Beach Metro Community News June 13, 2023

Beaches Arts and Crafts Show at Kew Gardens

Temporary solution for parking woes in Wheeler Ave. area

By Alan Shackleton

WHILE A temporary solution has been reached for residents in the Wheeler Avenue area facing parking challenges due to watermain and sewer construction work, permanent changes to the way the permit parking system works on Beach streets is still much needed says a local residents group.

Last month, a group of concerned Beach residents met to demand help from the City of Toronto to deal with the parking crisis caused by the Wheeler Avenue work.

WoodGreen’s Meals on Wheels program highlights its need for more volunteers

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

TORONTONIANS ARE experiencing an unprecedented level of food insecurity, and most residents are by now aware of the struggles faced by many food banks in the city when it comes to lack of donations.

A similar challenge is also being faced by many non-profit organizations who are finding difficulty attracting volunteers to provide community assistance for programs such as Meals on Wheels.

One such organization is WoodGreen Community Services which is seeking help from local residents for its Meals On Wheels program, a service dedicated to increasing food security and independent living for seniors and adults with disabilities.

For more than 25 years, WoodGreen’s Meals On Wheels program– in partnership with Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital in Riverdale

which provides the meals – has served many of Toronto’s seniors who may otherwise be left without an accessible source of nutritious food.

The program has grown exponentially over the years.

“The need is there,” said WoodGreen Meals On Wheels co-ordinator Asha Raghavan. “The numbers are going up, but unfortunately the number of volunteers is going down.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic’s first wave, Meals on Wheels delivered up to 200 times more meals than it had over the same period the year before. Last year, the program delivered about 55,000 meals to residents who reside anywhere from the Don Valley Parkway in the west to Victoria Park Avenue to the east, and south of Danforth Avenue to Lake Ontario.

Raghavan told Beach Metro Community News that this decline in volunteer participation is in part due to hardships of the pandemic.

The program has struggled to attract the same level of assistance and volunteers that it had prior to COVID-19.

Another reason for the recent low turnout is the demographic of the WoodGreen’s volunteer base. A lot of the community members offering their help are retirees who are only available for daytime deliveries.

“We now have about 30 volunteers,” said Raghavan. “We normally have about 80 volunteers per week to run the program.”

Highly understaffed with the number of volunteers expected to further decline over this coming summer, WoodGreen’s Meals On Wheels is still managing to provide the same level of service for its clients who are unable to provide themselves nutritious meals due to physical, cognitive, developmental or psychological limitations.

With about 30,000 meals served so far in 2023, the program is on

Continued on Page 4

In a letter sent to Beach Metro Community News they called for a number of both immediate and long-term changes to be made to make the parking situation in the Beach more equitable for all residents.

In late May, Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford’s office announced a number of actions had been taken to deal with the immediate challenges.

As of May 29, a total of 26 new parking spaces were added on Norway Avenue by making parking on both sides of the street legal during the construction period. The double-sided parking on Norway Avenue is now permitted between Lee and Kenilworth avenues. Residents parking on either side of Norway will still have to have a permit parking sticker displayed.

Also, it was announced that overnight parking would be allowed for permit parking holders in the Green P lots at 85 Lee Ave. and 117 Hammersmith Ave. between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. This will add 101 spaces between the two lots for the affected residents. Also, the pick-up/drop-off area in front of Williamson Road Public School will be included in the permit parking zone of the Beach starting on July 1 and continuing through to Aug. 31. This will add approximately 15 extra parking spaces.

The group of concerned residents held another community meeting after these changes were announced. At that meeting, residents acknowledged that the recent measures taken would somewhat help the parking situation in the area in the short term but they said more still needed to be done. They said they need access to the parking lots of Williamson Road Junior Public School and Glen Ames Senior Public School made available on weekends as of this month.

“Our long-term focus is assuring the area has the required street parking for our residences,” the group said in a note sent to Beach Metro Community News on June 9. They want Councillor Bradford to arrange a poll that includes all streets impacted by decisions to restrict permit parking or apply permit parking. At the moment, overnight permit parking on Glen Ames, Long Crescent, and Glen Stewart Crescent is not allowed due to a vote taken by the residents of those streets.

“The residents of the Beach, like the rest of the city, are experiencing intensification of development as new homes and condos are built,” said the concerned residents in their note. “The result is we are losing parking while adding more cars. Ultimately, we require a plan to assure long-term parking is available for all whom require it.”

The group noted that infrastructure projects such as the one digging up Wheeler Avenue will become more common in the neighbourhood in the coming years, and parking solutions need to be found and implemented in advance of street closures. “We must have provisions to respond to the need when streets are closed down for a period of time. We are convinced the solutions exist and we are proposing to work with the City (of Toronto) and all the residents affected to address the parking challenge.”

PHOTOS: ALAN SHACKLETON

Dan Spratling of The Lemon Square shows his juggling skills during the Signatures Beaches Arts and Crafts Show that took place last weekend at Kew Gardens Park.

Voting Day for Toronto mayoral byelection is on Monday, June 26

LOCAL VOTERS are reminded that Voting Day in Toronto’s mayoral byelection is Monday, June 26.

Readers who receive this edition of Beach Metro Community News today should also know that the last day for advance polls is Tuesday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On Monday, June 26, polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information on voting in the mayoral byelection, please go to www. toronto.ca/city-government/elections/ by-election/by-election-voter-information/myvote-by-elections

So far Beach Metro Community News is aware of five candidates with links to the Beaches-East York area who are running for mayor in the byelection.

With a total of 102 candidates registered, there may be others from the area as well.

However, at this time our newspaper is aware of mayoral candidates Brad

Bradford, Brian Buffey, Habiba Desai, Anthony Furey, and Brian Graff as they are the ones who have reached out to us.

Please note that Beach Metro Community News does not endorse candidates. Who you vote for is entirely your choice. All we ask is that you please vote.

We encourage voters to gather more information on these local candidates.

Here (in alphabetical order) is contact information for the local candidates Beach Metro Community News is aware of at this time.

For more information on the Brad Bradford campaign, please visit www. votebradford.ca

For more information on the Brian Buffey campaign, please contact him by email at brian.buffey@live.ca

For more information on the Habiba Desai campaign, please visit https:// votehabibadesai.wixsite.com/mayor-

desai

For more information on the Anthony Furey campaign, please visit https:// furey.ca

For more information on the Brian Graff campaign, please visit www.BrianGraff.net

For the full list of the 102 candidates in the Toronto mayoral byelection, please go to the city’s election website at www.toronto.ca/city-government/ elections/by-election/by-election-candidate-list/

Beach Metro Community News readers are also reminded to visit us online on Voting Day, June 26, for our coverage of the mayoral byelection. Go to www. beachmetro.com on the night of June 26 for up-to-the-minute coverage.

Due to our press deadline for the June 27 edition of the paper, our in-print coverage of the mayoral byelection will appear in the July 18 edition of our newspaper.

Bloomsday Festival in the Beach set for June 16

THE TORONTO Bloomsday Festival takes place in the Beach on Friday, June 16.

The Bloom on The Beach – A Celebration of James Joyce’s Ulysses, starts at the Beaches Branch Library, 2161 Queen St. E., at 9:30 a.m. on June 16.

It will be followed by a Bloomsday Brunch at the Balmy Beach Club, 360 Lakefront, at 12:30 p.m.

Participants in the event will be rec-

reating Dublin in 1904 with readings, music, song, and merriment.

For information on how to participate, please visit www.torontobloomsday.com or call Mary Durkan at 416-3657877.

Guest speaker for the event at the library will be Des Gunning from the Joyce Centre in Dublin, Ireland.

The Boomsday celebration cast will feature actors Joe Allen, Joe Durkan,

Mary Durkan, Des Ellis, Catherine Hughes, Claire Keating, Kevin Kennedy, David Mackett, Enda Reilly, Bille-Jean Shannon, and Catherine Vaneri. Musicians will be Alana Cline, Daev Clysdale, and Jacob McCauley. Singers will be Catherine Hughes and Kevin Kennedy, with Yiddish songs peformed by Theresa Tova.

Sponsors of the event include the Irish Cultural Society of Toronto.

Parade marks 79th anniversary of the D-Day invasion

A piper leads the parade along Kingston Road marking the 79th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. The parade on Sunday, June 4, went from Norway Public School to the St. John’s Norway Cemetery at Woodbine Avenue. There are more than 500 veterans buried in St. John’s Norway Cemetery. The D-Day invasion of the Normandy beaches in France by Allied troops took place on June 6, 1944 and signalled the beginning of the end of the Second World War. More than 14,000 Canadian military members

PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON

Historic walk through Upper Beach planned for this coming Saturday

A NUMBER of guided historic walks are planned for the East Toronto area this month and continuing through the summer.

The walks are led by local historian and Beach Metro Community News columnist Gene Domagala.

Upcoming walks are planned for Saturday, June 17; Saturday, July 22; and Saturday, Aug. 19.

The Saturday, June 17, walk begins at 1 p.m. This

walk starts at St. Saviour’s Anglican Church (on the corner of Kimberley and Swanwick avenues).

The walk will work its way through the Upper Beach neighbourhood, ending at Calvary Baptist Church, which is on the northwest corner of Main Street and Benlamond Avenue.

During this walk we will visit sites of historic interest along Osborne Avenue, Lyall Avenue and Benlamond Av-

enue.

The Saturday, July 22, walk begins at 1 p.m. This walk starts at the northwest corner of Woodbine and Danforth avenues.

The walk will then head east along the Danforth to Dawes Road. Noted along the walk will be historic church buildings and the sites of a number of former theatres.

The Saturday, Aug 19, walk begins at 1 p.m. and will tour Kew Gardens.

Participants are asked to meet at the Beaches Branch Library, on Queen Street East just east of Lee Avenue. Along with Kew Gardens, this walk will feature historic highlights including the Dr. Young Fountain and the Leuty Lifeguard Station on the beach.

Domagala said more walks highlighting the history of East Toronto neighbourhoods will take place this fall.

Annual Slobberfest celebrations set for June 17

COMMUNITY CENTRE 55 is inviting residents to pack up the pooch and head down to Slobberfest on Saturday, June 17, in the Beach.

The fun will take place at the Leuty Pavilion on the Boardwalk, at the foot of Leuty Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event which celebrates all things

dog related is a fundraiser for Community Centre 55. Slobberfest will feature a number of activities for dogs and their owners, and also dog-related displays by vendors.

The schedule of events for Slobberfest includes the Pack Parade and crowning

of the Slobber King and Slobber Queen beginning at 9 a.m. There will be a costume and fashion show starting at 9:30 a.m. and a number of other activities as well during the festival.

For more information on this year’s Slobberfest, please call Jade at Community Centre 55 at 416-691-1113, ext. 224.

Fundraising bake sale at Beaches Recreation Centre slated to help with forest fire relief

THE BEACHES Recreation Centre will be the location for a fundraising bake sale on Saturday, June 17, to help out victims of forest fires across Canada.

Presented by youth members of the recreation centre and local elementary school students, the sale takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Anyone who would like to make a donation of items to the bake sale, can do so by contacting Gabby at 416-3711756. Donations can also be

dropped off in advance at the Beaches Recreation Centre, 6 Williamson Rd.

Donations of good, new items for sale at the fundraiser will also be accepted for Saturday’s event.

Bard in the Park now on at Kew Gardens BARD IN the Park local performances of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream are now taking place this week in

Kew Gardens.

Presented by The Panopoly Theatre Collective, performances at Kew Gardens from are taking place until Sunday, June 18.

The performances are pay-what-you-can, but donations are strongly suggested.

Seating is not provided and those attending are advised to bring their own chairs or blankets.

Performance times are Tuesday, June 13, at 7 p.m.;

Wednesday, June 14, at 7 p.m.; Thursday, June 15, at 7 p.m.; Friday, June 16, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, June 17, at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, June 18, at 2 p.m.

Kew Gardens park is located at 2075 Queen St. E. on the south side between Lee and Waverley Road.

For more information on this summer’s Bard in the Park, and performance times, go to https://panoplycollective.com/summer-2023

Isolated seniors in need of support

‘WoodGreen’s’ from Page 1

track to outdo its previous year’s performance.

“We’re currently using paid staff but that’s not sustainable for us to run a service which is purely dependent on volunteers,” said Raghavan. “Some volunteers, instead of doing just the regular one day a week shift, offer to help us out for five days. So that helps.”

Raghavan said that the need for volunteers is steadily increasing with the rise in cost of living.

WoodGreen’s Meals on Wheels program is now servicing “around 600 clients,” 40 of which registered this year.

“We cannot shut down the program. This is one program that is consistent whether it’s rain or shine,” said Raghavan. “COVID or not, we cannot hold up providing meals to clients. So the program is moving, but with great difficulty.”

WoodGreeen’s Meals On Wheels program

is looking for volunteers who can commit “just a few hours a week” to the cause, said Raghaven.

Along with providing meals, the volunteers are also a source of wellness checks for clients who have very limited contact with the outside world.

“This is a social issue as well,” said Raghavan. “These are isolated seniors who live in the community. Checking on them makes the contribution – volunteering – even greater than anyone can imagine.”

For more information on how to volunteer for the WoodGreen Meals on Wheels program, please send an email to foodsecurity@ woodgreen.org, or call 416-405-5059.

Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for Beach Metro Community News. His reporting is funded by the Government of Canada through its Local Journalism Initiative.

Public Meetings on development proposals for Danforth and Cosburn avenues set for June 22

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A PAIR of Public Meetings held by Toronto and East York Community Council are slated to discuss development proposals for properties in East Toronto.

The meetings are set for 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 22, in Committee Room 2 at Toronto City Hall (100 Queen St. W.). Those attending can do so in person or by video conference.

The development proposals to be discussed are for a

25-storey residential building at 16, 20 and 26 Cosburn Ave.; and for a seven-storey residential building proposal at 1793-1795 Danforth Ave.

The proposed Cosburn Avenue building, with a gross floor area of 19,265 square metres, will have 292 residential units which includes 30 rental replacement units.

The application also proposes a 128-square-metre Privately Owned Publicly Accessible Space (POPS) at the front of the building as well as an on-site park.

There will be 32 parking spaces in two underground levels for cars and 293 bicycle spaces available for residents in the proposed building.

cycle spaces available to residents. The development site is located on an empty lot on the south side of Danforth Avenue, between Bastedo and Roseheath avenues.

Community members are encouraged to attend the meetings and express their opinions about the proposals.

Following the meeting, the Toronto and East York Council will make recommendations on the applications that will then be forwarded to Toronto City Council for further consideration.

Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for Beach Metro Community News. His reporting is funded by the Government of Canada through its Local Journalism Initiative.

The site, just east of Broadview Avenue, is currently home to a three-storey residential rental building at 20 Cosburn Ave. and other lowrise residential buildings. There are currently at least six rental dwelling units on site.

The Danforth Avenue proposal is for a building with a gross floor area of approximately 1360 square metres, 120 square metres of which will be used for commercial use.

The building will consist of 16 residential units, two car parking spaces and 16 bi-

Anyone who cannot attend in-person can submit a written comment via email (teycc@toronto.ca), through video conference, or a phone call. Participants must register by email to the above address or by phone at 416-3927033 by 12 p.m. on June 21.

For more information on how to participate in the meeting, please visit www. toronto.ca/communitypeople/get-involved/publicconsultations/participate-invirtual-engagement-events/

Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for Beach Metro Community News. His reporting is funded by the Government of Canada through its Local Journalism Initiative.

Remember the price that was paid so you are free to vote

AlAn ShAckleton Beach Metro News Editor

On Page 3 of today’s paper you will see a photo of the parade by local members of the Royal Canadian Legion held to mark the 79th anniversary of D-Day.

I think it’s important to remember the sacrifices made on June 6, 1944 as Allied forces took the decisive action needed to begin the process that ended the Second World War.

All Canadians should be aware of the role our country played that day in liberating Europe from Nazi rule.

On D-Day, more than 14,000 Canadian military members took

part. The Canadian troops secured Juno Beach in Normandy, France that day at the cost of 359 killed and more than 1,000 other casualties.

Among those members of the Canadian military who took part in the D-Day invasion were Malvern Collegiate graduates Sgt. Morris Murray of the Royal Canadian Air Force; Cpl. Cameron Leaner Jones of the 7th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment, 17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars; and Cpl. Howard P. Kidd, of the Highland Light Infantry,

In a 2019 story in Beach Metro Community News, David Fuller wrote about Murray, Jones and Kidd.

Murray graduated from Malvern in 1933, had lived on Kingswood Road, and was married to Fern Hillier in 1942 just prior to shipping out. He was the navigator of

an RAF Halifax bomber sent out from England on the night of June 5, 1944 in advance of the landings on the beaches of Normandy.

Murray’s plane was hit by flak (anti-aircraft fire) and crashed near the villages of Grey-sur-Mer and Vers-sur-Mer in France. All of the members of the plane’s crew died in the crash and they were buried in an orchard by local citizens.

Murray’s body was later transferred to a Canadian military cemetery in Beny-sur-Mer, France.

Jones, who graduated from Malvern in 1940 and grew up on Lawlor Avenue, crossed the English Channel by ship on D-Day and was among the second wave of Canadian soldiers to land at Juno Beach. He survived D-Day but was killed in action on July 9 near Carpiquet, France.

Jones is also buried at the

Beny-sur-Mer cemetery, just nine rows away from where Murray is buried.

Kidd was a Malvern graduate from the year 1922. He was among the first soldiers to go ashore on DDay and also survived the landing. Kidd was killed on July 8 in action. He too is buried at Beny-sur-Mer cemetery.

It’s critically important to remember the real people who gave their lives for our freedom.

We need to know they went to local schools, lived on local streets and had lives and families here in our East Toronto neighbourhoods and that they gave those lives to fight against tyranny and evil.

They and thousands of others made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live free today.

And one of the enduring symbols of that freedom is our democracy and the right to vote for who

we choose.

Please remember that as the Toronto mayoral byelection race enters its final couple of weeks leading up to the June 26 vote.

Yes, there a ridiculous number of candidates (102) running for mayor in this byelection but don’t let that discourage you. This is still a critically important election when it comes to determining Toronto’s future despite those trying to turn the campaign into a clown show.

Ignore them and concentrate on those you consider to be legitimate candidates and then cast your ballot for the person you believe will do the best job as Toronto’s next mayor.

Voting keeps faith with those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and honours men like Murray, Jones and Kidd. Please make sure you vote on June 26!

Beach Metro Community News, published by Ward 9 Community News Inc., is a non-profit, non-partisan community newspaper founded in 1972 and published 23 times a year. It is distributed free by volunteers in East Toronto and Southwest Scarborough and paid for by our advertisers.

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Letters to the Editor

Truth and Reconciliation begins with honest assessment of the treatment

I’m a survivor of the residential school system; I specialize in Native rights, Aboriginal policy and constitutional issues.

I travelled with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for four years. I attended two residential schools from 1958 to 1968. I grew up in a Cree community on (Treaty 9 territory) along the shores of James Bay, formerly known as Rupert’s land.

Indigenous people are reluctant to celebrate Canada’s Confederation because of past historical injustices and the shameful treatment of Indigenous people.

The historical nation-to-nation relationship between the Indigenous people

of Indigenous peoples

and Canada has not been a consistent partnership according to the former United Nations’ Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya and the (1997) Royal Commission Report on Aboriginal Peoples.

On June 2 of this year we marked the eighth anniversary of the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action on Reconciliation.

The colonial Indian Act system continues to be the status quo for status Indians on reserve lands. A colonial society asserted jurisdiction over ancestral lands and implemented Institutional Assimilation policies to control the fate of Indigenous peoples.

Thanks to good people who helped after scooter tipped

The effects of assimilation and other colonialist policies of non-Native authorities (residential and missionary schools, subjugation of Indigenous lands, legacy of white racism, poverty, inadequate health care services) continues to impact the lives of Indigenous people in modern Canadian society.

Reconciliation is a process, and that process must begin with an honest assessment of our history.

As Murray Sinclair, the former chair of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has said: “The truth will set you free. But first it’s going to piss you off.”

Michael Cheena

I wanted to share this experience to assure us all that there are still good people in the world despite what the media broadcasts in our everyday news.

On April 6 I was scootering along Kingston Road on the south side at Bingham Avenue and my scooter tipped. I was not hurt, just pinned under my vehicle and very embarrassed.

I suddenly heard three people yell and run to my assistance. I do not even know where they came from. Help was offered such as an ambulance, and to contact my home by walking or calling.

I simply mounted my scooter (with their help) and moved on. They had already given me so much. I was so flustered and embarrassed I failed to get their addresses or even offer a chocolate bar.

This is my way of publicly thanking them and reassuring others that there are people like you around.

Margaret Talbot

SERVING THE BEACH, BEACH HILL, BIRCH CLIFF, CLIFFSIDE, CRESCENT TOWN, EAST DANFORTH, GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR, LESLIEVILLE AND UPPER BEACH

Neil McNeil program helps students find careers in the skilled trades

By Ahmed Dirie

LED BY teacher Nicole Ross, Neil McNeil Catholic High School has launched its Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs to provide students with the knowledge, tools, certifications and connections needed to succeed in a career in the skilled trades.

Alongside other members of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), Neil McNeil launched its program with encouragement from the provincial government in order to address the potential shortfall of skilled labourers combined with the predicted uptick in skilled trade jobs in 2025, according to Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Ross’ unique background, love for trades and work ethic has allowed her to succeed in a largely male-dominated industry both in teaching and in the field. A graduate of Queen’s University with a degree in chemistry, Ross found her calling during a trip to New Zealand where she landed a job on a construction site.

“It was never offered to me, it wasn’t even on my radar,” said Ross. “So it’s not like something where I’m like, ‘Hey, I always wanted to try it’. I was just completely like, ‘OK, I guess this is all my path’. When I worked there, I really enjoyed it.”

Following two years on the construction site in New Zealand, Ross returned home to pursue a career in trades.

Starting with non-union work, Ross eventually found a union to finish her apprenticeship as one of the few women in the field and was awarded for top grades at graduation from the College of Carpenters and Allied Trades.

Ross said she may have

pivoted to trades sooner had she been offered a program like SHSM when she was in high school.

“There was no woodshop or anything,” she said. “I wasn’t really exposed to it. I really like visual art. And so I should have made the link that I would like something kind of hands-on, artistic and dexterous.”

While the industry has evolved over the years, Ross admitted it was tough to break into trades as a woman despite her qualifications.

“I’ve been told outright that women don’t belong here,” she said. “I had a hard time getting hired when I first started again in New Zealand during my first term.”

The initial roadblocks weren’t enough to deter Ross and she persevered until her skills shone through.

“One thing I hear a lot of women say is that they have to work twice as hard as men,” said Ross.

“I never felt like that. I felt like I was respected for being a hard worker across the board, and I never felt like I was working harder to prove anything... However, I know that right off the bat, people just assume I didn’t know anything until they got to know me.”

She said that is something she also faces when first teaching trade skills in the classroom.

“Anytime I started at a new school, the first few weeks in my first semester, there was always pushback, or an assumption that a 16 year old would know more,” said Ross with a laugh.

With more than 10 years of experience, having started her own business as well as forging connections across various sectors in trades, Ross arrived at Neil McNeil with a tailor-made skillset to prepare students for a similar career path to her own.

Ross’ program and curriculum are as unique and varied as she is.

With a three-pronged approach that includes practical, hands-on learning, partnering with local businesses, such as Don Fry Scaffold Services Inc., and culminating with students attaining key certifications through the SHSM program and real-world experiences by working with the Carpenters Union, Local 27, her program paves the way for the students to find employment after graduation.

Ross’ students, including Paolo Di Carlo, Saad Mdwar and Makhi Minott have praised her approach

to teaching and are able to flourish despite different levels of experience working with their hands and using power tools.

“It’s just very hands-on and we do a lot of different kinds of projects,” said Di Carlo. “Most classes you focus on one thing, and that’s really all you do every year but in this class you’re exposed to a lot of different stuff.”

“I started this year, so it was like a very scary thing,” said Mdwar. “I did not want to use most of the equipment but I ended up liking it.”

Despite his initial trepidation, Mdwar can now envision a career in trades, perhaps as an electrician.

With the ongoing housing crisis as well as the plethora of construction projects across the city, Ross understands the need to bolster the ranks of tradespeople with eager and well-prepared skilled workers.

“The need for workers clearly exists,” said Ross.

Even in her first year, Ross is seeing the impact and traction her program is having.

“Last year, there was one in Grade 12, who graduated with construction. And this year, we have 25 in the program and all of them have told me they want to go into trades.”

PHOTO: AHMED DIRIE

Neil McNeil Catholic High School’s Nicole Ross, left, with students Saad Mdwar, Makhi Minott and Paolo Di Carlo.

Herbs, creams, tinctures, essential oils, salves, soaps, teas,

Community Calendar

JUNE 16: Bloom on The Beach – A Celebration of James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’, starting at Beaches Library, 2161 Queen St. E., 9:30 a.m. Bloomsday Brunch at the Balmy Beach Club, 360 Lakefront, 12:30 p.m. Recreating Dublin 1904 with readings, music, song, and merriment. Info: www.torontobloomsday.com

JUNE 17: Kew Beach Lawn Bowling Club & Croquet Open House, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Try it for free. Coaching and equipment provided. All ages welcome. Info: kewbeachlbcinfo@gmail.com, 416-694-4371, www.kewbeachlbc.ca

JUNE 17: Historical Walk with Beach Metro News history columnist, Gene Domagala, 1 p.m. Starting at St. Saviour’s Anglican Church at the corner of Main St. and Swanwick Ave., this walk wends its way through the neighbourhood, ending at Calvary Baptist Church.

JUNE 17: Slobberfest at the Leuty Pavilion on the Boardwalk, foot of Lee Ave., 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Hosted by Community Centre 55. Join the Pack Parade at 9 a.m. for a chance to be crowned Slobber King or Queen. Contests, vendors and more. Dogs must be leashed. Info: Jade 416-691-1113 ext 224, jade@centre55.com

JUNE 17: BBQ / Fundraiser at Royal Canadian Legion, 243 Coxwell Ave., starting at 1 p.m. BBQ, two raffles. Live band: Livewire. Admission free.

JUNE 17: Bluffs Gates Open Home & Garden Tour, 10 a.m.4 p.m. Tour some of Scarborough’s most beautiful homes and be inspired with new and creative ideas for your own home and garden. Meet television personality and gardening expert Frankie Flowers, who will be on hand to answer your gardening questions. Tickets $40. All proceeds from the tour support The Scarborough Health Network (SHN) Foundation and healthcare in Scarborough. Tickets and info: www.bluffsgatesopen.com. More info: ftorres@shn.ca

JUNE 17, 18: Art Guild of Scarborough Spring Show at Centennial Recreation Centre, 1967 Ellesmere Rd., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Parking and admission free. Refreshments.

JUNE 18: Organ Recital by Eric MacKeracher at Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Rd., 2 p.m. Works by Sweelinck, Buxtehude, and Bach. Tickets $20. All proceeds to the Roof Fund.

JUNE 18: Beach Triangle Streetfest on Dixon Ave., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free bike tune-ups, hot dogs & burgers, live DJ, local beekeeper, karate demos, family games, plant exchange, and lots more! Father’s Day ‘DADlympics’ fatherfriendly games at 1:30 p.m. Info: info@bigrealestate.ca

JUNE 20: AbZolutely Choir Toronto Upper Beach presents a Year-End Concert in support of Kingston Road United Church ‘Raise our Roof Campaign’ at Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Rd., 7 p.m. Tickets $15 (from choir members or at the door), free for children 12 and under. Info: www.abzolutelychoir.ca, www.kruc.ca

JUNE 21: Scarborough Harmony Chorus presents a Community Concert at Scarborough Bluffs United Church, 3739 Kingston Rd., 7:30 p.m. Featuring SCH and Quartets. Doors open at 7 p.m. Entry by donation. Coffee & tea to follow. SHC is a non-profit, women’s chorus singing a cappella music in four-part harmony. Info: www.scarboroughharmonychorus.com

JUNE 21: Mark Battenberg and St. Saviour’s present The Cosmic Dancer: A Musical Meditation for the Summer Solstice at St. Saviour’s Anglican Church, 43 Kimberley Ave., 8 p.m. Beaches composer/guitarist Battenberg performs original guitar compositions and narratives that tell the story of the Cosmic Dancer, whose legends can be found in mythologies around the world. Free. All welcome. Please bring non-perishable food items for the food bank.

JUNE 25: Sunday Funday at RCL Br. 11, 9 Dawes Rd., Clubroom, 1-7 p.m. Entertainment: Bernie from Hogtown Country 2-6 p.m. Dinner at 4 p.m. Dinner tickets $15.00 p/p (cut off date June 23), sold at the Bar or Susan Squires 647657-8817. You need not purchase a meal ticket to attend, but if you do, half your ticket goes towards a door prize.

JULY 1: East York Canada Day Parade begins at Dieppe Park, 10:30 a.m. followed by a full day of programming at Stan Wadlow Park, featuring children’s activities, rides and games, vendors, food trucks, and live entertainment! We welcome back Joe Motiki as MC for the day. Award winning Muddy York Brewery will once again host our beer garden. The day ends with a spectacular fireworks display at 10 p.m. provided by the City of Toronto. Info: www.eycdc.ca

Juniper Avenue

Waverley Road

Scarborough Road

Balsam Avenue Willow Avenue

Lawlor Avenue

JULY 1: Canada Day 2023 at RCL Todmorden Branch 10, 1083 Pape Ave., 1-6 p.m. Come on out to a fun filled Patio Party and celebrate Canada! Outdoor BBQ, Games, Jelly Bean Guess and Amazing Raffles Prizes. Raffle tickets may be purchased starting June 12 at the clubroom bar during normal operating hours. DJ Jose will be playing tunes from 1-3 p.m. Karaoke with Bill will be from 3-6 p.m. All welcome!

JULY 18: Bus Tour (one-day) to Canada’s Wonderland. Pick-up/drop-off locations are Main Street subway station / Stan Wadlow / O’Connor & Bermondsey and so on. Enjoy rides, thrills, water slides and so on. It will be an enjoyable day tour for everyone. Bus-only price: $68 per person. Register online at https://forms.gle/arQUZR5S9kPoD1Hm9. Info 647-351-6699, EastYork@Expediacruises.com

BARD IN THE PARK presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Kew Gardens, June 12-18. Performances Mon-Sat 7 p.m., Sat-Sun 2 p.m. ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, 243 Coxwell Ave. •Seniors Luncheon and Swing Band, 1 p.m. $5 for lunch, free for seniors 65 and over and veterans. June 13 is last luncheon for the summer. •Bingo every Sunday 1:304:30 p.m. in the Club Room. Please arrive 10 minutes earlier to get cards and a seat. •Patio Grand Opening on June 17 (weather permitting), 12 p.m. Live BandLivewire 2 p.m. BBQ starts at 2 p.m. Info: 416-465-0120 COMMUNITY TAKEAWAY LUNCH - Thursdays at Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave., 11 a.m.-12 noon. Hunger does not stop for the summer, so we at Beach United are planning to continue to provide a takeaway lunch that will include a sandwich, a piece of fruit, and a baked treat.

This is welcome to anyone in need of a nutritious meal. We would also very much appreciate your support towards our food programs - donate online at beachunitedchurch.com

BEACHES PICKLEBALL COACHING is running three Learn to Play Pickleball Clinics for Beginners at the Claremont School, 70 Silver Birch Ave., June 21, 23 or 28. The times to choose from are 5:15-7:15 p.m. or 7:30-9:30 p.m. Must be 19+. $40 includes 2 hours of instruction and game play. Contact: info@paddlesuppickleball to register. BEACH PHOTO CLUB offers a range of activities including guest speakers, mentorship, opportunities to share your work, photo excursions, competitions, practical seminars and more! We meet the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from September to June, 7-9:30 p.m., at Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave. (unless specified in program). Info: beachphotoclub.com or email beachphotoclub@gmail.com

BEACHES MENTAL WELLNESS GROUP meets Tuesdays, 7 p.m. at Community Centre 55, 97 Main St. (at Swanwick). Info: www.mentalwellness.help. Or join us most nights of the week on Zoom. Go to: https://www.meetup.com. Ask to join us: Mental Wellness Peer-to-Peer Support-Groups

CHURCHES

FALLINGBROOK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 35 Wood Glen Rd. (at Kingston Rd.). Please join us on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Angela J. Cluney. All are welcome. There is a welcoming service. Join on Live Stream via Facebook or access Live Stream on our church website. For details about Wee Folks, Book Club, Tea Time, Hobby Circle and Bible Study, email fboffice@rogers.com or call 416-699-3084. See: www.fallingbrookpresbyterianchurch.com. Easy access by TTC. ST. JOHN’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, 794 Kingston Rd., 2 blks. east of Main St. Weekend Masses: Sat. Vigil at 4:30 pm, Sun. 9 & 11 am. Weekday Masses with Rosary: Tue.Fri. Doors open and Rosary begins at 7:45 am followed by Mass at 8:15 am. Confessions every Sat 3:45 to 4:15 pm or by appt. Info: https://stjohnsto.archtoronto.org/, 416-698-1105

BIRCHCLIFF BLUFFS UNITED CHURCH, 33 East Rd. (Warden Ave. & Kingston Rd.) Sundays @ 10:30 a.m. We are a diverse, open and inclusive Christian community. Join us on Sunday mornings. Our Music program offers special monthly Music Sunday services on the last Sunday of each month. Info: 416-694-4081, www.bbuc.ca

GRANT AME CHURCH, 2029 Gerrard St E. All are welcome every Sunday from 11 a.m. to worship service inperson, Facebook, ZOOM, or YouTube livestream with Pastor Kenesha Blake-Newell. Join us on our prayer line every Wednesday from 11 a.m.-12 noon. Bible study on ZOOM every Wednesday at 7 p.m. We provide non-perishable food, fresh fruits and vegetables on Fridays from 3:30- 6 p.m. at our food bank located in our fellowship hall. Registration is required. New clients must present identification for each household member. Links and info: www.grantame. com, email:grantamechurch@yahoo.ca, 416-690-5169

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST NORWAY Anglican Church, 470 Woodbine Ave. Welcome to St. John the Baptist Norway, a growing community which enjoys the Anglican expression of the Christian faith. We gather to connect with one another and worship God Sundays, 10:30 a.m. in-person/livestream and at 5 p.m. in-person for The Table, a contemporary service followed by a simple community supper. Our Food Pantry is open Mondays, 10 a.m.-12 noon. Join us on Sunday June 25th after our 10:30 a.m. service for St. John’s Fest! There will be a BBQ, bouncy castle, face painting and much more! Info: stjohnsnorway.com, 416-691-4560

KIMBOURNE PARK UNITED CHURCH, 200 Wolverleigh Blvd. All are welcome! •Sunday Worship Service: 10:15 a.m. in-person & via Zoom •Yoga (indoors): Sundays 2:30 p.m. for people of all abilities (pay what you can) •Free Community Meal: June 18, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (3rd Sunday of every month) • Volunteers needed. Start today! •Solstice Service: June 20, 7-8 p.m. •Games Night: 5-10 p.m. (Second Sat of every month) pizza & pop for purchase •Garden Together: Wed@6pm & Sun@2pm (volunteer based) •Food Drive: Donation baskets outside main doors 24/7-given to Nourish East End Food Bank •Artisan Market: July 9.

Vendors Wanted! •Buzzin Bees Summer Camp for Ages 5-12 (July 31-Aug 4) half days •Info: Church office (Mon/ Tues/Fri) 416-461-7200, office@kpuc.org, www.kpuc.org

ST. AIDAN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 2423 Queen St. E., welcomes you to join us for Sunday worship at 8:30 am in person, or at 10:30 am (with children & youth programs) in person or on Zoom. Wednesdays: Mid-week service, 10:30 am. Our energetic, active church offers varied opportunities for spiritual growth, vibrant Children’s and Music programs, Youth activities, and a strong commitment to action on social justice and environmental issues. Info: www.staidansinthebeach.com, 416-691-2222 BEACHES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 65 Glen Manor Drive. (S of Queen). We are an inclusive and affirming congregation in the heart of the Beach. BPC has strong commitments to community service and social justice issues. We provide non-perishable food for those in need through our Free Food Pantry located outside the church building. Our Refugee Commitee has been in operation for many years helping families and individuals arrive and start a new life in Canada. On the 2nd Wednesday of every month we host a Coffee Outreach from 1-3 p.m., an opportunity for people in the neighbourhood to gather for coffee, snacks and fellowship. Info and links: www.beacheschurch.org or call 416-6995871. Minister: The Reverend Katherine McCloskey SALVATION ARMY EAST TORONTO, 107 Cedarvale Ave. Sunday Morning Worship, 11 a.m. Other activities include Over 60 program, Ladies Fellowship, Community Lunch, Men’s Breakfast, Scrapbooking, Bible Study. Venue is wheelchair accessible. Info: 416-467-7416

St. Denis Catholic School welcomes Pride Month with flag raising, dancing

THE PRIDE celebration at St Denis Catholic School on May 31st was as colourful, joyful and exciting as one can imagine with a yard full of children waving rainbow flags.

The students, wearing designated colours by class to create a human rainbow, attentively listened to former Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, who opened her speech at St. Denis Catholic School with a beautiful analogy about gardens that have multi-coloured flowers in it.

And even if someone were to try to plant just one type of flower in their garden, little dandelions and other flowers would come out. “I think that the way nature creates us is what we should be celebrating,” stated Wynne. “Nature looks for difference, nature looks for all of the beauty that difference brings us,” she added.

The event included speeches by school principal Anthony Pauk, who has been instrumental in making this momentous Pride celebration possible.

Pauk has proven himself to be a true ally working with the parent volunteers who make up the Pride Team, a subcommittee of the school’s Equity Circle.

Vocal performance

There were signature elements such as a countdown for a massive Pride flag drop, an ice cream truck, and a vocal performance led by Andrea Henry, who movingly interpreted the song Live Your Story with the help of the students.

New to this year’s ceremony, was the unveiling of a unique art installation, clearly visible from Spruce Hill Road, consisting of an impressive mosaic of the Progress Pride flag made up of hundreds of pieces of Prideinspired artwork by the St. Denis students.

One of the most relevant moments of the celebration took place when two St. Denis parents shared the following:

“Our names are David and Laurent. He is Daddy, I am Papa and as gay dads, we have been blown away by how welcoming, inclusive and progressive this school community has been to our family. This celebration is particularly important for any student who feels different or feels that they don’t belong…Because actually, not only are you welcome, and belong, but you are loved and valued, no matter who you are.”

Show Your Colours Show

A former and much-loved teacher from St. Denis, Wendell Isidor, came back specifically for the celebration.

He led the Show Your Colours Show, which was an opportunity for the students to walk or dance and celebrate who they are in front of their peers. His electrifying energy as an MC got the awaited DJ party started.

Celebrating Pride in 2023 may not seem newsworthy, but unfortunately there is still a lot of work to be done.

As one of the organizers of the event, I am reflecting on how I wasn’t born waving the Pride flag. I wasn’t brought up surrounded by the most progressive mentalities, and yet here I am, passionately searching for ways to ensure the safety and dignity of all people.

At the end of the day, I know I can’t change anyone. The message I would like to send is simply a reminder that each person has the power to stretch themselves, to engage in meaningful and respectful discourse, and to experience the reward of… being inclusive.

-- Ofelia Loret de Mola

Brian Chaput* Dianne Chaput* Colette Villamizar* Pauline Wong* Chestnut Park® Real Estate Limited, Brokerage | chestnutpark.com | *Sales Representative

PHOTO: DONNA BRAYBROOK

St. Denis Catholic School in the Beach celebrated the arrival of Pride Month in June with a flag raising and DJ dance party at the school on May 31.

Kingston Road Village Spring Festival fun

Photographer Kerry Hayes’ Sticks and Stone exhibit now on

LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Kerry Hayes will be presenting his latest exhibition, Sticks and Stone, from June 13 to Aug. 20 at The Porch Light Café in the Kingston Road Village.

Hayes is considered to be one of the top feature film still photographers in the world, and has worked on more than 90 movies and is Canada’s most sought after movie photographer.

Originally from New York City, Hayes has lived in the Beach for more than 30 years.

Movies Hayes has worked on in his more than 35-year career include The Legends of the Fall, Spotlight, the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water, and Nightmare Alley.

The Sticks and Stone exhibit highlights some of Hayes’ recent photography of trees and rocks, and how they evolve over time.

“Trees sprout, grow old and die over a period from hundreds to thousands of years. They decay and return to the earth becoming the soil from where they came,” he said.

“Rock is formed, exposed, erodes over thousands to millions of years as it too inexorably breaks down into so much sand and dust.”

Hayes said the photos in

The photos above and at right were taken by Kerry Hayes in the Glen Stewart Ravine and are part of his Sticks and Stone exhibition at The Porch Light Cafe.

his current exhibition came about over a period of time, and was not something he had consciously set out to shoot.

“I noticed my eye was attracted to various visual characteristics of these two elemental and ubiquitous subjects, and their processes of decaying life cycles that despite their differences often rendered a surprising visual similarity,” he said.

The photos are taken from locations both near and far,

including a number from the nearby Glen Stewart Ravine located south of Kingston Road.

The exhibit is now on and will continue during opening hours at the The Porch Light Café, 982 Kingston Rd. There will be an artist’s reception with Hayes on Sunday, June 25, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Porch Light Café.

For more information on Hayes and his photography, please visit www.kerryhayesphoto.com

Beach Triangle Streetfest slated for Sunday, June 18

area

The

PHOTOS: ALAN SHACKLETON

There were numerous events and activities taking place at the Kingston Road Village Spring Festival this past Saturday. Photo above, Ella, Poppy, Aiden and Paxton in front of the Ella Minnow Children’s Book Store. Photo below right, Sebastian, 3, works on an art creation in the tent by Kingston Road United Church. Photo below left, Sloane, 4, shows her artwork.

THE SEVENTH annual Beach Triangle Streetfest is set for Dixon Avenue on Sunday, June 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The festival is presented by The Barrett Inward Group.

event brings the community located in the

bounded by Kingston Road, Queen Street East and Woodbine Avenue together for fun games, entertainment, vendors and more.

Black Lives Here

Beacher Alia Francisco helping empower young girls

There is so much external noise surrounding us that it becomes difficult to remember what really matters.

We live in a time with more information on any and every given topic. We have more access to this than ever before, and yet we as a species still find it so challenging to learn how to cultivate peace – as a collective and as individuals. So, what do we do about it?

What I learned from my conversation with Alia Francisco, founder of Manifest with Alia, is that in a world that constantly says, “GO!” every now and then, we need to “STOP!”.

Alia teaches yoga, coaches one on one with a program she calls, Soul Care, and runs a girls empowerment program she created called, empowHER. She is also a trained doula, wife, and mother of three girls.

When you meet Alia, she is calm and friendly, but what shapes her personality

is her openness and generosity of spirit. Alia grew up in the Beach as one of four daughters of immigrant parents from Guyana. Though her parents were from affluent families in Guyana, Alia’s family saw their share of financial struggles while she and her sisters were growing up.

Alia shared, “We had hardships in our upbringing, lots of moving around. Moving from home to home which had a sense of uncertainty in our childhood. And also, by comparison our friendships and households that I would visit just felt like such a contrast.

So, I think that there was certainly embodied inferiority in that experience, or a sense of being ‘othered’.”

Though those times were undeniably difficult, what stuck with Alia was that she was taught to focus on who she was on the inside.

“My dad was always a big dreamer, big thinker, we grew up with a lot of spirituality in our home,” she said.

“We were always taught that our circumstances didn’t define us. There was that juxtaposition of what we were going through but also this mindset of the sky’s

limit for you.”

As a young Black girl in a predominantly white neighbourhood, Alia reflected on how sometimes she wanted to blend in more. “I think it was observation of my environment that there weren’t a lot of other people that looked the same way as me. On playdates it would always be the same group of people, and I don’t think it was a conscious awareness

until it was. And then I became aware that everybody wanted to fit in, and it was the era of you had the same backpacks, or the same hairstyle…”

The desire to fit in never really leaves us. It’s deeply rooted in our biological need for survival. As we grow older and more experienced, we can navigate social challenges better, but when you’re young and your envi-

ronment doesn’t fully reflect what you see in the mirror it can be cumbersome.

“I remember personally as a child; I did not want the topic of race to come up. I didn’t want people to draw attention to the fact that I was Black and different from other people. It made me feel so uncomfortable,” said Alia.

These days Alia seems very comfortable in the skin she’s in.

She is raising her three girls with the same tools to navigate the world that she teaches at her empowHER program. Girls in the program range from nine to 13 years old, and they engage in conversations about how to manage social media, body image, and confidence while learning somatic techniques to help ground them such as yoga and breath work.

At home, Alia and her husband also help the girls process conversations around race. “It’s all about empowering them to see themselves as capable of doing anything in the world. And creating a foundation of trust, so that when situations arise, they’re leading the conversation, and

when they have questions around things coming up then we navigate that. . . I speak about ruling from love versus hate, or fear rather. I believe it (racism) happens because people are afraid and have fear around losing a position of power. And when you have fear, you want power over, control over.”

This explanation made perfect sense to me and though from an intellectual standpoint most people understand it, there is still a lot of denial when the question of fear or control is directed at an individual. As long as the onus is on “society” and not us as individuals, nothing will truly change.

We have to face our fears and insecurities in order to overcome them.

Facing our vulnerabilities is not easy. When I asked Alia how she gets through facing things that scare her the most she said, “What scares me the most is the persuasive nature of my own limiting beliefs. I get through it through prayer and devotional practices of self-awareness.”

Limiting beliefs can encompass many things. We

Continued on Page 13

PHOTO: MIMI LILIEFELDT

Alia Francisco is the founder of Mainfest with Alia and runs the empowHER program for girls. the

Stopping to re-evaluate can bring sense of serenity

‘Beacher’ from Page 12 are fed all kinds of harmful messages from a wide range of sources, and thanks to the pervasiveness of those messages they can also enter our own consciousness.

For many Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, these limiting beliefs can become part of our narrative.

When people say diminishing ignorant things enough times, either to you or about others who look like you, it can chip away at your confidence.

On the flip side, having only lived in Canada, I was amazed to hear Alia speak of her mother’s experience as a mixed-race woman in Guyana.

“My mom actually wanted to be blacker. She actually tried to get her skin to be darker, she tried to afro her

hair. She never felt like she was Black enough,” shared Alia.

“That was her lived experience because that was the presentation of beauty in Guyana. It was blacker, bigger hair, afros. So, she never felt accepted. This is when you really recognize that race is a social construct. It (beauty) is a standard that doesn’t cross over by culture. Depending on where you are, you are the standard of beauty. To recognize that is so empowering, because it really is arbitrary.”

Hearing this elated me. Many of us have struggled with our sense of place and ultimately our worth based on what is really only skin deep.

Pausing to reflect on these truths helped re-anchor me.

Alia shared with me how she cultivates peace within herself.

“Prayer, breath-work, yoga, meditation, journalling, nature, close relationships with family and friends. Prayer is not about dogma and organized religion but about surrendering to a higher power of your own understanding.

Be that the energy of love, nature, the universe, your highest self, passed ances tors, etc. that you believe to be guiding you through your journey through life,” she said.

We often go with the flow of our environments but stopping every so often to re-evaluate, to allow ourselves the grace of a mind and body reset, that can really help bring us a step closer to serenity.

Concert for Kingston Road United’s Raise Our Roof

A CONCERT in support of the Kingston Road United Church Raise Our Roof fundraising campaign is set for the evening of Tuesday, June 20.

Presented by the AbZolutely Choir Toronto Upper Beach, the concert will begin at 7 p.m. at the church, 975

Kingston Rd. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased from choir members or at the door on the night of the concert. Children 12 and under will be admitted for free.

For more information on the concert, please go to www.abzolutelychoir.ca

Fun. Family. Fitness

Art Guild of Scarborough show THE ART Guild of Scarborough holds its Spring Art Show on June 17 and 18 at the Scarborough Centennial Centre, 1967 Ellesmere Rd. For more info, go to https://theartguildofscarborough.com/upcoming-shows

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HEALTH

DR. KARIN RUMMELL & ASSOCIATES OPTOMETRISTS

1914 Queen St. E. (E. of Woodbine) Mon.- Sat. by appointment 416-691-5757

BALSAM DENTAL Family Dentistry * Open 6 days a week * * Evening hours available * New patients always welcome 2200 Queen St. East (at Balsam) 416-691-8555 www.balsamdental.com

BEACHES OPTOMETRY CLINIC

Dr. Linda Chan, Optometrist and Associates 951 Kingston Rd. (West of Victoria Park) 416-691-1991

DR. LINDA WINTER Psychologist Consultations • Therapy

Individuals • Couples Over 20 years experience. Located at Queen & Wheeler 416-691-1071

Dr. Linda Iny Lempert Psychologist & Psychoanalyst

Individuals & Couples Services disponibles en français Insurance Coverage 47 Main Street (at Lyall Ave) 416-694-4380 www.drlempert.ca

PSYCHOTHERAPY

Tara Shannon

579 Kingston Rd (corner Main) 416 698-6960 tara@tarashannon.ca

WELLNESS missfit.ca

in-home personal trainer 416 888 6465 mimi@missfit.ca

SPIRITUAL

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT Bert van Delft

Complete financial services for the business owner, manager, entrepreneur & self-employed Corporate and Personal Income Tax Services Bus: 416-270-9898 98 Scarboro Beach Blvd.

William F. Deneault Chartered Accountant

• Corporate & Personal Tax

• Specializing in small to medium business

• Financial advice

21 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 502 Tel: (416) 962-2186

Monica Dhanraj RN REIKI MASTER/SPIRITUAL HEALER Golden Energy Healing Transformation ~~Raise your awareness of self~~ soulconnections11@outlook.com 647.887.5501

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Kriens LaRose, LLP

Chartered Professional Accountants

• Accounting services for owner-managed businesses.

• Personal and corporation income tax preparation.

• Audit and consulting services for not-for-profit organizations www.krienslarose.com 416-690-6800

Melani Norman CPA, CMA Accounting Issues and Systems, Bookkeeping, Personal and Corporate Taxes Call 416-471-0337

COUNSELLING

Catherine Allon, BSc, MEd Caring Solutions for Life & Relationship Issues 416-694-0232

www.energyawakening.com

Spiritual Counselling

Susan

CHRISTINE KATO, B.Sc., D.V.M. KATO ANIMAL HOSPITAL 2830 Danforth Ave. (East of Dawes Rd.) 416-690-2112

Dogs, cats, pocket pets. Housecalls available.

Carolyn Dallman Downes Registered Psychotherapist

Kirsten Johnson B.Sc, DipTIRP, RP

Psychotherapy for Individuals/Couples

LGTBQ+ / Anxiety / Depression more... Insurance welcome BeyondTheBlueTherapy.com

Emily C. Larimer CPA, CGA BOOKKEEPING & PERSONAL TAX RETURNS INCLUDING TAXES IN ARREARS Call: 416-693-2274 emily@eclarimercpa.com www.eclarimercpa.com

Patrick Ruiz Professional Corporation CPA, CA An accountant you can count on For your Small Business Self-employed income & investments Real Estate Rentals 647-300-4062 • patrick@prtaxcpa.com

Dashwood & Dashwood

Barristers & Solicitors

Geoffrey J. Dashwood 961 Kingston Rd. Tel. 416-690-7222 Toronto, M4E 1S8 Fax. 416-690-8738

Snider & DiGregorio Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries. 978 Kingston Road, Toronto, Ont., M4E 1S9

Tel: 416-699-0424

Fax: 416-699-0285 Email: info@sdlegal.ca

O’Reilly, Moll & Mian Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries Public

300 Main Street 416-690-3324

DENISE BADLEY-CASTELLO

Barrister, Solicitor, Notary Family • Wills & Estates Real Estate 2069 Danforth Ave. (Woodbine) 416-690-6195 dbadleylaw@rogers.com

KATHRYN WRIGHT

Barrister & Solicitor Family Law & Mediation 416-699-8848

2239 Queen Street East www.kathrynwrightlaw.com kathrynwrightlaw@gmail.com

HOUGHTON VETERINARY HOUSECALL SERVICES

Vaccines, examinations, diagnostics, palliative care, and home euthanasia provided for your pets in the comfort of your own home.

Dr. Barbara Houghton 647-221-5516

GARRY M. CASS BARRISTER & SOLICITOR, TEP Wills/Estate Administration/Advice to Estate Trustees 416-767-CASS (2277) x 207 416-795-4899 (cell) 416-491-0273 (fax) garry@garrycass.com

Glover & Associates

Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries Real Estate, Family, Litigation Wills & Estates, Corporate 416-691-3700 Queen and Hammersmith

Beaches Family Law and MEDIATION

Linda Bronicheski, J.D. 47 Main Street (at Lyall) 416-763-6884 Linda@BeachesFamilyLaw.com

Shelly Pereira, Paralegal

Commissioner/Notary, Small Claims, Landlord & Tenant/other Tribunals, Municipal Offences, Letters & Mediation. Call for a Free 30 min. Consultation 647-693-6240 Toronto info@toronto-paralegal.net

Peter J. Salah Family Law Lawyer 124 Merton Street, Suite 300 We Collaborate, Negotiate & Litigate 416.752.8128 peter@salahlaw.ca www.salahlaw.ca

KAMRULHAFIZAHMED

REAL ESTATE LAWYER 416 690 1855 [P 416 690 1866 [F 2972 DANFORTH AVE.

QUINN Family Law

Shelley C. Quinn, LL.B., LL.M. (Family Law) 662 Broadview Ave. t. (416) 551-1025 www.QuinnFamilyLaw.ca

Janet D’Arcy DC, FRCCSS (C) Chiropractor Sports Injury Specialist 2455A Queen St. East 416 690-6257 Open Saturdays

John H. BJARNASON, D.C. Chiropractor 1906 Queen St. E. (1 block east of Woodbine) 416-694-2868

BEACHES WELLNESS CENTRE Dr. Johanna Carlo Chiropractic & Registered Massage Therapy 2130 Queen Street East 416-698-7070

ASHBRIDGE’S HEALTH CENTRE

Dr. Emily Howell & Associates Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Orthotics ashbridgeshealth.janeapp.com 1522 Queen St. E. 416-465-5575 www.ashbridgeshealth.ca

MASSAGE THERAPY

advancedapproaches massage.com Su Willson, B.MUS, R.M.T. & ASSOC 927 Kingston Rd. (W. of Vic Pk) • Open 7 Days a week • Voted “#1 Spa and Best Massage Therapist in Toronto” 416-694-6767

Cell: 416-702-7131

Fax: 647-243-2482

Stephen G. King, Architect B. Arch. OAA, MRAIC “Serving the Beach since 1987”

Residential, Restorations, Home Inspections, Commercial, Interiors, Landscapes

COMPLETE PROJECT SERVICES FROM DESIGN THROUGH CONSTRUCTION (416) 694-8181

www.stephenkingarchitect.com

Member Ontario Association of Architects

Design INGenuity

Modify your home in order to stay home, without moving to a retirement home. We will help you design and renovate it nicely! 416-704-5533 diane900000@icloud.com www.designINGenuity.ca

THERAPY LOUNGE Welcome to our new space! 2152 Queen Street East • Open 7 days per week • Book Online www.therapylounge.ca 416-916-7122

URBAN CALM THERAPEUTICS

Stephanie Gage, RMT Kristina Pearsal, RMT 1789 Queen St. East, Unit 6

Jen Goddard, R.M.T. Neville Park Health Group 2455A Queen St. East 416-690-6257

FUNERAL SERVICES

eco Cremation & Burial Services Inc. Life Celebrations.

Open Doors: Spiritual Matters

Beach United celebrates becoming an Affirming Community of Faith

and affirming each person’s uniqueness.

Here is our Affirming Commitment:

As we enter Pride

Month in Toronto, Beach United Church begins a new leg in our journey as a faith community.

On June 4 we celebrated becoming an Affirming Community of Faith.

For us that means being public, intentional, and explicit in our welcome of diversity and inclusiveness.

It also means that we are committed to more than hanging a Pride Flag in the window (although that is important too).

As we live into our mission and values of “Exploring Faith and Building Relationships with God, People, and the Earth,” Beach United is committed to intentional welcome and inclusion of all people in every aspect of the leadership, life, and work of our Community of Faith, honouring

We celebrate diversity by embracing people of many identities: gender identities, sexual orientations, culture, colour, age, race, differing abilities, social or economic circumstances, ethnicities, marital status, family composition, or previous faith or no-faith experience.

With open minds, open arms, and open hearts we seek to be good stewards of God’s world by committing to walk a path of mutuality, equity, and respect. Our action is guided by Jesus’ teaching and ministry: nurturing relationship and seeking justice, as we stand in solidarity with people at the margins.

As a Christian Community, we believe that what is at the core of who we are is love.

We embrace this core by learning to love self, each other, and creation with abandon, with radical wel-

come. This kind of love is generous, humble, and committed. It does not require grand gestures; indeed, it is often best understood in simple acts of kindness: from picking up garbage on the street as a sign of faith in community to using a person’s identified pronouns to honour their sense of self. Being deliberate in creating spaces that are safe(r) and welcoming to diverse people sets us on a public course that models’ ways for all of us to be good neighbours.

In a world that does not always welcome diversity, we encourage the Beach Community to walk this journey with us; and what better time than Pride Month to take up that call!

You can learn more about our Affirming commitment at Affirming Community of Faith - Beach United Church Happy Pride everyone!

-- Rev. Greg Daly is the minister of Beach United Church on Wineva Avenue.

Rev. GReG dAly Beach United Church

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

Members of the Malvern Collegiate girls lacrosse team celebrate winning their second straight city championship recently at the Cherry Beach fields.

Malvern girls win city lacrosse title, compete at OFSAA championships

By Kaden Campbell

THE MALVERN Collegiate Black Knights girls lacrosse team represented Toronto at the OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) championships recently in Orillia.

The Black Knights qualified for the provincial tournament, that took place on May

29 and 30, by winning their second straight TDSSAA (Toronto District Secondary School Athletic Association) city championship on the afternoon of Thursday, May 25, at Cherry Beach.

Malvern finished the regular season in first place with a record of 5-0-1 and defeated the third place, Humberside Collegiate by a score of 11-5

for the city championship.

The following Monday, May 29, the girls took their trip up north to compete at OFSAA with their first matchup against Owen Sound.

“Owen Sound was a very strong team but we held our own. There were two quarters where we held them to a tie but in the end Owen

Sound pulled off the win,” said Malvern coach Korey Brand.

The second match saw Malvern face off against Holy Cross in a must-win game where the winner would reach the quarterfinals. Malvern came up just short in a nail biter and was eliminated from championship playoff

Continued on Page 17

Monarch Park Collegiate boys win Varsity rugby city championship

The Monarch Park Collegiate boys rugby team won the city Varsity championship in a close game played on Thursday, June 1. Monarch Park beat Humberside Collegiate 22-21 in the title game played on the field at Northern Secondary School. Monarch Park’s Tyler Hamilton kicked a last-minute field goal for the win.

Robbie soccer All Star Game at Birchmount Stadium

THE 55TH annual Robbie International Soccer Tournament and Festival will take place on the weekends June 24 and 25; and July 1, 2 and 3.

The Festival is presented by the Toronto Football Club (TFC) and is for teams of players 12 years of age and un-

der. The Tournament is for teams ages 13 to 18.

Monday, July 3, will be Championship Day for the Tournament at Birchmount Stadium in southwest Scarborough. As part the events that day, The Robbie All Star Game between Team Julian

De Guzman And Team Dwayne De Rosario, former Canadian national teammates who grew up in Scarborough and played in The Robbie, takes place at 1 p.m.

For more information, please visit: https://therobbie.ca/

Team honours top players after season

‘Malvern’ from Page 16

contention. Malvern finished the tournament with a 9-6 win over Christ the King.

The Malvern girls ended their high school lacrosse season ranked ninth in the province.

The Black Knights MVP for the season was Geor-

gia Ruscitti; MIP (Most Improved Player) was Charlie Holmes; and a Special Shoutout Award was presented to Hannah Warrington who stepped up as Malvern’s goalie.

“She had never played lacrosse goalie before but held her own in net on the provin-

MP for Beaches-East York

cial stage,” said Brand.

The Black Knights roster includes: Leah Ridout, Claire Cooper, Ellie Porter, Ruby Wood, Georgia Ruscitti, Posey Thompson, Emily Ponter, Téa Lavallée, Ava Lucas, Abby Calvert, Grace Cook, Hannah Longley, Celena Mickevicius, Win McEn-

roe, Morgan Lille, Francesca Griner, Sofia Traid, Charlie Holmes, Mila Zukanovic, Nicole Barsanti, Jamie Sanford, Hannah Warrington and Kate Custance Coaches are Carter Livingstone, Korey Brand, Kathleen Holmes, Glenn McKelvey and Erin Chau.

PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON

East

York Bluesfest set for June 24

THE TORONTO East Rotary Club presents the Toronto BluesFest on Saturday, June 24, at the East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Ave.

A free event, BluesFest goes from noon to 9 p.m. and will five leading Toronto blues artists along with a youth talent session, great food, a beverage terrace, a community marketplace, and a kid’s fun zone.

“This is the third year the Toronto East Rotary Club is holding the Toronto BluesFest,” said Marion Chan, the event’s co-chair, in a news release. “It’s an opportunity for Toronto East Rotary to bring awareness to the initiatives and organizations that we support

throughout the year. More importantly, it is a way for us to bring the community together so that they can enjoy a day’s outing listening to great music and having fun.”

Kicking off the day from noon to 2 p.m. will be the Long & McQuade Youth Stage showcasing young blues musicians. Top blues artists will then perform from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Slated to perform are Danny Marks & The Bluez.FM Allstars; the Gene Hardy Trio; The Blues Miners; Root Down Trio; and Left Turn featuring blues guitarist Mike Sedgewick. Those attending are asked to bring their own lawn chairs. For more info, go to https:// torontobluesfest.com

Beach Metro Community News Lucky Volunteers for June 13

This edition, Beach Metro Community News extends its thanks to John and Trish Ambraska, and their dog Indie, who are our June 13 Lucky Volunteers.

They deliver the paper in the Eastwood Road area where they have lived since 1991. John became a Beach Metro volunteer after retiring from being a streetcar driver with the TTC for more than 35 years.

Along with our thanks, they receive a gift certificate to Fearless Meat restaurant.

If you would like to become a Beach Metro Community News volunteer carrier, please email our Distribution Manager, Melinda Drake at melinda@beachmetro. com for more info.

The construction of the Silver Birch Boathouse in 1934

By David Van Dyke

Do you have an old photo of the neighbourhood you would like to share? Please contact me at gdvandyke61@mail.com.

Hope for a brighter future for brain injury survivors

By Melissa Arauz

In 2013, Matthew Galati was well on his way to becoming a doctor when things took a terrible turn. On his way back to medical school from visiting friends and family, his car hit black ice and spun out of control, hitting a tree.

“I hit my head on either the side of the tree or the side of the car and was knocked into a three-day coma.”

Matthew suffered fractures to his skull and ribs, collapsed lungs, a damaged nerve in his face and—most critically—a brain bleed.

“When I woke up from the coma, I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t talk. I basically had to relearn everything from scratch.”

Maintaining a positive attitude, Matthew relied on his supportive family to begin his journey toward recovery with the hope of one day returning to medical school.

“My mom was at my bedside with flashcards teaching me things like basic math and how to tell time. One of my sisters was constantly researching nutrients and supplements that would be helpful in my recovery. It was really a shared experience for my whole family,” he explains.

As part of his in-patient rehabilitation program at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Matthew participated in a study where he underwent a series of intensified treatments, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, and neuropsychiatric evaluations.

“While I was doing these treatments, I also started delving into the research and finding things that I could do to improve my recovery.”

What he learned was that exercise can create new brain cells through a process called neurogenesis, which can play an important role in improving mental processing

and recovering from a brain injury.

“I took this information and literally ran with it,” he says. “I started running five kilometres every morning to prime my brain for learning and then I would go home and fill these newly created brain cells with meaningful information like reviewing my medical school notes.”

Six months later, Matthew returned to studying medicine.

“When I felt I was ready to go back to school, they were hesitant to admit me,” he states. “I rewrote one exam to prove to them that I could handle it and my mark actually improved by 15% from the year before.”

Matthew successfully completed medical school and residency training.

“Initially I told myself that once I got over this injury I would never look back because I was so ashamed of it,” he explains. “But, as time went on, my family and I realized how much I had learned and how many gaps there are in the system. I found through my unique experience as a brain injury survivor and a medical doctor that I could really help by changing the standard of care.”

Now, as the founder of Brain Changes Initiative—a national not-for-profit organization that funds ground-breaking research in the field of traumatic brain injury—Matthew is building awareness, promoting education, and offering support for brain injury patients, their families, and healthcare providers.

Once again this year, Brain Changes Initiative is partnering with Brain Canada to improve our collective understanding of traumatic brain injury (TBI) by convening thought leaders and expert stakeholders in a unique knowledge forum to be held later this year. The

knowledge exchange will then inform a transformative and original new research program, led by Brain Canada.

“There is still so much to be done to better understand the nature, diagnosis, and treatment of brain injuries. Both brain and spinal cord injuries have a significant impact on productivity, health, and quality of life,” explains Viviane Poupon, President and CEO of Brain Canada. “We are very excited for this partnership and looking forward to working together so we can support the implementation of effective health care services in Canada.”

“It’s not just about the research,” notes Matthew Galati. “The goal is to increase the research being conducted and then to translate that research to clinicians so survivors can receive the best treatment possible.”

If you’re interested in learning more about Move for Neurogenesis—Brain Changes Initiative’s annual Canada-wide fundraiser that promotes the positive effects aerobic exercise has on the brain—go to https://www.brainchanges.org/. The Move for Neurogenesis runs from June 4 to August 27.

Dr. Matthew Galati is a traumatic brain injury survivor and Founder of Brain Changes Initiative

The photo above left from the City of Toronto Archives shows the construction of the Silver Birch Avenue Boathouse in 1934. This is the furthest you can walk east along the Boardwalk. Beyond this point is sand, dogs and the R.C. Harris Water Treatment plant at the far east end of the beaches.

Studio Mooi celebrates creativity and community for participants of all ages

By Ahmed Dirie

FROM CROCHET to calligraphy and everything in between, the owner of Studio Mooi in the Kingston Road Village, Tanya Todd, has fostered a nurturing environment for artists across a range of ages, disciplines and experiences.

Launched this past November and located at 926 Kingston Rd. between Willow and Silver Birch avenues, its name is derived from the Dutch adjective for beautiful, lovely and delightful.

The arts and crafts studio stands out for its colourful exterior and unique itinerary including Studio Mooi’s monthly UFO workshop.

Short for unfinished objects, the UFO workshop captures the freeform ambience of both arts and crafts as well as the studio itself and encourages its patrons to bring in incomplete projects to finish on their terms.

With much of the necessary tools, coffee and/or tea and freshly baked banana bread courtesy of Todd’s husband provided, UFO classes attract a wide array of artists including crocheters, knitters, a leather worker and even a woman who dyes her own fabric using plants from her garden.

“It’s just a nice way for people to connect with other creative people in the community,” said Todd.

“It’s just great because you kind of get to see what other people are doing in the space where conversations kind of organically happen.”

A drama and music teacher by trade hailing from Richmond Hill, Todd left Toronto when her husband landed a job in France and spent 14 years abroad including stints in Amsterdam and New Jersey before returning and settling on Kingswood Road.

The studio’s proximity to both her residence and children’s school is what caused

her to jump to sign the lease when the space became available.

“I really wanted to just have it all at once,” said Todd.

“I wanted my kids to be able to walk from school to come and see me. I didn’t want to be stuck somewhere where I couldn’t be part of their lives. But part of it is to see them every day. I don’t want to be at a studio where I’d come home at night and they’d be in bed already. Because I went from being a stay-at-home mom to being a full-time business owner, it was really important. And just walking and getting to know the neighbourhood beforehand, I knew that this was a community that I wanted to be a part of.”

Not only does the studio provide a serene area for artists to connect and congregate, it is a safe space where they can unwind and get away from the stress of their daily lives or for those who might be somewhat introverted to express themselves.

“The idea behind the spaces is really to foster a community,” said Todd.

“And it’s great for people who also are a little bit quieter or reserved.”

Having experienced how difficult it was to make friends while abroad, particularly before she had the natural segue of children, Todd wanted to establish a space where like-minded artisans could meet each other.

“It’s really hard to meet people,” said Todd.

“I know that because even being from Toronto, and coming back because people lived here their whole life have their friends, or circles. They aren’t being rude. It’s just that they’ve already had an established set of friends and social network. Whereas if you’re sort of new, how do you find your people?”

While Studio Mooi’s patrons skew more female, the

space is open to all and will even be offering a children’s summer camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday starting in July.

Todd said that she wanted to incorporate her experiences travelling and experiencing new cultures into the camp’s curriculum followed by an end-of-week party to commemorate their accomplishments.

“It’s a full day camp and the idea is every week is a different country,” said Todd. “The kids come and they learn a little bit about the culture and then we dive right into the arts and crafts of that culture.”

Through their art, the children will experience Mexico, Rome, India, Japan and more, she said.

Not only is it a great opportunity for the children to expand their horizons, said Todd, they will associate the positive experiences at the camp with the country of origin with the hopes of fostering diversity and an acceptance of different cultures and peoples.

“As a teacher of high school students, you want to give them the knowledge, but you’ve got to sneak it in so that it’s in a fun way because people are engaged,” she said.

Since she opened, Todd said she has felt the support from the community, her

staff and family.

She said and she sees the growth of Studio Mooi as strong and she plans to remain a fixture in the Kingston Road Village for years to come.

“I always think there’s two mindsets when you start a business,” said Todd. “It’s either you surround yourself with money to be successful, or you surround yourself with people who are going to be your champions. And that’s kind of the route that I’ve taken. I try to find people who I know are going to be my champion, and I would do the same.”

“That has helped me build and grow,” she continued. “All the women who teach here have been super supportive and have been part of this journey. Some of them from the very beginning who didn’t even know there was going to be a space but just said, ‘Yes’. And then my husband, same thing. I was his champion for a very long time. So I think it’s important to surround yourself with such people.”

Registration is now open for the Studio Mooi summer camp with the first class scheduled for July 3.

To learn more about the different programs at Studio Mooi, as well as to register for the summer camp, please visit visit www.studiomooi. ca

Toronto Beaches Ribfest set for Woodbine Park this weekend

THE TORONTO Beaches Ribfest will be taking place from Friday, June 16, through to Sunday, June 18, at Woodbine Park.

Presented by the Northern Heat Rib

Series, admission to the event is free. Along with numerous ribbers and other food vendors and a beer market, the festival will include live music performances and numerous family activi-

ties. Hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday; noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday; and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, please go to www.northernheatribseries.ca

PHOTO: AHMED DIRIE

Tanya Todd celebrates arts, creativity and community at Studio Mooi at 926 Kingston Rd. in the Kingston Road Village.

C L A S S I F I E D S

25$16. 00$25. 22 BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS Tuesday, June 13, 2023

(includes HST) for the first 20 words, plus 35¢ each extra word.

Ads are available in two sizes: WORD AD BLOCK AD 1.5” wide x 1” deep (includes HST)

or Deadline for June 27 is June 19

EXACT TAX SERVICES

TIM O’MEARA TAX ACCOUNTANT 416-691-7556

Personal • small Business CorPorate • BaCk Filing (10)

INVESTMENT ADVICE & FINANCIAL PLANNING

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Expert Bookkeeping, Small business specialists, Strong on QuickBooks, Simply Accounting, “cloud computing”. A la carte services. Affordable rates. Antonella 416-464-2766 (8r)

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Home Decor

Vienna Upholstery 2358 Kingston Rd. (w. of Midland) 416-698-9000 (r)

General Services

WAYNE’S

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MR. FIX-IT

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Catering to small jobs around your home that others won’t do! Reliable & trustworthy with returning happy customers. $60 hour, one hour minimum. Call, email or text to discuss. Glenn 416-709-2930 superglenn@bell.net (8r)

CTD Handyman Services

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Call or text: 647-336-8030 (8.)

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Pet Services

Kuri K9 Massage I am a mobile Certified Canine and Feline Massage Therapist working in the Toronto area since 2013. I offer Swedish massage and other massage therapies and modalities to your fur babies in the comfort of your home. Phone/Text 416-471-3955 kurik9massage.com (9)

Pest Control

RACCOON CONTROL

Humane removal of raccoons and babies from ATTICS, DECKS, PORCHES, GARAGES, SHEDS WWW.RACCOONCONTROL.CA

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SQUIRREL REMOVAL

We remove squirrels in a humane way from attics, walls, sheds, decks, etc. 647-496-0815 www.SquirrelControl.ca (22/24)

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Music

Beaches Suzuki School of Music

We share our love of music using the Suzuki Method by providing gentle encouragement, inspiration, and musicianship in Violin and Piano. Online teaching available Ines 416 726 5729 (8r)

THE TWO FOURS

Your local Rock ‘n’ Roots Revival Band Is ready to rock your party or event.

Book your spring or summer date now. thetwofours@eol.ca • 416-690-5442 https://facebook.com/thetwofoursband

Calling all children & youth who love to sing! Join the NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING Bach Children’s Chorus. Choral performance and music literacy for ages 4-18. Rehearsals at Kingston and Eglinton. Friendly vocal assessments taking place now for Fall admission. Book today at: info@bachchildrenschorus.ca or call 416-431-0790 (8)

Tutoring

HELP WITH MATH & ENGLISH call ALBERTO 416 690 9389 for

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Address summer learning loss and COVID concept gaps by booking a 4 session summer package today! www.headstarttutors.ca 416-272-9589 • hstarttutors@gmail.com

Proudly serving the Beach for over 25 years

Neil Bennett B.Ed./OCT Sally Vickers B.Ed./OCT (8r)

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TUTOR FOR FRENCH & FI (Beach area) by high school teacher. (dept head)

Cleaning Services

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RILEYS’ WINDOW CLEANING

A family business since 1956

Window & Eaves Cleaning

Gutter Filter Installation 416 421-5758 rileyswindowcleaning.com (r)

BEACHES LAWN MAINTENANCE LAWN

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I provide excellent cleaning services for residential homes and condos.

Contact Martha @ Cell: 647-206-1415 (8$)

20+ years exp. in Public School Board, incl. AP French. Tutor for French/FI & Gr. 10 History.

German can be taught as well

Online Tutoring Available

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Special Education Specialist is available to provide expert and effective language instruction to elementary students.

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Garden & Tree

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FOUR SEASONS

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Beaches Brickworks

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CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS

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• Brick / Foundation

• Concrete / Stone

• Chimney & Parging

Restoration & Build

www.jdbuild.ca 416-738-2119 (8r)

BRICK SPECIALIST

Masonry & brickwork.

Experts at matching existing brick. New builds, tuckpointing, colour matching, parging. Stone & Block.

Call Scott @ Scotstone 416.858.2452 scotstonecontracting@gmail.com (8.)

Can Pro Mechanical

Heating cooling service & install Hvac ductwork

Furnace, boiler, hydronics

Large and small jobs 416 606 4719 (8r)

BLANK SLATE RENOVATIONS

Kitchens & bath, basement apts, doors, trim, crown molding, shelving, paint, drywall repair, tile, hardwood, fences, decks, interlock and more. Lic. & Ins. 416.274.5929 (8r)

KEW BEACH

GENERAL CONTRACTING

Kitchens - Bathrooms Basements - Doors, Windows

Garages - Fences, Decks

For all your reno needs, no job too small. Metro lic 416 824-7901 (8.)

ALANO TILE & RENO

• Expert Installation of Porcelain, Marble, Mosaic

• Over 25 years experience

• Total Kitchen & Bath Reno

• Plus Tile Repairs 416-561-8713 (15)

DRYWALL

Replacement and repair. Small to medium jobs only, please. Clean. Professional. 43 yrs experience. I won’t leave until you are 110% satisfied Please call Colin at 416-347-0974 for a free quote. (8.)

MATTCAM

CONSTRUCTION

Professional Drywall, Taping, Mudding & Painting. General repairs. Very reliable. Call Matt 647-833-2884 (13)

MAT’S HANDYMAN SERVICES Small or big, we do it all! Drywall • Painting • Tiles • Small Plumbing Jobs • Repairs of many sorts. Demolition as well. Reasonable rates. Call Mat Now!! 416 888

WATERPROOFING

FURNITURE

Purdy

Jack

Trades

NEXT DEADLINE

June 19