M A R C H 2020
Leaside Life leasidelife.com
No. 94
Shopping “green” in Leaside, page 18.
A master of curling in our midst John Epping and his winning team make the Leaside Curling Club their home base.
Team Epping L-R, Epping, Ryan Fry, Matt Camm, and Brent Laing with the 2019 Canada Cup.
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THOMAS SHIPTON INSET: MICHAEL BURNS
Story on page 14.
Leaside Life • March 2020
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EDITOR’S WELCOME When I review each month’s stories for Leaside Life, I find I’m not just wearing my editor’s hat. I’m also a reader learning more about this vital community. And each month I’m surprised by something I hadn’t known before. Of course, Leaside is noted for many things, among them its vibrant shopping, verdant streetscapes, excellent schools, stately homes, exciting new developments, and so much more. But this month my reading pleasure is all around curling. Curling has put Leaside on the world map. The Leaside Curling Club, founded in 1963 and run in partnership with the City of Toronto, boasts curling royalty in the lithe form of John Epping, club pro and the skip of the number one curling team in the world. This past December, his team, comprising himself as skip, Ryan Fry, Matt Camm, and Brett Laing, won the Canada Cup, making them the first qualifiers for the 2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. Sports columnist Susan Scandiffio profiles this ice king in our March issue. In a future issue, she’ll feature Leaside’s award-winning Women’s
Jane Auster Editor Leaside Life
Masters curling team – Team Carwardine – provincial women’s master curling champions! For such accomplished curling athletes, there should be nothing but the best rocks, and that’s just what the Leaside Curling Club now has. In January of this year, Leaside Curling Club (LCC) members invested almost $100,000 to replace all 128 of their curling rocks, which dated back to the club’s founding. Club volunteers and staff came together in one day to haul out the old stones and heave in the new, lifting almost five tonnes of granite in the process. In other stories this issue, you’ll meet Leaside’s very own prize watchmakers and cyclists eager to bike into spring. And Geoff Kettel explores the Charter City movement and what it means to Leasiders. Meaty reading to sink your teeth into. ■
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Greetings from the Bayview Leaside BIA Welcome to the first of four 2020 articles regarding the Bayview Leaside Business Improvement Area. Our goal is to keep you, our neighbours, customers and clients, informed and up to date on the projects and initiatives undertaken by the BIA to keep our little stretch of Bayview Avenue (Davisville to Parkhurst) a vibrant and attractive business district. But first a refresher, or for some an introduction to what a Business Improvement Area is. A Business Improvement Area is an association of commercial and industrial property owners and business tenants who work to create and maintain clean, attractive and vibrant business districts. Currently, there are 83 BIAs in the City of Toronto representing more than 40,000 business and property owner members. Annual BIA budgets range from a few thousand dollars to a few million dollars. BIA boards of management are local boards of City Council, established with a mandate to improve
and maintain City-owned lands, such as sidewalks, parks and public squares, beyond City-standard levels; promote the business area through special events and marketing initiatives; and advocate on behalf of the needs of its membership. Volunteer board members are nominated by the membership and appointed by Council every four years. BIAs self-fund through a levy collected through the property tax billing system, and partner with the City of Toronto on streetscape capital projects and other initiatives. The Bayview Leaside BIA was established in 2015 and quickly began planning for streetscape improvements and developing festivals and events. BIA-branded benches and planters have been installed, and an annual program of summer flower planting and winter displays is now well established. In addition, construction of phase one of the BIA’s parkette program at Bayview and Millwood is nearing completion, and planning for phase two will commence this year. The BIA invites the community to
get together, rain or shine, or maybe snow, for Sidewalk Sensation in June, Apple Fest in October, and our Holiday Celebration in December. In 2019, the BIA retained the services of a social media coordinator, so find out what’s going on by following us on Instagram and Facebook @BayviewLeasideBIA and at BayviewLeasideBIA.com. From a land area and budget perspective, the Bayview Leaside BIA is small in comparison to most other BIAs. However, Bayview Leaside has strengths that set it apart, including an impressive collection of independent retailers, restaurants, cafés and personal service businesses, and adjacent communities that are passionate about their neighbourhoods and loyal to local businesses. Please watch this space over the coming months for more about the Bayview Leaside BIA. We welcome your thoughts and ideas, so feel free to contact us at info@bayviewleasidebia.com or at 416-628-3794. Henry Byres is the coordinator of the Bayview Leaside BIA. ■
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Leaside Life • March 2020
by HENRY BYRES
LEASIDE PEOPLE • MEET YOUR NEIGHBOURS
Shirley Macdougall flies high in a Tri-Champ plane What is significant about the accompanying photo of Shirley Macdougall? You may guess it was taken in the 1960s, but you probably don’t recognize the plane – a Tri-Champ – or realize that Shirley Macdougall had a pilot’s licence and could fly this plane. Shirley’s story starts in Mount Forest, Ont. After finishing high school, she worked for a lawyer before moving to Toronto. As a member of the Trident Club at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, she and friends went to a dance at Fantasy Farm where she met Neil Macdougall. It took a few years for that meeting to blossom into marriage, on March 1, 1957. During that time, Shirley took an extended trip to Europe on her own, when her travelling companion friend decided to get married instead. After reading Flights of Fancy by Frank Kingston Smith, Neil and Shirley decided to take flying lessons. They chose the Oshawa Flying Club (a former air force GREETING CARDS • STAMPS
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NEIL MACDOUGALL
Leaside Life • March 2020
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base), partly because of its long runways. Shirley might have soloed first, but when she became pregnant, she wasn’t allowed to fly with her student permit. She finally got her licence in 1965. As one of only two women in a graduating class of 44, she joined the 99s – an organization of women pilots founded by Amelia Earhart. She was an active member for over 50 years – doing everything from refreshing paint on runways, to chairing the local chapter and being on the board of directors of an international pilots’ organization. Shirley and Neil did a lot of flying together. The plane they flew most often was a four-seater Cessna 150 or Cessna 172. They owned a 172 for some time and kept it at Oshawa. Once or twice a year they would fly to Vancouver or Calgary in their own plane – a chance to do what they loved when Neil had business out west. It took two days to fly there in such a small plane
in addition to any delays due to weather. They were members of the Civil Air Patrol out of Texas for 22 years when they wintered in South Padre Island. They also flew with Civil Air Rescue in Canada and the Civil Air Patrol in the US, and were involved in over 70 special missions, including searching for missing aircraft and providing earthquake relief. When we met, Shirley described her feeling of flying as being “boundless, with no restrictions. ... (there is) a freedom you don’t get anywhere else.” But she pointed out that within that freedom, there were restrictions relating to requirements for safety – checking “fuel, tires, oil, the weather, that the flaps work – to check before you get in and strap in.” At home in Leaside The Macdougalls moved to Leaside in 1966 and lived on Divadale for many years. During those early years, at home with two young children, Shirley started studying part-time at the University of Toronto and earned her BA. That degree introduced Shirley to the Canadian Federation of University Women, of which she is still a member at their LeasideEast York club, meeting at Northlea United Church. She also spent many years as a volunteer at the Royal Ontario Museum, receiving an Ontario Volunteer Service Award for 25 years of service. But nothing can quite match the exhilaration of her years in the cockpit. ■
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Leaside Life • March 2020
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Keeping PACE with a new Leaside pharmacy In the 1950s, pharmacists were commonly known as druggists and their premises as drugstores. They filled doctors’ prescriptions as they do today, but many of the medicines were so bitter their taste was masked with flavoured syrups and carbonated water. This led to the birth of the famous drugstore soda fountain where adults and children could sip on a tasty Cherry Coke or chocolate ice cream soda for a quarter. Ah, the good old days! The drugstore became a kind of meeting place and hangout for young and old – an important part of the neighbourhood. While there is no soda fountain in Pace (an acronym for Pharmacy and Compounding Experts) Pharmacy, Leaside’s newest pharmacy, at 40 Laird, owner Adam Silvertown hopes to rekindle that sense of community found in the drugstores of yesteryear.
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Leaside Life • March 2020
by KEN MALLETT
Pace is much more than a run-ofthe-mill pharmacy… a very different kind of drugstore which still fills prescriptions like all the other drugstores, but doesn’t stop there. “Being independently owned and operated allows us to provide quality customer service and individualized healthcare while offering flexibility unmatched by the big box drugstores,” he says. “A lot of pharmacies can call themselves a compounding pharmacy, but you need specially trained people and you need special equipment.” Silvertown has only been in business about 10 years but has gained a reputation at his downtown location near Yonge & Bloor as the city’s leading destination for specialty compounded products. Many neighbouring chains refer patients with complex compounding prescriptions to his pharmacy. In a recent article in PharmacyU.ca, he said: “I literally have five Shoppers Drug Marts within one kilometre of my store. They send me a lot business – I’m doing the stuff they can’t or won’t do.” Compound interest That compounding “stuff” includes customized dosage forms that aren’t commercially available – including suppositories, lollipops, transdermal gels/ointments, suspensions and lozenges – as well as medications without lactose, sugar, dyes or alcohol. His client base includes midlife women seeking bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, patients with HIV, AIDS and hepatitis, as well as vegetarians and vegans looking for animal-free products like gelatin-free capsules. “At our Leaside location, there are usually about four staff, including one pharmacist and three pharmacy technicians and assistants. But it can sometimes be as high as six – including two pharmacists and four technicians/assistants. Our downtown location has upwards of 15-18 people working on any given day.” A high tech and expensive facility is critical to his operation. Silvertown says that concocting custom meds is “way cooler than counting pills.” He adds, “Our job is to figure out what our customers’ specific PHARMACY Page 21
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LEASIDE PEOPLE • MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS 8
David Leese’s big Breakout success
Leaside Life • March 2020
by TALBOT BOGGS David Leese credits the success of his business to its synergies with the people of Leaside. Leese opened Breakout Studios on Bayview Ave. 10 years ago as a convenient place to organize and hold parties for children in the area. Over the ensuing decade, however, it has slowly evolved into a highly popular venue for celebrations for adults as well. Today, Leese handles about 200 events a year, including weddings, elementary and high school graduations, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, 40th, 50th and other birthday celebrations, and even some charity and community fundraising events for customers in Leaside and elsewhere across the city. Leese turned the studio’s 6,000 sq. ft. venue into a night club with a capacity of 150 in the style of the former famous Studio 54 in New York, featuring a disc jockey, special effects lighting, and a dance
floor. “Kids really love the night club atmosphere,” Leese said in an interview. “It makes them feel that they’re in an adult party but without the liquor.” Leese attributes much of his success over the years to offering turnkey event packages to his customers. All
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you have to do is book the date and Leese does the rest. “We were the first in Toronto to marry programs with a full-range of services,” Leese said. “Parents love the fact that they don’t have to do anything. They just come and enjoy the party. That has been a really big selling feature over the years and really was instrumental in starting to get the parents to book us for their own affairs.” Of course there’s the additional factor that Leaside is a socio-economically upscale community. “The people here have the resources and are willing to pay for the services,” Leese added. For adult parties, a Special Occasion Permit (SOP) allows for the selling and serving of alcohol. Leese supplies everything else – from a disc jockey to servers, bartender, and band. Leese recently has expanded his concept to include video game parties for nine- to 12-year-olds featuring the PS4 video game system and beanbag seating, two-hour, end-ofyear hockey, soccer and other sports parties including trophies, and breakout baby parties with music every Thursday morning where mothers can attend with their infants. Leese also holds auctions for gift certificates toward a free party. “It’s our way of giving back to the community that has supported us over the years,” Leese said. He believes Breakout Studios is the first of its kind that now is drawing customers from right across the city. “We really are a family entertainment centre now,” Leese said. www.breakouttheparty.com. ■
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I remember it like it was yesterday. Sound asleep. Dead to the world. Dark outside. I mean really dark. We’re talking pitch black. I could hear an annoying sound in the distance reaching down into the very depths of my slumber, which as a teenager at the time, was more akin to a coma than deep sleep. Yet there it was again, that sound burrowing into my subconscious and hauling me up to the surface. This happened a dozen or so times during the winter months. It was my mother waking my twin brother Tim and me up early on a frigid morning to inform us that there’d been a dump of snow overnight. The all too seldom unspoken follow up message, in case we fell back into the trough of sleep, was that we must leap from our warm beds and shovel the four elderly neighbours’ driveways we contracted to clear when the flakes flew. I don’t know if it was our age that made sleep seem slightly more important than nuclear disarmament, but the thought of crawling from, let alone leaping from, our incredibly blissful and comfortable cocoons,
Terry Fallis Columnist
SHUTTERSTOCK
Leaside Life • March 2020
10
You could leave your shovelling to Terry and Tim – or could you?
was, to say the least, the absolutely worst hardship this side of basic military training. Some of you remember my mother. She was nothing if not persistent and was certainly dedicated, ensuring we honoured our commitments to our infirm neighbours. After all, a crisp $5 bill was at stake for each driveway.
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Somehow, we’d slide out of bed and into our clothes. I can’t confirm whose clothes they were and if they were donned in the right order. It is truly amazing what one can accomplish with closed eyes, limited motor control, and a tenuous grasp on consciousness. But eventually, I’d lurch awake to find myself standing outside with a shovel in my hand. I’d immediately return inside our house to put on my boots, coat, hat, and mitts, before hollering, “once more into the breach” and heading back into the arctic blast. Subzero temperatures have a way of focusing the mind even as they numb the extremities. The fact that it wasn’t really light enough to shovel didn’t much matter. My eyes weren’t open anyway. I used the Braille snow shovelling method, a technique I had developed on my own. By the 40th time I’d shovelled Mrs. Carmichael’s driveway, I figured out the system that worked best. It balanced minimum effort with the lowest expectations of the client, at least until our mother put herself in charge of quality control, judged with her eagle eye out our kitchen window. On more than one occasion, I’d start to plod my way homewards happy to be finished only to notice my mother’s furrowed brow and shaking head in the window. To minimize energy outlay, I’d simply turn around in my tracks and take another pass at the Carmichael driveway. There was no point in debating her verdict. One learns from experience. Then it was back to our side of the street to tackle Mr. Dade’s driveway. No money changed hands for keeping Mr. Dade’s driveway clear. You see, I’d struck a deal with him. In exchange for shovelling, he let my friend Geoff and me build our hovercraft in his empty garage. (That’s a story I’ve already told in this space.) When negotiated in mid-July, it seemed like a fair trade. In early January? Not so much. It was such a relief for Tim and me to finish our two contracted driveways each and return home for breakfast, with the sun still a good hour or so from the eastern horizon. That’s when my mother would remind us that the family driveway, walk, and sidewalk remained to be shovelled. And did I mention that we lived on a corner lot? That made for FALLIS page 24
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How to deal with selling an estate home
Leaside Life • March 2020
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Our latest real estate column features Patrick Rocca, Broker, Bosley Real Estate and a Leaside resident, offering his unique take on housing in the community. Visit him at www.patrickrocca.com to free up cash, an estate sale to manage or distribute an estate. Selling a family home after a usually happens when the Probate is a procedure to ask the parent dies can be an emotional owner passes away. Those court to give a person the authority to time. Some heirs may be in a who inherit the property act as the estate trustee or confirm the hurry to dispose of the propLEASIDE LIVES will receive the proceeds authority of a person named as the erty and move on. However, from the sale, and probate estate trustee in the deceased’s will. selling a property owned by is required in Ontario for Probate is required for estates in an estate isn’t a quick or easy most estates. Ontario. In a few, relatively rare process. You’re not going to list cases, the requirement to probate the home the next day. Probate is waived or avoided by pre-death Being left with the responsibility In Ontario, an estate trustee is the planning. If the estate includes real of selling a loved one’s home either only person with the legal authority estate that does not automatically pre-estate (after they’ve moved to a retirement home or care facility) or after their death can be daunting. LEASIDE AND BENNINGTON REAL ESTATE STATISTICS as of January 31, 2020 The demographic in our neighbourJanuary # SOLD Days on Market Average Average Price hood lends itself to such transactions DETACHED so it is imperative you deal with a realtor who has experience with this 2019 2 6 $2,123,550 type of transaction as it is not neces2020 5 42 $2,049,400 sarily a simple process. What is an estate sale and how does it work? An estate sale is the sale of a property with the purpose of liquidating the home and all assets in it. While there could be any number of reasons to liquidate the property
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vest in someone like the spouse of the deceased, then probate will almost always be required. Properties can be listed any time during probate, but the listing agent should be aware of the delay due to probate. How long does it take? Right now, the courts are experiencing a backlog in processing applications for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee (Executor). We are currently seeing process times up to 12-14 weeks at some local courts. Overall, generally it can take several months to probate an estate. Listings for estate sales typically stipulate that the property is being sold in “as is” condition, meaning the home likely has not been updated in a while and may need some improvements and there are no guarantees, however this may not always be the case. Downsizing and estate services I provide include: • A professional marketing plan and oversights • Benefit of my trusted service providers (lawyers, estate contents sellers, cleaners, packing, garbage disposal and donations) • Helping manage the disposition, appraisal or sale of any assets in the home. Call or email me to discuss your personal situation. ■
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All hail Leaside Curling Club’s king of curling! by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO When you walk into the Leaside Curling Club, one thing is abundantly clear. John Epping is curling royalty. Besides being the club pro and an extremely popular instructor, Epping is also the skip of the number one curling team in the world. Yes, you read correctly: “the world.” With years of hard work, dedication, and training, Epping has deservedly risen to the top of his sport. Born in Peterborough into a family of curlers, Epping was a natural to take up the sport. Epping’s grandfather was one of the founding members of the Ennismore Curling Club and his mother and all her siblings were avid curlers. Although he played a multitude of sports as a youth, curling was his passion. Epping took up the sport at age 7, began competing at a club level at age 11, and at age 17, began competing outside Peterborough. Since then, Epping has never looked back. An Ontario Junior Champion in 2004, he has gone on
FROM THE COVER
JON CLARKE
Leaside Life • March 2020
14
to multiple wins. He’s been a part of 4 Time Grand Slam of Curling Championships, 22 wins on the World Curling Tour, and 11 appearances at the Ontario Tankard. In December 2019, his team, comprising himself as skip, Ryan Fry, Matt Camm, and Brett Laing, won the Canada Cup, making them the first qualifiers for the 2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. And in
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January, Team Epping won the Ontario Tankard, qualifying them to represent Ontario at the 2020 Tim Hortons Brier, Canada’s national men’s curling championship. Epping admits with a smile that he is “a competitive guy.” He has been lucky, he says, to have had amazing support from family, friends, sponsors, and fans, and especially from the Leaside Curling Club, including Paivi Liitela, the club manager, who, he notes, has been “incredibly supportive and accommodating” of his schedule. One of the club members even built a special case just for Epping’s Tankard Trophy in 2018 and with the team’s 2019 win, the cup is again on display. The Leaside Club is also incredibly proud of their pro. Tom Hague, president of the Leaside Curling Club board, notes that “John is not only a world class player but a great instructor as well. His clinics over the years are always full and his lessons are well appreciated. More importantly, John is a fine person and we are proud to be associated with him.” Epping has, he says, “a huge passion for teaching,” and his classes, along with clinics he hosts both in and outside the Leaside club, are wildly popular. He has also taken his teaching skills to the international level with a job coaching Chinese curlers as the country is attempting to build a competitive team. Rounding out his roles, Epping has partnered with Radical Road Brewing Co. to produce Eppic Ale, which launched in 2019 and is already being served in 35 curling rinks. Epping is a world champion both on the ice and off. ■
Leaside Curling Club says “let’s rock!”
15
Fast forward almost 200 years, and that price has risen. A lot. In January of this year, Leaside Curling Club (LCC) members invested almost $100,000 to replace all 128 of their curling rocks, which dated back to the club’s founding in 1962. Club volunteers and staff came together in one day to haul out the old stones and heave in the new, lifting almost five tonnes of granite in the process. With more than 1,100 members, the Leaside Curling Club is one of the largest curling clubs in Ontario. Club members range from the Little Rock program for the age of 7 to Masters curlers. The club has produced a number of championship curlers [see our story in this issue on John Epping], as well as many who love to curl for the fun, socialization, and love of the sport. The old rocks, which had an average lifespan of about 50 years, were extremely well used over the past 58 years at the LCC. Camille Beaubien, secretary of the LCC board, notes that “this strategic investment will improve member experiences now and for decades to come.” At a ceremony held to celebrate the new rocks, Bruce Cook, 74 years young and Leaside Curling Club’s last remaining active founding member, threw out the ceremonial first rock. Congratulations to the LCC for this investment in the future! ■
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LEASIDE CURLING CLUB
Originating in Scotland, the sport of curling was first played in Canada in the 18th century with the first club established in Montreal in 1807. While the first curling “stones” used in Canada were made from iron, curling rocks of granite soon became the norm and were advertised in 1839 in Toronto for $8 a pair.
Bruce Cook, 74, Leaside Curling Club’s last remaining active founding member, throws out a ceremonial first rock of the Club’s brand new set of rocks. Bruce has been curling at Leaside since he was 18 years old.
Curling Mug $18.99
or 2 for $30.00 Free delivery within Leaside!
To order call: 416-504-8047 Email: Leasidelife@gmail.com
Leaside Life • March 2020
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
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Distinguished executive Paul Cadario showed his promise at Leaside High
Leaside Life • March 2020
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO With Leaside High School’s 75th anniversary being celebrated this year, Leaside Life will be profiling a number of notable members of the school in various positions, as students, teachers, and more, to mark the milestone. Open any page of Leaside High School yearbooks of the late 1960s and you’re almost sure to come across a photo or mention of student Paul Cadario. School Captain in Grade 13, member of the Reach for the Top team, editor of the yearbook, member of the formal organizing committee, and coordinator of the Leaside Centennial project in 1967, the 1969 graduate was clearly an intelligent, ambitious, and popular leader who showed great initiative. In his yearbook summary notes as School Captain, Cadario emphasized the necessity of change over tradition and the value of communication and imagination to reach targets. “To change is to live, and to live is to change,” he wrote insightfully. His drive and leadership skills proved to be invaluable as he excelled scholastically after high school and later in his career, especially as a leader at the World Bank. Growing up on Sharron Drive with his parents and younger sister Barbara, Cadario attended Bessborough School for Kindergarten and St. Anselm Catholic School from Grades 1 through 8. Cadario has fond memories of summers spent at the Leaside pool and of his years from Grade 10 to university working at the Leaside Library. He praises his St. Anselm’s principal, Sister Benedetta, and his teachers at Leaside High School for the pride, commitment, and life they brought to their teaching, which, he says, gave him important skills that were invaluable in his future career. Their teaching is “something for which (I am) forever grateful.” Leaside High School was, Cadario
says, “always a school that had high expectations of their students.” He notes that students in the 1960s were also fortunate to be in the educational system at a time when the provincial government was investing heavily in education. From Leaside, Cadario attended the University of Toronto, earning a degree in Civil Engineering and serving as a member of the
in Guinea-Bissau and Mongolia, and managed the strategy, budget, and logistics for the Bank’s work in 22 former Soviet and central European states after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1998, he began working on the Bank’s modernizing and streamlining of its business for the digital age of transparency and accountability. From 2001, he oversaw the multi-billion-dollar portfolio of grants managed and disbursed by the World Bank as a trustee for governments, foundations, non-governmental organizations and private development partners. While working intern a t i o n a l l y, Cadario maintained strong ties with the University of Toronto. Cadario sat on the Governing Council from 1985-1994 and served as president of the University of Toronto Alumni Association from 2007–2009. Cadario also took lead roles on boards for the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, the Centre for Global Engineering (CGEN), the School of Public Policy and Governance, and the Munk School of Global Affairs. He served as a university representative on the Banting Research Foundation board and, after his retirement from the World Bank in 2012, was appointed Distinguished Fellow in Global Innovation at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. The Cadario Fellowship in Global Affairs today is awarded annually to an incoming Master of Global Affairs (MGA) student based on financial need and academic merit. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the school and his career in international development, Cadario was inducted into the university’s Engineering Hall of Distinction in 2008, and in 2013, was awarded an honorary LLD.
the
1960s
Paul Cadario in the 1969 Clan Call. Opposite page: Paul today. school’s Governing Council. A Rhodes Scholar, Cadario then earned a BA and MA in philosophy, politics, and economics from the University of Oxford, and an M.Sc. in organizational development from American University. Cadario spent 37 years working at the World Bank excelling in a number of roles. He worked for nearly two decades with the Bank’s frontline development programs in Western Africa and China, and then in public sector management throughout Asia. He worked in the establishment of the first World Bank-financed operations
Leaside Life • March 2020
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CADARIO continued According to Cadario’s Twitter header, “the world needs more Canada.” With Cadario’s long history of incredible passion and service, the world has certainly benefited from this Canadian’s success both at home and abroad. ■
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It’s easy shopping green in Leaside by CHERYL VANDERBURG and DEBORA KUCHME Leaside has more businesses that cater to our green living needs than any other neighbourhood in Toronto. ...At least that’s what we think from our own research. And with such a tremendous variety of products and services to choose from, these businesses are making it a lot easier for us to be green. But we wondered if Leasiders are aware of how many green options we really have in our neighbourhood. As consumers, we’re becoming more conscious of what we buy
We made up some Shop Green signs hoping to identify every business in Leaside that provides us with eco-options. With a list of about 20 green businesses in hand, we set out to do two things. First, to thank these businesses for their green efforts, and second, to help us as consumers know where our green options are. We are thinking more about our health and the health of the planet
One of our first stops was George at Peaches and Green on Bayview
because he’s a green pioneer and for 30 years has been providing Leaside with natural health and wellness products, organic foods and even locally made (Lainnir) natural cleaning products. For us, it was the pride we felt from George as he accepted his Shop Green sign because being acknowledged for his efforts was like receiving an award. We shared a wonderful conversation on the importance of green living and he gave us the fuel we needed to continue. Now there are more than 30 Shop Green signs in store windows throughout Leaside (with more to come), and many are in businesses that you might not have expected because it’s not just about our wide variety of organic and ethical food choices. Did you know you can get that hard-to-find organic cotton t-shirt at Cornflower Blue? That The Smokin’ Cigar carries organic tobacco? Or that Perri & Palmacci Hair Company uses organic hair dye? We have Davenport Garden Centre that brought us neonic-free plants and pre-started organic herbs and vegeta-
The Millwood
Annual Dinner & Dance
Thursday, March 26th 5:30 to 8:30 pm.
LIVE BAND! Highlighting the splendid songs of the 40’s & 50’s BIG BAND Era!
Complimentary RSVP: seating is limited 50/50 Draw, Door Prizes
THE MILLWOOD R E T I R E M E N T R E S I D E N C E
921 Millwood Road 416.425.8635 • www.themillwood.ca
bles so we can grow our own food, and Bloom B e a u t y introduced us to natural cosmetics and beauty products. And there are so many more. But how many of us think about the shops that cater to maintenance, resale, repair, restoration, alterations and reuse? These are the businesses that keep our products out of landfill for as long as possible. We’re thinking more about the amount of waste we produce
Need a new chair? Mac Fab can reupholster your old one and it will be better than new. We can get our shoes fixed or dyed a new colour at Millwood Shoe Repair & Skate Exchange. Why buy a new toaster if Fix It Again Sam can repair it? Irene’s Studio transformed a mother’s wedding dress to become her daughter’s wedding dress, and Pagnello’s Antiques resells and restores antiques and vintage pieces to live on for another generation or two. We have shops that repair bicycles, jewellery, watches, clocks, lamps, furniture and more – and they are all right here in Leaside. We’re hoping these Shop Green signs will show us how easy it is to find eco-products and services in Leaside and, at the same time, give a nod to our many businesses helping us to be greener. If you’re a Leaside business offering an eco-option and would like a Shop Green sign, let us know at leasidelife. com, and if you have a favourite Leaside green business, there’s still time to nominate that establishment for a Green Heart Award. The next time you’re out shopping local, keep an eye out for the Shop Green signs because that’s where the green hearts are! Visit leasidelife.com for the extended version of this article along with a list of the current Shop Green stores with the products and services they provide. The Leaside Green Awards will be announced in the April issue. There’s still time if want to nominate one of your green heroes. The deadline is March 6 and details can be found at leasidelife.com. ■
SHUTTERSTOCK
Leaside Life • March 2020
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Laurie Martel rows her way to a record
Leaside Life • March 2020
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Achievement in Distance, as well as gifts from other clients whom Laurie now calls friends. Not surprisingly, they celebrated with some bubbly at the end. You can follow Laurie on Instagram to learn more about her 2019 challenge @lmaworkinprogress. ■
City of Toronto Waste Reduction Community Grants Do you need funding for an innovative idea to reduce residential waste and increase participation in the City’s waste diversion programs? The City of Toronto is accepting applications for grants of up to $25,000 to support a variety of innovative projects such as: • initiatives that support reuse and reduction; • waste education and engagement initiatives; and/or • other initiatives that align with the City’s Long Term Waste Management Strategy such as the repairing, exchanging, swapping and sharing of goods. Groups eligible to apply for funding include resident, tenant, and neighbourhood associations, service clubs, ethnic community organizations, registered charitable organizations, environmental organizations, school groups, clubs, and councils. Past winners include the North York Harvest Food Bank whose project is to reduce food waste by transitioning food banks from a ‘hamper model’ to a ‘choice model’; Youth Empowering Parents is assisting youth in teaching their parents about effective waste management; Donwood Park Public School Eco-Team students are creating a book that educates and motivates families to reduce food and packaging waste through ‘litterless lunches’; and the 1001 Bay Street Green Committee is aiming to become the greenest condo on Bay Street by educating and engaging residents in ways of living green. Learn more at toronto.ca/wastegrants. The deadline to submit an Expression of Interest is March 9, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ■
AMANDA BREWES
Ever wondered how far you can go on an indoor rowing machine? Apparently, really far. Like Laurie Martel, an ambitious person who discovered her indoor rowing passion a few years ago at Leaside’s Núcleo Fitness. When she started with the boutique fitness studio that focuses on building core strength through pilates and indoor rowing, she likely didn’t think she’d be setting a goal in 2019 to row 2,019,000 metres. In her first year at the studio, it was all about technique, getting stronger and improving her overall fitness level. In the second year, having perfected the stroke, her focus shifted to speed and distance. And in January 2019, she challenged herself to row 2,019,000 metres that year. On December 29th, she crossed the finish line of her year-long challenge. During a special 90-minute Endurance Row class at Núcleo, she rowed the final 17,500 metres to her goal. Many well-wishers were there to witness her feat and rowed with her. Martel was presented with Núcleo Fitness’s first trophy for
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Leaside Life • March 2020
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Birchall & Taylor bring horologic innovation to Leaside If you attended B-school in the past 20 years you may remember studying the HBR watch industry strategy cases such as “Rebirth of the Swiss watch industry,” “Swatch Group: on Internet time,” or more recently “Competing against bling [in China].” It’s a fascinating industry that has evolved from the original invention of the sundial (circa 1450 BC) to the “wonder of its time,” the astronomical clock in 1364, the Foundation of the Genevan Corporation of Watchmakers in 1601, the first wristwatch patent in 1889, the first mass-produced quartz watches in 1970, and the first Apple watch in 2015. Should you comb through the detailed chronology of the industry (https://www.hautehorlogerie.org/en/encyclopaedia/history-of-watchmaking), the number of innovations due to new knowledge (scientific, technological) blended with experience, globalization and risk-taking has been remarkable, albeit occurring over centuries. The industry has created a great deal of value for its many stakeholders over time, and times change, making way for new opportunities. Strategy Analytics recently reported that Apple sold 30.7 million watches in 2019, outselling the entire Swiss watch industry by 9.6 million units. Two enterprising individuals bring talent and passion to Leaside What does all this have to do with Leaside? For starters, there are several lessons for business leaders, city planners and investors who are collectively focused on growing our local economic development platform that can be gleaned from the story I would like to tell about “Le Locle” and the Jura mountains region of Switzerland. Now a UNESCO heritage site, it is often referred to as the centre of Swiss watchmaking and arguably the birthplace of the Swiss watch industry. … However, because of the challenge of “editorial constraint” I must be brief and will focus mainly on the feel-great story that is Canadian luxury watchmakers Brad Taylor and Charles Birchall, who toil away (in microns no less, I witnessed it!) at their new workshop on Research
Glenn Asano The Business of Leaside
Charles Birchall and Brad Taylor in their workshop on Research Road. Road right here in Leaside. These two enterprising Canadians with a passion for watchmaking first met in 2012 at the prestigious K&H Watchmaking Competence Center in Le Locle, where they earned their proverbial stripes as qualified Swiss watchmakers after successfully graduating from the 4,000hour “Fullskill” diploma program in 2015. After a time pursuing separate opportunities overseas and at home, they decided to pursue their watchmaking dream together. Thus Birchall & Taylor was born in March 2017. Birchall notes, “We had always a similar taste in watches and loved talking about design while we were in school.” Their website (birchallandtaylor.com) refers to their “intellectual collaboration.” This shared expertise combined with their mutual passion drove the innovation required to design their first watch. That special watch is referred to as the ‘Reference 1’ and it “harnesses
modern design principles without sacrificing the honesty and technical skill of classical watchmaking.” After initially being located in Parkdale, they moved their workshop to Leaside in the fall of 2019. Birchall explained that Leaside was the perfect location because of the light industrial zoning, close to fellow business owners who are happy to offer their help and support them, and very near to where they live. I was able to tour the workshop in early February and witnessed firsthand their attention to detail, how they treat customers, and all the equipment and specialized tools they’ve built up over the years. Did I mention microns? I was able to watch Birchall working on a single watch hand. It apparently takes over 20 hours of work to finish just a single one (you can check out the short video clip and more pics on the Leaside Life website). Once the basics are mastered We need more innovative and passionate entrepreneurs to choose Leaside as their centre of operation. The Birchall & Taylor logo was inspired by the trillium. In their interpretation, the trillium represents what they believe are the three facets of quality watchmaking: art, craftsmanship and engineering. I wish there were four points on a trillium because I would add “passion,” especially if you are going to own the business, and if there were five, I would add “innovation.” Taylor noted, “Our innovation is not just in the design and craftsmanship, the real innovation is that we’re investing in the concept of local watchmaking in Canada and we are one of the first, if not the first.” There once was a watchmaking school on King St. E. established by Henry Playtner and Edward Beeton in 1890 called the Canadian Horological Institute. The school trained students in the craft of watchmaking and repair but closed in 1913. Since then there is only the French language École Nationale de L’horlogerie in TroisRivières. The K&H Watchmaking Competence Centre in Le Locle notes, “Once the student establishes these [watchmaking] foundations, we encourage and guide them to explore their own [unique] technical creativity and innovation. In this way, stu-
ASANO continued
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From Page 6 needs are and then try to accommodate them, so we spend a lot of time talking with our customers, getting to know them, and they are very appreciative of that.” The pharmacist first got into compounding because of professional interest. “I like working with my hands, and being able to customize medication for the unique needs of each individual patient. It allows us to have a closer relationship with many patients as we work with them and their doctor to find the best option. “This is often after other treatment modalities have failed. Specialty compounding also allows our pharmacy team to work closely with other healthcare professionals. And that is professionally rewarding and a great way to learn.” Unlike some other pharmacists, he is not interested in operating a pharmacy cum grocery store. “We are a pharmacy, and in my opinion that doesn’t necessarily have to include things like laundry detergent, paper towels, and perfume. I believe in a medication-focused front shop where someone can get something they need for a common ailment.” Silvertown says he chose Leaside for Pace’s second location because it has a reputation of being a close-knit community where all residents take great pride in their neighbourhood. “We want to become a staple for Leaside residents and provide excellent pharmacy services for many years to come.” ■
Indian & Nepalese Cuisine
FREE ENTRÉE Buy one entrée and get the second (valued up to $12.99) FREE Mt. Everest Restaurant 804 Eglinton Ave. E Coupon must be presented. Dine-in, take-out & delivery. Can not be combined with any other offer. Delivery has to be at least $25 after discount.
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Leaside Life • March 2020
dents develop the skill, knowledge and confidence to face the ever-evolving watchmaking industry. Because times change.” Do you know businesses that would benefit from moving to Leaside? Would you be interested in donating a bit of time to support our local entrepreneurs with your own areas of complementary expertise? Interested to discuss how the Swiss and the Le Locle region came to dominate the watch industry and attract wealth to the region? Let us know at leasidelife@gmail.com. Leasider Glenn Asano is a partner and principal consultant for the strategy and business development practice at Centred Performance. He is also an instructor with the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. ■
Are you aching for autonomy?
Leaside Life • March 2020
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Over the last year, a series of controversial provincial decisions affecting the City of Toronto’s council size, budget, land use planning, and transit system have reminded us of the power provinces wield over municipalities. We are told the constitution mandates that “municipalities are the creatures of the province.” To many in Toronto this idea seems more and more an anachronism as our city is growing rapidly, but without the power a large city needs to govern. Enter the notion of “Toronto as a Charter City,” which has gathered steam as an alternative for those opposing the province’s disproportionate rule over our city. The idea, propelled by a grassroots organization called Empower TO, has gained the support of City Council. At the November 28, 2019 City Council session, the campaign to establish a City Charter took an important step forward when Council overwhelmingly supported Councillor Matlow’s motion for the City Manager to study officially what a charter might look like and, just as importantly, the path forward to implement one. Recent endorsements by Federal MP Adam Vaughan and Ontario MPP and
Geoff Kettel
Saving old Leaside
Liberal leadership candidate Michael Coteau have provided additional momentum towards the goal of more autonomy for Toronto. Advocates claim that a City Charter would help address a long history of events dating back at least a quarter century, including recent provincial meddling in Toronto’s municipal election, and unilateral provincial changes to City-approved land use plans by the current government, and the denial of the City’s request to enact highway tolls by the previous government, that have clearly demonstrated that Toronto does not have the powers to fulfill the basic functions residents expect.
Kathleen Wynne MPP Don Valley West
Let us have a safe March Break and welcome long-awaited Spring!
795 Eglinton Ave. E., Unit 101 Toronto, ON M4G 4E4 416-425-6777 kathleenwynne.onmpp.ca
How to take stock of the changes? The loss of democratic representation over the past 25 years is huge. Take Leaside, which was formerly an independent municipality. In 1997, Leaside was part of the Borough of East York and was represented by two (parttime) councillors and one part-timer on Metro Council. Today Leaside is part of Don Valley West, with just one councillor for a ward with a population of 110,000 and three or four times the area of Leaside. Even earlier, Leaside was incorporated as the Town of Leaside in 1913, and in 1967 had a council of six councillors plus a mayor before it was amalgamated with the Township of East York to form the Borough of East York. Meanwhile, the level of democratic representation in Toronto today bears no relation to that in other parts of the province. MPP Todd Smith, Quinte West has more than 30 councillors in his Bay of Quinte riding of approximately 110,000 while Don Valley West has one councillor for roughly the same population! The fundamental concern is that Toronto is left with a massive “democratic deficit,” thanks to a combination of its (post-amalgamation) single layer structure and its high population to representative ratio, when compared with other major cities in North America. Is a Leaside Council the answer? What can Leaside do about this? As Glenn Asano suggested in his column in Leaside Life in August 2019, we can establish a Leaside council. And we are. The basic structure proposed for the “Leaside Town Council” is to include representatives of the Leaside organizations with an interest in “civic matters” such as the Leaside Residents Association (formerly Leaside Property Owners’ Association), the Leaside Business Park Association, the BayviewLeaside BIA, the school trustees, and of course the City councillor. As several of the matters discussed would be directed to the councillor, there is a question as to whether Jaye Robinson would be a full member or ex-officio. The MPP and MP would be invited, likely as ex-officio members. The first meeting, held on Dec. 9, 2019 at the Leaside Gardens, confirmed the interest and established a basic structure. What should be on the council’s agenda? We’d love to hear from you on this, but the major Eglinton AUTONOMY page 24
Spring forward! These Leasiders are ready to ride by HOLLY REID
Keeping fit is key When temperatures fall below 10 degrees, Rosemary Drukarsh heads indoors, riding three times a week at nearby Mindset Cycling (mindsetcycling.ca), where she can ride her own bike on a computrainer in group classes. “These workouts have done much more than ‘maintain’ my fitness over the winter. I have actually increased my time trial speed every year over the last eight years,” she remarks. She can conveniently leave her bike at Mindset from October to April, where it is kept tuned. When spring arrives, whether it’s her first duathlon or a long-distance charity ride, Rosemary and her bike are already in tip-top shape.
Rosemary Drukarsh trains indoors.
Leaside Life • March 2020
When the temperatures dip and the roads get icy, do you pack your bike away? Winter biking is definitely not for everyone – I ride but only on snow-free roads. So, with spring, hopefully, on our doorstep, you may be thinking about getting back on your bike. Here’s how three Leasiders – Rosemary Drukarsh, a duathlete (bike and run) and road rider, Jonathan Jacobs, a mountain biking enthusiast, and Mike Brown, a longtime cycling commuter – make sure they are ready to ride as soon as the fair weather returns.
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Once the snow and ice are gone, Mike Brown will get back to his energizing commute. Safety first: make sure your route is ready For mountain biker Jonathan Jacobs, temperature isn’t his big concern, trail conditions are. For conservation and safety, he needs the ground to firm up on the mountain bike trails in the Don Valley. “Riding on wet ground wrecks the trails for everyone and causes erosion. Before heading out I check the Don Valley MTB Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ groups/103689789718886 for guidance about trail conditions,” he explains. Charging up and down the hills in the Don Valley requires a high level of fitness, so, in addition to weight training, Jonathan scopes out possible routes through trail running. His favourite is called “Catalyst,” an unforgiving, advanced/expert trail that takes full advantage of the Don Valley’s steep ups and downs. Gear check: is everything in working order? It was the 1991 transit strike that spurred Mike Brown to bike to work. Today, his family of three manages with just one car as Mike cycles downtown to work in the warmer weather. Over the winter, Mike maintains his fitness playing hockey and working out at the gym. And, as an amateur bike mechanic, he makes sure his bike is road-ready with a DIY tuneup in the spring. Mike estimates he completes about 90 trips by bike a year and aims for “car-free Saturdays,” running errands by bike. As he points out, “the benefits are clear – it’s good for health, saves money and decreases your carbon footprint.” Feeling inspired? Let us know where you will ride this spring – email leasidelife@gmail.com. ■
Jonathan Jacobs can’t wait to hit the mountain biking trails in the Don Valley.
Lynda Gorges Broker
Accredited Senior Agent
Passionate about helping my Clients 416-486-5588 Lynda.Gorges@gmail.com www.lyndagorges.com
From Page 22
CLOSE TO HOME
Spiral Garden – Summer Day Camp Program Spiral Garden is an integrated camp where children play, explore and create with professional artists, musicians and one another in a beautiful outdoor setting. Children choose activities including music, clay, woodworking, puppetry, sand and water play, story, painting and gardening. Program runs from 9am to 4pm. Participants must turn 6 on or before December 31, 2020. Dates & cost are outlined below. Session A: July 6 – July 10 and July 13 – 17 ($550) Session B: July 21 – July 24 and July 27 – July 31 ($495) Session C: August 10 – August 14 and August 17 – 21 ($550) Session D: August 25 – 28 and August 31 – September 4 ($495) *Ask us about our 1 week option For more information on Spiral Garden and/or summer music programs, go to https://hollandbloorview.ca/services/programs-services/music-and-arts Spiral Garden Day Camp 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto ON Canada M4G 1R8 T: 416 425 6220 ext. 3317 E: musicandart@hollandbloorview.ca hollandbloorview.ca/musicandarts
developments (Bayview, Laird and Brentcliffe), which will change Leaside for generations to come, their impacts, and community benefits, are obvious topics. Finally, we need to remind ourselves that we are part of Toronto. More than ever, the success of Ontario (and Canada) is dependent on the success of Toronto. When the province behaves in an arbitrary way, it is ultimately hurting itself. ■
Fallis... From Page 10 what seemed like about a mile and a half of sidewalk to clear. We were quite happy to head off to school those mornings. Fond memories of winter in Leaside. A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis grew up in Leaside and is the award-winning writer of seven national bestsellers, including his most recent, Albatross, all published by McClelland & Stewart. ■
LET US TAKE CARE OF YOUR EVENT
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Leaside Life • March 2020
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Autonomy...
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27TH ANNUAL AGNES MACPHAIL AWARD CEREMONY
BOOK SALE
Join us for the presentation of the 2020 Agnes Macphail Award to Paula Davies and Raymond White. Guest speaker Rima Berns-McGown, MPP Beaches-East York Ahead by a Century: 100 Years After Agnes Macphail the Struggle Continues.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE LEASIDE LIBRARY
Sunday, March 29, 2:30 p.m. East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Ave. 416-392-4060 or councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca
SUSTAINABLE FASHION EVENT! SHE SHOPS SWAP Tuesday, March 3rd, 7-9:30p.m. Follow @ sheshopsswap for more details!
THE POWER OF WOMEN WORKING TOGETHER Monthly meeting. Speaker: Ausma Malik, Director of Social Engagement for the Atkinson Foundation, on “Decent Work.” Visitors and new members welcome. 7:30 pm on Thursday, March 19 at Northlea United, 125 Brentcliffe Rd. Info: www.cfuwleasideeastyork.ca or email joincfuw@ gmail.com.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER SERVICE Join us for an Ecumenical Worship Service to celebrate World Day of Prayer 2020. Refreshments follow. March 12 @ 1:30 pm. St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, 1847 Bayview Avenue, office@saintaugustine.ca.
TAIZÉ WORSHIP Come and enjoy a quite evening of reflection and song. Wed., March 11, 7:45-8:30 pm. Additional dates: April 1 & May 13. Northlea United, 125 Brentcliffe Rd, northleaunited.ca.
WANT TO MAKE CYCLING BETTER WHERE YOU LIVE? Come out and join fellow cyclists from Wards 15 and 16 to advocate for safe and connected cycling routes in our neighbourhoods. Meeting: Wednesday March 25th @ 7:00 pm. Trinity Grace Church, 826 Eglinton Avenue East RSVP contact: cycledonvalleymidtown@cycleto.ca.
LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY SPEAKER SERIES Meeting: March 12, 7pm. Topic: Hooray for Hostas! Speaker: Fr/Rev. David Reilander, Leaside resident, President of Catholic Missions in Canada and an avid lover and aficionado of hostas. Guests welcome. 7:00pm—Refreshments. 7:30pm—Meeting. Leaside Public Library.
Leaside Presbyterian Church, Sat. March 21, 9am-12 noon. 670 Eglinton Ave. E. at Hanna Rd. 416-422-0510. Leasidepresbyterianchurch.ca.
For full schedule see www.tpl.ca/leaside APPLEFUN PUPPETRY All children. Join us for a fun and exciting puppet show. Meet the “star” puppets and learn how to make a paper puppet of your own! Program is suitable for all ages. Tickets will handed out on a first-come, firstserve basis half an hour before. Daycares must register by calling 416-396-3835. Friday, March 20, 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm.
DEATH, TAXES AND BEYOND Learn about the basics of taxes, insurance and estate planning Join Philip Wilkins from the Credit Counselling Society for this informative talk. Registration required. Call 416-396-3835. Tuesday, March 31 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm.
ELECTRONIC SNAP CIRCUITS Ages 8-12. Use one of our Electronic Snap Circuits kits to make a battery-run project that lights up, moves or makes sound —
and learn about electronics! Drop in. Registration not required. Thursday, March 19, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm.
FAMILY MOVIE: TOY STORY 4 Ages 6-12. Catch up on the further adventures of Woody and the gang and join us to watch Toy Story 4! Rated G. Run time: 100 minutes. Drop in. Daycares must register by calling 416-396-3835. Wednesday, March 18, 2:00 pm – 3:45 pm.
PAPER BAG PRINCESS CELEBRATION Join us as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Robert Munsch classic The Paper Bag Princess with stories, activities, and a craft. Drop in. No registration required. Saturday, March 7, 10:30 am – 11:30 am.
YOUTH ADVISORY GROUP Volunteer members earn community service hours and gain valuable skills by designing teen programs, providing input about teen collections, helping out the community and making new friends! New members are welcome year round. Registration is required. Application forms are available in branch. Call 416-396-3835 for more information. Wednesdays: March 11, 25, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm.
Send us your free listing for April by March 10th leasidelife@gmail.com ■
25
Leaside Life • March 2020
EVENTS: March 2020
Consulting the community on school improvement
Leaside Life • March 2020
26
One of the main goals of the TDSB’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan is to build strong relationships and partnerships within school communities to support student learning and wellbeing. With this goal in mind, one question we often wonder about at the TDSB is, what voices are we hearing from, and why aren’t we hearing from others? In Ward 11, our parent councils are active and vibrant organizations, contributing significantly to community building, parent engagement, and information sharing. From pizza lunches and math nights, to Back to School BBQs, together with annual events such as Bessborough’s Mayfair and Northlea’s Spring Fling, all of these events play a central role in fostering the sense of belonging among parents and students in both our schools and our communities. And yet, even with the success of these kinds of events, one thing I have come to appreciate is how hard our parents and schools are working to reach all parents. The Ministry of Education requires all schools to have individualized School Improvement Plans (SIP). Created by school administrators
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and teachers, these documents are overseen by the superintendent. SIPs are working documents outlining goals for the school, how they will be achieved, and how achievement will be measured. This year, across TDSB schools, administrators will now be required to consult school communities on their SIP. This not only directly ties parent engagement to school improvement planning, but also encourages parents and staff to reflect on what true engagement means. Through the SIP, many Leaside schools are reflecting on what voices are missing in their communities, and schools are actively working to ensure that as many voices as possible are heard. At Northlea, for example, children from outside the English catchment attend the school
for French immersion. It was noted that families living farther away often don’t attend parent council meetings. Therefore, the parent council has scheduled a meeting in one of the feeder schools, in the hope that parents from that area might be able to attend. They are also alternating meeting times, from morning, to end of school day, to evening. The focus on engaging all parents, and not simply the ones who are already engaged, is key to achieving rich and authentic parent engagement. This topic is of great interest at a board level too. We are in the beginning stages of developing a new policy surrounding parent and community engagement. To this end, together with Trustee Doyle from Don Valley East, I am hosting a Ward Forum on March 12 at Marc Garneau Collegiate from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Michelle Munroe, from the TDSB’s Parent and Community Engagement Office, will facilitate a consultation on this topic aiming to inform and shape this policy. I hope many of you will have your say in a policy that will affect parent and community voices in our schools. ■
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Leaside Life • March 2020
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More than 200 years ago, the Lea family purchased the former Lot 13 in the third concession from the Bay. This acquisition marked the unofficial birth of Leaside as we know it today. From these humble beginnings, Leaside has grown into one of the City’s most desirable neighbourhoods – representing an important chapter in the history of Don Valley West. As one of the City’s oldest officially-recognized neighbourhoods, Leaside has undergone many changes over the past two centuries. The Town of Leaside officially incorporated almost 107 years ago, and 54 years later it merged with the former Township of East York to form the Borough of East York – a change some members of the community may have experienced firsthand. When the Borough of East York amalgamated with five other municipalities in 1998, Leaside became part of the new City of Toronto. In addition to being one of the first planned model towns in the province, Leaside also has deep roots in the railway boom of the 1800s. The Leaside Business Park is one of the last remaining vestiges of this bygone era,
Jaye Robinson Councillor
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dating back to the early 1900s. Today, the Business Park is still recognized by the City as an Industrial Employment Zone. While the neighbourhood has undoubtedly changed, Leaside’s history is still very much alive. At its core, Leaside is a sum of the people who have lived and led in the community – leaders, business owners, and individuals who collectively shaped the neighbourhood into the distinct place it is today.
The impact of these influential Leasiders is commemorated in the very names given to the local streets. For example, Laird Drive, Hanna Road, Randolph Road, McRae Drive, and Wicksteed Avenue all bear the names of former Canadian Northern Railway executives. There are also several nods to the original Lea family, political leaders of all stripes, and community advocates such as Edna Beange – whom we honoured with a street naming ceremony just last year. Presently, we have an opportunity to name a new public street after a community member of historical significance. The new street will be located in the southeast quadrant of the Laird Drive and Eglinton Avenue East intersection, and I am seeking public feedback on a potential street name. If you would like to propose an individual to honour through an official City of Toronto street-naming ceremony, please send your suggestions to my office by email at Councillor_Robinson@toronto. ca. You can also visit my website at www.jayerobinson.ca for more information. Proposals will be accepted until the end of March 2020, and the final selection will be ratified by North York Community Council this spring. My office looks forward to receiving your suggestions and continuing this longstanding tradition of recognizing Leaside’s many notable residents. ■
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You may have noticed that the byline for this column now says “Leaside Residents Association.” New membership rules for the Leaside Property Owners’ Association, approved at our Annual General Meeting at the end of last year, made Leaside residents and renters alike eligible to be full participating members – or directors. Although the LPOA’s name has legally become the Leaside Residents Association (LRA) to reflect this change, you can continue to contact us as before, using either name, as both will reach us. Positive news on the traffic front The City has named the Manager of the Transportation Planning Unit assigned to the North York area, who has reached out to the LRA. We are meeting with him in late February to discuss Leaside’s traffic issues and determine next steps. We will review the details of the LPOA’s Traffic Calming Plan with him, providing background information on
Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LRA
SHUTTERSTOCK
Leaside Life • March 2020
30
It’s official! We are now the Leaside Residents Association
current and continuing issues such as speeding, traffic volume, and lack of signage enforcement. Look for a report on our meeting in my Leaside Life column next month. Still on traffic: the 53 Division Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) meets regularly with community representatives, one of whom is the LRA’s vice president, Robin Rix. Given
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the size of the division (Bloor to Lawrence; Don River to Bathurst), 53 Division’s many different neighbourhoods have differing concerns and needs, so Leaside’s traffic enforcement issues do not necessarily get more (or special) attention. Robin reports that the CPLC is looking at traffic data to identify hot spots, looking to increase enforcement in those selected locations. None of them is in Leaside. The police believe that a traffic ticket given to a driver in one area changes that driver’s behaviour in general, not just in the area where the ticket was issued. I don’t know how valid this assumption is (or, if valid, how long-lasting the chastening effect of being caught may be), but it does reinforce the need for our locally-designed proposals to be implemented, to generate positive local results. Property tax inequity As a new year begins, Ontario’s municipal tax bills arrive. Newspaper headlines once again detail the threat our property tax system poses to small businesses along main streets, as market or current value assessment (MVA or CVA) is based purely on the “best or highest” value that a property could potentially be developed into, and taxed accordingly. So, towering condos replace shops, modest businesses, and employment areas. Private homes on spacious lots are also appraised for their maximum development potential. Increasingly, our cities and neighbourhoods are being shaped by the property tax system, as mega-condo applications proliferate, and local scale and character are lost. We certainly see it around Leaside. The last time there was a call to devise a more equitable property tax system was about 20 years ago. The LPOA was actively involved, in association with ratepayer groups across Ontario. As development pressures mount, expect the LRA to play a role again.
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The Leaside Residents Association’s monthly meetings, which are always open to the public, take place on the first Wednesday of each month. Our next meeting is on Wed., March 4th, at 7:30 p.m. in the Trace Manes building on Rumsey Road. ■
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