing for weddings and in bands, and teaching in people’s homes, to teaching in a studio on Pape, where he expanded to piano, guitar, banjo, and bass as well. Musical talent obviously runs in the family. Charleen started piano lessons when she was 5, and got her grade 8 credentials from the Royal Conservatory at 12. While at Leaside High, she accompanied the choir. Later at the University of Toronto, she also took up strings, so now has a raft of qualifications – an ARCT in piano pedagogy, grade 8 cello, grade 9 voice, Bachelor’s degrees in Music and Education and a Master’s degree in Music too. After graduation, she spent 10 years with the Toronto District School Board as an itinerant music teacher specializing in string orchestras. When school boards started to cut music programs, the private business expanded. There are now seven studios in the original building on Pape, five studios in a neighbouring church, as well as satellites at the Donalda Club and at Metamorphosis at York Mills & Don Mills. There are more than 30 teachers who teach piano, strings, guitar, drums, and even harp to more than 400 students a week! As well, she and others teach in their own homes, or go to pupils’ homes. People sign up for half-hour, weekly lessons from September to June, and

some students are now the third generation in their family taking lessons with the Lipperts. If you’ve ever taken music lessons, you will know that playing in a music recital is part of the experience. Lippert has so many students they need to rent the York Masonic Temple for their 10 recitals. The most “eccentric” one is where the adult students play. Sympathetic guests only are invited, and there is a cash bar. One of the ways Charleen has built community spirit for music has been through the East York Music

Festival, which has just completed its ninth year. They hire an adjudicator, give ribbons to all participants, and medals and prize scholarships to those at the top. And this is a community initiative – open to all, not just Lippert students. Another top draw is summer music camps, especially one called the School of Hard Rock, which runs four, one-week sessions in July, where participants perform cover songs, record a CD and even perform a live performance. So, not just classical, but rock, jazz – you name it, Charleen can find a teacher for you. And how did she and her family end up in Leaside? They wanted good neighbourhood schools for their twins, aged 8 at the time, and she obviously knew Leaside from her days at LHS. It was pure good luck that they found the ideal house and neighbourhood right here. And will her twins continue in the family business? While both play piano and drums, they are currently at university – one studying economics and art history, the other, environmental science and sustainability. A different kind of music? �

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Leaside Life • August 2017

Charleen Lippert Beard is the music woman of Leaside

L • E • A •S •I• D • E S •P • O• R• T • S

Batter up! If the success of a youth sports league is measured by the love of the game it instills in its players, and the number of years a player wishes to continue in the league, then Hayden James is a shining example of the illustriousness of the Leaside Baseball Association. A remarkably well-spoken 13 year old, James could chat for hours about what the league means to him. “I wear my Leaside gear everywhere I go with pride!” he enthuses. For James, the league has provided him not only with hours of competition, but also the opportunity to form tight-knit friendships and be guided by great parent coaches, amazing student coaches, and mentors from the top of the association on down. The Major Peewee AA player can’t wait to get to the park for each game but also participates in the numerous off-season clinics and summer camp the league provides. James will spend four weeks at the camp this summer and can’t wait for the day when he can spend his days at camp as an instructor. His parents and brother are also avid league fans. James’s brother, Ryder, is the team’s bat boy and devoted fan of the snack bar’s black licorice! Hayden’s parents Amanda and Greg, meanwhile, speak of the warm welcome they received from parents and coaches in their son’s first year in the league, and of the young adult coaches, such as Hayden’s coach Adam Brooks, who are “remarkable role models to the boys.” Brooks is not the only role model for Leaside baseball players. Take a walk through Leaside’s Talbot Park on any given summer day and in less than five minutes one thing will become abundantly clear. The campers love baseball and they greatly admire their coaches young and, well not old, but “older”. Calls of “Sticks!” can be heard from all corners of the field while kids come running to fist-pump the camp's founder, director, and the guy with pop star status, Eric Stickney. Stickney, 31, played with the league from the ages of 6 to 23 and credits a multitude of mentors for his commitment to the game and the league. That level of mentoring continues today. Kids from four years old and up not only learn the skills of the game from multiple instructors, but they are also coached to love the game. Many go on to play at

Susan Scandiffio Columnist

the university level, coach, umpire, become statisticians, volunteer with teams, or just love the game from the stands! As Stickney points out, it all starts with instilling love for the game at the youngest level. “It’s a focus on no pressure, good

times, finding any way possible to make the game fun so kids want to keep playing as they grow.” And in Leaside, more and more kids clearly want to keep playing. Leaside Baseball keeps growing. In LEASIDE BASEBALL, Page 20

Leaside Baseball legend Howard Birnie.

Above: Hayden James with his brother Ryder and parents Amanda and Greg. Below: l-r: Brendan Hancock, with campers Nate and Levi Burlock and Eric Stickney.

SUSAN SCANDIFFIO

Leaside Life • August 2017

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Krawchuk Lane and laneway loving� Leaside Life • August 2017

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Cheryl Vanderburg Leaside Litterati

ROBIN DICKIE

Most streets in Toronto are named for people. Just ask Lorna Krawchuk. Meeting her recently I couldn’t help wondering. Was she proud of Krawchuk Lane? Did she feel responsible for its upkeep? Had she been there lately? Were the residents caring for it? Curious, I asked her if she would like to take a stroll with me to see how her namesake was faring. We met up at the Randolph entrance. The first thing I noticed was the crumbling and littered structure of Stanley Cleaners. Lorna explained that since the business had been sold to Creeds there was no longer dry cleaning on the premises – just a pick-up service – and the building and lot had fallen into disrepair. What an eyesore! How did the lane come to be named Krawchuk? “The lane began as a shortcut to and from the post office until the redevelopment of the corner property put townhouses on Millwood, but also fronting on the lane,” Lorna explained. “Jenner Jean-Marie and I, the two local councillors for the Borough of East York, told the developer that East York would provide the name. I chose Osborne, after the second mayor of the original town of Leaside. All well and good, until the naming motion came to East York Council, where my fellow councillors, unknown to me, had decided otherwise – and the motion became to name it Krawchuk Lane. I was honoured, but also find it a bit awkward to acknowledge. Over the years, I have met people who live on ‘my’ lane, but don’t know any of them well.” As we passed the condos of 928 Millwood, a woman waved good morning from her balcony. She introduced herself as Christine Simmons, the self-appointed keeper of the laneway. We spent a few minutes chatting and then Lorna and I continued along, admiring the gardens, musing about the impact of the new condos going up and the condition of the laneway. Lorna commented: “It’s disconcerting to see that the road surface is in such bad shape, when it is a municipal responsibility, and not just a back lane. And it does have my surname.” A few days later Christine and I met at the library. She explained that Herta Goodyear, one of the original residents, decided that she wanted a nice vista from her balcony. The idea of creating an English garden laneway was born. First, she applied for permission from

the Commissioner of Works for the Borough of East York to create a landscaped space across the roadway. Then she began the task of preparing the garden beds. She recruited a few helpers and they began digging only to find a lot of junk buried beneath the soil, including old toilets and a lot of weeds. Once the soil was reclaimed she added topsoil, a soaker hose and orange and yellow day lilies and daisies. After Herta moved, the laneway fell into shabbiness until Christine arrived in August 2011. Standing on her balcony, she said, “I don’t want to look at this.” That fall she cut back the weeds and in the spring began to putter. She cleaned up garbage, edged the garden with stones from her brother’s cottage, added topsoil, planted rhododendron, clematis, and a spring flowering almond – a sentimental favourite – and recruited residents to water, weed and keep the laneway litter free. “As a community we raise about $200 a year collecting wine and beer bottles, I use my PC points to buy garden supplies, I’m a member of the Leaside Garden Society, and I work at the annual plant sale where I purchase local plants. Last year we saw a posting on the Leaside Community Facebook site where a home owner was giving away hostas.” She recounted some funny stories: a neighbour who complained their garden “weeds” were creeping into her backyard; a gentleman driving down the laneway who stopped and attempted to pilfer a large urn

before she shooed him off; people picking off the daisies and sadly her favourite watering can. Each of us can make Leaside more beautiful and liveable by taking on a project that has personal meaning and purpose. Just look at Krawchuk Lane, thanks to Christine and the garden champs from 928 Millwood. �

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THE STREETS OF LEASIDE

Leaside Life • August 2017

ASTOR AVENUE 150 By JEANNE HOPKINS Many of the streets in Leaside were named after the area’s early settlers, politicians or those involved in the development of the railway and industries. Astor Avenue, a short street in South Leaside, seems not to fall into the familiar pattern of other Leaside streets. It’s quite possible, though, that the street was named for John Jacob Astor of the famous fur trader family, who lost his life during the sinking of the Titanic in April 1912. The first John Jacob Astor (17631848) had emigrated from Germany when he was only 20 years old. He worked as a baker’s boy and pedlar, and in a music store in New York until 1787 when he realized he leaside-august-ad.pdf 1 2017-07-10 9:23:01 AM could make more money shipping

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furs to China and Europe, often on his own vessels. John Sr. lost one of his trading posts at Fort Mackinac to the British during the War of 1812. When he died in 1848, he was the richest man in North America, having invested heavily in real estate. John Jacob Astor IV (1864-1912) also worked as a businessman, real estate investor, inventor (of a bicycle brake), and writer, and served as a lieutenant-colonel during the Spanish-American War (1898). In 1912, John and his second wife, Madeleine Talmage Force Astor, pregnant with their son, sailed with 2,200 other passengers on the Titanic’s maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City, passing icebergs south of Newfoundland. Seven hundred and

John Jacob Astor of Titanic fame. six survived, many of them women and children, including Madeleine and her infant son. But John Jacob Astor IV drowned during the sinking of the Titanic. He was the richest man on the ship, worth an estimated $8 million. Jeanne Hopkins spent most of her life in the historic Henry Farm community of North York. She realized her passion for local history in the Canadiana department of the North York Public Library, where she worked for 27 years. She is the author of many articles and five books of local history. �

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Leaside Life • August 2017

Kathleen Wynne

The Curious Idler

Braking News – As some of you may have noticed, that speed limit on the Bayview Extension between River St. and Pottery Rd. has been reduced to 50 km/h. The speed limit for this open stretch of arterial road was 70 km/h when it opened in the late 1950s and then lowered in 2011 to 60 km/h, but it’s always been known as a bit of a speed trap. Lately, this writer has noticed that the folks from Toronto Police Services have been very busy as drivers adjust to the new lower speed limit. So why has the city decided to lower the speed limit on a route used primarily as an alternative to the Don Valley Parkway? Seems it’s part of the city’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan that aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and reduce injuries when accidents do occur. A full list of the changes can be found on the City of Toronto website www.toronto.ca Luxury developer Shane Baghai recently launched a website (www.

leasidemanors.ca) to promote the Leaside condominium under development at 3-5 Southvale Dr. The project includes 38 units starting in the low million dollar range. Looks like Leaside’s newest building will be called Leaside Manors. It will be interesting to see if the recent slowdown in the real estate market will have an effect or if all the units will be snapped up by hungry Leasiders looking to downsize. 2 Bros Cuisine is set to open this August in the same Bayview location occupied previously by Rosie’s Kitchen. Frank and Nora, the long-time and wellliked proprietors of Rosie’s, retired this past June. 2 Bros Cuisine is run by two passionate Egyptian brothers, Medhat and Mohamed Rashwan. The Bayview location will be their second; the original is on Royal York Rd. in Etobicoke. While you will be able to enjoy authentic traditional Mediterranean food,

Fresh off being acknowledged by Toronto Life as one of the top 10 best new restaurants in Toronto, Adamson’s Adam Skelly recently launched yet another venture, Conspiracy Pizza, also located at 176 Wicksteed. With names like Bay of Pigs, The Jimmy Hoffa, and The Grassy Knoll, pizza lovers can chew on this century’s greatest conspiracies while enjoying their pizza. One wonders if the Illuminati will be holding their monthly meetings at Conspiracy. Leasiders are busy enjoying pools, cottages and the nice weather. Few may be thinking about hockey, but the organizers at the Leaside Hockey Association are. House League coordinator Jill Briggs reports that spots remain in both the Hockey School, for players born 2010-2013, and in the House League, for players born 2000-2009. The season kicks off the weekend of September 23rd. Find out more at www.leasidehockey.com or email Jill at HLcoordinator@leasidehockey.com. Meanwhile, on the girls’ side, the Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association still has spots open in some House League programs, which get underway in September. For details on programs for new and experienced players aged 3 to 17, visit www.torontoleasidewildcats.ca/house-league. Contact Eric at e.g.sinkins@gmail.com with additional inquiries.

ZACH HENLEY

Leaside Life • August 2017

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the brothers are also well known for their Mediterranean with a Canadian twist. Gyro or Shawarma Poutine, anyone? And for those of you who will miss Rosie’s breakfast, 2 Bros is expecting to open for breakfast too.

The mystery of the Great White Squirrel spotted this year in Leaside continues. After several sightings earlier in 2017, a report that the elusive squirrel was spotted in a “compromised” position on Sutherland remains unconfirmed. White squirrels are caused either by a genetic mutation resulting in albiIDLER, Page 28

Leaside Life • August 2017

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The Leaside Gardener:

Container gardens – growing up to cool us down! Of all the gardening I do, I think container gardening is my favourite. The fact that a plant can live in a container above ground means that life and beauty can be almost anywhere. They bring energy and fresh oxygen to sterile spaces and expand nature to where there was none. On a deck, a balcony, a rooftop, on walls and inside our homes…almost anywhere. Container plants have been used since ancient times and are now proving to be a way to help us reduce the negative effects of pollution and climate change. The most inspiring example of this is Stefano Boeri’s award-winning Bosco Verticale in Milan, Italy. The Vertical Forest is a pair of condo towers with protruding balconies that contain 900 trees, 5,000 shrubs and 11,000 ground covers. These beautiful living towers are the equivalent of one hectare of forest, absorbing an estimated 25 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releasing 130 pounds of oxygen a day. Boeri has gone on to create The Cedar Trees Tower in Switzerland

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and currently another twin tower forest in China. And what does this have to do with Leaside, you may well ask? Our neighbourhood is already lush with nature and healthy too because all that green is helping to cool and clean our air. But things are changing fast, both within and all around us. We’re removing vegetation in favour of larger homes, parking pads and big decks. At the same time we’re losing our mature tree canopy to age, disease, extreme weather and pollution. A bigger concern is with the “heat island” spots that surround us on Bayview, Eglinton and Laird. These streets have extreme amounts of cement, asphalt, steel, stone and other impervious materials that hold heat with very little shade and vegetation to cool them down. Cities need buildings, roads and sidewalks, but we need plants too – lots of them. According to Boeri and other forward thinkers like him, one excellent way to go is up! Imagine if every condo and apartment balcony here had at least a few plants and every flat roof became a green one. We would boast cleaner air, support pollinators, reduce storm water runoff, and lower our temperature. Mary Stead of Leaside understands this and has been nurturing her rooftop garden for 16 years now. She remembers the first time she saw it and said, “It was just a big flat mess,” but she knew what to do. Today, high above the street sits her lovely garden filled with evergreens, shrubs, perennials, annuals, vegetables and herbs of every kind. It’s an oasis in the sky that welcomes the birds, butterflies and any pollinator that wants to visit. It hasn’t been easy, but Mary learned to cope with all the challenges. Wind is a big one, but weight is the biggest, so plastic is her container of choice. Soil adds more weight, especially when it’s wet, so lighter mixes of mostly peat, vermiculite or perlite are best for large plants. Watering is always a chore because containers dry out fast, but native perenni-

als require less water and adjust to her microclimate better. This makes natives her favourites, but she continues to experiment. These special gardeners might be making a piece of paradise for themselves. If only they knew how much

Mia shows off fruits of the roof garden. they were helping us all. I just wish there were more of them. As Mary says, “All gardens are friendship gardens.” �

MARY STEAD

Leaside Life • August 2017

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Meet the Lees of Leaside

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JANE SO

Councillor, Toronto Ward 26 Don Valley West

The Lee family of Leaside Most Leaside residents know that William Lea was the founder of Leaside, but how many know of the other Lees of Leaside? I’m talking about James and Katie Lee of North Leaside and their five children. Although the Lees didn’t settle in Leaside in 1913 when it was officially incorporated, this year they are celebrating their 50th year in the community – impressive by any standard. James’ father, Sam Lee, was one of the early Chinese immigrants to young Canada, paying the head tax in the early 1900s under the Chinese Immigrant Act before resettling back in China. I am embarrassed to say that I only became aware of the Lees’ rich history in Ward 26 as the result of an invitation from their daughter, Jane, to participate in the Toronto City Mission and Chinese Gospel Church’s community outreach event in Flemingdon Park. Each year they host a free BBQ (and invite me to bring the cotton candy!) in the Toronto Community Housing complex. Besides offering the kids a day of fun, it is an opportunity to sign them up for free summer camp and after-school programs. While chatting with Jane, I discovered that her parents first settled in Toronto in 1959 when James performed quality control in the lab of the newly opened Redpath Sugar. Moving to North Leaside in 1967, her parents raised five children (Jane, John, Henry, Joan and Bennett) and now have nine grandchildren who all attended or are attending either Northlea Public School or Leaside High. The family is currently 21 strong – about half

the original population of Leaside – living in seven different homes throughout the community. Now in his late 80s, James still volunteers teaching Tai Chi at St Cuthbert’s Church. He recently retired after 15 years of volunteering at the Veterans’ wing at Sunnybrook

Health Sciences Centre. James was a founding member of the Chinese Gospel Church in 1963 and is still on the board of the Lee Association, of which Sam was a founding member. I was interested to learn that while the association’s main mission now is to disburse scholarships, its original purpose was to offer a common meeting place for the extended “Lee relatives”. There, those new to Toronto could find social support as well as financial aid (at a time when it was almost impossible for new immigrants to receive bank loans). So, while Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary, I would like to congratulate James and Katie on their 50th anniversary in Leaside. They have not only enriched our community but all of Toronto. � councillor_burnside@toronto.ca

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Leaside Life • August 2017

Jon Burnside

The old peeled potato trick Leaside Life • August 2017

16

Years before the Blue Jays played their first game at the old Exhibition Stadium back in 1977, the best baseball around could be found on the big diamond at Talbot Park, just down the street from our house. We spent many summer nights watching the big boys play under the lights. Because we lived so close and were there all the time, Howard Birnie and the other bigwigs in the Leaside Baseball Association often let us help out a bit during the games. We fetched the foul balls that occasionally landed behind the fence. Once in a while we’d help out in the snack bar, serving up hot dogs and the now nearly forgotten Lolas – massive and irregularly shaped chunks of fruit-flavoured ice that were inexplicably popular. Even more rarely, we were permitted to assist the announcer who sat up in the scoreboard where we switched on the lights for Balls, Strikes, and Outs. But the most fun was serving as batboy for the senior Leaside teams playing the night games. We’d sit in the dugout with the players and fetch the bats from around home plate when a player made it on

Terry Fallis

Guest Columnist

base on a hit or a walk. My chest would swell with pride as I hoisted the heavy bat onto my shoulder and trotted back to the dugout. But one night, my brother and I were complicit in a stunt that would shake the foundations of Leaside baseball for generations. Okay, that might a slight exaggeration, but it felt like a big deal at the time. I forget what Leaside team was playing. It was probably either Richardson’s for Sports or Rumble Pontiac. Tim was batboy that night having beaten me to the dugout, but I was hanging around the park to watch. Late in the game, the visiting team was clobbering Leaside. It was a very lopsided score – in the 10-0 vicinity if memory serves – and

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a ninth inning home team comeback was implausible at best. With the bad guys at the plate with a couple of runners already on base, Tim hollered at me and waved me over to the dugout. When I got there, the manager asked me to run to the top of the hill and knock on the door of the first house at the foot of Donegall, where Leaside’s catcher lived. I was to ask his mother for a peeled potato and then run it back to the dugout without anyone seeing it. I had no idea why I was doing this, but I was a very obedient 12 year old at the time and did as I was told. The catcher’s mother was equally in the dark about my odd request, but I was persuasive and had the naked spud in my paws within a minute or two. The other team was still piling up the runs when I surreptitiously passed the peeled potato to my brother in the dugout. By this time, the visitors had a man on third with two outs. The manager called time and walked to the pitcher’s mound summoning the catcher. After the conference, the catcher resumed his position behind the plate with the peeled potato secreted behind his chest protector. The runner on third base was taking a hefty leadoff so after the next pitch the catcher appeared to hurl the ball over the head of the third baseman and into left field in a futile attempt to catch the runner napping. Naturally, with the left fielder still chasing the ball, the guy on third trotted home certain he was about to score another run. But when he got there the Leaside catcher tagged him out with the ball that he somehow still had in his glove. Still with me? The catcher threw the peeled potato into left field tricking everyone in the park, including the base-runner. When the umpire discovered he’d been duped by the old peeled potato trick, he immediately called the game and exchanged some choice words with Leaside’s manager. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since. I know it sounds far-fetched, but I was there. And it happened in Leaside. � A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis is the award-winning writer of six national bestsellers, including his most recent, One Brother Shy, all published by McClelland & Stewart.

Trash talk: Leaside Community Facebook site – useful or hurtful?

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Lynda Gorges Broker

416-486-5588 Lynda.Gorges@gmail.com www.lyndagorges.com LINDA CARTE

It’s a beautiful day in July and I’m sitting with Robyn Hochglaube, the creator and administrator of the Leaside Community Facebook site. We’ve having coffee/tea at Avoca, the newest neighbourhood coffee/ chocolates/ice cream shop at the corner of Rumsey and Millwood. Yes, I read good things about it on the Leaside Community Facebook site and was looking for a reason to try it out! This is the fourth year Robyn and her family have lived in Leaside. When they first moved here she didn’t know anyone and was looking for a way to connect with her new community. The only Facebook site she could find was the Leaside Moms, but she was looking for something broader and more inclusive. Having created a Facebook site in her old neighbourhood, she thought it might work here too. The Leaside Community Facebook site was born. She was genuinely surprised at how quickly it caught on and grew. There are currently over five thousand members. She loves the idea of both the North and South Leaside communities rallying together and supporting each other whether it be buying, selling or discussing local issues – “no borders”. And she likes the fact that both residents and businesses are members and support each other. For the most part the site has lived up to her vision. As the administrator she does her best to accept only people who live in Leaside, however it can be a challenge as she can’t see where they live when they apply. When asked about her role as administrator Hochglaube replies, “I’m not going to be a police officer,” but she does appreciate feedback from members to help identify those who live outside the community, hawk their wares too aggressively, or cyber-bully or trash talk other members. She adds that she created the site because there was a need for it, but it’s a page for the community, and community members must take some ownership over content too. And yes, she is a user herself, having bought and sold a number of items and researched local resources. We talk about all of the good things the site has produced. Lost pets reunited with distraught owners, donations for refugee families,

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Robyn Hochglaube, Creator and administrator of the Leaside Community Facebook site. awareness of local events, reviews of new eating spots, and support for local businesses including summer camps, daycare, cleaning services, trades, pest control, lawn mowing, tutoring, babysitting, and much more. Then we both laugh and give our heads a little shake as we share stories of some of the more “opinionated” threads on topics like dog poop, traffic, driver behaviour and fireworks. “It’s a challenge to keep people out of the trash talking for sure,” she admits. I reply, “I am always a bit incredulous that people will respond to posts with nasty, hurtful comments that over five thousand people will see and know who posted them.” Robyn’s advice is simple. “Before you post something, ask yourself: Is this nice? And is this helpful? Voice your opinion in an objective, not trashy way and be ready for others who don’t agree with you, but engage respectfully. If you wouldn’t want your grandma to be spoken to that way, don’t post it. Make this a site for positive community action. Each member has the intelligence and vocabulary to participate nicely and respectfully. I look to the entire community to come together and be responsible and accountable to each other.” Here are her suggestions for members to help build the site as a positive space for our neighbourhood:

• Delete your buy/sell posts when they’re complete. It’s simple. There’s a little arrow on the right with a dropdown menu; choose ‘delete’. • Do a keyword search on the page before posting – you might find someone has already asked this question! • Be considerate and kind to those who are also members of the group. You don’t have to agree with everyone, but you do need to be respectful. There is enough ill will and intentional hurt in our world. Leasiders are better than that. �

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Leaside Life • August 2017

By CHERYL VANDERBURG

Letters...

Leaside Life • August 2017

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From Page 2 was over and most of the people had left the park I went over to that area and noticed all of the garbage had been picked up. Not one Starbucks or Tim Hortons wrapper to be found. The reason I mention this is I do think your reporter needs to realize that not all garbage left in the park belongs to the permit holders and that the majority of visitors to the park, including LABA participants, do pick up at least their own garbage. I am sure that in the past and in the future there will be things left behind for after all we are humans and we do make the occasional mistake, but this is seldom done on purpose or with malice. Rather than be negative like your reporter, I prefer to be positive and like to think that Trace Manes looks down from above with a big smile on his face when he sees all those people walking their dogs, enjoying their lunch, riding their bikes, throwing a football or just playing baseball in the park that was named in his honour. Bruce Thornton, LABA and North Leaside

North vs. South Although the town of Leaside is uniform and unique, we North Leasiders have some significant differences from our neighbours living south of Eglinton Avenue. In terms of size and population, North Leaside makes up about one-third of Leaside. Many of the homes were built in the 1940s and are “newer” than those in South Leaside. We tend to get less press coverage because we have less of the overdevelopment and commercialization plaguing South Leaside. In fact, North Leaside consists almost entirely of single family, two-storey houses. Except for two streets (Glenvale and Broadway), we are spared many of the excess traffic problems of those streets to our south. On the somewhat negative side, all of Leaside’s community facilities are in South Leaside. Except for Northlea School (where access is limited), there are no playground or sports facilities for children in North Leaside. North Leaside is very much under-represented on the board of the Leaside Property Owners’ Association, and the board members who actively negotiated the Sunnybrook Plaza development were all from South Leaside. Frequent low-flying aircraft over

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Leaside is predominant over North Leaside (turning over this area). NAV Canada has formed a highway in the sky over our area for 4½ years. Mr. Oliphant, the MP who promised to address this problem prior to his election, has effected no significant improvements. The North Leaside Traffic Committee selected by Mr. Burnside is speaking for about five individuals and does not represent the majority of North Leaside. Their plan to close off entrances to Bayview from North Leaside disproportionately disadvantages us in Northwest Leaside. Although we resent the heavy traffic through North Leaside, as in the other areas in the city a reasonable traffic flow is essential. I moved from South to North Leaside for a better quality of life. My opinion is supported by the statistics that show the escalation of house prices is greater in North than South Leaside. Dan Buckley Laird in Focus It was with mixed feelings that I read the column in your July issue concerning the City’s “Focus on Laird” planning study. The column’s general tone of approval was encouraging. The study is indeed an important step in the evolution of our community; all the more so given the rapid pace and transformational nature of the forces of change that can be expected over the coming years. It was encouraging also to note the word of support for the City’s intention to involve the Design Review Panel in the process. This panel, comprised of recognized leaders in various disciplines relevant to building design and city planning (architects, landscape architects, urban designers and engineers, etc.), provides independent, objective advice to city staff on matters of design that affect the public realm. It is a panel of expert commentators, not a public hearing tribunal. The last time I recall its advice being brought to bear on a Leaside project – the Smart Centre application at Laird and Wicksteed – the response from those who claimed to speak for the community was not so positive. Its tightly focused process of deliberation, for example, received specific and unmerited local criticism at that time. I was disappointed, however, to note the contention that “the median is a problem.” This recently added feature on Laird Drive is said to be “very unfriendly for pedestrians and cyclists.” Nothing could be further from the

From Page 18 truth. To the contrary, the median is the best thing to happen to Laird Drive in our generation. It is good news for pedestrians and cyclists in particular. Laird was originally a proud avenue featuring the head office buildings of local industrial operators that shipped their products out the back door by rail. The buildings were well designed and their grounds were attractively landscaped. With the advent of highways and the trucking age, Leaside’s large industrial plants gradually moved on and their office buildings emptied out. Commuter traffic increased. Laird Drive took on the characteristics of a service road whose main function was to carry traffic. The efforts of a few Laird Drive property owners to contribute visual appeal to the streetscape were eventually overshadowed by a hodge-podge of uses that looked more suited to a back alley than to the main street of a community. The median is part of an effort that was introduced within the past ten years to reverse that pattern of dete-

rioration. It is part of an initiative to humanize Laird Drive, support pedestrian activity, and restore the streetscape to a feature of local pride. In accordance with evidence built up by road design experts the world over, the landscaped median helps moderate the flow of vehicular traffic and create a safer and more pleasant environment for the public realm. It brings down the average speed of cars and trucks. It reduces the number of places where vehicles can execute risky left turns. It provides a point of refuge for pedestrians seeking to cross from one side of the street to the other. Meanwhile, the number of points at which the median restricts the mobility of cyclists is exactly two – and, if desired, those can be addressed by simple modifications to the median’s curb structure. And the benefits of the median are not limited to Laird. Because it connects directly from Bayview to Laird, Parkhurst Boulevard is a local residential street that is uniquely victimized by cutthrough commuter traffic. The sign at the eastern end prohibiting left turns onto northbound Laird generates repeated demands for stricter and more regular enforcement. The median that has been approved for

the stretch of Laird located immediately north of McRae/Wicksteed will put an end to those left turns once and for all. This will substantially reduce Parkhurst’s attractiveness as a commuter route and make it a safer street along its full length. Not long ago we thought of streets only as conduits for vehicles to get around on. Increasingly, planners are now emphasizing the important role of streets as the defining elements of communities – apart from their function in moving cars and trucks. The Laird study is all about making the most of the potential to make Laird Drive serve the community’s interests in more than one way. We can wish away the changes that are coming as our community grows, or we can take advantage of the opportunity to channel those changes into improvements that will make our community a better place. The process is not aided by fostering a misunderstanding of the improvements that are already under way. Respectfully, John Parker We welcome all Letters to the Editor and/or feedback from readers… leasidelife@gmail.com

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Leaside Life • August 2017

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Leaside Life • August 2017

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Brian Mok Pharmacist-­‐Ow Ryan Spitzer and his dad, Carl, coach and Leaside Baseball board member. 2014, the league had 628 players, while this year, almost 1,000 boys and girls have registered. And the greatest mentor of them all? Leaside Baseball has been in operation for 71 years; for the past 44, the league has been presided over by Leaside’s King of Baseball, Howard Birnie. Not only is Birnie the president of the league, he is also the treasurer, registrar, convenor, groundskeeper, and, as Ryder James would tell you, overseer of the greatest snack bar in Toronto baseball. Birnie has seen it all. From watching his own sons’ years in the league to witnessing the 14-yearold twin brothers of Toronto Blue Jays’ pitcher Roberto Osuna playing today, Birnie has seen the thrill of victory and, rather than the agony of defeat, the teaching moments that can be gleaned from all situations. He has a mind like a steel trap and a smile that lights up the diamond. To register your child for Leaside Baseball or to volunteer with the league, visit: www.leasidebaseball. com. To chat with Birnie, visit Talbot Park. Most days. Most nights. As he himself laughingly admits, his family is correct when they say that he may spend more time there than at home. �

Dhalla... From Page 1

Above and right: Adil at work. Below: an avid cyclist, Adil was recently profiled for Bike Month.

profit provider of summer camp for adults suffering from mental health and loneliness issues. Before joining the centre, Dhalla worked as a community organizer in Brooklyn for the election campaign of former U.S. President Barack Obama. As he himself has said of his life to date, it’s been one hell of an adventure, and the adventures for this young man are bound to continue. �

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Leaside Life • August 2017

ant. They put signs on their lawns asking motorists to slow down. People get involved and feel part of something bigger than themselves. It puts a human face on the city. That’s what I hope to be able to create at CSI – the idea that everyone has a role to work together to create better communities.” In his role, Dhalla is responsible for 40 staff members at the four locations in the city plus the work and input of more than 100 volunteers. “It is one of the most successful social enterprises in Canada for having a positive impact on the communities in which it operates,” Dhalla says. “My time in Leaside really helped me understand and experience a human, caring community. I hope to be able to pass that on to other communities through my work now and in the future.” When not promoting CSI’s interests, Dhalla finds time to indulge his passion of cycling. He rides his bicycle to and from work most days of the week and is an avid supporter of Cycle Toronto and Bike Month, which runs for the month of June in Toronto and includes rides, guided bike tours through the city, festivals, art shows film screenings and more. Plus he chairs the board of the StopGap Foundation, which focuses on raising awareness about barriers to mobility for the physically challenged and providing ramps to retail and business establishments. Dhalla also co-founded and continues to chair Camp Reset, a not-for

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Historic Leaside: Leaside Life • August 2017

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The Leaside Munitions Company, 1916-1918 Canada Wire and Cable Company was a major player in Leaside’s industrial history from the birth of the town in 1913 to the 1990s, employing as many as 2,700 people at the peak of its operations in the mid-1970s. But the company’s early years did not go entirely as planned. From its original three-storey building on the southeast corner of Laird and Wicksteed, the company gradually expanded eastward and southward eventually covering, by 1965, the entire block to Brentcliffe to the east and Commercial Rd. to the south. Canada Wire’s Leaside operations were purchased in 1991 by Alcatel, which moved to Markham in 1996, and sold the property to Mitch Goldhar in 1997 to be redeveloped as box stores. Many will recall the high, square tower, situated roughly where the Sobeys store is now located. It stood above the rubble of the demolished factory for several years after all other remnants had been cleared away in the late 1990s. While it had been built in 1959 to house the machinery for adding rubber insulation to cables, fewer may be aware of the First World War’s impact on the company’s – and town’s – development. In the early 1900s hydroelectric power was still in its infancy in Ontario, but municipalities and manufacturers were quick to see the potential of this low-cost alternative to coal and gas. The Hydro Electric Power Commission (HEPC) was created in 1906 with Adam Beck as chairman. Toronto businessman Roderick J. Parke, agent for the British Aluminum Company, saw an opportunity to import aluminum rods duty-free from England to make wire in Toronto for this seemingly safe market. He approached the HEPC and secured an order for three million pounds of wire. Then he had to find someone who actually knew how to make wire. He recruited Herbert Horsfall, superintendent of Dominion Wire Manufacturing in Montreal, one of the few such companies in Canada at the time. Of course, the pair still required financing. Parke next approached Emil A. Wallberg, a leading general contractor in Toronto who immediately recognized a good investment. The three formed a syndicate, and

Allan Williams Columnist

in February 1911 Canada Wire and Cable Company was born and began operations on Dundas West near Ossington. Responding to demand, they added copper wire and rubber-coated “weatherproof” wire to their offerings and soon required more space. Wallberg, ever alert to a business opportunity, had anticipated this need and in 1912 privately purchased 16 acres in the new town of Leaside. He now proposed that the company buy from him the factory he was already building there along with 100 residential lots on which he would build homes for the employees. Canada Wire formally agreed to the proposal on 6 June 1914. Just three weeks later Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated and by 4 August, Europe had stumbled into World War I. Further financing became impossible, domestic demand dried up, and the half-built factory stood empty and unfinished for the next two years, while Canada Wire struggled to stay afloat.

supplies of food, clothing and military equipment the soldiers serving in Europe would need. Naturally, given the magnitude and urgency of this task, charges of incompetence, shoddy goods, delays and profiteering were rampant and often warranted. But by the end of 1915 – when the reality had finally sunk in that the war could well last for years – one problem outweighed all others: how to produce and pay for an adequate supply of munitions. Toronto business tycoon Joseph W. Flavelle was named chairman of the Imperial Munitions Board (IMB) to try to sort it all out. If electrification was going to be delayed by the war, Horsfall and Wallberg would get into the munitions business. The Leaside Munitions Company was incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canada Wire on 28 June 1916, an initial contract secured from Flavelle for 54,000 9.2 inch shells, and financing arranged to complete and equip the Leaside factory to fulfill the order. The Red Reel by J.H. Pryce says that under Horsfall’s skillful direction the shells were produced rapidly, efficiently and at a lower price than other suppliers so further contracts were awarded, including for 6-inch shells, of which the Leaside factory became the largest producer in North America. Such

Leaside Munitions in a drawing from 1918.

In the meantime Canada’s leaders of business and industry turned their attention to supplying the needs of the Allied war effort. The Canadian government had to figure out in short order how to procure all the

was their reputation that the US government, on recommendation of the IMB, placed an order in early 1918 for 50,000 shells and agreed to finance the cost of building the necessary additional facilities in Leaside. Several buildings were quickly erected in the summer of 1918 and production began, but, “when the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, only two or three 12-inch shells had been completely processed and work was immediately stopped on any further production.” MUNITIONS, Page 28

From Page 1 actions, and said he “believed in full stops, too.” Thus the slogan, “We believe in full stops” was born and now adorns their t-shirts along with a big stop sign. This enterprising group comprises Abigail Burns, Makenzie and Mya Gilland, Aidan, James and Olivia Laham, Madelyn Sergnese, and Kaitlyn Towle. They range in age from 8 to 11, and most attend Northlea Elementary and Middle School in Grades 4 to 6. Since that first day, the group has developed a routine for reminding drivers to comply with the rules of the road. Standing on the edge of the sidewalk, they hold up their hands and say “Stop”. They also count aloud to three, indicating that each driver should wait for three seconds before moving on. They blow the whistle or put their arms in an “X” formation if the driver fails to stop for three seconds or goes over the white line. Their efforts and commitment have been rewarded with the positive response of the majority of drivers, who smile, give them a thumbs-up or even applaud. But of course, there are some drivers who become angry

and complain that the kids’ actions are distracting and dangerous. The children have also sold lemonade on occasion with the goal of raising funds to install a traffic camera, but learned from Councillor Jon Burnside that the city has no authority to do so. While Burnside himself is in favour of such cameras, permission to install one must come from the province. In the meantime, the North Leaside Traffic Committee has presented a proposal to create some cul-desacs north of Eglinton to reduce cut-through traffic to Bayview, but as Burnside stated, “It is a long and involved process to get to the trial stage” and the idea could be scrapped if it creates more traffic congestion elsewhere in Leaside. The children’s parents keep a close eye on their activities and are proud of “their initiative in taking a stand and wanting to be safe,” stated Charlene Kalia. The children, too, are proud of what they have achieved. Not only are their efforts appreciated, but they feel as if they have accomplished their goal of preventing drivers from rolling through stop signs. In fact, Madelyn Sergnese said, “One day I was looking out my upstairs window and was happy to see cars stopping for three seconds without us standing there.” �

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JON

BURNSIDE COUNCILLOR

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hands free stay tuned for further developments

Leaside Life • August 2017

Traffic officers...

Getting my cycle on at Leaside’s CycleBar

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Leaside Life • August 2017

CycleBar is an indoor cycling gym with over 100 locations across the U.S., but Leaside holds the first franchise outside America. Naturally, this new “bar” at 1866 Bayview had us all curious so off I went to investigate. What makes CycleBar unique compared to other indoor cycling options (or “spinning,” as it’s often called) is the technology used in the studio. Every class is planned around the music, and the playlists are new every time. Riders have a console secured between the handlebars of their bike. This box allows you to track your time, speed, endurance, averages and how many RPM (revolutions per minute) you’re doing. There are monitors in the front of the room that show stats of your classmates and you, based on what your console reads. With such personalized technology, beginners and advanced students can cycle side by side and still enjoy the community environment while giving their personal best. By incorporating RPM into the songs, the music actually moves you. Operating owner Doug Lennox explained how the instructors are always on the beat of the music. Instructors use an app that shows how many beats per minute are in any song, so if one is 45 beats per minute, that’s 45 RPM on the bikes. “Knowing the song is going to moderate at 45 RPM and your metric system (console) is showing that you’re only at 40, you know you need to increase your speed,” he said. If you stay on the beat of the music you tend to zone out and get a better

ALL PHOTOS: KARLI VEZINA

Cyclebar’s lobby.

I’ll Try Anything Once! Karli Vezina

music sounds absolutely amazing and it feels like it’s pumping right through you. Halfway through my first class, my derrière was a little stiff, but the rest of me was doing just fine. At some points we were asked to cycle standing up and I feared my bullin-a-china-shop ways might tip the bike over. Thankfully, I remained in place. Just when I thought I was getting the hang of things, instructor Cydney told us to reach down and grab a body bar, used Karli, instructor Cydney and to tone and stretch. Uh oh. Aside from operating owner, Doug. trying to keep my result. It almost becomes involuntary lower half in order (thankful for because you’re naturally staying on those clip-in shoes), my upper body beat with the rhythm. now had a 4 lb. bar to balance as I tried a Classic Ride first, to get well. I got clumsy, but I hung in there. the basics on what an indoor cycling There are three types of classes at class entailed. CycleBar Leaside: The Classic Ride My first impression was that the is your regular cycle class, with a studio looked like a movie theatre… variety of endurance drills where sans popcorn. The bikes are placed in you can track your progress on the an auditorium-like setting, all facing a monitors. The Connect Ride is differfront wall of floor to ceiling mirrors. ent because they don’t use the monI was relieved to learn that the lightitors for your stats – they use it to ing stays pretty dim, with the spotlight play music videos! This class is more on the instructor. My next impression focused on getting in the zone and was: awesome sound system! The enjoying the music. The Performance Ride gives patrons full use of the CycleStats technology that tracks your progress, as well as group and individual competitions. As someone who doesn’t enjoy cycling as a form of exercise, I found the classes extremely engaging and actually fun. My backside hurt for days, but overall it was a cool experience. I had no idea that working out could be so high-tech. The ’80s-themed Connect Ride was my favourite as I didn’t care much for tracking my performance. There is something for everyone at CycleBar in Leaside, so check it out and get your cycle on! For more information: www.leaside.cyclebar.com What’s next? Send suggestions to tryanythingleaside@gmail.com and let us know! Until next time...for science! �

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Leaside Life • August 2017

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Welcome to Leaside’s obstacle course By the time you read this, the reconstruction of the Laird/ Millwood intersection, described in my June column, should be well underway, with resultant diversions and lineups. Travelling from A to B has become a bit of an obstacle course, and is certainly a challenge. So I know that traffic issues will continue to be on your mind. But wait: there’s more to come. Soon there will be a redesign (aka construction) of the intersection just

Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LPOA

Additionally, we need to discuss where the entry and exit points to and from the Baghai condominium will be located. We understand that they may be placed mid-building,

poorly regulated system can lead to. As housing sales have slowed, some would-be sellers may convert their properties to hosting sites until the market rebounds. In the longer term, if someone buys a house in order to convert it into a bnb, and if several houses on the same street are converted, whole neighbourhoods can change. This is not (yet) a widespread trend in Leaside, but it’s something to contemplate for the future.

ROBIN DICKIE

Leaside Life • August 2017

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The intersection of Millwood, Krawchuk Lane, Leaside Memorial Gardens and the Baghai development. to the west of the current construction site: the Millwood/Southvale section by the Leaside Memorial Gardens driveway, including the portion of Southvale in front of the Shane Baghai condominium-to-be next door. Anyone who has tried crossing Millwood east to west (or vice versa) on foot, directly across from the arena driveway, knows how dangerous that intersection is. Whether the traffic light is in your favour or not, speeding cars appear from multiple directions as you cross this very wide street. Walking from the arena parking lot toward the condominiums on Krawchuk Lane is an adventure, to say the least. It does not have to be this way. With proper design, and coordinated traffic signals, this area could be much safer and more attractive. The Leaside Property Owners’ Traffic Committee has developed suggestions which would improve both the look and safety at a reasonable cost. Councillor Jon Burnside has agreed to arrange a meeting in August for us with City staff to discuss them. We want to give some input before the City’s construction plans are set in stone….Or should I say cement?

only a few metres from the traffic light at the arena driveway. Will pavement markings permit left turns out, westward, onto Southvale? Or only right in-right out movement? Safety is the primary concern here. Staying on the topic of traffic, the LPOA’s Traffic Committee met with the heads of Councillor Burnside’s North and South Leaside Traffic Committees in late June, to share our objectives and coordinate our various traffic calming approaches. We’ll be getting together again later in the summer. We know that traffic congestion and diversion on Leaside’s residential streets need to be addressed. You’ve told us so at our meetings and in your emails. I am hopeful we will be able to work together for improvements in both North and South Leaside. Although using your property as an Airbnb rental is legal, and City Council has been trying to design rules and standards, the LPOA has recently been getting reports that a few local owners have already created problems by becoming hosting sites. Some Leasiders report: noise, late parties, cars parked on front lawns, or other issues that a

Just as there is ‘vertical bnb creep’ in high-rise condominiums, ‘horizontal bnb creep’ could affect whole neighbourhoods across the city, street by street. Summer is here, but the LPOA’s monthly board meetings continue! Our next meeting is on THURSDAY, AUGUST 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Noble Room at Trace Manes. These meetings are always open to the public, and take place on the first Wednesday of each month. We invite you to attend, whether for help or advice on local matters, or just to listen. �

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Leaside Life • August 2017

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EVENTS

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From Page 4 want to go to Singapore,” she at first demurred. But in the end she did go, and the opportunities for creative work have been flowing since. Today when she is mentoring young people, she tries to convey the importance of taking advantage of opportunities, and often uses that same phrase: “Do you want to go to Singapore?” She is just finishing two documentaries – “Beauty,” an exploration of beauty and personal care products, and “The Country,” about reviving a nation on the edge of extinction – the Mi’kmaq on the west coast of Newfoundland. Another project in the works she describes as “a David and Goliath story, where David is a trans woman with a slingshot.” �

LEASIDE PRESBYTERIAN

Leaside Life • August 2017

Ellis...

Idler...

ADULT & TEEN PROGRAMMING:

From Page 12 nism or by a mutation resulting in a white morph squirrel. Have you seen our elusive squirrel? Let us know. The date of the next provincial election has been set as June 7, 2018 and the Progressive Conservatives have selected Jon Kieran as their candidate to face off against the incumbent MPP and Premier Kathleen Wynne. Jon Kieran won the Conservative nomination for the Don Valley West riding earlier this summer in a tightly fought battle that included Jeff Silverstein, Tanweer Khan and Dean Baxendale. There will no doubt be a lot of attention on Leaside as Premier Wynne tries to hold on to the riding she has held since 2003. �

Munitions... From Page 22 After the war, the Americans turned over the newly-built and barely used munitions factory to Canada Wire in return for cancellation of the shell contract. Canada Wire revived its pre-war plan to move their operation to Leaside, where they remained as Leaside’s largest employer for the next 72 years. Thanks to Leaside historian John Naulls for his enthusiastic help with this story and the use of his copy of The Red Reel: the Story of Canada Wire. �

670 Eglinton Ave. E. Summer Kid’s Club for JK-Grade 7 August 29, 30 and 31 from 9 am to 4 pm each day

Join us. Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Aug. 05, 19. Drop in. Everyone welcome. Living and Learning with Baby Meet other parents and talk about adjusting to parenthood, infant nutrition, growth and development, caring for a sick child, and much more. For parents/caregivers of infants aged 6 weeks to 6 months

Activities include: baking, crafts, music and more. Snacks, drinks and a hot lunch are provided! Cost: $30 per child or $50 for families per day OR $75 per child or $125 per family for all three days. Special Assistance is available! To register your children or to learn more, please call 416-422-0510

Mondays: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Aug. 14, 21, 28. Register at 416-338-7600 or www.tphbookings.ca

LEASIDE LIBRARY

Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Aug. 26. Call to Register. Limited Space.

165 McRae Drive, Toronto, ON M4G 1S8 416-396-3835

Adult Colouring Party Experience the latest trend in relaxation! Colouring sheets, crayons, markers and relaxing music supplied. Recurring Tuesdays: 7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Aug. 01, 08, 15, 22, 29. For all teens and adults. Distant Memory: Drawings Exhibit in the Community Room by Vivian Wong. Ongoing Event: Sat. Aug 01 – Sun. Aug 31. Everyone welcome.

Play Reading Group Join us in reading a thought-provoking play each month-- from comedy to award-winning drama.

Not Your Granddad’s Weed: The Forensic Science of Cannabis Learn about the differences between cannabis and alcohol, history of cannabis use, various types of marijuana, its effects and risks. Lecture by Jim Wigmore, an internationally recognized forensic toxicologist. Wednesday: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Aug. 02 Free program. Drop in.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING: Summer LEGO Club

Enjoy solving/ completing jigsaw puzzles or playing games. Tuesdays: 6:30 p.m. 8:15 p.m. Aug. 01, 08, 15, 22, 29. Drop in. Everyone welcome.

* Registration ONLY. Open to All Ages.* Come to the Library during opening hours and play on your own time. Compete for your spot on the Lego Wall of Fame and to get a summer prize! Ongoing Event: Aug. 01-Aug. 27.

Going Mobile

TD Summer Reading Club 2017

Confused about the difference between a cell phone and a smart phone? Not sure what an “app” is? Join us for a session to learn about these terms and how to use different devices. Thursday: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Aug. 17 Drop in. Everyone welcome.

Celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday and join this year’s TD Summer Reading Club! Visit the library to register and receive your free reading kit. Ongoing Summer Event: Until End of August. Ask staff for assistance.

Games Night!

Jigsaw Jamboree Puzzles galore for all ages and skill levels! Wednesday: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Aug. 02. Drop in. No registration required. Leaside Needleworx Group (Knitting and Crocheting at the Library) Bring your own projects or start something new. Recurring Fridays: 10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Aug. 04, 11, 18, 25. Everyone welcome. Leaside Writers Group Are you looking for a creative place to meet with other like-minded individuals?

Ready for Reading Baby Time (Ages: 0-18 months) Bouncing and tickling rhymes, songs and stories for babies with their parents or caregivers. Thursdays: 9:30 am - 10 am Aug. 02, 09. Drop in. No registration. Ready for Reading Family Time (Ages: 19 months-5 years) Stories, songs, and rhymes for children with their parents or caregivers. Wednesdays: 10:30 am - 11 am Aug. 02, 09. Drop in. No registration. Send us your free listing for September by August 10th – leasidelife@gmail.com

Leaside Life • August 2017

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Leaside Life • August 2017

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“Hazy-crazy but not lazy” In 1963 Nat King Cole released his “Those lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer” album. A little over 50 years later, summer is still hazy and crazy, but not lazy, at least not for Leaside (and Bennington) residents trying to keep up with the increasing threats to our beloved neighbourhood’s streets and built-form character. Here’s a roll-call of planning-related hearings affecting Leaside in August. This is in addition to the usual bi-weekly stream of Committee of Adjustment hearings which continue unabated during the summer.

30 Parkhurst Blvd. The OMB hearing for this LPOA appeal of the Committee of Adjustment decision of January 26th is scheduled for August 23rd. This case involves a heritage-nominated property on a heritage-nominated street but a case to which the City has not responded. (See Leaside Life Issue 58, March 2017.)

195 Glenvale Blvd. Our first Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB) hearing, an appeal by the applicant of the refusal of variances in a May 18 hearing of the Committee of Adjustment, is set for September 13. As a departure from the OMB practice (which it replaces for appeals of minor variances and consents), the TLAB has established a rigid set of procedural deadlines for notification and submission of materials well ahead of the hearing date. So in this case notification of the intention to be a Party or Participant was required by July 18, and Witness Statements and Participant statements are to be filed by August 15. Glenvale neighbours and the LPOA will be hard at work on these this summer.

28-32 Evergreen Gardens A five-day OMB hearing for this application to amend the Official Plan and zoning by-laws to allow the construction of a six-townhouse block fronting Evergreen Gardens in Bennington Heights was set to begin on July 24th. The City previously refused the application, which would replace a couple of single detached homes. The LPOA will request to be a Participant, as the development, if approved, will potentially affect Leaside, as the

Geoff Kettel

Saving old Leaside subject property is located directly across Bayview Ave. The Save Bennington group, which has been working hard on fund-raising, will be a full Party at the hearing.

Short-term rental brouhaha in Leaside “Our (new) neighbours have turned their home into an Airbnb party house. It is not their primary residence. Last Tuesday, it was transformed into a rave scene – hundreds of teenagers, bouncers at the door, noise, alcohol and drugs galore. We even had people hopping our fence, trespassing on our property, using my son’s trampoline. Kids were stumbling drunk and high on the street until 4 a.m.” So read the distraught neighbour’s email message to the LPOA. The neighbour did what anyone would do in the situation, she called the police, next day she called the councillor. She spoke to the owner. For a time the house was de-listed from Airbnb (it’s now back up). Is this incident the start of an explo-

sion of short-term, rental-generated neighbourhood disturbance problems in Leaside? Crime Prevention and Disorder Management Officer Tim Somers from 53 Division says, “There have been no reports of other Airbnb properties having these issues. We have advised the original reportee of how to handle this with the property owner.” However, short-term rentals such as Airbnb are still legal, and I attended the City’s recent public consultation on short-term rentals and heard at least one resident recount how several adjoining properties had been acquired for this purpose, and their street had effectively been turned into a hotel, with consequent noise, disturbance, and crime concerns for regular home owners. But regulation of short-term rentals is coming. City Council considered a staff report to regulate short-term rentals at its last meeting (July 4 to 6). The new regime would limit short-term rentals to owner-occupied dwellings, and also levy taxes on stays. The proposed regulations passed for consultation in July will lead to more consultation about the proposals under consideration, and a final report will come back in the fall. So no immediate action unfortunately, but the City’s proposals seem sound. In the meantime, complaints about rowdy parties should be forwarded to Municipal Licensing and Standards enforcement – this can be done by contacting MLSfeedback@ toronto.ca and/or calling or emailing the 311 service. � The LPOA is receiving more complaints about short-term rentals.

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