Issuu

No. 58 / March 2017

Leaside Life leasidelifenews.com

ALLAN WILLIAMS

Leaside Life Founders Ruth & Harry Goldhar Retire (Again)

Harry and Ruth in September 2016 along the Lake Erie shoreline at Rock Point Provincial Park, formerly the site of Camp Kvutza, where both spent time in the summers during the 1950s. By ALLAN WILLIAMS Harry and Ruth Goldhar are retiring from the community newspaper business, for a second time. After five successful years of operation, the founders of Leaside Life have sold it to new owners. And that means, now that he has given up the editorial reins, Harry, who has always preferred to remain in the background, can no longer do anything to prevent this paper from paying a richly-deserved and somewhat delayed tribute to two dedicated community builders, mutually supportive and complementary business partners, and all-round great people. They certainly have interesting life stories, highlighted by a happy marriage of 52 years and counting.

Ruth’s father had been a wellknown Jewish socialist in Austria at the time of the Nazi annexation in 1938. Her parents fled soon after, via France, to Mexico, for which they had obtained a visa, while her mother’s sister received a visa for Argentina. “Our families have kept in touch, amazingly,” says Ruth, who was born a few years later in Mexico. “My father got a job teaching at the University of Pittsburgh, but then he was kicked out of the United States because, so my mother claimed, he was suspected of being a Communist – it was the McCarthy era. We travelled a lot, and I went to 12 different schools. Even when we came to Canada – he had a cousin here – we lived in Winnipeg and Montreal GOLDHARS, Page 6

Former PM is the Laird of Leaside Pg 16

WHERE CANADA CAME OF AGE

Drew Hamblin’s personal connection to the Battle of Vimy Ridge By ALLAN WILLIAMS “It was a milestone in Canadian history,” says Drew Hamblin of Sutherland Drive, “the first time the four Canadian divisions fought together as a single unit, and the day Canada stopped being a colony and became a nation in the eyes of the world.” The Battle of Vimy Ridge was fought 100 years ago next month, on the morning of April 9, 1917 – Easter Monday. And Hamblin knows far more than most about the day “when Canada came of age.” He’s read the books and is familiar with the manuscripts, films and other sources. But the battle is of more than academic interest to Hamblin; there’s a personal connection, too. VIMY, Page 4

Letter from the new Owners

Leaside Life, March 2017

Advertising in Leaside Life works! A small ad placed in this very publication about a year ago piqued my interest. It said simply, we’d like to retire and we are selling Leaside Life. It is not that I had a lifelong dream to own a newspaper or magazine, but Leaside Life had always been a cover to cover, must-read for me, so I made an inquiry. It did not take long to figure out what made Leaside Life so appealing: It was Leaside news, written by people who know Leaside for Leaside people. For the past five years, the publication created by Harry and Ruth Goldhar has told the important stories about our community – its people, businesses, development issues, traffic…the joys and the tragedies. The news was always local, local, local. Several months later, along with fellow Leasider Jeff Hohner, we found ourselves as the new owners of Leaside Life. We are so fortunate to have a wonderful roster of contributing writers who care deeply about our community. Through the words

of our long-time contributors, Lorna Krawchuk, Allan Williams, Alan Redway, Will Ashworth, Cheryl Vanderburg, Jon Burnside, Geoff Kettel, Ken Mallett and Carol Burtin Fripp, and our newer writers, Vicki Hall, Karli Vezina, Simon Day, Dan Girard, Janis Fertuck, Talbot Boggs and others, we will continue to share with you the stories that make our community so special. It would also be remiss not to thank the many former writers and contributors who have helped Leaside Life along the way, including Patricia Phenix, Michael Pieri, Michael Bliss, Alison Rockwell, Beth and John Parker, Andrea Villiers, Geoff Davies, Karen Fraser and Jethro Seymour. But for Leaside Life to really work, we need you. As you read through this issue, you will see several of our writers calling on you to share your experiences, opinions or stories. Carol Burtin Fripp is soliciting your feedback on the dramatic changes in housing forms; Allan Williams wants to hear from readers with a personal or family connection to Vimy Ridge;

Karli Vezina of I’ll Try Anything Once is asking what she should try next, and Cheryl Vanderburg is wondering if you have any other suggestions for getting rid of stuff that has accumulated stuff. And all of us are asking you to tell us your stories, share with us what you love and what concerns you about Leaside, tell us how we are doing. We would also like to welcome Robyn Israel, advertising co-ordinator, and Robin Dickie, graphic designer, to our team. In addition to working and raising their families in Leaside, both are very active volunteers in our community. Finally, this publication would not be possible without the ongoing support of our advertisers. The next time you find yourself shopping at or using the services of one of our advertisers, please let them know you saw them in Leaside Life, and tell them you appreciate their support. Along with our new editor, Jane Auster, Jeff and I are committed to honouring the legacy created by Harry and Ruth Goldhar. On behalf of everyone at Leaside Life, we hope you have a long and happy retirement.—Stan Flemming. ■ Contact us at leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com.

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A century of living right for three Leaside centenarians

GARY TOPOROSKI

On Friday, February 17, 2017, Premier Kathleen Wynne paid a visit to three remarkable women who will be turning 100 this year. They all live in Suomi-Koti, the Toronto Finnish-Canadian Seniors Centre on Eglinton near Laird, just steps away from Wynne’s constituency office as MPP for Don Valley West. The three centenarians are Aili Kukkonen, whose birthday is March 10, Rauha Salonen, whose birthday is December 16, and Benita Kopamees, whose birthday is December 29. Each woman was pleased and surprised to receive a visit from Wynne, who presented them with a small potted chrysanthemum and framed certificates congratulating them on reaching this milestone, and wishing them a celebration that is “a joyful reminder of a century of living life right.” Premier Wynne, who spent several minutes chatting with each woman and many other residents, stated that she is always happy to carve time out of her busy schedule “so that I don’t lose touch with my constituents and maintain my connection with them”

Premier Kathleen Wynne at the Suomi-Koti Seniors Centre with honourees, (l -r) Benita Kopamees, Rauha Salonen and Aili Kukkonen. by helping them to celebrate significant events. Two of the honourees, Aili and Rauha, were born in Finland, and Benita in Estonia. All are very happy with Suomi-Koti, its many activities and the sense of community there.

We will write more about their long and rewarding lives in an upcoming issue of Leaside Life. Know any more centenarians living in Leaside? We want to hear their stories. Contact us at leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com ■ *

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Leaside Life, March 2017

By JANIS FERTUCK

Vimy Ridge... From Page 1

Leaside Life, March 2017

Hamblin’s grandfather, Frank Edgar Hamblin (1897-1988), served in the First World War and fought that day at Vimy Ridge. And while many veterans of his grandfather’s generation were famously reticent to talk about their wartime experiences even to their own family members and often took their tales with them to the grave, Frank Hamblin opened up to his young grandson. “I’m one of the few people living who have heard a first-hand account of World War One and of Vimy in particular,” says Hamblin. “My grandfather and I would talk all the time, at my parents’ house or my grandparents’ apartment – we connected. I was unrelenting in asking him questions. And he would open up to me, maybe because, as a little kid, I would listen to him without any judgment.” The elder Hamblin was born in England in 1897, the youngest of four children whose parents were both dead by the time he was nine years old. Taken into the care of the Barnardo organization that helped orphans and homeless children, Frank was separated from his two brothers and sister, shipped to Canada in 1911, and ended up on a

potato farm in rural New Brunswick. He enlisted as soon as he could, in 1915, shipped out to England for training on June 28, 1916, and made it to France on November 29, 1916, just as the preparations for the spring offensive that included the Battle of Vimy Ridge were getting underway. “He told me he once saw the Red Baron flying overhead,” says Hamblin of his grandfather. “He talked about the maze of trenches and tunnels all along the Canadian front, and living in those muddy, filthy, rat-infested and lice-infested trenches week after week throughout the record cold winter of 1916-17. And he talked about the incredible noise of the artillery bombardment that marked the opening of the battle at dawn on April 9th. No one had ever heard or felt anything like that before in history.” By then the Germans had held the ridge for two and a half years and it was considered impregnable. French forces had tried to take it back unsuccessfully for more than a year, suffering 150,000 casualties in the process. In 1916, British forces led by General Sir Julian Byng (who later, as Viscount Byng of Vimy served as Governor General of Canada) relieved the French and began preparations for the 1917 offensive. He was assisted by Major-General Arthur Currie, the highest-ranking

ALLAN WILLIAMS

Drew and Erica Hamblin, of Sutherland Drive, with son Jack (7) holding photo of Drew’s grandfather Frank Edgar Hamblin as a private in France during WWI a few months before the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Daughter Paige (10) is holding a photo of Frank Edgar Hamblin during WWII when he served in Quebec. Drew is holding a Vimy medal produced by the Vimy Foundation. The family is headed to France at the end of March to visit the battlefields and cemeteries and to participate in the centenary commemorations on April 9th.

Trenches at the Vimy Memorial Canadian officer, and the two made a good team. Both deplored the excessive casualties resulting from military attitudes that viewed soldiers as so much cannon-fodder in a war of attrition. Both were determined to learn from past mistakes, incorporate Canadian innovations that had been shunned by the more hide-bound British command, and to prevent unnecessary loss of life. The planning, preparation and training were meticulous. And following the largest artillery barrage in history that began at 5:30 a.m. on April 9th, the Canadians captured most of the ridge by later in the same day. The stunned Germans retreated and by April 12th, the Canadians were in complete control of the ridge, having suffered just 10,602 casualties including 3,598 killed. It was an important military victory that has loomed even larger in light of its later impact on Canadian nationalism. Frank Hamblin survived Vimy, of course, only to be injured at Passchendaele later in the year. Unbeknownst to him, both his brothers, with whom he had had no contact since separating from them, served in the British Army and were killed in the war. Frank returned to New Brunswick and married, re-enlisted during the Second World War, and ran an internment camp for German POWs in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He eventually moved his family to Toronto, where in the last years of his life he passed on his stories to grandson Drew. Drew Hamblin, who has his commercial pilot’s licence and manages private planes for a living, is eager to share his own interest in Vimy with others. He’s on the board of the Vimy Foundation, whose mission is “to preserve and promote Canada’s First World War legacy as symbolized with the victory at Vimy Ridge in April 1917, a milestone where Canada came of age and was then recognized on the world stage.” “Canada is awful at honouring our legacy,” says Hamblin. “The Australians and New Zealanders have ANZAC Day, but we don’t have a Vimy Day – April 9th should be recognized as Vimy Day. The foundation has also been fundraising to build the Vimy Visitors Education Centre at the

site of the Vimy Memorial in France. It will be open in time for the anniversary in April.” The Hamblin family will be there. Drew and his wife Erika, along with Paige (10) and Jack (7) are travelling to France later this month to tour the battlegrounds and museums, and will participate in the commemorations of the 100th anniversary at the Vimy Memorial on April 9th. What advice does Hamblin have for anyone interested in Vimy Ridge? “Visit the Vimy Memorial in France – it’s stunning – and the new Education Centre. And read Pierre Berton’s book Vimy – it’s pretty good. And visit the Vimy Foundation website www.vimyfoundation.ca. There’s lots of good information and resources there.” Just as importantly: “Talk to your grandparents or others of the older generations while you can, and get their stories – because they’re amazing!” He adds, only partly tongue-in-cheek: “No one walks to school 20 miles in the snow anymore.” Do you have personal stories to share about Vimy? Know of someone who fought at Vimy Ridge? What does Vimy mean to you? Share your memories with Leaside Life and we will publish them in our April issue. ■

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Leaside Life, March 2017

The Goldhars...continued from cover

Leaside Life, March 2017

before settling in Toronto when I was about 11.” But wasn’t it difficult to have to move so often? “My father always laughed that I was able to make friends on day two at a new school – you adjust as a child. But I still remember having to leave friends behind. I guess that’s why the people and friends I’ve hung on to have been so important to me.” Harry grew up in Toronto and attended Harbord Collegiate. He also got involved with Habonim, an international Zionist youth movement, mostly, he says, because their building was next door to his home near Cecil and Ross Sts., just south of the U of T campus. He became friends with Leo Shimerl through Habonim, and for several years the two of them worked at its summer camp, Camp Kvutza, on Lake Erie near the mouth of the Grand River. One summer Leo worked for two weeks without taking a salary so his younger sister could afford to attend as a camper. Her name was Ruth. Harry studied journalism at Ryerson and, when he graduated in 1955, “my only ambition in life was to bum around the world.” For the next few years he travelled and worked for newspapers in Montevideo, Buenos Aires, and in Hong Kong. He kept in touch with the Shimerls and, when he returned to Toronto, he and Ruth, who, in the meantime, had graduated high school and earned her teaching certificate, decided to visit Leo, living in Montreal. “We started dating and were married within a year.” That was 1965. Settling back in Toronto, Harry got a job with the Don Mills Mirror. “It was a quality paper,” he says, “with free delivery.” But it was small and, within a couple of years, Harry was let go. But he quickly found another job, first part-time, then full-time, at the Toronto Star, where he remained from the late 1960s until the mid ’70s. Daughters Kathleen and Caroline were born in 1970 and 1973, respectively. Birth of the Town Crier “But Harry wasn’t happy,” says Ruth. “One day he said, ‘they’re in bed when I leave, they’re in bed when I come home – this is no life.’ I said ‘go ahead – quit,’ and he quit! We took the two little girls to South America. We spent some time in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil. I taught a bit to earn

some money. But after a year we had holes in our shoes – and so we came home.” Harry’s take on the year away? “This was my mid-life crisis – I ran away from home but, being stupid, took my family with me.” Through a former colleague Harry landed a job teaching journalism part-time at Western and commuted back and forth to London for two or three days a week for the next few years. It was during this time that the Town Crier was born. “We were living in Crescent Town,” says daughter Kathleen Goldhar. “Changes to that community were underway and there were concerns about the [condo] board of directors. Lots of people wanted to know what was going on, but there was no way to get the information out. My father told my mom that, if she sold enough ads, he’d be able to put a small community paper together. She did. And then he did. And my sister and I, along with some of our friends, delivered those papers door to door.” “We knew everyone in Crescent Town,” says Ruth, “and I knew all the shops, so selling the ads wasn’t hard. That first paper went to 3,000 apartments.” “And it was called the Crescent Town Crier,” adds Harry. “I liked the name.” “The paper began in my parents’ bedroom,” Kathleen continues. “From the beginning it was a family business with strong editorial ideals and a promise to offer good, local news to the community.” Soon Harry was invited to start a similar paper in North Toronto. Others followed in Forest Hill, Leaside, York Mills-Bayview and the Annex, all under the Town Crier masthead. They rented office space on Bayview Ave. in Leaside to accommodate the growing business and, in 1984, bought their home on Donegall Dr. within easy walking distance, “so the kids could be part of it – that’s how Kathleen got her start in journalism.” “For more than 20 years my parents worked together every day,” says Kathleen. “My sister and I felt at home at the office and we all became members of the Leaside community. Why was the Town Crier so successful? “It was strictly local – that’s what people wanted,” says Harry. “And Harry and I were a team,” says Ruth. “We worked well together. That’s what made it work.”

The debut issue of Leaside Life, December 2011. Daughter Kathleen agrees that both parents were the key. “It was my dad’s strong sense of what makes a good story and how best to tell it,” she says, “that made every edition engaging and interesting. But that cannot overshadow my mother’s uncanny ability to sell ads. There is no store too big or no situation too intimidating for my mother. Every success, including their financial success, is thanks to my mother’s entrepreneurial abilities.” Eventually Harry and Ruth decided it was time to move on. “The pressure of putting out five or six separate papers each month became too much. It was a big business and overwhelming.” They sold the Town Crier in 1996. Ruth had just completed 17 years as a school trustee and had decided not to run again when East York was amalgamated with Toronto. For a few years Ruth sold real estate while Harry dabbled in book publishing. GOLDHARS, Page 17

Leaside Life Published once a month in Leaside,Toronto ON, by FH Publishing Inc., 1444 Dupont St., Unit 11A, M6P 4H3 416-504-8047 Circulation 10,000 to every door in M4G PUBLISHER: Lorna Krawchuk EDITOR: Jane W. Auster GRAPHIC DESIGN: Robin Dickie ADVERTISING: Robyn Israel leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com ph. 416-276-0937 or 416-504-8047

leasidelife@gmail.com www.leasidelifenews.com

Community tributes to Harry and Ruth...

Leaside Life, March 2017

KATHLEEN GOLDHAR

had six editions a day, and hungrily devoured words by the bucketful. Everywhere was hustle and bustle, One of my fondest memories of time and taught me how to write a and tension was palpable as deadboth Harry and Ruth concerns the news story. I always think of him lines neared. Even the building shudlast day of a municipal election when I need a good lede. dered and groaned when the giant when my wife Beth and I decided Beth Parker, Cameron Crescent presses thundered into life. The Star we should finish my campaign by was an exciting place! Beth Parker studied journalism saying hello to all our neighbours. As well as providing a daily fare with Harry Goldhar at Western Ruth was a candidate for re-elecof razzle-dazzle stories, The Star University (formerly University of tion to the school board at the same also served as a powerful pulpit Western Ontario) time. She was also far more experifor espousing the social justice enced in the world principles of famed of political campublisher Joseph paigning than I Atkinson, who died was. When we got in 1948. to the Goldhars’ The Opinion Page door I was therewas where the fore surprised to so-called Atkinson find both Harry Principles were given and Ruth at home full expression. And working away on a it was in this prestibottle of wine. gious area that Harry On seeing us, worked as an editor Ruth said, “Look, – a position, in my by this stage of the view, that required game everyone’s diplomacy and a mind is made up. nicety of judgment. You aren’t going to Better jobs, better win any more votes healthcare, better by knocking on education, better doors today.” And wages, better comwith that bit of munities and better logic as our pretext civic planning were we abandoned our among issues close plan to do any to Atkinson’s heart more canvassing – and these subjects and accepted their were often aired in Harry and Ruth with their four grandchildren, invitation to help the Opinion pages. l-r: Kelvey, Rachel, Michaela and Nathan on a 2016 Disney Cruise. them finish off the I lost track of bottle and make Their 2017 travel plans include Cuba and South America. Harry over the some serious progyears, until I moved ress on some other to Leaside, picked I’ve known Ruth for over 20 years victuals besides. We spent a delightup a copy of the old Town Crier, a and she has always been passionful time basking in their hospitality, give-away newspaper gem that feaate about Leaside and about the sharing stories, and generally enjoytured bright headlines; eye-catching publishing business. When Ruth ing one another’s company. Most layouts and lean, sinewy writing. approached me in 2011 about their pleasant day of campaigning I ever Within its columns I detected the new venture, Leaside Life, I knew experienced. guiding hand of someone who cared right away I was on board. I loved On another occasion I found deeply about his neighbours and the idea and concept and commitmyself talking with a person who community, and soon discovered its ted immediately. I was probably knows all the tricks of the political editor was my old Star colleague. her easiest sell for an ad. Ruth was trade. “One of my favourite ploys,” When Leaside Life was launched always friendly with me and her he told me, “is to pose as a supyears later I once again saw it had soft-sell approach was something I porter of any opposition candidate a stable of able contributors, eclecappreciated. I will miss our monthly who comes to my door and tie him tic and thoughtful articles, and the chats on her front doorstep when I up in a long conversation. My stratguiding hand of a dedicated, profesdropped off my cheque to pay my egy is to consume his precious cansional journalist – Harry Goldhar. invoice. vassing time and prevent him from Today, Leaside Life has two new Patrick Rocca, Bessborough Drive reaching other voters.” owners who will, I am confident, Hey, just a second. It took a while, Patrick Rocca is a realtor with become the new custodians of but I think I am finally beginning to Bosley Real Estate and has adverLeasiders’ trust, and for many years put two and two together... tised with Leaside Life since the be our eloquent “voice” in these John Parker, Cameron Crescent first issue in December 2011 challenging times. Leaside Life was never more John Parker represented Leaside as Local news matters. And no needed! Borough of East York Councillor, one knows this better than Harry Michael Pieri, Macnaughton Road MPP at Queen’s Park, and City of Goldhar, founder of the community Toronto Councillor newspaper you are now reading. Michael Pieri worked with I first met Harry some 50 years ago Harry Goldhar at the Toronto Star I first met Harry at Western when toiling in the rough-and-tumin the 1960s and ’70s and later University when I was working on ble Toronto Star newsroom at 80 contributed to Leaside Life as the my Master’s degree in journalism. King Street West. The newspaper ‘Curious Idler’ columnist. ■ Harry was part of the faculty at the

Leaside Life’s guide to

Leaside Life, March 2017

March Break

March Break can either be a welcome time for a vacation with your family or a week or two filled with the classic cry of ‘I’m bored, what do we do now?” For those of you who have chosen the ‘staycation’ route, Leaside Life has compiled a guide to some of the camps for kids and happenings right here in Leaside for you to participate in over the break.

C A M P S

F O R

K I D S

Pawsitively Pets Specializing in all things animals and kids, Pawsitively Pet’s camp is a great choice if your child, aged 4-14, is an animal lover. Kids are taught about animal care in two available sessions for a full week, half week or two-day camp. Session A runs March 13-17; Session B March 20-24. For more information, visit www.pawsitivelypetskidscamp.com/ leaside

S TAY C AT I O N S

Toronto Circus Centre Brand new to Leaside is the Toronto Circus Centre. If you’ve ever wanted to send the kids away to the circus, this is your chance. 4 ½-13 year olds will learn the art of trapeze, hoop, rope and silks in addition to juggling and clowning. Parents will be invited to a show at the end of the week. Operating out of Leaside United Church, the camp is run by Jen Georgopoulos, a professional gymnast with 15 years’ experience in the circus industry. Full-day camp with early drop-off and late pickup available. www.torontocircuscentre.com/

Toronto Hapkido Academy March Break camp at the Toronto Hapkido Academy provides martial arts training, team building and fun-filled field trips in a safe and caring environment right on Bayview Ave. Camps for kids aged 5-12 run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with early drop-off and late pickup available. www.torontohapkido.com.

After-Four After-Four on Moore Ave. at Bayview specializes in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) programs and camps for kids aged 7-13 year olds. Full-day or half-day camps include Lego Mindstorms Robotics, Stop Motion Animation, Music Production and Video Game Design. www.after-4. com

BY VICKI HALL

Gym Kats Gym Kats gymnasium on Bayview Ave. offers full- and half-day camps for 4-10 year olds. Camps focus on fun and engaging physical activity, learning and practising gymnastic skills, developing new friendships while working on social skills and creating crafts. www.gymkats.ca.

FA M I LY

F U N

Ontario Science Centre Located just outside Leaside and a quick bus ride away is the Ontario Science Centre. Explore their newest installation – Canada 150: Discovery Way – celebrating Canadian inventions and innovation. Or take in a movie at the IMAX theatre. Current movies showing include “Under the Sea,” “A Beautiful Planet” and “Dream Big,” which explore some of the world’s greatest engineering marvels. www. ontariosciencecentre.ca/

Leaside Public Library

Leaside Volleyball Representing Leaside but not located in Leaside, the Leaside Volleyball camp is for kids 8-12 years old who are interested in polishing up their volleyball skills for clubs or school teams. All skill levels are welcome for their half-day Skill Development Camp. High performance clinics are also available for U12-U15 Club Level athletes. Camps run out of Bishop Strachan School. www.leasidevolleyball.ca

Hockey Extreme Looking for a hockey camp in the area? Hockey Extreme is running full- and half-day camps for skaters and goalies out of Leaside Arena. They also offer a “learn to play” for 5-10 year olds. Hockey camps tend to fill up fast; find more information at www.hockeyextreme.com

Our local public library has great kids’ and family programming over the March Break, including “The Jim Parker Children’s Show,” a family concert with audience participation on Monday, March 13th, at 2 p.m. This show is suitable for kids of all ages. Tickets are free and available 30 minutes before the show. On Thursday, March 16th, it’s Family Movie Matinée featuring Walt Disney’s Tarzan 2-3:30 p.m. This is a drop-in event with no registration required. Check the Toronto Public Library website at www.torontopubliclibrary.ca and search Leaside Branch for a full list of events.

Bayview International Culinary Tour Are your kids budding foodies? Why not try lunch or dinner every day with an international twist. Japanese at Fukui Sushi, Italian at Verdi, Thai at Satay on the Road, Indian at Indian Street Food and Swiss at Val D’Isere. You can even try cooking some of the international dishes with your kids at home. ■

Home Security tips 9

Leaside Life, March 2017

If you happen to be one of the lucky Leasiders jetting off for March break, make sure you take some time before you go to ensure your home and belongings are safe. March break is prime time for break-ins, with so many homes in the area left vacant. Toronto Police Services has some excellent information to help you keep your home safe and secure: Inform your neighbours you are going away and provide them with your departure and return dates. Cancel or redirect your mail and newspaper deliveries, or have a neighbour/friend come to collect on a daily basis. Arrange to have your walkways shoveled if it snows. Nothing says ‘I’m not home’ like a driveway that hasn’t been cleared. Use timers to activate lights at various intervals in your home. For example, at 7 p.m. ensure the lights are on at the main floor. By 10 p.m. the lights on the main floor can turn off and the lights on the second floor can turn on. For more from the Toronto Police Service go to: www. torontopolice.on.ca There are several other things you can easily do to keep your home secure: Don’t post to social media sites that aren’t private that you are away on a fabulous holiday. That’s a huge red flag to a vacant home. Close your blinds and curtains and don’t leave valuables like computers close to windows where they can be seen. Don’t hide keys outdoors. Burglars know all the popular spots. Under the urn or “Welcome” mat might seem like a good idea, but it’s much better to leave spare keys with a trusted friend or neighbour. Consider a home alarm system if you don’t already have one. Taking these steps will ensure you have peace of mind while away on holiday. ■

MEET YOUR LOCAL RETAILER

Leaside Life, March 2017

Batter up! Olde Yorke Fish & Chips celebrates 20 years on Laird The first customer in the door when Olde Yorke Fish & Chips opened on March 16, 1997 was the TTC driver on route 56, who had been keeping an eye on what was happening to this property from a bus stop on Laird. Rather than leave his bus idling while he checked out the new eatery, he finished his shift and returned as soon as he could to savour a generous helping of fish ‘n chips, courtesy of the Feathers. When Peter and Anne Feather first saw the property, they had to evaluate whether they could make a go of it. It had been a restaurant before, but the tenants weren’t able to make it work. Laird Drive at the time was a quiet street, with industry on the east side. The Feathers had never been to Leaside before and knew nothing about the neighbourhood. They sat outside at McSorley’s on Bayview and watched who was walking by, and thought those passersby might be interested in eating fish ‘n chips. They also knew that for the business to be successful there had to be “quality in the kitchen and service in the dining room.” Peter and Anne, along with their son Paul and twin daughters, Olivia and Rachel, were the total staff complement when they opened. And they all remember the date, because it was the twins’ 21st birthday. Now, there are about 40 staff, many of whom have been with them for more than a decade. They don’t all work at the same time, of course, except on Good Friday, which Peter describes as “a bonkers day” – when

Lorna Krawchuk Publisher Leaside Life

a condition of employment is that you be available to work the busiest day in the year for a fish ‘n chip shop. Regulars know to avoid this day, and the kitchen manager has given instructions that the camera people from the TV stations are not to come into his busy kitchen and slow things down. Peter and Anne are originally from York in Yorkshire, where Peter’s dad ran fish ‘n chip takeaway stands. The family first came to Canada in the summer of 1977 to visit friends in Belleville. They ended up settling there for 10 years, and then did a bit of a boomerang to Australia, back to England, and after a family vote (which Anne lost), back to Canada in 1992. Scarborough was the destination this time, as they wanted more choices for their children’s future schooling in a large city. After some additional travelling, Paul settled in Collingwood with his family and runs a restaurant called “Fish & Sips”. Rachel went off to Kempville College, very interested in horses. She is still interested in horses, but realized they would be lots of work, with low pay, and instead opted to join the family business as the floor manager in the dining room. Olivia used her earnings from

working at the restaurant to finance her way through nursing studies at Centennial and Ryerson. She worked in labour and delivery at Women’s College Hospital, but also did shifts at the restaurant to help out. Three years ago, she left Women’s College to work in the restaurant office full-time. Peter was the original cook, but as the business expanded, he spent less time cooking and more time sourcing quality ingredients. He’s pleased that there is again cod from Newfoundland on the menu. The refrigerated truck makes its first Toronto delivery of each run to them. He’s equally meticulous about sourcing his other seafood and the ingredients for their home-made desserts – key lime pie, apple crisp and sherry trifle. The Feathers pay just as much attention to the potatoes, which arrive in huge quantities. Luckily, there is a machine peeler and also a potato chipper that can process 50 pounds a minute. If you want the ultimate taste of Northern England, mushy peas are also on the menu. Old Yorke has a separate takeout entrance for those who want their fish & chips for takeaway, but don’t show up on Sunday, as everything is closed for the day. With Olivia and Rachel now very involved, Peter and Anne are able to take life a bit easier. They actually take holidays and are able to relax knowing that their daughters and faithful staff are keeping a good eye on the business. And yes, they now know Leaside well. Peter and Anne, Olivia and her family all live in Leaside. ■

Olde Yorke Fish & Chips is located at 96 Laird Dr.

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBOUR

Pat Prentice is a going concern!

Leaside Life, March 2017

Pat Prentice By LORNA KRAWCHUK As a young girl from Arnprior, Pat Prentice headed off to Queen’s University in Kingston to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing – then a five-year course, with the first and last years at the university, and the three middle years, in Pat’s case, spent at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston. With her freshly minted degree, in 1959 she headed to Toronto to teach at St. Michael’s Hospital School of Nursing. While there, she estimates she taught more than 2,000 student nurses. Then, as nurse training changed, she headed up the road to Ryerson to teach in their college nursing program. Plus she wrote a textbook on Huntington’s Disease for the Huntington Society of Canada, accompanied by films also made at Ryerson. Feeling she needed a break, Pat headed off to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto to acquire additional qualifications. This led her to Centennial College, where she became one of five people – and the only woman – teaching continuing education night school courses. When she got off the subway at the Warden Woods campus, there were cattle in the nearby fields by Providence Villa. Scarborough has changed mightily in the ensuing years. The place she taught had been part of the World War II munitions factory, with a still-functioning rifle range in the basement under her classroom. Pat became interested in nursing homes and long-term care just at the time when Mary Ellen Glover started the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils, and was hired as Mary Ellen’s assistant. They

referred to themselves as “Slave A” and “Slave B,” since at that time they were the only staff, and were working hard to set up residents’ councils in all the long-term care facilities in Ontario, as had been recently mandated. At the same time, she was part of a large group working with Ontario’s then Minister of Health, George Smitherman, on revising the act governing long-term care in Ontario. This momentous job took seven years. The one and only time Pat had visited Queen’s Park was to be in the gallery when the act was introduced. She spent the past 10 years as a volunteer on the City of Toronto Advisory Committee for Long-Term Care, advising on the 10 long-term care facilities operated by the city. She retired only last month. Today Pat is one of five people in an advocacy group called Concerned Friends, analyzing reports of inspections from the 627 long-term care facilities in the province. Concerned Friends work closely with the Ministry of Health to try to spot possible patterns or difficulties in particular homes, or a broader group. In her early days in the city, Pat lived on Avoca Drive, and then on Bayview near Moore. In 1978, she bought her house on Leacrest, overlooking the valley. This led to her involvement in the Leaside Property Owners’ Association, when development was planned on Redway Rd. The original plans were much more extensive and more garish than the Loblaws there now. Pat certainly made sure she kept her eyes on how the development was proceeding. I remember her out with a flashlight, measuring brick dimensions to be sure they were as they were meant to be. A stray collie-mix dog was part of Pat’s life for her first few years in the house. After that dog’s death, Pat acquired a Bichon Frise, called Dolly, from a woman in Etobicoke. Pat knew that name wasn’t going to work and asked a 6-year old neighbour to come up with an alternative. Toby, short for Etobicoke, lived with Pat until this past summer when she died at the age of 17. If you haven’t caught Pat at LPOA meetings, you may see her at the Church of St. Anselm where she’s a reader at the 8am Tuesday mass and on the roster as a communion assistant on the weekends. As well, she is the dishwasher for the baking and cooking group which meets every Wednesday to prepare for the twiceyearly bazaars. A going concern! ■

Sergeant Matt Moyer

Leasider Matt Moyer serves and protects By TALBOT BOGGS Matt Moyer is just the kind of guy most Leaside residents would love to have as a neighbour. He grew up in the community, has worked in it for most of his career, and in his position as Staff Sergeant, Community Response Unit Manager, with 53 Division, he knows virtually everything about it. Plus he still calls Leaside home. Moyer has seen a lot of changes take place in the area over the years. He remembers as a child playing hockey in the arena and baseball in Leaside Park. After the games in the evening his only concern was getting home on time. Today, however, a young boy or girl alone at night might be in a much more precarious situation given the increase in robberies and assaults in the park, and certainly much more vehicular traffic than there was in his day. “These certainly are some of the biggest differences in the area today than when I was a kid growing up,” Moyer says. “I mean there’s been a huge change in the infrastructure in the area with more superstores, shopping malls and roads, and just look at all the condos going up. There’s a much greater/denser population and many of those households may have two or more cars. There are a lot more robberies and assaults taking place, and you see a lot more homeless and people with mental illness than you ever did years ago. These were things I never had to worry about.” In spite of a rise in social and public safety issues that have come along with development and progress, Leaside has been able to maintain MOYER, Page 27

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Leaside Life, March 2017

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YOU, our dining critics

Popping a few Corks at Longo’s grocery-restaurant

Leaside Life, March 2017

By ELKE SENGMUELLER

worked hard to make sure we were looked after. We began with local beer and wine, and were pleased to be offered samples of some of the unique offerings before ordering. The Creekside Laura Red was divine. For appetizers, we ordered a few dozen oysters and a cheese board of three hard cheeses. The food took a while to arrive – fair enough – plus the oysters needed to

appointment. Similarly, the pulledpork burger was also disappointing. A full-service restaurant inside a The pulled pork was very dry, and grocery store? This sounds like a strangely, placed on top of a beef match made in heaven, with myriad burger, rather than just being served fresh and varied ingredients readily on its own. available for a menu. But grocery Two of us had salads topped with stores are not exactly known for salmon; I had Greek and my friend being places to kick back and relax had Caesar. The fish was delicious, with a great meal and stimulating and well prepared. My friend was conversation. This has certainly not happy with her Caesar salad, but been my experience as my Greek salad was a bit a registered dietitian for disappointing because of 20 years and counting, the generic bottled-typed a career that has me regdressing. I did note the ularly perusing grocery generous sprinkling of feta stores. The creation of cheese and olives, and this the Corks restaurant definitely helped make the in the Leaside Longo’s salad worth ordering. definitely piqued my Overall, we had a nice interest! evening, but there were Situated in the open definitely some disaploft of a beautifully pointments. The main restored, cavernous attraction of Corks, as old locomotive barn, the name might suggest, Corks has a paradoxiseems to be the variety cal modern feel. A long of changing local beers table near the bar lined and wines, perhaps along with taps featuring with the specials. The local brews reminds staff were wonderful, me of a beer hall, but especially our hardworkthe cozy lounge chairs, ing injured server. It’s a L-R: Anne Aguilera, Elke Sengmueller, Carole Macaulay, booths and tables of place with a fun vibe and John Macaulay and Dave Aguilera reclaimed wood that potential to provide some fill the rest of the space great food. Hopefully remind me of a gastropub. Overall, be shucked, but the cheese board Corks will consider more diverse the open concept space elevated took surprisingly long. Turns out, it dishes reflecting the diners of this above the grocery floor below in this was being made up by the deli downcity, and serve food on real plates. ■ grand heritage structure with 40 ft. stairs. Although using the deli was wooden ceilings creates an ambigood way to ensure fresh product, it ance that is comfortably casual, but seemed to complicate and delay the with a subtle dignity that accompaprocess. Once the oysters and cheese nies the legacy of such an important arrived, the flavours were wonderpiece of Leaside history. ful, and we enjoyed the accompanyThe character of this restaurant ing basket of flatbread and toasted seems to revolve around the variety baguette. of local beers and wines. The menu During this first course, however, focuses mostly on pub fare, which I did discover something that was a leans toward more carnivorous striking disappointment: the dishes diners, and daily specials. I’m glad I were plastic. These dishes are the brought along fellow Leasider reinkind used in hospital kitchens, on forcements! A lifelong vegetarian, I food trucks that deliver re-thermalquickly scanned the menu and found ized food to hundreds of patients, few non-meat options, and the not in a dining room. restaurant is disappointingly unadFinally our entrées arrived, and venturous considering the proximthey received mixed reviews from ity of myriad ingredients just steps my dining companions. The Thai below. Fortunately, I do sometimes chicken soup was a hit, as was the enjoy seafood, and this would save traditional burger garnished with me on Buck-A-Shuck oyster night! a gherkin. The side potato salad, We arrived at 6:00 p.m., which ordered by two of my friends, worked well because the place looked like a bowl of mush. I might became packed not long afterward. be biased, having grown up on We were greeted by a friendly server German potato salad, but the conworking with a broken wrist who sensus was that it was a bland dis-

ELKE SENGMUELLER

Leaside Litterati

Spring-cleaning, Leaside style – when your stuff has stuff The arrival of spring brings to mind visions of “spring cleaning,” for me a somewhat dreaded and overwhelming task. Looking for some new inspiration I picked up a copy of the book The LifeChanging Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing consultant, at the Trace Manes Library. The book is described as “a comprehensive, illustrated manual on how to declutter and organize specific items throughout the house, from kitchen and bathroom items to work-related papers and hobby collections”. Kondo’s principle is simple. Put your hands on everything you own, ask yourself if it sparks joy, and if it doesn’t, thank it for its service and get rid of it. For the next few weeks I picked up the book when I had some time and energy to spare, opened it to a random topic and followed the instructions. It made a dull task manageable and fun, handling each item sparked a mixture of nostalgia and gratitude, and I had a lot of success letting go. The result? Numerous boxes filled with items to donate and a freshly organized drawer of happy socks! The next challenge – how to find a good home for my cast-offs – so that my ‘trash’ might support a worthy cause by becoming someone else’s ‘treasure’ rather than ending its life in a landfill. Here are some of my favourites, all local and easily accessible on foot, by car or with the click of a mouse. Leaside United Church’s Awesome Sale (822 Millwood Rd.) is held each spring and fall. There are 15 departments including: treasures and trinkets; books; clothing; linens; toys; furniture; small appliances; housewares; jewellery and others. Proceeds fund both church and outreach programs. For more infor-

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Leaside Life, March 2017

Cheryl Vanderburg

mation: contact George at georgehurst@sympatico.ca, 416-421-6491, or Bob at aelister@sympatico.ca, 416-757-1491. An Oasis Clothing Collection bin is located on McRae Drive near the tennis courts. Donations support the Oasis Addiction Recovery Society, and items are either given to participants in the programs who cannot afford simple necessities or sold to fund the programs. Toronto Fire Station 321 supports two worthy causes. Non-perishable food donations to The Daily Bread Food Bank can be made 24 hours a day in the handy bin located outside their front door at 231 McRae Dr. (most local grocery stores also have food donation bins). And at Christmas, The Toronto Firefighters’ Toy Drive collects new unwrapped toys for children of all ages. The Trace Manes Library accepts donated books/CDs/DVDs, which are then sold with proceeds going towards library programs and services. Items are accepted during branch open hours and must be in very good condition, less than five years old, popular fiction and nonfiction, English or French. The Salvation Army Thrift Store, 60 Overlea Blvd. at Thorncliffe Park Drive is 100 per cent charity-based and generates funds to support programs and services that help residents in the Thorncliffe Park area. Donated clothing and other goods are efficiently and ethically recycled and sold to offer practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life. And the Leaside Community Facebook site is a great way to buy, sell or donate items without leaving the comfort of your easy chair. I recently posted two items for a not so computer savvy friend who was moving, and both were picked up within a day. There is often a ‘bidding war,’ so you need to act quickly! I’m sure many of you have other favourites which deserve mention and I’d love to hear from you so they can be featured. I hope I’ve inspired you to relish your spring cleaning this year. It’s good for the soul – and good for the planet! ■

THE STREETS OF LEASIDE 16

Laird Drive

Leaside Life, March 2017

By JEANNE HOPKINS One of Leaside’s most interesting streets has to be Laird Drive, a major artery running north and south and incorporating the commercial and industrial streetscape (slowly changing) south of Eglinton to the quiet, residential section north of that major dividing line. As most Leasiders know, Leaside was a thriving railroad community, whose executives seemed to wield great sway in naming local streets. The Canadian Northern Railway’s dynamic duo, William Mackenzie and Donald Mann, named Laird Drive after William’s close friend, Robert Laird Borden, Prime Minster of Canada from 1911 until 1920. Ironically, another Laird, Alexander, from Scotland, became the first bank manager of the CIBC on Laird Dr. Robert Laird Borden was born on June 26, 1854 on a farm in Grand Pré, Nova Scotia, the son of Andrew Borden and Elizabeth Laird, by all accounts a remarkable woman who encouraged her son’s studies. Robert

Prime Minister Robert Laird Borden became a lawyer and represented the City of Halifax in the House of Commons from 1896 until 1904. He was defeated in the 1904 election, but regained his seat four years later. Notably, Robert Borden was Prime Minister of Canada during the First World War (1914-1918), a time when young Canadians were joining their comrades on the battlefields of France. In 1917, Borden formed a Unionist Government of the Conservative

Liberals on the platform of compulsory military service. He represented his country at meetings of the Imperial War Cabinet and was chief delegate to the Peace Confederation held in Paris in 1919. From 1918 until 1920, he was Chancellor of McGill University, and then served as Queen’s University’s Chancellor from 1924 to 1930. He also served in a number of diplomatic posts, including leading Canada’s delegation to the League of Nations Assembly in 1930. After his retirement from political life, Borden became a noted memoirist whose works are still studied today. Robert Laird Borden died in Ottawa on June 10, 1937, but his name lives on in many streets – Borden, Robert and Laird – in cities and towns across Canada. Jeanne Hopkins spent most of her life in the historic Henry Farm community of North York. She realized her passion for local history in the Canadiana department of the North York Public Library, where she worked for 27 years. She is the author of many articles and five books of local history. ■

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The Goldhars... From Page 6

op On a personal note, the first few pieces I submitted to Leaside Life were written on behalf of the Arena Expansion Committee to promote the building of the new rink. I’m grateful that Harry soon invited me to write about other things going on in the community, and that he was patient when I (usually) missed the official deadlines. I learned a lot from his editorial changes, which he always took the time to explain. I have very much enjoyed getting to know Harry and Ruth over the past five years – two wonderful people I can now count as friends. Thank you! ■

Summer volunteer opportunities Are you looking to gain experience volunteering in a client-based program, helping kids with special needs participate in activities to the best of their ability? Then we are looking for you! To learn more about Holland Bloorview’s volunteer opportunities, please visit www.Hollandbloorview.ca/volunteer

Leaside Life, March 2017

By 2011 or so both Goldhars thought it might be time to start up another local paper in Leaside. “It had been a while,” says Harry, “and I didn’t think it would be that hard, although we wondered if it would work. From the beginning we thought of it as a community project. We were fortunate to get people who were willing to write for it – Alan Redway, Lorna Krawchuk, Michael Bliss, the councillors and LPOA reps and others. The idea was not only to present news but to present different opinions from the community.” The first edition of Leaside Life came out in December 2011. Once again Harry was the editor and Ruth sold the ads. “People seemed to be ready for this,” suggests Ruth, “because the advertisers hopped on right away.” Five years on, Harry, now aged 82, and Ruth decided to retire once again. “We were so happy to find two new owners with such a strong sense of community,” they agree. “As soon as we started talking with Stan [Flemming] and Jeff [Hohner], we were comfortable with them. We knew from day one that they were committed to keeping the paper focused on telling Leaside stories.” Harry stepped down as editor in August 2016 and Ruth continued as director of advertising until the end of December. What’s next for the Goldhars as they begin their second “retirement”? For one thing, their 2017 travel itinerary includes Cuba and South America. In addition, “I started ukulele lessons in January,” Ruth laughs. “I’m volunteering at Holland Bloorview with kids in the classroom, and I’ve joined a book club.” As for Harry, “I’m just taking it easy – reading a lot, entertaining a lot and enjoying life. Who knows what’s next? But I’m not likely to start another paper again.”

THE SCHOOLS OF LEASIDE 18

Just the facts – NO alternative facts

Leaside Life, March 2017

By GERRI GERSHON When Swedish statistician Hans Rosling died recently, the world lost an incredible communicator – someone who brought to life the concept that decisions should not be based on hunch or instinct but on the facts. In this tradition, the TDSB wants to make the best possible decisions for our students so we are about to commence a massive census/ survey. We need your help. Educators want to remove systemic barriers to student success and develop more effective programs and services. Trustees want to allocate resources where there is most need and advocate for funding and resources for students, families and communities. In April 2017, the TDSB will launch its third Student & Parent Census for all Grade 4-12 students and all parents of JK-Grade 6 students, and we need everyone to participate. The first two rounds of the census (2006-2008 and 2011-12) were a resounding success with a very high participation rate from both students (nearly 90%) and parents

(two-thirds). Since we are the largest school board in Canada and the fourth largest in North America, the statistical significance of the responses cannot be ignored and the census information has been shared with municipal, provincial and community organizations such as Toronto Public Health, the United Way and the YMCA – not only to strengthen our partnerships and collaboration with them, but also to help improve the programs and resources they offer to the community, which includes our TDSB families. The census is confidential but not anonymous so that the data can be linked to other board information sources and be tracked over time. With the hard data gathered from the 2006 census, the TDSB developed its Homework Policy; based on the 2011 Student Census findings on students’ emotional well-being, the board created its very first strategic plan for Children and Youth Mental Health and Well-being in 2013. In addition, the board has used the census data to help allocate resources, and design such effective programs as Feeding Your Future

(a student nutrition program) and Beyond 3:30 (a comprehensive afterschool program) to ensure students’ health and well-being, essential for them to learn to their full potential. In this upcoming third census, new questions are added to capture some current issues including ones such as social media. It is also the first time we will be asking students in Grades 4-6 to answer the survey questions. To ensure the continued success of this important work, full cooperation of our parents in this third census is crucial. We would like to have as many TDSB parents as possible participate. I have included just a few of the findings of previous years relating to Leaside vs. the rest of the TDSB. Very interesting and enlightening. ■ Gerri Gershon is the Trustee, Don Valley West, for the TDSB.

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Leaside Life, March 2017

Carol & Dave’s excellent Leaside adventure Month

Leaside Life, March 2017

You know the saying: “You can never really understand someone until you walk a mile in their shoes”? So guess what I did? I walked in Dave and Carol’s gym shoes at InsideOut Health & Fitness for a 45-minute training session. Now I really understand how hard they’re working to reach their goals. But the physical side of the journey is only one part of the equation. Another is diet, and what exactly they’re eating in conjunction with their workout regimen to achieve weight loss. When Barry at InsideOut initially met Carol and Dave, he had them keep a journal of everything they ate and drank for a week. From this he was able to tweak their diets in collaboration with a nutritionist, and steer them toward healthier lifestyle habits. He encouraged clean eating and didn’t expect perfection right away since expecting perfection is a very quick road to

failure. Instead Barry encourages honesty. With both Carol and Dave, Barry advised regulating blood sugar levels to avoid the dreaded “afternoon crash.” You know the one, when you’re reaching for a Kit Kat or box of Oreos? He also encouraged them to be mindful, not militant, about their wheat gluten, alcohol, caffeine, and refined sugar intake.

CAROL TOWNSLEY I found Carol’s upbeat attitude infectious when I spoke with her this month. I knew immediately things were going in the right direction for her. She still finds it slightly difficult to motivate herself to get to her workouts, but feels great afterwards. Carol kept a food journal for the first week of the program, but since has switched over using

BARRY SAMUEL

Carol Townsley and Dave Sparrow hard at work

By VICKI HALL

an app on her phone called ‘My Fitness Pal’, which tracks her caloric intake. She found she was heavy on carbs and needed to increase her veggies and protein. It was all too easy after a day of work to eat the same food she prepared for her kids – for example, a big bowl of pasta. Now she’s changed that. She’s not depriving herself of the pasta; she just takes a much smaller portion and supplements with a protein and lots of greens. Carol has also started eating breakfast, which is something she wasn’t accustomed to doing. She starts her day with a healthy bowl of oatmeal, an apple and a cup of tea. She finds this keeps her going until lunch. When she finds herself getting hungry for a snack, instead of picking up a bagel at Tim’s, she grabs a piece of fruit and a handful of almonds. Carol has found it’s easy to reward herself with a small piece of cake when attending a birthday party with her kids. The perks for making these changes? She’s already lost nine pounds and her clothes are fitting better! DAVE SPARROW Dave’s journey this month included Super Bowl Sunday. How do you get through Super Bowl Sunday when trying to lose weight? By not depriving yourself of four chicken wings and a small slice of that football-shaped cake. Like Carol, Dave has chosen to watch what he’s eating by also counting calories. As someone who has struggled since childhood with his weight, he knows the calorie counts of most foods. He’s aiming to consume 2,500 daily, but his calories can realistically fluctuate anywhere between 1,800 and 3,000 (Super Bowl Sunday). Shedding the pounds is tougher now that he’s 55, but he’s having fun experimenting with new recipes and is particularly fond of Jamie Oliver’s ‘Brussels with Hustle’ recipe. Since Christmas he’s eliminated cakes, pies and chocolate from his diet. Breakfast consists of peanut butter on toast with an apple on the side, which clocks in CAROL & DAVE, Page 31

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Leaside Life, March 2017

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Math today is no longer just 2x2=4 Leaside Life, March 2017

By JANIS FERTUCK Everyone has seen movies such as “A Beautiful Mind” and “Hidden Figures” where math whizzes work out complex equations on blackboards, leaving the audience dazzled. But many people remember mathematics as being a difficult subject at school, especially with geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus in the higher grades. Students today face the added challenge of EQAO testing in Grades 3, 6 and 9, and many university programs, such as business and economics, require at least one Grade 12 math credit for admission. In response to parental concerns about the difficulty and importance of math today, Caroline Rosenbloom, the vice-principal at Bessborough Elementary and Middle School, initiated an event called “Parents Only Math Night” two years ago. Ms. Rosenbloom has an extensive background in math as she was a math instructional leader at the TDSB and an education officer for the Grade 6 EQAO Test. The “Parents Only” night was such a success that the school’s teachers

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Math Night with Robyn Israel, co-chair of Bessborough’s School Council, and Vice-Principal Caroline Rosenbloom suggested it be brought back this year, and so it was – on February 8 in the school’s library. The purpose of the evening session was to enable parents to understand and experience the mathematics curriculum for themselves. As Ms. Rosenbloom said, “It gives parents the opportunity to ask questions about a curriculum and teaching style that is very different from what they remember in their own school days. The focus is on computational skills, questioning and the difference between Level 3 and Level 4 work.” Ms. Rosenbloom began by explaining how to interest students in math puzzles to show them that math is fun rather than intimidating. With parents seated in table groups based on the grades of their children, she led them in a variety of exercises to demonstrate different ways to work through sample computations in their heads rather than writing the work down as was done in the past. For example, 9 x 30 can be thought of as 10 30s or 300-30, leaving the correct answer of 270. She assured the audience that it is all about breaking down the numbers and looking at them in different groupings. Grade 2 teacher Karen Ho said that using different ways to get answers allows the teacher to reach students at different levels. This type of “differentiated learning targets both students who are struggling and those who excel at seeing all the possible ways of answering

the questions.” To display the fun side of math, the teachers and Ms. Rosenbloom equipped each table with several different activities such as word problems, puzzles and a game with string that presents a probability problem. But the most challenging was the “Frog Game,” where parents acted as green and yellow frogs which had to trade places on their lily pads following a rigid set of rules. All of these games serve to demonstrate that there are many different strategies for finding a solution and students must experiment to find out what works for them. By having them do the actual exercises, Ms. Rosenbloom finds that parents understand them better, and the experience illustrates the point that the new method of teaching math does not require memorizing formulae, but instead creates thinking and discussion about math problems so that students have to come up with strategies, not just answers. As Grade 6 teacher Sarah Buksner said, “It helps parents to understand this new style of teaching and makes them feel less frustrated when helping their children.” Ms. Rosenbloom ended the session by providing practical tips for helping students with math. The first suggestion was to take field trips to places like the Science Centre to see math and science in action. Playing games as a family is not only fun, but encourages children to ask questions and builds their confidence. Most importantly, she urged parents to help their children work through math problems with guiding questions so they can better understand and articulate the process they used. A final tip was information about helpful websites such as one from the UK called www.nrichmaths.org, and a reminder that the school lists resources in their weekly bulletin. Robyn Israel, co-chair of the school council, summed up the evening, commenting that parents at Bessborough appreciate the high level of communication among the administration, staff and parents. For example, the weekly bulletin is packed with information about the upcoming week, teachers have been known to send photos and videos of the children at work, and many of the staff have Twitter accounts available to the parents. For more information about the math evening, visit www.mathplay. net and click on “Presentations”. Keep watching the school website for news on more events. ■

Leaside Life, March 2017

Giving Back – East York Meals on Wheels delivers comfort

Leaside Life, March 2017

By KARLI VEZINA Food can be a great comfort in times of need. There is something about a hot, home-cooked meal that warms the belly as much as the heart. For those who are finding difficulty with shopping, commuting and cooking, a good meal often falls by the wayside in favour of something fast and easy. East York Meals On Wheels (EYMOW) has been serving Leaside and the surrounding area since 1969

to help locals eat well. You may remember the Meals On Wheels commercials from back in the day, but many may not know that the organization is still helping neighbours today. Currently, EYMOW has 100 volunteers who donate their time either to drive or run the food into the client’s home. The staff cater to more than 200 people in East York, and Anne MacNeill, executive director of East York Meals on Wheels, said they’re always looking for more

volunteers. Whether to drive or to socialize with the clients during drop-off, the connections these volunteers make with clients is priceless on both sides. The volunteers get to connect with community members, stay active and involved. For the elderly or disabled who use the service, the service provides an invaluable social interaction they may not have enjoyed otherwise. MacNeill said drivers usually take an hour or two driving to 12-14 clients, and it’s usually the same

people, so there is an opportunity to build relationships. If you’re thinking about volunteering, know that even if you have time only once a week or once a month, they’ll make it work and would appreciate the help. So what makes EYMOW so special? MacNeill said, “Our services are very human. We personalize service and are extremely responsive. Our volunteers and staff care about the people we serve. Our bottom line is people, not profit.” EYMOW is a non-profit organi-

zation, and that’s why they depend so heavily on donor generosity and the support of their volunteer base. According to the Ministry of Finance population projections, the number of seniors in Ontario is estimated to more than double from 2.2 million (16%) of the population in 2015 to more than 4.5 million (25%) by 2041. With changing demographics and rising number of seniors in Ontario, MacNeill said she wants to make sure that people know East York Meals On Wheels is there for those who need it. Although “there are now more for-profit delivery services that people can use, they are much more expensive than we are.” EYMOW has hot and frozen entrées or meal packages on offer. Clients choose how many they need and how often the meals should be delivered. Need a low-salt meal, they have you covered. Low-fat? They can do that too. Minced?

Puréed? Diabetic? No problem. The menu rotates on a 28-day schedule and offers western meals as well as Chinese meals that are well-rounded and nutritious. Each meal includes two slices of whole wheat bread or rolls with margarine, a cup of soup, a main course with protein, starch, vegetables and dessert. Here’s an example: Lentil soup, roasted turkey with gravy, scalloped potatoes, yellow beans, two pieces of whole wheat bread and lemon pudding for dessert. EYMOW hopes to increase clientele in 2017. The plan is to “reach everyone who could benefit from our services and to attract enough volunteers and donors to ensure that our services are sustainable.” If you’d like to join EYMOW as a volunteer, donor or client, visit www. eastyorkmealsonwheels.org, email info@eastyorkmealsonwheels.org or phone 416-424-3322. ■

Leaside Hockey: It’s playoff time!

GARY TOPOROSKI

Above left: The Flames Minor Peewee A team finished 1st in their division and won the GTHL Kraft Cup. Left: Minor Bantam Select player Nigel Vickery takes a shot at the home tournament. Above: Minor Bantam A will be awarded the LHA President’s Trophy. Below: Minor Peewee AA Leaside Flames finished 2nd in the GTHL regular season.

Around the North York Hockey League...

The Leaside Hockey Association website states, “Leaside hockey is about more than winning and losing, it is about community.” This was very evident at the recent 27th Annual Leaside Select Invitational Tournament. With 116 teams and 2,000 athletes participating, the Leaside Arena was buzzing. And Leaside teams did do some winning, 18 of the 29 participating teams advanced to the finals, with 9 Leaside teams being crowned tournament champions. Congratulations!

Around the GTHL…

The Leaside Flames field 13 competitive hockey teams in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) from Minor Atom (age 9) to Midget (age 16-17). This season, 12 of 13 teams have made it to the playoffs. Collectively, these 13 teams have a regular season record of 300 wins, 110 losses and 53 ties. A special congratulations goes to the Minor Peewee A team and the Minor Midget A team, both who finished in first place in their respective divisions to be awarded the coveted Kraft Cup. At a special ceremony held on February 26, both teams were presented with their trophy. The Minor Bantam A Leaside Flames by virtue of earning the highest number of regular season points of any Leaside Flames GTHL team, will be awarded the LHA President’s Trophy.

And in Leaside Girls hockey…

Be sure to drop by the Leaside arena the weekend of March 10th, as the Toronto Leaside Wildcats host their 38th Annual March Madness Girls’ hockey tournament. Founded in 1974, the Leaside Wildcats are the largest girls’ hockey association in Ontario with over 1600 participants. ■

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Leaside Life, March 2017

Leaside will have no excuse for eating unhealthy Leasiders were greeted in early February with news another grocery store would soon open in the area, bringing the total count to 10, including the much anticipated Whole Foods store opening at the northwest corner of Broadway and Bayview Aves. The latest entry is Organic Garage, an Etobicoke-based company with two existing stores in Thornhill and Oakville, with a third scheduled to open in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood sometime in March or shortly thereafter.

The Leaside store, which should open in early 2018, will be the company’s fourth store, part of a fouryear growth plan that will see it operating 11 locations in the GTA by the end of 2019, generating $60 million in annual revenue. Organic Garage was established in 2005 by founder and CEO Matt Lurie, but Lurie’s family have had their hands in the grocery business since 1931 when Lurie's grandfather and two of his brothers opened a store on College St. with the slogan “We sell for less.” Wanting to keep a

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good thing going, Organic Garage’s slogan is “Healthy Food for Less!” The company's stores average 10,000-12,000 sq. ft. offering as many as 14,000 healthy, natural and organic items (SKUs in industry lingo) that are 18-24% cheaper than Whole Foods and 8-15% less expensive than the major grocery stores in the area. Leasiders interested in taking a drive some weekend might want to visit one of OG’s existing locations to sample its wares so you’re familiar with Organic Garage’s concept of healthy eating before the Leaside store opening; I know I will. Organic Garage’s business model is certainly a profitable one. Its two stores generate average revenue of $900 per square foot, 71% higher than Sobey’s or Metro from locations that are one-third the size. Its Oakville store earned $1.2 million in 2015 on $10.2 million in revenue – a very good return in an industry known for low profit margins. Organic Garage’s annual information form states that it looks for “B” style real estate close to “A” style real estate – which is exactly the case with its Leaside location, a hop, skip and a jump from Leaside Village where Longo’s is located. Approximately 12,000 sq. ft. in size, its store will be part of the almost 80,000 sq. ft. redevelopment of 33 Laird Dr. by Quaestus Corp., a developer of retail properties in Ottawa and the GTA. Organic Garage is a public company trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange since October 2016 under the symbol “OG”. While its stores are themselves profitable, the overall business is not, owing to costs associated with opening new stores and growing its business. As someone who writes about investments for a living I’d be more inclined at this point to give Organic Garage (the store) a try rather than Organic Garage (the stock), but that might change once it’s making money from the economies of scale generated by operating a number of stores in the GTA. Welcome to the neighbourhood, Organic Garage. Between you and Whole Foods you’re making it really tough for Leasiders to eat unhealthy. ■ www.organicgarage.com

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Moyer... From Page 12 its sense of community and neighbourliness over the years along with a very substantial increase in property values and standard of living. “This is a big draw for people – the standard of living,” Moyer says. “People are really proud to be residents of Leaside, so they invest a lot of money in their houses to keep them current and looking good, and they spend a lot of time in the community. They really get involved in local activities and issues. They feel a real sense of community and want to make a contribution.” In his position Moyer goes to a lot of parent-teacher meetings and has seen a great increase in interest and attendance. “Years ago not many people came to them, but I’m very impressed today about people’s commitment to the community and its needs,” Moyer says. “There’s a real sense that they want to get involved to protect and maintain the great standard of life that they have and to get full value from their investments. I think it bodes well for the health and security of Leaside in the future.” ■

Leaside Life, March 2017

Settling an Estate?

Mental health and wellness in Leaside schools By JANIS FERTUCK The enormous success of Bell’s “Let’s Talk” Campaign is one of the most visible signs of a more open attitude toward mental health and wellness in our community and country today. But our Leaside schools are also more actively involved in bringing about a greater awareness of these issues, and in helping students to cope with them: Leaside High Two years ago, Leaside High School’s Assistant Curriculum Leader for Guidance, Denise Wilson, formed a Mental Health and Wellness Committee in response to an initiative of the Ministry of Education. The purpose is stopping the stigma around having a mental illness and helping students to cope with their illness. The committee will hold their second Mental Health and Wellness Week from May 8 to 12 this year. It will include a variety of awareness-raising workshops and an assembly featuring a speech by Nicole German, the mother behind “The Maddie Project,” which honours the memory of her daughter. Other activities of the group are Wellness Wednesdays with inspirational quotes read during the announcements, Green Tea mornings with soothing classical music, and visits by a team of four therapy dogs at exam time. Ms. Wilson reports that students are now more comfortable speaking about their issues with each other and their teachers. Bessborough Elementary and Middle School Here the Mental Health and Wellness Committee comprises students who themselves suffer from anxiety issues. In the group, started by teacher Sarah Buksner, the students work on strategies for coping with anxiety and discuss ways of spreading them throughout the school. For example, every week a “Mindful Minute,” which might involve mindfulness, breathing or movement exercises, is presented over the announcements. One of the most popular features of Bessborough’s program is a weekly visit from local therapy dog Trinket, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and her owner, Sue Jamieson. Trinket and Sue visit a number of classes where Trinket sits with students while they read to her. Karen Ho, a Grade 2 teacher, says “this activity helps the children to focus and do a better job. Trinket’s calming presence and affectionate nature are leg-

JANIS FERTUCK

Leaside Life, March 2017

Students of the Leaside High Mental Health & Wellness Committee and (right) Sue Jamieson and her therapy dog Trinket visit Bessborough School endary throughout the school.” Other initiatives include a Wellness Day in May, a full day of activities for all the students including physical play, an arts and music component, motivational speakers and a focus on nutrition. In addition, guidance counsellor Bianca Angheloni runs a breakfast club for Grade 7 and 8 girls, who prepare breakfast while discussing issues of concern to some girls. The school has similar groups for discussion and activities for both junior girls and boys. Northlea Elementary and Middle School Ms. Angheloni also spends time at Northlea School, where she runs a similar lunch-time discussion and activity group for girls, and Principal David Ehrlich does the same for boys. Other initiatives at Northlea include visits by a therapy dog to a special needs class and “community circles” to discuss feelings and respectful communication. Every September, the school holds a “Power of One Day” where Grade 7 and 8 students participate in several activities like participating in an exercise session, listening to a motivational speaker and attending workshops on healthy eating and yoga. Rolph Road Elementary School Meanwhile, Rolph Road School has just launched a “Leaders of Tomorrow” group whose main focus is student anxiety. A group of students will work with board social worker Fernanda Pereira, and connect with students from LHS for advice.

Bennington Heights Elementary School Here a Kindness Week takes place in April. Each day focuses on a social, emotional or physical theme such as writing thoughtful comments about others, yoga, dance, and meditation. St. Anselm Catholic School Mental health and wellness activities at St. Anselm’s reflect the more spiritual nature of the school. For example, the day starts with a prayer on the public address system, and a monthly mass is held in the church next door. A Rosary Apostolate, held once a month, sees volunteers from the church visit classes to pray the rosary with the students in order to create a sense of wellness, inner peace, mental awareness and the capacity to love oneself and others. Principal Richard Walo states that this calming type of meditation “enables students and staff to clear their minds of the busyness of everyday life and concentrate on the inner self and being with God.” Clearly our local schools are directing their energies to improving the level of mental health and wellness in our students. We all benefit from these efforts. ■

John Blickstead is now a Hollywood hit-making writer By SIMON DAY If you’re a fan of Millennial comedies, you’re sure to be watching the hit series The Great Indoors. But maybe you’ll be even more of a fan when you learn that one of the writers on the series is none other than Leasider John Blickstead, who is now an accomplished Hollywood screenwriter. Although he works and lives in California, the writer still thinks of Leaside as home. John was born and raised in Leaside. His family have lived in the same house on Heather Rd. all his life. Like many kids growing up in Leaside, John was a part of a number of sports leagues. He played hockey at the arena every year and softball, even though he would tell you he was an awful player. His father was even a coach for the hockey team. “My dad likes to call himself the winningest coach in Leaside hockey history,” he told me. “If there’s any truth to that, it’s no thanks to me. But I had a blast.” He remembers the summers in his Leaside neighbourhood, “cruising the streets en masse with all his friends on bikes and rollerblades, the least intimidating posse of all time.” He even met Wayne Gretzky once, and had an opportunity to play ball hockey with him. After completing his education at Upper Canada College and Harvard (not in writing, but in biology – planning a career in environmental science), things changed for John. For him writing had been a hobby, not a career choice. But somehow his dreams took over. He’s a great example of someone who follows his passions and makes what he loves to do into a career, even though it was not what he went to school for. So many of us are bogged down with the expectations of following a line of work based on the degree we studied. However, John has proven once again that whatever you put your mind to is possible. That is not to say that things were always easy for him. He paid his dues and went through the tough trials of a slow start in Hollywood once he made the move there. It was his perseverance and the support of

John Blickstead (left) with Maggie Lawson, who guest stars in an upcoming episode of The Great Indoors entitled “Cubicles.” his family which allowed him to stay the course, and after six months of back and forth to Toronto, John was signed on as a writer for the NBC television network along with his business partner Trey Kollmer. “My family has always been incredibly supportive, but my brother Michael’s always been my biggest cheerleader. I actually got my first ever LA job offer while I was at lunch with Michael the week of his

business school graduation, which I’ll always remember as a nice bit of timing.” In addition to his screenwriting, John has also co-written a travel guide to Ireland. But most of his experiences with writing have been on the job, although he did attend a single screenplay course at Harvard University. We asked John about his inspiration for becoming a writer in the first place. He answered honestly that it was growing up watching a lot of television series that spurred him to turn his pastime into his full-time career. Now he can say that all the television he watched growing up was completely justified. “I’m loving writing for The Great Indoors, which was created by Mike Gibbons. We have an unbelievable writing staff and a flawless cast. Being able to write for Stephen Fry has been a career highlight.” We are likely to hear even more about this Leasider. John is currently working on an animated film with producer Mike Drake of Nightmare on Elm Street fame. The project is a King Arthur story that asks the question, “What if you were the only person with a slightly modern point of view in a hyper-violent, hyper-sexualized Game of Thronestype world?” Can’t wait! ■

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Leaside Life, March 2017

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Jon Burnside Councillor, Toronto Ward 26 Don Valley West

Jon Burnside’s winter roundup I thought I would use this opportunity to update you on a number of issues in Leaside – a winter roundup! The apparently dormant Smart Centre site near Wicksteed and Laird is stirring. Although this site has not been confirmed as the future home of Walmart, they are a partner in the joint venture, so it would seem to be the worst kept secret. The developer recently confirmed that much of the two-year delay was caused by a 100 sq. ft. section of land being conveyed to the City to extend Vaughan

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Leaside Life, March 2017

St. This contaminated soil had to be remediated and the Ministry of the Environment only recently issued approval. The developer is currently working on the final layout of the buildings and expects to submit a building permit request at the end of the year so that construction could begin in early 2018. Four Seasons Auto, located next to the “Walmart” site, was recently sold to Otis Corp. with the auto repair company relocating to Canvarco Road. While the developer has yet to submit a formal proposal, they are actively looking for future commercial tenants. They have requested a demolition permit as most speculate that soil remediation will be necessary before developing the site. Expect the demolition to occur in the next month or so. The Redway Road extension is something I have been working on since I was elected. Although the estimated construction cost of over $20 million and the fact that the road would be located in Ward 27 make this a challenge, the biggest issue is that the City doesn’t own the necessary land. There are two possible routes, but both are problematic. The first would be to build the extension adjacent to the existing CP rail line, but this land is owned by the Toronto Regional Conservation

Authority, which, as a result of my inquiry, sent me a two-page letter of concerns. It is highly unlikely that approval to sell TRCA land for a roadway would ever be given. The more promising possibility is an unused railway spur line which is owned by Metrolinx. I have requested a meeting with senior officials as it is unclear if they have any intentions to use this line and if they would be willing to sell it to the City. As part of the original agreement to build a second ice pad at Leaside Memorial Gardens between the local arena board and the City, any deficits incurred by the arena were to be added to long-term debt while surpluses could be applied towards it. (The normal procedure with the other seven arena boards is that the City assumes both.) Because of construction issues, full operations were delayed and the arena ran a deficit of almost $84,000 in 2014. In 2015, they had a surplus of $39,000. We were able to make the case that the delays were largely the fault of the City itself, so the finance department reluctantly agreed to apply the surplus to the previous year’s deficit and forgive the difference of almost $45,000. Lastly, improvements to the dog park at Sandy Bruce Park are largely complete. This heavily used area had become a mud pit owing to the slope of the land and the consequent flow of wood chips down the hill during heavy rains. Although there is no formal budget for maintenance, the Parks department agreed to strategically place large armour stones to disrupt the downward flow. Let’s hope better dog-walking weather is just around the corner! ■ councillor_burnside@toronto.ca

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at about 300 calories, and the slow release sugars are good for his Type 2 diabetes. He’s increased his intake of water but still treats himself to a Grande Skinny One Pump Mocha at Starbucks, which costs him 200 calories instead of the 390 of a regular Mocha. He’s had more good days than bad, he says. Both Carol and Dave are tracking their calories daily and tweaking their current nutritional plan instead of making any drastic changes. Neither has deprived themselves on special occasions, but they’re exercising portion control. Every little step is part of the bigger picture. ■ Next month: a look at the emotional side of health and wellness.

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Leaside Life, March 2017

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Geoff Kettel

Leaside Life, March 2017

Saving old Leaside Leaside’s streetscape and stock of character homes are under siege like never before. Here’s what happened recently with a couple of properties which were the subject of Committee of Adjustment (CoA) applications. Both applications are to construct new two-storey dwellings with an integral garage, and the existing dwelling would be demolished. The applications are located in two of the few remaining vintage 19301940 era blocks untouched by new construction. Parkhurst One is on Parkhurst Blvd., a street specifically approved for study as a Heritage Conservation District by City Council in 2014, following a drawn-out Committee of Adjustment process. The demolition of any one of the houses will greatly diminish the unique heritage streetscape and jeopardize the Leaside heritage conservation district study. 30 Parkhurst Blvd. is an original two-storey house in the Tudor Revival style and one of an ensemble of similar (but individually unique) homes, in an intact block on the north side of Parkhurst. The importance of this property to the maintenance of what may be referred to as “Leaside character” cannot be underestimated. The property was built in the 1930s by Arthur W. Brockington, a builder who, according to Linda Brockington McCarthy, his granddaughter, was responsible for the entire block and many other houses on Parkhurst (including his own home), and altogether for a total of more than 50 houses in Leaside. Recognizing the threat to their street from the application, and in the absence of any apparent move by the City to move on the HCD study for their street, the neighbours submitted a heritage nomination for

Tipping point for heritage action? the property. At time of writing, the City had not responded. Meanwhile at the Committee of Adjustment the opposition arguments fell on deaf ears. The CoA approved the application but dismissed the height variance request. Before that they dismissed a request to defer the application pending the result of the heritage nomination. Since the hearing the LPOA, with the support of the neighbours have appealed the decision to the OMB. MacNaughton 9 MacNaughton Rd. is the only single storey home on a “remarkable street of intact Tudor and Georgian Revival-style homes, either originals or renovated homes with the original street façades” (Leaside Life, December 2016). (No one expected a single storey to be retained but it could have been “topped up”). A revised application came back to the Committee on February 9, 2017 following deferral in November 2016. There was a small reduction in floor space index (density), but the neighbours had not been consulted. In the meantime a heritage nomination had been submitted, but before the hearing heritage staff indicated they would not be supporting it. Despite the opposition of neighbours and the LPOA at the hearing, the CoA approved the application, except the height variance was refused. There are no plans for appeal to the OMB. This cannot continue. The CoA process is badly flawed from the perspective of residents worried about maintaining their streetscape and character homes. And the heritage process has, so far, largely failed Leaside. The LPOA submitted an application for a potential HCD in 2014; it was prioritized with 15 others in February 2015, but was not in the eight districts mandated to proceed. Admittedly the proposed area for study was large, perhaps

Parkhurst Blvd. too large, but there was reluctance to play winners and losers on this. Better to have independent professionals study the values and make recommendations. Now it seems this is resulting in delays to proceeding with a study. In the meantime...we lose our character homes and streetscape. We cannot continue to deal with this on an ad hoc basis, trying to prevent loss of individual houses; we need heritage conservation before we face more demolition-embracing applications where replacement homes disrespect the physical characteristics (height, massing, style, materials) of Leaside. We are at a tipping point. There has to be action soon, before it’s too late. Residents must lobby our Councillor to get behind the heritage study. Demolition is forever! Update: The other houses referenced recently in Leaside Life (Feb. 2017) – 4 Rolland and 510/512 Broadway – were both refused at the Committee of Adjustment. One of these (4 Rolland) has been appealed and is on its way to the OMB. ■

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Leaside Life, March 2017

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EVENTS 34

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Leaside Life, March 2017

165 McRae Drive | 416-396-3835

ADULT & TEEN PROGRAMMING: •Adult Colouring Party Tuesdays: Mar. 7, 14, 21, 28. 7pm-8:15pm. For all teens and adults. •Drawn on Memory: Paintings Exhibit by Margaret Cresswell. Wed. Mar 1-Fri. Mar 31. Everyone welcome.

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Congratulation Leaside Life Magazine for five years of diligent insights.

•Helping You Achieve Shelf Control: A presentation by Cherri Hurst on how to create a relaxed and comfortable home. Wed. Mar. 8, 7pm-8pm. No registration. •How To Use Your Tablet Workshop Wed. Mar. 22, 4pm-6pm. Limited space. Registration required. •Leaside Needleworx Group. Fridays: Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31. 10am-11:45am. •Leaside Writers Group Saturdays: Mar. 4, 18. 10am-11:45am. Drop in. •Play Reading Group: A thought-provoking play each month. Sat. Mar. 25, 10am-12pm. Call to Register. Limited Space.

Found in Leaside

Santa Claus was coming to town!

where in Leaside?

Be one of the first 10 people to find me in Leaside and win a prize!

It would appear that Santa was well represented in Leaside this past holiday season. There were many guesses, but the only two who correctly identified our Santa. Denyse Rochaix: “The gorgeous Santa is located on Sutherland Drive” and Stan Murray: “…have a 14 ft. Santa on their front lawn on Sutherland Drive” However, it seemed that there were Santas all over Leaside this past season, so in the spirit of the holidays, we decided to give a prize to everyone who submitted a guess. Congratulations. The phenomenon of giant Santa Clauses seems to have started back in 2013 with our neighbours in Moore Park on Inglewood Drive, where the giant Santas now number over 60. An informal count during a drive around Leaside yielded a count of 15. Can Frosty the Snowman be far behind? Email us at leasidelife@gmail.com or “like” us and comment on our Facebook page: leasidelife

•Puzzles/Games Night! Mondays: Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27. 7pm-8:15pm. Drop in. •True Family Wealth with Author Chris Clarke. Tips from her book on managing money and rethinking what money means. Wed. Mar. 29. 7pm-8pm. Free program. Call to register. •Unconventional Ways to Save Money Kerry Taylor, money blogger and contributor to the Globe and Mail and CBC’s On The Money, shares how to embrace a life of thrift. Wed. Mar. 1st. 2pm-3:15pm. No registration.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING: •The Jim Parker Children’s Show A fun family show filled with songs and audience participation. Mon. Mar 13. 2pm-3pm. Free tickets 30 min. before show. •Full STEAM Ahead! *Ages 6-12* Explore Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Mathematics. Tues. Mar 14. 2pm-3pm. Drop in. •Craft Corner. * Ages 4+* Create something fabulous for St. Patrick’s Day! Wed. Mar 15. 2pm-3pm. Drop in. •Family Movie Matinée: Screening of Walt Disney’s Tarzan.

Thurs. Mar 16. 2pm-3pm. Drop in. Limited seating. •International Women’s Day: Button and Collage Making. *Ages 4+* Thurs. Mar 8. 2pm-3pm. Drop in. No registration.

Leaside Life, March 2017

• LEGO Club *Registration ONLY. Ages 5+*. Thursdays: Mar. 2, 9, 23, 30. 3:30pm-5pm. •TD Shakespeare for Kids Library Club * Limited Space. Ages 7-12 ONLY * Saturdays: Mar. 4. 2pm-4pm. Register in person only.

OUTSIDE GROUPS: •Picasso at the Lapin Agile, at Todmorden Mills, 67 Pottery Rd. Feb. 24-25 at 8pm; Sun. Feb. 26 at 2pm; Wed. Mar. 1-Sat. Mar. 4 at 8pm; Sun. Mar. 5 at 2pm; Wed. Mar. 8-Sat. Mar. 11 at 8pm. See ad on page 31.

LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY •Monthly meeting, Fri. Mar. 10, 7:30pm at the Leaside Library. Speaker Gloria Broks on South African travels. leaside@gardenontario.org.

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LEASIDE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 670 Eglinton Ave. E., 416-422-0510 •March Break Kids’ Club, Mar. 14 to 16, 9am-4pm. Open to children in JK-Grade 7. Cost: $30/day or $75/3 days OR Per Family-$50/day or $125/3 days. Call to register.

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•Giant Book Sale, Sat. Mar 25. 9am-12pm.

ST. CUTHBERT’S CHURCH (SEE AD ON PAGE 15) •Creation Care Environment Fair FREE. March 25: 10am: Keynote Speaker Archbishop Hiltz, 11-2pm Exhibitors, food, family activities, speakers. 2pm: Plenary session. 8:30pm: EARTH HOUR. Sun. Mar. 26: Worship at 8 and 10am.

ST. ANSELM’S PARISH 1 MacNaughton Rd (at Millwood) •Spring Fling Craft and Vendor Sale! Sun. Apr. 2. 9:30am-1pm.

NORTHLEA UNITED CHURCH 125 Brentcliffe Ave •Messy Church. Mar. 5, 4pm-6pm. Topic this month is ‘Clutter-Free Families’. www.northleaunited.ca

CANADIAN FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN LEASIDEEAST YORK •Monthly meeting. 7:30pm, Thurs. Mar. 16. Speaker Kathy English on “The Role of the Public Editor”. www.cfuwleasideeastyork.ca

Seniors’ Condos and Life-Lease Units for Sale in Leaside Ask Roy to put you on his waiting list for any of these 3 buildings designed for seniors This can only be done if you are not under contract with another REALTOR

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Bethel Green not intended to solicit parties in an agency agreement

L•E•A•S•I•D•E Then & Now Thirty, even 20 years ago, when Leaside homes changed hands, the new owners might put in a new kitchen or upgrade the bathroom. Some settled for a new coat of paint. It was pretty big news if more extensive renovations were planned. Not any more. These days, regardless whether a house has been bought by a developer or by people who are actually going to move in, there seems to be an overwhelming desire to redesign the house completely, or demolish it totally. They buy, and then replace what was once referred to as a ‘typical Leaside house’ or bungalow with a different, much more ambitious, model. We see geometric boxes cheek-by-jowl with traditional Georgian designs, and Disney-esque turreted affairs nestled between examples of original Leaside Tudor architecture. The pace of single home redevelopment has reached such a fever pitch that many streets in Leaside have seen the majority of original homes added onto or replaced. One hardly remembers what the street used to look like. New owners apply

to the Committee of Adjustment for minor and major (and sometimes multiple) variances, many of which are granted. So changeth neighbourhoods. I do not criticize owners who need or desire more space, or homes more suited to their family size or lifestyles, but eventually there is a cumulative impact on the look and density of the area. It would be interesting to know how many of us moved into Leaside for the long term, the quality of life, versus how many regard their move into Leaside mainly as an economic investment, perhaps with thoughts of eventually ‘moving up’ into Lawrence Park, or perhaps Bennington Heights, or merely to rebuild and sell. With the soaring prices of Leaside homes, economics is an obvious consideration, and for many residents their homes are, in effect, their retirement plans. But for others, Leaside is regarded as a stepping stone, an investment. For still others,

Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LPOA

it’s the place where we want to stay. Home. I am frequently asked: why do people buy in Leaside, especially those who replace the house they’ve just bought with a more massive new building? Do they buy for the small-town ambiance and amenities that Leaside is known for? The quality of life and scale of the community’s layout? If so, is there a bit of a contradiction, if, once they’ve bought for these reasons, the result is that whole streetscapes, in no time at all, are replaced with very different ones?

Donegall Drive

PHOTO BY STAN FLEMMING/ILLUSTRATION BY AINO ANTO

Leaside Life, March 2017

The March LPOA board meeting, usually on the first Wednesday of each month, has been moved to THURSDAY, March 2nd, to permit the scheduling of a traffic consultation meeting for North Leaside on Wednesday, March 1st. The traffic meeting on March 1st is at the William Lea Room (Leaside Gardens) and the March 2nd rescheduled monthly LPOA board meeting is at our usual Trace Manes building venue. The following month reverts to our regular pattern: the April meeting of the LPOA board will be on WEDNESDAY, April 5th, in the Trace Manes building at 7:30 p.m. These meetings are always open to the public. We invite you to attend, whether for help or advice on local matters, or just to listen. ■

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Leaside Life? Contact Robyn Israel at leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com 416-276-0937 or 416-504-8047 10,000 copies delivered every month to homes, apartments and businesses in the M4G postal code!

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Leaside Life, March 2017

When the Fripp family discovered Leaside and bought our house long ago, Leaside was a very much more homogeneous neighbourhood than it is now. In the questionnaire for the first Leaside traffic study LPOA did for the Borough of East York in the 1970s, one of the first questions we asked was: ‘How long have you lived in Leaside?’ Many residents had lived here for more than 40 years! Some had first lived in apartments at Thorncliffe before moving into a house in Leaside; others had begun married life in a Leaside bungalow, trading upward into a semi or detached home as their families grew. Some had bought their parents’ house, and their parents had downsized into a Leaside bungalow. All of them stayed in Leaside. Most viewed Leaside as the beginning and the end of their living pattern. Leaside was virtually a balanced ecosystem. Not any more, I suspect. I’d be interested to know what our readers think.

I’LL TRY ANYTHING ONCE!

Leasiders on the Lookout It’s your turn to suggest new thrills for Karli By KARLI VEZINA From interloper to local resident, I think I’m finally starting to feel like a Leasider. The advent of this column, “I’ll Try Anything Once,” has allowed me to explore my new neighbourhood in ways I could never imagine. First there was the pilates class at North Movement Studio. There, my awkward limbs learned the language of grace at best and humility at least. Then there was the arctic adventure of sports on ice with curling at the Leaside Curling Club. Who knew I could survive a winter sport? What fun that was! The holiday edition found me volunteering at St. Cuthbert’s and meeting an endless parade of lovely, giving Leasiders. The volunteers who donated their weekend to the church bazaar were extremely welcoming and hard-working folk. The new year brought the Leaside Bridge Club to the table where I learned the art of Duplicate Contract Bridge, while last month’s edition had me on hops

BOTTOM: SARAH KELLY/TOP: KARLI VEZINA

Leaside Life, March 2017

Karli has volunteered at St. Cuthbert’s Church, tried curling and pilates for the first time and sampled craft beer at the Amsterdam brewery in her quest to try new things. and barley at the local Amsterdam Brewery. Hmmm, my favourite? I’ve seen different parts of Leaside at work and have got to know so many interesting people along the way. Although my explorations have been unique and insightful so far, I know

Rob Oliphant, M.P. Don Valley West

Congratulaaons and Thanks to

Ruth and Harry Goldhar for supporrng our community by building

Leaside Life

Rob.Oliphant@parl.gc.ca 416-467-7275 1670 Bayview Ave. Suite 310 roboliphantmp.ca Like on Facebook

there is still more to Leaside! Like a diamond, each turn shines a different ray of light unique at every angle. With that in mind, I’d like to open the floor to our readers. I’m looking for new things to try in Leaside and I need your help. I know there are seasoned locals, long-time Leaside families as well as new ones just getting started. There are also singles, seniors, dog lovers, cat lovers, athletes, and pixies too! There are so many facets of this town that my curiosity doesn’t know where to lead me next. So what should I do, Leasiders? What is the experience I have yet to explore? It can be something quintessentially “Leaside” or something completely random that just happens to have a location in or connection to Leaside. I’ve enjoyed all of my experiences to date, even when the mission required me to step out of my comfort zone. I’d like to hear your suggestions for what the next Try Anything mission should be. A humble request if I may: Let’s keep the ideas between the ditches please. For example, there will be no drag racing, bungee jumping, hang gliding, or skateboarding on my part, but if you would like to give it a try and let me know how it goes, be my guest. If you have a suggestion of something to try, send your ideas to: tryanythingleaside@gmail.com. If your idea is chosen, I’ll give a shout-out to the local who gave the hot tip (or not, if you choose to remain anonymous), and maybe invite you to join me during my adventure. I’m looking forward to the excursions already, so until next time...for science! ■

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Leaside Life, March 2017

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