A
Pause
Editor’s
What gets you going?
Not all articles are created equal. Some are timelier than others; some deal with more emotional issues; others are more newsworthy.
Suffice to say, I am always amazed at which pieces we publish in Leaside Life that generate the most interest.
A few months ago, we published a piece by a reader whose father was attacked by an off-leash dog. This provoked various sympathetic responses, as well as a letter from a reader with strong words for people who allow their cats to go outdoors.
The latest tinderbox was our feature on a new pickleball court proposed for the Northlea school revitalization project. We first reported on the school’s plans last March – and heard nothing. Last month, though, after publishing the strong objections of some local non-pickleball fans (and the trustee’s responses to questions about the
court), we heard plenty!
Many of the comments were personal in nature, and you could feel the steam rising from their keyboards as they expressed their dismay at our giving space to these particular pickleball-haters. Where was the balanced reporting, they wanted to know? Including the trustee’s comments as well as our previous reporting on the school’s plans, we felt, constituted fair coverage.
But…we appreciate the thoughtful and impassioned letters we received on what’s become a much hotter topic than we anticipated. We want to hear from people expressing diverse opinions, whatever the topic. It means you’re engaged in your community – and that’s Leaside Life’s ultimate goal: to create a forum for fair comment.
Keep reading! Keep writing! n *
Connect with us today to explore the advantage - where commitment meets excellence and your goals become our mission!
Representative Our team specializes in delivering a tailored, seamless real estate experience that ensures our client’s success in every home buying and selling journey.
Chestnut Park® Real Estate Limited, Brokerage
Worth “wading”
I loved the 1966 photo in last month’s Leaside Life showing fiveyear-old Mitch Bubulj at the old Trace Manes wading pool. It triggered fond memories of when I would take my daughter, Maddy, there 20 years ago. It also got me thinking about the pool’s history, which goes back much further than either Mitch or I can remember.
The pool had been operating since at least 1946, when it was featured in the July 23 issue of the Toronto Telegram as part of a story about the proposed Leaside Community Centre planned for the corner of Millwood Road and McRae Drive. While the Community Centre never materialized at that location (the
project eventually became Leaside Memorial Community Gardens at Millwood Road and Laird Drive), the Millwood wading pool (as it was known) was hugely popular. Deeper than many ordinary wading pools and staffed by trained lifeguards, it was used in the late 1940s to teach children the basics of swimming. It was also the setting for many con-
tests and exhibitions. At the end of August 1947, local children marked the seasonal closing of the pool by using it to display their swimming and floating skills. As time went on, these and other exhibits evolved into
WADING POOL Page 35
The Trace Manes wading pool, 1955.
Beverly Furer masters Flemish-style artistry
by SUZANNE PARK
If you’re walking near Trace Manes Park most mornings, you may run into Beverly Furer with her elegant dog Asta, a Silken Windhound named after Fred Astaire for his nimble flying feet. Stop and chat, and you’ll discover that Beverly is a dedicated and brave artist. She bucks prevailing trends and stays true to her passion for her favourite style of painting.
Whether creating a painting or mural, inside or outside, she emulates the Flemish style and possesses encyclopedic knowledge of the Dutch and Flemish Masters like Rubens, Van Dyck and Rembrandt and their unique artistic process to create lifelike portraits.
According to Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum, host to a Flemish Masters exhibition, Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools, 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks , from June 28 to Jan 18, 2026, this 15th-century revolutionary Flemish painting technique was
developed in Flanders, Belgium. These highly detailed artworks involve stages: first, preparing the canvas, then underpainting
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
and glazing with multiple layers of paint to achieve a realistic and luminous effect. The technique is known for its meticulous attention to detail and ability to replicate reality. All are superbly displayed in Beverly’s Eugeniy Chevkenov with violin artwork.
Furer’s home is her studio, where her working space consumes her entire living room. Every corner, surface, and the recently acquired antique desk artfully store brushes, canvases, palette knives, and artworks. The room with its large window is anchored by a substantial wooden easel. Even the surrounding hallway bursts with paintings. Asta does have studio privileges, staking out the couch as his domain until he’s gently shooed off when company or a client arrives.
Beverly’s Flemish style artwork has a small yet growing fan base. She lamented that “after working two jobs for decades to support myself and my painting, I’m just beginning to build up a little inventory of my artwork.”
She added, “Masters style painting requires many hours. Mixing and experimenting with subtle pigment modifications and layering paint take time, reflection, and more time. My Chevkenov violin artwork will likely require another 50 hours to complete.”
Niloo Saiy PharmD, CDE, RPh Associate-Owner
SUZANNE PARK
Leaside Life is heading west!
by STAN FLEMMING
For 15 years Leaside Life has been hyper-focused on, well, Leaside, and our distribution has been exclusively in the M4G postal code area – 10,000 copies distributed to every home and business inside the traditional Leaside and Bennington Heights boundaries.
This past July, we did a marketing exercise. For the first time we hand-delivered an additional 1,000 copies of Leaside Life to the west side of Bayview – the area bounded by Eglinton Ave. E., Merton St., Cleveland St. and Bayview Ave. There was a simple call to action –would residents west of Bayview be interested in receiving Leaside Life as part of our regular distribution? The response was overwhelmingly positive. It seems that Leaside (or Leaside-adjacent) does not stop at Bayview.
Readers wrote:
I am responding to your request for feedback. Received your publication in my mailbox. I am on the west side of Bayview at Cleveland Street. Would love to be included in your regular distribution.
I was pleased to see Leaside Life at my house, west of Bayview.
I would like to be included on your regular distribution list.
Yes, Leaside Life would be welcome in my neighbourhood west of Bayview. I read this most recent issue and found the various articles related to the greater neighbourhood. A good example of how we are connected was the new pedestrian lights at Bayview and Parkhurst/Soudan. There are lots of things happening west of Bayview that I feel would interest those folks west of Bayview and Soudan.
Please, please, please deliver west of Bayview. I am on Broadway by the traffic circle. I grew up in Leaside and love the magazine when I can get my hands on a copy. Sometimes friends save and share, sometimes I can snag a copy at the Leaside Library and I hate to do it, but sometimes I must look electronically (but that is not the same).
I am M4P 1X2 and I would be thrilled to get Leaside Life delivered every month. Thanks for thinking of us!
We would very much like regular distribution of the Leaside Life magazine delivered west of Bayview. Thanks!
Hi there, we live on Hillsdale just west of Bayview; we would love to receive Leaside Life regularly.
I live on Soudan Avenue just west of Bayview Avenue and recently received your Leaside Life newspaper and found a couple of articles were exciting and would certainly look forward to receiving many more Leaside Life newspapers being delivered at my home in the future. The article written by Ted DeWelles about Leaside Research Enterprises Limited brought back memories of both my mother and grandfather, who lived on Gresham Avenue during the war. Both worked at REL building radar equipment for the British. Thank you for bringing back those memories.
I am only 10 houses away from Leaside so I do appreciate the delivery and would like to receive it as these are the businesses I frequent.
Good morning. I received a special delivery of Leaside Life this week and just wanted to share my thoughts that I would like to receive regular distribution of this publication. Hopefully this will happen as I think it would be of great benefit to those of us on the west side of Bayview!
We received a copy of Leaside Life and thoroughly enjoyed it. We’d love to continue receiving it.
I received a copy of Leaside Life at my door this morning. I would be interested in receiving it regularly. I often pick it up at the bank on the corner, but it would be great to receive it at the door.
In response to this feedback, we are thrilled to announce that starting with this August issue, Leaside Life will be expanding its distribution catchment to include west of Bayview. M4S – here we come! n
Housebound for the house proud in Leaside
by LORNA KRAWCHUK
If you’ve walked recently along McRae between Sutherland and Airdrie, you’ve probably noticed the graceful arrangements of potted plants outside Housebound, a retail location opened by home décor curator Colton Slater a year ago. The plants and their containers aren’t usually for sale, but perhaps you’d be interested in purchasing a marble sandaled foot Slater uses to prop the door open on summer days.
Colton grew up in Severn Bridge in Muskoka, came to Toronto after finishing high school in 2009, and then attended George Brown College, where he studied business administration. After a few years, he realized his heart wasn’t in BA, so he shifted gears to attend the former Ryerson University to become an interior designer.
Housebound began as an online business six years ago, and, as Housebound Interiors, has an active online presence. Colton posts weekly updates of collections on
Covid led to the opening of the 207 McRae location.
Colton still returns to Severn Bridge to visit family, but has made his life in Toronto, in Davisville Village. He spends significant time travelling to the US and Europe (especially Italy) on the lookout for antiques and décor for the store and the online business. He tends to buy what he likes for himself personally: “buy what you love,” “[nothing] trendy,” and mostly “vintage or antique” and “unique.”
One example is his luxury handpoured candles, which he sources from a company in Spain that started in 1899. A potter in Washington, DC features a new collection three times a year and sells to just three other stores, and only to Housebound in Canada. If you’re in the market for a gilt-framed mirror, you could be looking at 1950s American or 19thand early 20th-century Italian.
Why this particular location on McRae, which is somewhat off the beaten track? Colton describes it as “a bustling road.” When he saw that this location was available, “it looked like a cute little spot, with a lot of potential in this strip.” He hopes shoppers will think of it as a “destination.”
His usual hours are Thursday to Saturday between 11 and 5, but appointments outside those hours are also available. n
LORNA KRAWCHIK
Rob Pierce has our vote for Leaside Renaissance man
by JAKE ROSS
An accomplished businessman, a successful author, an avid volunteer and a lifelong Leaside resident (with a brief interruption when he attended university), Robert Pierce, or more familiarly, Rob, is the definition of a Leaside success story.
If that name sounds familiar, that’s because you probably saw signs plastered around the neighbourhood or saw it printed on a ballot when you voted in April’s federal election: Rob was the Conservative Party’s candidate for Don Valley West. He felt motivated to run “after 10 years of ruinous federal policies,” which he says are contributing to a “falling standard of living” for the residents of Don Valley West. He did, however (sarcastically), credit the new Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney for “basically implementing the Conservative platform.”
Rob began giving back to the community at a young age. While a student at Leaside High School, he worked at the Canadian National
Institute for the Blind (CNIB). One of his first jobs was as a paperboy for the Globe and Mail at age 11.
After graduating from the University of Western Ontario (now Western University) in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business, he began his over 40-year career in wealth management.
He co-founded CI Private Wealth (formerly Stonegate Private Counsel), and its predecessor companies, Assante Asset Management and Equion Securities. He is a registered portfolio manager with the Ontario Securities Commission, one of the highest designations in the industry.
In 2017, Rob co-authored The Family TRĒ: The Total Return Experience, about best practices for high-net-worth individuals and family office management.
Rob has continued giving back in his adult life. He started serving on the board of governors at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in 1998, and in 2012, he was made chairman of the board, a position he held until 2019.
That same year, in recognition of his service to the museum, he was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Distinguished Service Award. In an online video, he is praised by ROM colleagues, who say that he “lives and breathes the ROM.” He says his passion for the ROM comes from the belief that it “makes people less fearful about the future, less fearful about immigration, less fearful about their own lives.”
In addition to volunteering, in his free time Rob enjoys spending time at the Rosedale Golf Club, the Country Club of Florida, The Granite Club, and cycling, skiing and travelling. He’s also an avid learner – he is a Master of Philosophy candidate at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and has taken additional courses at both Harvard and the University of Toronto. Rob jokingly says that his proudest accomplishment was passing Grade 13 calculus at Leaside High School before adding that there really isn’t a specific accomplishment he can point to. He’s proud to have raised a healthy and happy family, built a successful company, and nurtured the ability to give back to his community and city.
Whether or not you marked an ‘X’ beside his name in April, there’s no denying that Rob Pierce is an accomplished individual with a deep commitment to Leaside. n
ROB PIERCE
Congrats to Dan Girard, GTHL’s Dr. Tom Pashby Trainer of the Year!
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
When Dan Girard received the call that he had received the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL)
Dr. Tom Pashby Trainer of the Year award, recognizing outstanding achievement in player safety and well-being, he thought he was being pranked.
After all, he says, “it’s what dozens and dozens of others have done,” in giving of their time and energy to volunteerism in sports.
But Girard, who received the award for his work with the U18A hockey team, has gone above and beyond when it comes to his 17 years of voluntary leadership, dedication, and commitment to player safety.
Dad to boys Evan, 21, and Lucas, 17, Girard has been a part of sports leadership in Leaside since Evan first began Learn-to-Play at age 4.
When Lucas was in Grade 1, Girard (who also writes for Leaside Life), took on the role of manager of his hockey team. He then went on to complete the Hockey Trainers
Certification Program and worked as both an assistant coach and fulltime trainer.
Off the ice, Girard also coached with Leaside Baseball and Leaside Soccer. In fact, after Covid, when Leaside Baseball was faced with a coaching shortage, the league asked Girard if he would consider helping.
Girard, along with his son Lucas, generously donated three years to coach a group of nine- and 10-year-olds.
In recognition of his years as a dedicated trainer and mentor, the kids on the U18A hockey team nominated Girard for the GTHL Trainer of the Year award.
Girard admits that “the fact they would take their time to do this for me choked me up.”
Head coach of the team Joel Kruzich has worked with Girard for the past 13 years and calls him “the glue that keeps the team together while always prioritizing player safety. Most importantly he was a mentor and a role model as our young boys grew into men.”
To be chosen as the trainer of the year out of 466 teams in the GTHL, Girard has clearly been an outstanding trainer and a leader his players greatly respect and appreciate. n
Bayview Chiropractic celebrates 25 years... of backs, necks, heads, elbows and more!
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
If you’ve lived in Leaside for any length of time, odds are that either you or someone you know has patronized the business that locals refer to as “those guys on Bayview.”
Since Dr. David O’Connor set up the Bayview Chiropractic Health Centre 25 years ago, thousands upon thousands of people from the neighbourhood – and beyond – have sought out his treatment for a myriad of musculoskeletal issues.
In 2000, O’Connor was looking for a new space for his practice and decided that Leaside was not only a great spot for an office, but it would also be a wonderful place in which to raise a family.
Upon discovering that Dr. Ron Marshall was closing his chiropractic practice on the second floor of 1555 Bayview Ave., O’Connor knew immediately he had found his place. He soon brought on Dr. Tim Marshall (no relation to Ron Marshall), and together the two have built a highly trusted and effective practice.
While Marshall notes that “most people think of chiropractors treating back pain,” the doctors employ multiple methods including soft tissue treatment, acupuncture, laser and shockwave to treat almost any musculoskeletal injury. They handle backs, necks, heads, elbows, hips, knees, and more.
O’Connor describes themselves as “more physical or
LEASIDE BUSINESS
manual therapists than traditional chiropractors.”
And while the practice treats people of all ages with issues resulting from everyday life or recreational activities, O’Connor and Marshall have also been asked to serve at the Olympics, Pan Am Games, and multiple world championships with gymnastics, cycling, squash, synchronized swimming, and sailing. Both doctors take frequent professional development and continuing education courses to stay current with advancements in knowledge and clinical training and to ensure, as O’Connor says, that they have “lots of tools in (our) toolbox.”
The Centre will be marking its 25th anniversary with a special bash this fall. Keep an eye on their website, bayviewchiropractic.com, for all the details! n
Looking to grow your business in 2025? Advertising in Leaside Life can help. Contact Karli Vezina at
Dr. David O’Connor (left) and Dr. Tim Marshall (right)
Enjoy Your Summer Worry Free
With summer here we tend to get more active and spend more time outdoors. This can be a challenge if you need to use the bathroom frequently, have overpowering urgency, or struggle with annoying bladder leaks. There’s nothing worse than finding yourself in the middle of a golf course with no bathroom in site, or out in nature and all you can think about is where will I go if I have to pee?
You don’t need to live like this. While these issues are common, they are not normal. They are a sign of possible dysfunction in your pelvic health, and you deserve to have this dysfunction treated.
5 things you likely didn’t know:
1) Both women and men can struggle with these challenges.
2) Over time your brain can become poorly “trained” to signal you when your bladder is not actually full. This incorrect signal can result in frequent bathroom trips and strong urgency.
3) Your brain, bladder muscle and pelvic floor muscles should be coordinated and working together like great friends. They can fall out of sync as we age, after we have babies, or even after surgeries. It is possible to “re-educate” these old friends, so they work like a team again.
4) A full bladder should take at least 8 seconds to empty. If your stream lasts just a few seconds, you received an incorrect signal.
5) A healthy bladder should empty every 2-4 hours depending on how much water you drink. A heavy hydrator would go every 2 hours. If you are more dehydrated; every 4 hours. If you are going to the washroom every hour you are getting incorrect signals.
UROSPOT is a private clinic in Toronto that treats common UROlogy and pelvic health issues in a non-invasive and modern way. At UROSPOT you remain fully clothed. No one is touching you and nothing goes inside your body. UROSPOT has a team of pelvic health experts and world class non-invasive technology that combine to change your life and help you live with freedom from these issues. By sitting fully clothed on a medical chair lovingly called the “Kegel Throne,” your pelvic floor muscles are stimulated using electromagnetic energy. This energy moves through your clothes and contracts your pelvic floor muscles the equivalent of 11,000 kegels in just 28 minutes. This treatment restores and strengthens your pelvic floor but it also re-educates the connection between your brain, bladder and pelvic floor so they signal you correctly and work together again.
If you want to get out there this summer without worrying where the nearest bathroom is, if you want to go for long walks without bladder leaks, or if you want to spend a day at the beach without 5 trips to the public restroom a complimentary consultation at UROSPOT is what you need. You will leave educated, empowered an excited about the freedom and confidence available to you.
A portion of treatment cost is eligible for coverage with extended health benefits, and you can also claim treatment as a medical expense on your income tax return.
To learn more visit urospot.com
3080 Yonge Street, Suite 5033 (At the corner of Yonge and Lawrence) Toronto, ON (416) 874-6268 uptowntoronto@urospot.com
“Piirakka” is Finnish for comfortably delicious
Each month we cover a Leasider’s special dish with a hearty side order of narrative.
by MITCH BUBULJ
Quick, name four things for which Finland is renowned: sauna, Marimekko clothing, architectural design (think Viljo Revell, architect behind Toronto City Hall), and … piirakka? I know; until recently I was asking the same thing. But that was before I was invited to Suomi-Koti (or Finnish House) at 795 Eglinton Ave. East to attend a piirakka-making class. Now I know what Finns have been savvy to all along: piirakka, also known as Karelian Pies, is a popular, tasty rice cake you can make at home. I attended the Saturday workshop as the guest of resident Eila Fowler. The story of Eila’s parents’ coming to Canada is unique among the Finns. Instead of heading to Sudbury or Thunder Bay to the Finnishlike mines and forests, her mom and dad landed jobs in Montreal in 1926, where her father chauffeured for a wealthy Westmount
Find the recipes online by clicking the Leaside Cooks tab.
family. Missing Finland, they sailed back in 1936 only to turn around a few years later to escape war. This time they settled in Bourlamaque, Quebec, where Eila was born.
“Dad worked in the gold mines – there were seven in full operation there at the time,” explained Eila. But her parents had a taste for city life. In 1952 her father saw an ad for employment in Toronto.
“The TTC was building Canada’s first subway and needed men with mining experience. That’s what brought us here. We settled on Soudan Avenue, just a stone’s throw from Bayview,” said Eila. She remembers her mom Lyyli making piirakka on the kitchen table and packing them in her dad’s lunch box before he headed off to Yonge Street and the seven kilometres of tunnels that would be serviced by 12 stations, from Union to Eglinton. “It was hard work and the flavourful, comforting piirakka sustained him.”
The day we made piirakka we were situated around a large table in the sleek, wood-panelled multi-purpose hall at Suomi-Koti, the Finnish seniors’ residence and long-term care facility opened in 1987 and designed by architect Seppo Kanerva. Our volun -
teer teacher was Tina Hamalainen, an engaging and energetic “chef” whose parents came from Finland. Tina explained that like many Finnish dishes, piirakka is made up of basic ingredients – rice, rye flour and egg.
“It is simple and delicious; it originates in a region next to Russia called Karelia, much of whose land was taken by Russia in the 1600s. The people are resilient and practical or ‘sisu’ as we say in Finnish,” explained Tina. And that sentiment is reflected in the dish. Tina also told us that while the ingredients are simple, the preparation is time consuming. “The people of Karelia are methodical and patient
MITCH BUBULJ
Eila Fowler and her granddaughter Lily making piirakkas.
Tina Hamalainen teaching us the piirakkas process.
and so have the right temperament to make piirakka!” Tina jested. The trick is to have the dough not too wet, not too dry. It is then rolled out in a circle, the rice mixture is dropped in the middle and then the sides are brought into the centre and pinched, making the
end product resemble a moccasin. Eila had also invited her granddaughter, Lily; their piirakka ended up looking store-quality. Must be in the blood. Mine looked malformed but still ended up tasting great, if I do say so myself. The added touch is a mixture of butter and chopped boiled egg that is dolloped on top while the piirakka are still warm. Try making them around your kitchen table with family; you won’t be disappointed. Hyvää ruokahalua! n
MITCH BUBULJ
Bike trips and white elephants
My brother, Terry, and I grew up at the corner of Parkhurst and Donegall. We were a block from the shops on Bayview, a block from Talbot Park (and Leaside High) and four blocks from Bessborough School. We could essentially walk to anywhere a Leaside kid would ever need to go. But why walk when you could ride? In those days, we loved bike riding and the freedom it gave us. And we rode everywhere – up and down Bayview including the lane behind the stores, to and from school to Wilket Creek, Serena Gundy, Trace Manes and Talbot parks, to the pool at Leaside Gardens, to friends’ homes throughout the neighbourhood and everywhere in between. It was a charmed and idyllic existence for a pair of young twin boys, no doubt about it.
Let’s remember that the early ’70s were a different era. We were regularly shooed out the back door to ride our bikes and not expected
MANOR ROAD UNITED CHURCH
Celebrating 100 Years of Spiritual Guidance and Charitable Good Works, May 2025 Join us for Sunday worship 10:30am In-person or live on YouTube
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS: FREE BRUNCH AT THE MANOR Sunday, August 3rd 11:30am after worship
FILIPINO FOOD FEAST AND FEST Civic holiday, Monday, August 4th 12-4pm In partnership with Love is Lovely Charity Chefs Food, music, games, awards, door prizes and more! $5.00 donation - No one is turned away
SAVE THE DATE: ANNUAL HARVEST FAIR Sunday, September 21st 1:30-4:30pm Vendors, food, bouncy castle, beer tent, live music
ONLINE YOGA WITH LINDA NICHOLSON Every Thursday, 4:30 pm Zoom link email: ministermruc@gmail.com
RENTAL SPACE AVAILABLE
Reasonable rates: Annually, monthly, weekly or special opccasions. Inquires: manorroaduc@gmail.com or 416-483-0695. 240 Manor Road East, Toronto, ON manorroadunitedchurch.com
back for hours – no supervision, no cellphones, no helmets and no shortage, dare I say, of questionable places to explore. Many years later, when my wife and I were raising our kids in Leaside, the “you-can-stayout-until-the streetlights-come-on” approach to child monitoring seemed terrifying! Yes, in the ’90s, family life was a little different and Leaside kids’ activities had changed as well. That meant that long, unsupervised bike rides dropped down the list of popular outdoor activities – an unfortunate reality of the changing times.
When you switch from walking to riding a bike, your geographic reach is extended dramatically, even if you’re 12 years old. In 1972, we suddenly realized we could ride outside of our comfortable Leaside community into, uhhh… shall we say, less comfortable areas. That’s when Terry and I started venturing into the vast and mysterious unknown region to the south called… the Don Valley.
We knew the streets of Leaside like the backs of our hands, but this was something altogether different – wild, untamed and unexplored. For us it was unnerving, scary even, but also intoxicating. We felt like Jacques Cartier as we hopped on our bikes and set off on that fateful day.
Currently, the Beltline Trail, via the Moore Park Ravine, is a beau-
tiful nature walk south from Moore Avenue to the Evergreen Brickworks. But in 1972, it was nothing but a deserted, muddy cow path called the Old Belt Road. It was also our route to the Don Valley and all the mysteries that awaited us. Halfway down the road, we felt completely cut off from civilization and were deep into a dark and foreboding forest, not to mention deep into the mud – we were covered! There was a lovely babbling brook flowing beside us and we briefly considered stopping to pan for gold, but we forgot our kitchen strainer and were already getting cold and tired. By the time we emerged at what is now the Brickworks, we’d had enough “exploring” for one day. However, we decided we couldn’t stomach a return trip through the muck back up the steep hill to Moore. So, what did we do? Well, our brilliant 12-year-old thinking, scoring “0” on the commonsense meter, was to ride up the shoulder of the Bayview extension – we’d have been grounded for life if our parents knew! With cars and trucks whizzing by just feet away, we struggled up Bayview on our single-gear bikes, realizing within 50 metres that we’d made a mistake. This route was even steeper, and we ended up stopping every few minutes or so to catch our breath. During one of these recovery breaks, sitting in the tall grass beside the road, we looked to the west… and there it was. On top of the hill across the street stood what was widely known as “The White Elephant” –an unfinished, abandoned and derelict seven-storey apartment building that had been a controversial eyesore on the edge of Leaside for the previous 13 years. Well, that did it. The White Elephant (also known by some as the Leaside Ghost) was an irresistible magnet for these two young boys. Another adventure beckoned – and since there were still a few hours before the streetlights came on, we saddled up and rode over, tingling with excitement. As it turned out, this was just one of many questionable decisions we made then. And, if you want to follow along, you can read that story in the October edition of Leaside Life . n
THE LEASIDE GHOST! ��
In our trustees we trust
by MITCH BUBULJ
On the morning of June 27th, the Friday of the last week of the school year with our thoughts more poolside than political, the Ford government erased with one stroke the role of the TDSB trustee in helping make Canada’s biggest –and North America’s fourth largest – school board function for the good of us all.
And that meant erasing the function of our newest trustee, Don Valley West’s winner of last March’s byelection, Stacey Cline, just as she was beginning to make an impact in our community.
nity and for ensuring these are considered in the decisions that result in practical educational opportunities for students. In doing so, trustees must consider conflicting interests and values.”
STACEYCLINE
FROM THE COVER
On June 27th it was publicly announced by the new director of the board, Clayton La Touche, that “the Minister of Education has placed the Toronto District School Board under supervision. As such the powers of trustees are now vested in the Minister of Education, who has appointed a supervisor. Effective as of 11:00 a.m. today, Rohit Gupta has been appointed as the supervisor.”
The reason? A report paid for by the government from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP concluded that the TDSB was going to run a multi-million-dollar deficit. The TDSB is the world’s most diverse board, offering unique programs and operating schools that are old, many of which were built pre1960. In other words, its efforts to offer world-class public education in buildings that are at an age where they require restoration and maintenance demand proper funding. But what if adequate funding is lacking? Not wanting to compromise quality delivery of education, the board accepted the need to run a deficit. The government found this to be unsatisfactory; it therefore concluded that “supervision was warranted.”
It seems the government deems the 22 trustees as reckless spendthrifts. Nothing could be further from the truth. Eighty-five per cent of the budget they approve is out of their control – wages, which are negotiated between the Ministry of Education and the federations that represent the employees. According to the TDSB, trustees are given the daunting task of “identifying the needs and priorities of their commu-
According to Ricardo Tranjan of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, “since the Ford government came to power…the inflation-adjusted funding shortfall between the 2018-19 and 2024-25 school years is now $1,500 per student.” This means that Leaside High School, for example, with close to 1,000 students, is down $1.5 million.
Let’s remember that Ontario prides itself on its strong public education system, promoting student success, eliminating socio-economic barriers, and offering strong special education supports. And most importantly trustees are the only people at the TDSB who were “hired” by us, the electorate. They represent a cornerstone of our democratic structure. And as it happens, they are good value. With an annual honorarium of around $25,000 and putting in 30 to 50 hours of work a week, they are for the most part a diligent and dedicated group.
Since being sworn in, our new trustee, Stacey Cline, has responded to hundreds of constituent inquiries, visited schools, advocated for student needs, attended board meetings, and worked with fellow trustees to improve TDSB operations. She is a trustee open to finding efficiencies and making progress. But as of 11 a.m. on June 27th, that all came to a halt. Now no trustee is allowed to communicate with constituents and participate in board meetings, and trustees have lost their decision-making powers concerning governance, budget and policy. No trustee can be paid. And no trustee can issue newsletters or articles for publications like Leaside Life. They have been silenced. I am writing to my MPP, the Minister of Education and the Premier saying the flaws in the funding formula need to be fixed. My voice at the TDSB, via my elected trustee, needs to be unfettered so she can do the job she was elected to accomplish. What about you? n
Tree culling on Eglinton – unannounced, unwanted, unlawful?
Fourplexes are not new to Leaside, but there are fourplexes, and there are fourplexes! Leaside’s beloved “Talbot quads” on Bayview between Parkhurst and Eglinton, are double duplexes (two by two). In 2023, City Council amended the zoning bylaw and the Official Plan to permit multiplex housing (up to four units) in areas designated Neighbourhoods and in all the low-rise Residential zones in the City of Toronto.
An application was made to the Committee of Adjustment for a fourplex (four by one) requesting five variances, including reduced front-yard and side-yard setbacks, at 712 Eglinton Ave. East (at the northeast corner of Rumsey Road), which was approved in October 2024. However, a second application followed shortly after for a revised proposal requesting a much larger reduction in front-yard setback. Urban Forestry had objected to the applicant’s proposed removal of the
large tree in the rear yard. Urban Forestry, together with Community Planning, Toronto Building, and the applicant apparently negotiated a compromise – moving the building forward to protect the tree – that was reflected in the revised Committee of Adjustment application, approved in March 2025.
Everything was quiet at the site until the morning of June 25, 2025, when the large honey locust tree in the rear yard of 712 Eglinton Ave. East was cut down without warning or notice, and apparently without permission from Urban Forestry. Neighbours were upset at the loss of this well-loved neighbourhood tree,
which spread its shade on the Rumsey Road sidewalk. The culling is now the subject of an investigation by Urban Forestry, as stated by a public notice placed on the construction fencing outside the property. Since June 25, work has proceeded quickly, demolishing the bungalow and laying down foundation forms for a new house. Coincidentally, the demolition and building permits are marked as having been issued on the same day – June 25 – as the tree was cut down. There’s even a new permit to allow a parking space at the rear of the building.
What to make of this?
The multiplex is a four-storey flatroofed building out of keeping with its bungalow block neighbours. “Two by two” format would have been preferred but would have required more than a single lot to accomplish. However, in the long run, with the pressures for intensification in anticipation of the long-awaited Eglinton LRT, it’s to be expected that the Eglinton block will change over time. This is just the start.
But the tree culling? While subject to a City investigation, the culling raises many questions, not the least of which is: why was the tree destroyed if the applicant had already gotten their way? Maybe they wanted room for a parking space, and a “clear working space.” And, not to prejudge the results of the investigation, but if a fine was levied, would it be a “slap on the wrist” and “a cost of doing business”? And if building permits were already issued, why would they not be revoked (and no additional ones issued) pending the results of the tree culling investigation underway?
This happens at a time when the City is considering strengthening its tree protection policies. The proposed “Growing Spaces” program, currently out for public consultation, recognizes that new infill housing development needs to ensure that the city’s existing tree canopy is supported and that there is growing space for trees as land is developed and new housing built. Visit the City’s site or email sustainablecity@ toronto.ca to have your say.
If you are wondering what a honey locust tree looks like – they are not that common in Leaside – there is a fine specimen on the Millwood Road side of Trace Manes Park adjacent to the baseball diamond. n
WILLIAM BROCKINGTON
Outside 6 Heather Road in 1943 on a snowy day. William Brockington (right) and his brother Bob. Bill and Bob’s dad and granddad were Leaside builders... his dad Horace built the house. (The house is still standing and
Leaside in the frame
Picture this. You’re strolling down memory lane, flipping through old family albums or scrolling and swiping through pics that bring back those special Leaside life moments. Welcome to the latest edition of Leaside Life’s “Leaside in the Frame.”
Consider it a showcase of Leaside in photos with you or your family in the spotlight. Maybe it’s prom night at LHS? Stepping out on Bayview? Laughing away on the slide at the “Batman” park? Tennis at Trace Manes? Your photo can be from 1925, 2025 or any time in between. n
Interested in sharing some memoriesphotographic with us? Email leasidelife@gmail.com with your pictures (high resolution, if possible, taken in Leaside) and a brief explanation of who is “in the frame,” the year, locale and special significance to you.
SUSAN BYFORD
Here’s another picture from the same era (as last month’s pic of Meg Krawchuk). This is after we “graduated” from Mrs. Park’s...and went on to Rolph Road Public School. (Meg and I are both in the red and white dresses).
Update on the Ontario Line
At the end of June, I co-hosted an Ontario Line Town Hall for residents of Don Valley West alongside MPP Stephanie Bowman. Nearly 200 community members were in attendance to hear important updates from Metrolinx and City staff about construction on the new Thorncliffe Park Station, Maintenance and Storage Facility, and concurrent local projects.
There were many excellent questions raised at the meeting, and while we couldn’t get to all of them, my office will be circulating a summary Q&A document with responses from staff this summer. If you did not register to attend the meeting but would like a copy of the presentation materials and Q&A document, please email my office at councillor_chernoslin@toronto.ca While I welcome new higher-order transit in Toronto, I am continuing to advocate for measures to mitigate the construction and traffic impacts on our local neighbourhoods. At the Infrastructure & Environment Committee in April, I moved a motion calling for enhanced construction coordination between the City and Metrolinx on overlapping projects in the Thorncliffe Park and Leaside area.
Earlier this spring, Metrolinx pub-
lished its Truck Safety Plan to better manage construction vehicle traffic for the Ontario Line. Developed in response to a request from City Council and in collaboration with City staff, the Truck Safety Plan is intended to provide a clear and enforceable framework for selecting, managing, and monitoring truck routes. It is a living document focused on safety and efficiency that will continue to evolve as the Ontario Line progresses.
The key principles guiding the plan include prioritizing main roads, avoiding school zones, coordinating with concurrent projects, and keeping heavy trucks off residential streets. You can find the full plan and list of identified truck routes on Metrolinx’s website. For more updates about traffic and transportation in Leaside, please subscribe to my monthly newsletter at rachelchernoslin.ca. n
THE PROPOSED ONTARIO LINE
EventsAugust
LEASIDE LIBRARY
165 McRae Drive 416 396 3855
Please check www.tpl.ca/leaside for programming at Leaside.
ST. CUTHBERT’S CHURCH, LEASIDE
1399 Bayview Avenue 416 485 0329 stcuthbertleaside@toronto.anglican.ca www.stcuthbertsleaside.com
Tai chi will resume on Tuesday afternoons in September.
Gard’n Angels welcomes anyone who’d like to lend a hand in tending the vegetable garden on the Green. No experience necessary. Wed. and Sat. from 10:00 a.m. to noon. All produce goes to the Flemingdon Food Bank.
Lemonade on the Green. Drop by any Wednesday morning between 10:00 a.m. and noon for a cold drink, cookies and a chat. Treats for dogs too.
DRIVE IN MOVIE
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital hosts their annual fundraiser with an outside movie in their parking lot at 150 Kilgour Rd. Friday, September 12. $50 per car includes treats and activities! The Minecraft Movie
Gates open at 6:30 p.m., movie starts at 8:00 p.m. See The Curious Idler on page 30 for more details.
LEASIDE UNITED CHURCH
822 Millwood Road 416 425 1253 leasideunited.org
NORTHLEA UNITED CHURCH
125 Brentcliffe Road 416 425 5252 northleaunited.ca office@northleaunited.ca
10 am Sunday church services will be at Leaside United on August 3 and 10. Services for August 17, 24 and 31 will be at Northlea United Church. See contact info above.
VIVA LA LEASIDE STREET FESTIVAL & COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
August 9-10: Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Sunday 10:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m. Car show, street
What’s Simcoe Day anyway?
by MICHAEL STEVENSON
Four years ago, Leaside Life publisher Lorna Krawchuk introduced readers to a Leasider dedicated to honouring the memory of the man behind Simcoe Day. Here he refreshes our knowledge of Ontario history. The Government of Ontario made Simcoe Day, celebrated on the first Monday in August, official in 1987. Many naysayers, convinced that John Graves Simcoe was a classic British aristocrat (aka ‘toff’), a symbol of our colonial past, and a figure unworthy of commemoration, were strongly opposed. History tells us: they were wrong.
Michael Stevenson as Simcoe.
1670 Bayview Avenue, Ste. 502 www.growthwellnesstherapy.com (647) 243-4235
ANTIQUES WANTED
Simcoe, named the first Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Upper Canada (now Ontario) by King George III, filled the appointment from 1791 to 1796.
But he was never an aristocrat. His grandfather was the rector of a small Church of England parish in the County of Northumberland in England, living in a modest abode named “Leeside House,” which is still standing today. His father was a distinguished Royal Navy Captain who died aboard his warship sailing up the St. Lawrence Seaway to fight the French. Lake Simcoe is named after him.
of fighting for the British during the American Revolutionary War. He commanded the Queen’s Rangers, a famous regiment (awarded the title ‘First Americans’ by King George III), which at the end of the war surrendered, with honour, as it never lost a battle. Many of the officers and men migrated to Canada to be reunited with the new Governor when Simcoe reestablished his Queen’s Rangers in Upper Canada.
A new life in a new land
With his military background and classical education, Simcoe had a clear vision for the new province, which would be modelled on the British democratic system of institutions of government and law. Before sailing for Canada for his new appointment, Simcoe served a term as a member of the British parliament – a valuable experience as the Canada Act was made into law at this time.
His wife, Elizabeth Gwillim, a talented and cultured person with a high sense of duty, was well qualified to meet the challenges and hardships of the future in Canada.
In 1782, Simcoe married Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim, who was an only daughter and heiress. They were both devout Christians. Simcoe never had a title or personally owned land. Both were a requirement to join the roughly 1,200 titled aristocratic families that ruled England in the Georgian era. After his father’s death, his godfather, Admiral Graves, looked after young John’s education, and Simcoe was able to attend Exeter Grammar School, Eton and Oxford University. After this fine education, at the age of 19, he obtained a commission in the British Army and gained valuable experience and distinction during four years
A Royal Navy frigate took the Simcoes to Quebec. Through rough, storms, gales, the sailing took 46 days. Those were troubled times for England in the aftermath of the French Revolution, with its massive bloodshed. The recent loss of American states resulted in a hostile country to the south of Upper Canada and the need for defensive outposts on the border, which included the French settlement of Detroit.
The British were engaged in winning a long and expensive series of Napoleonic wars, and at the same time facing difficulties in administering distant possession in India, Australia and Ceylon. There was restlessness in Quebec and increasing pressure for social reforms in England. The Prime Minister at the time was an extremely good administrator who selected Simcoe because of his reputation as a man of the highest integrity.
Emma Krisko Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
The Simcoes eventually arrived in Niagara-on-the-Lake and set up their tents alongside the few wooden navy buildings set to be the home of the new government. The budget for his small staff was 6,500 pounds, of which 2,000 pounds was Simcoe’s salary. The budget allocation for the whole Upper Canada operation paid by the British government was 30,000 pounds for the first year.
The new province was surveyed and counties and township boundaries laid out. Land grants went to new settlers who had a very tough start with limited means. The early pioneers depended greatly on government food, blanket handouts, and support from the Indigenous people in the area. The settlers built roads and started saw and grist mills, and the Queen’s Rangers implemented a strategy of defences against possible invasion from the south. In 1793, Simcoe moved to York (now Toronto) and again, still living in a tent, launched the new capital from a setting surrounded by nothing but trees and a good harbour.
A system of democratic parliamentary government, with a code based on British law and the administration to implement it, took hold. Churches and schools opened slowly, and a road system developed.
What Simcoe started in the Canadian wilderness from nothing 230-plus years ago has taken us to where we are today. We still celebrate his basic beliefs – peace, law, order and good government. Let’s raise a glass to John Graves Simcoe on the first Monday in August and perhaps place a wreath on his statue outside the Parliament buildings at Queen’s Park, Toronto. Simcoe’s ‘Rangers’ today are located at Fort York Armouries, Toronto.
Michael Stevenson is a former Commanding Officer of the Queen’s York Rangers (1st Americans) R.C.A.C.
The original
Asked how she knows when she is done, Beverly paused then commented, “That’s hard to say. More often I feel like I’ve learned all it can teach me, or my attention has turned to another piece I’m finishing or keen to start.”
Beverly also paints murals so lifelike you can easily imagine the owl taking flight or being tempted to smell the flowers decorating the walls of Orangeville’s Café La Finis, which sadly recently closed its doors.
Beverly confessed, “I’m a trickster. My art tricks your eye into seeing things in 3D or something that isn’t there. It’s all about light and shadow. Imagine you’re sitting outdoors at a café awaiting a friend’s arrival. You see someone approaching yet you can’t quite make out their face. What you do see are blocks of light and shadow, so exciting to me as an artist, and that compels me to my canvas to capture the inspirational beauty I see especially when I walk around Leaside.”
Instagram: @beverlyfurer. n
Celebrating the 4th annual Ruth & Harry Goldhar Journalism Award recipient
Congratulations to Hannah Lamont, recipient of the fourth annual Ruth & Harry Goldhar Journalism Award, presented at the Leaside High School commencement ceremonies in June. Sponsored by Leaside Life , this year’s $1,000 scholarship goes to a writer who has already been published as a poet in Leaside Life
According to the Scholarship Committee, “Hannah is an excellent student, and has a lot of talent.”
In her application for the award, she wrote: “Throughout my time at Leaside High School, I have been a dedicated writer both inside and out of the school community. Not only have I been a member and leader of Leaside’s Young Writer’s Club and newspaper, but I have also dedicated enormous quantities of effort to my English and Writer’s Craft classes. I have entered a number of creative writing contests, and I volunteered for STEMpathize as a blog writer for most of 2024 where I wrote a number of articles about STEM and non-STEM topics. I have also written a number of pieces for the Leaside Chronicle and recently submitted a poem to Leaside Life.”
A sign of the times?
for 55 years. Getting ready for a move to a condo, with the attendant downsizing, Cathie and her husband organized a garage sale offering goodies collected over time. As she told the Idler, “We prepared large signs and put them in crucial positions to direct people to our property. We had fewer than the expected number of clients and found that our most important signs were all missing. We replaced two but one disappeared yet again.”
The Idler wants to know: who is stealing the garage signs of Leaside? What next? Ripping down Lost Pets posters? This is not the Leaside we know.
Outdoor movie night at Holland Bloorview!
It never ceases to amaze the Idler what happens in our neighbourhood. We heard recently from Cathie Salter, who’s lived in Leaside
Mark your calendars for Friday, Sept. 12th, for an outdoor screening of an all-time favourite, “The Minecraft Movie,” in the hospital’s parking lot. Outdoor movies at Holland Bloorview have become something of a regular event, with the large parking lot transformed into a family-friendly drive-in theatre and is welcoming for patients, families and the community at large. Your ticket will include the screening as well as fun crafts and goody bags full of snacks from our friends at Neal Brothers, Skinny pop, Organic Meadows, La Croix and Longo’s. There will also be fun toy testing courtesy of SpinMaster – and
a visit from two very special friends from the Paw Patrol gang!
The event is possible due to the generosity of our incredible sponsors including Gyro Auto Group, Access Storage, Neinstein, Harvey Kalles Real Estate, Spin Master, ARS and Toronto Kids Physio. Parking lot gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the movie begins at 8:00 p.m. Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Parking Lot, 150 Kilgour Road. Cost: $50 per car.
And the winners of the Leaside Trivia contest are:
$100.00 gift certificate to any restaurant in Leaside Dane Jensen
$50.00 gift certificate to Farm Boy
Zhenya Stekovic “Made in Leaside” T-shirt
Jennifer Peattie
$25.00 gift certificate to Aroma Café Alison Symington “Leaside” book by Jane Pitfield Lesley Brooks
Sample Questions:
On what date did Leaside officially become a town?
July 1, 1914
October 10, 1911 April 23, 1913 * May 24, 1912
Name two items found on Leaside’s coat of arms. Beaver & Axe
Maple Leaf & Setting Sun * Anchor & Compass
A railway wheel & a sheaf of wheat
What are the most abundant trees in Leaside?
Oak Trees Maple Trees * Pine Trees Birch Trees
Who was the first mayor of Leaside?
Bayview Lea McRae Trace
Bayview Moore
Randolph McRae *
Leaside airfield is the site of what Canadian historic event?
First car race
First airmail flight in Canada *
First parachute jump
First military airbase (* correct) n
Hannah
Meet Leaside High’s 2025 top crop of scholars
by JANIS FERTUCK
Congratulations to Leaside High School’s graduating class of 2025, who have “spent the last four years doing incredible things,” according to Jonathan LeFresne, guidance counsellor and organizer of the scholarship committee as well as assistant curriculum leader of English and literacy.
The students “have created art, put on plays, won sports competitions and done huge amounts of volunteer work,” he says. “They have programmed robots, created STEM projects, analyzed literature, raised money for charity, and so much more.”
As they head off to many exciting post-secondary destinations, Mr. LeFresne predicts “they will make a significant impact wherever they land.”
Ellie Alexander
With her average of 91%, Ellie Alexander will be attending the University of Western
Ontario with a Scholarship of Distinction next year in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. She hopes to pursue a career in nursing, eventually becoming a nurse practitioner.
Ellie says she has always been interested in nursing and helping others and has clocked over 300 volunteer hours. She has volunteered at SickKids Hospital in clinical research trials and fundraising efforts. She has also served as a camp counsellor and babysitter and has earned certificates in bronze cross and emergency first aid.
In addition, Ellie has taken part in a variety of sports teams such as varsity slow pitch, rugby, frisbee, and skiing, earning her athletic junior letter in the school. In the community, she was involved in basketball and in martial arts as both a participant earning her black belt and as an instructor.
Other school activities include the Jewish Student Alliance and serving as the co-president of the Leaside Events Council where she organized and managed many school-wide events.
Ellie concludes that she appreciated the LHS community, the French Immersion program, sports teams and teachers. In fact, she credits Helen Panayiotou (see Leaside Life , June 2025) with helping to inspire her choice of a career in nursing by “making biology so much fun.”
Madeleine Fong
Madeleine Fong will be attending the University of Waterloo for Biomedical Engineering this September and, with her average of 95%, is receiving the university’s President’s Scholarship of Distinction Award. While she is open to various pathways involving biomedical engineering, she has been interested in forensics for a long time.
of many clubs such as the Drama Club, Young Writers, Robotics, Peer Tutoring and Stage Crew. Her work as the leader of Stage Crew resulted in her receiving the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Technical Production.
Outside of school, Madeleine was a volunteer at the ROM’s Summer Club program and achieved her orange belt in judo at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. With her involvement in a variety of activities, leadership skills and strong academic record, Madeleine was chosen for the Sarka Spinkova Memorial Award at Commencement.
Madeleine explains that during her time at Leaside, she especially appreciated the opportunity to be involved in the theatre world as stage crew leader, stage manager, actor and par ticipant in the arts trip to New York, all while pursuing her academic goals.
Ananya Paranjabe
Ananya Paranjabe received a scholarship from the TD Dream Scholars Program based on her high academic performance, including her 97% final average in Grade 12, and her many extracurricular activities. She will be using it to attend Queen’s University this fall for the Health Sciences program. She also won the LHS Forensics Award and hopes to attend medical school and work in the healthcare field as a family doctor.
Over the years at Leaside High, Madeleine won awards for French Immersion, STEM, Guitar and community service, and took part in several math and science contests. She was also a member
Ananya has been involved in several different activities both inside and outside school. At school, she was the founder of the Philosophy Club, managing discussions, organizing debates and promoting events. She was also co-president of the School Events Council, planning and organizing school-wide events such as the Halloween Spook Out. Other activities included serving
as a photographer for the school newspaper, volunteering at various school events and acting as a tutor in reading and French.
Ananya has been very busy outside school as well. She has been a swim instructor for children, taekwondo volunteer instructor and biking coach, and served as a volunteer at Toronto History Museums. As well, she has earned certificates in lifeguarding, first aid and CPR.
Ananya reports that what she appreciated most about LHS was the collaborative culture where everyone helped and sup ported each other to do their best.
Eve Spira
Eve Spira will be very busy when she goes to the University of Ottawa in September. Not only will she be majoring in Medieval and Renaissance Studies in French Immersion, but she will also be working as a Parliamentary Page in the House of Commons as part of the 2025-2026 cohort.
fields like public service, academics or education.
Matija Tisma
With his final average of 98%, Matija Tisma will receive an Entrance Award to McMaster University to study in the Engineering 1 program “with free choice,” which guarantees that he can choose his preferred branch of engineering after first year.
Over the years, Matija achieved marks of 100% in most of his math courses and won a number of course awards. He took part in several math and science contests and received the Mitchell Kerr Award in Physics and Chemistry at Commencement. In addition, he won the U of T National Book Award and the David Ladkin Award, both of which focus on academic excellence, leadership, service to thei r
schools and communities, and, in the case of the latter, athletics.
At LHS, Matija earned a Senior Letter in Athletics for his participation in ultimate frisbee as MVP, in basketball, soccer and several intramurals including dodgeball, volleyball and hockey. He was also involved in peer tutoring, chess and the robotics club, which won the King Charles III Award for Excellence in Community Service.
Outside school, Matija acted as a referee for various soccer groups and was engaged with his Serbian community through the Troyka Basketball Club as both a player and volunteer.
What he valued most about Leaside was its “community vibe” with everyone working together and supporting each other in all of their many shared activities and experiences. We wish all of these outstanding graduates every success in the future. n
Eve’s many activities inside and outside school have provided her with excellent preparation for these post-secondary experiences. She is graduating with an average of 97% and won the LHS Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts and the Chronicle Canadian and World Studies Award. She also took two levels of Latin at the TDSB International Languages School and served as the host and organizer of the Certamen Classics Competition in 2024.
Other positions of responsibility include acting as the president for the school’s Reach for the Top team and Queer-Straight Alliance and directing two school plays.
In addition, Eve has been an active member of Girl Guides of Canada for 12 years and has served as a Junior Leader and mentor. She also had a co-op placement as an administrative assistant for a Member of Provincial Parliament, volunteered as a canvasser for a city councillor, and worked as an office assistant at a day care centre.
Eve credits the many opportunities provided at the school with getting her involved in new interests and fuelling her passions, which she will take into her future endeavours in
by GEOFF KETTEL
The Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) property at 175 Brentcliffe Rd., north of Glenvale, has been compared to the phoenix, the immortal bird of Greek legends that cyclically regenerates, or is otherwise born again. Formerly the home of Dr. Bell’s pioneering publicly-funded addiction treatment facility, the centre was renovated and transformed in 2016 to become EHN Bellwood Toronto, a private mental health and addictions treatment centre; now nine years later, the property is looking at another critical life phase. CAMH is well along in their journey. The organization plans to sell the 175 Brentcliffe property by the end of the calendar year. The property was posted in April; CAMH has confirmed that the posting has closed, and the responses to the call for bids are being evaluated. The sale prospectus for “residential or insti-
tutional uses” of the lands, totaling 8.32 acres, includes the east portion (2.52 acres), comprising the building currently leased to EHN Bellwood Toronto, and the undeveloped west portion (5.8 acres). The lessee has two five-year renewal options at predetermined rates.
Sale of the property is subject to Ministry of Health approval, with
Come experience our studio for 10 days for only $25! *new members only
the understanding that the proceeds of the sale will be directed to the redevelopment of the Temerty Discovery Centre. The state-ofthe-art research and training facility, currently under construction and due to open in late 2027, will consolidate CAMH’s research programs under one roof on Queen Street West.
The sale “for residential or institutional uses” potentially has major implications for existing institutions in the Bayview Kilgour Institutional lands, as well as for North Leaside. I understand that there were a number of bids for the property, but the identity of the bidders and their land use intentions remain confidential. I feel that the best outcome for the community would be a continuation of a treatment facility. Failing that, a new long-term care or retirement residence would be a welcome addition to the area, well-aligned with the needs of the community. Of course, there is also the potential for residential redevelopment, though there would be Official Plan and zoning barriers to overcome, as well as conservation authority conditions regarding “long-term stable top-of-slope.”
Watch for an update on this when more information is available. CAMH has promised to keep us informed.
I also understand that Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is planning to build a new Sunnybrook Critical Care Centre on their existing Bayview campus and has expressed interest in engaging neighbours about their plans. We’ll keep you posted on this, too. n
something much more elaborate, known as “the Big Splash.”
Begun in the early 1950s by the Leaside Recreation Department, the Big Splash was a one-day event, held every July or August. It involved food, games, contests, prizes and the
opportunity for the kids to cool off by splashing around for a few hours. The highlight of the day was the awarding of prizes in a variety of categories. Girls competed for such titles as Miss Blue Eyes, Miss Brown Eyes, Miss Wading Pool, Miss Freckles and
Miss Pig Tails. Boys received awards with names like Mr. Muscles Jr., Mr. Muscles Sr., Mr. Suntan and Mr. Crew Cut.
By the end of the decade, the Big Splash had run its course. But the wading pool continued to serve Leasiders well into the 21st century. The facility was not, however, without problems. In the 1970s, complaints arose that dog-owners were using the wading pool to wash their pets. Others grumbled that the water was always too cold. And as late as 2017, pool openings were being delayed because of maintenance issues.
In 2021, the wading pool was officially replaced by a state-of the art splash pad, part of a wonderful new playground complex built to honour the memory of Georgia Walsh, the young Leaside girl tragically killed in a car accident at Millwood and McRae in July 2014.
The wading pool may be gone, but it still evokes memories. The Trace Manes wading pool certainly left its mark on our community – a fond reminder, for many, of growing up in Leaside. n
The “Mr. Muscles” contest
Leaside Life
acknowledges we are hosted on the lands of the Mississaugas of the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Wendat.
We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and the Inuit peoples.
We also recognize our responsibility in respecting and protecting the land and water systems that surround us in the east end of Toronto, that being the Don River, or Wonscotonach in Anishinaabemowin, so that these resources can be enjoyed and flourish for all life and for generations to come.
LETTERS
leasidelife@gmail.com
Kudos for Leaside Life advertiser!
I recently turned to one of your advertisers to deal with a roof emergency on our house and came out of the experience satisfied and impressed in every respect.
On Mon., June 23, we had a gaping hole in our roof and a swath of damaged and missing shingles that needed to be repaired right away. After speaking with other roofers, I put in a call to your advertiser, Bruno Tremblay, of Top Roofers, and got immediate personal attention from Bruno himself…. By the end of week, the problem was repaired, and the job was done and done well.
BEEDITED LETTERS MAY
school stakeholders who support the upgrade or who might have a more inclusive view of the shared use of school grounds. It also doesn’t speak to the many years that this has been in the works or that these residents seemed to have left out the countless mail drops updating the progress.
leasidelife.com
Editor: Jane W. Auster
Publisher: Lorna Krawchuk
Webmaster: Erin Sorhaug
Graphic Design: Robin Dickie Advertising: Karli Vezina Social Media Intern: Liv Sorhaug
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.
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.
The final cost from Top Roofers, including HST, was less than any other estimate we received from anyone else I spoke with. Top Roofers … provided businesslike paperwork to the project, putting all costs and expenses clearly on the record, including the tax portion.
I found Bruno and his Top Roofers crew respectful, respectable, honest, and competent. To my mind … this Leaside Life advertiser is a business that you can promote with confidence.
John Parker
Proposed pickleball court stirs neighbourhood controversy
I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding Lorna Krawchuk’s recent article on the schoolyard and parking lot upgrade project at Northlea Elementary and Middle School, particularly the portrayal of the neighbourhood and the individuals quoted.
This piece, while framed as an update on a local project, disproportionately centres the perspectives of some residents who do not speak for the broader Northlea community. Their portrayal of the neighborhood as being in unanimous opposition to aspects of the project, particularly the inclusion of pickleball lines on a shared court, is both misleading and unfair.
More concerning is that the article lacks any counterbalance or input from other community members, parents, or
The framing suggests that the project has been a secretive or unconsulted initiative, when in fact the plans have been communicated by the TDSB and school administration. Notices were sent out to the surrounding community on multiple occasions. Highlighting concerns about noise or construction without acknowledging the broader benefits of the project –for the students, families, and children who rely on that space – creates a lopsided narrative.
Sarah Melnyk, a concerned Leaside resident and school community member
I am writing to express my concern and disappointment regarding the article – “Proposed pickleball court stirs neighbourhood controversy.” The piece in question contains several inaccuracies and misrepresentations that not only undermine the credibility of your reporting but also risk misleading your readers. Specifically, the article incorrectly stated that “neighbours hadn’t heard a word….” The revitalization plan for the field has been in the works for five years, there was an article in the Toronto Star covering it, and several direct mail pieces have been dropped in North Leaside mailboxes over the last three years, looking for donations and updating local residents on the plans. The article also notes “neighbours are concerned….”
The reporting for the article was onesided and did not include feedback from other neighbours or parents of children who attend the school, who have worked tirelessly for the last five years to bring this project to life.
Jennifer Ego
(Letters to the Editor are edited for space. Note: Leaside Life originally covered plans for the revitalization of Northlea – and the addition of a pickleball court – in our March 2025 issue.) n
NOW HIRING
Suomi-Koti is Hiring Part-Time Maintenance Technician Days/Evening/Weekends
Repairs, cleaning & upkeep. Finnish an asset.
Info. Contact: Sari Emas 416-425-4134 x 225 or emas@suomikoti.ca
SENIOR FITNESS
All’s not quiet on the eastern front
Things are not quiet on the Ontario Line construction front.
Residents of Thorncliffe Park made this very clear at a recent Don Valley West town hall focused on the Metrolinx Ontario Line project, hosted by DVW Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin and MPP Stephanie Bowman. I attended for the Leaside Residents Association. The Ontario Line is scheduled to be complete by 2031. Meanwhile, much of Thorncliffe Park, our close neighbour, appears to be under siege.
The meeting was very well attended. Directly affected by the noise and uprooting created by heavy machinery and long hours, residents of our next-door neighbour hood also reported a lack of communication and coordination from Metrolinx.
They had lots of questions, and serious complaints. Would there be financial compensation for homeowners who want to sell and move away? What about the cost of struc-
tural damage? Why do the noise and vibrations often continue as late at 11:30 p.m., in contravention of the bylaw, without enforcement?
Both Councillor Chernos Lin and MPP Stephanie Bowman had tough questions for the construction staffs. Why was it necessary to close Beth Nealson Drive, causing significant disruption for companies within the Leaside Business Park? Was this for technical, or financial, reasons? Is there an alternative route?
Apparently, these and other problems were already concerns at the very first meeting between residents and Metrolinx, before construction even started, “but we weren’t lis-
tened to,” said one attendee. The resident had little faith that this project would finish by the promised 2031 date.
TTC’s Planning Advisory Group
On a more pleasant note, I also recently attended a consultation meeting of the TTC’s Planning Advisory Group to examine the TTC’s 2026 Annual Network Plan, as part of a five-year service plan. What does this mean, you ask? It means keeping watch on the TTC’s proposed bus route changes; frequency of bus schedules; safety measures; streamlining information, and other issues both city-wide and local.
The meetings are a great opportunity to assess how the surface transit system is coping, not only post-pandemic, but also looking ahead to the opening of the Crosstown LRT. Toronto is a growing and changing city, so transit needs to connect with and match changing customer usage patterns.
At these quarterly meetings, attended by local ratepayer association representatives and TTC staff, we also initiate topics. I raised the matter of bus route diversions when there is construction or an accident, and how poorly prepared the TTC often seems to be in forming riders how to reach their destinations. It was also an opportunity to promote the solution proposed by Thorncliffe’s Jason Ash and me for rerouting the 88 bus during the temporary closure of Beth Nealson Drive. The TTC is still considering our proposal.
Other members of the advisory group commented on safety measures, and on proposed changes to bus routes across the city in Etobicoke, Downsview, Rosedale, Yorkville, Scarborough, and the Lawrence West corridor, which connects with Bayview/Sunnybrook Hospital buses.
The results of these discussions will eventually go to the TTC board for its vote.
The next monthly meeting of the LRA board is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wed., Aug. 6th. You are welcome to join us on Zoom. For contact information visit leasideresidents.ca and press the Contact Us button, or leasideresidents.ca/contact-us. n
Celebrating Canada !
Wynford Dr.