A P R I L 2021
Leaside Life
SS
ING LOCAL BU ORT SIN PP E SU
Leaside’s very own Butterflyway Ranger by JANIS FERTUCK When Suzanne Sharples was growing up in Caledon, she spent her summers tending to a large vegetable and flower garden. But since moving to Toronto, gardening has not been a priority...until now. Suzanne has recently become a Ranger for the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project. A notice for the project on Facebook prompted her to turn to the Internet to learn more. The project’s website explains that it was initiated in 2017 to help combat a sharp decline in pollinator insects, specifically bees and butterflies. The goal is to plant patches of native wildflowers and plants in as many neighbourhoods as possible to create a pollinator-friendly corridor or “Butterflyway.”
The Rangers spearhead the project in their communities by organizing a local team to help them establish a dozen pollinator patches. The project has grown from 250 Rangers in six cities initially, to more than 1,000 Rangers in 100-plus communities this year. While Leaside already has a connection to the Butterflyway Project with the Butterfly Canoe in front of the library, the position of Ranger appealed to the energetic Suzanne because of her background: “love of the outdoors and a desire to give back to the community through a productive project.” The organization provides inspiration, a framework for their endeavours, and a series of webinars for training purposes. The first webinar
dealt with the history of the project, resources and tips on how to be successful. Other topics include pollinators, schoolyard “greening,” community science and Ranger networking. The Rangers are responsible for providing seeds for pollinator-friendly plants such as milkweed, lavender and black-eyed Susans, and the soil for the planters and gardens. Suzanne’s early duties included ordering seeds and asking the community via Facebook to donate pots. She then started planting in small containers, even germinating milkweed seeds in her refrigerator to provide the best conditions. At the same time, she approached local residents about taking flowers for their BUTTERFLYWAY Page 5
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No. 107
Leaside Life • April 2021
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Editor’s Welcome
Look up and around! One of the things that has sustained me during the pandemic, which recently marked a grim first anniversary, is regularly getting outside. Whether for runs, walks, or merely strolls, on most days, I’ve been able to commune with nature, and that has kept me sane. Well, relatively speaking. Recently, a few days teased us with hints of things to come, and I found myself giving in to serious spring fever – covid be damned! I started observing early signs of renewed life. The first snowdrops. Green shoots kissing lawns through Leaside. Loud, insistent bird calls. It seems I’m not the only one feeling the warm embrace of nature. Leaside Life publisher Lorna Krawchuk in her column this month sings the praises of Leaside’s vast tree canopy. She’s been spending time looking up – and in some cases, with the venerable trees throughout the neighbourhood, looking way up. Leaside is home
Jane Auster Editor Leaside Life
to a vibrant collection of trees, from the Ontario Heritage White Oak in front of St. Cuthbert’s Church, planted originally beside a Lea family orchard, to the London plane trees with their distinctive bark. You can admire a very fine specimen kitty-corner from Leaside United Church. You don’t have to be a tree-hugger to fall in love with Leaside’s tree canopy...but it doesn’t hurt. Another Leasider with spring firmly on the brain is Suzanne Sharples, who recently became a Ranger for the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project. You may have already noticed the colourful Butterfly Canoe in front of the library. Now Suzanne is appealing for volunteers to help expand the project to establish pollinator patches in Leaside. You’ll meet this energetic volunteer in Janis Fertuck’s story. Spring is here. We’re all ready! n
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Time to celebrate Leaside’s tree canopy The trees of Leaside were the drawing card when Ted and I, then living in Thorncliffe Park, were starting to make decisions as to where in the city to buy a house. That was 1970. We would drive along Southvale on our way to the Bayview Extension and admire all those trees. It wasn’t until after we had actually bought our Leaside house that we even knew the name of the neighbourhood! Our house came with a Chinese elm in the backyard. Most of our neighbours had them too – sort of a largesize hedge to separate us from the backs of the commercial properties on Laird. We learned that they grow quickly, but not too well, and are expensive to remove. Our next-door neighbour had a Tree of Heaven – another big gangly tree that rained pods. Bessborough Drive, especially between Millwood and McRae, is especially beautiful with its avenue of trees. Unfortunately, most of them were planted at the same time, and are non-native Norway maples, nearing the end of their life. None of
these tree species is currently on the official City of Toronto list. Trees in front yards or boulevards, usually known as “street trees,” are owned by the City, and are planted by them, but appreciate some loving care and watering, especially when they’re young, by the abutting homeowner. About 15 years ago, when Jane Pitfield was the councillor for this area, there were teams of us who walked up and down all the Leaside streets, armed with brochures of “city-approved tree suggestions.” We would be looking for properties with no front-yard tree, and try to decide which of the approved trees to recommend. We would then drop the brochure with our recommendation in the house mailbox, and put that address on a list for the Forestry staff. It wasn’t quite negative-option planting, because the City staff did actually check with the homeowner before putting a tree in the ground, but it was close. Sometimes, there was kind of a “flavour of the year” style to tree plantings. The City really loved Japanese silk lilacs at one point. Just
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look on Millwood between Sutherland and Randolph to see the grove there as one example. Elms and ashes are also no longer on City lists, thanks to the dangers of Dutch Elm Disease and the Emerald Ash Borer. This is a good time of year to keep an eye out for the relatively few tulip trees in our neighbourhood. Some lovely ones blooming soon are on Laird at Divadale and on St. Cuthbert’s Road. You might also recognize the distinctive bark of a London plane tree. There are a few around the neighbourhood, but one odd one is kitty-corner from Leaside United Church. Then there are the gingkos. Gingkos are an ancient tree species, with a lovely twirly leaf, and male ones are still being planted regularly. But not the female ones. Not only do they rain berries, but smelly berries – and not a nice smell either! CANOPY Page 8
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Leaside Life • April 2021
by LORNA KRAWCHUK
Leasider’s side hustle turns him into Tik Tok celebrity
Leaside Life • April 2021
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by SUZANNE PARK Taking a walk down memory lane recently, I was reminded of the many Saturday nights my teenaged friends and I spent in the darkened high school gym listening to the DJ spinning tunes while we avoided dancing. Those days are long gone yet Leaside has its very own DJ determined to get the party started and have us up dancing every Saturday night. Leasider Peter Kostandenou describes himself as “a successful software entrepreneur with a side hustle that brings me pure joy.” He is the talent and local celebrity hosting DJ Revival on Tik Tok every Saturday night. And his show has legs. “In just eight weeks DJ Revival has gone from 20 viewers joining my first show to over a thousand in the chat, which usually translates to approximately 10,000 viewers,” he said. Peter is a community contributor who still marvels that “my community stretches well beyond Leaside’s borders with followers from Brazil, Japan, UK, Germany. They return
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every week and comment that I lift their spirits by playing music they enjoy. I’ve inadvertently built a community among my fans.” And when you tune in to DJ Revival, you’ll see how Peter’s entertaining enthusiasm encourages fans to get up and shake a leg. “My fan base is growing steadily. Many fans text me and talk music, make music suggestions, ask for more shows and my advice on mixing songs, which is an art I really enjoy. I’m flattered that a few other Tik Tok celebs want to partner with me and I’ve even been offered a flight and firstclass accommodations in Abu Dhabi to be the DJ at a wedding, which I’ve politely declined.” Asked about his first show Peter admitted, “I was nervous. I’ve had this music set up in my home for ages so I didn’t need to create a set or assemble equipment. It was all here, as I’ve been entertaining myself and relieving my stress over the years by heading down to the basement and mixing and playing my music. My nerves were related to how I would be received as I was planning to share something I love with complete strangers.” He added, “With encouragement from my wife and friends, I decided to go for it and am so glad I did. I am enjoying myself so much and there seems to be a public who is enjoying coming along for the ride.” Peter explained that he’s always been a high energy person who now gets so much enjoyment out of his Saturday night DJ Revival Tik Tok parties. “Tik Tok is about entertaining, and regular people like me offer their skills and talents for others’ entertainment and learning. Like the cooking shows that teach us how to prepare a meal in 15 minutes or the amateur comedian telling jokes. All welcome offerings during Covid, in an effort to entertain and bring joy to others. So, I urge you to put on your dancing shoes and tune in on Saturday or even start your own Tik Tok revolution like I did.” Ready? Check out https://www. tiktok.com/@dj_revival?lang=en. n
BUTTERFLYWAY from cover gardens and balconies. With her goal of securing 20 patches in Leaside, Suzanne’s next steps include connecting with community groups, contacting garden centres and businesses, and networking with other Rangers in nearby communities like East York and the Beaches. These connections are needed not only to find suitable locations for patches, such as pre-schools, shops, parks, businesses and retirement homes, but also to recruit volunteers to maintain the gardens once they are planted. For example, she hopes to attract high school students who are looking for a fun way to earn their community service hours and younger children who will enjoy learning about gardening and ecosystems. Suzanne says she is “very excited at the response to the Butterflyway. Leaside has been supportive in helping with planting the containers required, and many friends and residents have requested plants and information. I’m looking forward to connecting with businesses and volunteers in the upcoming weeks.” To learn more, contact Suzanne at suzysharples@live.com. n
Leaside Life • April 2021
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Leaside Life • April 2021
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Terry Fallis Columnist
I know I’ve at least mentioned it before, but I think it’s worth revisiting. Of course, by now you’ll know that I’m talking about one of the less important elements of the pandemic but I’m sure among the most relatable. No, not the importance of testing, though you’ll get no argument from me on that front. Nor is it the critical role social distancing, handwashing, and the need for us all to conduct ourselves responsibly, when confronting this insidious virus. No, I’m talking about a subtler revelation this last year has yielded. My pandemic wardrobe. If you know me, you’ll understand that it takes a lot for me to put the words “my” and “wardrobe” together in a sentence. It suggests a level of interest in clothes that just doesn’t fit. But I did realize something the other day when for various reasons, I actually had to dress up to normal business-casual standards to shoot a short video.
Haute pandemic couture? Not a chance! Now, you have to understand that for over a year, I have donned real pants about five times. Five, count 'em, five times. Four for socially distanced golf and one for this aforementioned video. Each time I pulled on chinos or khakis or whatever we call those almost ubiquitous casual pants guys wear – I just don’t have it in me to use the word “trousers” – I felt like I was dressed in Ironman’s suit. It seemed I could barely move. My locomotion was restricted, like I was walking with two casts on my legs. And what’s with that leather thing, I seem to recall it’s called a belt, pressing against my hips in an annoying grip. Intellectually, I know this sounds ridiculous. Pre-pandemic, I spent years wearing black, blue, gray, olive, or tan khakis to meetings, church, writers’ festivals, readings, dinner parties, and multiple other social occasions. They were my “go-to” choice of leg-coverings. And I was quite comfortable in them. Not anymore. The pandemic has fundamentally altered my approach
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to lower-body apparel. Contributing factors in this life-change for me, I mean beyond the pandemic, include the related rise in Zoom calls and the associated need to be concerned only with how you dress your upper body. So, what does all this mean? Well...I’ve been wearing sweatpants for 13 months now. There, I said it. And man, has it been nice, and warm, and comfortable, even cozy. Now, nothing else feels nearly as good and I’ve just gotten used to it. Yes, I’ll wear a collared shirt and even a sports jacket on my frequent Zoom calls, but if the camera ever inexplicably panned downwards, or if I ever had to stand up (hasn’t happened yet!) my rather sharp and fashionable upper half would be complemented (and not in a good way) by my lower half clad in Toronto Maple Leafs sweats, or in one of the three new pairs of marginally more fashionable sweatpants I ordered online and have put into the rotation. The juxtaposition is quite stark, so I’ve trained myself never to stand up during a Zoom. It’s become such a habit, that even when dinner with the family is over, I still just sit there forgetting that I’m not on a Zoom and can just stand up whenever I want. After a year in soft and comfortable sweatpants, I’m not sure I can go back to regular pants with belts and zippers. When we’re all vaccinated and the world opens up again, I’m not sure I want to. I’ve become so accustomed to my elastic waist-banded sweatpants – or what I’ve heard some people call “buffet pants” – I’m afraid I may not be able to get out of them. So, when the world is back and you see me sauntering along Bayview or speaking at the library, I apologize in advance for my so-called fashion sense. I’ll still be in transition. It'll take some time to reintegrate my closet-full of khakis into my wardrobe. And don’t get me started on dress socks versus the fluffy and comfy hiking socks I’ve been living in. They go perfectly with sweats. 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
Leaside Life • April 2021
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LEASIDE LITERATI
Leaside Life • April 2021
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by PAUL HARRIETHA Long-time Leaside resident Paul Harrietha, PhD, has just published The Invisible Rules: What’s Really Holding Women Back in Business – And What to Do About It (Barlow, 2021). Despite all the positive press and growing corporate commitment to diversity and inclusion these days, the march toward gender equity in Canadian workplaces continues to progress at a snail’s pace. At last count, less than four per cent of CEOs at Canada’s 100 leading companies are female – and women hold only 10 per cent of the highest paying jobs in corporate Canada. That’s hardly equitable. And it’s a growing frustration for aspiring female leaders, many of whom continue to abandon conventional employment pipelines for entrepreneurial and non-traditional roles. Why do women remain so poorly represented in the upper echelons of corporate Canada in 2021? And,
more to the point, what should be done about it? My co-author, Dr. Holly Catalfamo, and I interviewed 50 female executives from across Canada, including some of the highest-profile leaders in the country. These remarkable leaders graciously shared their stories, challenges, and successes as ambitious women. They talked openly about those invisible rules that had held them back – and offered compelling insights into what corporate Canada is really like for aspiring female leaders. Specifically, the leaders identified “four big biases” that simply make it harder for women to compete directly with men for senior leadership positions (or most corporate roles, for that matter): a general need to outperform men on a sustained basis; a need to choose between likability and leadership; the additional demands associated with motherhood and domestic responsibilities; and a subtle tendency for women to judge each other in the workplace. Recognizing these persistent challenges, our 50 leaders also shared
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how they managed to navigate the big biases (and other invisible rules) during their climb up the corporate ladder. Generally, they attribute their success to four highly consistent strategies or factors: strong credentials that give women instant credibility and a voice at the table; adaptability and the ability to balance stereotypical male (assertive) and female (communal) behaviours as needed; the cultivation of a strong profile or personal brand; and considerable levels of family, spousal, organizational, and/or outsourced support, including sponsorship. The resulting CAPS Leadership Framework serves as a road map for any woman looking for career advancement. Finally, our leaders offered their thoughts on how to level the playing field for ambitious women, ranging from the conventional to the controversial. Everything from formal quotas to a tangible commitment from the male executives who continue to dominate executive boards and c-suites. In the compelling words of one leader, “Gender equity is not something that women can fix all on their own. If they could, the problem would have been solved a long time ago. It’s time for men to make gender equity a business priority. Good intentions aside, nothing gets done when only half of the population wants it to get done.” Paul is the retired CEO at the OMERS Sponsors Corporation. He currently serves as Chair of the Advisory Board for Niagara University in Ontario and is Executive in Residence at St. Bonaventure University in New York State. The Invisible Rules ($30) is available in hardcover through most bookstores. An e-version is available through Amazon. n
CANOPY From page 3 Some of our trees are older than the neighbourhood. One of these is the Ontario Heritage White Oak in front of St. Cuthbert’s Church. We aren’t sure how old it is, but when it was originally planted beside a Lea family orchard, they certainly weren’t having to consider the hydro wires. Interested in a tree for the road allowance in front of your property? Call 311 or browse through the list of current recommended trees on the City’s site. If you’d like to see a variety of fine specimens, identified with tags, visit our very own arboretum in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. n
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BLT pivots to humanitarian building
Leaside Life • April 2021
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by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO Leaside-based BLT Construction has been operating since 1995, designing and building projects throughout Toronto and across Canada. The majority of their work has been in the restaurant, hotel, retail, and recreational facilities sectors, while also working in office and residential projects. Whether the work is retrofitting, rebuilding, or refurbishing existing spaces, or building from the ground up, their work is award-winning and greatly in demand. Chances are you’ve visited at least one of their projects. In Toronto, BLT has been involved in the renovation, refurbishment, rebuilds, and/or new builds of numerous top-of-the line projects. To name only a handful: the main ballroom at the King Edward Hotel, the Scotiabank Centre (including the remodeling of both the Maple Leafs’ and Raptors’ locker rooms), the Rogers Centre, Amsterdam Brewhouse, Drake One Easter Nella AD print with bleed.pdf Fifty, RealSBSports, Cucina, The Midtown, Copetin Restaurant & Bar, Hendriks Restaurant & Bar, Avling
Humanitarian building But what sets apart this Leaside company is its involvement in significant humanitarian builds. In 2018 and 2019, BLT, in partnership with Sprung Structures, built three 24-hour homeless respite centres in Toronto, which continue to provide support for the city’s homeless population, each with capacity for 100 clients. The centres include security, kitchens, dining areas with built-in charging stations and TVs, washroom and shower facilities with barrier-free facilities, designated gender-neutral facilities, Trillium Health Temporary Pandemic Response Unit laundry facilities, and The company also built 16,000 counselling rooms. square feet of new office space for When the pandemic hit in March the Toronto Police Association, of 2020, BLT sprang into action to and renovated the Turf Lounge and provide solutions to hospitals overthe Northern Dancer Room for the whelmed with a surge of patients. Woodbine Entertainment Group. According to Paul Waddell, BLT 1 And 2021. 03. 12. 14:58 these are just in Toronto. The Construction’s VP of Design Build, company is also noted for the extent the company was “quickly anticipatof its work across Canada. ing, and responding to, the need.” Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington approached BLT about the immediate need for such a solution and within 14 days, the 8,250 sq.-ft. Pandemic Response Unit was constructed. Insulated for year-round performance, this modular unit delivers an oxygen supply system in a negative pressure environment and connects to the hospital via an enclosed walkway. The unit has its own heating, cooling, air filtration, and permanent plumbing for washrooms and showers. These are units, says Waddell, “that will stand the test of time.” Since then, BLT, in partnership with Sprung Solutions and their contractors, has built five more Pandemic Response Units. Throughout the pandemic, the company has been acutely aware of the sad plight of, and rise in, homelessness. Wishing to give back to each of the communities where they installed Response Units, the company, along with their partners, has raised $500,000 for various homelessness agencies and initiatives. From a primarily restaurant, hotel, and retail focused business, to one that has provided a vitally important response to the Covid pandemic, BLT Construction is continuing to provide high-quality work meeting evolving needs. n Kitchen & Brewery, Kid Lee, the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel, Yorkville Residences, the Adelaide Hotel Private Residences, Suites, and Spa, and the Holt Renfrew Café in Yorkdale. Whew!
DO YOU KNOW A GREAT SPORTS LEADER, VOLUNTEER, ATHLETE OR TEAM? Nominations are now open for the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame and for Athlete/Team of the Year, 2021. ALSO Nominations are now being accepted for Historic Teams for induction into the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame. Visit leasidesports.com to nominate or for eligibility criteria. DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS IS JUNE 30, 2021.
The Leaside Sports Hall of Fame gratefully acknowledges the generous support over the years from PATRICKROCCA .com 416.322.8000 mail@patrickrocca.com
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We plan to hold a combined induction ceremony and community reception at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens Arena for those inducted in 2020 and 2021, however because of the uncertainty caused by COVID 19, we will announce the date for the event in the fall.
Are Leaside streets for all ages and abilities?
Leaside Life • April 2021
12
by HOLLY REID how does this research relate to us? When temperatures hit double As part of the study, the researchdigits in early March and the sun ers categorized all roads in the city was shining, my thoughts turned based on who would feel comfortto warm-weather cycling. Getting able riding on them. They looked out for a ride on bare roads and at road type and width, traffic feeling the (warm) wind on your face is both restorative and exhilaratPedalheads campers learning to ing. As it turns out, ride on our residential roads Leaside is apparently a pretty good place to ride a bike. At least that’s what a recent University of Toronto study illustrated. Researchers looked at how ActiveTO affected people’s access to low-stress cycling infrastructure in Toronto. Last summer, ActiveTO brought us HOLLY REID major road closures on weekends speed and speed limits, motor and nearly 40 km of new protected vehicle volume (morning peak) and bikeways. There’s more to come for cycling infrastructure to determine 2021, so stay tuned. But Leaside the level of stress associated with didn’t have any ActiveTO installariding a bike on a particular road. tions; in fact, there was nothing for According to their analysis, most of midtown in the ActiveTO program our residential roads within Leaside (see Leaside Life July, 2020), so
Bayview’s
are low stress and suitable for all users, including children. McRae Drive, Millwood Road, Southvale Drive and Broadway Avenue are considered more stressful and rated as being “comfortable for the majority of adults.” No surprise that arterials such as Bayview Av e n u e , Eglinton Avenue and Laird Drive have the highest traffic stress and are assigned to cyclists who are “strong and fearless” and, in a few sections, those deemed “enthused and confident.” I’m curious how Leasiders feel about this analysis of our neighbourhood routes? In theory, a number of factors support the assertion that anyone can comfortably ride a bike around Leaside. We have low speed limits, and most intersections are signalized or have stop signs, minimizing conflicts. While traffic calming is
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limited, many streets accommodate on-street parking on both sides of the road, effectively narrowing available space so people on bikes and in cars must share the road. But the lived experience can often be quite different from a theoretical one. Our “Watch Your Speed” signs show that not everyone is sticking to the 30 km limit. The Automated Speed Enforcement camera on Bessborough Drive by Field Avenue yielded more than 800 infractions! When drivers aren’t willing to share the road with people on bikes, they can pass too closely for comfort (a minimum of one metre is required between car and bike rider). And no one gets a pass at our four-way stops where there are plenty of transgressions to go around. The researchers have shown that Leaside has the potential to be a place where everyone can feel comfortable riding a bike, but clearly improvements are needed if we are to realize that potential. So, what would you like to see? Email me at cycledonvalleymidtown@cycleto.ca and share your thoughts. n
Celebrate Herbert Horsfall on August 23rd? him as mayor for the next six years. By running the town like a business, Leaside began to grow. Horsfall sat on many committees and by the late 1920s had established a new area of 160 by PANCHETA BARNETT homes off Bayview Ave., between Millwood and Parkhurst and south I nominate John Herbert Henry to Bessborough Drive. Leaside Horsfall, British-born Canadian, Publicity News Paper ads helped to ca. 1879 - August 23, 1955; son fill the industrial area with quality Douglas Horsfall - (CWCC Ltd). enterprises. By 1930, the area was On February 11, 1911, Herbert becoming so populated that the Horsfall, Roderick Parke, Emil town would cancel the airport to Wallberg, Frederick J. Bell and build a new industrial area from Alfred Bicknell established Canada Wicksteed to Eglinton. Wire and Cable and successfully The East York Leaside Bridge, obtained a contract to supply which opened in 1927, would hydro wire for 14 municipaliallow the Toronto Bus Service and ties, including Toronto. Walberg cars to pass through Leaside to had independently purchased Yonge St. approximately 16 acres of land A small shopping area in November 1912 in on Millwood close to Leaside to meet the the Canada Wire Homes space requirements was created, and part for the factory and of Bayview between 100 homes for the Millwood and Fleming employees. Cres. became a shopping Before the plant area for the new homes. could open, WW1 Bessborough School had broken out! The was now able to accomplant was renamed modate all students. the Leaside Munitions The Volunteer Fire Factory and became Department expanded the largest and fastest and was now partially producer of shells in paid. North America. Herbert Horsfall Money was set aside Normal production of for a town park. The wire and house buildtown became home to the Great ing resumed when the war ended Gatineau Power Station site, large in 1918. enough to service Toronto and No other businesses or house Leaside. builders came to Leaside. The Horsfall provided land for the bankrupt Canadian Northern Rail North Toronto Sewage Disposal with its rail yards and Canada site for Toronto and Leaside. Wire were the only occupants of With the sudden death of Wallberg the town. on March 30, 1929, Horsfall Each of the Town’s two Mayors, resigned as Mayor to replace the Randolph McRae and Robert president of Canada Wire Cable Phipps Ormsby, racked up high from 1929 to 1944. Upon his resigdebt with no progress of a town. nation in Feb., 1944, he was asked So, Horsfall and Wallberg and their to accept the title of chairman of company decided to undertake the the board so he could continue to Leaside affairs. Leaside’s water be associated with the company in supply, hydro, road maintenance, an advisory capacity. Because of public school and 68 C.W.C. ongoing ill health, in 1949 Horsfall homes were taken over directly by terminated his association with the the company. company as director and chairman. In 1919, Horsfall became directly Today, Leaside is flourishing involved in town affairs by becombecause of Mr. Horsfall’s leadering a Councillor whose voice and ship and commitment. He was defiadvice graced various committees nitely a doer. for the next four years. Pancheta Barnett is the President When Railway Mayor Ormsby of the East York Historical Society. n resigned in 1923, Horsfall replaced
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The Curious Idler asked Leasiders whether we should celebrate a Leaside Day, and if so, when, and to honour whom?
Leaside Life • April 2021
STREETS continued
Organic Garage still wants to sell good $#!@% in Leaside
Leaside Life • April 2021
14
I remember excitedly reading Will Ashworth’s article in Leaside Life (March, 2017) announcing that Organic Garage (OG) had chosen 33 Laird Dr. at Canvarco Rd. to be the location of its fourth store in the GTA. At the time, and perhaps optimistically, the plan was to open in 2018. What’s not to love about a Canadian, family-run grocery chain selling fresh organic and all-natural products at prices that are reportedly between 15 and 25 per cent cheaper than those of its competitors coming to Leaside? But here we are in 2021 still without an update. Earlier this year we began hearing reports that the development project at 33 Laird had stalled. I set out to learn more about the status of the 2.24-acre site with a partially built 67,916 sq. ft. structure integrating a heritage-listed building that once served as the home of the Sheridan Equipment Company. A search of Ontario Superior Court documents reveals that on Nov. 28, 2020, a “Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal” (NOI) under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act was filed. An NOI provides companies with financial difficulties the oppor-
Glenn Asano The Business of Leaside
tunity to restructure their affairs. The most recent filing in February confirms that the court has ordered the property be sold to the highest bidder. Positive takeaway? As disappointing as this news first sounded, the positive takeaway is that the project should get “unstuck,” and with new backers, perhaps an even better vision will emerge. I reached out to Randee Glassman, director of marketing and OG’s “Ambassador of Buzz” to get a sense of their current thinking on coming to Leaside. She wrote: “This location continues our commitment to developing the Toronto market and bringing healthier food for less to more customers; as such
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we are still committed to the development of the site and patiently wait for the construction to finish.” How might we take advantage of the current situation? Now would be the time for the community to address any outstanding issues related to that specific area of our ‘hood as it relates to increasing traffic. Currently, Canvarco Road is a cul-de-sac. It is incredibly difficult to make a turn left to get in or out. Ditto for the entranceway to XYZ Storage. The peculiar intersection at Laird-Millwood-SouthvaleMalcolm could also use some love. While I’m at it, let’s throw in both entrances to Leaside Gardens and the straightening of the sweeping curve on the northeast side between Millwood and Southvale. With no end in sight for the continued “intensification” of Leaside, the traffic issues at this southeast “gateway” to Leaside and the southern part of the business park urgently need an updated traffic management plan at the least. Two developers I spoke with about the 33 Laird development told me the site would not be attractive without the City’s commitment to “improve the traffic situation for vehicular and pedestrian access.” In interviews for previous articles, both Pie in the Sky Studios and Mega Cleaners cited their concerns about the negative impact increasing traffic is having on their business, and this is before the 33 Laird project is completed. The call for action is not new. My colleagues at the LRA confirmed that this problem has been raised on several occasions over the past six years, yet little has changed. Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning (Thomas Edison) Geoff Kettel wrote a story in his Feb. 2016 article about this very topic and called for a study. The most recent opportunity to effect change came with the widely publicized Laird in Focus effort. Unfortunately, that highly visible effort focused on the main access to the business park at the north end (Study Area A) and the east side of Laird (Study Area B) only, thus leaving out the southeast end of Leaside and the south end of the business park.
15
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So what can be done? My gut reaction is for the City to be the winning bidder. The City could add a tremendous value to the neighbourhood for residents, as well as serve as a catalyst for desirable development at the south end of the park. I would even be keen to explore the benefits of a railway overpass that could connect the south of the business park with the Thorncliffe community and the coming Ontario line station. Even if the City does not bite, the new ownership of 33 Laird Drive would benefit and should be aware that certain deficiencies with the current development could be overcome if all stakeholders collectively came together for the greater good. Should the City purchase the 33 Laird development? Is the timing right to call for a secondary plan to address the traffic problems and future infrastructure needs to support development in the southernmost part of the business park? Let us know at leasidelife@gmail.com. Leasider Glenn Asano is a partner and principal consultant for the strategy and business development practice at Centred Performance. He is also an Instructor with the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. n
The Great Leaside house “lottery” of 1939
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by TED DEWELLES, Leaside Heritage Preservation Society On the eve of World War II, a strange event took place in Leaside that captured the attention of much of Toronto, and beyond. It all began when the Riverdale Kiwanis Club of Toronto decided to sponsor a charitable project to build a house – and then give it away. The plan was to sell tickets to donors and use the proceeds to help disadvantaged boys. Things went well...at first. A site was selected at the NE corner of Bessborough and McRae (now 107 Bessborough) and contractors chosen. This was followed by a ground-breaking ceremony in August, 1938 involving several Leaside dignitaries – including Leaside Mayor Howard Talbot. By year end, the $11,500, fully modern, nine-room house was ready, and its official opening scheduled for January. Inauguration day saw nearly 200 people watch Mayor Talbot and Toronto Mayor Ralph Day formally cut the ribbon that would launch the Kiwanis Club’s campaign, during which the house would be open to the public. Both the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star ran stories about the property, dubbed the “Kiwanis Model Home.” Contractors and suppliers, like Consumers Gas, paid for expensive print ads promoting their role in building it. Mayor Day even used it for subsequent photo-ops. All went well right up to the day when the house would be given away. Then the problems started. During the campaign, the Kiwanis Club had sold $25,000 worth of tickets (at one dollar each) to approximately 25,000 donors. The club named the winner on April 22: Bertha L. Schmidt, whom the Star described as a “kindly gray-haired woman.” Almost immediately, the unmarried Ms. Schmidt declared she would not move into the house because
it was “far too large.” This put the Kiwanis Club in the awkward position of having awarded the house to someone who refused to live in it. At the same time, Ontario Attorney General Gordon Conant announced he was launching an inquiry to determine if the house giveaway was even lawful. Lotteries were illegal back then, and to Conant and others it appeared as if the Kiwanis Club had operated one big lottery. This was vehemently denied by the two mayors, who maintained they had selected the winner using their own system. But they refused to provide details – which raised suspicions even further. As a result, Kiwanis officials were charged with violating the criminal code and Mayor Day was subpoenaed to testify – along with Mayor Talbot. The press naturally had a field day with the story, which was covered extensively by newspapers in Toronto, Windsor, Ottawa, Nanaimo and even Niagara Falls in New York State. Eventually, the excitement died down, normalcy returned, and no one went to jail. Leaside even had two more house raffles – one in 1944 and another in the early 1950s. Neither venture, one suspects, was quite as exciting – nor as controversial – as the great Leaside house lottery of 1939. Correction to my March heritage column: According to Google Maps, the Leaside Transformer Station is located slightly north of the Millwood CPR underpass. n
An update on Lake Leaside Jaye Robinson
Councillor, Ward 15, Don Valley West
Chief Building Official. I am pleased to advise that after significant efforts from my office and much engagement from the Leaside community, the developer has submitted a new application to construct a shopping centre at 70 Wicksteed Ave., substantially in line with the application submitted in 2012. Once City Planning have completed their preliminary review of the proposal, a community consultation meeting will be scheduled. Most importantly, this application is a significant step toward finally completing construction on site, bringing an end to the lengthy era of Lake Leaside. I have been clear with City Planning that the unique history of this site should make it a priority in the application review
process – I know our community is eager to see the property restored. From the outset, it has been difficult for me to understand how this issue has been allowed to persist for so long – it is absolutely unacceptable for a large construction site to remain vacant for so many years. Lake Leaside has highlighted a significant gap in our ability to regulate abandoned construction sites. Simply put, there are currently no legal mechanisms in the building code that the City can leverage to hold developers accountable to their original construction schedule. At the October, 2019 City Council meeting, I kickstarted a new strategy to bridge this gap and improve our regulation of unfinished construction sites through the use of fines, permit revocation, and other enforcement mechanisms. I am looking forward to a future report from the Chief Building Official on this issue. Many thanks to all the neighbours who engaged with my office on this file over the last two and a half years. It’s been a challenging issue to address, but the end of the Lake Leaside era is finally in sight. n
17
Leaside Life • April 2021
In 2012, SmartCentres submitted an application to the City to construct a new shopping centre at 70 Wicksteed Ave. At that time, I don’t think anyone could have predicted that the property would eventually become a massive, water-filled hole in the ground for over half a decade, earning the now infamous nickname of “Lake Leaside” along the way. As I’ve written in other Leaside Life columns, this property is not only a visual blight, but also a serious health and safety concern. My team and I have been hard at work addressing the safety issues at this property since I first began representing Leaside in 2018. Each spring, my office has played a central role facilitating for the site to be drained and requesting the developer to undertake shoring and other necessary repairs. I’ve also worked closely with Toronto Building on a site-specific strategy to compel the developer to either proceed with construction or backfill the property, including an exploration of legal options, many stern conversations with the developer, letters to the property owner, and several meetings with the Deputy
Homelessness is NOT a choice! You can help end it.
Leaside Life • April 2021
18
by ANNE SAUNDERS Homelessness? “That’s not a choice anyone makes,” said author Denise Davy on TVO’s The Agenda on March 2, 2021. Her book, Her Name Was Margaret, led Davy into the world of homeless people, a world we rarely see, living in Leaside. With staying at home more, many of us haven’t even seen a homeless person in the past year. Although out of sight, homelessness has not been out of mind for Northlea United Church (NUC). Whether in YouTube Sunday services or Zoom discussion groups, social issues surface – like racism, homelessness and climate change. In the fall, we learned there were about 10,000 homeless people in Toronto, vulnerable to COVID-19 infection in shelters and on the street. The city created more indoor spaces, many in hotels. But with social distancing and limited spaces, there weren’t enough beds. Out of the Cold programs couldn’t
provide overnight accommodation or indoor dining, but some mobilized volunteers and resources to hand out toiletries and takeout meals. Then we heard about the growing size and number of encampments in Toronto parks where, by December, there had been more than 240 fires. On February 17, a man died in such a fire. NUC community members have always tried to make a difference locally and globally, participating in food drives, resettling Syrian refugees, volunteering in Flemingdon Park – trying to improve the lives of people near and far. With Toronto COVID-19 cases rising, we knew there was a homelessness crisis. What could we do while in lockdown, with pandemic protocols continuing for the foreseeable future? How could we reach out to neighbours? A plan developed. Using NUC’s website, its weekly e-letters, its outdoor sign and Facebook, we are extending a
community-wide invitation to address homelessness in Toronto. We invite Leasiders to visit www.northleachurch. ca for one-stop access to: • Donate. The money will go to a charitable organization serving homeless people. Click the “DONATE NOW” button and securely donate through Canada Helps. Or cheques can be made out to Northlea United Church, indicating “Homeless Project,” and mailed to 125 Brentcliffe Rd. Toronto M4G 3Y7. • Learn. Follow links to information sources and videos. • Write letters. Use provided letter templates and write to political representatives asking them to prioritize ending homelessness in Toronto. We’ve not only learned that “homelessness is NOT a choice,” but also that we can end it. We know because it’s been ended in many cities and countries around the world. “We know how to do it,” said Denise Davy. “It’s supportive housing…and community support.” Isn’t it time homelessness ended in Toronto? Accept NUC’s invitation and together let’s do it! Anne Saunders is the Interim Mission Coordinator at Northlea United. n
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Leaside Life • April 2021
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Leaside Life • April 2021
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Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LRA
Remember how shortly after the last provincial election, Queen’s Park cut our municipal representation in half – by unilaterally reducing the number of Toronto’s wards – reminding us that our city is only a creature of the province? The province is the boss. We are not. We are hearing the same message today. Those involved in protecting local neighbourhoods and local democracy face more of an uphill battle than ever. The provincial government has made it legal for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to fast-track developments on publicly owned lands by overriding local zoning rules, ignoring public consultation, and permitting developers to build even in areas considered sensitive or otherwise unsuitable. Queen’s Park has also changed the Planning Act to allow developments which have been approved by a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) to be exempt retroactively from previous provincial policy.
Keep local decisions local! In his column last month, my LRA co-president, Geoff Kettel, raised the subject of Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) and asked if an MZO could affect Leaside. This is not a hypothetical question. From some examples of MZOs already disclosed by the media, like the Dominion Foundry buildings downtown, it takes a very strong public response from residents, and threat of legal action, to make any impact at all. We do not know how many other examples of MZOs are not currently publicly known. I’m inclined to ask our provincial partners a direct question: are there any such deals being considered in or around Leaside? As these decisions are made without public transparency, we as citizens only learn of them after the deals have been made, by which time it’s generally too late to undo them. One thing is certain: as long as MZOs remain legal and enforceable, ratepayer groups like ours must remain both alert and ready to build financial reserves to pay for the action we may need to take to preserve the Leaside we cherish. If you’re not yet a member, or you haven’t renewed your membership, please confirm
your support. Our annual membership costs only $30! Update your info! And now a heartfelt request from Robin Rix, the LRA’s membership chair. He reports that whenever we send out an e-blast or bulletin to members, a few bounce back, most likely because some have changed their email address or net providers. Perhaps they signed up with a work address and changed jobs, so that their original email address is now invalid. Is this you? Did you just forget to tell us? Please let us keep in touch with you by updating your contact information. Contact us either at mailinglist@leasideresidents.ca, or go to our website (www.leasideresidents.ca), click ‘Join’, and then click ‘Subscribe’. The annual membership fee is only $30! Next meeting: The LRA board of directors’ next meeting is on Wed., April 7th, at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. If you’d like to attend, either as a deputant or an observer, contact us by the 7th so we can send you access details. You are welcome to attend any of our board meetings, on the first Wednesday of each month. n
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Laird in Focus goes to appeal
Leaside Life • April 2021
22
Laird is in focus again – this is the seventh installment in Leaside Life! Last time out (Dec., 2019) City Council had approved the plan, which incorporated the Leaside Centre (RioCan) appeal settlement, but since then there have been two new appeals. The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) held a case management conference (CMC) on Feb. 17 to consider how to handle the two appeals to the Official Plan Amendment (OPA 450) to which City Council gave final approval in July, 2020. Hyde Park Limited Partnership, the owner of the lands east of Brentcliffe Road (843-863 Eglinton Ave. East), has appealed multiple provisions of the Laird in Focus Plan policies for that area, including density, heights and greenspace; Leaside Residences LP, the owner of the lands on the west side of Laird, which are the subject of twin development applications for the sites north and south of Stickney Avenue (126-132 and 134 Laird Dr.), has appealed the three-metre setback from the property line the City is requiring on the west side of Laird. While both planning areas and policies are important, the west side of Laird appeal, if it were successful, would eliminate the City’s plans for an improved streetscape on the west side of Laird, including wider sidewalks, landscape buffer, and protected bike lane. The CMC, held on Feb. 17, is intended to sort out the best way to proceed, who should be involved, and when. Present for the virtual meeting, in addition to lawyers for the appellants and the City, were several residents from Randolph Road, together with Doug Obright and myself representing Leaside
Geoff Kettel
Saving old Leaside Residents Association (LRA). The key consideration emerging from the proceedings was that in each case the issues raised by the appeals were linked to either current (in the case of Leaside Residences) or imminent (Hyde Park) development applications. So, rather than dealing with the appeals in isolation, it made more sense to consider them along with their respective applications. The applications for 126-132 and 134 Laird Drive were submitted last year and will be the subject of a Cityarranged community consultation meeting shortly. The lawyer for Hyde Park stated that they are planning to submit a planning application “in the
next couple of months” and agreed that their issues with OPA 450 would become clearer when their application was submitted to the City. Before the hearing, the Randolph residents, led by Donna Smythe and Andrew Smyth, had submitted Participant forms and statements for the Leaside Residences appeal, and the LRA submitted Party forms and statements for both appeals. In addition, Cycle Don Valley Midtown submitted Participants forms and statements in both appeals. After some discussion, the (LPAT) Member agreed that the LRA should be a Party for the initial proceedings, and that this status could be reconsidered later. Participants were all accepted. However, he noted that Participants are only allowed written statements – not verbal – an unfortunate change that limits resident participation. Next up? A second CMC will be held on May 17, 2021 at 10 a.m. Before then, the two appellants are to confirm the subject policies under their respective appeals, and produce an issues list. Stay tuned! n
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Homelessness is NOT a choice! Why do people experience homelessness? Don’t believe the myths! Fact: It’s a complex issue affecting many people for many reasons. This April, help Northlea United End Homelessness in Toronto. How? Visit Northleaunited.ca for ways to: • Learn more about this important issue; • Find templates to write to our political leaders; • Donate to End Homelessness today!
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