On Sun., Sept. 8, hundreds of participants will be turning up for the Rally for Rehab, at Toronto Rehab’s Rumsey Centre, at 347 Rumsey Rd., to show their support for the excellent work that takes place at this facility, and beyond. Leaside Life is proud to be the media sponsor.
Over our past several issues Leaside Life columnist Suzanne Park has been profiling individuals associated with the rehab centre, from talented staff to inspirational “graduates” of the program, which has helped to
change lives. For us, it’s also personal, as one of those graduates is Jeff Hohner, co-owner of Leaside Life along with Stan Flemming. Like so many others Suzanne interviewed, Jeff shared his personal story of how the rehab centre helped him return to peak athletic form.
It’s not too late to sign up to Rally for Rehab. You can easily get involved now by visiting the UHN Foundation site. In fact, why not join us at Team Leaside Life at the event? It’s been an honour to support this amazing institution. n
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Water, water everywhere! A tale of soggy Leaside
Like many Leasiders, I had a flooded basement on Tues., July 16th – one of the wettest days in Toronto’s history. I should have expected it. At least three underground streams flow beneath the community –Walmsley Brook at Bayview and Eglinton; Northlea Stream, originating near Broadway and Hanna; and Cudmore Creek between Sutherland and Moore [see Leaside Life, Sept. 2013]. This, coupled with an aging and overburdened sewer system and proximity to the Don River, makes Leaside one of Toronto’s more floodprone districts.
Watery Leaside
Flooding and other water-related problems have been common through much of our history. In 1913, the year Leaside became a town, a huge gale washed out a large portion of the roadbed at the Leaside Junction station, causing major train delays. A year later, the young Leaside diarist – Wendell Lawson – recorded that it rained three days straight in late March
29, 1948
Dr. fared no better. In early November 1937, residents complained to the town council that the street had become so mired in mud that, according to the Toronto Star, “children sank to their knees and autos to their hubcaps.”
making roads “terrible” and “frightful” with “thick mud.”
As time passed, things didn’t improve. In March 1928, Millwood Rd. was flooded with over six inches of water, stranding at least four motor cars in a ditch. Bessborough
One of the worst cases of flooding occurred in March 1942 when intense rainfall caused the Don River to overflow, inundating and isolating the Don Valley Brick Works and halting local train traffic. The following year,
A River Runs Through It:
The corner of Donlea Dr. and Rumsey Rd. after a rainstorm.
another downpour dumped “thousands of tons of water” [Toronto Star , March 17, 1943] onto the city, causing Leaside and East York to report “everybody’s cellar is
Why we took the road to Rally for Rehab
Leaside Life has been encouraging Leasiders to learn about the UHN’s cardiac, spinal and neural rehab centres, right here in Leaside, and encouraging everyone to join the UHN’s Rally for Rehab presented by BMO by registering at https:// leasidelife.com/event/rally-for-rehab/ and joining on September 8th.
Wondering how we got involved with the Rally for Rehab? There are many people to thank, yet in addition to all the donors, three Leasiders stand out: Paul Bolté, local business owner of EcoMVMNT specializing in environmentally approved products, and Stan Flemming and Jeff Hohner, owners of Leaside Life as well as other local businesses. All three were the initiators and outstanding contributors.
As with so many charitable initiatives, the road to rewards is usually the brainchild of someone who feels passionately about an issue and those who jump on board who share their enthusiasm. Paul kicked things off when he suggested to Stan that Leaside Life might be a great vehicle to bring Leasiders’ attention to these
Suzanne Park Columnist
three world-class rehab centres and also to promote the upcoming Rally for Rehab walk.
Asked how he got involved, Paul commented, “I’ve always been an advocate of a healthy lifestyle and committed to the environment. One day I was cycling down a hill in Leaside and saw the UHN centres and asked my daughter, who works in another part of UHN, about the centres. Before long I was handing out flyers in Leaside for the 2023 Rally for Rehab, which was a great success. Then, I was invited to join the 2024 committee. Realizing Leaside Life is the heart of Leaside, I approached Stan and next thing I knew Alexandra Stevenson, UHN Foundation’s events officer, was presenting at a Leaside Life editorial meeting and everyone was on-board.”
Paul added, “Many of us have needed rehab after an injury. Thankfully in my case never for anything serious, yet I love giving back and wanted to ensure Leasiders were aware of these amazing facilities and to encourage donations and participation in this worthy and fun Rally for Rehab event.”
Stan and Jeff were also all in.
“Paul is a longtime community contributor and like myself we both were aware of many Leasiders who have benefited from UHN’s rehab centres,” said Stan. “I first became aware of the centres when a former employee of mine, a young man, was a patient and graduate of the neuro centre’s program. Since then, I’ve heard of other Leasiders benefiting from the cardiac centre, many very close friends.
“Recently via Leaside Life articles, I’ve had the chance to learn about others who’ve attended the centres and about the research scientists who’ve contributed to the innovative programs. Our thanks go out to the local businesses and organizations we’ve featured on page 35. They’ve all stepped up as donors contributing to the success of the 2024 Rally for Rehab.”
Thank you, sponsors!
The platinum sponsor is TorontoLeaside Rotary Club whose marketing lead, Craig Hutchison, commented that “Leaside Rotary is proud to sponsor the UHN Rally for Rehab because it’s an exciting local Leaside event for a great cause. Leaside Rotary passionately supports local Leaside charities.”
Keep an eye out for their corn-hole game at the Rally for Rehab and be sure to try your luck again at their annual corn roast on Sun., Sept 15th at Trace Manes Park.
Book your appointments online:
Bayview and Fleming:
https://shoppersdrugmart.medmeapp.com/0982/schedule or Scan 1601 Bayview Ave | T:416-489-1873
Bayview and Broadway:
https://shoppersdrugmart.medmeapp.com/1313/schedule or Scan 1860 Bayview Ave | T:416-482-9841
Follow us on Instagram to get to know staff and keep updated on store events: @Shoppers_BayviewandFleming @Shoppers_BayviewBroadway
The Gold sponsor is Toyota on the Park. Silver sponsors include Power Soccer, Bayview Diamond , EPI Bakehouse, and well-known Leaside real estate broker Patrick Rocca. The media sponsor is Leaside Life and our community sponsor is Sport Chek. They’ve all contributed to the success of UHN’s 2024 Rally for Rehab along with many Leaside residents…like you.
Team Leaside Life looks forward to seeing you, your friends and family on Sept 8th.
Links: https://leasidelife.com/event/ rally-for-rehab • https://torontoleasiderotary.com/event/toronto-leaside-community-corn-roast. n
Niloo Saiy PharmD, CDE, RPh Associate-Owner
MANOR ROAD UNITED CHURCH
Celebrating 100 Years of Spiritual Guidance and Charitable Good Works, May 2025
Join us in person or on YouTube for a welcoming, contemporary and spiritual Sunday service at 10:30 am. Everyone is invited!
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:
HARVEST ARTISAN FAIR Sunday Sept. 22 1-5 pm
BBQ, bouncy castles, beer garden, raffles, DJ and 20+ vendors Please come out and support this FUNdraiser
FREE POT LUCK LUNCH the 1st Sunday of the Month 11:30 am
240 Manor Road East, Toronto, ON
manorroadunitedchurch.com
A gem of a place in the old Leaside Aerodome area
Remember the administrative offices of the old Leaside Aerodrome? You wouldn’t recognize the space now. A wonderful establishment has opened at 25 Commercial Rd. called Motorista Studio, which is a creative social club, event space and bookable studio. It blends artistry and engineering plus old and new, for a unique vibe. Their website describes the studio as “a world of glamour and luxury and a place where history and creativity collide.” After having had the pleasure of visiting the studio, I couldn’t agree more with this description.
The club’s founder, Allan Rocco (known to everyone as Rocco), is a civil engineer and artist originally from Mexico. The combination of these two skills and talents allowed Rocco to pursue his interest in the restoration and transformation of vintage cars. In 2022, he acquired Unit 9 at 25 Commercial Rd. and began developing it. His now business partner Ross Rixon was curious about the redevelopment activity. When Ross inquired and learned
Lisa Parker Columnist
following. The business has already hosted a variety of events such as live music, theme nights and parties, and it has been used for filming car commercials and as a backdrop for photo shoots. It also hosts artists including the creator of Neon
about Rocco’s vision for developing the space, he realized he had met a kindred spirit. Ross left his career in IT and joined Motorista full-time in November 2023.
According to Casey Juanxi Li, who researched the development of Motorista Studio for her August 2024 essay, Rocco describes Motorista as a community of artists, which it certainly is, but also much more. It has become a place where members can pursue their passion projects, mostly related to cars, often with an artistic angle. It is also a bookable studio and event space available to hold a variety of functions.
Ruxandra Stefan, Motorista’s artistic director, says, “Rocco’s work experience as a professional engineer helped him transform the building that used to be offices into an airy open space. He reused some of the items in the renovation as a nod to the Leaside Aerodrome.”
There is a historical aspect to the place. Rocco’s vintage Cadillac is inside the building and visitors are allowed to sit in it (carefully!). The car is also a very popular Instagram prop. Each Monday you can find out more about the history of the Leaside Aerodrome as Toronto history authority Jeremy Hopkin drops a story on Motorista’s Instagram feed. Since Motorista officially opened earlier this year it has gained a loyal
Demon, Jon Simo. The space allows its members to come together, seek inspiration and work on their own projects.
Many people from Leaside and beyond got to experience the venue during Doors Open Toronto at the end of May. Motorista Studio is also a host of the Viva La Leaside Street Festival on Commercial Road this coming August 31st and September 1st. Learn more at www.motoristastudio.ca n
ALLAN ROCCO
Partners Rocco and Ross
The studio at Motorista
Meet the service that could become your best PAL
by LORNA KRAWCHUK
If you’re reading the print version of this issue of Leaside Life , it might not occur to you that for reasons such as blindness, low vision, mobility or learning disabilities, others are missing out. But for those in the know, PAL is ready to come to the rescue. In fact, there are already Leasiders who have received Leaside Life in audio format for many years.
PAL is a reading service “serving print challenged people since 1975,” says the website, to provide free, human voice, spoken word information to those who need an audio format. You provide the written material, and they transform it onto a CD or digital download, which is in DAISY format, “a technical standard designed to be a complete audio substitute for print material.” Board president and volunteer narrator Danielle McLaughlin was the director of education at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. She also provides a “know your rights” segment reg-
ularly for AMI (Accessible Media Inc.), an agency she describes as a “community partner of PAL (which) entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through the offering of relevant original content.” Her involvement with PAL started when she was invited as a guest speaker to talk about “Equality for Blind Canadians.”
The first book she narrated for PAL was on the life of Elvis Presley.
Both Derek Simunovic and Mark Fielding, coordinator and assistant coordinator at PAL, respectively, both came to the agency as volunteer narrators, and then assumed paid positions when former employees were on maternity leave.
What is so special about PAL is that people who wish to use the service self-identify. And whatever material they want in audio format, it becomes theirs, with no expiry and at no cost to them. Materials recorded include novels or newspaper articles, but also such items as a lease agreement or a manual for a fire alarm. In some cases, a client has a favourite book no longer readable in print that can then be made into a DAISY format audible book. Other clients have old cassettes that need to be updated.
In a year, PAL provides 2,500 hours of material, or about 47,500 pages of material, all with live narrators.
PAL was founded in 1975 with a Federal Local Initiatives Program grant of $18,000 and incorporated as a non-profit in 1976. Its first advisory board in 1977 included Mayor (at the time) David Crombie, Marshall McLuhan and Rabbi Gunther Plaut. The current board of nine members includes five who are blind.
Derek and Mark described PAL as being in a “period of equilibrium,” sort of like a three-legged stool, with a good balance of volunteers, clients and donors. But the stool can always be strengthened with longer legs. More clients and more generous donors are always welcome. There is already a waiting list for volunteer narrators.
Danielle McLaughlin closed her 2023 annual board report with a quote from Lemony Snicket: “Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” In whatever format, books are important for everyone.
Learn more: www.palreading.org. n
MARK FIELDING
PAL narrator Heather Goode
Leaside’s Cassie Lee flew high at the Paris Olympics
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
As Canada took to the world stage this past July at the Paris Olympics, one local athlete flew high as a competitor with the women’s artistic gymnastics team.
Eighteen-year-old Leasider Cassie Lee was one of only five gymnasts chosen to represent her country and shine bright on the floor, the balance beam, the uneven bars and the vault.
Lee, who began gymnastics lessons with the East York Gymnastics Club at the age of 3, earned a spot on the Junior National Team at 14, was chosen for the Senior National Team at 16 and over the past three years represented Canada in the World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the Pan American Games.
senior Elite Canada all-around title in February 2024 after also winning gold on floor and taking silver on beam. And in June, she was chosen to represent Canada at the Olympics.
Lee states proudly and humbly that “it’s every gymnast’s dreams and goals to one day represent their country at the Olympics. It’s surreal that I was able to achieve this and to know that all the hard work and sacrifices have paid off.”
Mom Binh notes that with all the training hours, school and other commitments that her daughter was juggling, she gave her multiple opportunities to walk away from
the sport, but Cassie, she says, “never wavered.”
After taking a year off after her Grade 12 graduation in 2023, the gymnast spent the year dedicated to training with her coach Lisa Cowan in the hopes of making the Olympic team.
Bound and determined to realize her dream, Lee claimed her first
With brother Keon, mother Binh and father David cheering her on, Lee and the Canadian artistic gymnastics team were tremendously successful and qualified for team finals for the first time in 12 years. They ended up placing fifth, tying the highest Canada team placement at an Olympic final.
East York Gymnastics where Lee still trains, congratulated her, noting that “your gymnastic journey was as spectacular as its destination! You stayed centred and
OLYMPICS Page 16
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Cassie, front left, with her gymnastic teammates.
Bayview Art Tour takes it to the street
by JANIS FERTUCK
There’s a special treat in store for local art connoisseurs: the fall edition of the Bayview Art Tour and Sale on Sat. and Sun., Sept. 21 and 22, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. As the website states, the popular event aims to “shine a light on the works of local artists” and provides an opportunity for emerging and veteran artists “to develop new audiences through affordable exhibitions.”
On display will be a wide variety of art works and styles including oil and acrylic paintings, mixed media, ceramics, glass art and photography. One or more artists show their work at several different venues in the area bounded by Yonge, Laird, Broadway and East Moore Park.
The Bayview Art Tour launched in 2000 when artist Francis Craig invited several of her artist neighbours to her living room at her home on Millwood Rd. to propose they take part in a street art exhibition and sale. Over time, the informal shows in people’s homes evolved to become a well-organized community
arts event originally held in the fall. Director
contact with local arts groups in the area, more artists were invited to participate, opening their homes and studios” to visitors from the immediate neighbourhood and beyond. Since Covid, the art tour has become an outdoor event in both spring and fall with displays in gardens, yards, driveways and porches. The show’s online presence has also grown through social media, attracting more participants and visitors. “Marketing online has become the norm, using the artists’ own platforms, the group’s website and Facebook listings,” says Susan. In fact, they’ll be launching their own app in the near future. The tour, which is sponsored by local groups like Manor Road United Church, Inhabit Books and realtor Patrick Rocca, welcomes new sponsors as well.
Preparing for the two events is a year-long undertaking. Organizers meet in January to start work on the May show and in July for the fall show. Tasks include putting out a call to artists, updating the website and entry forms, preparing marketing materials and finding sponsors and venues for guest artists. As Susan says, it is a “multi-faceted process,” which requires a team of artists and volunteers.
The individual artists also require a great deal of planning and work to set up their exhibits. But as Joan McGivney, secretary of the committee, explains, the effort is worth it
ART TOUR Page 34
Artists Leslie Rowland, Christine Cho and Valerie Crowder.
Stop that station wagon!
Back to school. That was pretty well the only thing on my mind in those long, lazy days of August. In September, we’d be back at school. I know that’s not a particularly insightful comment as I suspect every other Leaside kid was thinking the very same thing and were willing those dog days of summer to pass more slowly.
But it does take me back to my time at Leaside High School. I believe it was September 1975 when I was headed into Grade 11. At the time, my twin brother and I were doing a lot of babysitting in the neighbourhood. Word travels fast among local families when you can make it through several different babysitting gigs without the basement flooding, the police being called – or worse, the fire department – and the kids surviving and sometimes even giving you good reviews. Somehow, I’d managed to make the grade, and so I was busy many Friday and Saturday nights. One family lived at the end of Cameron just steps away from the big double hill in Talbot Park that provided a natural grandstand for
the LHS football field.
But this is not a babysitting story, although it does involve the station wagon of a family for which I occasionally babysat. I remember early in the school year in 1975 – let’s say it was September since this is my September column –I happened to be sitting in the cafeteria that at the time, looked out on the football field. (I’m not certain the configuration remains the same today.) So, there I was, between classes, minding my own business, when I happened to look through the windows and saw the station wagon belonging to one of my babysitting clients (I don’t think I called them clients back then) parked at the foot of Cameron Crescent. If memory
serves me well–and it occasionally does – the father who had driven me home the previous Friday night after babysitting, was washing the car. As my eyes lingered, for some inexplicable reason – still undetermined – the station wagon started moving all on its own. All of a sudden, the car was backing up towards the entrance to the park and the top of the aforementioned double hill. It picked up speed, jumped the curb, and then hurtled backwards down the steep hill. And did I mention that no one was at the wheel? But the father was running behind it as fast as he could. On his face was a look that effectively conveyed both panic and terror in equal measures.
When the station wagon hit the bottom of the hill, you might think it would have stopped. Nope. Instead, it bottomed out in a cloud of dirt and grass just before the running track, and then carried on, still backwards, all the way across the football field, up the slight incline before finally coming to rest after gently bumping the wall of the high school itself. It looked to me like the station wagon had suffered a bit of suspension damage in its hair-raising but ultimately unsuccessful escape attempt. It listed to the left as the owner drove it slowly into the school parking lot before heading back towards home up along Hanna Road.
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I will never forget just how surreal it was to see a station wagon screaming backwards down the same hill that I often tobogganed. Now that I think of it, it is possible that it wasn’t the station wagon that was screaming but the owner racing after it. The image remains locked in my memory nearly 50 years later. Fortunately, not a soul was anywhere in the danger zone that morning, and there were no injuries of any kind, except perhaps the owner’s bruised ego for allowing such a calamity.
I do remember trying to explain to friends and classmates what had just transpired outside the walls of the cafeteria, but after the station wagon limped back home, the only indication of the mishap was some torn up grass at the foot of the hill. I had a hard time persuading others that it really happened. But it surely did, in Talbot Park, one quiet morning in September of 1975, and yes, in Leaside. n
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Fast times at Leaside’s cannabis emporia
by DAVID CRICHTON
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
It was last summer and the Bard’s quote came to mind, as I headed out of Tony’s Barbershop. Well, actually, I was toying with my own version: “Mary Jane by any other name would smell as skunky.” You see, I was passing Yerba Buena, one of Leaside’s budding (yes, pun-intended) cannabis establishments. Having spent much of my adult-ish life in advertising as a writer and creative director, I’m a sucker for a good word play.
My Spanish lessons, years ago, and subsequent fluency ordering muy cerveza while traveling though Spain should be all the tools I need to crack this code. ‘ Buena’ – well that’s easy – but ‘Yerba’…hmmm… my memory banks couldn’t recall that one. But it IS a cannabis store, after all…could it be? A quick “Hey Siri” later and my guess is confirmed. ‘Good Herb’. I like it.
Although Wikipedia does state that Yerba Buena is actually a shrub in the mint family. Not related to marijuana at all. I feel a little let down learning that. I wonder, now, if the name had anything to do with the store eventually closing.
But it got me to thinking. Just up the street is another cannabis dispensary. Farther south, another. There are, in fact, eight such shops within a roughly 1,500-metre radius of my location. And just as there is an infinite number of strain names for the fun flower itself, so too does there seem to be a plethora of funky legal business names for this once illegal business.
There’s NuLeef. Spelled so it can fit on a license plate, perhaps? How about Canna Cabana? A derivative of cannabis, and again with the Spanish. Got it. Yet all I hear is Barry Manilow belting out Copacabana in my head. There’s also Levican, Runway Pot, White Rabbit, The Happy Spliff. And it goes on. They all seem kind of “far out,” if you catch my drift. How did these names come to be? Given the product they’re selling, one can
only imagine a name generation brainstorm session like back in my boardroom. Except surrounded by friends on comfy couches rather than uptight marketing execs staring at their emails. A heavy haze hangs in the air, fueling their “creativity.”
“Hey, I think I have the perfect name…what about ‘Captain Giggle Shorts?,’” says one Bud.
“Nice one, man, but I think that URL is taken. Hey, I got one! What about ‘Bluntastic!’?”
“Oh! Oh! Or even better, ‘Bluntastically Delicious!’”
“Dude, I LOVE that!”
“I love you, man!
“I love YOU, man!”
Boy, I wish we’d had brainstorming sessions like that. And as I chuckle at my little Spicoli-inspired skit (check out Fast Times at Ridgemont High), I cross Millwood and spot Mind Flower. I pause. Ah, why not?
“Hey there, do you have any joints?”
“Pre-rolls? For sure….”
“Yeah, pre-rolled. A rose by any other name.…”
“What?”
“Nothing. Just singing to myself….”
Two minutes later, I’m out the door, oddly feeling like I’ve gotten away with committing a crime, when the ear worm comes back.
“Her name was Lola! She was a showgirl! With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there….” n
OLYMPICS From Page 10
focused with a calm confidence, kindness and positive team spirit. Poised under pressure, you have earned not only the highest technical gymnastic achievement, but you have also earned perhaps an even greater achievement …respect!!
Lee’s next adventure will begin this fall when she enters the University of Iowa on a gymnastics scholarship to study health sciences with the goal of becoming a dentist like her mom.
Congratulations to Cassie Lee and the entire Canadian gymnastics team. n
Iva Mazar’s pivot from engineering to Pilates
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
If you’ve never tried Pilates or are looking for a new class, allow me to make a personal recommendation.
Pilates is one of those “anyone can do it,” low impact-big results types of programs that people of any age, fitness level, gender, physical ability or body type can, theoretically, do.
With a great instructor, Pilates students can achieve notable results in strength, balance, injury recovery and so much more.
Iva Mazar is that instructor.
Mazar has been practising and teaching exercise classes for many years and she continues to upgrade her knowledge of both teaching methods and body mechanics.
As a teen in Croatia, she worked as a step aerobics teacher in a small studio and then as an instructor
in larger gyms. After moving to Toronto in 2017, Mazar received her certification to teach Pilates and has never looked back.
Pilates was not her first career, however. While Mazar is devoted to her work as an exercise instructor, she holds a Master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering.
For several years, Iva worked in Toronto in engineering during the day and taught Pilates in the evening.
As an instructor at Leaside Pilates on McRae, she came to love her “other life” so much that she left engineering to became a full-time instructor.
When Covid hit, Leaside Pilates did what many companies did and pivoted to a virtual format.
Clients were so devoted to the studio owner and the other instructors that they continued to “attend” classes regularly.
After the world began to reopen, the owner of Leaside Pilates decided to sell her space. Mazar jumped at the opportunity to have her own studio. But as regular clients flocked back and new customers began looking for classes, Mazar realized the studio was no longer large enough to accommodate the growing demand.
She got “very, very busy, very quickly,” she says.
And while she was working long hours on her Pilates business, Iva also enrolled in the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy to learn more about body systems as a whole and is currently in her second year of a four-year program.
She has also opened a modern, larger Leaside Pilates studio at 28 Industrial Rd. which can accommodate the group classes the old location could not.
Mazar and her staff offer private one-on-one, semi-private two-onone, and group five-on-one classes at the Industrial Rd. studio, which offers ample parking.
“Iva takes great care to know her clients, from personal goals to injuries,” says regular student Sharon Castelino. “No two classes are the same and individual exercises can be adjusted to one’s comfort level and experience.”
Want to check out Leaside Pilates? Visit www.leasidepilates.com to learn more. n
Iva Mazar Clients in the studio
Leaside traffic: the joke that’s no laughing matter
I wanted to kick off this month’s column with a joke about road construction in Leaside, but I’m still working on it ☺… No matter how hard I try, the topic of traffic in Leaside just doesn’t seem to lend itself to humour.
Carol Burtin Fripp’s May headline in Leaside Life declared, “Spring means peak construction,” and last October, she warned, “Fall means more traffic and noise.…” I used to look forward to summer –not because our family heads to a cottage, but because everyone else does. The resulting reduction in traffic felt almost blissful back then, especially when compared to what we experience on our roads today. So, we might as well add summer to Carol’s list of seasons that are unfavourable for traffic in our ’hood. On the bright side, at least we get a bit of a break from road construction during winter.
Last September, I mentioned that the Leaside Business Park Association (LBPA) had secured a grant to fund a transit construction mitigation study for the Leaside
Business Park. The goal of the study was to gather “baseline data” and recommend strategies to improve the safe and efficient movement of
goods and people, given the increasing demand for all modes of travel in this valuable industrial-zoned employment area.
Traffic congestion: a concern for residents and businesses
At its most recent networking event, held at the Amsterdam Barrel House, the LBPA announced that the study, conducted by Paradigm Transportation Solutions (Paradigm), has been completed, alongside a park-wide door-to-door canvassing campaign. During this initiative, the LBPA sent 450 invitations to local businesses asking them to participate in an online survey, knocked directly on the doors of 464 individual businesses, and collected direct feedback from 220 of them.
The study confirms what we residents already feel: traffic congestion is a significant issue at key intersections along Laird Drive and Eglinton Ave. East. Some intersections are already operating at critical levels, even before construction for the Ontario Line and the new Maintenance Service Facility truly begins. The study projects that by 2031, traffic congestion in the business park will worsen at many of these intersections if no mitigation strategies are implemented. Besides traffic congestion, pedestrian safety concerns and the lack of cycling infrastructure were also identified as areas needing improvement. Some interesting data points from the study include:
• 88% of trips to the park are from within the city
• 70% of all trips are by passenger vehicle
• 13% of all trips are by public transit
• 79% of trips are of distances 9 km or less
• 56% of passenger vehicle trips are single occupancy
• 36% of trips are for “work” while 32% are for “shopping”
Will the rubber meet the road: how will Ward 15 candidates solve the problem?
On a hopeful note, 56% of survey respondents believe that the Eglinton Crosstown and Ontario Line will improve traffic conditions in the future. However, the primary issues currently affecting public
TRAFFIC continued next page
CONTEST DETAILS:
Win a backpack filled with everything you need to get a head start on the school year. Loaded with over $300.00 of surprises!
Email : leasidelife@gmail.com and answer the skill-testing question: Where is Cassie Lee (Cover Story) going to school next year?
One entry person. Contest open from Sept. 1st to 15th, 2024. Winner will be announced in the October issue. For
transit use in the park are related to bus frequency, schedule adherence, and access, particularly due to overcrowding during peak hours.
Looking ahead, this study has been submitted to the City for review. Paradigm has identified 20 potential mitigation actions, but it remains unclear which specific follow-up actions will actually take place. Considering the growing body of research on Leaside’s transportation issues – like the Leaside Neighbourhood Transportation Plan, Laird in Focus, and the City of Toronto Cycling Network Plan –but little progress in terms of tangible results, it seems like a good time to ask Ward 15 Councillor candidates about their plans to put these strategies into action.
Do you think the eventual opening of the Eglinton Crosstown and Ontario Line will improve traffic conditions in Leaside? Should the City prioritize improvements to Leaside’s pedestrian and cycling infrastructure in the future? Are you happy with the way parking in Leaside currently works? Let us know at leasidelife@ gmail.com. n
By RENÉ FAN
Gardening in Garden Court –Neighbours bring back the plants
Leaside is an ideal neighbourhood for gardeners. Although named after a railway junction, it developed in the early 20th century as a model garden suburb with generous curving streets and spacious lawns and boulevards.
Within Leaside is Garden Court, a two-hectare oasis of courtyards and low-rise Art Deco residential buildings designated a heritage property in 1989 by the City. For the past eight years, I have incrementally expanded a native plant garden at my front entrance facing Berney Crescent. Last year it grew tall and lush with compass-plant, red cardinal flower, boneset, grey headed coneflower, New England asters, swamp milkweed, and a buttonbush and spicebush. It was rewarding to see butterflies, bees, and birds visit this diverse patch of over 25 native species.
This past spring, management left notices for tenants in my building
be a single species of a non-native shrub.
Stanley’s
House Meats
The rationale was that this shrub was planted as a hedge when the buildings were constructed and is original to the site. However, changes to railings, stoops and signage (for various reasons: code, comfort, wayfinding) vary from the original design. Furthermore, we are living in a changing climate with extreme storms, more frequent floods, hotter and longer heat waves, worsening air quality and species extinction. Trees, shrubs, native grasses and wildflowers all play a part in providing habitat, soaking up stormwater, improving air quality, and mitigating urban heat island effect. With the help of Neighbourhood Climate Action Champion Luisa Perez Colby, we relocated shrubs and wildflowers to other areas of Garden Court and created new plant beds in previously bare and weedy areas. Besides beautifying the grounds, these horticultural areas create a more productive landscape, increasing capacity for stormwater absorption, providing pollen and habitat for pollinators, and sequestering carbon.
Garden Court and Leaside have generous green spaces on both private and public property to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. One of my favourite gardens is on Bessborough Drive where the homeowner has transformed the boulevard to create a wildflower meadow
New plant bed made with relocated species and new additions, August 2024
PHOTOS BY
RENÉ FAN
around their young oak tree.
We are lucky to live in a neighbourhood full of green opportunities. It’s time to restore our ecosystem to a healthy and thriving web of life. It’s time to give back and give up a little lawn and neat hedges for the insects and animals that made this area a beautiful place to settle and make a home. The City of Toronto has a PollinateTO program that supports community groups which want to build a native plant or rain garden. Grants open Sept. 10 and the deadline is Oct. 21 to apply for up to $5,000 in funding.
René Fan works for the City of Toronto as a gardener. She is also a landscape architect and previously managed the green infrastructure maintenance pilot with the City’s Green Streets program. n
Alan Redway changed the course of raccoon history
by GEOFF KETTEL
The Museum of Toronto’s latest exhibit, Toronto Gone Wild , has an interesting reference to Alan Redway, former East York Mayor and Leaside resident. Extended to November 2nd, due to popular demand, the exhibit devotes a section to the story of raccoons in the city, and even held a memorial event on July 9 for one such creature, named Conrad, who achieved local notoriety a decade ago.
In 1976, the Borough of East York voted to destroy any raccoon trapped by homeowners, regardless of the animal’s behaviour or health. But not everyone supported the decision. When Howard Chandler – the councillor responsible for the motion – ran for mayor, he was defeated by Alan Redway, who promised to leave the beloved trash bandits alone. Redway
prevailed, and Toronto also abandoned similar plans for a raccoon round-up. n
Boulevard garden on Bessborough Drive.
Native plants in Garden Court, 2023.
The man whose dad “sold” Leaside
by MITCH BUBULJ
Before staging, bully offers and virtual tours were commonplace in the housing market, there was Ferguson Real Estate. And in the Leaside of the ’50s and ’60s its president, Ernest J. Ferguson, was the only realtor in town. His son Gord, a long-time resident of Sutherland Drive, remembers his father as “the man who ‘sold’ Leaside.”
Born in Scotland in 1920, Ernest came to Canada in his youth. He enlisted with the RAF during World War II hoping to join an air crew. Unfortunately, after completing a vision test, he was labelled colour blind so instead trained as an electronics engineer and spent the rest of the war in remote areas on Vancouver Island. After the war he followed his older brother to Toronto and worked briefly in construction as a hod carrier. (A hod is a three-sided box attached to a long pole that rests on the carrier’s shoulder and is used to transport bricks.) On some days Ernest would shift more than 1,000 bricks; Gord
remembers his dad saying his move to real estate was a good one since “it is easier to sell bricks and mortar than carry them.”
He set up shop at 850 Eglinton Ave. East in 1952 where he would stay for more than 30 years. At
the time, Gord explains, “the big brokers in Toronto like A.E. LePage and Canada Trust stayed south of St. Clair, so Leaside was dad’s domain.” Arthur Slightham, a broker as well as a reputable builder of large Leaside semis, briefly sold in the area but shifted his focus to the newly built Don Mills community just to the east. The agents who worked with Ernest were all Leasiders, and the office supported local hockey and baseball teams, providing socks, jerseys and equipment.
Ernest might have been “Mr. Leaside” work-wise but, ironically, he never lived here. Gord recalls that his dad wanted to settle in the town but it was not easy finding a five-bedroom house to accommodate him, his wife and their five children. Finally in 1965 he found a large corner home at 73 Bessborough Drive, which he purchased and added onto with designs by noted architect Bruce Brown (also responsible for the 1950 addition to Leaside United Church). In the end, though, they never moved in; his wife felt it was wiser to stay in Willowdale for smooth family relations since her sister-in-law lived at the corner of Sutherland and Bessborough – a bit too close for comfort.
With the late ’50s midtown boom in development, the Toronto Real Estate Board moved its offices to Davisville and Yonge. This changed the friendly small-town feel of selling houses that Ferguson had exclusively enjoyed. In the ’70s Ernest announced he was cutting the home-selling commission (6% at the time) to 4%, a move which pleased many but angered others. He is quoted in the Toronto Star saying that as a result of his actions some brokers and salespersons “went so far as to say my house would be bombed and my family killed.”
Gord remembers as a kid driving from their home on Burbank Drive all the way down Bayview to his dad’s office, past E.P. Taylor’s cow and horse barns at the intersection of Bayview and York Mills and past Taylor’s palatial estate, Windfields, which is now the Canadian Film Centre. It was the mid-’50s, and Gord says “Eglinton ended at Brentcliffe, beyond which was forest, river valley and even a
TORONTO STAR
Leaside Rotary is busy at work
by CRAIG HUTCHISON
Many people ask: just what does a Rotarian do? Simple. We work for the local community and raise funds for large scale international projects (eradicating polio across the world, helping to ensure safe water in developing countries, supporting environmental projects etc.).
Closer to home, we are running two large local community events in the month of September. Come and say hello.
Rally for Rehab sponsorship
On Sept. 8 we are proud to be a partner with Leaside Life in the Rally for Rehab event, which you can read more about in this issue. Leaside Rotary recognizes the power of this partnership to deliver adult rehabilitation and medical advances and help people in great need. We love supporting local events like the Rally for Rehab. See you there!
Leaside Rotary corn roast – come one, come all!
Another example is the annual Leaside Rotary corn roast on Sept. 15 at Trace Manes Park. This is the 28th time we have run this event. The corn roast is Leaside’s largest free family event with over 1,000 people attending last year’s event. It’s family friendly with large fun-filled inflatables, great food, a 50/50 draw, guessing jars and local prizes.
The money raised last year went to numerous charity initiatives including East York food bank, reading program for new Canadians in Thorncliffe, and a local holiday toy drive, to name just a few partners. Please come out and join us for a day of family fun at the Leaside Rotary corn roast.
If you’re interested in becoming a member of Leaside Rotary and having
Leaside Gate
Premium Condominium Residence
fun with an energetic group of adults focused on making a difference in the local community, contact us at info@ torontoleasiderotary.com. We’re always looking for new Rotarians or volunteers to help us do great things in Leaside at our many events.
Leaside Rotary – Passionate about Leaside since 1940
Garden Society Scholarship winner announced
The Leaside Garden Society (LGS) is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2024 Leaside Garden Society Founders’ Scholarship. Leaside resident Bridget Leonard excels academically, her references were stellar, and her application essay demonstrated a passion for the environment, for community involvement and for education.
As an Environmental Science student at the University of Guelph, Bridget’s program spans a range of subjects such as Soil Science, Honeybee Biology/Apiculture and Ecology. This has given her the ability to understand complex ecological issues and to apply her knowledge to ecological and horticulture-based initiatives.
Outside of her academic life, Bridget has a wide range of volunteer experience. Bridget’s commitment to community service, her leadership and academic achievement, and her interest in horticulture and ecological activities is directly aligned with the LGS mission. “As an active member of my community and someone who is enthusiastic about the environment, I feel strongly aligned with the values of the LGS. I appreciate the Society’s ability to connect likeminded people to educate, celebrate and share the love of gardening.”
Clearly, Bridget is a well-deserving choice. This scholarship will help her continue her studies and further invest in volunteering within her communities. — Carolynn Beange n
Bridget Leonard
JOANNA BLANCHARD
What’s next for 1837-1845 Bayview?
When we left off in the August issue of Leaside Life, the Committee of Adjustment (CofA) had just approved the amended application for minor variance of three storeys (amounting to 33 units). The options left to residents are not promising.
Appeal?
Could we appeal the decision to the Toronto Local Appeal Board? Well, actually no, as the Ontario Government’s Bill 23 eliminated “third party” appeals in 2023. But couldn’t the City still appeal? Yes, but that requires City Council approval via a councillor motion, and unfortunately because of the untimely death of Jaye Robinson, we are without a councillor, and will remain so until Nov. 4th. There is another option – to have a neighbouring councillor take a motion forward to Council. We contacted two other councillors – Dianne Saxe, Councillor for University-Rosedale, who has expressed interested in the issue, and Mike Colle, who is apparently “covering” for Ward 15. Both declined the invitation. One reason
service! We reached out to Toronto media and successfully engaged with CBC Toronto – Michael Smee on radio and TV, broadcast on Aug. 5, and a published article, and an AM740 audio interview with John Oakley.
may be that the supportive staff report suggests the City would have to bring in outside legal and planning expertise, at a significant cost. Take it to the Ombudsman?
Another option is to request an investigation by the Toronto Ombudsman, one of the City’s four independent “accountability officers.” We completed a Notice of Complaint , to which we received the response that the residents/complainants must “allow the City a reasonable opportunity to resolve the complaint through its own complaint process” before their office would investigate. In the latest move we have submitted a detailed list of complaints to City Planning covering such matters as:
• The appropriateness of staff/applicant negotiations on a submitted application resulting in a Citysupported (amended) Committee of Adjustment application;
• The role, procedures and results of the Committee of Adjustment process;
• The appropriateness of the Committee of Adjustment’s consideration of the application in the first place.
What about the media?
Media is not a decision-maker but can be influential in changing opinion, of the public, the politicians, and perhaps even the public
Where to from here?
There is a larger issue – it turns out that this is not just a Leaside issue as we are now hearing about several other instances of the CofA approval of “minor variances” for several storeys on tall building elsewhere in the city. In some cases, that approval was conditional on community benefits or quasi-development charge payments. This is out of control!
The need to ramp up advocacy both at municipal and provincial level is evident. To quote Michelle Dubé, co-anchor, CTV News, and Leaside resident, “with a by-election coming later this year, development should be a hot topic.... Leaside’s evolving landscape, and instances of bad faith tactics, raise broader concern about whether developers are in the driver’s seat in this city, fuelled by our desperate need for more housing.” Finally, thanks to the folks who have supported the recent efforts, and a special shout-out to the Broadway Area Residents Association (BARA). BARA has clearly understood the potentially precedential nature of the Bayview/Broadway minor variance application on three other projects (to date) in various stages of approval on the west side of Bayview. On a sad note, as we were on site at 1837-1845 Bayview for the CBC interview/recording, work was already beginning to remove the trees. We had to move to avoid the noise of chainsaws! n
GEOFF KETTEL
Traffic enforcement
Re Carol Burtin Fripp’s July column, “Where’s the enforcement?!” I’d like to grumpily ask the same thing and to encourage more articles like this one, in hopes of stirring up community participation to demand that our elected officials or urban planners or police – or somebody – make changes that benefit our communities.
I live on Broadway, which is either plagued by careless, distracted, speeding drivers who never stop at any stop sign, OR completely congested between 3:30 and 6 p.m. with cars taking Broadway to Brentcliffe to make a left onto Eglinton and head home after work. Can we count on police to help with this? I haven’t seen a single traffic officer in my years living here. If police aren’t willing to send traffic officers to patrol our neighbourhoods for speeders/distracted drivers, have we ever proposed to install speed cameras? And as for the congestion, have we ever made a case to revise the lanes, light automation and signage at the Brentcliffe/Eglinton intersection? The entire pocket is an accident waiting to happen.
I am not a police expert or an urban planner. I don’t know how to solve the complex issues that are plaguing our city from a lack of infrastructure/traffic standpoint, and I do not know how we fix our policing problems. I do work in technology/software development, and I have seen other cities do great work solving some of these problems through technology and automation. Why don’t we demand that our local officials invest less in policing and more in automation; speed cameras (on Broadway in particular to catch speeders and distracted drivers and those who do not stop at stop signs), intersection cameras (to ticket those who are blocking intersections or failing to stop), and smart traffic lights (to help with congestion during rush hours).
dump.” He also recounts time spent with his dad’s builder friends like Slightham, Brockington and Cairns. “Slightham and Cairns lived next door to each other on Bessborough on extra wide lots in houses known for their exquisite finishes.” Gord even worked with his dad for a spell before settling into his own career. Ernest lived to 95, buying and selling well into his 80s …and by all account always with fairness and integrity, qualities developed early in his career which helped make him an unsung Leaside legend. n
Shannon Kerr Wright Note: this letter has been edited for space. n
FLOODING From Page 3
flooded.”
In addition to specific events, specific places in Leaside also experienced periodic flooding. These included Talbot Park, Sunnybrook Plaza and the Leaside Library. Lorna Krawchuk recalls how whenever it rained hard, the library was often flooded from “rain gushing down the inside basement stairs” [Leaside Life, Nov. 2013]. Leaside resident Mitch Bubulj, who worked part-time at the library in the mid 1970s, likewise remembers “more than once coming to work after school or on a weekend and being told by Mrs. Wilson, one of the librarians, that the basement had flooded in heavy rain and that I needed to mop it up.”
One year later, North Leaside was again waterlogged following a major deluge that forced several students at Northlea school to come home by rowboat! And in March 1956, the worst rainstorm to hit Toronto since Hurricane Hazel left large sections of Laird Dr., Glenvale Blvd. and Broadway Ave. submerged under a half foot of water.
Final soggy thoughts
The perils of North Leaside
But the most dramatic examples of flooding and water accumulation took place in North Leaside – particularly in the late 1940s, when many of that area’s houses were being built. This included one harrowing inci-
dent in 1947 involving a two-year old boy who nearly drowned when he fell into the wet and muddy bottom of one of North Leaside’s numerous excavation sites. Only the quick thinking of a passing messenger boy, who pulled him to safety, averted a tragedy. Residents called these sites “death traps” because they often filled with water (despite regular pumping) due to the area’s high-water table.
After reviewing these and other rain-related misfortunes, I feel lucky to have sustained only relatively minor water damage to my basement. True, I must remove most of its contents to allow the contractors to do the repair work. But it’s given me an opportunity to throw out a lot of stuff that was just taking up space. As a result, I’ve already made countless donation trips to the Salvation Army…. I’m just grateful I can do it by car – and not by rowboat. n
Beware the dog-strangling vine invader!
Dog-strangling vine (DSV) does not strangle dogs, but it does strangle plants and trees and can quickly overtake native plants to become the dominant plant in any ecosystem.
Native to Eurasia, DSV is a member of the milkweed family that was introduced to the northeastern United States in the 1800s for use in gardens. In recent years, this aggressive perennial vine has spread rapidly throughout central and southern Ontario, and has been creeping into Leaside for a while now.
Kathy Gerry brought this alarming matter to my attention and said, “I’m concerned that it will become so established in our neighbourhood that we will be forever battling it!”
Kathy has been living in Leaside for 42 years. She’s an avid gardener who has transitioned her own garden to mostly native plants. She also happens to have a keen eye for spotting DSV.
“I was walking along Redway Rd., where I saw a tangled mess of DSV covering part of the sidewalk. As I checked north of that, I could see it developing colonies closer to nearby
houses. That was several years ago,” she told me.
Over the past few years, she’s noticed more and more of these plants edging in at the border of a garden, or growing up through bushes in neglected gardens, and clumping along laneways where it seems to go unnoticed. This year, she has seen the invader as far north as Eglinton!
Kathy digs it up, but says that “it’s a difficult task. The roots can go down six or more inches, and if you don’t get them all, the remnants can sprout a new plant.”
The sap is also toxic, and Kathy developed a rash on her forearms. Now she wears long sleeves and double gloves when handling this nasty plant.
Cutting DSV down at the base can help weaken the plant, and a friend of Kathy’s successfully eradicated a patch by covering the vines with newspaper for a season.
In the fall and winter, the long bean-shaped pods crack open, and the wind spreads the delicate seeds far and wide. Remarkably, this plant can produce up to 2,400 seeds per square metre. So, at the very least, the seed heads should be removed, sealed in a black garbage bag, and left in the sun to bake for three weeks. Then, as with every invasive plant, they should be disposed of in the garbage, not in yard waste where they can continue to spread.
I was deeply touched when Kathy said: “The saddest part of all, for me, was trying to shoo away a monarch butterfly that wanted to lay eggs on this plant. There were no true milkweeds around. I chased the butterfly, but it was faster than me. All of those wasted eggs! They couldn’t survive on that vine.”
What can Leaside gardeners do?
Like Kathy, learn to recognize this plant at every stage of its development. Be vigilant in your own garden, take action as soon as you spot this invader. Let’s keep Leaside safe from Darth Invaders!
For more info about DSV and other green “thugs,” visit Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program at: https://www.invadingspecies.com. n
Kathy Gerry
Dog-strangling vine
Toddler, Preschool & Kindergarten
We offer early learning experiences for young children to build the skills they need for life.
I live across the street from the Georgia Walsh playground, on the Rumsey Road side. We live in an ’80s style home with the kitchen in front. Over morning coffee, we get to see Leaside wake up, both animals and humans.
On the animal side we see foxes running down the street, bunnies hopping across the driveway, and of course, the ubiquitous raccoons.
Always raccoons. There is a big maple tree near the splash pad which is home to a family of raccoons.
Around 7:30 a.m. we see the mom slowly climb down from her sleeping quarters, babies following behind her. They cross Rumsey and scamper down our alleyway to the trees in our backyard where they spend the day. I guess the park is too busy for them?
Around 8:30 a.m. I go out to do my street litter cleanup and throw the spoils in the park litter bins. Imagine my surprise when one day I heard a hissing sound after depositing my assortment of rubbish. Curious, I opened the lid and looking down I was met by the sweet face of a baby raccoon. Somehow it had found its way in, but there was no way to find its way out. Lots of good stuff to eat in a park garbage can, especially ours!
What to do? I tried to tip the bin, however it was chained to a post so that was not an option. Next step was to call 311 and have them refer the situation to Animal Services. I
received a call about 30 minutes later saying they were slammed with a backlog of 20 injured animal calls. Together we came up with a plan that I would put a board in the bin which would enable the raccoon to crawl out. So off I went, board in hand, placed it in the bin, and went out to run errands.
Thankfully, when I returned, the baby was gone. According to Animal Services, this happens all the time. I’m not sure what the solution is. Over to you, City of Toronto.
On the human side, we see dog walkers, kids walking to school, and adults walking to the bus stop. We also see neighbours, and people in cars stopping to deposit their household garbage in the park bins. There is nothing more gross or annoying than walking by a bin that is overflowing with someone’s discarded possessions, or see them lying on the ground because they wouldn’t fit in the bin. I often call 311 but really, I don’t want the job. If you choose to use park bins for your personal use, which is against the law by the way, and you cause it to overflow, please call 311 and report an overflowing bin. Unfortunately, the City does not publish a park garbage schedule, and pickup is weekly, so it could be sitting around for quite a while. Bottom line: we don’t want to look at your discards.
Yes, there is more in the Trace Manes garbage bins than park garbage. One never knows what surprises a walk around the park will bring. Try it! n
ART TOUR From Page 12
as she loves to display her oil paintings and discuss them with visitors. “Selling one’s work to a happy patron is a great joy.”
Christine Cho, a mixed media artist who joined the group in 2022, echoes these sentiments. The shows have been very successful for her as “the community is very supportive of local art” and “it is a thrill to see an art piece go to its forever home.”
Susan points out that the sales are a great way to meet new artists and art enthusiasts and the gatherings serve as a “social event” for the community. The tour also reminds local politicians of the importance of the arts and offers unique opportunities for outreach and marketing.
It’s an excellent showcase for artists, who are grateful for the support and inspiration the tour provides. Plus, the organizers have plans to attract a wider audience and broader spectrum of artists in the future. “The more, the merrier, is our philosophy of inclusion and expansion,” says Susan. For more information, visit: www.bayviewarttour.art. n
132nd Toronto Scout Group
Activities & Community Service for Boys and Girls aged 5-26
For information about Scouts Canada www.scouts.ca
Check out our web site: www.132nd.com or email: patlawrance@132nd.com.
have elsewhere. Along the way they develop into capable, confident and well-rounded individuals, better prepared for success in the world.
Artists Millean Kung, Joan McGivney and Susan L. Brown.
JANIS FERTUCK
PLATINUM SPONSOR:
GOLD SPONSOR:
MEDIA SPONSOR: COMMUNITY SPONSOR: THANK YOU FROM TEAM LEASIDE LIFE
SILVER SPONSOR:
A special thank to our Leaside Life Rally for Rehab team: Paul Bolté, Stan Flemming, Carolyn Armstrong, Suzanne Park, Robin Dickie, Barry Lee.
EventsSeptember
RALLY FOR REHAB
Sun., Sept 8, 9 a.m. Family-friendly fundraising event to support UHN’s Toronto Rehab and help patients reclaim their independence after life-altering events. Presented by BMO. Starts at 347 Rumsey Road. rallyforrehab.ca
ANNUAL ROTARY CORN ROAST
Sun., Sept 15, 12 noon - 5:00 p.m. Trace Manes Park. 28th annual. Leaside’s largest free family event. Family friendly with large fun-filled inflatables, great food, a 50/50 draw, guessing jars and local prizes.
MANOR ROAD CHURCH FAIR
240 Manor Rd East, manorroadunitedchurch.com
Harvest Artisan Fair Sun. Sept. 22 1:005:00 p.m. BBQ, bouncy castles, beer garden, raffles, DJ and 20+ vendors
LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY
Speaker Series: Thurs., Sept. 12, 7:00 p.m.Leaside Library. Guest speaker: Priti Rana, Master Gardener on Putting Your Garden to Bed. The Society invites you to our Community Flower Show on Sat., Sept. 14, from 12:30-3:30 p.m. also at the Leaside Library. New this year: We are opening up
entries to fruit and vegetables! Come and see members’ prized flowers, potted plants, vegetables and designs. Make a flower sun-catcher at our Special Kid’s Drop In Activity from 1:15-3:15 p.m. (all supplies free)! The Society welcomes guests and new members to join for our meetings. Visit: www.leasidegardensociety.org or email: leaside@gardenontario.org for more info.
NORTHLEA UNITED CHURCH
125 Brentcliffe Road, 416 425 5252 or email office@northleaunited.ca
This fall, Northlea United invites you to:
• Harvest Festival on Sept. 14 from 12:002:00 p.m. – all ages.
• Love Jazz on Sept. 15 at 5:00 p.m. with Faith Amour – families welcome.
• Taizé on Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. –alternative worship
Northlea community choirs are back Wed. Sept. 25 weekly: Nothing But Treble youth choir 4:00p.m. and For the Love of Singing adult choir @ 7:30 p.m. Visit northleaunited. ca to find out more. Lecture series starts in October! Contact office@northleaunited.ca or 416-425-5252 x1 to register.
CFUW LEASIDE-EAST YORK
Thurs., Sept 19, 7:00 p.m. IN PERSON Climate Change – History and Hope Presented by ROM. Northlea United Church, 125 Brentcliffe Rd.
Gard’n Angels gather every Wed. and Sat. from 10:00 a.m. – noon. Come garden with us! For more information, email gardnangels@gmail.com.
Tai Chi re-starts Sept. 10. Tues, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. in Lamb Hall. Suggested donation $4. Dr. Marion Taylor Sat. Sept. 21 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. in Lamb Hall. Join us for a special presentation on the Book of Ruth. All welcome!
LEASIDE LIBRARY
165 McRae Drive, 416-396-3835
Moving Stories: art-based movement class for 60+. Fri, Sept. 6, 13, 20 and 27 - 10:0011:30 a.m. Tiger Princess Dance Projects, a contemporary dance company, brings these free movement classes. Register at Leaside branch or call 416-396-3835.
After School Club Mon., Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30 – 3:30-4:30 p.m. Join us for afternoons of fun with various games, projects and activities. Be creative, build new skills and explore new themes! Snacks are offered. Ages 6-12. Knitting & Crocheting Thurs, Sept. 5, 12, 19 and 26 - 10:0011:30 a.m. Bring your own project, or start something new. All welcome! For a full list of programs visit www.tpl.ca/ leaside.
Drop by 76 Bessborough Dr on Sunday, September 15th between 10am and 1pm to try his delicious homemade lemonade!
Terry Fox inspired so many, and Isaac and Nyle are pleased to help support his foundation.
LEMONADE FOR TERRY FOX!
SENIOR FITNESS
Toronto Finnish-Canadian Seniors Centre 795 Eglinton Avenue East
FALL / WINTER / SPRING & SUMMER SESSIONS AQUA FITNESS * GROUP FITNESS * OSTEO FITNESS
Office Hours: Mon. to Fri. 9 am–5 pm For more info contact: 416-425-4134 x 225 Email: emas@suomikoti.ca
Editor: Jane W. Auster • Publisher: Lorna Krawchuk
Webmaster: Erin Sorhaug • Graphic Design: Robin Dickie
Advertising: Karli Vezina
FH Publishing Inc.
30 Commercial Rd., Toronto, Ontario M4G 1Z4
Comments, Letters to the Editor, Advertising Enquiries: Contact: 416-504-8047 ext. 120 leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com • leasidelife@gmail.com
Published monthly in Leaside, Toronto, ON.
Circulation 10,000 to every home and business in
&
New Year’s in September?
Welcome back from your summer, whether or not you were away. Autumn approaches. It always feels as if September (not January) is really the start of a new year, with schools reopening, activities starting up, and life in general becoming more organized. This year promises to be particularly busy as we anticipate the November 4th Ward 15 by-election for city councillor, in addition to numerous continuing development and traffic-related matters.
The Leaside Residents Association (LRA) has been busy throughout the summer, dealing with (and deputing at) hearings and meetings. We continue to be in contact with other Don Valley West residents’ groups regarding a by-election candidates’ debate, which is likely to take place in October in the period before advance polls are held. Stay tuned for more details!
And while you’re staying tuned, start thinking up questions you’d like to ask the candidates. Where
of government affects everything from local traffic problems to development pressures on infrastructure, transit planning, community services, and our property tax system. Already some candidates are wandering the streets of Leaside and distributing campaign literature. Read their brochures. Be an informed voter.
Is it really opening?
we should not convince ourselves that the new subway will solve all of our transit needs or congestion problems. In fact, it might create new problems.
There are two big questions. What if the LRT is already overcrowded by the time it reaches the Bayview or Laird stations, limiting the number of Leaside would-be riders who can get aboard?
NOV. 4, 2024
It’s several years late, but we are finally beginning to hear noises that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT may actually be getting close to starting
• Music and Arts
• Aquatics
• Bloorview School and Nursery Schools
• Therapeutic Recreation, Respite and so much more!
This could certainly occur, especially during the morning and evening rush hours, not to mention increased ridership pressures from residents of the new residential high rises being built along the LRT’s route.
The other question relates to the number of TTC surface bus routes along Eglinton Avenue. Once the LRT is in service, will bus routes be removed or reduced in quantity (under the theory that passengers now riding buses between Bayview and Laird can walk the lengthy distance between those stations instead)? We need a commitment from both the City and the TTC to protect the surface transit needs of Leasiders. Otherwise, we will actually have less accessibility to transit than we have now. North Leasiders would be particularly affected, as there is no alternative north/south TTC bus route east of Bayview.
The LRA will be asking all of the candidates where they stand on these questions at the upcoming council by-election debate.
The LRA board of directors meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month, at the Trace Manes building on Rumsey, just south of Leaside Library. You are welcome to join us there. Our next meeting is on September 4th. For more details and updates between now and then, or to become an LRA member, visit leasideresidents.ca and press the Contact Us button, or leasideresidents.ca/contact-us. n youth with disabilities. You can make a difference by providing support in program areas such as:
To learn more about Holland Bloorview’s volunteer opportunities please visit: www.hollandbloorview.ca/volunteer
