Issuu

M A R C H 2021

Leaside Life

ING LOCAL BU ORT SIN PP E SU

The Gibson/Allmans take joy in their family by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO Whether you’re raising one child or 10, the task is both a great joy and a great challenge. And when you have a child with special needs, the joy remains, but the challenges are definitely different. Such is the case with the Gibson/Allman family. While parents Francesca Allman and Craig Gibson are no longer married, they work as a very amicable team raising their two sons, Evan and Joel. Joel is a 16-year-old Grade 11 student at Leaside High who plays hockey and rugby and can’t wait to get back to playing his favourite sport of football. At 6’4”, he’s what his mom calls a “gentle giant.” Evan, meanwhile, is 18, attends Don Mills Collegiate, and has Down

syndrome and autism. While he’s a sociable, passionate, and happy young man, he also has limitations which require someone to constantly be with him and assist him in everything from tying his shoes to attending online school. Besides his Down syndrome and autism, Evan also deals with speech apraxia. While his brain knows what it wants to say, this neurological disorder results in Evan’s not being able to get all the words out. He does have many activities that bring him pleasure, including skating, soccer, dances for kids with special needs, and his absolute favourite, swimming. Francesca notes that Evan, along with the rest of the family, has a fantastic support group – the Down

Syndrome Association of Toronto (DSAT), a wonderful nanny, the community, and an amazing extended family. DSAT has provided the family with multiple resources including programming over the years for Evan. The family has also had the same loving nanny since Evan was born, who has provided him with the routine and familiarity he requires. In the community, Francesca believes Evan probably knows more people than she does. He says hi to everyone, whether he’s on walks, at the grocery store, or at his two favourite places, Baskin Robbins on Bayview and the Leaside Arena. The hockey community has been “wonderful to Evan,” says GIBSON/ALLMAN Page 5

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No. 106

Leaside Life • March 2021

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Editor’s Welcome Leaside is all about the people. And Leaside Life is all about telling the stories of the people – and businesses – that make up this special place. This issue of Leaside Life is particularly rich in stories about extraordinary people. Take 90-year-old Shirley McNaughton, who became a pioneer in promoting the use of Blissymbolics, a semantic language based on pictographs and ideographs, to help teach children with special needs. McNaughton, who lived on Rumsey Road for many years, continues to be an ambassador for the system and has been recognized nationally for her work. Also, in this issue, North Leasider Debra McGrath invites us to meet her daughter Kinley, who came out as trans five years ago. Kinley’s journey is one that more and more kids are experiencing. As Debra writes: “One of the best things to come out of this was Leaside itself. The neighbourhood has run the gamut from full acceptance to embracing. Some Leasiders opened up to us about their own experiences with trans people. Our next door neighbours planted a tree

Jane Auster Editor Leaside Life

for our daughter, others told us how happy they were that we had been open about it, to help inform their knowledge of this ever-widening world of trans people.” Writer Susan Scandiffio introduces us to the Allman/Gibson family – parents Francesca Allman and Craig Gibson – and their two boys, Joel and Evan. Evan has Down syndrome and autism and also deals with speech apraxia. Evan, says his mother, knows more people than she does, saying hi to passersby wherever they go. He especially enjoys Baskin Robbins on Bayview and hanging out at the Leaside Arena, where he’s a familiar, friendly face. In this issue you’ll also get to meet Leaside resident Dr. Talvi Maimets, who recently retired from her practice of 30-plus years at 586 Eglinton Ave. E. To say there are countless not-so-happy, now former patients is an understatement. So, while we all wait for spring and our COVID-19 vaccines, why not enjoy some very good reading? n

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Eliminating poverty in Canada – it can be done Alan Redway has just published his third book, “A Big Idea: Eliminating Poverty in Canada.” Although very few, if any, Leasiders have experienced personal poverty, you may have seen it through your work or your volunteer activities or just on your TV screen. As Mayor of East York, I saw it locally only occasionally. As federal Housing Minister, however, I saw people in every part of our country who could never afford to own a home or pay market rent. Later, as chair of the board of directors of Daily Bread Food Bank, I saw many who, after they paid their monthly rent, had nothing left to feed their children or themselves. But extreme poverty really hit home for me when I volunteered for the Out of the Cold programs at Eastminster United Church and St. Brigit’s Catholic Church Annex on the Danforth. There I came face to face week after week with extreme poverty in the form of men and women, young and old without jobs, without homes and without hope for better times to come. In my days at university, my economics professor told us that “the poor

will always be with us.” Many years later it seemed to me that my economics professor was right. However, as a Member of Parliament in Ottawa I shared accommodation with another Toronto MP, Reg Stackhouse. After leaving Ottawa we met monthly for lunches. Every time we got together Reg would talk about the Guaranteed Annual Income (GAI) or, as it’s also known, the Universal Basic Income (UBI) as proposed by Milton Friedman and Hugh Segal, and how it could be used to eliminate poverty. Reg was convinced it could be done. I was skeptical. After all, how could we afford it without raising taxes and accumulating an enormous government deficit and debt for our grandchildren to pay back? But then I read a book by US President Joe Biden adviser, economics professor Stephanie Kelton, The Deficit Myth. That book convinced me that poverty can be eliminated in Canada. The Bank of Canada Act authorizes The Bank to print our money, while the Finance Act allows the federal government to print our money too

as they presently do and have done for years. The value of the Canadian dollar is no longer tied to the Gold Standard or the currency of another country as it used to be. Today our currency floats freely on the world market. This means that subject to inflation we can print as much money as the federal government needs to pay for its programs without raising taxes. Fortunately, the inflation rate in Canada has been 2% or less for many years, despite the fact that before the COVID-19 shutdowns we had close to full employment with only a 5% unemployment rate. By using Quantitative Easing (QE), the federal government issues bonds to pay for its spending programs and the Bank of Canada buys those bonds with the money it prints, thereby financing the government and keeping interest rates low at the same time. Both the US and Canada have been using QE for some time. At any time, our federal government can decide to redeem those bonds with the money it is authorized to print by the Finance Act. Without admitting it, this is the method our federal government has POVERTY Page 11

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Leaside Life • March 2021

by ALAN REDWAY

Kinley is realizing her goal - to live her authentic life

Leaside Life • March 2021

by DEBRA MCGRATH

Our daughter always dated girls, but in retrospect, it never once occurred to us that she in fact, wanted to be a girl. Although we were very close as a family, she wrestled with the thought that we would not love this version of her, which is the ultimate fear that most trans people have – rejection.

As the old saying goes, “Don’t judge your neighbours by their manicured lawns.” We moved into Leaside when our daughter was 7. She was a boy then and remained so during her school years. Her school was largely trim cuts and hockey players and she was sporting a long curly mane, and her activities included ballet, tap, singing, piano and drum lessons. Not a puck in sight. Sparkly spandex was her team jersey. Then she went to a high school for the arts and although she was finally in a place with likeminded kids, she wasn’t happy, had no real friends, and we had no idea why. It Kinley, Colin Mochrie, Debra McGrath would be years before we would find out the reason. She finally came out to us When she was 11 she came out to as trans in 2016, moving a friend. This friend responded that from Luke to Kinley. In her if she told us the truth, we wouldn’t heart she knew we would be accept it. So, back in the closet she behind her, but it was a terwent.

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rifying risk for her. The happy result is that we had no issue with the concept of gender change. As I wrote in a story about her coming out, “We have no investment in our daughter’s gender, just her humanity.” She was one of the best humans we knew. Also, she was an adult, so her life is hers, not ours. And, she was happier than we had seen her since her early years. In retrospect, I hadn’t really thought of what the neighbours would say, as our only concern was for our daughter’s safety. Fully realizing her dream continues to this day to be a long and arduous journey. I marvel when people ask, “Isn’t it just a choice?” “Umm, no.” Kinley had gender reassignment surgery at Women’s College Hospital between the first and second Covid waves and will be having another procedure in Boston soon. The enormity of the surgery was escalated by the fact that her dad and I could not go in the hospital during her four-day stay. Thankfully, the incredible expert team at the Gender Clinic acted as caregivers, friends and surgeon. WCH Gender Clinic has a waiting list of over 3,000 people, and similar numbers are waiting for the Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax clinics. It fills me with such joy to know that these people will be able to realize their dreams. I have met with many parents of trans folks in Leaside and beyond who, like us, just want their kids to live their authentic lives. One of the best things to come out of this was Leaside itself. The neighbourhood has run the gamut from full acceptance to embracing. Some Leasiders opened up to us about their own experiences with trans people. Our next door neighbours planted a tree for our daughter, others told us how happy they were that we had been open about it, to help inform their knowledge of this ever-widening world of trans people. We watched as the community of Leaside walked across their lovely manicured lawns to greet our daughter with a smile and ask her how she is doing. Now, she’s just Kinley, one of the neighbours. n

ALLMAN/GIBSON 5

Leaside Life • March 2021

Francesca. The arena is a familiar place for him where he greets everyone from the employees at the pro shop to the families in the stands. It’s Evan’s extended family, though, who have given him the greatest support. Francesca’s brother and his family live just around the corner, while her parents live in North York. Her parents, Kathy and Gordon, are heavily involved in the boys’ lives. It’s been Gordon, though, who has been Evan’s “#1 activity” during the pandemic, as well as a constant support throughout his life. GG (Grandpa Gordon) takes Evan for walks, plays with him inside and out, reads to him, and helps him with his school work. It’s the matter of school, and what comes after it, which concerns Evan’s family. The school system allows him to remain until he’s 21, after which his family will need to chart a course for his next stage of live. With the aid of DSAT, the support of their nanny, the community, and above all, their family, the future looks brighter for Evan as he navigates his new chapter with as few challenges as possible. n

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Leaside Life • March 2021

Terry Fallis Columnist

That takes the cake

It happened nearly 20 years ago and has forever been known in family lore as “the cake incident.” It was early September. There are quite a few family birthdays around this time of year, so we traditionally have a gathering either at our place or my twin brother’s house to celebrate them all in one shot. The fateful year of the cake incident, it was Tim’s family’s turn to host. On that cursed Sunday, our family was contributing our famous chocolate raspberry cake, which I can almost taste as I write these words. I know my last sentence makes it sound like all four of us – my wife, Nancy, and our two sons, Calder and Ben – contributed equally to the creation of this masterpiece. And I’d be happy if you just continued to labour under that illusion. But that

fully-iced cake, in all its glory, set a new standard in the annals of birthday cake baking. Resting royally on a flat, antique, green glass cake plate, it was perfect in every way. All that remained was the simple and short car ride from our home, just beyond Leaside’s borders in Moore Park, to my brother’s home on Crandall, just east of our alma mater, Bessborough Drive Public School. It’s a very short trip. Five minutes at most, and that includes the lights at Moore and Bayview and the block-by-block stop signs for which Leaside is famous. We loaded up the minivan. Nancy had all the wrapped birthday presents in her lap in the front seat. The boys were buckled up in the back seat, Ben still in his booster car seat. I gave Calder the cake to hold on his lap, you know, that beautiful cake resting on the flat, smooth, glass cake plate – that plate with no edges that might stop something (say perhaps a cake) from sliding off. And now

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you know. We were all set to go and pulled out of the driveway and headed north on Welland Avenue to Moore. Welland dips a bit as you close in on the intersection. I slowed down and came to a complete stop as the law dictated. Apparently, the cake did not respect the law and just kept going. As Calder and Ben now recount the story – apparently indelibly etched in their memories – the cake slid right off the plate, executed a perfect 180-degree flip and landed hard but quietly on the floor of the car, icing side down. The force of the impact flattened and dispersed the cake with quite an impressive blast radius, including reaching the pantlegs of both boys. Oblivious in the front seat – and often in other locations, too – I made my right turn onto Moore and headed east. Nancy also had no idea what mayhem had unfolded just behind us in the back seat. Calder now says that he looked at Ben, their eyes wide, and for a time just said nothing. There was a very uncomfortable 20 seconds or so when they knew what had happened, but we parental units in the front seat did not. Ever bright, Calder realized that the cake could not be salvaged and that we’d need to stop at Loblaws for a new one. So about halfway between Welland and Bayview, on Moore, this little voice croaked from the back seat, “Um, I dropped the cake.” We bought a lovely yellow and blue Loblaws cake that said Happy Birthday Edith. (The order had been cancelled and we were in the right place at the right time.) When we got to Tim’s house, I spent the first 15 minutes of our visit with a garbage bag, a kid’s snow shovel, and a bucket of water. I swear I could still smell the lost cake as we drove home later that night. I know what many of you are thinking. Why would any sane, relatively experienced parent hand their nine-year-old son a cake to hold for even an instant, let alone a five-minute car trip into Leaside? I plead momentary insanity. A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis grew up in Leaside and is the award-winning writer of seven national bestsellers, including his most recent, Albatross, all published by McClelland & Stewart. n

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Leaside Life • March 2021

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MEET YOUR LEASIDE NEIGHBOUR

Leaside Life • March 2021

by JANIS FERTUCK

A tribute to Shirley McNaughton, education pioneer For Shirley McNaughton, 2021 has been a landmark year. Her 90th birthday on January 3 was a Zoom celebration with 70 attendees, and this November will mark the 50th anniversary of her ground-breaking work as the first teacher of Blissymbolics, a graphic communication system for children with severe speech and physical challenges. When Shirley and her husband, Bob, moved to Rumsey Road in the 1960s, she was hired to teach kindergarten to children with cerebral palsy at the Ontario Crippled Children’s Centre (now Holland Bloorview). Sensing their nonspeaking students’ desire to communicate, she and occupational therapist Margrit Beesley looked to symbols as a possible solution, and discovered a chapter in Elizabeth Helfman’s “Signs and Symbols Around the World” on Charles K. Bliss, who had developed a semantic language based on pictographs and

ideograghs for the purpose of interand presented them with certificates. national communication. Shirley says that the parents were Shirley and her team believed this “very supportive and thrilled with language could be used as a means the changes in their children’s lives.” of communication for their students, Wendy Arnold, whose son Joseph has and started working with one class cerebral palsy, worked with Shirley in 1971, adding and praises her a second class the as a “tenacious next year who and dedicated required techteacher” who nology to assist produced “a them. Then Bliss miracle for these visited the centre, families” in proand articles viding a vehicle about their work for communicaappeared in Time tion. As Shirley and Reader’s explains, the Digest, sparking process of cominterest in many bining basic Bliss A sample of the Blissymbolics system. countries. symbols to create The program new ones helps to then expanded and 70 volunteers develop conceptual capability. from the Leaside community were Since the 1970s, Shirley has been trained to work with the classes. extremely busy serving as the Shirley took on administrative duties founder, program director and execas supervisor, then program direcutive director of a number of orgator of Blissymbolics Communication nizations, such as Blissymbolics Foundation. Training workshops Communication International (BCI) were offered to teachers from around and Blissymbolics Communication the world. Once the participants Institute-Canada (BCIC). She has completed their training, Shirley evalworked in research and development, uated them in their home countries sat on numerous boards and committees related to augmentative communication, served as a consultant and professor in several places, published dozens of papers, and made countless presentations. At the same time, she found the time to earn her M.Ed. and Ph.D. and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1989 for her work. She says she could not have done it without the support of her husband and her sons, Kevin and David. Even after retiring, this remarkable woman continues to be a driving force in the Bliss community. She organized the Bliss Learning Centre in Muskoka from 2002 to 2006 for “alumni” and is still the president of BCIC and on the board of directors of BCI. With her extensive musical skills, she co-founded the Bliss iBand, supported by the Lillian Meighen and Don Wright Foundation, where those with physical issues make music with virtual instrument apps on their iPads. Currently, Shirley is organizing the Bliss archival material and is “looking forward to delivering it to the OISE library and completing the archival video for the celebration of 50 years of Bliss in November.” She hopes “the gathering can be in person and on Zoom so the entire international community can be included.” n

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Meet Leaside’s food bank heroes by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO There’s no sugar-coating it. The Covid pandemic has brought unspeakable devastation to people’s lives. It’s been a long, rough ride for everyone. So, when someone brings joy to others during these times, it’s worth not just noting, but celebrating. Such is the case with Leasiders Rebecca Pribaz and St. Michael’s Hospital ICU nurse K. MCGUIRE Debbie Snatenchuk. Both have made tremendous efforts to support the food bank in Thorncliffe Park, each in her own remarkable way.

Rebecca Pribaz In the spring of 2020, the Pribaz family welcomed Ozzy, an Australian Shepherd puppy, into their family. Searching for dog treats with the most natural ingredients, Rebecca and

mom, Sue, decided to develop recipes of their own. After settling on their concoctions, Rebecca and friend Audrey Schwertfeger, both 11 years old, set

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up a stand in North Leaside and under the name R.A.D. (Rebecca. Audrey.Dog Treats), began selling their treats to passersby. Using their ingenious sales savvy, the Northlea students set up their booth close to the entrance to Serena Gundy Park (a.k.a. the entrance to the dog park) and quickly picked up clients.

Rebecca has continued the business to this day, filling orders for long-standing and new clients. Quickly amassing money from sales, Rebecca felt that “money doesn’t mean as much for me as it would for others,” and opted to give the proceeds from her sales to those who would need it more. Hearing her mother speak about the TNO Food Bank in Thorncliffe Park, Rebecca decided that as a nearby neighbourhood in need of food for its families, she would direct her money to the food bank. She has since been making biweekly dropoffs of money to a food bank contact and is continuing to provide her highly sought-after dog treats to her faithful clientele. Want to check out her business? She’s on Instagram at rad.dog.treats.

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Leaside Life • March 2021

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For 34 years, Debbie Snatenchuk has loved her job as an ICU nurse, which she describes as “fast paced” and a job in which close collegial connections are made. Snatenchuk is a hard-working and empathetic professional whom patients have been fortunate to have by their side. But for her, as for all others working on the front lines with Covid patients, this pandemic has been unlike anything she has ever witnessed. Treating

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POVERTY From Page 3 been using to finance the many patchwork programs it has introduced to mitigate the impact of shutting down the economy because of COVID-19. Doesn’t it make more sense to have one universal program like the Old Age Security program to deal with the present problem and eliminate poverty in Canada at the same time? n My third book, “A Big Idea: Eliminating Poverty in Canada,” can be purchased online from Amazon for $11.50. Alan Redway served for six years as Mayor of the Borough of East York and as a member of Metropolitan Toronto Council and Executive Committee. Later he was elected to the parliament of Canada where he served for almost 10 years as a Progressive Conservative member of the House of Commons and as Minister of State (Housing).

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Leaside Life • March 2021

an unprecedented number of patients young and old struggling against a terrifying infectious disease has left Snatenchuk exhausted, and at times feeling hopeless, but still resolute and dedicated to her patients. Yet through it all, she and her colleagues have remained thankful that, while others were facing devastating and crippling unemployment, they have had jobs. With so much suffering in their midst, Snatenchuk rallied her team knowing that they all needed something positive on which to focus. During December, the ICU team sponsored six families and held a food drive to support the TNO food bank. For her, this was an opportunity to “do something small that would make a huge impact on others.” And the team has made a huge impact. Delivering bags upon bags of groceries, Snatenchuk and her team have helped provide multiple meals for families facing food insecurity. Neighbours helping neighbours. It’s always worth celebrating. Columnist Susan Scandiffio has been a key organizer and tireless volunteer for the TNO Food Bank for several years. n

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Leasiders are making cycling better

Leaside Life • March 2021

by HOLLY REID At this time last year, I was preparing an article about spring cycling, blissfully unaware of what was heading our way. Like so many community groups, Cycle Don Valley Midtown, the local chapter of Cycle Toronto for Ward 15 and Ward 16, had a list of plans and priorities for 2020 that were soon blown right out of the water. Full disclosure, I am co-chair of this group, along with Leaside Life Saving Old Leaside columnist Geoff Kettel, Najia Zewari, representing Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park, and Richard Nelson, covering Ward 16. Despite a dearth of technical prowess, we made the switch to gathering together online. And even with other challenges brought on by the pandemic, we got a lot done – campaigning for a “complete street” (designed to be safe for all users) on Yonge in Midtown, working with residents for safety improvements to the E.T. Seton Park road, supporting the Women’s Cycling Network Bike Match program (LL November 2020), and collaborating with Bayview Leaside BIA for additional

bike parking and a Bike Share station. Many of our most active members reside in Leaside and here’s what they will be up to in 2021: Mount Pleasant Cemetery Xing Always popular with Leasiders for walking, running and biking, Mount Pleasant Cemetery also connects to the Beltline Trail. Yet the access on Bayview near Sutherland isn’t always safe or convenient, especially for those with mobility issues, and parents with kids. Phil Oliva (LL December 2018) is putting his efforts into a pedestrian/cyclist crossing near the Bayview entrance so everyone can get there safely. Developer encroachment Laird in Focus involved extensive consultation with Leasiders and includes a re-imagined Laird Drive with wider sidewalks and protected bike lanes, and a greenway route on Vanderhoof Avenue to the Don Valley trails. But developer appeals of the Laird in Focus plan threaten the approved vision. Orlando Soler brought in Cycle Don Valley Midtown to join with residents and the Leaside Residents Association in supporting

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the plan and opposing these appeals. Road safety review of Bayview Carmen Jones (LL May 2020, June 2019) cycles to her job at Princess Margaret Hospital via Bayview Avenue, which she says is the most dangerous part of her commute. Carmen is working on getting Leaside’s input on a Vision Zero In-Service Road Safety Review of Bayview Avenue recently brought forward by the City. Eglinton Connects streetscape When the construction on Eglinton Crosstown LRT wraps up, a new streetscape will be in the works that promises an enhanced pedestrian and cycling experience right across the city on Eglinton. Geoff Kettel and I follow this project closely and we understand that community consultations on detailed design will commence later this year. [A demonstration segment is already under construction between Avenue Road and Yonge Street.] To learn more, email cycledonvalleymidtown@cycleto.ca. Or follow us on Twitter @doncycle and on Instagram @doncycle1, where Leasider Kris Langille shares our news and views. n

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Starstruck in Leaside, or just another Pie in the Sky?

Leaside Life • March 2021

14 This coming April Fool’s day will mark 19 years for Tim Bewcyk as the “man behind Toronto’s first boutique film studio,” and this business is certainly not just another “pie in the sky,” but Pie in the Sky Studios! I was able to connect with Tim, even though he was in Africa. True to his reported proclivity for antics and humour (e.g., baking cakes using film studio lighting), Tim answered my question about how the food was in Africa with, “well there’s nothing wild here,” and so began our conversation. Pie in the Sky Studios operates a total of eight facilities spread across Toronto. With a dazzling list of A-listers on his roster (e.g., McDonald’s, HGTV, Ikea, Google, Tim Hortons), Leasiders driving past Tim’s nondescript 43 Laird Dr. studio might be unaware of the number of celebrities visiting the studio in our ’hood to produce some of the television series, music videos and commercials we see on the air each day. You would even be forgiven if you tried the front entrance looking to buy a cherry pie! (Tim’s favourite, by the way.)

Glenn Asano The Business of Leaside

Stewart, Jackman, Crosby and Drake in Leaside? The 2,000 sq. ft. Laird studio is considered “medium-sized.” When I visited in person, a children’s TV series was being filmed. Perhaps it is because of this studio that you just might catch a glimpse of Martha Stewart at Charmaine Sweets, Sidney Crosby at the Amsterdam Barrelhouse, Hugh Jackman at Wild Wing on Bayview, or Drake at Longo’s as they make their way to and from Leaside to be filmed at the studio. For the record, Tim neither confirmed nor denied (wink wink) the number of celebrities who have worked from his studios over the past 19 years, out of respect for the

privacy of his clients and the work they perform here in Leaside. He did acknowledge that “we’re all here to do a job, but on occasion, you can really be starstruck.” One celebrity name that did pop up was Steve Paikin of TVO’s The Agenda. Steve apparently told his audience several times (“with pride” according to Tim) that “we’re now based out of Leaside” when the show relocated to the Laird studio for three months because of flooding at TVO. In my opinion, the secret to Tim’s success is the “boutique” aspect of his offer, in addition to the high level of customer service he and his wife Ayda provide, plus Leaside’s general attractiveness to his customers. Tim stated that “for support and services, Leaside is the handiest of all the locations because it has restaurants, grocery stores, banks and coffee shops all within walking distance, not to mention a Home Depot and a Canadian Tire when you need something quickly for the set, plus it is a clean neighbourhood to walk around.” In fact, at 2,000 sq. ft., the Laird studio is dwarfed by what

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Could Leaside become part of Hollywood North? The Canadian Media Producers Association reported in 2019 that the total production volume of film and television production in Canada was estimated to be $9.3 billion, growing at 5.8% per year and employing 180,900 full-time equivalent jobs. One of the growth drivers of the industry over the past two decades has been foreign location and service (e.g., Netflix shooting Suits in Toronto), which has grown faster than the other segments over that period and now represents more than half of the industry’s total value. This segment is attractive to the government as the influx of foreign video production gets categorized as foreign direct investment and directly boosts Canada’s GDP. The growth of this segment has led to cities such as Vancouver and Toronto being dubbed “Hollywood North,” accounting for 80 per cent of the spend. Building on what Tim has accomplished, could the Leaside Business Park be another piece of the Hollywood North ecosystem? Whether it’s Hollywood North or a series of Cleantech ventures or advanced manufacturing, the Leaside Business Park could be an attractive home for many creative or technical growth businesses.

Like me, I’m sure you’re wondering about the name. Tim told me that back when he and his original business partner were looking for that first location, their future landlord – a “gruff kind of guy” – was showing them some space. They were excitedly telling the landlord about their plans for starting a studio… “yeah, we’re gonna have actors, cameras, lights, put that over there, this could be this, that could be that…” and the landlord cut them off mid-sentence and loudly asked, “Is this

gonna happen or is this gonna be a pie in the sky?” Tim looked to his partner and they both blurted out, “it’s gonna be Pie in the Sky.” n 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 2021

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Long-time Leaside physician Dr. Talvi Maimets is ready for her next adventure Lorna Krawchuk Publisher Leaside Life

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To say that the patients of Dr. Talvi Maimets at her practice of 30-plus years at 586 Eglinton Ave. E. weren’t thrilled with her decision to retire is an understatement. But Talvi is happy she followed through on the plans she and her husband made for her retirement, even though COVID19 has changed how that retirement is taking shape, at least for now. While her practice has been a fixture of Leaside for three decades, Talvi hasn’t always been “a Leasider.” She grew up in Thornhill, where she was very involved with the Estonian community, including gymnastics, music and Girl Guides, but she knew from the age of 9 that she wanted to become a medical doctor and “never had a Plan B.” After one year at the University of Toronto, which she found daunting, she switched to the University of Western Ontario for the next year to concentrate on her studies as she “hadn’t developed the vocabulary to include the word ‘no,’” especially when it came to volunteering. She came back to Toronto and received her medical degree in 1980, followed by further specialization in family medicine. At that time, things were beginning to change for women in medicine, but they still made up only about one-quarter of the students. Despite the inequity, Talvi says she “always felt encouraged and supported as a woman going through medical school.” She began her married life in East York, near her husband, Olev’s, family. They then moved to Don Mills, and in 2013, made their home in Leaside at the Scenic on Eglinton condos, with a view of Sunnybrook Park.

Talvi’s children grew up speaking Estonian at home. Her son did his undergraduate degree in music composition in Estonia, and after further study at the University of Toronto and at the prestigious Curtis Institute in the U.S., returned to Estonia to live and work. Her daughters are in Toronto, one a lawyer and the other, a professional flutist.

OLEV MAIMETS

Leaside Life • March 2021

Dr. Talvi Maimets

Because of the pandemic, she and her husband are not able to follow through on their plan to start her retirement by going to Estonia. Instead, she is in Toronto “being a grandma” to a little one, which, she says, “is more work running after a one-year-old than sitting at a desk in an office.” She continues to volunteer with an Estonian sorority, and at her church, St. Peter’s Estonian, where she is on the executive – “a lot of work, which I do happily.” She feels fortunate that her partner in the practice, Dr. Ann Rebane, whom she met in medical school, is continuing with their practice for now, along with their office manager. Talvi’s priority for the practice was “to find a trustworthy young physician, with tech capabilities but an old-fashioned personal touch.” She feels she has found that in Dr. Monica Grewal. The practice that Talvi Maimets so lovingly built looks set to grow, as Dr. Grewal is accepting new patients. ph 416-4864401. n

Caped crusader fundraises for Holland Bloorview

my mom, Cindy, who nudged me to consider volunteering when my own health issue prevented me from continuing to play elite basketball, freeing up my time.” Meeting other young patients during

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her treatment and seeing those whose lives were altered by serious health issues inspired her to take action for Holland Bloorview. “I enjoy the variety of responsibilities from greeting parents and ensuring Covid-protocol is followed and especially engaging with the young patients whether transferring them to appointments, the pool or crawling on the gym floor with them playing tag,” she said. “Just enjoying the company of kids being kids. The kids’ smiles alone make my day.” For a delightful few minutes, watch two of Kate’s superheroes, Alex and Carson, two young campaign advocates as they encourage us all. “Let’s work together to raise funds and awareness for kids with disabilities – ask your family and friends to support Kids For Capes today!” Since 2017, Capes for Kids has raised over $2,450,000 for research, education, and care at Holland Bloorview. To date, thousands have joined forces by assembling teams, fundraising and wearing capes around the city. For more information on the campaign, visit capesforkids.ca n

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Leaside Life • March 2021

You might consider adding Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s youthful patients and their volunteers to your list of inspiring superheroes. The hospital’s current Capes for Kids campaign may have you hearing from red-caped fundraisers like Leasider Kate Hull, a firstyear psychology student at Huron Western University and a dedicated volunteer. “I was thrilled to be selected as a volunteer and part-time employee at Holland-Bloorview,” she told me. “And recently, I was inspired to participate and earn my Gold Cape in their Capes for Kids fundraiser, by raising over a thousand dollars.” Kate added, “I want to thank everyone who’s donated so far and there’s still time to contribute, as the campaign continues until March 7th.” Having weathered a serious health issue herself, Kate says she gained a profound appreciation of other children’s health issues through her own journey. “I feel privileged to contribute in small ways to their joy. It was

SUZANNE PARK

by SUZANNE PARK

Grappling with congestion management Leaside Life • March 2021

18 While traffic volumes have dropped significantly during the pandemic, congestion is a major issue on many of Toronto’s main arteries – including Bayview Avenue, Eglinton Avenue, and many other streets in Leaside. It’s been estimated that congestion costs our city nearly $11 billion annually in lost productivity. The resulting delays also contribute to driver frustration, which can have significant road safety impacts. Congestion on major arterial roads can also lead to increased traffic infiltration in our local neighbourhoods – an issue we see all too frequently in Leaside. For these reasons, congestion management has remained one of my top priorities at City Hall. Unfortunately, the increasing demand placed on our roads by the movement of freight and goods has exacerbated existing congestion issues in Toronto. In 2018, the freight and goods movement industry accounted for approximately 30% of Toronto’s GDP and employed some 630,000 residents. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a sharp uptick in online shopping and specialized

Jaye Robinson

Councillor, Ward 15, Don Valley West

delivery services, with Canadian e-commerce sales nearly doubling from February to May, 2020. These changing trends have led to more freight and delivery vehicles using our streets. In late 2020, City Council approved a new Freight and Goods Movement Strategy (FGMS) to better coordinate the number of delivery vehicles on our streets and minimize their impact on traffic congestion. The strategy – which builds on the Congestion Management Plan I introduced as the former Chair of Public Works and wrote about in the February, 2020 edition of Leaside Life – includes 24 strategic actions to manage the transportation of freight and goods throughout the City, such as: • Promoting Off-Peak Delivery (OPD) as a standard practice

• Encouraging adoption of technologies to minimize noise and air pollution resulting from freight and delivery operations, and • Establishing a Strategic Truck Network (STN) to identify key corridors/alternative routes. In 2019, the Region of Peel ran an Off-Peak Delivery Pilot, which resulted in a shift of 30% of deliveries to off-peak hours, taking 30% of trucks off the road during peak travel times and reducing travel times by 18%. Additionally, the results showed significant decreases in GHG emissions (11%) and harmful air pollutants (11-18%) resulting from the offset traffic. This big-picture policy framework will complement the local Traffic Management Plan currently under development in Leaside. In tandem with the other congestion management efforts underway in our City, the Freight and Goods Movement Strategy will contribute to a more coordinated, efficient, and effective transportation network, and help address the impacts of congestion in local neighbourhoods across Toronto. n

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March 26, 1924 — January 21, 2021 Gladys passed away peacefully on January 21st at the Isabel and Arthur Meighen Manor in Toronto. She was the courageous and determined matriarch of the Jeffrey family and had a beautiful spirit and a joyous sense of humour. Gladys was predeceased by her husband, Walter Roy Jeffrey, her sister, Dorothy Rose Shears (Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia), and her parents, Tobias and Sarah (Hicks) Purchase. She was born

in Halifax and settled in Toronto when she was 26. Gladys is survived by her son, Wayne, daughter, Lynne, and her grandchildren, Paul (Rodica), Sarah (Gabriel), Mark (Ellen), Jimmy (Ashley), Melissa (Alex), in addition to her great-grandchildren, Grace, Thomas, Evelyn, and Aidan. She is also remembered fondly by her sister-in-law, Joan Breakey-Jeffrey, her nieces and nephews, their extended families, and her godchildren Kim, Karen, and Jan Gray.

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Gladys was steadfast in her faith and a longtime member of the North Toronto Corps of the Salvation Army. She was well loved by her family, community, neighbours and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gladys’ memory to The Salvation Army, North Toronto Community Church, C/O St. Peter’s Estonian Church, 817 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto M4P 2Z4.

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Leaside Life • March 2021

GLADYS EUGENIA JEFFREY

Leaside Transformer Station by TED DEWELLES, Leaside Heritage Preservation Society

Leaside Life • March 2021

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The Leaside Heritage Preservation Society (LHPS) is dedicated to celebrating Leaside’s impressive history and its continued impact on our present-day lives. A great example of this is the Leaside Transformer station. This massive power facility, located just south of the Millwood CPR underpass, is one of the best kept secrets in Leaside. Motorists fuelling their cars at the nearby Esso station can glimpse a portion of the historic complex. But to most Leasiders it remains hidden from view, an unseen presence whose significance – to the community, Toronto and Ontario – is seldom discussed and often taken for granted. Completed in 1928 by the Hydroelectric Power Commission of Ontario (later Ontario Hydro), the $5 million transformer station was at the time the largest power substation in the world. It was built to receive and distribute electricity from Quebec power plants on the Ottawa and Gatineau rivers, 230 miles northeast of Toronto. Ontario’s economy was booming in the 1920s, and cities like Toronto craved power to fuel its industries, offices and homes. During peak construction, several hundred workers were employed at the project. Many were involved in assembling the station’s 12 giant transformers, each towering 32 feet high and weighing 370,000 pounds. To cool these behemoths, 1.5 million gallons of water were supplied every day by a nearby reservoir. Workers also built several huge 7,000-gallon tanks containing insulating oil to control the flow of power. Connecting the transformer station to the generating stations in Quebec was a 250-mile, 220,000-volt transmission line – the longest in the British Empire. Once the electricity reached the station, its tremendous voltage was significantly reduced or “stepped down” to allow for safe distribution throughout the city. The station officially opened on October 1, 1928. Ontario Premier Howard Ferguson personally came to Leaside to push the button that unleashed the power of 80,000 horses to help meet the needs of thousands

of Toronto residents and businesses. Other dignitaries participating in the ceremony included senior executives from Toronto Hydro and the Hydroelectric Power Commission of Ontario as well as the Attorney General of Ontario. Once operational, the station established itself as one of the most critical components of Ontario’s electricity infrastructure, reliably channeling power to Toronto and surrounding regions well into this century. For a while, it even became famous. In 1933, power engineers from France and England visited the facility just to see it in action. That same year – at the height of the Great Depression – the station had to be guarded by provincial police after angry unemployed workers threatened to attack it in reaction to police harassment. A few years later, Maclean’s made it the subject of a three-page photo essay in its October, 1937 issue entitled “Power Harness.” As the years and decades went by, the station continued to serve Ontario well, thanks to ongoing maintenance, upgrades and investments provided by the Hydroelectric Power Commission and Ontario Hydro. By 2010, the Leaside station, along with two other power facilities, was responsible for virtually all the electricity used in central and downtown Toronto, according to the Ontario Clean Air Alliance. Outages did occur due to human error, equipment failure and natural disasters – like the 1998 ice storm and the Toronto ice storm of 2013. But they were quickly addressed, and the station was soon back and functioning normally. Today the station is owned and operated by Hydro One, which continues to maintain and invest in the facility to ensure its high performance. In 2015, the company invested $7.2 million in the station to improve transmission equipment – part of a multi-year investment totalling more then $20 million. Hydro One is also installing a new underground cable near the station as part of its ongoing Leaside to Main Refurbishment Project. While it may be hidden from view, the Leaside transformer station has made its presence felt for nearly a century. It will likely continue to do so for many years to come. n

Get ready. Get set. Grow! in 2021 The Leaside Gardener Debora Kuchme Columnist

summer this year!” Karen went on to explain how more than half of these plants will attract pollinators through the spring, summer and fall. Other plants they added will offer off-season interest as well as provide food, shelter and nesting materials for local wildlife.

Foodscaping

Another one of keay+summer’s south Leaside clients wanted to update their back yard (as they were spending so much time at home in 2020) to include a veggie garden in raised beds with a request to add more pollinator plants. To complement the existing crab apple, and perennials, Karen and Terry included more native plants to add additional moisture retention and a water feature to invite lots of birds,

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butterflies and bees. It doesn’t matter how big or small your growing space is, there’s no need for a designated vegetable patch. Foodscaping is about mixing fruit and veg within and throughout your existing garden. Foodscaping works very well for patio and balcony gardens too. You can simply mix your containers of fruit and veg with your containers of flowers and evergreens. Mixing and matching will be even easier this year with so many new dwarf fruit and veg plants, including the first ever corn you can grow in a container, called On Deck F1 Corn. I will definitely be looking out for this one! How and why we gardened last year will have an effect on how we garden this year and will most likely continue from now on. The Garden Media Group has called this The Great Reset. I just call it great! Get ready. Get set. Grow! n Visit leasidelife.com for the extended version of this article along with more information about keay+summers landscape design inc.

Leaside Life • March 2021

Spring is just around the corner and every Leaside gardener I know is itching to dig in. But this year, let’s first take a quick look back at 2020. It was a year ago this month that we entered our first lockdown and suddenly everything changed. How we work changed, how we shopped, and even how we gardened. Was it the pandemic and lockdown that changed the way we wanted to garden? We embraced the wild side. I spoke with Karen Keay from keay+summers landscape design inc. to get her take on this. She’s a Leasider and a 20-year member of the Leaside Garden Society who really knows her plants. Together with her partner Terry Summers, they’ve been designing gardens to be not only beautiful and functional but environmentally responsible too. Last year, two of their south Leaside clients had their hard-to-keep and dying front yard lawns removed and replaced with heat and drought-tolerant, low-maintenance native plants, groundcover and grasses. “These will be spectacular in the spring and

Leaside Life • March 2021

Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LRA

Calm that traffic! For reasons we know too well, the Leaside Residents Association’s recent Annual General Meeting had to be virtual. It’s a format with advantages, and also distinct DISadvantages. On the one hand, it’s accessible to all who have a Zoom-friendly computer. You can watch and participate from the comfort of your own home, not having to go out on a cold winter night. No need to hire a babysitter. But what is missing is the spontaneity and personal interaction of a real public meeting, the ability to ask follow-ups to questions raised on the floor, not to mention the pleasure of seeing your fellow Leasiders. If you weren’t a virtual attendee, you missed my traffic report, in which I

Geoff Kettel

Saving old Leaside Will Leaside LRT station site be an MZO? Will Leaside be getting an MZO? What’s that? An abbreviation for musical term mezzo forte (moderately loud)? No - but musical or not, I bet you had not heard of a Minister’s Zoning Order until the attempted demolition of The Foundry in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood burst into the news at the end of January. The provincial government overrode the City’s Official Plan and zoning bylaws and started to demolish the designated heritage buildings that constitute the former Dominion Wheel and Foundries Company. That is, until the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association went to court and obtained a temporary injunction. On Feb. 26, a full hearing of the case was set before a panel of three judges. Demolition is halted, by order of the court, until the results of that hearing. Could the same thing happen in Leaside? I think so, at the Leaside (Bayview) LRT station site and its neighbours to the south. • The province has had longstanding plans as far back as 2013 to facilitate redevelopment /intensification

relayed residents’ continuing complaints about speeding drivers, trucks using residential streets, and insufficient traffic law enforcement. With COVID-19 keeping most of us at home, we actually have more time than in pre-pandemic times to observe – and be aggravated by – what we see on our streets. Fortunately, we are getting closer to having a traffic calming plan for the entire neighbourhood. The city’s Leaside Traffic Management Study, supported by Councillor Jaye Robinson, is chaired by Eric Chan, who sent me a progress report in time for the AGM. He has been working during the pandemic with staff to identify long-term, permanent physical solutions like intersection redesigns and friction surfacing to slow traffic and other measures which are self-enforcing. Self-enforcing traffic control measures are key, since we know all too well that depending on police enforcement is unrealistic. Eric Chan and his staff are also con-

tinuing to work on identifying specific streets and/or intersections where such short-term solutions as pavement markings, building out intersections with bollards and paint, and other visual means to slow speed can be implemented relatively quickly and inexpensively. Did you know that we have launched our new website? The contents of the old website (www.lpoa.ca) migrated to the new website, which is www. leasideresidents.ca. Take a look! Many thanks for the hard work by a committee of LRA directors, chaired by Vice President and Membership Director Robin Rix, and advised by former Leasider and LRA Director Paddy Duncan, to whom we owe particular appreciation. n

of the LRT station site. Metrolinx negotiations with the owner allowed the owner to build a new condominium over the station. Metrolinx subsequently acquired the adjacent properties, not necessary for constructing the station, because they fit within the plan to put the property to dual use. • When the construction of the station began, Councillor Burnside expressed concern that the LRT station was being designed with underground infrastructure capable of supporting building(s) of up to 22 storeys, yet the zoning allowed only eight storeys. • A May, 2019 Metrolinx News article, “As Toronto looks to future growth, Leaside Station holds design secrets to grow with,” confirmed the presence of underpins, and boasted “We’re building a time machine in Leaside.” • No planning approvals (i.e. Official Plan Amendment and Zoning Bylaw Amendments) for a high-rise development have been sought from the City. • Normally, an owner has to have planning approval for a development in order to demolish. Unless the province overrides the City and uses an MZO!

a two-storey, four-unit apartment complex (“quadraplex”) constructed in 1934-35 in the Neo-Tudor style. 1783-85 Bayview is listed and designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. But 1779-81 Bayview is not heritage-protected. • The owner of 1783-85 Bayview has recently moved to evict the tenants. Metrolinx is the current owner, but plans to transfer ownership to the developer – the same one that owns 1779-81 Bayview, and they have an agreement for the Station site. • And what about the tenants at 1783-85 Bayview? What recourse do they have? It is unclear if Metrolinx has the right to evict as it isn't the one requiring the building to be vacant so it can be demolished. None of this is really a surprise. In the July, 2019 Leaside Life I wrote about how the province overrode City Council and approved changes to the Midtown in Focus plan. Interestingly, the government’s changes (made to increase tower height limits) did not change the Leaside station site or the quads. So, what can we do about this? I have submitted the issue to Councillor Jaye Robinson, City Planning, and the Housing Secretariat. We’ll see what they say, but we may have to do what the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood did, in short order: galvanize and organize, launch a petition, hire a lawyer, and fundraise. We need the provincial government to learn that they need to follow due process in planning and not override the City’s plans and residents. n

What about the neighbouring properties to the south? • 1779-81 and 1783-85 Bayview Ave. are the northernmost of 10 properties that constitute the “Talbot quads.” The properties each contain

The LRA board’s next monthly meeting is on Wed., March 3rd at 7:30 p.m., by Zoom. If you’d like to attend, or participate, please let us know by the 3rd so we can send you the access details. You are welcome to attend any of our monthly board meetings, which occur on the first Wednesday of each month.

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