What does Canada mean to you? We want to know! Page 36.
Editor’s Welcome
Leaside, always welcoming
If you’ve ever doubted what a special place Leaside is, you only have to read Janis Fertuck’s story in this issue. Leaside United Church’s Community Refugee Resettlement Committee co-sponsored an Afghan family targeted by the Taliban and helped them make a new, satisfying life in Canada. The process took three long years and involved much bureaucracy and seemingly endless forms, but the ending is a happy one.
One of the sponsored refugees, Arzoo, says she especially appreciates “living in a peaceful and secure country where I have the right of walking outside freely, wearing clothes that I want, having the right of speech and not being the slave of men. I wish that one day every Afghan woman will have this feeling.”
This isn’t the first time Leasiders have stepped up to help refugees coming to Canada from hostile environments. Going back decades and notably with the so-called Vietnamese “boat people,” Leasiders like our publisher Lorna Krawchuk have been involved in helping refugees from a number of countries make new lives here. More recently, Leaside churches welcomed Syrian refugees looking for a better life. The countries may change as our world spins, but the work of resettling is ongoing.
Hands across the water has come to mean the ability to bridge distances with hope and friendship. Stories like Janis’s in this issue are testament to Leasiders’ tremendous kindness. n
Century-old murder case remains unsolved
On the night of Nov. 3, 1919, a taxi driver named John Rowland (a.k.a. Rolland) was parked at Union Station when a man entered his cab and asked to be driven to Leaside. Within hours, Rowland was dead – having suffered nine knife wounds to the face as well as a slashed throat. The crime, which occurred on Merton St. near the corner of McRae Dr. and Bayview Ave., remains one of the most gruesome in Leaside’s history.
A brutal crime
A Scottish immigrant and Canadian army veteran, Rowland had reportedly been wounded and gassed in France during World War I. Upon returning to Toronto, he purchased a cab and was engaged to be married. A quiet and reserved man, he was well on his way to leading a normal and productive life in postwar Toronto…until disaster hit. Reports in the Toronto Star , Toronto Telegram and Globe and Mail – as well the Ontario Provincial Police criminal investigation records – show that after driving to Leaside
as directed, Rowland was attacked by his passenger, who pulled him into the back seat and repeatedly stabbed him with a knife. While the motive remains unclear, police speculated that the killer was a bootlegger who planned to pick up alcohol he had hidden in Leaside and take it back to Toronto. When Rowland refused to cooperate, he was assaulted.
The cab driver did not immediately die from his wounds. He crawled more than 100 yards across an open field (Leaside was still a rural community then) before collapsing on the porch of Joseph and Grace Turner near Bayview Ave. Despite his injuries, he had strength enough to describe what happened to police, who were quick to arrive at the scene. Rowland told them his assailant was a big man, wore brown clothes and was a foreigner – perhaps
MURDER Page 28
Betsy Brown’s green passion led to breathe DESIGN
From East Asian studies to wealth management to landscape design, Betsy Brown’s life has taken many turns.
The principal of breathe DESIGN grew up in Leaside, but an interest in learning another language to complement Canada’s two official languages saw her heading to McGill to major in Japanese. After transferring to the University of Toronto to complete a degree in East Asian Studies, she headed to Japan for two years, an experience she describes as “life changing.”
But after returning home, she wasn’t seeing jobs that matched her background, so she ended up working in the financial industry in wealth management for what she says was “a very, very long time.”
In another turn, about 20 years ago, she decided to take landscape design courses at the former Ryerson University. Around the same time, she also registered her chosen business name – breathe
DESIGN – but continued working in finance.
Betsy’s now at a time in her life when she’s made the switch to follow her “greatest passion and long love affair” with landscaping by leaving the financial world for a leap into the entrepreneurial world.
Book your appointments online:
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Over the last few years, she has picked up clients in Leaside, Davisville Village, Stoney Lake, Prince Edward County and Leslieville, usually with families looking for her skills to enhance their residential property. Sometimes, she’s asked to “tweak” what’s already there; other times, it is to provide a complete redo. Her initial consultation is the opportunity for her and the client to explore possibilities. A natural look? Something more structured perhaps? Low maintenance? A particular colour palette? Then, Betsy sets of to work on at least two concepts that she will hand-render in her backyard studio. When she’s working on the concepts, she’s always cognizant of the soil type, sunlight and wind patterns of the property. Her forte is this creative design work, but she can also recommend trusted contractors, or source particular furniture requirements as needed. Her aim is “to build a cohesive, functional space that is aesthetically pleasing.”
Despite her travels and design consultation, Betsy has lived near Bayview for many years and enjoys doing most of her shopping at momand-pop stores on the strip. She’s also still in touch with a number of childhood friends in the area. When she’s not in the city, she can often be found at her 60-acre farm in Douro near Peterborough, although this farm is more of a forest now, as one of her projects has been involvement with the Forests Canada’s 50 Million Tree Program. No, there aren’t 50 million trees on her property (yet), but she’s already had about 4,000 trees planted these past few years. A great start for a blooming business. n
Niloo Saiy PharmD, CDE, RPh Associate-Owner
LILA SPEARMAN
Celebrity canine still greets clients at Millwood Chiropractic and Massage Therapy
by SUZANNE PARK
Anyone recognize the Leaside celebrity in the photo? Chloe, office greeter and security guard, was the winner of Leaside Life’s June 2014 Best Office Greeter Award, beating out seven other dogs – and a bird –for the honour. Her boss and best friend, Peter Skalenda, is the owner of Millwood Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Centre at 895 Millwood Rd. He’s been in practice since 1997 and on Millwood since 2005 with Chloe still greeting clients, 11 years after her win.
Asked how he chose his career, Peter said, “As a young, multisport athlete I began experiencing severe back pain which intensified as I continued through high school. At that time, my mom was extolling the benefits of chiropractic treatments for her pain and introduced me
to the practice. Thanks to regular treatments from that skilled practitioner and commitment to my daily stretching protocol, I’ve stayed painfree and enjoying many sports, especially cycling.”
Becoming a chiropractor requires years of education and disciplined study habits. Peter’s academic journey began with an undergrad kinesiology degree from Guelph University focusing on the science of human movement, with rigorous studies in inorganic chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and physics essential to biomechanical studies. The volume of material made for onerous exams. After graduation, Peter worked for a year before enrolling in the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, graduating four years later. “I was surprised to see so many athletes attending chiro college,” he commented. “Many because they’d been injured, and chiropractic treatments alleviated their pain.”
Asked about hobbies, Peter spoke of combining his love of cycling with fundraising. “The past four years, I’ve participated in the Ride for Parkinson Canada’s Growling Beaver event, completing the 200 km gravel ride and raising just under $50,000.” From photos on
the Parkinson’s site, the event looks like lots of fun for riders, volunteers and fans.
Peter is proud of his other rides, too. “My office wall photos are from the Ride for Karen . Over 17 years, I raised almost $50,000 helping send children with cancer to special camps. I loved the event. Sadly, it ended with Covid. Two brothers whose mother, Karen, died of breast cancer hosted the event for 20 years, honouring her wish to give hope to kids fighting cancer.”
Peter enjoys a healthy work-life balance. Typical weekdays he treats clients in the areas of musculoskeletal injuries, headache pain conditions, and instructs in proper stretching protocol from 7:30-10:30 a.m., then breaks for lunch and a twohour cycle before returning to his clinic from 3 to 6:30 p.m. He also schedules client appointments most Saturday mornings, leaving lots of time for daily stretches and cycling. Peter enthused, “It’s a gravel bike for me! They’re newer on the cycling scene with a more upright riding position offering more comfort and stability on rougher terrain.”
The clinic team includes two Registered Massage Therapists:
SUZANNE PARK
Peter and Chloe
Elijah Mubarak shines bright on the podium
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
One year ago, we introduced you to Rolph Road’s very own Elijah Mubarak, an up-and-coming jiu jitsu star.
At that time, the then six-year-old member of Leaside’s Thompson Jiu Jitsu Academy had just placed first in the Next Gen Niagara 2024 Jiu Jitsu Tournament.
Since then, Elijah has been very busy on the competition circuit. He has won gold at the 2024 Ontario Open International and another gold at the Godai Jiu Jitsu Open.
Proud parents Ashlie and Jamal comment that “watching our sevenyear-old pour his heart into training three times a week with such unwavering dedication has been nothing short of inspiring. His determination and spirit are a story we feel so privileged to witness.”
Elijah’s face lights up when he speaks about his love of jiu jitsu and how much he enjoys practising and competing. He smiles broadly when talking about his coaches Sophie, Joe, Valerie, Ryan, Dave and Sam, saying that they “inspire” him. He
PROGRAMS
notes that his favourite thing about the martial art is the “technique, trying different moves,” his favourite being side control.
Confidently but humbly, the sevenyear-old also notes that when on the podium, “I feel like I’m shining.”
Last month, Elijah shone again as he took home yet another gold from the Next Gen 2025 Tournament.
Congratulations to Elijah on his incredible success. We can’t wait to see what comes next in your journey! n
7-13) ELITE CAMP AGES 13-16 1:00-4:00PM $350/WEEK
MON/WEDS/FRI @ GRIT ATHLETICS TUES/THURS @ TALBOT PARK
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
Barbara Klein is one of those teachers.
A teacher who inspires her students. A teacher who brings out the absolute best in them and provides them with unique opportunities while meaningfully tying in course content.
Klein, who has been a staff member at Leaside High School for nine years, teaches business/accounting. This past fall, she managed to secure a grant from the Toronto District School Board and used the funds for a very different educational project that combines diverse areas.
She aligned the curriculum of the Grade 12 Business Leadership course with the development of a cookbook, the sales of which will be donated to the Thorncliffe Food Bank.
While Klein notes that “at first students thought it was a strange concept,” they quickly came to understand the idea and worked tirelessly to produce the cookbook.
The students were divided into several departments, including
Leaside Eats!
Stanley’s White House Meats
research, management, design, finance and marketing. To produce a successful cookbook, students learned the value of leveraging the expertise, knowledge and approaches of others by partnering with numerous departments within the school like nutrition, business, administration and computers and technology.
For student Owen Neate, a key takeaway from the project was that it “showcase(d) the variety of skills and talent present at Leaside High School.”
The cookbook, called Leaside Eats, a play on Uber Eats, contains over 60 recipes, including appetizers, beverages, soups, salads, desserts, and more.
Recipes were sourced from staff and parents and at $15 per book, the product is an excellent resource, as well as a recognition of the work of the students and a meaningful way to donate to a local charity.
For Neate, “knowing that our work will help support individuals and families in need makes this project even more meaningful. It’s rewarding to see our efforts contribute to a cause that makes a real difference in the community.”
To order a copy of the book, scan the QR code on this page or contact Manuela West at the school: (416) 396-2380 x20003. n
Barbara Klein, front, and the business students responsible for creating Leaside Eats.
Leaside United helps make new home for Afghan refugee family
by JANIS FERTUCK
Arzoo and Yama, a couple in their mid-30s, are living in a two-bedroom condo unit in North York near Seneca College. Their son, Behtash, eight, and daughter Aylin, six, are enjoying Grade 3 and Grade 1, respectively, at a nearby school. Arzoo is working as an accountant, while her husband, Yama, is a health and safety officer at a downtown hotel.
They all feel very fortunate to be living a fulfilling life when only a few years ago they were forced to flee their homeland of Afghanistan after receiving death threats from the Taliban. (Note: we are only using their first names out of concern for the wellbeing of their family back home.)
Arzoo’s journey began when her impoverished mother took her to an orphanage in Afghanistan where she could be better cared for and educated. After a story about the orphanage aired on American tele-
vision in 2009, Betty and Gabriel Barna, who live in Texas, were so moved that they decided to sponsor the 13-year-old Arzoo through her schooling and university.
After the U.S. started withdrawing their troops in 2021, the Taliban became more powerful. Because Arzoo and Yama were working for international organizations, they were targeted by the Taliban. Arzoo adds that she was a “female activist,” and Yama worked for the BBC. At that point, the Barnas helped them to escape to Tajikistan on the last plane out, but there was still a threat of deportation back to Afghanistan.
The Barnas wanted to get the couple to a safe country and felt that Canada was a better choice than the U.S. They contacted Gabriel’s cousin Laszlo Barna and his wife Laura Alper in North York. Laura, an experienced lawyer with several contacts, tried many options that did not work out, but then learned from her friend Bonnie Mills, a member of Leaside United, that the church has a history of successfully sponsoring refugees, helping about 14 groups since 1961.
Laura, Laszlo and Leaside United’s Community Refugee Resettlement Committee became the co-sponsors of Arzoo and Yama in January 2022 and started the long and complex process of completing and submitting the sponsorship package of forms. Committee co-chair Bob Lister says they ran into a few problems with the forms, but surprisingly, Yama was able to solve them
JANIS FERTUCK
Co-sponsors and members of the Refugee Committee: (from the left)
Laszlo Barna, Adele Freeman, Don Jeffreys, Laura Alper and Bob Lister.
Meet Austin Pool, LHS’s multi-talented administrator
by MITCH BUBULJ
Since first opening its doors in February 1949, Leaside High School has been “captained” by adept, able-bodied administrators. The first, Norman McLeod, was even immortalized, albeit ambivalently, in alumna Margaret Atwood’s novel Cat’s Eye, in which he is called Mr. MacLeod or “Chrome Dome behind his back since he is bald on top.”
The real “McLeod” accepted the position of principal of the Town of Leaside’s only high school after serving as the first president of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation.
Today LHS boasts a stellar cast of school directors including Principal Barb Nixon and Vice-Principal Ruth Kelly, both well-respected and seasoned leaders.
Vice-Principal Austin Pool, newest to the role, rounds out the office complement with a unique history worth telling and which informs his career decisions daily.
Pool was a child actor from ages
Austin Pool and Adam Sandler on set.
FROM THE COVER
football and rugby. We were a small group in French Immersion, so I was very close to my peers, those in my cohort.” Pool learned a lot as a child actor, not least of which was resiliency. “Change does not bother me,” he says, which is an asset, especially for a teacher/administrator. He did most of his teaching at Weston and Nelson A. Boylen Collegiates as well as Vaughan Road Academy. “I enjoyed my time spent teaching at those schools, two of which have closed due to low enrolment.” They are considered under-served communities, socio-economically very different from Leaside and neighbourhoods where Pool helped effect positive change. He coached football and rugby, leading the Weston team to victory. He also introduced leadership opportunities for students, his mantra being “Let’s get this going!” In his capacity as head of guidance at Weston he was able to grow the Pathways program, which offered students viable alternatives to university and college.
With over 10 years
8 to 18. He performed in movies alongside comedy legends like Chris Farley, Norm Macdonald and Adam Sandler. Growing up in Mimico, he loved “performing in front of family and friends.” So much so that a close family friend mentioned an ad she had seen in the Toronto Star for a summer acting program for kids. His parents signed him up; his talent was recognized, and he ended up featuring in commercials and movies after school, on weekends and holidays. “I considered acting as an extracurricular activity; my parents taught me to always put my education first. I was lucky to have a family that kept me grounded.” It was his third audition that landed a role in Billy Madison; he is the reader with the stutter to whom an impatient Adam Sandler shouts, “T-t-t-today, Junior!” “It was the ’90s and Toronto was Hollywood North. The classroom scene was filmed at John Ross Robertson School; I remember Sandler being funny, kind and supportive.” Pool attended Richview Collegiate in the French Immersion program and excelled at drama and history, which became his teachable subjects. “I enjoyed playing sports, especially
Pool explains that the trades are fantastic vocations offering job satisfaction and good remuneration. His father was a welder and many of his childhood friends, with whom he keeps in touch, are electricians, plumbers and masons. He himself did a myriad of jobs during his university days such as brick chimney repairs – he even painted silos at Pearson Airport. Since coming to LHS in 2022 he has worked hard at making all students feel they belong and are appreciated. He has increased student access to the Pathways program and even helped with the Muslim Student Association, which has hosted school events such as Iftar dinners promoting healthy dialogue among all students.
“Even before coming to LHS, I knew of its strong academic reputation and prowess on the sports fields, especially football and rugby; turns out the people and programs exceeded my expectations.” Pool has always considered his role as an educator as “a call to service,” a sentiment shared by the entire administrative team. His passion and dedication to the students are palpable in the halls of LHS and a boon to the community. n
COURTESY AUSTIN POOL
Andrew A. Sudano
Sara Davidson channels her inner strength in new book
Sara Davidson has stared down death – three times!
Having battled through no fewer than three major traumatic life events, the 46-year-old Leaside resident is telling her painful story in her book, Any Body Can Heal.
“In the most clichéd way, it really is to help people. I want it to be the legacy I leave on earth,” says Sara, who is a psychotherapist. “This is the meat and potatoes I learned from therapy and through all my journey.”
Davidson writes openly and honestly in detailing her terrifying experiences – fleeing a tsunami in Thailand, which pulled her underwater and left her stranded for days, confronting a knife-wielding thief in South Africa, and later enduring a violent sexual assault by two masked intruders in Trinidad.
“I own my story,” says Sara. “It’s what happened to me. I’m not ashamed of it. I’m not ashamed to share it. I am banking on the hope and fact that true vulnerability (is)
Steve Hardy Columnist
the ultimate way to allow people to feel that they are not alone, that they are seen, and to be able to reach them.”
Understanding how our survival mechanisms respond is crucial, Sara explains. She has studied extensively the neuroscience of trauma, which she calls a stern taskmaster. Trauma leaves an imprint that never goes away, she writes.
“We hold these stories of ‘I wish I had done more.’ I wanted people to know that in the moment you didn’t choose it,” she contends. “When these things happen, we go into fight, we go into flight, we go into freeze, and we actually don’t get to choose those things.”
Years of therapy, which she details in the book, resilience and an unwavering support system of family and friends, helped bring Sara to the place where she was ready to tell her story.
As her journey continues, Sara finds happiness and joy in many things in her life. She relishes the opportunity to help others. She loves being a teacher, athlete and coach, including a stint playing semi-pro soccer in Iceland, and she delights in travelling the globe.
Along with the book, her other legacy is her son, nine-year-old Kaden, whom she coaches in hockey.
Wendy Dennis, the ghostwriter who helped Sara craft her story, made it clear she needed to show her vulnerable side.
“It’s horrible,” says Sara. “I’m a very under-the-radar type of person and this is the opposite of that. You are vulnerable, but people see that you’re real and people see that they can do hard things as well. I’m proud of myself for doing this, because this is how it gets out there. And we’re all just really trying to do our best.”
True strength is easily misunderstood, she adds.
“I feel like we walk around thinking and hearing that true strength is coming out of something unscathed,” she says. “When in reality, it is being in our deepest despair and clawing our way out of it to find air again and perhaps even joy and safety again. That to
Young Poet’s Corner
Holy Week
Welcome to the Young Poet’s Corner!
Here, we share poems from students at Leaside High School, either members of the school’s Young Writers Club or students in the school’s Writers Craft classes. These poems offer insights into some of the issues that occupy young people and showcase their evolving creativity. We thank Lauren Elizabeth Simmons, Assistant Curriculum Leader for Anti-Oppressive Education, Student Voice, Leadership and Engagement at Leaside High, for inspiring and helping to showcase young talent.
“our lady of perpetual motion”
ask me where my place of worship is and I’ll tell you it’s where everyone moves in syncopation where conversation dims to a low hum and everything goes to static heads nodding to the same unspoken rhythm as people stumble side to side guessed it yet? I’ll keep going: buttons pressed and cords pulled tiny mechanical beeps as people enter and exit hydraulic sounds and the rumbling purr of an engine that’s bigger than you are we pray to the gods of who-knows-where we are, pausing every few minutes, every few blocks, singing homilies and hymns to the tune of headphones leaking sound no one is on their knees, there’s no room: people sit and people stand and people lean and the leader of the congregation changes places every few hours have you figured it out yet? you’d better have, you’re off at the next stop.
— Emma Whittington
Easter at Leaside Presbyterian Church
Join us in person or online at 10:30 am
Palm Sunday (Apr 13)
Good Friday - shared service at Northlea UC 125 Brentcliffe Road (Apr 18)
Easter Sunday (Apr 20) and every Sunday! Leaside PC 670 Eglinton Ave East admin@leasidepc.ca www.leasidepc.ca 416-422-0510
Emma Whittington is a Grade 12 student at Leaside High School, who took Writers Craft in first semester.
THE Idler Curious
No foolin’ –April Fool’s is here!
LRT news
The Idler has been doing some research to uncover the truth behind the long-delayed LRT construction project. Yes, that one – Line 5, the Eglinton Crosstown gift that keeps on giving. The 23-stop, $12.8 BILLION transit line was expected to open in 2020, then 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 … and now 2025. Following an anonymous lead from inside the corporation, the Idler has now discovered that numerous insiders are hinting that owing to a series of technical problems, the entire project will be mothballed, and the transit line will be converted and re-purposed to become a
MANOR ROAD UNITED CHURCH
Celebrating 100 Years of Spiritual Guidance and Charitable Good Works, May 2025
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:
KIDS CREATIVE PLAY WITH AINSLEY Every Sunday during worship
SPRING BRUNCH AT THE MANOR Sunday, April 6, 11:30am
MUSIC NIGHT AT THE MANOR DINNER & SHOW
FEATURING: LIBERTY SILVER AND JOHN MCDERMOTT
Sat. April 12th: Dinner 6:30pm • Show 7:30pm
$35/Adult $10/ Kids: Tickets in advance or at the door
EASTER PAGEANT SERVICE
Sunday, April 13 10:30am Communion
Jerusalem: 7 Days that Changed the World
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE: 10:30am
EASTER MONDAY April 21 at noon:
Growing the Good - Community meal
Sponsored by Love is Lovely and the Manor
Featuring the Easter Bunny and an Easter egg hunt.
240 Manor Road East, Toronto, ON manorroadunitedchurch.com
bike and pedestrian pathway. You heard it here first! The new opening date for the pathway is expected to be April 1st, 2026. Keep reading this space for the latest updates.
Loads of dirty fun
Laundromats are widely considered to be stable, profitable and recession-proof businesses, amirite? Why then are there no laundromats in Leaside? A reader wrote to us: “As a 10-year Leaside resident with no access to laundry (old apartment, with no onsite laundry or allowed in the units) there is a big need for many.” They mentioned that there used to be one on Mt. Pleasant across from XO Gelato, but that laundromat closed during Covid. This Idler recalls days gone by when there was a laundromat on Bayview near Manor Rd. So, what are the options for those in need of a wash and spin? The nearest laundromats are both located in Thorncliffe Park on Overlea Boulevard – The Laundry Boss and East York Coin Laundry. So, do we smell opportunity? Anyone want to start a new business – how about Leaside Laundry on Bayview?
Are magnolia trees the cherry blossoms of Leaside?
Each spring nature lovers flock to experience the ephemeral beauty of the beautiful and short-lived cherry blossom – the Japanese Sakura tree. The most impressive views in Toronto are long known to be found in High Park. Bloom devel-
opment is temperature sensitive, and a warmer spring encourages cherry trees to bloom earlier. For the past few years, the full bloom period has come towards the end of April. Closer to home a wonderful array of cherry blossom trees can be found surrounding the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. SakuraFest is a month-long celebration of the Sakura trees and includes activities for the whole family ( https://jccc. on.ca/).
But what about the magnificent magnolia? Magnolias are one of the oldest flowering plants, which date back 95 million years. Although there are many varieties of flowering magnolias, the hardiest of all magnolias, the Cucumber Tree, is the only one native to Ontario. A more common and popular magnolia found in Leaside is the Saucer Magnolia, known for its large, cupshaped creamy flowers with pink and purple hued colours. We would love to know where your favourite magnolia trees are in our neighbourhood. Send us a picture.
Elections –two down, one to go?
We just love elections! Locally, political newcomer Stacey Cline has been elected as Trustee for Toronto District School Board, Ward 11 (Don Valley West). Garnering 51% of the cast votes, Cline follows former Trustee Rachel Chernos Lin, who vacated the position following her election to Toronto City Council.
Provincially, incumbent Liberal Stephanie Bowman was re-elected to the Ontario Legislature for a second term. Bowman received a resounding 57% of voters and was part of the Ontario Liberal Party’s regaining of official party status. The Progressive Conservatives, led by Premier Doug Ford, received their third majority mandate.
Federally, Leasiders will return to the polls following a federal election call by new Prime Minister Mark Carney. Long-time Liberal incumbent MP Rob Oliphant is expected to run for re-election, while the Conservatives and NDP are still lining up their candidates. Stay tuned to learn more.
LRT – not so fake news
April Fool’s! It is now widely reported that trains will be running by the fall of 2025. Really! n
CELEBRATE Manor Road United Church
Allarewelcome!
SUNDAY. MAY 4 AT 10:30 AM
LIGHT REFRESHMENTS AND FELLOWSHIP TO FOLLOW
RSVP: manorroaduc@gmail.com or call 416-483-0695 240 Manor Road East manorroadunitedchurch.com
PALM SUNDAY April 13th, 8am and 10am
MAUNDY THURSDAY April 17th, 7:30pm
GOOD FRIDAY April 18th, 10am
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
EASTER SUNDAY April 20th, 8am and 10am
EASTER EGG HUNT April 20th, 11:30am on the Green
Wishing you the blessings of new
I’m now a liver convert for Easter
Each month we will cover a Leasider’s special dish with a hearty side order of narrative. And you will find the recipes online by clicking the Leaside Cooks tab.
by MITCH BUBULJ
By chance I asked neighbour Anna Crombie, long-time Leasider and local landscape architect (read “The Community Comes to LHS,” Leaside Life , May 2024), if her mom, born in Italy, had a traditional Easter recipe from Le Marche, her region by the Adriatic Sea. Anna was quick to respond that “my mom’s a good cook but it is my dad you need to see.” And she was right. Mike Crombie’s fegatini con le uova – much sexier sounding than liver with eggs – is as old as Italy and simple to make. Served as a primo, or starter, in Central Italy at the Easter meal, this dish has made a liver convert of me.
The recipe appeals to Mike for a few reasons. “Firstly, it is simple to make; secondly, it fits with my philosophy of not wasting food.” He explains that you can prepare it with fresh liver, or you can use
Thank You
On behalf of our clients, families and sta , we sincerely thank our incredible program volunteers for bringing joy to our clients’ lives every single day.
up liver cooked the night before without compromising taste. Mike says that every society eats liver in one form or another, from French pâté to Chinese style drunken chicken liver and everywhere in between. “Italian peasants at Easter ate lamb fresh from the farm but tried not to throw away anything.” Being ecological and economical meant they found the perfect use for this organ, rich in iron. This is not your grandfather/mother’s liver and onions, not by a long-
shot. Having a butcher for a dad, I grew up spelling offal with an “a”. This dish is pleasantly surprising since the liver is first boiled, then chopped into tiny cubes and sautéed in olive oil, white wine and most importantly lemon zest and then combined with eggs. Mike says the key is the fresh lemon zest for flavour. I also learned that salt should never be added once the food is on the plate. Mike used just the right amount while whisking the egg mixture before pouring it into the pan, essentially making a scrambled egg dish with kick.
Chavez ” “
If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him...the people who give you their food give you their heart.
–
Cesar
Mike, an intrepid traveller, approaches cooking with the same adventurous spirit, learning cuisines from Europe and Asia. Since his dad worked in the mining industry, as a child he lived in the Arctic (in a gold mining town) and Ireland (at a copper mine south of Dublin). He returned to Canada to complete his high school and undergrad studies in Toronto, then moved to Germany to learn at the post-graduate level and eventually worked in the family business. Mining is in his veins, so his present position as CEO of a company supplying specialty feed ingredients to the dairy industry makes good sense. While many of the products are protein-based, minerals such as limestone are mined and used in the mix, providing calcium to the milk cows.
I asked Mike how his passion for “cheffing” all started. “I have always known how to prepare simple things, but it was 10 years ago I started cooking in earnest,” he says. “Now I cook every day, making more time-consuming and elaborate meals on weekends.”
He is mostly self-taught and likes to improvise. He is smart about learning from online sources since some of them are blatantly inaccurate. “A sure sign of one to avoid is where ingredients are used that don’t go together, don’t make sense.” He also is quick to
observe other cooks’ techniques and to reach out to ask for tips. Just the other day he asked a Korean friend what to do with leftover tofu. Mike is now at a point where he is happy to offer advice to novices.
One thing I learned from him about ingredients is that you can prepare many of them yourself. For example, he boiled the liver in water to which he added chicken stock he makes himself with bones left over from a roast. It is easy enough to buy supermarket chicken stock, but hard to find one low in sodium. Preparing your own gives you full control over what you eat. One of his favourite dishes, from Poland, calls for a side of cabbage. Instead of buying a jar of prepared sauerkraut he ferments his own. These are useful and empowering tips. Liver and eggs may not be the first dish that comes to mind when you think of Easter in Italy but try it for yourself and see if it doesn’t make your top 10. Grazie , Mike, e Buona Pasqua ! n
by DAVID CRICHTON
As I sit here in Lit Coffee on Bayview, while writing this piece, we are nearing the third week of March, and the world seems to be in talks with Marvel Studios to be a plot line within one of its multiverse movies. Digesting the news and navigating the changing political landscape are like drinking from a failed dam on a newly named Lake America Great Again (LAGA!). It can’t help making one think of the truly important things in life. Like Christmas lights. In March. Still twinkling. Just the evening before, I took Jerry the Wonder Dog for his nightly walkies in the futile attempt at draining some of his neurotic energy. Within two blocks, I was sinking into a mild depression. It had nothing to do with tariffs, or that other “T” word. You know, the one that rhymes with Dump. Or Grump. Instead, it was because I counted no fewer than four brightly lit
Lights. Out. NOW.
snowmen of varying sizes, more than a couple of reindeer and at least three Santas. And lights. Everywhere. And not just the odd string of white lights that could be passed off as “ambience.” These are full, technicolour, winter holiday wonderlands, still flicker-
ing away as if Santa’s ETA were next week. Coming soon to a chimney near you!
Consider these facts: the days are getting longer, the snow is melting, birds are returning from their nonU.S. migrations, and yet, here we
are – still clinging for dear life to December (or even November for those post-Halloween outdoor decorators). Or is it the cold temperatures that keep us from taking the lights down? Or the state of the grey world that makes us want to maintain some colour? Regardless of the reason, it’s this time of year when I’m done. Done with sad piles of dirty snow. Done trying to penguin-walk across stretches of frozen, lumpy slush on Leaside sidewalks, thanks to the freeze-thaw cycle that makes up a typical Toronto winter. I yearn for bad TV commercials about barbecues and patio furniture. Give me a billboard about a lawn fertilizer that will convince me I have a green thumb and make me a neighbourhood hero. Just anything that doesn’t keep reminding me there are only 289 days until Christmas, as of the time of this writing. It’s 8 degrees as I write this. That’s PLUS 8 degrees. Frosty should be laid to rest by now, or at the very least melted out of existence. Whether it’s a tariff-laden, made-in-China version that ought to be sleeping in its Rubbermaid coffin in the garage, or one made of micro-plastic-riddled snow and carrot sticks ready for Easter bunny eating reduced to a puddle, the way nature intended, it’s time. Heading back from Lit, as I round the corner off Sutherland and head to my house, I am reminded of my own Exhibit A of procrastination: a tangled, burnt-out mess of “fairy lights” haphazardly piled on top of my hedge, thanks, no doubt, to the driver of the oversized new sidewalk snow plow that treats our fence posts, sprinkler heads and curbstones like they were bowling pins. Judging by the fact that half my hedge is missing its adornment, I figure the plow must have caught an errant light and won its tug-of-war with my shrubs. I think to myself I need to follow my own ranting advice and get to work removing the evidence of Christmas past. Just then my phone buzzes to notify me of the latest Apple News article. Hmmm, Doug Ford is threatening to cut power to Michigan, Minnesota, and New York.
Well, I think, that’s one way to turn off the Christmas lights. Right on, Doug! n
Putting an End to Bladder Leaks
Have you ever laughed, coughed, or sneezed and felt a bladder leak? Do you wear black to the gym in case of an accident while working out? Do you always need to know where the closest washroom is, because when you have to go…you have to go? If you can relate to any of these situations you are not alone. Bladder leaks and urgency issues impact as many as 2/3 of women over the age of 35. This problem is extremely common, but that doesn’t mean it’s normal. Most women struggle in silence with only 10% seeking medical help and waiting an average 6.5 years from their first symptom before getting help.
There are also costly impacts on our lives, our planet, and our finances. Incontinence is one of the top reasons women are admitted to nursing homes later in life. 54% of women struggling with bladder leaks report a loss of confidence and 45% give up intimacy for fear of embarrassment. Women begin to restrict their activities, giving up the things they used to enjoy (like running, hiking, playing tennis) to help manage the risk of a leak. Our environment is also negatively impacted. In 2019, for the first time in history, the adult diaper market outsold the baby diaper market; all of which ends up in a landfill. Women spend between $900-$2000 per year purchasing pads or diapers trying to manage this problem.
Over 25 years that’s $50,000 that could have been spent on something much more enjoyable.
Here’s the good news. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Technology is advancing quickly to bring disruptive solutions to healthcare challenges, and the majority of these innovations are being led by women for women. UROSPOT™ offers breakthrough technology to end bladder leaks and say goodbye to pads. Strengthening the pelvic floor is doctor recommended first line treatment. At UROSPOT this is achieved without being invasive or awkward. As the official home to the Kegel Throne™, UROSPOT uses Health Canada and FDA approved technology that delivers 11,000 Kegels in just 28 minutes, simply by sitting on a chair and remaining fully clothed. Highly focused electromagnetic energy causes your pelvic floor musculature to contract, or kegel, 11,000 times in 28 minutes. After 6 sessions 95% of women reported a significant quality of life improvement and over 2/3 eliminated or drastically reduced the use of pads. It gets better. There’s only one side effect….more pleasure during sex.
In this age of women’s empowerment, it’s refreshing to see women’s healthcare taking center stage. it’s time to take control of our health, stay independent longer and restore our confidence and freedom.
Book your complimentary consultation today. Partially covered by physiotherapy benefits.
Urospot.com/Uptown-Toronto 3080 Yonge Street, Suite 5033 (416) 874-6268 uptowntoronto@urospot.com
Summer volunteer opportunities
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is now accepting applications for Summer 2025 volunteer opportunities. Work alongside our exceptional team as you make a meaningful contribution to aquatics, recreation, life skills, and rehabilitation programs for children and teens with disabilities. Full-time and part-time volunteer positions are available in July and August.
Applications are now open.
To learn more about our summer volunteer opportunities, please visit: www.hollandbloorview.ca/volunteer
Events April
ELECTRONIC RECYCLING DAY
Do something good for Earth Month! Leaside Rotary is hosting an Electronic Recycling day April 5, at East York Town Centre from 10:00-4:00 p.m. Recycle old TVs, music equipment, computers etc.
LEASIDE UNITED CHURCH
822 Millwood Road, 416 425 1253 www.leasideunited.com See Easter services ad on page 19.
Amateur Variety Show April 4, 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Performers of all ages. Complimentary refreshments. Donations made to JustSocks (supplying new socks to the needy). Pay what you can. Suggested $10/person and $25/family. Awesome Sale – donations accepted until April 25 between 9:00 a.m. and noon, Monday to Friday. Fair dates: May 9/10.
CFUW LEASIDE-EAST YORK
Thursday, April 17, 7:00 p.m.
From Peggy’s Cove to Alaska by Car Speaker: Susan Wright. At Northlea United Church, 125 Brentcliffe Rd.
LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY
Thurs., April 10, at 7:00 p.m. In-Person at Leaside Library, 165 McRae Drive
Refreshments at 6:30 p.m. Guest speaker: Desré Kramer: Growing Vegetables, From A-Z: The Basics of Vegetable Growing. The Society welcomes guests and new members to join for our meetings. Visit: http://www.leasidegardensociety.org or email: leaside@gardenontario.org
NORTHLEA UNITED CHURCH
125 Brentcliffe Road, 416 425 5252
See ad on page 16 for Easter services. Lunch & Learn Tues., April 1, at 12:00 p.m. Speaker: City Councillor, Rachel Chernos Lin. Lunch at noon; Presentation starts at 12:30 p.m. Please register by noon on Fri., March 28 and indicate if you will attend both the lunch & lecture or just the lecture, and include contact info. Free will offering accepted but not required.
ST. CUTHBERT’S CHURCH, LEASIDE 1399 Bayview Avenue 416 485 0329 stcuthbertleaside@toronto.anglican.ca www.stcuthbertsleaside.com See Easter services ad on page 19.
Tai chi Tuesdays 1:30 – 2:30 p.m in Lamb Hall. Video & live instruction. Suggested donation $4.
Spring Fair – Sat., May 3, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. All donations except furniture and clothing accepted until April 30.
LEASIDE LIBRARY
165 McRae Drive • 416 396 3835
For a full list of programs at Leaside branch, please visit www.tpl.ca/leaside n
Increase
Improve
Purify
DURING
See Website & Social for
202 Laird Drive Toronto, ON, M4G 3W2 416-964-5446 leaside@oxygenyogafitness.com @oyfleaside
FITNESS
Sunnybrook Plaza Goes BIG – the sequel?
Following my February column in Leaside Life regarding the new development application for Sunnybrook Plaza (“Sunnybrook Plaza goes B.I.G.”), I had a conversation with Concert Properties and reviewed the application materials in greater detail.
The team at Concert have always been collaborative and, in fairness, their responses were compelling and deserve to be aired, so here it goes.
To summarize, the conversation revolved around three key matters: is the application really that “big” given the context; is it fair to raise generalized concerns about tall buildings in juxtaposition to their specific application; and should we overlook the good things that Concert has done though its eightyear involvement in the community?
The February article summarized the stats regarding the new application for a new three-tower proposal (32, 37 and 43 storeys) to replace the two-tower (11 and 16 storeys) proposal submitted in 2014 and approved in 2016. You can’t argue with stats, but you can provide
explanatory context. I completely agree that the original application was submitted in 2014 in a very different economic market and under a very different planning context.
Though I wrote that the 43-storey tower, if approved, would be the tallest in Leaside, it is not out of context with and has the lowest Floor Space Index (FSI) of the other 12 development approvals and proposals in the immediate area – two
ration distances from the homes to the proposed towers;
• Transitioning the height/scale of the towers and podiums as one moves eastwards from the height peak at the major intersection;
• Proposing a mix of tenures – both rental and condo;
• Proposing a mix of uses – residential, retail and open space;
• Contemplating the inclusion of attainable or affordable housing;
• Increasing the total number of two- and three-bedroom, family-sized homes by 252 suites;
• Maintaining 11m-wide pedestrian mews;
• Maintaining significant building setbacks and a strong retail presence along Eglinton and Bayview to help animate and activate streets.
projects of which are taller than Concert’s tallest proposed building. And unlike 660 Eglinton Ave., these other projects are not located right at the intersection, where you would expect to see the tallest towers, and do not share Concert’s history of multiple design iterations and redevelopment attempts of Sunnybrook Plaza as detailed in my May 2024 Leaside Life article, “Leaside’s become a demolition derby.” Further, Concert feels strongly that the project meets all the tests of good planning, urban design for transit-oriented developments and complete communities through such features as:
• Providing 25m separation distance between towers and 20m+ to neighbourhoods (i.e., residents along Bessborough Drive and Craig Crescent) with 45m+ sepa-
Second, I reported on several issues, such as wind tunnel effects, prolonged building period, insufficient elevator capacity and energy consumption, that arise with buildings over 35 storeys, compared with mid-rise (up to 14 storeys) and more modest tall towers. Concert Properties noted that they have an excellent track record addressing issues affecting taller towers through thoughtful design and are committed to building to high sustainability standards. On this one I agree that while the issues associated with tall buildings may have general applicability, the juxtaposition of the revelations in an article about a particular building proposal without examining the detailed proposal was unfair. These impacts will all be examined and reviewed against good planning policy.
Third, Concert reminded me of several benefits contributed as part of the original approved project, as well as benefits proposed as part of the new development proposal.
The former include:
• The construction of the Hanna Road Off-site Storm Sewer Construction to increase the capacity of the storm system and reduce localized flooding;
• The purchase, conversion to base park condition and conveyance of 21 Southvale Drive to the City as part of parkland dedication obligations;
• The donation of heritage items at Sunnybrook Plaza (i.e. the clock, signage) to the Leaside Heritage Preservation Society;
• Extraordinary efforts to protect three mature Norway Maple, Sugar Maple and Silver Maple trees along the north boundary of the site for Bessborough Drive and Craig Crescent residents;
• Extensive engagement and collaboration with the immediate neighbours and the Leaside Residents Association.
The latter include:
• Eliminating the canyon-like road running along the north perimeter of the site, thus preventing short-cutting through the property;
• Additional parkland dedication proposed at 278 Bessborough, which would enlarge and enhance the much cherished and historically significant Bessborough Parkette;
• Inclusion of three stormwater detention tanks to hold, reuse and reduce stormwater runoff into the community;
• Expanded planting buffer zone along the rear of the property;
• Proposing interim uses on the site to help with community enjoyment and activation during the entitlement and pre-construction phases – the goal being to add to community amenities while minimizing disturbance to immediate neighbours.
I would say this is a quite extraordinary interaction on Concert’s part, presenting the sense of a proactive partnership with the community rather than a minimalist participant in the development process.
Residents can have their say at a City-led Community Consultation Meeting (virtual) to be held on April 2nd from 6-8 p.m. Plan to attend! n
STEPHANIE BOWMAN, MPP
THANK YOU DON VALLEY WEST!
Thank you for trusting me to continue to serve as your MPP. I remain deeply committed to working together for the benefit of our community.
Sincerely,
a Russian. The police, assisted by Leaside resident Clarence Rundle, then drove the victim to the nearby Davisville Military Hospital, where doctors desperately but unsuccessfully tried to save his life. He died soon after, suffocating on his own blood – nine days short of his 30th birthday.
Reaction and impact
The murder shocked Canada. Newspapers across the country carried the story. Toronto cabbies – who had experienced three other taxi-driver murders in the past few months – refused to drive fares outside city limits after 10 p.m. Leaside was especially traumatized. The Toronto World reported that Leaside women would not leave their houses after dark unless accompanied by a male
escort. A Leaside minister – most likely St. Cuthbert’s Canon Lamb – requested more police protection for the community. Leaside residents also demanded better lighting along McRae Dr.
Futile search
Meanwhile, police looked in vain for the killer. They offered a $500 reward for information leading to his arrest. They interviewed area residents. They spoke to Canon Lamb, who helped organize local Boy Scouts to search for the murder weapon – an army jack-knife – which they found near the crime scene. Police also searched the construction camps in Leaside, hoping to find the killer among workers building the Canada Wire and Cable’s factory and employee homes. To no avail.
A coroner’s inquest took place at the end of November, where many people testified, including at least five Leasiders:
• Joseph Turner and his wife Grace, whose home Rowland crawled to;
• Leaside Constable L. G. Gardiner, who took Rowland’s dying statement at Turner’s house;
• Clarence Rundle of 117 Airdrie Rd., who was at Turner’s home when Rowland told his story; and
• David Bell, the town engineer, who saw Rowland’s unoccupied car near the open field and who lived at the corner of Soudan and Edith (later Bessborough Dr.).
None of the witnesses could provide conclusive information leading to the killer’s identity or capture, forcing the coroner’s jury to determine Rowland had been murdered by “a person or persons unknown.” The jury also concurred with Leaside residents that McRae Dr. was too dark at night and recommended that lights be placed on the road “to make this thoroughfare safer.” The case remains unsolved to this day.
The author would like to thank Tom Rolland, whose great uncle was John Rowland, for providing valuable information for this article. n
Re: October cover story
What a pleasure to meet Dr. Andy Smith again. This time he’s written Leaside Life’s October cover story. If you jumped off page 8, Dr. Smith, and landed on 38, you’d meet my charming wife, Carol Burtin Fripp. She has long been our magazine’s rear-gunner.
Dr. Smith and I first met in 2009. I was unconscious at the time in the OR, and he was missing his dinner while probing my guts. My colon cancer op was almost done, and the surgeon was stapling my bits together when the final staple misfired. It vanished into my anatomy. Hunting for the staple, they called in Dr. Smith, the thenhead of surgery at Sunnybrook. Later, my I.V. pole and I teamed up to walk around the ward. Dr. Smith caught up. I may have been a bit woozy, because I remember introducing him to my I.V., with “Let me introduce my Auntie Ivy.” Jolly memories. Hear this, cancer patients, past, present and to come: 15 years later I am still fit, at 81. Thank you, Sunnybrook. And thank you to your surgical teams. With special thanks to Drs. Andy Smith and Darlene Fenech.
Robert Fripp
Traffic – calming?
I read the Dec. 2023 edition of Leaside Life regarding traffic. The very word ‘calming’ when referring to traffic gives me the collywobbles! I used to live at Mt Pleasant and Soudan before buying a house in Leaside, and all manner of bizarre so-called ‘traffic-calming’ devices were installed in the streets.
I recall, for example, a massive concrete box with a tree planted in the middle of it. Fine. But it was right at a traffic light thus making it impossible to make a right turn if there was a car in front of you. What’s the point of putting an obstacle at a stop sign – cars come to a halt there anyway! That doesn’t calm anyone; in fact, it is very frustrating.
After spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on this silly business, all obstacles were finally removed! What a waste!
What exactly does ‘calming’ mean? Does it mean slowing vehicles? If so, proper traffic bumps are probably the wisest course. The best ones are on the grounds of Glendon College. If you fail to slow down, expect your teeth to rattle!
James Findlay Sleigh n
John Rowland
Time for spring cleaning
It’s time for our City’s annual spring cleanup.
Spring is filled with beauty: crocuses, snow drops, tulips and daffodils in bloom; trees budding; and birds chirping. Alas, this beauty is often overshadowed by the ugly spoils of winter litter, including dog poop, discarded coffee cups, pop cans and water bottles, cigarette packages and butts and other assorted nasty rubbish.
Sadly, our tax dollars are wasted on the unnecessary task of cleaning up after people’s bad behaviour. Surely, these stretched dollars would be better spent elsewhere.
The City’s litter operations run 16 hours per day, seven days a week and cost our City millions of dollars a year.
In addition to their ongoing efforts, in April they ask each of us for a mere hour of our time as a community to lend a helping hand and give the City – our City – a good spring cleaning. Cost effectiveness! Teamwork! Pride! Community!
I encourage all of us to visit a local
Cheryl Vanderburg Leaside
Litterati
ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/ clean-toronto-together/
I know it’s both annoying and disgusting to clean up someone else’s waste. But there is something satisfying about contributing to beautifying our community.
I used to quote Jane Jacobs: “People don’t litter where there is no litter.” I think she would be sad to learn that this no longer seems to be the case. Rather, as a Leaside Life reader wrote: “Where there are (emphasis added) people there is litter,” and this sentiment now seems to be more accurate.
park, public space or street to help clean up between April 25 and 27. Taking part is easy:
• Select your space.
• Pick your time.
• Gather your people.
• Register your cleanup and arrange for special litter collection, if required.
• Gather your supplies.
• Share your photos using hashtag #cleantoronto. For more info: https://www.toronto.
I leave it up to you to decide whether you can spare an hour of your time and want to get your hands dirty. But I hope you join in! Leasiders litter in Leaside and the City can’t possibly pick up every piece of detritus in every neighbourhood every day. If we don’t care about a litter-free Leaside, who will?
I’ve got my block of Rumsey Road covered. And I’ll take a stab at Trace Manes Park. How about you? Ready to dig in? n
Join Us on Saturday, May 24, 2025
Location: Suomi-Koti, 795 Eglinton Ave. E.
Registration: Begins at 9:30 am
Walk Starts: 10:00 am
Szilvia Eross since 2005 and Lienne Cole since 2006. Szilvia studied at the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy and provides pre-and post-natal care, treats sports and motor vehicle injuries, repetitive strain, sciatica, arthritis, frozen shoulder, scoliosis, and headaches. Lienne graduated from Toronto’s ICT Kikkawa Massage College and is also certified in Musculoskeletal Acupuncture and offers Hot Stone Therapy, Ultrasound, Suiko do and Myofascial Release. Rubinah Atcha, a former high school teacher, is a Registered Acupuncturist specializing in Chinese herbal medicine treating digestive disorders, gynecological concerns, chronic pain and fatigue as a graduate of Toronto’s Eight Branches College of Eastern Medicine.
Whatever your concern, when you visit Peter’s clinic, you will likely spot Chloe at the door waiting to greet you.
Learn more: https://www.millwoodchiro.com/ . Growling Beaver Ride for Parkinson’s https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=EUWMPNQJDu4. n
From Page 16
me is true strength, doing the thing you thought was impossible. Being terrified and defeated and doing it anyway.”
She is donating copies of her book to shelters across the city and hopes to expand that initiative further. Visit https://www.saradavidson.ca/ anybody-can-heal/ for more information on the book. n
From Page 12
Leaside’s legacy of caring for refugees. See October 2017 issue.
himself in Tajikistan. Once he and Arzoo got their visas, they arrived in Toronto on October 12, 2023.
Arzoo reports that within a month they had obtained their OHIP cards and SIN numbers and were settled in a comfortable and affordable condo, thanks to a friend of Laszlo’s. They also received furniture, kitchen items, clothes and gifts for the children from the church and church families, for which they are very grateful.
Yama and Arzoo found it challenging to find jobs without any Canadian work experience, but with support from their sponsor group members, they got temporary jobs that gave them the necessary experience and led to their current positions. They also hope to update their education to qualify for their ideal jobs in the future.
Arzoo says they are very happy and grateful to be living in Canada with great new friends, a lovely apartment and good jobs. She says she especially appreciates “living in a peaceful and secure country where I have the right of walking outside freely, wearing clothes that I want, having the right of speech and not being the slave of men. I wish that one day every Afghan woman will have this feeling.”
Bob Lister remembers fondly the day when the family shared their story at church and comments that “the call to love and help one another is more important than ever, given the current turmoil and suffering in the world. We are thankful that as a church family we can continue to answer the call.”
To learn more about the work of the refugee committee at Leaside United Church, contact Bob Lister at lisandboblister@gmail.com. n
STEVE HARDY
DAVIDSON
Toddler, Preschool & Kindergarten
We offer early learning experiences for young children to build the skills they need for life.
Info@leasidechildrenshouse.com Instagram @leaside_childrens_house
Fun times gone by with Leaside Rotary
by CRAIG HUTCHISON
Leaside Rotary has many great members with long histories with the club. One such member is George Hurst. He joined the club in 1987, so he has seen and done a lot. He was recently awarded King Charles III’s Coronation Medal for his outstanding community work. George shared the highlights of a couple of events that were extremely popular back in the day:
Bingo
Bingo was held seven days a week in the ’70s and ’80s at a church basement on Sherbourne Street. There were 1,200 people (75% of them women) per morning, afternoon, and evening shift. This was before lotteries started so bingo was the chance to win a big prize of $100! People returned twice or three times per week. Some were very skilled with their favourite dauber pens and some even ran up to 20 bingo cards at a time! Everyone was smoking at the bingo hall, so you had to wash all your clothes after
your shift. The end of bingo, which used to be a terrific way for many clubs to raise funds for their various charities, came in the late ’80s when smoking was banned in all indoor facilities.
Metro Toronto International Caravan Festival
Caravan was a city-wide 10-day international summertime event that started in 1969 and ran for 35 years. It was promoted as a chance for participants to travel around
the world, metaphorically, in one day. There were more than 55 different pavilions supporting the multicultural aspects of Toronto (including Italian, French, German and Japanese). The Leaside Rotary Club was host to the Calgary Pavilion located at Todmorden Mills. Everyone wore cowboy hats, cowboy boots and bandanas. Every night we served a roast beef dinner. People were entertained with a casino, live bands and variety shows (supported by local university students). This annual event ran for many years and was extremely popular – even Queen Elizabeth II attended, in 1984. This was the precursor to the many international food festivals held in Toronto today.
Join us and help us continue our great work as we find new ways to work for our community! n
by STAN FLEMMING
Why Canada matters –and why your stories do, too
Our country and our community are at a crossroads and it’s a good time to reflect on what makes Canada – and Leaside – such a remarkable place to call home. From our strong communities to our resilience in the face of challenges, Canada is built on a foundation of shared values and determination. And nowhere is that spirit more evident than right here in Leaside.
With ongoing global economic uncertainty, including tariffs and trade disputes that affect Canadian businesses, it’s important to consider how these issues trickle down to our own neighbourhood. Local businesses, many of them family-run, depend on stable trade relation-
ships to keep their shelves stocked and their doors open. Whether it’s the corner café sourcing ingredients, the small and large manufacturer dealing with higher costs, or our own Leaside-based entrepreneurs navigating shifting markets, we will all feel the impact in one way or another. But if there’s one thing Leaside knows, it’s how to come together.
This is why we want to hear from you. What does Canada mean to you? How do you see the impact of these economic changes in your daily life? Whether you’re a longtime resident, a small or large business owner, or a newcomer finding your place, your stories shape the fabric of our community.
Leaside Life is your platform to share, connect, and celebrate all that makes Canada and Leaside extraordinary. Send us your thoughts, your experiences, and your hopes for the future.
We look forward to hearing from you and we will share your feedback in a special issue of Leaside Life focusing on Canada this coming May. Email us at leasidelife@gmail.com or call us at 416-504-8047 x 120. n
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leasidelife.com
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 Leaside & Bennington Heights
No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication.
Our AGM to be held in interesting times
As the proverb says, we live in interesting times. Have we ever had so many local by-elections (plus a provincial general election) in such a short period? I am writing this column in early March, knowing that it will be delivered to your home by the end of the month. What I DON’T know is whether by the time you read this we may once again be in the midst of yet another general election campaign, this time federal.
What we DO know is that, regardless of the political environment, our 2025 Annual General Meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Mon., April 14. It will be an in-person event, in the William Lea Room of the Leaside Gardens. Please mark your calendars.
The AGM is an opportunity to report on the past year’s issues and results. We receive nominations for the LRA board of directors, present a treasurer’s report, and look ahead. We take your questions and suggestions, and invite our Councillor, MPP, and MP to do so as well. You can renew your LRA membership
or become a member if you aren’t already one.
If the event falls within the period of a general election, we plan to turn the second part of the AGM into a Don Valley West federal can-
didates’ debate.
However, the political situation evolves, it will be an interesting and important event! Join us and your fellow Leasiders on April 14th.
Permit parking
Do you live on one of Leaside’s 11 local residential streets being polled for permit parking? When the Leaside Neighbourhood Transportation Plan team began its work a few years ago, they received many complaints about parking issues, particularly regarding daytime parking, and especially from residents living close to shopping areas, construction sites and medical institutions. Polling is now underway, but public reaction is apparently less positive than one might have expected.
The LRA has been contacted by several residents about the hours covered by the permits (overnight, but only until 7a.m., which is criticized as being too early to prevent later all-day non-local parking). Others say there are insufficient parking spaces on streets with shared driveways. Residents of, and tradespeople at new developments are legally excluded from lengthy parking periods by the permit parking program, but there is also some concern that enforcement might be a problem.
It will be interesting to learn the polling results when they are released.
Join us!
The LRA board meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. These are public meetings, which you are welcome to join. Our next monthly meeting is on April 2 via Zoom.
REMEMBER to save the evening of APRIL 14th for our in-person AGM at the Leaside Gardens! For contact information and more details and updates, visit us online at leasideresidents.ca and press the Contact Us button, or at leasideresidents.ca/contact-us n
