Issuu

M A R C H 2024

Leaside Life No. 142

Goldhar talks crime Page 10

leasidelife.com

Our very own Agnes Macphail Award recipient

LEASIDE LIFE CONTRIBUTOR SUSAN SCANDIFFIO PAGE 6

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Leaside Life • March 2024

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Editor’s Welcome Our own Agnes Macphail Award recipient

Jane Auster

One day, Leaside Life co-owner Jeff Hohner took me aside and said, “There’s someone I’d like you to meet. I think she’d be a great addition.” He told me that this writer had a particular interest in sports, at a time when we needed to add more sports voices since Leaside is such a sports-happy (fanatic?) community. That was seven years ago, and that writer – Susan Scandiffio – has since gone on to pen dozens of sports-related articles as well as other stories of wide interest for us. In some cases, we’ve even joked that it was a “Susan” issue, since she had so many stories in the publication that month. What I didn’t know seven years ago, but came to realize, was that Susan is much more than a talented sports writer. She’s a passionate community advocate who, especially, has built a lasting emotional bridge between Leaside and Thorncliffe Park.

As fellow Agnes Macphail Award recipient – and Leaside Life publisher – Lorna Krawchuk writes in this issue: “When Covid-19 arrived in March 2020, Susan quickly realized that many people in Thorncliffe Park were going to be adversely affected by the many pandemic restrictions, especially regarding access to food. She approached The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) about setting up a food bank. … She got the word out, and neighbourhood volunteers stepped up.” Susan does not know the meaning of the word “no,” to the point that no one dares say no to her. And we are all the better for her tenacity. So proud! Editor’s note: Leaside Life boasts a wealth of Agnes Macphail Award recipients, including Lorna Krawchuk, Geoff Kettel, Carol Burtin Fripp and Ruth Goldhar. n

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During the heyday of folk music in the early 1960s, the singing duo of Ian and Sylvia ranked among Canada’s musical elite – writing, recording, covering and performing such memorable songs as Four Strong Winds, You Were on My Mind, Someday Soon and Early Morning Rain. Ian and Sylvia, however, weren’t always Ian and Sylvia. There were just Ian and Sylvia. How they came together is an intriguing story – one in which Leaside played a surprisingly significant role.

Ted DeWelles

Leaside Heritage Preservation Society

TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY

Kenneth M. Smith and his glass company It started with the Kenneth M. Smith Glass Company on 30 Industrial St. Kenneth Smith was a Leaside entrepreneur and community leader – serving in the late 1940s-early 1960s as president of the Leaside Rotary Club, chair of Leaside Memorial Community Gardens and president of Thorncliffe Park Development. Born in Nova Scotia in 1898, he came to Toronto where he founded

the York Glass Company on Logan Ave. after serving in World War I. In 1939, he moved the company to Leaside, renaming it after himself. For the next three decades he and his business did well, specializing in the production and distribution of kitchenware, tableware, and decorative glassware – and benefiting from the economic boom that followed after World War II. A new employee arrives Smith numbered among his employees some interesting people. One was Petra Kruger, an office worker chosen as Miss Leaside 1963 during the town’s 50th anniversary celebration (see Leaside Life, Jan. 2024). Another was Viola McDonald, who worked for the company as a crystal cutter for several decades. A third was a young musician by the name of Ian Tyson. A recent graduate of the Vancouver School of Art, Ian arrived in Toronto in 1959 seeking fame as a guitarist-singer in the city’s nascent folk

Ian and Sylvia’s wedding, 1964.

IAN & SYLVIA Page 22

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Leaside Life • March 2024

When Ian met Sylvia

MEET A LEASIDER

Diane Gray remembers a quieter Leaside

Leaside Life • March 2024

by LORNA KRAWCHUK Diane Gray’s maternal grandfather, W.T. Oliver, was a housebuilder in Leaside and East York. He would purchase a lot or two, build houses on them, move into one, buy another few lots… rinse and repeat. He did this so often that his daughter, Irene, said she lived in 25 houses in the neighbourhood when she was growing up. One such pair built in 1940 was on Randolph Road at Kenrae. Interesting anomaly: a lane now extends from Lea Avenue to just behind the fire station at McRae between Sutherland and Randolph. This lane once travelled all the way to Millwood. For some unknown reason, that last part of the lane was removed, and everyone on that block picked up their garages and turned them around to face their respective streets. When WWII broke out, Diane’s father, Fred Cook, signed up. Off he went to Newfoundland, but

Gibby and Diane. Inset: Diane’s parents’ wedding photo.

COURTESY DIANE GRAY

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marry his sweetheart, Irene Oliver, in 1942 and they could move into one of her father’s houses – the one at 104 Randolph. It was here that Diane, their daughter, and her siblings grew up. During the war, her mother worked at Canada Wire and Cable and was a member of their rifle club. Her father worked for the Town of Leaside, and at the time of the original amalgamation of Leaside and East York in 1967, he was the town clerk. Diane tells stories of going over to the train tracks behind where the curling club is now located, and building caves, complete with “furniture” into the banks of the tracks. She and her friends were also adept at climbing up the backs of the big outdoor advertising signs – all without parental knowledge or worry, or so it seemed. Rolph Road was a new school then, covering kindergarten to Grade 8. But home economics and “shop” were taught at Bessborough only, so when she was in Grades 7 and 8, she would troop over to Bessborough for those classes and then return to Rolph. After Leaside Gardens was built, there was free skating Tuesdays and Thursdays after school in the winter. Everyone brought their skates to school and then went directly to the arena for skate time. And once there was

GRAY Page 23

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Leaside Life • March 2024

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Congratulations to our own Susan Scandiffio!

Leaside Life • March 2024

by LORNA KRAWCHUK “The worst thing that can happen is people will say no.” No one who knows her says “NO” to Susan Scandiffio, whose persistence has made her the recipient of the Agnes Macphail Award for 2024. Susan will receive this important honour officially at a ceremony at the East York Civic Centre on Sun., March 24, at 2 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Susan was integral in involving the Leaside community in the Midtown Donation Group of Fill a Purse for a Sister campaign. Their efforts over a couple of years made up 1,362 purses containing personal care items, which they delivered to women’s shelters. Susan was particularly impressed by the work of the Red Door Family Shelter, and has chosen this charity as the recipient of funds raised this year through The East York Foundation to support the Agnes Macphail Award. You can donate to The East York Foundation for this through Canada Helps.

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FROM THE COVER Susan and her husband Dave

Susan has been the organizer with a team called Moms of the Leaside Flames for the Terry Fox Run each year since 2012. She ensures all the members are signed up each year, and then proceeds with her individual fundraising, where she is described as a “fiercely competitive fundraiser.” Thanks to her persistence, they’ve raised close to $40,000. As a volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society through St. Anselm’s Catholic Church, Susan visited residents of Thorncliffe Park. In some cases, the main part of the visit was to deliver food cards and do a bit of friendly visiting. But in other cases, other assistance was needed, such as accessing language classes or finding activities for children. No matter the task, Susan set herself to doing whatever was needed. In some cases, there were building problems like non-functioning elevators, or lack of heat, or water off for extended periods of time. The tenants weren’t comfortable making complaints, even though justified. Susan would go to management on their behalf and be persistent until the issue was resolved. As she says, “there is always a need for advocates.” Pivoting during Covid When Covid-19 arrived in March 2020, Susan quickly realized that many people in Thorncliffe Park were going to be adversely affected

by the many pandemic restrictions, especially regarding access to food. She approached The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) about setting up a food bank. When the Food Collaborative Project first started, there was a blanket on the ground with some food staples on it. Susan quickly went searching for people, businesses and organizations who could help in significant ways – tables, storage space, quantities of food. She spread the net wide, especially on social media. Many individuals dropped off donations to the bin on the front step of her house, which she ferried to Thorncliffe every day. She got the word out, and neighbourhood volunteers stepped up. As well, meetings she coordinated between the Leaside Toy Drive and TNO stakeholders resulted in more than $400,000 of corporate and community donations. Within the Leaside Toy Drive, she’s been involved over many years in making sure there are sufficient donations for toys for about 6,000 Thorncliffe and Flemingdon children every year. It’s no surprise that Susan is the co-chair of the TNO Metrolinx Impact Committee, working with local businesses and organizations as the various aspects of the storage yard planned for the Ontario Line proceed.

SCANDIFFIO Page 22

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Leaside Life • March 2024

GETAWAY GIVEAWAY

Leaside’s long snapper Peter Adjey now in the CFL by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO When you’re a sporty kid in Leaside, you’re bound to spend time in the arena, Trace Manes, the pool and/or Talbot Park. Peter Adjey did just that. As a hockey goalie and baseball player, Adjey participated in Leaside sports with many of his local friends. But Adjey had two other sports he was even more passionate about. He would spend hours upon hours mountain biking in Sunnybrook Park and beyond. He also discovered the sport of football (as in, the North American variety). While the two sports are vastly different from each other in so many ways, Adjey points out that he loved the “dichotomy” of a multiplayer game versus the solo experience on his bike. At the age of 11, the Northlea student approached his mom Laura with a request to join a football league. Immediately on board, Laura registered her son and helped launch him on a life-changing journey. Watching televised CFL, NFL and CIS (Canadian university) football

LEASIDE SPORTS

Peter Adjey and mom Laura celebrate after an Edmonton Elks’ win

as a kid, Adjey was a devoted fan of the game. He played as a long snapper in various leagues around

EDMONTON ELKS/AVERI BODNAR

Leaside Life • March 2024

the city while in grade school and at Leaside High with the Lancers. He also played with the Toronto Jr. Argos after 12th grade. While no university team recruited Adjey right out of high school, he wasn’t about to give up. In fact, his Leaside High School coaches emboldened Adjey to continue pursuing his dreams. “Coaches Georgiadis, Vegh and Wilson were always very encouraging and it was their messaging in confidence that motivated me to approach the team at Queen’s (University),” he notes. Adjey landed the position at Queen’s and worked hard both in the classroom and on the field with the Queen’s Gaels, honing his skills. All his persistence paid off when, in 2022, he was drafted by the Edmonton Elks of the CFL and earned the long snapper starting position at training camp. Adjey played in every game of the past two seasons and picked up multiple special teams’ tackles. Now in the off-season, the humbly confident and highly skilled 24-yearold is diligently following his team’s workout schedule and looking forward to his third year in the league. Watch him in action when the 2024-2025 CFL season kicks off this spring. This Leaside kid is a big winner. n

All in the (Goldhar) family by JANIS FERTUCK If the name Kathleen Goldhar rings a bell, it should: she is the daughter of the founders of Leaside Life, Ruth and Harry Goldhar. To say she has journalism in the blood would be an understatement. A prominent and prolific member of Canada’s broadcasting community, Kathleen Goldhar got her start in journalism right here in Leaside. After graduating from Leaside High School in 1989, she attended York for her Bachelor of Fine Arts and then Ryerson (now TMU) for journalism, graduating in 1996. Kathleen’s first job in journalism was as a summer reporter for the Goldhars’ Town Crier, the precursor of Leaside Life. Kathleen originally wanted to be a poet, but upon realizing she needed deadlines to motivate her, decided that reporting “might be the perfect career.” After graduating, the budding journalist did internships at the Toronto Star and Vancouver Sun before working for the Whitehorse Star. Then, when living in Winnipeg, she

COURTESY OF CBC

Leaside Life • March 2024

found there were no jobs at the time in newspapers so started working at CBC Radio. While she didn’t enjoy radio at first, with her father’s encouragement, she grew to love it. As she says, “telling a story through audio is wonderful. I find it much more creative.” Back in Toronto at the CBC national newsroom, Kathleen says her life changed on September 11

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when, after working for two days straight, her bosses “noticed how good” she was at her job. She was soon working at As It Happens and was asked to join the new flagship affairs show The Current as a producer in 2002. There, she made documentaries all over the world and produced many live and special episodes across Canada. While at the CBC, Kathleen produced her first podcast, Escaping NXIVM, with her colleague, Josh Bloch, who had a friend who was leaving a destructive cult. The success of that project and others made her realize that she had a future in podcasts. So, in 2019, Kathleen started working at Antica Productions, a Toronto-based media company, where she acted as a reporter, producer and executive producer on several podcasts, most notably, The No Good, Terribly Kind, Wonderful Lives and Tragic Deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman.” One of her favourite projects, Do You Know Mordechai? deals with a friend’s experience with a serial scam artist. She was gratified to receive several awards for it, including the International Women’s Podcast Award for 2021. Since the fall of 2023, Kathleen has been hosting and producing a weekly podcast called Crime Story for CBC. During the podcasts, released every Monday and broadcast on CBC Radio One on Sundays at 7:30 p.m., Kathleen discusses crimes such as fraud, abduction and murder with “the storyteller who knows them best.”

GOLDHAR Page 23

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Leaside baseball pioneer honoured This makes me very happy. Last month the man whom I always consider to be Mr. Baseball in Leaside – and has been for more than a half-century – Howard Birnie, was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. No one is more worthy to hang in the hall than Howie Birnie. No one. So, with that wonderful, breaking news on the record, let me step back in time for a little historical context. As some of you may recall, I grew up in a house on the northwest corner of Parkhurst and Donegall, just a short block down our street from Talbot Park. “The park,” as it was known in our household, was the scene of countless adventures and happy memories for my twin brother, Tim, and me. It was as near an idyllic childhood as one can imagine. I’ve written before about Talbot Park – in fact my column last month was about winter weekends spent playing hockey in the park – and I’ve written about baseball in this space, including about Howie Birnie. But entering the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is heady stuff

Terry Fallis Columnist

COURTESY THE CANADIAN BASEBALL NETWORK

Leaside Life • March 2024

Howie Birnie batting at Talbot Park

and warrants its own column! Tim and I spent many weekends and weeknights at the ballpark down the street. Sometimes it was to watch the games, but we also played “running bases” with our friends right next to the field where the real game was being played. Or, if we could scrape together 10 cents, we’d hit the snack bar for a Lola. For the uninitiated, a Lola was a packaged block of flavoured ice the size of your average toaster. In the end, no part of our bodies or clothes was untouched by melting Lola – no big deal if it was lemon Lola; grape was a different story. Hours before game time, Howie Birnie would often park his car on our street, wave to us as we played road hockey, and saunter down to the park. He’d supervise the fieldprep, including laying down the white lines, accurately positioning the bases, and even (if I remember correctly) driving the tractor around the infield dragging the wire-meshythingy (it’s a technical term) behind him until the basepaths looked pristine. And he often did this every night there was a game. When the first pitch was thrown, you could find Howie in one of four places: behind the plate umpiring, in the dugout coaching a Leaside team, staffing the snack bar, or sitting in a lawn chair surveying his domain. At some point in the game, Howie would often be the one to walk through the stands and among the spectators watching from the hill, shaking the old coffee pot collecting spare change to support the Leaside Baseball Association. He was (and remains) always smiling, always kind, and always ready to chat. And his commitment to Leaside baseball was not just for a few years, or even a few decades. No, he started playing and coaching in the 1950s, though he still looks like he could slip into cleats and take to the field. Howie Birnie has been president of the Leaside Baseball Association since 1973 (and still is). No that’s not a typo – since 1973. I was still in Grade 8 at Bessborough Drive School when Howie took over the LBA. I’m now 64! He coached different Leaside teams to seven city championships, one Ontario championship, and one national championship. But wait, there’s more. For 34

BASEBALL Page 29

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The grass is always redder on Des’s side of the hedge

Since 2020 and the rise of “that” word – no need to spell it out – the entire world is rearranging, readjusting and reconsidering priorities. Leaside is no exception. I am reminded of it every time I glance over my neighbour’s privet hedge and see how he has revolutionized his front lawn. Pre-Covid (there’s that word!) our properties were overwhelmingly green, manicured, weed-free and, well, grassy. For mostly environmental reasons, that never sat well with Des Wilson, so he decided to make a change. Shovel in hand and with a plan on paper, he created a vegetable garden smack dab in the middle of his South Leaside front yard. In no time he had bumper crops of ripe tomatoes and oversized red peppers that were juicy and fresh right off the vine, augmenting the family meal. It was around this time of the year back in 2021 when Des got stuck inside. He reckoned March was an ideal time to start planning a summer

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DES WILSON

Leaside Life • March 2024

by MITCH BUBULJ

garden since “the harshest winter days are behind us.” Des’s journey from tulips to tomatoes was a long and fateful one. He was always an avid gardener, originally interested in “traditional artistic design.” As he became more environmentally switched on, his new insights were reflected in his outdoor spaces. With sustainability and conservation in mind, Des decided to feed the birds to provide them with a safe environment to access food, water and habitat. Enter bird feeders. Next, he schooled himself on the plight of the migratory Monarch butterfly and realized their numbers had decreased in Toronto by 85% between 1996 and 2014. So, in went milkweed and echinacea. But it was the City’s cutting down of his two beloved, mature front lawn catalpa trees in 2019 – a decision out of his hands – that eventually allowed his ultimate plan to come to fruition. That and the C-word. With the nine-metre-high trees gone, along with their far-flung branches covered in large heart-shaped leaves, the front south-facing lawn went from shady to sun-drenched. Perfect for growing vegetables. But it was the Covid stay-at-home orders and the shutting down of restaurants and long lines at Loblaws that gave Des the final push. He did his research; he asked folks who had farmed. In the end he dug by hand a two- by three-metre plot, filling it with 18 bags of nutrient-rich manure. And

GET READY FOR SPRING SPORTS!

although it has been up and running now for three summers, the 2021 season was the best. As Des explains, it wasn’t too hot or cold and with just the right amount of rain. Expanding the menu In 2023 Des successfully expanded his “menu” to include cherry tomatoes, bok choy and Swiss chard. A highlight of last summer was his decision to put all excess produce in a basket at the curb with a sign encouraging passersby to help themselves. He recalls seeing an elderly woman stop, read the notice, take a tomato and cucumber, look toward the garden and make a subtle sign of “supplication” with her hands. Des reflects that “the memory stays with me; it makes the garden meaningful in the best way imaginable.” The impetus that got Des digging was largely environmental. Leasiders 80 and 90 years before him planted vegetable gardens out of necessity or patriotism. Remember the “relief gardens” and “victory gardens” planted in our neighbourhood during the Depression and World War II? A Toronto Star article from May 1943 informs us that 250 Leasiders were expected to plant gardens both at home and in special town-appropriated allotments, with the mayor, Howard Talbot, approving the cost of “plowing and harrowing.” A local family called the Westons recalled years later that “for one year the tomatoes and corn were beautiful; then the bugs devoured them and that was the end of that!” (Source: Jane Pitfield, Leaside). Des is keen to offer tips to those who stop and talk while he is watering or weeding. He reminds would-be gardeners to plant their veggies in a spot that will get at least six hours of summer sun per day as well as to plan ahead and start modestly. His two- by three-metre plot might seem small but he recalls that the digging of it was “more taxing than a strenuous gym workout by far.” Des likes to challenge friends to start their own organic patch; he observes that more Leasiders are starting vegetable gardens, which can be seen on any stroll through the neighbourhood. His foray into urban farming has increased his confidence. When asked what’s next, Des says he is not sure but it’s bound to be something bountiful. n

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HEDGE continued

A gardener’s legacy blooms in Leaside There’s a charming perennial border stretching along the northern fence of the St. Cuthbert’s vegetable patch. I saw it last fall when I was doing the Harvest Report there. It’s small, compared to the other garden beds, yet jam-packed with irises, phlox and lilies, and graced with a plaque that reads simply: “The Doris White Children’s Garden – 1918-2010.” I wondered – who was Doris White, and why is this called a Children’s Garden? To find out more, I reached out to Nancy Wahlroth, who knows everything about this garden. She’s been gardening at St. Cuthbert’s since 2007, and became garden chair in 2011. It was Nancy who brought this lovely garden to my attention last fall. Who was Doris White? This long-time member of the parish of St. Cuthbert’s Church was wellknown for her love of flowers and her beautiful garden on Davisville Ave. Doris died on November 3, 2010 at 93 years of age.

The Leaside Gardener Debora Kuchme Columnist

A year after her death, the rector received permission to harvest some of the flowers from her garden for transplant at St. Cuthbert’s. Since it was late in the season, the goodies were planted wherever there was space in St. Cuthbert’s existing gardens until they could be planted in a single garden plot in the spring.

But why a Children’s Garden? Doris White had no children of her own, but she was known for her love of children as well as her green thumb. Part of her generous bequest to St. Cuthbert’s was designated for sending two children from the inner city to summer camp every year. “A fitting legacy,” Nancy said, and “for this reason, it became obvious that children should plant the garden, and that it be called The Doris White Children’s Garden.” In early spring 2012, a new bed was dug and several bags of fresh soil were added to ensure the best possible growing conditions. Nancy knows because not only was she there, she organized the event! “On a beautiful sunny Sunday morning after church, the ‘ChurchKids’ (Sunday School children) gathered and planted the flowers at random in the new flower bed. Parishioners gathered too, singing ‘inch by inch, row by row, gonna make the garden grow!” And grow the garden did! Thanks to the children who planted and to the parishioners who are a part of the St. Cuthbert’s garden team, the plants continue to grow, bloom and flourish. With loving hands, these plants are weeded, watered and carefully divided when necessary. The team even added some peonies and sedums to add to the joyful mix. There is so much about this little garden that I find inspiring, and I hope you do too! As Audrey Hepburn said: “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Happy spring! n

PHOTOS BY DEBORA KUCHME

Leaside Life • March 2024

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Let’s save our Ontario “Success” Centre Ontario (along with yours truly!) was young once. The 1960s and 70s were heady times, innovative, energetic and exciting. As a gift to the people of Ontario to mark Canada’s Centennial in 1967, the provincial government commissioned Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama to design the Ontario Science Centre – one of the first interactive science museums in the world, uniquely located on the banks of a Don Valley ravine. The government also commissioned architect Eberhard Zeidler and landscape architect Michael Hough, to envision Ontario Place, an expansive park on artificial islands rising out of Lake Ontario. As parents, and now grandparents, we have enjoyed both places immensely. With our young family we enjoyed many a summer evening on the grassy slopes of the Forum attending concerts by Victor Borge, the Danish-American comedian and pianist who always seemed to work in a couple of visits to Toronto each year. But that was then, and this is now. Right? Well, this New Year’s we paid a visit to the Ontario Science Centre with our daughter and three grandchildren. It was full of visitors – hundreds of people, in fact – to the point of capacity. And everyone was having a great time. A special event, the

Geoff Kettel

Saving old Leaside

GEOFF KETTEL

Leaside Life • March 2024

Great Canadian Innovation Circus, was an amazing comedic spectacle (see photo). Too bad we had to take a mini-bus to get to the children’s exhibits. I guess the province needs to be reminded that maintenance can only be “deferred” so long! Under threat As you’ve probably heard, both facilities are now threatened: Ontario Place by turning over the West Island to Therme, an Austrian spa company, and the Ontario Science Centre, to be demolished, with the exhibits shipped to a mini-Science Centre in half the space at Ontario Place. It’s rumoured that the Therme plan is merely a waystation to a casino that the Fords have always

wished for on the Waterfront. But that’s just a rumour for now. So, why is this relevant to Leaside? While both of these attractions have “Ontario” in their names, they serve the whole province. We are fortunate to have them in our city, and the Science Centre will be only a couple of stops away on the Crosstown, opening soon (hopefully!). The OSC is also relevant to all ages, not just those old enough to remember the unofficial provincial anthem: “Give us a place to stand. Give us a place to grow. And call this land, Ontario. A place to live. For you and me. With hopes as high. As the tallest tree.” What can we do about this? Note the emphasis on the “we.” We can protest and support the Save the Science Centre campaign. Stephanie Bowman, MPP for Don Valley West, has done just that – she was a speaker at the Ontario Science Centre Rally at the St Matthew’s Clubhouse at Riverdale Park on January 27th. She said that two elementary students at Bessborough Public School had collected 200 signatures on a petition to save the Ontario Science Centre following her talk to their class about “Citizenship, and how to make a difference.” These students recognized that this is an issue for them and they took action. We should take a leaf from their book and do the same: https:// savesciencecentre.com. It would be a travesty to demolish this architectural gem. Tell the Ontario government: all that’s needed is to allocate funds to repair the bridge. Otherwise, keep your hands off our Ontario Success Centre. n

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Leaside Life • March 2024

Leaside Children’s House

Meet the Marshalls, our new Canadian Tire owners After nearly two decades, Jeff and Andrea Marshall, along with their two teenage children (Hope and John), can truly say they are finally home. As the new owners of the Canadian Tire store at Eglinton and Laird, their journey back comes after initially jumping at the opportunity to operate their very first store in Saskatchewan. Jeff recounted the rigorous selection process, highlighting the competitiveness that saw 1,500 applicants vying for just 15 available spots that year, with the corporation overseeing store transfers from owner to owner. When you get your first store, the location is dictated to you, and you’re either in or out. From Saskatchewan, it was on to CT in Prince Edward County, then Muskoka and from there Bolton. “Once you own a store it’s your choice to keep the store or put it ‘back into the pool’. We knew we wanted to get back into the GTA; that was the end goal. So, we just kept moving and making changes,” said Jeff. Their perseverance finally paid off. On March

17, amid the Covid pandemic in 2021, they assumed ownership of the Leaside Centre store, a mere 10 minutes from their home in Toronto.

Glenn Asano The Business of Leaside

When will the new Canadian Tire open? I was excited to learn. … when would the new Canadian Tire store

GLENN ASANO

Leaside Life • March 2024

in Leaside open its doors for business? For those unacquainted with the development plan for the parcels of land at 70 and 80 Wicksteed Ave., 202-206 Parkhurst Blvd. and 99 Vanderhoof Ave., developer SmartCentres REIT will build four new buildings on the site with a total gross floor area of 19,995 sq. ft. The largest of the four buildings will become the new home for the 115 employees in Leaside, heralding the reintegration of the currently separated “showroom” with the main store. Understandably, the Marshalls refrained from providing a definitive timeline for the development’s completion. However, there is one thing that’s certain: Jeff and Andrea are not quite done moving just yet, and they told me they are “just as excited as many of us to actually see the new space!” In the meantime, while we all wait, these seasoned executives – Andrea, a former marketing agency owner, and Jeff, a veteran of Bay Street – remain committed to building their business. Their enthusiasm and pride shone through as they recounted successfully reenlisting a skilled, highly regarded service manager (a Leasider, no less!), and shared their efforts in championing local charitable causes, particularly

CANADIAN TIRE continued

Shopping local: a powerful way to invest at home Despite Covid, the Marshalls have worked to connect with and support the local community, making an immediate impact. In fact, they are the only large-format retailer operating in the Leaside Business Park I am aware of that is an active member of the Leaside Business Park Association, forging direct connections with fellow local entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and their enterprises. Though seemingly counterintuitive, the notion that a corporation boasting $16.5 billion in revenue in 2022 can “act local” is not lost. Canadian Tire’s distinctive business model – where each dealer assumes ownership of store fixtures, equipment, and inventory, affording autonomy in overseeing finances, staff, and product selection – empowers individual stores to tailor their offerings to better resonate with the character and culture of their communities. Andrea cited a few examples where they adjust accordingly: the Leaside store ranks fourth in Canada for hockey equipment sales; we Leasiders apparently appreciate a different selection of BBQs from other customers; and of course, the pet department grew “enormously” during the pandemic. Overall, most Leasiders recognize the value of shopping locally as a powerful way to invest in the prosperity, resilience, and identity of our community. It’s a virtuous circle, where one desirable occurrence leads to another, which further promotes the first, and so

on. Local businesses reciprocate by sponsoring our events, sports teams, and charities while actively participating in local community initiatives. It’s imperative that we all continue to champion the businesses that support Leaside through our patronage, and to let them know how much their support is appreciated. By voting with our wallets, we just might inspire further action. Sometimes, even virtuous circles need a gentle nudge to set them in motion. Fun fact: Did you know that Canadian Tire’s Roller Labs Ventures provides early-stage investments in strategically aligned companies? The name honours Canadian Tire’s founders AJ and JW Billes, who, in 1937, saw an opportunity to reduce customer wait times by outfitting clerks with roller skates. Soon, the efficiency spread, and even warehouse workers were rolling in the aisles. Which local businesses do you think are doing a good job engaging our community? Let us know at leasidelife@gmail.com. n

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Leaside Life • March 2024

those focused on aiding children. Notably, they are strong supporters of the Leaside Toy Drive, which distributed over 6,000 toys in 2023. They are the lead sponsors for Amici Children’s Camp Charity (Canoe Heads for Kids), where Jeff serves on the board. Amici facilitates annual summer camp experiences in Ontario for 700 children from lowerincome families. They’ve collaborated with local police and the Jumpstart Foundation to enhance ice hockey accessibility in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Parks, and they also lend support to children with special needs through the Thorncliffe Park Autism Support Network.

Leaside Life • March 2024

IAN & SYLVIA From Page 3

SCANDIFFIO From Page 6

ing with Sylvia. A few years later, music scene. To supplement his they moved to New York City and income, he took a job at Kenneth married in 1964. Their careers on Smith’s glass company as a commerthe rise, they ultimately became cial artist and designer. Canadian musical icons with at least His boss was company foreman a dozen albums to their credit. Sadly, John Miles. According to the they divorced in 1975 but continued book Four Strong Winds: Ian and to perform and record separately. Sylvia (Toronto: 2011) by John In 1992, they were inducted Einarson and confirmed by as a duo into the Canadian Petra Kruger, who worked Music Hall of Fame. Two with Ian, Miles told Ian years later, they received the about a “marvelous girl” he Order of Canada. Ian died knew who happened to be a in December 2022. Sylvia terrific singer. Her name was recorded her latest album in Sylvia Fricker, and he encourNovember 2023. aged Ian to contact her. It’s not known if Kenneth Miles then did the same with Smith, who died in 1968, Sylvia (her landlady was the foreman’s ex-wife), A tumbler from the was aware of the role his telling her about a young Kenneth A. Smith company had played in bringing Ian and Sylvia musician he worked with Glass Co. together. Nor do we know at the glass company. what happened to John Miles As Ian Tyson recounted it in Four afterwards. Strong Winds, his boss – acting as What we do know is that Canada’s go-between for the couple – “got her most famous folk-singing team might [Sylvia] on the phone for me.” never have existed were it not for The rest was history the presence of a Leaside-based glass Ian left the glass company soon company operating off Laird Drive – afterwards and began performand that’s something to sing about. n

Susan’s journey to Leaside The McKay family – parents, three older brothers, and Susan – came from Scotland to Toronto when Susan was three. Her well-known passion for sports started young as sports (played and watched) were always a big presence in their household. Susan regularly attended Argos games with her father. When she was going to summer camp, her dad sent her the sports pages from the Saturday Globe and Mail. Inadvertently, the death notices pages came with the sports section. This started a habit that continues to this day – her careful reading of all the death notices in the Saturday paper. She even has a file with some particularly memorable ones. While attending Loretto Abbey for high school, she became involved in the early days of Out of the Cold, where students brought sandwiches or soup made at home to feed people from a storefront on St. Clair Avenue. She also learned the importance of spending time and interacting with the people they were helping. Listening to her grandfather’s stories encouraged Susan to pursue history degrees from the University of Toronto, then Western University, culminating in an MA from the University of Manitoba. The history degrees helped with writing skills and have led to her current freelance writing career. She writes for Active for Life, a publication aimed at parents and educators, and for the past seven years, for Leaside Life. Her boyfriend, Dave Scandiffio, from St. Michael’s College School, became her husband. Their first and second houses were in the Davisville area, but as child #3 was on the way, they needed a larger house, and Leaside was the preferred neighbourhood. In June, they will have lived in South Leaside for 20 years. Susan McKay Scandiffio, Leaside resident, continues to channel her energy into a wide variety of hands-on activities to benefit both our local and broader communities. As described by her nominator for the Agnes Macphail Award, Stan Flemming: “Susan is a natural community leader and has been instrumental in encouraging others to activate and participate in so many charitable causes.” She is a true follower of the Agnes Macphail motto – “Think globally, act locally.” n

Summer volunteer opportunities Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is now accepting applications for Summer 2024 volunteer opportunities. Work alongside our exceptional team as you make a meaningful contribution to aquatics, recreation, life skills, and rehabilitation programs for children and teens with disabilities. Full-time and part-time volunteer positions are available in July and August. Applications open March 11, 2024. To learn more about our summer volunteer opportunities, please visit: www.hollandbloorview.ca/volunteer

GRAY From Page 4

GOLDHAR From Page 10 One highlight for Kathleen was interviewing Gilbert King, who did a podcast series on the Bone Valley murder of 1987 in Florida. She says she “loves doing this kind of work” and being her own boss. She adds that she enjoys “talking to people and getting their stories out there,” especially with Crime Story, which highlights the “amazing work” of her colleagues. As for the future, Kathleen admits, “I don’t know if I can keep up the pace, but I love long-form podcasts.” She would also like to do a television documentary and is contemplating a project about Argentina. With her daughter, Kelvey, at film school in London, and her son, Nathan, off to university next year, she and her husband, Neal Hall, who is in the film industry, hope to be able to work on some projects outside Toronto. One thing is certain: wherever Kathleen goes, she is sure to discover new projects along the way. n

Leaside Life • March 2024

a good frost, the whole of Trace Manes Park turned into skating rinks – one with boards for shinny and a huge pad for pleasure skating. By the time Diane was in high school, she had a Saturday job at Leaside Gardens. She and Mrs. Doyle ran the snack bar in the arena. The hours were 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no breaks, and all for the princely sum of 60 cents an hour for Diane! Friendship with two others in kindergarten and then seven more in high school led to, what else, the Gab Girls. Their original get-togethers were monthly, but now, apart from the two who have died, the remaining eight continue to meet four or five times a year. When Diane married Gibson (Gibby) Gray in 1968, her parents were still living in the Randolph house, and her Oliver grandmother was living in another W.T. Oliver house at 1367 Pape – just over the Leaside Bridge. Diane’s parents moved to the Pape house with her grandmother, while Gibby and Diane bought the Randolph house. They have since lived in Dwight, Ont., running the general store there, and in the Pape house, but are now back in Leaside – with a view of “their” Randolph house from their apartment. Leaside is home. n

Channel your inner culinary explorer in Leaside The path to learning a new skill is seldom without twists, turns and detours. So, in a quest to stop fearing my own kitchen and to do right by my fancy pots and pans, I set to expand my seriously lacking culinary skills. A flurry of emails and other messages went to anyone who might help draw me a map to my destination. Each crumb of a suggestion was helpful. Where to start? Why not a grocery store? Sadly, the majority of the big chain grocery stores in Leaside do not offer cooking classes. Some used to provide that option, but the pandemic shut them down – at least for the time being. But Longo’s answered the call. “A lot of people don’t really know that we exist,” says Rhonda Musseau, who co-ordinates the Loft at Longo’s at 93 Laird Dr. Their space allows for varied events, including cooking classes. “Some of our locations do teen classes,” Rhonda adds. “And we do

Steve Hardy Columnist

VIRGINIA TROTT

Leaside Life • March 2024

Chef John Bela, who leads cooking classes at Longo’s on Laird Dr., wants everyone to be comfortable in their kitchen and not afraid to experiment.

birthday parties. I just did a baby shower here. Our demographic is 18 to 90. It’s a great night out, and it’s so much fun.” The Longo’s menu of events offers a chance to channel your inner chef and create memories along the way. “We’ve had a wedding here in the restaurant space,” says Rhonda. “It was amazing.” Don’t forget the sweets With a huge assist from a Leaside Life colleague, I then met Helen Nugent. Helen knows the value of pie. No complicated calculation is required for the Leaside resident to determine that creating the flaky delicacy makes people happy. “I have an Irish mother who’s an amazing baker,” Helen says. “She taught me everything I know.” She is passing down what she learned at her mother’s apron, hosting classes in her home for those looking to expand their baking repertoire. The class is very intimate, with only six guests at a time. And you can be sure the classes fill up very fast. Author of the book Pie Style, which came out in 2020 (available at major booksellers and Amazon), Helen is working on another book and also does recipe development

for The Food Network. With the pandemic making live promotion of her book impossible, she has hosted a few Instagram (IG: Batterednbaked) live events. Just dig in Chef John Bela, who teaches cooking classes and runs corporate events for Longo’s, says the key to enjoying any culinary adventure is to demystify food. “People need to stop worrying about a recipe and start going into their cupboards, into their pantries, into their fridge and start cooking,” John says. “And I’m all about telling people it’s okay to make mistakes.” The chef loves teaching everyone in the room to be a culinary explorer. The experience feels like a dinner party. “When I see someone a day later or a week later, or they come back to a class that I’m teaching six weeks later and they say, ‘Oh, I made your mushroom bourguignon. And it was incredible.’ It’s the greatest compliment,” says John. So, how is my culinary journey going? Let’s just say, it’s a work in progress. Visit www.longos.com to see all the classes and events available. Helen runs pie classes throughout the year. To be added to her email notification list, contact her at nugenthelen15@gmail.com or DM her on Facebook at Helen Nugent. n

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Leaside Life • March 2024

“Walk this way” on Bayview by DAVID CRICHTON February arrived and so did spring, it seemed. On one of these unseasonably warm days I made my way along Bayview to the Leaside Observation Deck. Yep. Lit’s front window. And it is here I sat, struggling to come up with a topic for this issue when the subject literally walked right up to me and I had a front-row seat at Lit to observe and pass judgment. It would seem there are as many kinds of walking styles as there are people. No two are alike. And not one can really be defined as “normal.” Who among us, at some point, hasn’t seen a walk and thought, “Sweet mother of pearl, WHO walks like that?” Until, that is, we catch our own reflection in a window. I remember when I first caught my own, and was horrified at the stiff bird walking with my head on it. Ah, but let me deflect and assuage my self-loathing by casting judgment on the walk of others I witnessed on this beautiful day, if I may …. The saunterer: Regardless of

whether the traffic light is turning the legs. They lean forward with yellow, or a horde of chain-saw clenched mouth, as if fighting a stiff wielding zombies is closing in wind. Or holding one in. behind them, the Saunterer The meanderer: Being born feels no pressure or guilt and with one leg shorter than THE will always move at the S’s the other is the only way to LEASIDE own lackadaisical pace. Even explain why this walker drifts OBSERVER more frustrating is the fact from one side of the path that the speed of the walk is to the other, in a long, slow, inversely proportional to the oblivious arc. Given enough urgency of your own. berth, the Meanderer, with one The buzzer beater: I spotted a short leg, walks in a circle so perfect harried gentleman, with “hair” that it would make pi envious. that looks to be straight from a The wexter: You guessed it; the can of Ronco’s Great Looking walker who texts. No one really Hair #9, fast-walking across the knows what they look like, as we’ve Millwood intersection to beat the only ever seen the top of their head. light. (Which also reminds me The Ringo: Air drummer. With that I should try to dig out my head phones in, we are all treated to Pocket Fisherman.) His walk was a visual show of what an amazing no quicker than anyone else’s but musician this person is, in their his arms pumped jerkily, like a own mind. wind-up toy soldier. All to create The “Hey Look At Me, I Jog!” the illusion of trying to beat the walker: Okay, so not a walker, Don’t Walk signal before it counts per se. But worth mentioning since down. 4.3.2.1. Gagnant! Winner! there’s always one on a busy sideThe straight-arm walker: The walk. Three words: It’s a sideWALK. Straight-Armer has no elbow joints We know you jog. Your outfit is or shoulder rotation. All their simply smashing. But there are beauwalking energy is channeled into tiful side streets where you could actually run. The searcher: Like a metal detector with legs, and head darting like a bird, the Searcher searches. Loose change? A possible lottery ticket? A points card? Nothing escapes them. And they claim their prize fast, changing direction without warning, or worse, stopping on a dime to pick up a dime. If you’re tailgating, you could find yourself starting a conga line that would rival one on singles night at Club Med. The captain of industry: Two days before, I spotted this walker exiting Smokin’ Cigar in a billowy blue haze. With a backward-leaning gait, he brandished his stogie with theatrical waves of his hand and loud-talked important business into his phone. At one point, he bellowed his very clever one-liner: “That’s when I said, ‘If this weather is climate change, I’ll buy another five thousand shares!’” Wheezy guffaws petered out into a sanatorium-worthy coughing fit. Three Americanos later, I discovered my last walk of the afternoon. As I packed up my gear and got my coat on, I headed to the door to the downstairs of Lit, with a slightly frantic, short-striding shuffle. The telltale sign of the unmistakable gotta pee walk. Keep on walkin’! n

LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY

Speaker series March 14, 2024 at 7:00pm via Zoom. Guest speakers: Pamela Dangelmaier and Elke Wehinger of Botanus. Topic: Create a Summer Bulb Spectacular. The Society always welcomes guests and new members to join our meetings. Visit: www.leasidegardensociety.org or email: leaside@gardenontario.org for more info.

CFUW LEASIDE-EAST YORK IN PERSON Thurs. March 21 – 7:00pm. Northlea United Church, 125 Brentcliffe Rd. The Silk Road: Take a 7000-mile trek in time and follow the Silk Road. Speaker: Lianne Harris, former Social Studies Resource Specialist, TDSB.

EASTER AT NORTHLEA UNITED 125 Brentcliffe Road Join us in person or on YouTube at 10:30am any Sunday and for Palm Sunday, March 24 and Easter Sunday, March 31. Northlea United will be joining Leaside Presbyterian at 670 Eglinton Ave E. at 10:30am on Good

ST. CUTHBERT’S CHURCH, LEASIDE 1399 Bayview Avenue 416 485 0329 stcuthbertleaside@toronto. anglican.ca www.stcuthbertsleaside.com Tai chi: Tuesdays 1:30 – 2:30pm in Lamb Hall. Suggested donation $4.

LEASIDE LIBRARY 165 McRae Drive, 416 396 3835 Teen Council Present: Leaside Teen Art Exhibit. Join us for an evening of art, food and drinks as the Leaside teen community showcases their finest creative work. Hosted by the Leaside Teen Council. All welcome! Wed., March 13, 5:00pm-7:00pm. WonderPhil Magic Show A 5-star hit for audiences across the GTA for over a decade, and now at TPL’s Leaside Branch. Jam-packed with amazing magic, huge laughs, and tons of audience interaction. A magical recipe for fun, from start to finish! Drop-in with limited spots. Children ages 4-12. Wed., March 13, 11:00am – 11:45am. Scientists in School presents: Do it like Da Vinci! Da Vinci was an accomplished artist and skilled architect, and you can be too! Paint

Palm Sunday March 24 at 10:30 am In Person & Online

to explore solubility, absorption, and surface tension. Become an inventor by taking our structure building challenge, and create a catapult. Discover the joy of combining science and art! Drop-in with limited spots. Children ages 4-12. Fri., March 15, 2:00pm – 3:00pm. Making Comics with Kean Soo! Learn how to write and draw comics/ graphic novels with the award-winning creator of Jellaby and March Grand Prix! Kean will lead you through the foundations of creating fun, compelling characters, plot outlines, and pulling it all together by laying out and drawing your own comic! Register in person or by calling 416-396-3835. Teens ages 13 – 17. Thurs., March 14, 2:00pm – 4:00pm. To see all upcoming programs at Leaside, please visit www.tpl.ca.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER Friday, March 1 at 2:00pm. Leaside Presbyterian Church, 670 Eglinton Ave East, is happy to host the 2024 World Day of Prayer service. Join us as we enjoy the service prepared by Palestinian Christian women. The theme is I Beg You… Bear With One Another in Love with text taken from Ephesians 4:1-3. Refreshments. Available by Zoom. Contact the church office for info. n

Holy Week & Easter

with LEASIDE UNITED CHURCH 822 Millwood Road www.leasideunited.org

Maundy Thursday March 28 at 2:00 pm In Person Good Friday March 29 at 10:30 am In Person & Online

Easter Sunday March 31 at 10:30 am In Person & Online www.youtube.com/@LeasideUnitedChurchToronto

Leaside Life • March 2024

March Events

Friday, March 29 as our choirs join together for a special service.

THE

Curious Idler

Speeding through Leaside is easy to do. Recently the Idler was going down Rolph Road when he noticed a sign indicating that a new municipal speed camera will soon be installed in the area. The Idler was shocked to see his speedometer reading 43 km, or 13 km over the local speed limit of 30 km/h. Slowing down is hard! It took the Idler 21 days of consistent behaviour to break a bad habit. If the safety of our neighbours is not enough incentive to drive safely, then maybe the $200 fine for driving 24 km/h over the posted speed will do the trick. As Simon & Garfunkel sang, “Slow down, you move too fast!” And “you got to make the morning last.”

Applications now open for 2024 Ruth & Harry Goldhar Journalism Award Leaside Life is proud to support journalism and creative writing, and to that end, we are pleased to announce that applications are now open for The 2024 Ruth & Harry Goldhar Journalism Award. Created in 2022, in honour of the founders of Leaside Life, current owners Stan Flemming and Jeff Hohner are offering an award of $1,000 to a graduating student of Leaside High

ME CON N T

St. Anselm students Mila, 10, and Brodie, 9, used their PA day to create their annual snow monster. Rising to over 10 ft., the apple crate-wearing, tennis-playing snow giant greets Leasiders as they traverse up Randolph Rd.

e ew

e om

Snow monster seen on Randolph!

Leaside Life • March 2024

Slow down, you move too fast

ER S

S T. CUT HBE RT ’S , L E A S I D E

HOLY WEEK & EASTER at St. Cuthbert’s, Leaside PALM SUNDAY March 24th, 8am and 10am MAUNDY THURSDAY March 28th, 7:30pm GOOD FRIDAY March 29th, 10am

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! EASTER SUNDAY March 31st, 8am and 10am EASTER EGG HUNT March 31st, 11:30am on the Green

Wishing you the blessings of new life this Easter and always.

1399 Bayview Ave. • 416-485-0329 • stcuthbertsleaside.com

School who intends to pursue creative writing or journalism in a post-secondary institution. This is the third year for the award, which will be presented in June this year at the LHS graduation ceremonies. Previous recipients were Yoursra Lakhani in 2022 and Alison Ma in 2023. If you know a potential candidate, applications will be available through the Leaside High guidance department. A brief application and a writing sample will meet the requirements for eligibility.

Author and lawn bowler Sullivan pens debut novel It’s the early, swinging 70s in London, and Ollie is riding the wave. There’s a day job and rent to pay, but that never gets in the way of the pubs and women. What does get in the way is the ever-present depression that clouds his daily life with feelings of guilt. And if that weren’t bad enough, add a stalker to the mix, no doubt the result of something else he’s guilty of, and Ollie knows he’s in real trouble. He needs to get his head right, but it’s not until his shrink hypnotizes him that Ollie remembers dark events in his early years and he is able to confront his demons, inside and out. A Nod’s As Good As A Wink ... is author Dennis Sullivan’s tale of discovery, full of pain and humour, as his protagonist Ollie goes from relationship to relationship looking for his place in the sun. At age 78, first-time author Dennis Sullivan, who left England in 1974 and emigrated to Canada, is a 40-year Leaside resident. Sullivan

Easter

with

InͲperson or on YouTube @ 10:30 am

Leaside Life • March 2024

IDLER continued

Northlea United

or online any time.

Palm Sunday March 24

Good Friday March 29

at Leaside Presbyterian 670 Eglinton Ave E.

self-published his novel using hybrid publisher Austin Macauley and is learning new skills as he navigates the maze of self-publishing. When he is not writing, you can find Dennis honing his bowling skills at the Leaside Lawn Bowling Club. The novel is available on Amazon and at Indigo. n

BASEBALL From Page 12 years, Howie was also a highly-regarded umpire, calling balls and strikes in two world championships, three international championships, and six national championships. He even umpired three Pearson Cup games between the Blue Jays and the Expos. But I imagine he enjoyed his countless games behind the plate at his home field, Talbot Park, just as much. Howie’s induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is just the latest in a series of well-deserved honours, including his membership in the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame, the Toronto Sport Hall of Honour, and the Ontario Baseball Hall of Fame. I suspect Howie is uncomfortable with these honours. He’s just been doing what he loves for more than 60 years. And you can bet that when the umpires shout “play ball!” on the two diamonds in Talbot Park in early May, Howie Birnie will be there running the show as he has been for so long. Congrats, Howie, and thanks for more than six decades of service, and counting. n

Easter Sunday March 31

125 Brentcliffe Road Northleaunited.ca office@northleaunited.ca

Councillor 30

Jaye

Leaside Life • March 2024

ROBINSON Ward 15 - Don Valley West

Get in Contact! Councillor_Robinson@Toronto.ca

416-395-6408

Residential & Commercial Cleaning Services

News on the traffic front! Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LRA

On Tues., April 2, after several months’ delay, North York Community Council will try to decide on a solution for what continues to be a safety problem in South Leaside. The location: Bayview Avenue at Sutherland Drive. The issue: to provide a safe crossing for pedestrians and cyclists, and easier access for the TTC Route 88 bus. You will recall that this past autumn City of Toronto traffic staff proposed that a traffic light be installed there – a proposal which raised a lot of neighbourhood concerns, not to mention questions. How and by whom would it be operated? Would it increase drivethrough traffic on Sutherland? Had alternatives to a traffic signal been considered? These questions (and many others) were raised by the Leaside Residents Association (LRA) and numerous nearby neighbours. The item was sent back to staff for explanation. We look forward to learning more about their rationale, and what alternative approaches they may propose for making the intersection safer. Security on the TTC Representing the LRA, I attended an interesting TTC consultation meeting regarding proposed policies to improve security on public transit, based on recommendations made by Toronto’s ombudsman. We have all occasionally read disquieting reports about arguments or violence on streetcars or buses, or in the subway, whether linked to mental health or other problems. The purpose of this meeting was to look at de-escalation, rapid response, data-recording cameras, and accountability, among other

considerations. An important point: this is not an expansion of powers. We enquired how the TTC and responders on site can identify a reasonable use of force while respecting dignity; the use of transit property for shelter by homeless people; the varying kinds of training needed for different types of incidents, from fare evasion to violence; and suicide prevention. Our feedback is meant to be used in identifying which current practices and policies need improvement. A final report will be presented to the TTC board soon. Property tax time! Once again it is property tax time, which is always controversial, to say the least. Back in the era of Toronto’s amalgamation, I was co-chair of a province-wide committee comprising local officials, economists and councillors. We were searching for a more equitable type of municipal/provincial taxation than Current Value Assessment, CVA, which is based on potential sales values of house and land, rather than on the levels of municipal support services used. The result of the CVA tax system? Residents, especially those on fixed incomes, may be house rich, but too often are cash poor, as neighbourhoods become gentrified. Is it worth re-examining the assessment system again? I’d be interested in your thoughts.

The LRA board of directors meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month, at the Trace Manes building on Rumsey, just south of Leaside Library. You are welcome to join us there. Depute on issues important to you, ask questions, have your say, or just listen.

Our next monthly meeting is on March 6th. For more details and updates between now and then, or to become an LRA member, visit leasideresidents.ca and press the Contact Us button, or leasideresidents.ca/contact-us. n

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Leaside Life • March 2024

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