Leaside Life Issue 121 June 2022 by Leaside Life

J U N E 2022

Leaside Life leasidelife.com

No. 121

Opposition to high rise on Bayview a united front Page 18

TING OR PP

LOCAL B

US IN E

TOBIE LOUKES PADDLES THE WONSCOTANACH (DON RIVER VALLEY) PAGE 16

WE ARE PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED BY LEASIDE’S OWN ACCURATE DISTRIBUTING 416-429-9102

COLE KREKLEWICH

The Don through an Indigenous lens

Leaside Life • June 2022

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Editor’s Welcome Who needs a handyman? Better question: who doesn’t? Apparently, at least half of Leaside is looking for a handy-person. In all the years I’ve been editing Leaside Life I don’t believe we’ve ever received as much mail as we did for Janis Fertuck’s profile in our May issue on handyman extraordinaire Rob Hughes. Before our story ran, Rob had already gained a reputation as a “who ya gonna call” kind of guy, a go-to resource for jobs both big and small. But once Janis’s piece ran, our email was, to coin a phrase, ringing off the e-hook. At first it was just a trickle of enquiries from residents wanting to reach Rob. With Rob’s permission, we initially acted as the go-betweens and forwarded his info to the readers. But then as the momentum built, we felt more like Rob’s agent, fielding a flood of requests and beginning to feel the way Drake’s manager must feel. Rob’s popularity speaks to a minitrend arising in the wake of the pandemic, as people, spending lots more time at home, suddenly start scrutinizing their domiciles and seeing the

Jane Auster Editor Leaside Life

need for improvement. Rob continues to be kind enough to offer to answer readers personally, but now his dance card is likely filled for the year. Surely there are other “Robs” in Leaside. If so, this is your time. Don’t be shy about putting out your shingle. Leasiders need you. On a completely different note... the June 2 provincial election is right around the corner. Don Valley West boasts a very impressive slate of candidates. Who will be the next MPP? An exciting time to be a voter! And finally... Correction: In the column Leasider Catherine Wiseman-Hakes launches The Compassionate Justice Fund (May issue), we stated that Catherine “is also a mother to three now young adult sons. …” In fact, Catherine is mother to three adult children: two sons, Andrew and Nicolas, and daughter Hannah. n

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Revisiting Reimagine Overlea - Part 2 What started as a community voicing their concerns about the safety of Overlea Bridge has resulted in the city adopting residents’ recommendations for the bridge’s complete overhaul. Charles H. Hiscott Bridge, aka the Overlea Bridge, is the second most used bridge in the city, connecting the neighbourhoods of Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park. It’s also a bridge with narrow walkways, poor drainage resulting in icy and slippery surfaces, poor lighting, low railings on the ravine side, unprotected bike lanes and highspeed vehicular traffic. The bridge is most frequently used by students from Thorncliffe accessing both Valley Park Middle School and Marc Garneau Collegiate. In 2020, with the guidance and assistance of teachers, local politicians, community associations, cycling groups and environmental organizations, students of Marc Garneau launched the Reimagine Overlea campaign.

The campaign, aimed at redesigning the bridge, caught the attention of the media and garnered meetings with city officials. In March, 2021, staff, students and parents deputed to the City of Toronto’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee with the ReImagine Overlea group presenting their studies and requests for muchneeded improvements to the bridge. At a public meeting this past March, the City of Toronto pre-

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sented a set of plans for doing just that. The comprehensive proposal, titled The Overlea Boulevard Renewal Project, encompasses many of the same goals of the ReImagine campaign. The plans aim to improve safety for all bridge users, to maintain roadways for driving, transit, deliveries and emergency services, and to enhance the public realm for local

OVERLEA Page 29

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Leaside Life • June 2022

by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO

MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS: TRUPTI 4

Good things come in small packages at Trupti No. 2 Thorncliffe Park Drive, as many of you are aware, is a long strip of businesses, at the stub of Thorncliffe Park Drive north of Overlea Boulevard. Unit 40 is the home of Trupti Enterprises Inc. You really should visit. Trupti in Sanskrit is “satisfaction,” and that is what you’ll feel as you wander the aisles. Looking for Dettol, or Tiger Balm, four different sized packages of chickpeas? Or maybe saffron from Spain, cinnamon stick from Vietnam or cardamom from Central America? You’ll find it – all packaged and ready to go. Trupti is proud to be a business where HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) principles and guidelines rule. All the food they buy from importers meets the standard, and as they grind, roast or blend, they continue to ensure the standards are met. Bharat Kotak, originally from Tanzania, worked in electronics

Bharat and Apexa Kotak

LORNA KRAWCHUK

Leaside Life • June 2022

by LORNA KRAWCHUK

when he first came to Canada. He met Apexa, who is originally from Surat, India, when on a job at the Indian store where she worked. In 1997, married and living in Thorncliffe, they took the advice of a friend who said, “You can never go wrong with food items – everyone needs food to eat,” and rented

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a unit at 2 Thorncliffe. They started a wholesale business with one table at the front, using a coffee grinder to grind peppercorns. After offering samples of various products, they expanded the business into retail as well. In those early days, their two children spent time after school stocking shelves or learning how to work the cash. While not at the business every day, the kids are still involved. Their son, a tech expert, took advantage of a grant from the Ontario government to set up their online presence – https://trupti.ca – once Covid changed the way businesses needed to conduct themselves. Their daughter, who works for the Ontario government, looks after the details of HACCP certification. What you see at the front of Trupti is the original unit with its retail aisles. What you don’t see are the four additional units at the back and 20+ employees working on the wholesale side of the business. This includes creating products, including custom spice blends, for a number of private labels destined for companies you’ve likely heard of. There is also a kitchen where Trupti can work with restaurant operators looking to develop a special flavour blend. In one room, there are spice grinders; in another, stone mills for grinding flours. There is “a lot of demand for our products,” says Bharat Kotak, which certainly pleases them as they meet their goal of “the highest quality of products in the safest way possible [for] our customers.” Certainly, Trupti (satisfaction) is guaranteed. n

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Leaside Life • June 2022

LEASIDE

THANKS LEASIDE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Leaside High sets up its own swap shop by JANIS FERTUCK Leaside High made the swap in March. The Leaside High School Fashion and Eco Clubs held their inaugural “One 4 One” Thrift Event a few months ago, and in doing so were participating in the latest trend: a fashion swap combining an interest in fashion with a concern for protecting the environment. Arzo Aslami and Daniella Arenas Henao, two Grade 11 friends, are passionate about both fashion and the environment. At an Eco Club meeting last fall, they heard one of the staff advisors, Cecily Osborne, a computer studies, science and special education teacher, discuss the growing popularity of the organized fashion swap “as a way to help reduce waste and promote sustainable fashion.” This discussion piqued their interest as they learned how the clothing in landfills is damaging the environment. “Canadian landfills are expected to be full in about 12 years and the textiles in clothing take years to decompose, releas-

Arzo Aslami, Trinity Asimakas, Ayeza Dawood

ing chemicals harmful to the environment such as carbon dioxide and methane, which contribute to climate change,” said Daniella. When the girls started the Fashion Club in February with communications technology teacher Lisa Rubenzahl as their advisor, they started to plan their own fashion swap. Ms. Rubenzahl said the pair

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are “a force to be reckoned with” who brought great ideas and energy to the “One 4 One” Thrift event. With the help of the 40 members of the Fashion Club, Arzo and Daniella publicized the event through announcements and social media posts and organized the tables of clothing for the two weeks before March Break. The event was held in the foyer at lunch time, but the first day was a bit slow as the students, according to Arzo, “didn’t really grasp the concept” of bringing in an item of clothing and exchanging it for one of their choice from the selection available. But, with more advertising, Arzo said the next days were “hectic,” with both teachers and students appearing even before the team had finished setting up the separate tables for clothing, shoes and accessories. Their “reservation policy” was popular, too, as it enabled thrifters to reserve an item for one day. Arzo said they had a “good number of trades each day and were pleased with the outcome.” Any leftover items were donated to Goodwill. The members of the Eco Club also played an important role in the event. According to their advisor, history and geography teacher Robert Cooper, they provided educational materials on sweatshops and human rights as well as the harmful effects of “fast fashion” on the environment. They also set up a sustainable wrapping display where they demonstrated the use of newspapers, magazines and shoe boxes to create attractive parcels. The Fashion Club is now planning

LHS SWAP Page 29

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Leaside Life • June 2022

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MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS: GRIT ATHLETICS

These Leaside dads got GRIT!

Have you got GRIT? Do you have what it takes? Luckily for Leasiders, you can develop your true grit. “GRIT Athletics is a sport and performance training centre committed to developing athletic, physical and personal excellence,” says the website of a business founded by three Leaside dads. Jeff, Neal and Shady were lamenting over a refreshment a few years back, “We and many other Leaside parents are driving way too far too often to get our kids to indoor winter training. Wouldn’t it be great to have a facility right here in Leaside?” Then they made it happen! These three dads are grit personified. Jeff Wolburgh is a venture capitalist, Neal Prabhu an architect and design professor, and Shady Ashamalla a surgical oncologist and head of general surgery at Sunnybrook. Their fledging business opened on Laird Dr. as planned, in early March 2020, just as a certain virus entered our lives. Undaunted, they seized that setback

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Leaside Life • June 2022

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as an opportunity to upgrade the facilities modeling the grit formula articulated by Angela Duckworth in her 2016 book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Duckworth’s research for the book answered the question: who is successful in classrooms and workplaces, and why? What GRIT Athletics adds to the formula is coaching expertise for skill development, opportunity to practise and refine skills, and a supportive community. Shady Ashamalla affirmed, “our goal is to build passion, fun and perseverance all contributing to character development.” The owners cherish their involvement with GRIT. “It’s a very rewarding experience. Although our catchment area is broad stretching beyond Leaside, many participants ride their bikes and even walk here,” said Ashamalla. Jeff Wolburgh added, “we’re really connected to the community so we have the flexibility to respond quickly to requests for things like school PA or snow day camps and to community requests for specific sport training.” “We have an ear to the ground, and our own kids and their friends influence decisions on switching from one sport to cross train in another,” said

Neal Prabhu. “Plus, our synthetic ice surface under the carpet can be pressed into service quickly for coaches or teams looking to focus on hockey skills.” The facility also boasts access to a large space outside which can be covered with faux turf or synthetic ice so multiple activities can be offered at the same time. Asked how they juggle their busy lives, Prabhu volunteered, “GRIT is always at the top of our list. We have weekly calls, connect regularly and generally like each other.” “We have two regularly scheduled anchor groups, Leaside Baseball Association and Leaside Wildcats girls’ hockey, which lightens the scheduling load and keeps the lights on,” Ashamalla added. GRIT’s owners, who also coach their sons’ teams, get high praise and much appreciation from Trevor Lawson for providing a local training facility where his sons and their baseball teams can refine their baseball and team building skills without driving outside Leaside. In addition to training at GRIT, Lawson’s elder teen son gives back by coaching younger athletes. For those slightly older Leasiders looking to add some grit, GRIT might in future include adult programming during school hours. n

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Leaside Life • June 2022

GRIT continued

I finally made it to Florida!

Leaside Life • June 2022

After a two-year pandemic pause, we finally rekindled our annual golf pilgrimage to Florida in early April. Yes, we made it. And I promised, or at least threatened, to report back upon our return. I had a speaking gig in Quebec City the evening before our trip, so it was a very early morning as I flew back to Toronto the next morning on the 5:14 a.m. flight to catch my connection to Orlando. I met my brother, Tim, at Pearson, and thankfully, our Florida flight departed on time. I should point out that Tim had enough Aeroplan points to fly twice around the world in the comfort of first class, so he was in the fancy section up front with the champagne flutes and eggs benedict. Meanwhile, I was back in steerage trying to shoehorn first, my carry-on bag into the overhead compartment, and then myself into what passed for a passenger’s seat. Eventually, we were given a tiny little package of pretzels, which barely constituted a mouthful. But they were good. Some of you may be wondering why Tim didn’t use some of his extra points to upgrade his dear

Terry Fallis Columnist

twin brother’s ticket so we could both enjoy the luxuries of Business Class service. I’m still wondering, too. I don’t want to be unfair to Tim; when we landed, he did wait for me in the terminal and even let me pull his carry-on bag as well as mine, so I was balanced with one in each hand. So considerate. Our brother-in-law picked us up in Orlando’s humidity, and we headed straight for the golf course. It was great to be golfing again, even at our level. We both played pretty well considering it had been months since we’d last held a club in our hands. Thankfully, all the hours of practice as kids, hitting nine irons around Talbot Park, entrenched our swings at an early age and kept them relatively intact all these years later.

Of course, as mentioned in a previous column, we brilliantly time our golf trip to coincide with the Masters at Augusta. So, our days are planned out with split second precision. We’re on the course at 7:15 every morning. We play our 18 holes in record time (if not record scores), and hightail it back to my brother-in-law’s home just in time to fire up the 56-inch high-definition 4K TV for the start of the Masters coverage at 11:00. During lulls in the Augusta action, we jump into the overheated whirlpool, and sometimes even into the regular pool. I tend to favour the whirlpool as the water temperature in the main pool is only about 88°F. As you can imagine, that’s a little chilly in comparison. We were too lazy to move the big flat screen TV out to the pool deck so we could watch golf, after playing golf, while lounging in the whirlpool. So, we were in and out of the pool and back in front of the TV, multiple times each day. We also ate very healthy and nutritious food from the day we arrived till our departure nearly a week later. I got my fibre from four different flavours of Doritos. We had to eat four or five different brands of potato chips in unspeakable quantities to meet our daily vegetable quota, but it was a sacrifice we were willing to make. If you don’t have your health, you have nothing. There may also have been some ice cream to balance out the potato intake. And we cooked up some great meals to complement the round-the-clock snacking. Oh, yes, and we slept, often in front of the TV in the middle of the afternoon with the Masters airing in the background. Sleep is important. When the Masters coverage ended for the day, we’d switch to the Leafs or the Blue Jays, and sometimes both. Heaven. As for my golf, I was as inconsistent as I consistently am. One game I was 41 on the front nine and 51 on the back nine. Story of my life. But it was a welcome and memorable week away from Omicron. I already have next year’s trip etched in my calendar. I may want to buy shares in Doritos shortly before. A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis grew up in Leaside and is the award-winning writer of eight national bestsellers. His most recent, Operation Angus, is now in bookstores. You can also subscribe to his newsletter: https://terryfallis.substack.com. n

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Leaside Life • June 2022

When our local merchants thrive, Leaside thrives

Leaside Life • June 2022

Sometimes, you get an unsolicited text, email or call that is NOT an annoyance. This happened to me on May 2nd when I received the following text message: “Thank you. ... Your purchase of $64.10 at Leaside Pub resulted in a donation of $35.00 to the Thorncliffe Food Bank + the Canada-Ukraine Foundation from the Merchant as well as our generous Booster partners. Well done!” Surprised at first, then rather satisfied, I remembered I had signed up to participate in the “Leaside Local” program (www.leasidelocal.com) a few weeks before (read about the program in Leaside Life, April 2022). Having just finished a lunch meeting where I picked up the tab, the pleasant feeling of magically conjuring up a $35 donation for worthy charitable organizations made me stop and think. …Kudos to the local merchants who are participating, kudos to the “boosters” who support this program, and kudos to the “martech” company behind the idea. In my opinion, initiatives like this that enable a ‘shop local’ mindset benefit Leaside. I just had to learn more.

Glenn Asano The Business of Leaside

Startup Hope Factory produces hope and shares it with others I met with the Hope Factory co-founders Mike Zivot, a Leasider for nearly 30 years, and his business partner Richard Smith to discuss the business opportunity and the marketing technology underpinning the Leaside Local program. Remarkably, the complementary duo – “visionary” Mike “does the talking” and Richard manages “the operation” – have been friends since they were 10 years old! I first sat down with Mike more than four years ago when another local economy-focused community initiative some of you may remember – the “Local Lea” – similarly caught my attention when I was interested in exploring the value of creating a

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community currency I referred to as the Leaside Dollar. With Mike’s extensive background in sales and marketing for non-profits and his entrepreneurial nature, it was no surprise to find out he was one of the individuals behind this new and promising venture. The business plan is ambitious. Although Leaside is the first commercial deployment of their marketing platform, Mike and Richard confirmed that our neighbourhood is really the ‘beta’ test site for this solution. As the business gains traction, there is a significant target market they are determined to assist by triggering donations. These include BIAs, schools, municipalities, business associations, churches, and sports teams, to name a few. These organizations are continually seeking creative ways to raise funds, however, the ultimate beneficiaries of their value proposition are locally owned merchants and the residents who live in the neighbourhood. According to sustainablebusinesstoolkit.com, local economies refer to economic and social systems that are part of a specific community. For example, a typical local economy may have residents who dine at a local independent restaurant. The restaurant employs residents from the community and buys goods and services from other local businesses. They purchase ingredients from local farms or suppliers, use a local law or insurance firm, and hire local musicians to play live music on the weekends. A “circular economy” prevails, which benefits the community, the residents, and the environment. Local economies include different sectors and industries that work together to contribute to local wealth creation, opportunities, and an increase in general prosperity for the community. Many of our local small businesses are struggling After listening first-hand to the challenges faced by our locally owned smaller businesses as they navigate the ‘living with Covid’ world, there is no doubt that many of them are struggling, and when these small businesses struggle, we all do. By simply making a conscious effort to change our behaviour and to proactively shop local, these besieged businesses will regain their strength and vitality and this benefits Leaside in several ways.

MERCHANTS continued

CYCLING

L-r: Courtney of Lexus on the Park, Mike Zivot, Alistair Baxter of Lexus on the Park, Richard Smith and Carolyn Armstrong from the team at Hope Factory.

When we support local businesses, research reports that for every $100 spent at a local business, $74 remains local (recirculates) as opposed to only $43 that remains local of your hard-earned dollars spent with the national and international big brands. This means more dollars spent locally can be re-spent locally, increasing the overall level of economic activity and leading to an increase in the tax base which can be used to improve local infrastructure. Further, small businesses typically account for over 80% of new job creation and provide nearly 90% of all employment in the private sector. Not to mention they contribute to local charities, support local events, sponsor our children’s teams and are known to provide a higher level of personalized customer service built on long-term relationships. Casting the economic lens aside, our local business community is a source of pride for many Leasiders and contributes to the uniqueness of our neighbourhood. Mike and Richard are on a mission “to produce hope and share it with others.” Their work benefits local merchants and helps raise funds for worthwhile charitable organizations. By creating value for all stakeholders, their business model and technology are helping strengthen our local economy. Thriving local merchants, game-changing boosters, successful local entrepreneurs, and a community supportive of the ‘shop local’ ethos, all collectively working for mutual gain. When combined with technology and experienced leadership it’s a potent combination. Perhaps it’s time to invest! For as long as I can recall, I have had a passion for entrepreneurship. I’m

happy to report it is alive and well in Leaside. Have you enrolled in the Leaside Local program? Can you think of any merchants or boosters who should join the program? Would you be open to alternative business models such as barter (e.g., She Shops Swap) or a community currency (e.g., Leaside Dollar) that benefits Leaside in unique ways? Let us know at leasidelife@gmail.com. n

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Leaside Life • June 2022

Final hockey season at Leaside is bittersweet

Leaside Life • June 2022

by ROBIN DICKIE The final year of youth hockey for the U18 Single A Flames ended with a fizzle. While they celebrated (pictured here) winning the regular season Pro Hockey Life Cup, they did not, in the end, win it all like they imagined, but the fact that there was a season at all was miraculous in itself. Covid continued to throw a wrench into their young lives. However, the team came back from a two-month lockdown over Christmas and went 14 and 0 in their last few weeks, all while one after another went down with Covid. And injuries. Coaches scrambled every day for call-ups who distinguished themselves on the ice and helped win games. In November, they won their final away tourney in London, and a few of them went to the finals against Lawrence Park as Leaside (High School) Lancers. I watched all this as an anxious mother praying that they could just play the sport they love. Doesn’t seem like a lot to ask, but we live in strange times. One of the coaches pictured is hanging up his whiteboard after

12 years. It doesn’t seem that long ago that our boys caught hockey fever after watching Sidney Crosby get the golden goal in the Olympics in 2010. Since then – 12 years of driving two kids in two different directions, waiting for games to start in cold arenas, the joy of victory and the agony of defeat. The excited ride home, or the silent, sullen one. The time spent with parents on buses, or in motels, or in crappy chain restau-

rants. They become your social group – friends, the kind that suddenly show up when times get tough. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. You might say that hockey isn’t that important. But you live in Leaside, right? Hockey is camaraderie, fitness, discipline, life lessons, social culture – just another outlet in their waning childhoods denied them during the pandemic. Hell, our older son missed his entire senior year in hockey in the previous season. You may think that’s not a big deal, but it broke his heart and mine. When we wonder and examine how our kids have fared over these last two years, missing sports and active participation will be front and centre. When the fall comes, these empty nesters will be wondering what to do with ourselves. No tryouts, no anxiety over team selection, no soccer or baseball finals. A milestone in parenting. Of letting go. Here’s to the value of all that time and effort. Here’s to the return of kids’ hockey. A shout out to some of the other Leaside Flames big winners this season: pictured – the Wildcats U11AA Provincial bronze medalists, U17 AA won the GTHL East Finals, and U18 Gold and U17 Red won their NYHL Select Championships. For pics see leasidelife.com. n

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The Don Valley through an Indigenous lens

Leaside Life • June 2022

by TOBIE LOUKES It’s May 6th around 5 p.m. and it’s my very first bike ride of the season. Usually, I put rubber to pavement much earlier in the season, but it’s been a very busy spring for me. I cruise down my street in north Leaside, say hi to a few neighbours and head through the stone entrance to Serena Gundy Park. I often think of the names of parks and other natural landscapes around our city and how they are not recognized by their Indigenous names, rather they are known by names given by settlers who ‘discovered’ the area or settlers who owned the land and then donated it to the city to be used as parkland. A noble cause, but these names mask 13,000 years of Indigenous history in the city we know as Toronto, properly pronounced Tkaranto – a Mohawk word that means where the logs gather. So, for the sake of this article I will refer to the Don as it was meant to be called: Wonsoctanach. Wonscotanach is an Anishinaabe word meaning burning bright light. It is believed that the river may have been given this name because of the fire-lit torch fishing that would have taken place here, beside and a little bit north of Leaside in the summer evenings many years ago. The name Don was given to the river by Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe in 1793 because it reminded him of the River Don in Yorkshire, England. This beautiful valley that meanders gracefully along the east side of our neighbourhood has been a point of contention in the history of our city’s agreed upon boundaries. The problematic Toronto purchase was drawn up in 1787, and the Mississaugas, believing that it was a rental of land

out of the ground all along the trail. There are tiny maples dotted along FROM each side of the steep concrete trail. THE Maples have been an important part COVER of local Indigenous technologies. It was the Indigenous peoples who taught the settlers how to tap trees to extract the rich syrup – a skill which enabled many settlers to survive. When I get to the bottom of the trail, I can see the stinging nettle’s dark green and jagged edged leaves all along the edge of the forest. This Tobie Loukes ancient medicine is native to Europe and most likely made its way here on ships; it now thrives in our ravines. It and not a surrender, drew the city’s is very high in vitamins A, C, calcium east boundary at the river. Since it and iron. I harvest nettle in mid-May, was entered into a negotiation, the hang it outside my front door to dry land was now vulnerable to chaland make it into tea, sipped hot or lenges. It wasn’t long before that cold throughout the year. eastern boundary was challenged, Cedar grows in abundance throughpushed farther east, and the city out the Wonscotanach valley and in acquired more Indigenous lands. many of our own front and backyards. It is one of the four sacred Plant life has purpose medicines and it represents protecTo look at the land through an tion. It makes an incredible tea that Indigenous lens is not to see plants is very high in vitamin C. and weeds (i.e., valuable vs. invaluNext, I come upon four huge able). It is, rather, to see all plant life and magnificent white pine trees. as having purpose – as medicines and The white pine is sacred to the foods. Women are the keepers of Haudenosaunee Nation. It was these medicines and knowlunder a white pine (the tree edge; plant life is known of peace) that the original as Grandmother (Nokmis five nations buried their in Anishinaabe) – giving weapons of war, thus what settlers considered becoming one under the Maple inanimate life an animate Great Law of Peace. This and loving relation. Rocks was the inspiration for the are called Grandfather American Constitution. If (Mishomis in Anishinaabe) you pull off a bundle of needles because the rocks are the oldest; you will notice they grow in fives to second oldest to these is our earth’s represent the original League of Five beautiful and abundant plant life. Nations: the Mohawk, the Oneida, As I roll down the steep hill, I don’t the Onondaga, the Seneca and the get far before I’m off my bike and Cayuga. walking so I can look closely at all DON VALLEY Page 24 the ripe green medicines popping up

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by TYLER LEE Have you ever wondered who lived in Leaside before European settlement? For the last 11,000 years, a great many First Nations have lived in the Toronto area, and many continue to call the Toronto area home. Nearly everywhere in Toronto has been traversed and used by First Nations for thousands of years. Toronto was first occupied by Algonquian-speaking peoples until the introduction of agriculture about a thousand years ago when, by unknown means, the language and culture of the area shifted decidedly to Iroquoian customs, despite being surrounded by Algonquian groups. Before agriculture, these First Nations were semi-sedentary hunter-gatherers who utilized vast swaths of land for subsistence. Their mobile lifestyle makes it challenging for people today to locate their villages, as they would only be used during certain parts of the year. By the late 1500s, the traditional smaller villages which varied from one another in subsistence patterns and levels of mobility began to amalgamate into larger heavily fortified cities that relied primarily on agriculture for subsistence. These cities generally exhausted farmed soil within 20-30 years so very few could exist in the same region without causing conflict. No such city has been unearthed in Leaside, but the area meets the desired conditions well. Thus, it is entirely likely one might be uncovered in the future. Although a city has never been discovered, there were reports from the European settlers above the Don Valley in Leaside stating that many Mississaugas remained in the valley for years after signing the Toronto

HISTORY Page 24

Leaside Life • June 2022

Illuminating Leaside’s Indigenous history.

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“Bully application” meets a community united

Leaside Life • June 2022

“I guess we will just have to agree to disagree.” That response was from the developer’s planner Michael Goldberg, at a May 5 virtual community consultation meeting, in reply to LRA board member Doug Obright’s outline of the planning confusion created by the changes introduced by the province, which made the application possible. In a nutshell, the confusion is about whether the Bayview Focus Area is to be predominantly mid-rise, or whether tall buildings (up to almost six times higher than envisioned by the City for the subject site) are to be permitted everywhere in the Bayview Focus Area, even next door to one- and two-storey residential buildings on lots designated “Neighbourhoods.” The developer behind 1837-45 Bayview feels he is entitled to 20-35 storeys anywhere in the Focus Area. Goldberg earlier stated that “the policy allowed 20 to 35 storeys, and we are at the lower end of that.” In 2018, the City adopted the Midtown Secondary Plan (Official Plan Amendment 405), which among other matters included updated pol-

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Saving old Leaside

icies for the Bayview Focus Area, including that it be predominantly mid-rise (5-12 storeys), and that development on the block which includes 1837-1845 be a maximum of 6 storeys in height. In approving the Midtown Secondary Plan in June 2019, the province made 194 modifications, among them, one which allows proposals between 20 and 35 storeys to be considered within the

Bayview Focus Area and another one which deleted the 6-storey maximum height restriction on the subject property, Now the City has to decide which interpretation of the Midtown Secondary Plan to adopt – should a mid-rise or a tall building be placed on the site? Their decision will set precedents for several other sites on Bayview. Of course, in Ontario where cities are “creatures of the province,” the matter does not end there. The developer has already appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). So, that’s likely where the decision will be made. We know the councillor will stand with the community and vote for refusal. But it is vital for residents to also have a staff report solidly in opposition. There is already a recent precedent for having both a staff report in opposition, and the City refusing an application for a 25-storey tower in the Bayview Focus Area – at Eglinton and Hoyle (537-543 Eglinton Avenue East). Naturally, that one is headed to the OLT as well. What else happened at the community consultation? There was a great turnout (over 150 participants), with statements and questions from a dozen residents covering a range of issues, including the impact on St. Augustine of Canterbury Church and the Nursery School, residents faced with shadowing, traffic issues, pedestrian safety at the Broadway crossing of Bayview, absence of affordable housing, and concern about the helicopter route to downtown hospitals to and from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, as well as infrastructure issues. Trustee Rachel ChernosLin named the schools in the area that are already at or above capacity. In the end there was a concern that this application would lead to a “cumulative problem”: high-rise development would not be contained at the station site, but would spread far and wide in North Leaside. Just one voice of support (evidently from interest group More Neighbours) calling for “more housing.” There is an active campaign related to this development proposal. You can join Bayview Broadway Good Planning by emailing Bayviewbroadwaygoodplanning@ gmail.com, grab a lawn sign, and write to planner on the file, Jason Xie, at Jason.Xie@toronto.ca, copy to Councillor Jaye Robinson at councillor_robinson@toronto.ca. n

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Leaside Life • June 2022

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The buzzy month of June just got buzzier!

Leaside Life • June 2022

I think June is the best month of the year. It’s when the end of spring greets the beginning of summer and when the days grow longer and warmer. It’s when scented blooms (think lilacs, peonies and roses) fill the air and create memories that last a lifetime. Jam-packed with celebrations from beginning to end, June is the month of weddings, graduations and Pride. Along with celebrating the longest day of the year, there’s Father’s Day, World Environment Day, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Midsummer Day, and even my birthday! Lots of reasons to celebrate. Here are just a few more things to add to your calendar that will give you even more ways to love June:

The Leaside Gardener Debora Kuchme Columnist

Deb Browne’s summer garden

Celebrate Pollinator Week

The Leaside Garden Society Tour is back!

After a two-year hiatus, the Leaside Garden Society has brought back their in-person Garden Tour. On June 18 (National Garden Day), you can visit 11 Leaside gardens where you can see what’s growing in some other backyards, get some ideas and share informa-

you check this one out – you won’t be disappointed. The cost is only $15, and all funds raised support the LGS Scholarship program and other community outreach projects. It’s a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon in June. Wear your favourite sun hat, comfortable shoes and get ready to be inspired by some of our most beautiful local gardens. www.leasidegardensociety.org.

tion. Apparently one garden on this tour has over 100 bonsai! Another has four different levels, including espaliered fruit trees on one of the levels. I love these garden tours and always learn something new. If you haven’t been on one before, I suggest

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Pollinator Week is an annual event celebrated internationally in support of pollinator health. This year’s Pollinator Week from June 20-26 offers opportunities to increase your pollinator knowledge and learn what to plant to attract all-important bees and butterflies. Check out the Toronto Botanical Garden website to learn more. Plan in June, plant for tomorrow

The Milne House Garden Club is already making plans for next spring. They have joined forces with the Greater Toronto Bulb Society to start an annual program to provide the Toronto Botanical Gardens with spring bulbs for their display beds. This year, each club has committed to donate $1,000 to the effort, which translates into a total of 6,000 tulips for planting this fall. Starting this month, the club will be taking orders on a curated selection of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, alliums and other bulbs that are bred to return year after year – all of which are priced below retail. Contact the clubs to learn more. The flower of the month is the rose

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Adored for both their beauty and intoxicating fragrance, June wouldn’t be June without roses. I have such fond memories of my mother’s beautiful rose garden. But the hybrid queen of flowers requires the royal treatment with specific pruning techniques, fussy watering needs, and has expensive chemical dependencies. I’ve never had any success growing them. Now, I plan on experimenting with one of our native roses. The Carolina Rose (rosa carolina) is a low maintenance shrub rose with fragrant pink petals and a yellow centre. It’s worth a try because a garden just isn’t garden without a rose! Happy June! Visit leasidelife.com for the extended version of this article. n

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Leaside Life • June 2022

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Curious Idler Hail new kings of the east The Leaside Flames Under 17 AA boys hockey team won the Eastern Championship, triumphing against their long rivals, the North York Knights. These determined players battled through a rocky season, rapidly adapting to the loss of teammates from Covid and injuries. As the Flames entered into the playoffs – without either their captain or their fourth highest scorer – they stubbornly fought their way to the finals. They faced the Knights, a team they hadn’t beaten all season, yet emerged victorious after a climactic game ending in an overtime win. “It was a huge win against a team we had lost five straight games to,” says Head Coach Robert Stanley. “We managed to win the East with a depleted roster, with help from a couple of call-ups from the Leaside A team.”

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Have you noticed the new red gates along the Bayview Extension at Pottery Rd,, Rosedale Valley Rd., and River St? These barriers, weighing up to 1,400 lbs, are part of the Lower Don Traffic Management System for flood mitigation. They are used to gradually merge traffic to exits and to rapidly

natural expanse was a narrow path just east of the pool’s entrance. All other sides of the green space were enclosed by nearby houses. On Nov. 9, 2021, one of the surrounding properties, at 21 Southvale Dr., was bought for under $1 million by Concert Real Estate Corporation, and was torn down to provide a larger entrance to the soon-to-be

U17AA wearing orange jerseys to raise awareness for Indigenous issues.

close the road during the seasonal floods that lower Bayview commonly experiences. While costing over $600,000 to construct just the gates at the Pottery Rd. location, these swing gates are extremely beneficial compared to manual barriers. They are sturdier, can be operated remotely, and employed for as little or as long as needed, reducing the need for human involvement at the scene.

Leaside musician rocks the El Mocambo With nearly 40,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Chris Graham, also known by his stage name Chris Grey, is a Leaside-originating R&B and pop artist who took to the stage at the infamous El Mocambo on May 3rd. As the spotlight artist, Chris serenaded the crowd with some sweet tunes from his recently released album Together, but Barely. The colourful downtown venue has hosted countless worldwide sensations such as The Rolling Stones, Joan Jett, U2, The Ramones, Elvis Costello, and many more. Now, the ElMo can add one more legendary artist to their archives: Leaside’s very own Chris Graham.

Leaside’s best kept secret? Hidden away to probably even the savviest Leasiders is the green space spanning approx. three-quarters of an acre located behind the Leaside Memorial Gardens Pool. Until a few months ago, the sole entrance to this

City of Toronto park. This park will form part of the parkland dedication requirements for the proposed Sunnybrook Plaza redevelopment (also developed by Concert Real Estate Corporation) located at the intersection of Bayview and Eglinton.

Exclusive club open to all Welcome to the 21st century! The Leaside Men’s Bridge Club has transformed into the Leaside Mixed Bridge Club, now welcoming women as members! Over the past 61 years, senior men across Leaside have met weekly to play bridge. Throughout the pandemic, the club continued to meet online, and welcomed women to join in on the virtual fun. Bridge club treasurer Jim Krafchik explained, “We welcomed ladies to this once male-only group, so the men’s club was defunct. But we didn’t care. We were having fun! The group is okay for beginners, very good for good beginners, and just fine for intermediate players who value good company and fun over excellent play.” The Leaside Mixed Bridge Club has returned to playing in-person at Trace Manes Community Centre from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. each Thursday, and is welcoming both men and women, senior or not. A $1 donation from each attendee helps pay for prizes, permits, and cards. This month’s Curious Idler was prepared by Claire Hu, a Grade 12 co-op student at Northern Secondary School. n

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DON VALLEY From Page 16

Leaside Life • June 2022

and if you are ever stung pick it – and I encourage by a bee, you can reach you to, as it does make I continue on my bike ride, past the down, pick a few leaves a very good pesto. But Science Centre, over the train track and chew them up. Then it always comes back, bridge, under the Leaside bridge and take the chewed-up the seeds spreading far, roll south. All along the west side of leaves and use them as a deep and always acquirGarlic the trail you can witness the matrix poultice over the sting to ing more land meant for mustard of wild grape vines – they creep up extract the venom. native species. trees and around lamp posts all over And finally, I guess plants are not that our city, and the grapes are incredI have to point much different from people and, ibly tasty when picked in late out the ever so therefore, garlic mustard is one with summer. They are native to North dominant garlic colonialism. n America and they teach one of mustard. It was the Seven Grandfather Teachings: brought here from HISTORY From Page 17 Love. The food forest is not just Europe in the White here for us to take from – 1800s to be culPine rather, the plants and medtivated as a food. Purchase. It is not hard to see why, icines teach us powerful Before too long, it took as they relied far less on agriculture lessons. Observing how over and has become an than the Wendat; instead, they relied grape vines carefully and aggressive invasive species heavily on hunting, fishing and forCedar meaningfully wrap themtaking over forest floors, aging. To this day, despite heavy selves around trees, posts, our lawns and the edges traffic one can still spot all sorts of or electrical towers reminds of parking lots all over our animals and fish in the Don Valley. the people of the importance of city. It escaped the agriculIt is certainly a valuable exercise embrace, support and love. tural boundaries for which it was to look into the past, yet it is also I get as far as Queen St., turn my intended, has taken over natural habvitally important, today especially, bike around and head north again, itats and threatened native species. not to view the Indigenous peoples towards Leaside. As I scan the vast It is not of value to native wildlife; of Toronto as existing solely in mowed grassy areas of Seaton Park rather it takes up space and displaces history. breezing fast under my wheels, I take native flowers such as trilliums. It Tyler Lee is a huge fan of history note of how the lawns are almost also threatens the very existence of whose love led him to graduate uniequally plantain as they are grass. other native plants such as American versity with a degree in archaeology Plantain is native to North America Ginseng and wood aster. You can focused on the Great Lakes region. n

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by TED DEWELLES, Leaside Heritage Preservation Society The heroic victory of the Royal Air Force over Hitler’s Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain in 1940 is a wellknown chapter in history. Equally well-known is the vital contribution the fledgling technology of radar played in achieving that victory. Less known, however, is the part played by Leaside-based Research Enterprises Ltd. (REL) throughout the war in the development and production of radar equipment. REL was by far the single largest industrial enterprise based in Leaside during the war. Employing more than 7,500 people and occupying 750,000 sq. ft., the massive complex produced a staggering $220 million worth of high-tech military equipment from 1940 to 1946. Much of this equipment – $150 million worth – was radar related. As the war progressed, the British – who invented radar – found they were in desperate need of mass quantities of radar equipment to defend their homeland against Nazi air and submarine attacks. They turned to

Canada – and REL – to meet the need. The challenges faced by Canadian and REL engineers were considerable. British technical requirements were often radically different from those in North America. Electrical circuits were different. Power cables were different. Radio tubes were different. Even the sizes of the REL and other Leaside war nuts and bolts used in workers board buses, 1943. assembly were different. Adaptations had to be made quickly and shipping them to the U.K., where and precisely. It goes without saying, they formed the backbone of that this was a huge task. country’s air-defences. Nevertheless, by mid-June 1941, Following Japan’s attack on Pearl REL had produced a workable Harbor, REL also began mass proanti-aircraft radar device and demonducing radar for the U.S. Within a strated it successfully to British and few months of the attack, REL had American authorities. By the end of shipped four massive anti-aircraft the year, the first of these units were radar units to the U.S. to protect being shipped to England. They were the Panama Canal Zone. Canada massive, hand-made affairs, weighat this time was well ahead of the ing 35 tons and requiring two trucks U.S. in radar expertise, and so hunand three trailers to transport them. dreds of American military and techBy mid-1942, REL was mass-producnical personnel visited REL to gain ing 40 to 50 of these devices a month information and training in the new technology. Despite some production and delivery challenges, by war’s end REL had produced thousands of radar units ranging in size from large anti-aircraft devices with 60,000 compo• INTERIOR PAINTING

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nents to smaller, more portable units capable of locating submarines and land-targets. REL units were present in almost every area of the war, from the English coasts to the beaches of Iwo Jima. Summing up radar’s contribution to the war effort, Stafford Cripps (1889-1952), U.K. Minister of Aircraft production from 1942-45, said: “Radar is the only invention without which the war would, in all human probability, have been lost.” And much of that success is owed to REL, right here in Leaside. n

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Leaside Life • June 2022

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How Leaside helped win World War II

Leaside Life • June 2022

Do you take your life in your hands at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery? Mt. Pleasant Cemetery is a not-so-little Garden of Eden right on Leaside’s doorstep. Much more than just a cemetery, it’s officially a botanical garden as well, filled with a dazzling variety of trees, bushes, and shrubs, all connected by winding paths. It’s not surprising that it’s so appreciated and well used by families and individuals of all ages, pedestrians, runners and cyclists alike. It’s a major recreational hub, popular and well-attended year-round. But isn’t it a shame that you more or less have to take your life into your hands to get to and from Leaside and the cemetery? The cemetery’s dedicated pedestrian access point is on the west side of Bayview Avenue, directly across the street from the intersection of Sutherland Drive on the east side. In between is traffic. Heavy traffic, travelling north and south at high speed. If you stand nearby for any length of time to observe the action, you’ll see an almost constant flow of pedestrians (some with baby strollers, some wheeling bicycles, or leading dogs

Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LRA

on leashes), dodging and weaving to cross the street. And don’t forget the 88 South Leaside bus, which turns at Bayview and Sutherland, blocking drivers’ view of pedestrians. It can be hair-raising just to watch, let alone attempt to navigate. Can’t safety be improved at this location? The Leaside Residents Association has been asked this question many times over the years. We are asked, why do people take such chances? We recognize that people could walk south to cross Bayview at the traffic light on Moore Avenue (over 200 metres away from the cemetery access point) instead, or they could walk north to the traffic light at Merton Street/McRae Drive (about 250 metres away), but both are significant distances – a real disincentive

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to use regardless of the season or the weather. You may recall that the LRA’s proposed traffic calming plan is on record as opposing any measures which attract or increase through-flow traffic onto our residential streets. Surely something can be done at the site of the cemetery entrance itself which would increase safety without such undesirable and unintended side-effects. The LRA will raise this enduring issue with Councillor Jaye Robinson and Eric Chan, manager of the Leaside Neighbourhood Transportation Plan. I do not pretend to have the answer, but I am certain that, if we work together, we can – at the very least – come up with an improvement. Otherwise, this location is just an accident waiting to happen. Our next LRA monthly board meeting is on Wed., June 1st, at 7:30 p.m., via Zoom. If you’d like to watch or participate, please let us know by that date and we’ll be glad to send you the Zoom access details. You can find us at www.leasideresidents.ca. n

OVERLEA BRIDGE From page 3

ANTIQUES WANTED

Cash Paid For: residents and visitors. Redesign proposals include widening sidewalks from the current narrow 1.5 metres to the city standard of at least 2.1 metres. The city also proposes widening the bridge deck to 24.8 metres, creating space for new cycling lanes. Railings would be raised to 3 metres high while public art would be added to improve the streetscape. Tim Langford, a teacher at Marc Garneau and key guide in the ReImagine Overlea campaign, is especially encouraged by the plans to incorporate safe bike lanes. “The plans prioritize the safety of area residents who use active transportation. Increasingly, people are making the choice to get out of their cars. It makes economic sense, it makes sense for personal health, and it makes sense for the environment.” While the City plans are still in the public consultation phase, Marc Garneau student Hafeez Alavi is

LHS SWAP From page 6 new events for the rest of this year and next year such as vision board displays, a fashion show, discussion of “Met Gala” outfits and a fashion spirit week. They plan to repeat the “One 4 One” event next year as well. Mimoza Stermasi, science teacher and Eco Club advisor, summarized the importance of the event: “In a time when the fast fashion industry is deemed as one of many adding to climate change, this event was a reminder that responsible high school students are taking action to fight big corporations and stand up for the future of the planet. They dedicated their time and efforts to make this event a great success.” Read Glenn Asano’s feature on swapping in our May issue: She Swaps Shop brings joy – and clothes – to Leaside. n

pleased with the proposed designs. “The cycle tracks and wider sidewalks will allow more youth to bike and walk to their local school, which is really important to life-long habits, encouraging sustainability and reducing climate change. I think it’s important we started the conversation; that we realized that this bridge wasn’t working. It needs to work for everyone and the plan does just that, and so I commend the transportation staff for an excellent design.” Construction is slated to begin in 2024/2025. n

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Leaside Life • June 2022

Proposed bridge cross-section

Leaside Life • June 2022

Enhancing Leaside’s green space one park and tree at a time In many ways, parks are the heart and soul of our communities. They’re where we go to relax, spend time with our families, and gather as a neighbourhood. Throughout the course of the pandemic, we’ve learned just how critical parks are to life in a city – countless studies have shown that spending time outdoors is good for both mental and physical health. During my time in office, I have continually prioritized improving our local parks, enhancing protections for trees, and investing in Toronto’s world-class ravine system. Many of these projects were multiyear endeavours that included extended community consultation and coordination among multiple City divisions. As your local councillor, I am pleased to be working on several park initiatives in Leaside. At 939 Eglinton Avenue East, we are building a new, 1,718m² park with a preliminary design that includes a heritage hub commemorating the history of the site, an open lawn area, a tree

Jaye Robinson

Councillor, Ward 15, Don Valley West

grove with benches and a walkway, and an outdoor amphitheatre. The park design will continue to be refined through 2022, with construction anticipated to begin in 2023. I am working closely with Parks, Forestry, and Recreation (PFR) on a new parkette at 21 Southvale Drive, which will provide greater connectivity to the Leaside Memorial Community Gardens (LMCG) grounds. At present, fencing and grading have been completed on-site and the property is expected to be added to the City’s 2023 capital budget. Once community engagement is underway, PFR will look at 21

Southvale Drive and the LMCG grounds as a whole. In addition to revitalizing our green spaces and building new parks, I remain focused on growing the tree canopy in Leaside and improving the biodiversity of our local urban forest. This season, Urban Forestry staff will be planting more than 1,125 new trees and shrubs at Sunnybrook Park, as well as 17 new trees at Serena Gundy park. Toronto has one of the densest urban tree canopies in the world. The City’s 2018 Tree Canopy Study indicated that our canopy coverage has increased from 26.6% to 31% per cent over the last decade, representing an increase from 10.2 to 11.5 million trees. Growing our tree canopy is a city-wide endeavour, but the real work takes place on the ground in our local parks and green spaces. When our urban forest thrives, Toronto is a more healthy, liveable, and resilient city. n

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