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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:21 PM Page 1

No. 54 • November 2016

Leaside Life leasidelifenews.com

Remy Cattell, Leaside Athlete of the Year –––

Page 6

Michael Bliss

Living in Leaside

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUNNYBROOK HEALH SCIENCES CENTRE

Leaside Life is “still” great

Michael Stevenson (back) with Col. Hon. Robert Rutherford (front).

Michael Stevenson: a life of service in 42 countries — and Leaside By ALLAN WILLIAMS It was almost inevitable that Michael Stevenson would one day become a regular volunteer at the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre, once he had retired. “When I chose a military career it was with the aim of serving the community and serving my country,” says the 86-year old Macnaughton Rd. resident. “I was very lucky to get into Sandhurst and get a good start. On retirement, it became a natural thing to work at Sunnybrook to help the veterans. And, of course, there was the St. Cuthbert’s connection, so I had an entrée.”

That connection was the fact that in the 1960s when Michael and his family came to Canada, settled in Leaside, and began attending St. Cuthbert’s Anglican, members from that church were already responsible, one Sunday a month, for escorting Sunnybrook residents to chapel services. Michael volunteered to help. But that wasn’t the only connection between St. Cuthbert’s and Sunnybrook. K-wing, where the more mobile resident veterans live, is actually Kilgour Wing, named for Joseph and Alice Kilgour, the oneMICHAEL, Page 4

It's been said that the first decade or so after formal retirement is most people's “still” time of life. Most of the questions oldsters are asked contain that loaded word: Are you still going into the office? Are you still working out? Still going up to the cottage? Still in your house in Leaside? Still able to touch your toes? And so on. And you're usually proud to say, “Yes, I'm still .....” Better to announce that we're still doing things, for the alternative, not doing them, is usually loaded with dark connotations. At this age you want things pretty much to stay the same. Even as the body creaks and rebels, you're still leaping out of bed in the morning to face the world. As a community, Leaside is mimicking its seniors’ battles with stability and change. With most of its housing stock built in the late ’30s and early ’40s, Leaside is an aging place. Long gone are the freedom and independence of Leaside’s youth, for over the years it lost round after round of struggles with the megalopolis. It has no more self-government, no more board BLISS, Page 2

Mark your calendar! Leaside Property Owners Association (LPOA) Annual General Meeting is booked for Tuesday, November 22, 2016, 7:30 p.m. at the Trace Manes Community Centre, 110 Rumsey Rd. It is your chance to get involved in your Leaside community. All are welcome! ■

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:21 PM Page 2

Leaside Life, November 2016

Great Gifts For Nature Lovers of All Ages

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Bliss From Page 1

of education, no more political identity of any kind, and soon may not have a single spokesperson in municipal government. It has no postal designation, no name on most maps, and very few factories in its old industrial district. Many of its old houses are being euthanized. They are razed rather than cremated; but the phoenixes rising on their sites are often utterly unLeasidelike, silly stone faux chateaux reflecting the architectural dementia that’s epidemic in Toronto. More destruction will come, probably at an accelerating pace. We will have high-rise towers of condos and office buildings along Eglinton and Bayview, maybe Laird and Millwood. We'll have more retail where the factories used to be, more and more and more car and bike traffic. As we’re told about post-Crosstown planning for our era, the Manhattanization of modern Toronto means one assault after another on fortress Leaside. Sometimes it's best not to be still wedded to the past. No, I don't still work, I'm smelling the roses now. No, we sold that old dump and have a fantastic condo. No, I'm not still mourning my husband; my new partner and I are very happy together.

Similarly, perhaps Leaside didn't still need all those old Depression-era bungalows. Even Geoff Kettel would admit that some of the new homes actually enhance the neighbourhood. And Lorna Krawchuk is telling us that breweries and barbecue joints in the old industrial area make Leaside “cool, hip and happening.” It's certainly true that most of us would rather have commercial intercourse at Longo’s than at the old Canadian Wire and Cable. And just as oldsters sometimes do amazing new things, how about the growth of Leaside Life in the past few years, the best paper Leaside has ever had, one of the very best in all of Toronto? Call me biased, but there's more substance in one of our offerings than in two or three issues of the North Toronto Post. We're better than that shill for the foodies, Toronto Life, and I can tell you that Liz and I get more feedback from these columns than from anything I write for The Globe and Mail. So Leaside is still pretty vibrant, still renewing itself, but also still the old Leaside. In my view it will still be Leaside so long as kids play hockey at the Gardens, kids play baseball at Trace Manes and Talbot, the lawn bowlers still have their clubhouse by the high school, and you can still buy fresh fruit and vegetables at Badali's on Bayview. ■

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:21 PM Page 3

A $100 cup of lemonade Terry Fox continues to inspire Canadians, whether they are old enough to remember his original Marathon of Hope in 1981, or are just hearing his story for the first time. In the latter category count fouryear old Isaac Khan and his friends at the ABC Academy daycare at Bayview and Balliol, who learned about Terry Fox this past September. Isaac decided he wanted to make a lemonade stand in support of Terry’s cause – raising money for cancer research. And his parents, Saba and Iqbal Khan, were eager to help. “It’s never too early for young people to learn about the importance of giving back to the community,” said Saba. So Dad, Iqbal, and Isaac made a trip to the Home Depot on Wicksteed and together built a first-rate lemonade stand. Isaac and friends set up their lemonade stand in front of the Khan family home on Bessborough Drive on Sunday morning, September 18. They were asking people to pay what they wish for a cup, but some neigh-

Leaside Life, November 2016

Isaac and friends from ABC Academy raised $800 for Terry Fox. bours, clearly wanting to encourage the budding entrepreneur-philanthropists, paid somewhat more than the official asking price. One generous customer paid $100 for a cup of lemonade. All told, $800 was raised for the Terry Fox Foundation during

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Michael From Page 1

Leaside Life, November 2016

Schnitzel Season

time owners of Sunnybrook Farm, who had also been members at St. Cuthbert’s and were generous benefactors of both the church and hospital. [See the St. Cuthbert’s church profile, p. 16] Michael served 20 years in the British Army before coming to Canada in 1967. Born in the village of Horsforth, Yorkshire, in 1930, he finished high school in 1948, passed the civil service exam, was accepted for officer training in the army and enrolled at Sandhurst. During his career, he served in 42 countries, and has a stock of stories from each one. “After graduation I was sent to join the regiment in Austria, which was still under Allied occupation after the war. Then two and a half years in the jungle fighting the ‘Communist terrorists’ during the Malayan Emergency. Then home to carry the regimental colours in the Parade before the Queen’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey – a great honour. We were in Northern Ireland for a year, then to Egypt.” The list gives a hint of Michael’s peripatetic lifestyle during the ’50s. “After the Suez Campaign I was posted to the Leeds Rifles, and so I came back to England tanned and healthy,” he laughs. It was then that he was introduced to Judy Obank, from Bradford, also in Yorkshire. “We went on a blind date and got on like a house on fire! We had to move quickly,” Michael says, “I didn’t know where I’d be posted next.” The two married in 1957, and their first son Simon was born in Leeds a year later. Then, when Simon was just four months old, Michael was posted to Nigeria. “It was still known at the time as ‘the white man’s grave,’ says Michael. “My parents were horrified!” Judy says with a laugh. “But once we got there, everyone was so nice. I didn’t worry.” “We thrived there,” adds Michael. But there was one memorable incident. “We were driving through the jungle; I had Simon in my arms,” Judy recalls. “And suddenly, we ran over a python so long that both ends flipped up on either side of the jeep!” Rather than make a quick exit, the local driver jumped out to make sure the snake was dead and to collect the meat. Their second son Guy was born in the Channel Islands in 1960, and then Michael was posted to Kenya. While there, he travelled around Africa and

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Leaside Life, November 2016

was witness to profound political changes. “The British Empire was folding up at the time. Our job was to meet the locals and hand it over to them – with properly trained armed forces.” He met Jomo Kenyata, Moammar Gadhafi, King Idris of Libya (until the coup), and a future president of Nigeria, “who taught Judy to drive.” In 1961, Judy was injured in a bomb attack in Aden, Yemen. “She took the full brunt of the blast,” says Michael, “and has had back problems ever since. She never really recovered from it. Unfortunately, her father read about it in the newspaper.” In 1966, Michael visited Canada with his regimental band as part of a trade promotion. He had been thinking of emigrating and had previously met the commander of the Queen’s York Rangers, which was allied to Michael’s own regiment. When Michael visited the commander in Toronto, he offered to help. “I was offered a job as Director of Administration at Crown Life and decided I wanted to take it. I went home and talked it over with Judy. I resigned my commission, we came to Canada and bought a bungalow on Moore Avenue east of Bayview.” That was 1967. “Canon Wright dropped in on us while we were still surrounded by boxes, and we’ve been actively involved at St Cuthbert’s ever since. We received a very warm three-fold welcome – regiment, school and church.” There were adjustments, of course. “On the first day of school we sent Simon to Rolph Road wearing grey woolen trousers and jacket, white shirt and private school tie. We had to rush out and buy denims!” The family moved to Macnaughton Road two years later, and a third son, Marcus, was born. Michael stayed with Crown Life Insurance until the company moved to Regina. He retired briefly, then joined Atomic Energy of Canada for six years before retiring for good. For the past 20 years Michael has usually been at Sunnybrook twice a week. On Friday afternoons, he escorts residents to their various programs and appointments. On Wednesday afternoons, he’s been known to lead a choir that sings to entertain the veterans. “They enjoy it,” says Michael. “Sometimes 300 participate. But the old people doing it are dying off – the organist and pianist both died. We’re trying to find more volunteers to get it going again because we know they’ve been missing it. We’ll get it going again in November.” “Michael’s singalong group is very popular,” says Anna Olsen, coordinator of volunteer resources at the Centre. “And music is great therapy. The old songs trigger memories in the resi-

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Leaside Life, November 2016

dents – often their memories of events from long ago remain intact. These therapies help stimulate the brain, keep them active and improve their 6 quality of life.” Olsen adds, “Michael is wonderful at promoting the Veterans Centre and the need for volunteers of all ages. I don’t know what we’d do without our volunteers.” One resident with whom Michael has developed a close friendship over the years is Col. Hon. Robert Rutherford, who will be 96 in November. “He was a senior judge at one time. Most of his friends have died, his children both live far away, and his health has been declining. When the weather is nice, I walk him in the garden behind K-wing. One beautiful day recently he said, ‘Michael, it’s good to be alive!’ It was very moving. Makes all this volunteer work worthwhile.” On November 11th, as he does every year, Michael will escort Col. Rutherford to the Remembrance Day service in the Veterans Centre at Sunnybrook. Although the service itself is for the residents and invited guests only, since space is severely limited, there is a public wreath laying outside afterwards at the cenotaph along Bayview Avenue to which everyone is invited. ■

Leaside’s Athlete of the Year Congratulations to runner Remy Cattell! The young athlete can barely remember a time she wasn’t running. As Daniel Girard wrote in our October issue, “Remy Cattell still vividly remembers her first cross country race even though it was more than half her lifetime ago. She experienced pre-race nervousness and excitement, struggles through exhausting sand, a quick break to tie a shoelace, encouragement from a teammate, and finally, relief at the finish line.” Cattell finished fifth in her Toronto District School Board cross country running debut as a Grade 1 student at Bessborough School. Now 14, the runner is a Grade 10 student at Leaside High School. Last year, she won the city championship and finished second at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFFSA) finals in a race featuring nearly 300 of the best Grade 9 runners from across the province. Cattell will be recognized on Friday, Nov. 18, at a special ceremony at Leaside Arena, which also sees four new inductees enter the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame.■

BRIAN BAKER, TOWN CRIER

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:22 PM Page 7

Letters may be edited. Re Business of Leaside Mr. Ashworth: Sometimes being a contrarian is neat. But your recent column on 939 is just provocative. Consider these points: 1. Residents are not responsible for adding more millions to Diamondâ€™s pockets than the current millions they envision. 2. If the only way they thought they could make money on this site was to over-densify it to this extent, who are they hiring to do prefeasibility studies? 3. Why is the Leaside community supposed to support the pay of construction workers who likely don't live or shop here just to build a complex to the detriment of the area? 4. Just because the current building is ugly, doesn't mean there wonâ€™t be something pretty one day with appropriate build constraints. 5. HAHAHA, traffic wonâ€™t be worse than what? The mess we currently have with LRT construction.

Re: The Good, The Bad, and The Poopy I enjoyed reading this article until I reached the part: The 'Bad', the 'Ugly' and the â€˜Poopyâ€™. People who do not pick up after their dogs or leave poop bags in a neighbourâ€™s garbage bin/leaf bag should be ashamed of themselves. Being a dog owner since 1995 (my third dog now) and living in Leaside since 1996, I have seen an increase in dog poop on our property and surrounding area (I frequently look down at the grass when Iâ€™m walking because the last thing I want to do is to step in dog poop) and itâ€™s absolutely disgusting when I come across dog poop left on a sidewalk or on a lawn of a Leaside homeowner. I have always picked up after my dogs and have taken the poop bag home and used my garbage bin. In my opinion, there are too many dog owners out there who get a dog but are not responsible when it comes to cleaning up after them or carelessly discard the poop bag in someone elseâ€™s garbage bin. Over the years, I have seen the garbage bin at the entrance of Serena Gundy Park overflowing with garbage, sometimes with large green trash bags on top of the bin or beside the bin. People who do this illegal act simply have no class or morals, in my opinion. At my property, there are two large dumpsters and we periodically see people driving up to them, unloading their vehicle of garbage bags and speeding off. I hope that our fellow Leasiders do not paint all dog owners with the same brush. There are the good, responsible dog owners and then there are the 'bad'â€Ś the 'ugly'â€Ś and the 'poopy' dog owners. Annie Gray The graffiti pictured at the lower left was done by one of Toronto's best known artists: Elixir. Leaside Bible Chapel (now Trinity Grace Church) hired him to do this Prodigal Son mural about 10 years ago. Russell Sutherland commented on a link Leaside Life

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Leaside Life, November 2016

LETTERS

Well, that might be right, but any other suggestions are wrong. With the addition of the condos at 660, 939 and Celestica, the retail in the area will have to grow and so will traffic. That's a no-brainer. 6. Everyone understands that we may need some densification, and the buildings to the east of this are a good example. The proposed building that Diamond has in mind doesn't fit with the area at all or with the other sites coming on board at the same time. Maybe next time, think before you write a last minute accolade for the developer. David Whittaker, Heath St. East

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:22 PM Page 8

Agnes Macphail — found in Leaside Leaside Life, November 2016

Please join me at th a alle thee Don V Valley alley West Town Hall to discuss matters important to y ou you Wednesday, W ednesday, No November vember 9 6pm tto o 8pm La Lawrence wrence P Park ark C Community ommunity Chur Church ch Bayview Ave 2180 Ba yview A ve York North Y ork o

In the October issue of Leaside Life, “Where in Leaside,” we showed part of the plaque marking the location of the Agnes Macphail House. The property at 720 Millwood Road (also known as 2 Donegall Drive) received a heritage designation in 2012. As stated on the City of Toronto website: the property is worthy of designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value, and meets the criteria prescribed by the provincial government for municipal designation under the three categories of design, associative and contextual values. Located on the northwest corner of Millwood Road and Donegall Drive in Leaside, the Agnes Macphail (note spelling) House (1937) is a two-storey duplex. The property at 720 Millwood Road has design value as a rare example of Modern styling applied to a duplex in Leaside that was designed to take advantage of the corner setting with entrances on two streets. The Agnes Macphail Houses displays the flat roof, angular shape

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:22 PM Page 9

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Agnes Macphail was one of the first two women elected to the Ontario Legislature where she represented York East from 1943-45 and 1948-51. She was responsible for Ontario's first equal pay legislation in 1951. Also in honour of her important role in Canadian history, the Agnes Macphail Award, established in 1994 is awarded each year on March 24th, the anniversary of her birth. The annual award recognizes an outstanding community minded, civic volunteer. Among those previously honoured are several current contributors to Leaside Life magazine, including Ruth Goldhar (1997), Lorna Krawchuk (2007), Geoff Kettel (2008) & Alan Redway (2013). Most recently, the 2016 recipient was local real estate broker Patrick Rocca. (Much of the information in this piece is drawn from the City of Toronto website: www1.toronto.ca) â–

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Leaside Life, November 2016

and geometrical openings associated with 20th century Modernism, while retaining the modest classical detailing derived from the Georgian Revival style that is displayed on much of the residential housing in Leaside. Contextually, the Agnes Macphail House is important in supporting and maintaining the character of Leaside in the residential area of the community east of Bayview Avenue where it also is physically, functionally, historically and visually related to its surroundings. Located on a corner lot in the first block south of Bayview Avenue, the duplex addresses two streets that feature the mixture of low-rise detached, semidetached and apartment housing identified with the residential sector of Leaside. The duplex is historically associated with the notable Canadian politician, Agnes Macphail, who owned and occupied the premises from 1948 until her death in 1954, a period when she remained actively involved in politics. The first woman elected to Canada's House of Commons in 1921 where she served for two decades, Macphail championed labour and farm issues, including equality for women and prison reform. Entering provincial politics,

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:22 PM Page 10

By PAULINE FOULKES The people who call this great neighbourhood home are passionate about their community. That’s a wonderful thing. But lately, talking with families, I’ve heard over and over again how worried people are. About the development. The traffic. The change. So much change. And yes, I’ve seen the changes. Yet I’ve also seen what hasn’t changed. And that’s why I’m not worried — and you shouldn’t be, either. Leasiders still have so much to be grateful for — and I am so thankful for this community and what it has given me. I came to Toronto from England in 1981. I was a teenager with a degree in teaching, specializing in young children — what we’d call an ECE (“early childhood education”) today — and found work in that field. The year or two I’d planned on spending in Toronto kept getting extended, and I began seriously thinking about making a life here. My experience was all in education, and a friend and I began talking about opening a school. I knew right away the kind of school I wanted to open: professional, with trained and certified staff, but also a close-knit environment where we could know not just the children we’d teach, but their families, as well. But there was more than just the academics — we wanted to teach the basics of community, too: knowing your neighbours, building relationships with them, and making sure that the children knew they could expand and grow in a place where they’d be challenged but also accommodated. So that was the kind of school I wanted to open. But where would it be successful? It was a big question — the success of the whole venture hinged on finding the right place. After researching this question very carefully, it became obvious that Leaside was perfect. It was an established neighbourhood, stable and proud. But it was also full of young families. Many of the young parents living in Leaside had grown up here. That told me a lot about this place. So Leaside was it. We found an ideal spot, sharing space with St. Au-

KIM FOULKES

Leaside Life, November 2016

Leaside - a perfect place for business 30 years ago and still today

Pauline Foulkes celebrates 30 years on Leaside. gustine’s Anglican church at Bayview and Broadway, and opened Children’s Garden Nursery School. The first advertisements went out, and then all there was left to do was wait and hope. That was 30 years ago this fall. And I’m proud to say the school is still teaching the kids of this fantastic community. A lot has changed, it’s true. My staff and I have kept up with the changes as best we can, of course. But we remain as focused as we ever were on those same core principles: the best place for a child to learn and grow is a place where professional educators can come together in a nurturing, family spirit. We continue to prioritize community, family and communication. We want parents to feel comfortable leaving their children with us, and the best way to do that is to make sure the children come to school every morning excited to play with their friends. We’ve never wavered from that — and why would we? Building that kind of environment doesn’t require sacrificing academics. In fact, academics and community spirit go hand in hand. We’re proud of our students, who never fail to get into local private schools and read well beyond

their age level, because their success shows my 30-year-old intuition was right: Leaside was, and still is, the perfect place to build the kind of school we could be proud of. Yes, there’s more traffic than before, and new houses and towers are popping up all the time. But take it from me: in all the best ways, Leaside is the same place it always was. It’s a place where the kids who grew up here come back to raise their own children. It’s a place where families form life-long friendships after their children meet in our classrooms. It’s a place where one of my own daughters, now grown up herself, has just joined me as Children’s Garden Nursery School’s newest teacher. Two generations of Foulkes women teaching at the same school is exciting, but as we mark our 30th year here in Leaside, I confess to a fond hope: soon, we may have the first child of one of my earliest graduates enrolled here. They’ll be about old enough now. What a thrill that would be. Thanks for 30 great years, Leaside. And here’s to 30 more. ■ Pauline Foulkes is the owner and director of Children’s Garden Nursery School, 1847 Bayview Ave.

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:22 PM Page 11

NEW Rubberized Surface making it wheelchair accessible

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Georgia Walsh

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FACT 1. Our city is facing an 85 year replacement cycle for playgrounds; its target is 30 years. FACT 2. Trace Manes is currently not on Torontoâ€™s 10 year replacement list. FACT 3. The City of Toronto is currently $310M behind in its state of good repair targets for parks, community centres and green spaces.

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:22 PM Page 12

Preparing students to be respectful citizens in a world of peace

Leaside Life, November 2016

12 By GERRI GERSHON In November, thousands of students in the TDSB celebrate two important events â€“ Remembrance Day and Aboriginal Education Month. It is a time of reflection and enquiry when we examine our past and look to the future. Recognizing the month provides an opportunity to re-examine how Aboriginal perspectives, histories and contemporary realities are crucial to our understanding of Canada. Aboriginal education is not just for First Nations, MĂŠtis and Inuit students but for all students and staff. Knowledge of the diverse and rich cultures of our Aboriginal people leads to crosscultural understandings that enrich all citizens. The legacy of broken treaties and residential schools has been a shameful time in Canadian history, so itâ€™s more important than ever to collaborate with community members to learn about and address the consequences of the injustices. The recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission mustnâ€™t lie on the shelf but become a reality. As a tangible example of the TDSB desire to teach our students about our

Canadian heritage the TDSB has declared that at the beginning of all meetings of the board and in all schools of the board the following words are to be said: I would like to acknowledge that this school is situated upon traditional territories. These territories include the Wendat, the Anishinabek (A NISH NA BECK) Nation, the Haudenosaunee (HOE DENA SHOW NEE) Confederacy, the Mississaugas of the New Credit and the MĂŠtis Nation. I would also recognize the enduring presence of Aboriginal peoples on this land. Aboriginal peoples have a long history of defending Canada and supporting its war efforts abroad. Aboriginal soldiers have been highly praised for their courage and frontline efforts from the War of 1812 to World Wars I and II and the Korean War. On Remembrance Day and throughout Veteransâ€™ Week many students learn about the contributions and sacrifices of Canadaâ€™s Aboriginal veterans. As well, in classrooms across the city on Remembrance Day, November 11, students recognize the sacrifices of former students, talk about war and peace, and learn about freedom and oppression. They learn about the bat-

tles of Vimy Ridge in 1917 or Juno Beach in 1944. Itâ€™s a time when students reflect upon our values as Canadians and honour those who work hard to make sure that we remain safe and secure. (See our story on Page 13). In our local schools assemblies are being held and members of the Legion have been invited to address students. As well as recognizing a moment of silence, classes and staff have put together presentations with poetry, songs and dramatic perofrmances to tell the stories that remember our history and help children understand the significance of the day and the resilience of those who have fought for their country. We also want our young people to be resilient when they face difficult times. So as the weather cools and trees lose their leaves, there is focused attention in TDSB schools to learning about the history of our Aboriginal people and the contributions of our veterans. We are preparing students to be contributing and respectful citizens in a world of peace. â– Gerri Gershon is the Trustee, Don Valley West, for the Toronto District School Board

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:22 PM Page 13

By JANIS FERTUCK One hundred years ago Canada’s bravest soldiers fought at Vimy Ridge in what was to become an iconic battle in the “War to End All Wars”. To mark the centennial, students from Leaside High School (LHS) plan to bring that fateful story to life through both the past and the present, in recollections about soldiers who took part in the battle as well as through the visitors to the Vimy Ridge Memorial today. In a special assembly, students will incorporate into a play messages engraved in the walls of a nearby cave by soldiers about to go into battle, while music and dance sequences will connect the different parts of the play. Remembrance Day has always been much more than just a November day on the calendar for the staff and students at Leaside High. As Milena Ivkovic, the Curriculum Leader of Social Sciences at Leaside, said, “It is an opportunity to honour those who fought for us to help us to realize how lucky we are, and to thank those who risked their lives and their loved ones for us. Having an assembly matters because we are blessed to live in this country and we should appreciate the freedoms we have.” Ms. Ivkovic has been the driving force behind the Remembrance Day Assembly for the past two years, and is now hard at work on this year’s project. The first step in the process for Ms. Ivkovic is to come up with a vision

for a multi-faceted theatre experience including the elements of drama, music and dance. Next, she brainstorms ideas with other teachers such as Karlea Kimmel, the Curriculum Leader for the Arts; music teacher Lauren Simmons; Sonya Ugarkovic, a drama teacher and the staff advisor for the dance club; and Caralin Fleet, a social science and drama teacher. Then she pitches the ideas to her classes, where she never has any trouble enlisting many enthusiastic volunteers. Students and staff collaborate to come up with an appropriate and appealing format. Much of the presentation is based on assignments completed for drama and history classes. For example, last year’s assembly, entitled “Voices of War,” was based largely on an assignment where students wrote ”Postcards from the Trenches,” which were fictional, but based on real stories from their reading about war experiences. ■

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 14

Leaside Life, November 2016

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Jon Burnside Councillor, Toronto Ward 26 Don Valley West

939 Eglinton Ave. East decision - where do we go from here? Shortly after DiamondCorp presented its development proposal for 939 Eglinton Ave. East to the community, I formed a working group in the hope of finding a more palatable option. The original 1,500-unit submission with four towers of 34, 24, 21 and 19 storeys was definitely not something I, and most Leaside residents, could accept. While it is safe to say that midrise buildings (11 floors or fewer) were the preferred built form for the location, the reality was that we had two major challenges. Most importantly, the City Planning department's Eglinton Connects Study identified this site (along with seven others along the forthcoming 19 km LRT line) as a location where greater heights and/or densities could be supported. Secondly, a precedent had been set years earlier when the 12-, 16- and 18-storey Scenic on Eglinton development (just east of Brentcliffe Rd.) was approved – well before any rapid transit. The working group represented a cross-section of Leaside residents. It was not meant to speak for the community, rather to contribute ideas that could improve the development. This dedicated group addressed obvious issues such as height and density as well as less obvious ones like design: replacing the proposed glass and steel façade with red brick to better fit within the community context. After seven months of collaboration and negotiation with DiamondCorp, the working group was presented with a drastically different proposal: one tower had been eliminated, the remaining three towers were reduced to 31, 20 and 14 storeys, residential units had dropped by over 30 per cent to under 1,000, overall density (GFA) was reduced from 5.27 to 3.99, and there was more brick and less glass. While the reaction wasn’t unanimous (most notably the LPOA representative had concerns) the general feeling was one of approval and in early BURNSIDE, Page 37

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 15

By GEOFF KETTEL and CAROL BURTON FRIPP Co-Presidents, LPOA Less than six months ago 2,200 Leasiders completed a survey questionnaire regarding the DiamondCorp development proposal for 939 Eglinton Ave. East, and an overwhelming majority of the respondents (92.7 per cent) didn’t think the massive development was appropriate for Leaside. They felt that buildings over 11 storeys were inappropriate for this site. Only 5.5 percent thought the development was appropriate. The original design called for four towers of 19, 23, 31 and 35 storeys. On October 13th, a smaller (but vocal) number of attendees, at a community meeting organized by Councillor Jon Burnside to present revised plans, seemed impressed by what they saw. The new design, calling for three towers of 19, 14 and 31 storeys, was reached in a series of meetings with a working group of 12 volunteers. The design is certainly an improvement, but is it enough? Have Leasiders’ views changed since the survey? Is there a growing feeling of inevitability about these large developments proposed on the edges of Leaside? We feel that the sense the project is improved cannot necessarily be construed as “support” for the revised proposal. Major concerns remain (and were expressed at the October 13th meeting) about massing, height, and density. There was still concern about other issues, including traffic, school capacity, infrastructure like hydro, sewer and water, and adequacy of parking. The main objection seemed to be the 31-storey height of the tallest building. Our association positions are resident-led, based on assessing neighbourhood feeling. Does the working group really reflect neighbourhood feeling? Are there further concessions which could still be made to the scale of the development? The city’s planning staff have yet to take a position on the latest proposal.

Diamond Corp. proposal for 939 Eglinton Ave. East Meanwhile, Mr. Diamond has appealed to the OMB on the basis of the original four-tower application. It is unclear which of his proposals will come to City Council. We do know that the planners will not support the original proposal, but it is unclear what they will say about the revised one, and whether or not the planners will push for more height reductions or other improvements. There are those calling for the LPOA to work with the revised proposal, to see if we can get Mr. Diamond to take a floor or two off the tall tower, get more retail, and acquire as much Section 37 (community benefits) money as we can. There are those who feel the development context is changing – that there is increasing realization about the irresponsibility of loading up Eglinton with density when (with no Yonge “relief line” in sight) there is simply not the transit capacity in the Yonge corridor to handle the additional riders coming from the Eglinton Crosstown. And there are those who are worried that any further attempts at discussion or negotiation, by the LPOA or the City, will end with the

OMB ruling in favour of the original, much larger, higher and denser development. Mr. Diamond has shown himself open to compromise and responsiveness to the community by taking the time to cooperate with a working group and reduce his proposal by 30 per cent. But the community meeting also seemed to confirm his willingness to fight. He stated that LPOA board member and former president Brian Athey's statements about the revised proposal at the final working group meeting prompted him to appeal his original application to the OMB. And when faced at the community meeting with further comments about the revised proposal, he suggested, “Maybe it's time that this was settled by the (Ontario Municipal) Board.” What does this mean for the LPOA? At this point we put on our LPOA hats! The first thing to note is that the LPOA has NOT taken a position on 939 yet, and neither have the planners. We would be much happier with mid-rise at this location, which would be more in keeping with the City’s Official Plan, and meet the criteria set by April’s 2,200-response survey of Leaside residents. The only real gauges of community opinion we have are the comments received at public meetings and the survey results. What happens next? According to City staff, DiamondCorp’s revised application has recently been received (but is not yet posted on the City website, which only shows the renderings shown to the working group). Staff from various departments will be reviewing the revised application. We will review and submit comments. As stated earlier, the LPOA is resident-led. It is critical that you share your perspectives and suggestions with us. Write to us at info@lpoa.ca, and attend our meetings. Our next board meeting is November 2nd, and our AGM takes place on November 22nd. As we learn more details about the City’s response to DiamondCorp’s proposals, we will share them with you on our website. ■

Leaside Life, November 2016

Capitulate or fight? Which is it to be? LPOA and 939 Eglinton Ave. East

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 16

THE CHURCHES OF LEASIDE - SPECIAL EDITION

St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church marks 125th anniversary with year-long celebration

MICHAEL HUDSON

Leaside Life, November 2016

The St. Cuthbert's Anglican Church congregation today is a safe, positive, empowering community. By ALLAN WILLIAMS The people of St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church have been marking the congregation’s 125th anniversary for the past year, with the festivities culminating in a Homecoming Celebration over the first weekend of October. Why a full year to celebrate an anniversary? “Why not?” asks Heather Conolly, who chaired the 125th anniversary committee at Leaside’s oldest church. “And we had so many different activities we wanted to plan that it seemed appropriate to make it a year-long celebration.” The year’s events kicked off with an anniversary service last December at which Bishop the Right Rev. Patrick Yu honoured six St. Cuthbert’s members of long standing – Judy Bamford, Betty Chricton, Nancy Dorkin, Pam Sellers, Nancy Wahlroth and Ken Wantz. Four special concerts were held during the year and two capital projects completed – the restoration of the Bayview doors and the preservation of the stained glass windows. A volunteer clean-up in the Don Valley marked ‘Creation Care Weekend’ coinciding with Earth Day in April. And

three of the church’s previous incumbents – the Ven. Dr. Michael Thompson, the Rev. Canon Beth Benson and the Rev. Katy Waugh – returned to visit and worship with the congregation on different Sundays earlier this fall. Capping the year’s celebrations, Homecoming Weekend included a gala dinner on Saturday, October 1, marking the 126th anniversary of the actual date – October 1, 1890 – when the first service was held in a wooden frame church on the site where St. Cuthbert’s Church now stands. A year earlier, in October 1889, the Rev. Tom Paterson, Rector of Christ Church Deer Park, had begun holding services in homes near the present site of St. Cuthbert’s. In early 1890, William Lea (for whom Leaside is named), in support of Paterson’s efforts, donated a half acre on the northwest corner of his property in Lot 13 of the 3rd Concession of York Township, “as a site for a mission church, with the proviso that no interments take place on the property.” This information comes from “A Sitting Tour of St. Cuthbert’s,” a collection of columns written for the parish newsletter by church archivist and lifetime member Arthur Sellers

(1923-2009). The columns contain no shortage of interesting and sometimes humorous anecdotes, and demonstrate that the stories of St. Cuthbert’s and Leaside itself have been intertwined over the past 125 years. In the early years, while the future St. Cuthbert’s was still a mission of Christ Church Deer Park, services were led “by a succession of divinity students, itinerant missioners and retired clergy,” with Paterson presiding over the Eucharist when necessary. It was in 1908 that the name St. Cuthbert’s was first attached to the mission. Paterson informed the annual meeting that he had suggested the name to the Archbishop, and asked for the approval of the surprised members who, “by their silence, gave consent.” In January 1909, Percival Morland Lamb arrived as student-in-charge and a year later married the church organist – Estella Lea, granddaughter of William Lea himself. In 1913, though yet to be built, the Town of Leaside was incorporated, and the congregation decided a bigger building was necessary. They moved the frame building to ST. CUTHBERT’S, Page 17

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 17

ST. CUTHBERT’S ANGLICAN CHURCH

Leaside churches and their friends are busy supporting refugee efforts. The Church of St. Augustine of Canterbury joined in sponsoring a Syrian family with St. Matthew’s Church in Riverdale. Their formal sponsorship period will end in January. The summer months’ activities included going on excursions to places like Niagara Falls, but also continuing English language classes, both government-run and with private tutors. The big challenge ahead is finding employment for the parents so they can transition to full selfsufficiency. Committee chairs Peter Shepard and Gina Davidson are confident the family’s positive attitude will prevail. St. Anselm’s Church family of Syrian refugees also arrived in January, so they too are near the end of the formal, one-year sponsorship agreement period. Committee members who volunteered assistance are happy with the progress the family has made settling in Canada, and see a bright future for them. Tim Wood chaired the original Resettlement Committee, with Terry O’Connor now taking on that job. There is serendipity involved in the sponsorship by Northlea United Church. The Christian Syrian family they are sponsoring had originally arrived in Canada last December, sponsored initially elsewhere. When that sponsorship didn’t work out, Northlea had the opportunity to be-

St. Cuthbert’s From Page 16

the back of the lot to be used as a parish hall and began building a new church, which opened in 1914 when only the basement portion had been completed. St Cuthbert’s was formally set aside as a separate parish with Mr. Lamb as first rector on November 22, 1916 – 100 years ago this month – and just one week after the Battle of Somme had come to its bloody and horrific end in Europe. More

Lorna Krawchuk Publisher Leaside Life

come their sponsor, and rose to the challenge. They held a successful house-furnishing shower and talent show with a silent auction in April, and welcomed the family in midMay. They will continue their full financial support until June 2017. A core group, including Roy Bennett and Elaine Perkins, among others, is ensuring the family get the help they need to establish themselves in Canada. St. Cuthbert’s Church is sponsoring a single man from Iran, who arrived in mid-August via Istanbul. We have just completed that first rush of paperwork and making arrangements, including finding an affordable bachelor apartment in a good neighbourhood. Improving his English at all-day English classes is a first priority, although we were so pleased to discover that his spoken English was quite fluent when he arrived. We also remain in a queue for future sponsorship of a family. (I am a member of St. Cuthbert’s Church and chair the Refugee Sponsorship Committee.) Leaside Presbyterian Church is working with two other Presbyterian churches on their sponsorship. A Syrian family was identified for them in January, but because of complications than one million men were wounded or killed during this battle; nine of the fallen had been members of St. Cuthbert’s. By the end of the war 20 St. Cuthbert’s men would have died. An important benefactor in the church’s early years was Mrs. Alice Kilgour, widow of Joseph Kilgour, who had owned Sunnybrook Farm. Her contributions helped furnish the newly completed church when “the top was put on” in 1923, paid off the mortgage in 1930, and provided a pipe organ in 1934. Mrs. Kilgour also donated Sunnybrook Farm to the City of Toronto in 1928 to be used as a park. And on

is not yet “travel ready,” and their arrival in Canada may be in the quite distant future, or not at all. In August, the churches were offered the possibility of sponsoring another family, who would be “travel ready” in the near future, but in order to accept that family, their sponsorship of the original family would need to formally end. They have agreed to this, but are still hoping to be able to support the original family depending on whether they come to Canada, where in Canada they settle, and what the financial situation of the sponsoring group is at the time, according to Dan Engels of the church’s Syrian refugee sponsorship committee. Leaside United Church, where refugee sponsorship has been happening regularly over the years under the leadership of Bob and Lis Lister, are the last in line at this point, and are learning patience. Two Syrian families have been identified, one now in Kuwait and the other in Iraq. They have spoken to the family in Kuwait by Skype several times, so a relationship is already developing. The family in Iraq isn’t near a Canadian visa office, so arranging an interview is a major ongoing challenge. The Refugee Resettlement Committee is hoping that at least one of the families will be safely in Canada by Christmas. We’d love to hear from you if you’ve been involved in other sponsorship efforts. Contact Leaside Life and share your experiences. ■ November 11, 1943, the 25th anniversary of the end of World War One, with the consent of the Kilgour heirs, a portion of that property was transferred to the government of Canada for use as a veterans’ care facility. Sunnybrook Veterans’ Centre is now the largest such facility of Canada. In 1937, at the urging of Canon Lamb, a fundraising committee was established for the expansion of the church sanctuary to its intended full size, which would have required moving or demolishing the parish hall to the east. Before either had ST. CUTHBERT’S, Page 25

| Leaside Life, November 2016

What’s the latest on Leaside churches and their refugee efforts?

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 18

Leaside Literati

Leaside Life, November 2016

Lest W Lest We e For Forget get On Remembrance Day, let us honour the memory of our brave veterans.

K Kathleen athleen W Wynne ynne MPP Don Valley Valley West West

Constituency C onstituency Offic Office e 7 795 95 E Eglinton glinton A Avenue venue Eas Eastt Unit 10 101, 1, T Toronto, oronto, ON M4G 4E4 4 416-425-6777 16-425-6777 w www.kathleenwynne.onmpp.ca ww.kathleenwynne.onmpp.ca

He’ll be the judge of that By SIMON DAY

tion, problems that arise from plunging into detail without giving your When we think of judges, we see reader a road map,” he told me. His them as extremely intelligent and litermethods of helping them remedy that ate people. And they are. But perhaps problem are to show them that giving more so now, thanks to the efforts of an context first, moving to the point, and English professor at the Unifinally to the detail are the versity of Toronto who also best way to keep an audience teaches judges and recently on track. published Creating Legal “Most legal writing is Worlds, a study of how rhetpoint-last writing, which is oric, story, and style function fact- and case-driven as opas integral elements of any posed to point- or issue-drilegal argument. ven writing,” he added. Point Now that the court is in first writing cuts judgments in session, let me introduce you half by eliminating the facts to Greig Henderson, accomthat do not pertain to the plished author, professor issue that is being decided. and father. Prof. Henderson Simplified, the idea is that, has lived in the Leaside comgiving the audience some munity for nearly 18 years, Greig Henderson context before driving your ever since he and his family point home and following up moved from their house in the St. with the details are almost akin to spinLawrence community. Greig immedining a tale or telling a story. ately fell in love with his house in LeaAll of this learning and wisdom side. It was the perfect size for his wife might have stayed in the classroom and three daughters, and he is espehad it not been for Greig’s wife, Erica, cially fond of many of its vintage feawho encouraged him to write about his tures. Over the years, in fact, he says he experiences. “Erica said to me, ‘you has not had to change anything since give all these talks to the judges about it is perfect in his eyes. the role of storytelling. Why not write Greig has enjoyed a distinguished about that?’ So I did.” career at the U of T for almost 35 years, The result was a number of artiduring which time he has taught Engcles, followed by the book "Creating lish to both literature students and juLegal Worlds," published by the Unidicial professionals. On the English lit versity of Toronto Press. His reasoning side, his area of expertise is 20th cenbehind writing this book was that he tury literature and criticism with an became convinced over the years that emphasis on rhetoric and rhetorical judgments are more like novels or theory. He sees clear ties between Engshort stories. Judgments have plot, lish lit and the world of law because the characters, heroes, villains, victims and earliest rhetoricians in 5th century conflict. By showing the similarities beB.C.E. Greece were also the first legal tween law and literature, he was able to advocates. use his skills in English to offer a differHe has been holding seminars for ent analysis of some of the famous – judges and law firms for the past 20 and infamous – judgments in history. years in the Written Advocacy Program, I asked Greig how this book differs sponsored by the Ontario Council for from his academic writing. “It doesn’t Advocacy and the Osgoode Hall Law differ much from my other academic School. But his first brush with the law writing except for the fact that it’s diwas more than three decades ago, rected at a larger audience, not when the then chairman of his departjust scholars in the field of law and litment recommended him for the Judierature, rhetoric, narrative theory cial Writing Program, which was and stylistics,” he said. “I hope that sponsored by the Canadian Institute the book will appeal to judges, l for the Administration of Justice. Prof. awyers, and general readers who Henderson was the perfect candidate are interested in because of his interest in rhetoric, stohow story and style rytelling, persuasion and argumentaare not just ornation – all essential to legal writing. ment or embellishWhen I first learned Greig was ment but integral teaching English to judges, I was exparts of argument tremely curious about which aspects of and persuasion in English they need help with. “The almost any field.” problems with legal and judicial writHe rests his ing are mostly problems of organizacase. ■

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 19

Leaside Life, November 2016

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 20

Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LPOA

Leaside Life, November 2016

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Will provincial review limit OMB powers? You’ve heard the expression. “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away”. Developers who apply to build inappropriately dense or high mega projects don’t die, nor do they just fade away. They head to the OMB. Appearing at hearings of the Ontario Municipal Board is an expensive prospect for ratepayer groups like the LPOA and for the City. If City Council has voted against a development, or if they haven’t dealt with a development application promptly enough, developers appeal to the OMB, and the City assigns legal and planning staff to appear at the resulting hearings. Often, these hearings can go on for several weeks. Meanwhile, the local ratepayer group has to raise a significant amount of funds to hire its own lawyer, planner, and, often, additional expert witnesses, who argue and present evidence as to why the proposed development should be denied. The OMB is a quasi-judicial body, requiring numerous densely written consultants’ reports, at the cost of many thousands of dollars. While the developer can claim these costs as legitimate business expenses, ratepayer groups are considered ‘advocacy’ groups by CRA and cannot. For financial reasons alone, we have to choose our OMB battles carefully. Ratepayer groups must assess chances for success on a case by case basis, sometimes hoping to win a partial success by reducing only the more egregious features of the development. Too often, the OMB rules in favour of the developers. It often overturns local council decisions and ignores community consultations. And there is no appeal process

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 21

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We will be featuring an update regarding the LPOA Traffic Committeeâ€™s findings from our June consultation event, and discussing next steps. We will also present a roundtable discussion about Committees of Adjustment: why they were created, how they work (or donâ€™t), whether they reflect neighboursâ€™ or the communityâ€™s concerns; what their mandate is, and how to address problems we perceive with the system. Committee of Adjustment decisions hit close to home, literally. Do they endorse, or ignore, neighbourhood design or heritage guidelines? Do they adequately enforce the cityâ€™s official plan? Weâ€™ll also receive nominations at the AGM for new LPOA board members and present a current list of the board. If you are interested, or would like to work with the LPOA on specific projects or issues, please contact us at lpoa.ca.

Put this into your calendars or smartphones (or put a post-it note on your refrigerator)! The Leaside Property Ownersâ€™ Association Annual General Meeting takes place this year on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, beginning at 7 p.m., in the TRACE MANES building by the tennis courts next to the library.

Leaside Life, November 2016

against OMB decisions, unless the Board has made a strictly procedural error. So I was very pleased to hear that the province has launched a review of the OMB, with a view to limiting its powers, requiring that more consideration be given to local councilsâ€™ positions. You probably saw a Toronto Star article in early October announcing this review. A consultation paper has been released, encouraging suggestions from cities and what they call â€œother stakeholdersâ€? (aka, citizens). Town hall meetings will be announced, with the consultation period to end just before Christmas. New legislation may be announced in the spring. All of this is very hopeful news to communities like Leaside. We have been disadvantaged by much of the current process, and the cost in time and funds. We have also been disturbed by the number of OMB decisions which ignore community planning decisions and local concerns. When we learn more details about the review, we will put them on the LPOA website, and in Leaside Life. â– __

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:23 PM Page 22

Leaside Life, November 2016

Ash tree removals in process at Garden Court apartments on September 9, 2016.

Garden Court heritage designation updated …but the landscaping needs a renewal plan To go through the entrance arcade from Bayview into Garden Court Apartments (across from ValuMart and Davisville Avenue) and down the steps into the main courtyard is to be surprised! Surprised by the formal axial views north and south, east and west, and by “the skillful integration of architecture and landscape architecture” (“East/West: A Guide to Where People Live in Downtown Toronto,” Nancy Byrtus, Mark Fram, Michael McClelland, editors). It’s an urban oasis, secluded from the passing traffic on Bayview, and a delightful home for the tenants of the 104 units fortunate enough to live there. And it’s been a designated heritage site since 1987. The project, built between 1939 and 1941, was the result of the close collaboration of architects Forsey Page and Steele with DuningtonGrubb and Stensson, the city’s best known landscape architectural firm of the period. Today it’s an internationally recognized example of a designed “cultural heritage landscape”. The Cultural Landscape Foundation, based in Washington, D.C., included Garden Court Apartments (and Leaside) on their “What’s Out There?” Walking Tours as part of its annual conference held in Toronto in May 2015. So what’s new? Two things: one good, one not so much. First, on October 5 City Council

Geoff Kettel

Saving old Leaside approved revised “Reasons for Heritage Designation” of Garden Court Apartments. Why now, as it is already heritage protected? There is a degree of uncertainty about its future and this re-designation will help to ensure the preservation of this iconic property in Leaside. The property’s owner applied for permission to convert it to a condominium. Although this was turned down by the City in 2013, the owner appealed to the OMB. While no hearing has been held to date, City staff discovered that the heritage designation language was all of two paragraphs, and staff felt, quite rightly, that it needed to be updated to meet today’s more rigorous standards. The Reasons for Designation have been approved and now extend to four typed pages! But there is a period during which objections may be filed, and if there are objections they will be heard by the Conservation Review Board (sibling of the Ontario Municipal Board). Second, it is apparent, even to a layperson, that the treed landscape of Garden Court Apartments is not in good shape. Mature trees are

dead or dying, whether because of diseases, climate change, or merely lack of maintenance. Garden Court Apartments contains examples of a fairly rare grafted tree called the camperdown elm, with a distinctive weeping character. However, these unusual trees are vulnerable to a disease called the elm leafminer, and several were removed this fall from the upper level, in addition to seven ash trees from the lower level. The ash trees were infected with emerald ash borer, which has been destroying trees across Toronto for years. The tree removals were necessary for legitimate safety and security reasons as they were diseased and dying and posed increasing risk of injury to residents, but they also represent a significant loss to the Garden Court Apartments’ landscape. What should replace these trees? It seems to me that this is a question of interest not only to the property owner but also to the tenants and other residents of Leaside…and to the City because the trees, their character, if not their species, are supposed to be protected under the heritage designation. We desperately need a landscape renewal and conservation plan for the property that maintains the integrity of the original landscape plans for the property, and has community input. Let’s hope the property owner shares this vision. ■

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:24 PM Page 23

Is the City protecting our trees? Not at 132 Airdrie By GEOFF KETTEL Tree protection. Now there’s a topic on which there is no disagreement in Leaside. Trees contribute many benefits: oxygen; shade, which helps to reduce our need for air conditioning in the summer; and a magnificent display of colour in the fall. Okay, they also give us yard work in the fall, but let’s not quibble. More than anything, though, trees are a huge part of Leaside’s streetscape character, softening the hard edges and contributing colour and complexity. We also recognize that trees are living things and deserve, indeed require, respect and attention. So when “infill development” moves in, we watch to make sure the required “tree protection zone” is built (before construction starts) and is protected from dumping and damage subsequently. And when we see problems happening, like damage to the tree protection zone, or dumping in the

zone, we call the City and request the inspector show up and enforce the laws. That’s when the system works. But what if it fails? This fall neighbours of an infill development at 132 Airdrie Rd. experienced major problems with the contractor and the City tree on the property. They noticed there was no tree protection zone, and machinery and heavy equipment were being parked next to the tree, endangering its roots. Then building materials were loaded into the tree protection zone. Neighbours called and emailed 311, Urban Forestry, and Councillor Burnside several times over a couple of months. Inspectors came, as did Councillor Burnside. Despite all the interest and attention from City officials and the Councillor, neighbours grew increasingly concerned as the City’s tree continued to be abused and stressed, to the point that today they fear it may not survive. You may recall reading in the

Toronto Star a couple of months ago about a grove of 40 mature trees that was removed without permits at a townhouse development at Bayview and York Mills (Ward 25). As I write, the Parks and Environment Committee is discusssing Councillor Jaye Robinson’s motion coming out of her experience in dealing with that situation. Her motion covers a range of tree protection issues: the complaint and investigation process; response times; financial penalties for bylaw violations; and the potential establishment of additional penalties for bylaw infractions, such as the issuance of stop-work orders and suspension of building permits. So both locally on small projects in Leaside as well as on larger developments it seems that the tree protection bylaws, and their administration, are not up to the job. We can do better. Our Leaside street trees are a vitally important part of our community and worthy of protection. ■

ALVIN NG

Cultural Heritage Landscape of Leaside A booklet co-authored by Kim Auchinachie, Geoff Kettel, and Connor Turnbull, received an "Honourable Mention" in the 2016 Heritage Toronto Awards in the "Short Publication" category on October 17, 2016. The booklet was produced for the "What's Out There" walking tour of Leaside in conjunction with The Cultural Landscape Foundation Conference held in Toronto in May 2015. If you would like to receive a free printed copy of this awarding winning booklet, please L to R: Kaitlin Wainwright, Interim Executive Director and Director of Program- email us at leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com. The ming, Heritage Toronto, Connor Turnbull, Co-Chair Leaside Matters, Geoff Kettel, booklet is also online at the Leaside Matters website leasidematters.ca. Community Advocate, Kim Auchinachie, Co-Chair, Leaside Matters

Leaside Life, November 2016

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:24 PM Page 24

Leaside Life, November 2016

Vezina learns how to “hurry hard” at Leaside Curling Club By KARLI VEZINA My left foot is in the hack, a foothold used by curlers to launch their delivery of the curling stone. My right foot is on a teflon sliding pad that looks like a shoe insert on steroids. Left hand on the handle of the stone, while the right holds tightly to the stabilizer that will (hopefully) keep me from spilling out on the ice. All I can do now is look ahead at my teammate, follow her lead on which way to deliver the stone and hope for no major injuries. This is me trying curling for the very first time with the Leaside Curling Club. Growing up, I used to watch my Nana Vezina curl with her club up in North Bay. From behind the glass it looked like organized madness. People chasing stones and sweeping the ice, shouting “hurry hard!” like it was military training week, women and men sprinting up and down the ice like nimble winter elves. Twenty-five years later, I have a front-row ticket to learn what curling is all about and hopefully, to make my grandmother proud. With the help of some ladies from the Leaside Curling Club, Jane Burgess, Gail Ann Ferguson and Janet Macmillan, we make up a team of four. At the other end of the ice, Jane is signaling instructions. She stands in the house, the ring of circles where points are gained or lost. She signals with her right hand, so I must turn the stone handle a bit to the right and push off the hack dragging one knee behind me. Before I reach the black line (or hog line), I will let go of the stone, but before I do, there is a little counterclockwise turn I’ll have to make with my wrist to send the stone in the right direction.

SARAH KELLY

I’LL TRY ANYTHING ONCE!

Karli Vezina (centre) surrounded by her new curling mentors (L to R, Gail Ann Ferguson, Janet Macmillan, Paivi Liitela & Jane Burgess) Little did I know, the sport is called curling because that is what the stones actually do. My head teacher for the day, Leaside Curling Club General Manager Paivi Liitela, told me stones never travel the ice in a straight line. They will always curve, which is why that last flick of the wrist before letting go is so important. With Paivi and Gail Ann at my side, I learn how to deliver a stone crouched on my knees and with a stick (for those with limited mobility), how to sweep the ice with a curling broom, how to “hurry hard” and how to put your thigh muscles in overdrive to send you down the ice. As I apply the lessons, I can feel my core muscles tighten with every throw of the rock and my legs are taut with the responsibility of securing my safety. If my Nana Vezina

weren’t already an impressive woman, experiencing the sport she loves to play certainly won me over. I had a great time learning how to curl and since I’m a Vezina who cannot skate, this looks like a winter sport for me. For those interested in giving curling a try, visit the Leaside Curling Club’s website at https://leasidecurling.ca/index.php and check out their youth, women’s, men’s and mixed league playing times. Until next time...for science! Leaside Curling Club 1075 Millwood Road 647-748-CURL (2875) For a glossary of curling terms, visit: curling.ca/about-the-sport-ofcurling/getting-started-incurling/glossary-of-curling-terms/ ■

FIND ME IN LEASIDE

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:24 PM Page 25

happened, however, the parish hall burned down on Oct 28, 1937. Says Sellers: “There were rumours to savour. Although The Telegram mentioned the gas stove as a possible cause of the fire, it was more appealing to believe it had been started by some hobos from a freight train who had spent the night at St. Cuthbert’s. No one ever commented on the number of times, since Mrs. Kilgour paid off the mortgage in 1930, that the Rector had talked up the completion of the church (which would have required demolition of the parish hall).” Once this obstacle had been removed, the congregation moved quickly, and the full-sized church opened on November 1, 1938. In the 1940s, St. Cuthbert’s began a mission in Northlea School that would eventually become the separate parish of St. Augustine’s in North Leaside, which opened in 1949. The new parish hall was built and opened in 1952, in a style

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Leaside Life, November 2016

St. Cuthbert’s

termed “Don Mills Gothic” by Arthur Sellers. By 1968 all the church’s windows had been converted to stained glass. Remarkably, St. Cuthbert’s has had only six full-time “incumbents” in its century as a parish: Canon Lamb (1916-1954); Canon J. de Pencier Wright (1954-1977); Canon John Paterson-Smyth (1977-1992); the Rev. Michael Thompson (19922001); the Rev. Katy Waugh (20012007); and the Rev. Beth Benson (2007-2015). The Rev. Ian La Fleur arrived on October 1, 2015. Today St. Cuthbert’s “is a safe, positive, empowering community,” says The Rev. Ian La Fleur, “which encourages and affirms the value of women and girls. We are a local expression of the family of God characterized by the spirit of welcome and exceptional hospitality.” Among the ministries of the congregation are refugee sponsorship and support for organizations like the Flemingdon Food Bank, the Anglican Flemingdon Park Ministry, Moorelands Community Services, New Circles and Emily’s House Hospice, as well as other programs related to prison ministries, food security, creation care and education. ■

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:24 PM Page 26

Cheryl Vanderburg

Leaside Litterati

Leaside Life, November 2016

Bayview pick up that trash I love to walk and I have a passion for litter. My mornings begin with a quick ‘litter walk’. Grocery bag in hand, I set out to pick up whatever my section of Rumsey Road and the Trace Manes playground has to offer that day. I chat with fellow neighbours, library and tennis court staff. As a community we take ownership of our little piece of Leaside and are proud that our lawns, driveways, sidewalks and roadways are spotless. We like the park to be safe and clean for parents, caregivers and children. The ‘litter walk’ takes about 10 minutes a day, and I consider it time well spent. My next excursion is a more leisurely ‘errand walk’ out to Bayview. I love that I can easily walk to get my hair cut, pick up groceries, do my banking, pick up a birthday gift or meet a friend for coffee. Although it’s not my intention to pick up litter, I can’t ignore it either. So my walk goes something like this: I cut through the park, pick up litter and deposit it in the park trash bin. Turning left onto McRae, I continue my pickup and use the bin on the southeast corner of McRae and Millwood. Heading west on Millwood, I scoop up any items stuck in the church hedge and deposit them in the bins behind the building. I continue along, picking up, and make a deposit in the first bin I see on Bayview. The ‘errand walk’ has a lot of stops and starts and takes more time than a ‘regular walk’. In my quest to keep the neighbourhood clean I consider it time well spent. Last Wednesday I arrived on Bayview about 11:00 a.m. and was taken aback by the unsightly mess. The street looked like a dump site. There were garbage bins obstructing the sidewalk, newspapers and cardboard boxes strewn about, bags of litter propped against overflowing city waste receptacles and trash in storefront entrances. I’ve never seen Bayview looking so bad. In fact it was so off-putting I quickly did

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:24 PM Page 27

merchant, as a part of the BIA community, needed to take ownership of his or her storefront section of Bayview and spend a few minutes each day cleaning up. I’ve seen staff at the Olive Oil Emporium out sweeping, as well as George Chow, owner of Peaches & Green. I stopped to thank him one day and he commented, “I guess it’s kind of old-fashioned.” Maybe so, but it is definitely necessary and appreciated. Time well spent if the BIA wants to create the inviting and welcoming shopping experience they say consumers deserve. Here’s what the BIA replied to me recently: “Thank you for your suggestions. I will be sure to share them with the board.” There is good news. I've been out to Bayview several times since and am delighted to report that the street has looked freshly swept and pretty much spotless each time. I'm not sure who is hard at work – the BIA, the merchants, the Pixies or City of Toronto staff. Please know your efforts are noticed and appreciated! To all of you who thank me and tell me how nice I am, I usually say “you’re welcome.” What I really want to say is: “You can be nice, too.” If we all picked up just one random piece of litter each day…well, just imagine...definitely time well spent. ■

Leaside Life, November 2016

my banking and headed directly home. No browsing or shopping as I had planned. And no litter-picking as the task was just too daunting. I debated contacting the BIA. I know they are working hard and I didn’t want to seem critical. But if I found Bayview unwelcoming, surely others were feeling the same way. And wouldn’t it be helpful for them to know so they could remedy the situation? Eventually, I sent an email and received the following response: “Tuesday night is garbage pickup on Bayview. We organize a couple of groups to help keep the community clean. The Bayview Pixies were created and are funded by our Bayview Leaside B.I.A. This volunteer position is more focused on sustainable planting than street cleanup, but they work tirelessly at beautifying our strip and creating a positive environment. We also organize a street cleanup once or twice a year. This is a larger cleanup by BIA members and community volunteers to encourage keeping our environment clean.” I appreciated their response and the explanation of their group initiatives, which I was aware of. However I didn’t really see how this approach was going to solve the issue of daily litter, especially after Tuesday night garbage pickup. I replied, suggesting that each

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:24 PM Page 28

LEASIDE REAL ESTATE

Leaside Life, November 2016

Commercial land on Laird up 1,800% in 10 years By EARL KUFNER Most today think of Leaside as a desirable urban residential enclave but forget its hard industrial past. Like the dated industrial buildings that reside east of Laird, the seniors – many of whom worked at those very factories and raised families in the post-World War II, 550 sq. ft. bungalows – are being displaced. The current generation of residents is dominated by larger, more affluent families who demand ready access to all forms of retail and services. You could argue that First Pro was among the first retail developers to capitalize on this demographic shift, and through their plaza, changed the face of commercial real estate in Leaside. In 1996, they purchased 28 acres of redundant industrial land from Canada Wire and

Cable (producer of shells and other munitions for both world wars) for just over $62,000 per acre and created a big box retail centre that quickly changed shopping and traffic patterns within the neighbourhood and proved without a doubt there was demand for large format retail existing cheek by jowl with residential Leaside. Less than a decade later, the 8.5acre former Winpak Ltd. site at 85 Laird was purchased by an auto dealer for $1,155,000 per acre and subsequently sold at a slight discount to First Capital, which constructed the Longo’s anchored mall. Commercial land on Laird had appreciated 1,800% in just one decade! Large sites and small sites tend to have different valuations. Traffic volume, signalized corners’ proximity to demand generators all impact value,

and so, too, does time. It’s no surprise that values have continued to increase. The most recent sale was 199 Laird, a body shop at the northeast corner of Wicksteed and Laird, which traded a decade after the First Capital plaza. (See our story on Four Seasons Auto Collision in this issue.) This 1.2-acre site at the edge of what is purported to be a future Walmart fetched a price of $8,750,000 per acre...or a whopping 10 times what First Capital paid in 2006 and 140 times that of First Pro’s acquisition in 1996. And we thought that the values of our houses had appreciated! ■ __ Earl Kufner is the Senior Vice President, Multi-Residential Advisory Group, at Jones Lang LaSalle. Earl.Kufner@am.jll.com

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The speculation is over. After several years debating the pros and cons of selling their prime piece of real estate located at the northeast corner of Laird Dr. and Wicksteed Ave., the Ricci brothers – Pat, Mike, and Mario – took the plunge this past summer and accepted a $10.5 million offer for the acre-and-abit of land that housed their business, Four Seasons Auto Collision. However, the Riccis aren’t leaving the area, they’re just opening a new location in November that’s a little bit farther south on Laird Dr. It doesn’t surprise me one bit. A couple of years ago I spoke with Mario Ricci over the phone about selling the property and he was adamant about continuing to go to work. It turns out you can have your cake and eat it too, and good for them. They’ve been a Leaside institution since 1964. So, what’s going to happen to the property at 199 Laird Dr.? Who bought it? When the sale closed in July The South Bayview Bulldog reported that it wasn’t Mitch Goldhar and SmartCentres. Mario Ricci confirmed this with me. An anonymous neighbourhood activist suggests the real estate company behind many of the Shoppers Drug Mart locations is rumoured to have bought the property for Loblaw Companies. I, for one, would be extremely disappointed if that valuable corner were set aside for yet another Shoppers Drug Mart location, the third within two kilometres of one another. We can and should do better. If you’ve got ideas about what should be built, please send me an email with your thoughts. I will let you know in the next issue what people said. For now, however, you’re stuck with five of my ideas…all of which I’m sure some Leasiders will have a problem with. 1. Outstanding restaurant-bar Currently, we have large restaurant/bars on two of the four corners at that awkward intersection. The Leaside Pub has been at its location for many years. The Local, a relative newbie in the ‘hood, occupies the old

Will Ashworth The business of Leaside

and restaurant rolled into one. With a customer mix that’s 41 per cent families and an average household income of $100,000-plus, it fits Leaside to a tee. Located mere yards from the new Laird LRT station, it’s perfectly located for guests visiting by transit. 4. Retirement home I briefly spoke with Mario Ricci while putting my column together and he said the brothers had contemplated a number of different ideas over the years — none seriously — including a retirement home. With the plans for two seniors’ buildings at 146-150 Laird Dr. currently up in the air, 199 Laird Dr. might be a good backup for seniors in the area. It likely could accommodate a single retirement building on the property, definitely not two.

CIBC and has entertained sports fans for the last two summers. A Royal Bank branch sits on the southeast corner attached to the rest of the SmartCentre. How about an import from the U.S. like the Yard House chain that specializes in good food and good drinks. 2. Medical building A Leaside resident suggested to me that perhaps a medical building was in keeping for the area. At first, I was mystified by his suggestion. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized he’s got a point. As far as I know there aren’t many doctors over that way. With all the new condos coming, the neighbourhood’s going to need more of everything, including medical and dental services. 3. Entertainment venue My next idea pushes the limits of space, but if possible, would be a welcome addition for kids of all ages… adults, too. I’m talking about Dave & Buster’s, the U.S. entertainment venue that’s part pinball arcade, sports bar,

5. Museum and event centre Many people in the three years I’ve been writing my column have told me stories about the history of Leaside. Leaside Life itself has done its best to cover the beat, with Geoff Kettel, Allan Williams, Lorna Krawchuk, and many others lending their expertise on the subject. Our neighbourhood has a glorious past. We really ought to celebrate it. Why not a museum and event centre? Local restaurants, bars, even the Amsterdam Brewery, could participate in the catering activities. I’m thinking something along the lines of the Gardiner Museum down at U of T. Two stories, not too big – a wonderful home for Leaside’s past to come to life. Too grandiose? Perhaps, but it doesn’t hurt to think big. Frankly, I’m open to all sorts of ideas for that corner. Just not another Shoppers Drug Mart, please! ■

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Leaside Life 416-486-7387 leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com

Leaside Life, November 2016

It’s official, Four Seasons Auto Collision sold, but now what?

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:24 PM Page 30

Leaside Life, November 2016

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By TALBOT BOGGS Donna LePan is the kind of person who is quick to lend a helping hand – or should I say trowel. An avid gardener, the septuagenarian retired school teacher who has lived in Leaside since 1974 had been noticing for a while that the gardens behind the Leaside Community Centre were deteriorating and becoming badly overrun with weeds. Last year, a group of volunteers from the centre’s aqua-fit program took it upon themselves to do some pro bono weeding and tending to the space. Apparently the centre was understaffed and couldn’t take care of the garden, which consists of some 8,000 plants which were installed in 2013 on the arena and pool grounds around the parking lot and along Millwood Road. This past summer LePan noticed that the garden was deteriorating again and decided to pick up her trowel and do something about it. In the process of her work she found a patch of weeds on the sidewalk, removed them and found a sink hole which she promptly reported to the city. “I think how public spaces are maintained sends out a message to people about the community,” says LePan. “Leaside is a beautiful area, but I’m surprised how many properties are not well maintained on the outside. People seem to want to put everything into the inside but often overlook the exterior.” LePan, who loves to attend the opera and theatre, and enjoys travel, went digging into the garden once or twice a week this summer with her trowel and garbage bags for weeding and cleaning. She sees this as an ongoing project she can do to help the community and maintain the image of her beloved Leaside. “How you care for a place is an indication of what you think about it,” she says. “I like to garden anyway, and if I can help the image of the community at the same time, great. I guess you could say I’m a silent gardener.” ■

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Leaside Life, November 2016

Bayview Leaside celebrates the first October Apple Fest By CECELIA PYE

Mayor John Tory and local realtor Patrick Rocca come out to Bayview to celebrate October Apple Fest.

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Crisp, crunchy, delicious! The first ever October Apple Fest, organized by the Bayview Leaside BIA, celebrated everything apple at a two-day applethon celebrating Leaside’s rich apple history. From the Lea family farms of Leaside to the Lawrence family farms in the west, Leaside is rich in apple history and proud to celebrate it. At the recent event, visitors and locals alike enjoyed sweet treats, live music and special décor by the Bayview Pixies. Buskers entertained with violins, banjos and accordions – and a few Leasiders stopped by to sing along. There was also a special visit from (reputed apple lover) Mayor John Tory, who had a chance to walk along Bayview Leaside, meet business owners and residents, and perhaps compare Toronto’s apples and oranges.

Many BIA members got creative. Cavatina Violin Studio featured a live duet, and The Smokin’ Cigar Inc. hosted a violin performance. Horticultural Design displayed its finest apple table decorations. For a special snack, Badali’s sampled apple soup, LIP Espresso Bar served free apple cider, Original’s Ale House concocted apple martinis, and Refuel Juice Bar showcased its finest cold pressed apple juice. That’s not all! There was also a tempting taster of samples including appletree smoked cheddar at Alex Farm, Gravenstein Apple White Balsamic Vinegar at Olive Oil Emporium, apple treats for dogs at the Leaside Animal Clinic, and apple spread at Dolce & Gourmando. A free kids crafts and Lego drop-off event at Bamboo Bay saw young apple lovers create apple masterpieces. This event would not have been possible without the hard work of the Bayview Leaside BIA board members, the creative efforts of Debora Kuchme and the Bayview Pixies, as well as the continued support of Councillor Matlow and Councillor Burnside. To stay in touch with Bayview happenings visit: bayviewleasidebia.com.

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:25 PM Page 33

MEET YOUR RETAIL NEIGHBOUR

Leaside Life, November 2016

Nancy Penny, owner of Absolute Beauty, Leaside's longest- established aesthetician.

Fairy godmother helps Absolute Beauty get its start By LORNA KRAWCHUK Absolute Beauty by Nancy Penny. You probably know the sign on the street and on the door leading to the second floor on Bayview, just north of Millwood. And beauty is what Nancy Penny has been supplying for the past 24 years at the same location. Nancy wasn’t always an aesthetician. She was originally a teacher of mentally and physically handicapped children, and then a stay-athome mom. Next she worked for 10 years at Mesha, the wool store on Bayview where Bayview Diamond is now located. Her aunt, who was like a second mother, became her fairy godmother when she asked Nancy what she would most like to do with her life. The answer – be an aesthetician. Nancy’s aunt paid for the 15-month training at The Edith Serei School of Advanced Esthetics, and after graduation, Nancy was hired to be an aesthetician in their spa at Yonge and Bloor. A year later, she decided the time

had come to strike out on her own, and so she did, in Leaside. Nancy rented the space where she still provides facials, pedicures, manicures, eyebrow tinting, threading…..the whole gamut of aesthetic services, with the assistance of her daughter, Jessica, and employee Nia. She has done her best to keep prices low so people can afford to visit regularly. In fact, she hasn’t raised her prices in 15 years! Her upstairs location is ideal, she says. It means that people can have a more private appointment than they would in a storefront operation, and she can lock the door for everyone’s security. People without appointments do show up, but often need to schedule for a later day or time, because the salon is always hopping. Nancy does advertise from time to time, but thinks that word-of-mouth is what keeps the business thriving. She is very supportive of her neighbourhood community. I can vouch for that – she always contributes to the Silent Auction at the St. Cuthbert’s Fair, and other local ventures as well.

At nearly a quarter century in her Leaside location, Nancy is now the longest-established aesthetician on Bayview, and has not found that the newer businesses specifically for nails or eyebrows are having an impact on her business. “It’s a joyful place. There is lots of laughter amongst the screams of pain,” she laughs. “I’m more excited than my customers when they look good.” It should come as little surprise that Nancy works seven days a week. As she says, “I love it. My husband is happy that I’m happy. Under great protest, I have to take a holiday next week or suffer a divorce. And while I’m away, I’ll look at someone’s bad feet, and say to myself – I could so help you.” Asked if she might consider stopping work, she replies instantly, “No. If I stayed home, I’d be a full-time babysitter for my three very young grandchildren, so I continue to work.” But there are some exceptions. The day I talked to her, Nancy was heading home to cheerfully do some babysitting after work. ■

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:25 PM Page 34

MEET YOUR RETAIL NEIGHBOUR

Leaside Life, November 2016

Selling crime – and mystery – in Leaside since 1979 By JANIS FERTUCK The motto of the mystery bookstore Sleuth of Baker Street is “Selling Crime Since 1979”. It doesn’t take a detective with Sherlock Holmes’ acumen to know that’s an incredible achievement for an independent bookseller of any stripe in this age of corporate bookstores and electronic readers. Sleuth’s proprietors, Marian Misters and J. D. Singh, were both chartered accountants in 1982 when they answered an ad in The Globe and Mail which stated simply, ”Bookstore for sale,” and they never looked back. That first store was on the site of

what is now De La Mer fish market on Bayview Ave. Then they moved to the space that today is home to Second Cup, and finally bought the building at 1600 Bayview where they remained for many years before moving in 2011 to a store in the small strip mall at 907 Millwood Rd. where the Motor Vehicle Licensing office used to be. At one point, Marian and J. D. looked around at other locations in the city, but decided to stay in Leaside because they loved the neighbourhood, and had lots of support from their loyal customers here. In fact, their customers are so supportive that they responded enthusiastically to a sign in the window

saying “Help Us Move” each time the store changed locations. “One customer even rented a truck and hired a policeman for the move to Millwood,” Marian said. The move to the smaller store on Millwood was precipitated by a desire to spend more time with family and friends after Marian experienced the loss of two family members and a friend in the space of six weeks. Both she and J. D. started to rethink their lifestyle to focus on what is truly important. The decision to reduce their hours to four days a week seems counterintuitive in retail, but the arrangement is working well for them. Their regular

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Leaside Life, November 2016

customers are happy with the free parking and, as Marian explained, “they would rather have the store open parttime than not at all.” One drawback of the move is that the smaller space means they cannot keep all of the books by an author on the shelves, just the most recent ones, but they can easily order the earlier books for those who want them. And while it is true that there is less “walk-by traffic,” the shop is popular with the locals. As independent booksellers, J. D. and Marian face the many challenges of “big-box” stores like Indigo, online services such as Amazon, e-books and the unfavourable American exchange rate. In addition, because major suppliers now warehouse books in the U.S., it takes a bit longer to receive orders for their customers. But Marian and J. D. have been able to maintain their business in the face of these challenges because they know the tastes of their customers and personalize their recommendations to suit each individual. Indeed, their knowledge of their stock is encyclopedic, with each of them reading three to five books a week, and retaining the important details of the plots in order to help their customers make informed choices. Sleuth also attracts clients with their newsletter, “The Merchant of Menace,” which appears once a month online and every second month in print. The newsletter highlights their favourites of the month and descriptions of all the new releases. Another part of the business is a popular mailorder service, and they employ a parttime worker to handle orders from their website, the phone or even regular mail. From time to time, too, there are visits and signings by popular writers, even such well-known Canadians as Peter Robinson, Louise Penny and Maureen Jennings. There’s no mystery to why Sleuth of Baker Street has become such a valued retail icon of the Leaside landscape. Both Marian and J. D. live in the neighourhood, shop locally, and donate books to local events. Marian enjoys living and working in the same place as well as being her own boss. As she said, “We wouldn’t be here without our customers. Interactions with them and our community are what make life worth living.” On the Friday morning before the Thanksgiving weekend, a steady stream of customers entered the store, all greeted by name and all receiving personalized suggestions for books. And, as one woman stated, all were tempted to buy more than they came for when they spied something new on a shelf or table. With this kind of business, Sleuth of Baker Street, like its namesake, the Sleuth himself, is sure to thrive for many more years, whatever street it’s on. ■

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:26 PM Page 36

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St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church 1399 Bayview Ave. tel. 416-485-0329 - Sat., November 12, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Annual Christmas Fair – Art, books, crafts, silent auction. Lunch will be served, all welcome. - Sun., November 27, Noon – 2 p.m., Environmental Film Festival Movie - "Oceans". Light lunch, Movie, Discussion. No Charge St. Augustine’s Church 1847 Bayview Ave. tel. 416-485-2656 - Fri., Nov.11, 7 p.m.- 8:30 p.m., The Groove Room Coffee House. Coffee, Music, Friends, Community. $5 proceeds towards our Syrian refugee family. Contact: Augustine@bellnet.ca - Saturday, November 19 , 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Autumn Sale - Treasures, Bake Table, Christmas items & more. Luncheon available. All welcome. Canadian Federation of University Women Leaside-East York Northlea United Church, 125 Brentcliffe Ave. Thur., Nov. 17, 2016, 7:30 p.m. Speaker: George Kourounis, "Exploring Earth's Extremes". ww.cfusleasideeastyork.ca Leaside United Church Men’s Bridge Club, 822 Millwood Rd. Wed, 1-4 p.m, Sept. to June, $3, Contact: Jim Krafchik 416-488-7720 Trace Manes Community Centre Leaside Bridge Club. Wed, 7 – 9 p.m. $4, Seniors Room. All Welcome. St Anselm's Church, 182 Bessborough Dr. Nov. 6, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Annual Christmas Bazaar. Vendors, crafts, baking, white elephant table Leaside Library Events 165 McRae Dr. • 416-396-3835 - Adult Colouring Party Tues 7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. - Art Exhibit by Norman Irwin. Sat. Nov 01 – Mon. Nov 30 - Learn the Art of Quilling with Yolanda Aguilera Weds: Nov. 02, 09, 16, 23, 1p.m. - 3 p.m. No registration. - Leaside Needleworx Fridays: Nov. 04, 11, 10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. - Leaside Writer’s Group Sat: Nov. 12, 26, 10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Drop in. Everyone welcome. - Managing Your Finances in Retirement. Wed. Nov. 9, 7p.m. – 8 p.m. No registration. Everyone welcome. - Play Reading Group Sat., Nov. 19,10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Call to Register. Limited Space. - Puzzles/ Games Night! . Mon: Nov. 07, 14, 21, 28, 7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Drop in. Everyone welcome.

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CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING: - Going Nuts Over the Nutcracker! Sat, Nov. 15, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Space limited. Call to register. * Ages 6-12 ONLY * - LEGO Club Thursdays: Nov. 03, 10, 17, 24, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Drop in. No registration. * Ages 6 and up ONLY * - Ready for Reading Baby Time (Ages: 0-18 months), Nov. 03, 10, 17, 24, 9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. - 11a.m. - Ready for Reading Family Time (Ages: 19 months-5 years): Nov. 02, 09, 16, 23, 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Leaside: Discover Your Ontario Heritage with Barry Penhale Tuesday: Nov. 01, 08, 15, 22, 29, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:26 PM Page 37

Burnside 37

416-901-0789

October I held a meeting at the William Lea room to update the community. Although the LPOA had yet to state an official positon, Stephen Diamond indicated that their negative feedback prompted him to appeal his original four-tower proposal to the OMB. However, from my discussions with him, I am confident that we can still negotiate a settlement closer to the working group proposal. I base my decisions on community feedback – as well as a number of other considerations. As long as the OMB and not City Council is the final arbiter, we truly have to assess the risk when the result is most often loss of all negotiated concessions. Despite our concerns, Leaside is on a growth path and we need to ensure sufficient services for all. Whether it’s a community swimming pool that isn’t constantly closed for repairs, more public meeting space, or accessible daycare, a key source of funds to provide these facilities is those negotiated through the development process. Pushing developers to take the fight to the OMB all but results in the forfeiture of those funds. DiamondCorp has offered $3 million in “Section 37” funding. As a downtown councillor who is no friend to developers said to me, “When you decide to fight at the OMB, you’re a fighter, gambler or fool.” Let me be clear, I am willing to stand up and fight at the OMB, just as we did in the case of 146-150 Laird where the developer was only prepared to reduce the height of one tower by one floor. However, each development has to be evaluated individually. With 939 Eglinton Ave. East, we have two very different options: We can fight the original four-tower proposal at the OMB, or we can agree to the developer’s scaled down plans. A loss at the OMB potentially means an extra 34-storey tower, 500 additional units (1,000 residents) and the forfeiture of at least $3 million in Section 37 funds. While I still want to negotiate a reduction in the maximum height to under 30 floors and obtain additional Section 37 money, the stakes are too high to risk the fate of the community at the OMB. ■ You can reach me at councillor_burnside@toronto.ca

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Leaside Life, November 2016

From Page 14

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:26 PM Page 38

Thank goodness for Grandma Mary and her fabulous fudge! Leaside Life, November 2016

By LORNA KRAWCHUK I love fudge, but most of my attempts to make it end up either hardened in the cooking pan or in small crumbles in the baking pan. Thank goodness for Grandma Mary! Leaside’s very own fudge queen, Grandma Mary, aka Mary Grant, has been creating melt-in-your-mouth fudge most of her life, using recipes from her family in the Maritimes. Mary was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, but her parents and their 14 children moved to Guelph when she was young. She always had a knack for cooking, but in her adult life, living in Thornhill with her husband and six children, she had never worked in the food business. All that changed six years ago after she moved to an apartment in Leaside. Mary was making fudge for family and friends when one day her son asked if she would consider whipping up 200 lbs. for him to sell at a booth at the Taste of the Danforth. No problem! Mary went to work on the home stove in her apartment on Bayview and produced all 200 lbs. When the Taste of the Danforth

Lorna Krawchuk Publisher Leaside Life

booth fell through, Mary had no idea what to do. At the suggestion of her daughter, Mary approached Pusateri’s, McEwan’s and Summerhill Market to see if they would be interested in her fudge. Yes! She continues to supply them and a few other specialty businesses with her sweet treats, including as a private label for Pusateri’s. Mary knew that producing fudge for so many people meant she would need to move operations out of her apartment. From a small set-up on her kitchen stove she graduated to producing fudge in a big warehouse for Sobey’s, having adapted her original recipes to be made using induction burners and larger quantities at a time – but still hand made. During this time she also picked up pointers about packaging, labelling, nutrition, and precise weights for each package that still help her with her business. She also picked up a name that stuck – Grandma Mary’s – the inspiration of one of her grandchildren

who thought it was completely obvious that the name should be “Grandma Mary’s,” as that was what they always called the fudge in the family. Mary stopped making fudge briefly after her husband died, but decided to get back into the business. Now she visits her customer stores to check stock on Mondays, makes fudge on Tuesdays, packages it on Wednesdays, delivers on Thursdays. She has stuck with the three most popular flavours – maple walnut, chocolate and old fashion – except for Pusateri’s, for whom she creates an additional three exclusive flavours. Mary works mostly on her own, except when she is filling extra orders for corporations or at holiday times, when sons Adam and Miles lend a hand. You may be lucky enough to be in one of the stores she supplies on a day when there are little samples in paper cups to try, before your taste buds insist that you buy at least one package…if you can stop at just one. ■ Contact info: grandmamarysfudge@gmail.com 416 819 2891

LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:26 PM Page 39

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Leaside Life, November 2016

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LeasideLife issue 54 final_LeasideLifev1 16-10-25 4:26 PM Page 40

Leaside Life, November 2016