the artist who created this iconic Leaside painting! Pg 3.
TENNIS PLAYER & LOCAL BUSINESSMAN PG. 14
Editor’s Welcome Gifts for Nature Lovers
Check this!
Fact: we don’t always get it right. In this case, “it” is the key elements of a story we run in Leaside Life. And for this, as editor, I apologize wholeheartedly.
Just as we strive to bring readers content of interest, we also strive for accuracy in those stories. It pains me greatly when we don’t represent information accurately.
I’m not talking about “opinions” on the pieces we run. These generally come to us in letters to the editor expressing concern – and occasionally outrage – that we would publish certain viewpoints. Controversy is good and we welcome diverse opinions.
But misrepresenting facts hurts, even when they’re “small” facts. For instance, last month we published a story on Leaside’s off-leash dog park at Sandy Bruce. A reader who happens to be a professional dog walker pointed out a few (minor) inaccuracies. It helps us to have eagle eye readers parsing our copy.
Leaside Life’s stories pass through several pairs of eyes before you see them. I am particularly indebted every issue to our publisher, eagleeye Lorna Krawchuk, who invariably makes us better by catching mistakes before they see the light of day. In one case recently, we had alluded to former Prime Minister Stephen Harper gracing the halls of Leaside High. Thankfully, Lorna flagged that comment with the fact that he had only graced the halls of Northlea Public School in Leaside as a student before moving to John G. Althouse Middle School and Richview Collegiate Institute, in Etobicoke. Phew! This one would have been embarrassing, to say the least.
So, please do keep reading – and reading closely – so that we continue to publish just the facts. n *
Chestnut Park® Real Estate Limited, Brokerage
Portrait
Many readers of Leaside Life know Jane Pitfield’s excellent history, Leaside (1999). The book’s cover shows a painting of William Lea’s iconic and historic octagon house, after which Leaside is named, and which burned down in 1913. Less known, perhaps, is the artist behind the painting. His name is David Peacock, and he hails from Leaside.
Leaside and painting
David grew up at 117 Airdrie Rd. in the 1940s and early 1950s. The son of a successful businessman, he attended Rolph Road Public School and Leaside High School. While at LHS, he developed a passion for painting which began when he and fellow classmate, and friend, Duncan Currie, took
an art class together.
“Every weekend,” David recalls, “we’d drive to the countryside near Markham, set up our easels and paint.” Later, they spent a summer studying painting at the Banff School of Fine Arts.
“That really convinced me I wanted to be a painter,” says David, who went on to attend the Ontario College of Art on a scholarship. It was there he met his future wife and soulmate, Suzanne, whom he married in 1958.
ARTIST Page 36
Left: Jane Pitfield in front of the original William Lea painting, which currently hangs in her office in Quebec.
Gain valuable health insights at this Leaside naturopathic clinic
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
Dr. Jill Shainhouse is not only a longtime Leaside resident, she’s also the owner of a naturopathic clinic right here in the neighbourhood.
Insight Naturopathic Clinic offers a wide range of services including care in very specialized disciplines provided by a skilled and professional staff.
Dr. Shainhouse received her Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Western Ontario before graduating from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She set up her own practice in 2004 and has worked exclusively in the field of cancer care. She offers services to those with a current cancer diagnosis as well as those who previously had the disease or are at high risk of developing it.
Dr. Shainhouse also trains and works with naturopathic students who have chosen the integrative cancer care stream and is often asked to speak to support groups
Book your appointments online:
Bayview and Fleming:
LEASIDE
including Gilda’s Club and the Wellspring Cancer Support Centre.
As Shainhouse points out, MDs and naturopathic doctors are working increasingly closely to learn from each other. Patients at the Odette Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital, for instance, now receive information about complementary care.
Her colleagues at Insight are just as highly trained and experienced in various areas of expertise with the clinic offering comprehensive care in digestive help, cancer support, women’s health, fertility support, men’s, kids and teen health, weight management and metabolic health, mental health and counselling support.
Patients are offered a wide range of treatments from acupuncture and different therapies to osteopathy, specialized testing and blood work, nutritional counselling and hormonal support.
Specialized pediatric care includes work with children experiencing complex chronic conditions, including autism, ADHD, eczema and allergies.
With their professional and caring support, Dr. Shainhouse and her colleagues have worked hard to ensure that patients “feel at home when they come to Insight.”
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
Located in the Smart Centre Mall at 45 Wicksteed, Unit 260, the Insight Clinic is walking distance for many in the neighbourhood but also with plenty of parking and an elevator for those requiring assistance.
No referrals are required, and free 15-minute discovery calls are on offer to ensure that a particular doctor is a good fit.
To learn more about the Insight Naturopathic Clinic: insightnaturopathic.com. n
Niloo Saiy PharmD, CDE, RPh Associate-Owner
Dr. Jill Shainhouse
BUSINESS
Super volunteer Bob Lister is a Leaside booster
by SUZANNE PARK
If you or your children attended Olympia Sports Camp between 1981 and 1995, you likely had the pleasure of being coached in tennis by Bob Lister, one of Leaside’s most dedicated volunteers.
Bob and his cherished and, sadly, dearly departed wife Lis have contributed so much to so many Leaside organizations. They were a humble and admirable team. Bob carries on their legacy.
A talented young athlete in hockey and tennis, Bob certified as a Level 3 Ontario Tennis Association coach and started coaching – skills that proved an asset throughout his teaching career.
In 2010 Bob retired from teaching. Shortly thereafter Lis retired from nursing. She’d started her career at Sunnybrook Hospital, right after graduation, and later became a professor of nursing at Centennial College and
Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) after earning her master’s degree.
Not surprisingly, Bob misses Lis immensely. “I’m lucky to have had such a loving, supportive life partner. For 52 years we shared values of family, faith, community and service while harmoniously co-leading many activities with and for others. She was my angel.”
The couple experienced many adventures together. During 15 summers at Camp Olympia, Lis coordinated complex tennis lesson scheduling for six indoor and six outdoor courts, come rain or shine, plus matching levels and on-court time for the all-campers’ evening house league. Meanwhile, Bob oversaw coaches and taught tennis and life lessons, fueling fun, friendship and fitness.
At the camp, they, along with other coaches, counsellors, and campers, had the pleasure of advancing the camp founder Dave Grace’s philosophy. For over 50 years Grace has advocated sports, at every level, for building confidence when facing challenges, developing character, and leadership abilities. In 2025, the NBA chose Camp Olympia to deliver the prestigious NBA Basketball School curriculum.
For decades Bob and George
Hurst (profiled in Leaside Life in Jan. 2018) have helmed a team of 80 volunteers, orchestrating the May and October Awesome sales. Leasiders can be forgiven for mistaking Bob for a church employee. At every sale he’s everywhere. You’ll catch him with a smile, receiving and storing donations, setting up tables, hanging signs, fetching supplies for volunteers, welcoming customers, providing directions, and supporting George, whose list is just as long. Lis’s role was heading up the shoes and accessories department, always exquisitely organized, shoes by size and scarves by colour.
Bob mentioned a unique experience he and Lis enjoyed, so much so that they repeated it for two decades. “Our children came later in life whether birthed, adopted or acquired, and until they arrived, we had summers free. We noticed that many parents at Leaside United never took vacations. When we asked why, they admitted they had no family nearby to care for their children. So, we volunteered to take care of their kids for a few days while they vacationed.”
Bob and Lis also led pre-marriage courses at the church for 20 years. “Luckily, we only had a few couples deciding to postpone their walk down the aisle.” n
SUZANNE PARK
Bike trips and white elephants, part 2
As this is a continuation of my August column, let’s pause a beat to catch you up. One sunny day in 1972, my twin brother, Terry, and I ventured further outside the comfortable confines of Leaside on our bikes than we ever had before. These two intrepid 12-year-old explorers thought it would be a fun idea to ride down into the Don Valley for the very first time. What we failed to consider was that after the exhilaration of coasting down a long, steep hill, the exhaustion of the ride back up would inevitably follow. For our return ascent into Leaside, we opted to ride up the Bayview Extension to avoid the mud on what is now the Beltline Trail. That won’t be remembered as our best decision as we found ourselves on a longer and steeper route home with cars and trucks flying by directly beside us. During a break at the side of the road we decided to detour and explore the “White Elephant,” the unfinished, derelict seven-storey apartment building on the edge of Leaside. You may feel that this is the second questionable decision we
made in the space of a half hour, but our 12-year-old selves would beg to differ. We were intrepid thrill-seekers – risk and danger be damned – so off we went.
The construction of this eyesore of an apartment block began in the
late ’50s to much fanfare and anticipation. But the building permit was revoked when a dispute arose when the Township of East York would not service the site with water and sewage facilities.
The upshot of it all was that work stopped and never resumed. For over 20 years, the unfinished building stood on a hill overlooking the Don Valley – no doors, no windows, no elevators, no stairs – just an empty shell begging to be explored.
We found a gaping hole in the fence (even bigger than the gaping hole in our judgment) and rode right in. Rather than simply walking through an open doorway on the ground floor, we thought it would be much safer to shimmy up a 12-inch-wide plank to a second storey balcony 15 feet above us. Miraculously, we made it in unscathed and started looking around. We’d heard all the rumours of wild parties, a clandestine commune and even squatters living in this concrete bunker of a building, so we were quiet and careful as we tiptoed around.
The short story is that it was dark, cold and damp, there was nothing to see, with no signs of life or activity anywhere – the very definition of anticlimactic. But our friends didn’t need to know that! As far as they were concerned, we had conquered Mt. Everest and tested our 12-yearold limits in a whole new way. Our parents certainly would have disagreed, but we didn’t come clean to them about this little adventure until we were 25 years old, long after the statute of limitations had passed. That helped us avoid what surely would have been a two-week grounding in 1972.
After much legal wrangling, the White Elephant was finally demolished in 1981, much to the relief of the Leaside community. Years later, a brand-new subdivision sprang up in its place, bringing an end to this protracted and contentious community saga.
For me, biking in and around Leaside was always exciting and liberating as a kid. When we weren’t zooming through the neighbourhood or nearby parks, we were jumping ramp-to-ramp in front of our house like Evel Knievel. Riding here is still a joy as an adult for this nostalgic rider even without a ramp or an abandoned building to explore. Here’s to the next ride! n
The “white elephant”
Weaving Turco Persian’s Leaside threads
by LORNA KRAWCHUK
Turco Persian Rug Company has been cleaning, mending and caring for Torontonians’ carpets for over a century. But did you know that this venerable business has its roots in Leaside?
The Leaside-local part of the Turco Persian Rug Company story starts in the 1940s, when Krikor Kasparian and his wife and young family moved from Winchester Street in Cabbagetown to 42 Sutherland Dr., then a dirt road.
Krikor had originally come to Canada after World War I as a “Georgetown Refugee” from the Armenian genocide. Orphaned boys were sent to work on farms near Georgetown, Ont. (As recently as 2023, volunteers in Georgetown joined efforts to resettle Afghan refugee families.) Krikor migrated from the farm to Toronto, and was lucky enough to find an Armenian, Socrates Utudjian, who was running a rug cleaning business, which he had started in 1906,
on what was then Duchess Street (now Richmond Street East). Socrates had named the business Turco-Persian Rug Renovating Co. because he thought people in Toronto would consider rugs from Turkey and Persia valuable and a luxury, maybe unaware that Armenians were also rug artisans. Krikor worked as the night watchman at TurcoPersian and slept on their rugs, while working days at an art gallery on Jarvis Street.
Krikor and his wife ran a grocery store during the 1930s in Cabbagetown, but when Socrates died, with no descendants, Krikor decided to buy Turco Persian rather than stay with groceries. That’s when they made the move to Leaside.
The next generation
Son Gregory attended Rolph Road School and Leaside High, then headed to the University of Western Ontario. While the family had ties to the Armenian church, they also faithfully attended Leaside United Church. After graduation, Gregory sold rugs at Eaton’s College Street before joining his father at the plant to “continue the tradition of quality and customer-focused service.”
When Greg and Brigitte married, they set up their household in North Leaside, where they raised three daughters and a son. All the children put in time at the plant – from playing when they were little, to working summers as they grew up. Greg grew the company, modernizing and improving the business over the years. It’s no surprise he became known as “Rug Man Greg” and was sought out at conferences for his deep knowledge of the industry.
Number 3 daughter Jessica, after graduating from Leaside High, attended Concordia University in Montreal, before travelling after graduation, including several years in Japan. She had no real thoughts about returning home to live and work. But as it turned out, her sisters and brother weren’t interested in Turco Persian, and she felt it was important that the next generation of Kasparians carry on the family business. After a few years of
Jessica Kasparian and Dan Buganto on the wash floor.
by JANIS FERTUCK
Feel the heat at Oxygen Yoga & Fitness
Many people long to exercise in a warm, sunny environment.
Now Leasiders – and others – can enjoy that experience year-round in the latest addition to local fitness studios. Oxygen Yoga & Fitness, part of a growing Canadian-owned chain which started in British Columbia in 2011, is attracting many members to its new FAR Infrared Heated Studio at 202 Laird Dr.
According to their website, “While regular hot yoga studios use conventional heaters to blast hot air at you, often making it difficult to breathe, Oxygen Yoga & Fitness instead offers state of the art FAR Infrared technology that heats you up from the inside out allowing the air in the room to remain warm but comfortable.”
It consists of panels that emit invisible infrared light waves which are directly absorbed by the body and generate heat. Leaside franchise holder Sandie Douville explains that this technology helps to burn
fat, increase flexibility, boost circulation, encourage detoxification, improve digestion and help with stress and anxiety.
She purchased the franchise for the Leaside location in 2024 and opened the studio this past May after having a very successful experience at the location near her residence. She is a lawyer by training and a busy mother of two. After gaining weight during the pandemic, she searched for a yoga studio nearby, discovered an Oxygen Yoga & Fitness in midtown Toronto and never looked back. She says the instructors were “amazing,” and she enjoyed being able to take classes at convenient times. Before long she became “addicted” to the community. She felt that its values aligned with her own and appreciated the constant improvements and “sense of engagement,” so much so that she decided to purchase and set up her own franchise here in Leaside.
She reports that the studio will have at least 55 traditional yoga and fitness classes per week in the fall, all of them in hot or reduced heat to ensure infrared heat benefits. There is a wide variety of classes available, such as Sculpt It, using heavier weights, Tone and Body Sculpt with light weights, and Yin Yang Yoga, which combines strengthening and stretching. One favourite is, understandably, Candlelight Deep Stretch and Relaxation. Sandie adds that the team is “very community-based,” acts as “fitness cheerleaders,” and holds events in conjunction with
OXYGEN Page 37
Franchise owner Sandie Douville (second from left) with her instructors.
Strings attached for Jared Horwood!
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
Growing up, Jared Horwood was surrounded by all things tennis.
His parents, Pam and Rob, were high level players who for the past 33 years have owned Merchant of Tennis on Bayview. The business is both a highly successful in-store and online retailer as well as a provider of services including racquet stringing and customization.
But while he and his sister Samantha spent hours as kids helping in the store and at tournaments, tennis was not initially Horwood’s main sport.
As he explains, “(my) parents never forced (me) into tennis.” But blood willed out.
While he played other sports including soccer, hockey and golf, his day usually ended with his dad asking him if he wanted to “go hit some balls.”
In fact, it wasn’t until he was 14 that tennis became Horwood’s athletic focus. Coached by several people including his dad, he quickly climbed the ranks and had mul-
tiple wins, including being a U18 Provincial Doubles Champion in 2019.
His success on the courts earned him a tennis scholarship at the
University of Arizona. After graduation, Horwood finished his university tennis career at the University of Arkansas.
An All-American player and honour roll student, Horwood earned degrees in Business Management and Business Marketing. These disciplines, he knew, would be most valuable when he ultimately went to work with Merchant of Tennis. These days the 25-year-old plays professional tennis half the year and works with the business the other half.
His play has taken him to Japan, the Dominican Republic, the UK and to tournaments around North America.
On the business side, Jared has taken on a leadership role. Most recently, Merchant of Tennis was the official retailer and stringer for the National Bank Open Tournament.
As an experienced stringer (he strung his first racquet at the age of 10!) Horwood recruited and headed up the stringing team made up of, among others, stringers who had worked at Wimbledon, the RolandGarros (French Open), the U.S. Open and more.
After stringing almost 1,700 racquets during the tournament, Horwood and his team have already moved on to their next challenge.
Jared will continue to mix tennis playing with tennis stringing both on the court and in the business of Merchant of Tennis. n
ARY FRANK
L u x u r y V i n y l
E n gi n eer ed
S ol i d H a r dw ood
L a m i n a t e
C a r pet
E x per t Gu i da n c e
Del i v er y
I n s t a l l a t i on
H i gh qu a l i t y P r odu c t s
4 6 L A I R D DR , E A S T Y OR K , ON C om e V i s i t u s !
@ l ea s i def l oor i n gpl u s
T el : 4 16 4 2 2 5 5 10
E : i n f o@ l ea s i def l oor i n gpl u s c om
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Barmbrack – rediscovering a sweet Irish Halloween tradition
Each month we cover a Leasider’s special dish with a hearty side order of narrative.
by MITCH BUBULJ
Last year Canadians spent some $1.64 billion on Halloween. Pretty scary, right? And that might make you think North Americans “invented” the holiday (which isn’t technically a holiday since it doesn’t involve a day off). In fact, our traditions were brought here in the 19th century by Irish immigrants. Halloween, or Samhain in Gaelic, is as old as Ireland itself. Just ask Leasider Catherina Maughan.
“October 31st goes back to the Pagan era,” explains Catherina. In ancient Celtic times, the end of October was considered the last day of the year since it was the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It was also the day when the Celts believed the boundary between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, and that allowed spirits to roam the earth, according to Dr. Kelly Fitzgerald, head of the School of
Find the recipes online by clicking the Leaside Cooks tab.
Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore at University College, Dublin. This belief led to several rituals still practised today and which Catherina remembers well from her childhood in Dublin. “There were bonfires everywhere, which were meant to offer protection from the ‘bad’ souls that might want to mingle with the living, and carved jack-o’-lanterns, which were
turnips rather than pumpkins,” she recalls.
It was named after a blacksmith, Jack, who fooled the devil and so was destined to wander Ireland with only a lit, hollowed-out turnip for guidance. And the festival holiday meal always ended with Barmbrack ( bairin breac in Gaelic), or fruit loaf. The day I visited, Catherina’s was done to perfection – moist, just the right consistency and loaded with raisins, dried fruit and cinnamon. Another staple at the family meal is colcannon, a hearty dish of potatoes, kale and onion.
Catherina recalls that “after the meal we would go door-to-door
MITCH BUBULJ
Catherina Maughan offers up her Barmbrack.
with friends chanting ‘Help the Halloween Party’ rather than ‘trick or treat’.” Instead of chocolate or candy she would receive mixed nuts or apples dropped in her bag. Costumes were home-made and simple and always included a mask “so that the spirits wouldn’t recognize us.” Oftentimes they were invited into homes where they would bob for apples. Catherina’s husband David remembers at the end of the night trying to open Brazil nuts in the door jambs at home and leaving gouges in the soft pine wood much to the consternation of his parents.
Fat-free Barmbrack isn’t just a sweet treat; it’s a fortune-telling fruitcake. It was part of the ancient end-of-year ritual of predicting the year ahead. So baked into the loaf are objects such as rings, coins, peas, matchsticks – even rags. Catherina recalls that a ring signified marriage, a coin, wealth, a matchstick, strife in your love life and a piece of rag, impending poverty. “My sisters and I waited anxiously when mum served us our slice to see what our future would be,” she says. So, this October 31st, as you dress up for an evening’s revelries, consider kickin’ it old school – even ancient school. Serve Barmbrack after dinner. I predict you are going to fall hard for it, and that’s no trick.
Oiche Shamhna shona duit! n
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:
THANKSGIVING FEAST WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS
Sunday October 5th noon to 3pm $7 donation. No one is turned away CREATIVE PLAY WITH AINSLEY
Every Sunday during worship ONLINE YOGA WITH LINDA NICHOLSON
Every Thursday 4:30pm Zoom Link email: ministermruc@gmail.com
HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARADE & PUMPKIN CARVING
Sunday October 26th 11:45am
Pumpkins and snacks provided Food donations happily accepted and distributed MOVIE NIGHT AT THE MANOR: “ET”
Friday October 24th 6pm. Free hot popcorn
240 Manor Road East, Toronto, ON manorroadunitedchurch.com
No Frills says hello to Bayview
by JAKE ROSS
The rumours are true, a No Frills has come to Leaside, following a successful launch of a No Frills on Mt. Pleasant last November. Located at 1678 Bayview Ave., Marcel and Narisha’s No Frills opened on September 11 to much fanfare.
The grand opening featured coffee and donuts, as well as goodie bags for the first 100 customers.
Nancy Howson, who attended on opening day, said the store had “a great selection at really good prices.” She added that as someone who doesn’t drive, she appreciated the convenience of the new location.
about the discount chain opening.
On Facebook, Christian OrlickSpavins said that he was “gonna save sooo much money cause of this bad boy.”
The new store is located at the former location of The Sweet Potato, which closed earlier this year.
In a statement, Loblaw said that it was “a dream come true for owner Marcel.” He’s worked at the company for 39 years, including seven at an area store.
Marcel and Narisha are committed to giving back to the community, starting with a donation made to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto.
Online, residents were excited
The store is open Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. n
From Leaside to London –Grace Flahive explores love and death in debut novel
by GREIG HENDERSON
Grace Flahive grew up and went to school in Leaside. Her family still lives in the area. She says that much of the winter nostalgia in her debut novel, Palm Meridian, is based on her memories of playing hockey at Leaside Gardens. Indeed, among other things, the father of the novel’s protagonist, Hannah Cardin, drives a Zamboni to help make ends meet as he and his family struggle to subsist in late 20th-century Montreal.
Grace studied English Literature at McGill before moving in 2014 to London, UK, where she now resides. There she attended University of the Arts and wrote a thesis on inventive digital marketing opportunities for authors. She then worked for eight years in book marketing while writing her own fiction on the side.
LITERARY LEASIDE
In a recent interview Grace said that her debut novel “is set at Palm Meridian Retirement Resort on the last day of 77-year-old Hannah Cardin’s life, as she celebrates her end-of-life party with her 200 closest friends. She has invited her longlong lost love, Sophie, whom she hasn’t seen since their devastating breakup 43 years ago, but has no idea whether Sophie will show up at the party before time runs out. The book explores a possible vision of our climate-changed future and imagines what millennial retirement…might be like. It’s full of hope and lots of queer yearning.”
This tragicomic novel about love and death is set in a futuristic 2067 where everything is “fla
voured with apocalypse.” It depicts a fateful day in the life of a community of some 200 female residents whose ages range from 70 to 100, all of whom are attuned to the sinuous encroachments of death. Despite the omnipresence of disaster, already arrived and yet to come, it is clear that “nothing – no force of nature, no act of God – could stop these elderly women from attacking their days with a kind of energy that would make a working person quake.” Their existential energy is sustained by the intense linguistic energy of the novel itself. Even if a third of the U.S. has no reliable power grid, California is perpetually on fire, nearby Orlando is “left with the wreckage of a sprawling Disney empire” gone bankrupt, Florida is largely under water, and Hannah is slated to end her life in a palliative care ward the morning after her
farewell party, the novel has an unrelenting exuberance –sometimes joyful, sometimes nihilistic, sometimes both.
This is an intricately plotted book with multiple characters evocatively drawn and divergent story lines ultimately convergent. Although the focus is on selected hours of a single day, narratives from Hannah’s past are juxtaposed to the continuous narrative of the party’s progress. The novel alternates between present-day Florida and earlier episodes in Hannah’s life, episodes that are mainly situated in Montreal from 1990 to 2067 but also New York City, Tokyo, Vermont, Lake Huron, Upstate New York, JFK airport, and Florida before the fictional now.
By 10 a.m. on the morning of the party, Luke, Hannah’s oldest friend from her childhood in Montreal, has arrived. The two have built a lucrative business empire, the profits of which enabled the creation of Palm Meridian. The only uncertainty is whether Sophie will arrive on time. The real cause of the breakup between Sophie and Hannah some 43 years ago is dramatically revealed through a transformative confessional moment – one I will leave readers to discover and experience for themselves.
Palm Meridian dances to the rhythms of a vibrant life force at once erotic and deathly, comic and tragic, utopian and dystopian. Apocalypse, after all, embraces both revelation and destruction. James Joyce was perturbed that his critics failed to notice how funny
FLAHIVE Page 24
ROBIN SILAS CHRISTIAN
Frustration! Residents have their say with the Chief Planner
As I’ve discussed before in Leaside Life, the Bayview-Eglinton area, particularly the west side of Bayview, has received multiple development applications for tall residential buildings since 2019, and several (including Sunnybrook Plaza) that are re-submis-
overall impact on traffic, parking, and community services (medical, schools, recreation, etc.).
2. Proposals outside the planned area for intensive development are extending into residential neighbourhoods (i.e. 17-29 Glenavy).
sions (for increased height and density) of previously approved applications.
This change in the nature of applications directly relates to the changes by the Province in its approval of the Yonge-Eglinton Secondary Plan (OPA 405) to permit 20-35 storeys in the Bayview Focus Area, instead of eight storeys, as proposed by the plan previously approved by City Council.
Succeeding applications are well in excess of the 20-35-storey range and include an application (17-29 Glenavy) outside the “Bayview Focus Area” as approved by the Province.
In the words of LRA’s Doug Obright, a professional planner, “they make no planning sense and are completely ridiculous in that it is even higher than the egregious height range introduced by the Province, contrary to the wishes of the City and community.”
The most recent application is for the Beer Store location at 609 Roehamption, raising the question as to how this “fits” with plans, currently unknown, for the Metro store site. This site was always considered the most appropriate location for tall
towers, given its large size and proximity to the Leaside LRT station.
Of course, the development explosion has led to a heightening of interest (pun intended!) among residents on both sides of Bayview, and the emergence of the Broadway Area Residents Association. BARA, with support from the Leaside Residents Association, has been dealing with individual applications, attending community consultation meetings and Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) case management conferences, often followed by mediation and settlement discussions. But there is a sense of frustration and disappointment in the inability to achieve anything more than minor changes to these applications.
Meeting with Chief Planner Jason Thorne
We tabled several issues for discussion: 1. Individual proposals are being approved without considering the impact on the neighbourhood. Rows of high rises create wind and shadows, and make neighbourhoods less desirable. There’s concern about
3. The Committee of Adjustment (where minor variances are handled) is being used to significantly increase tower height, number of units and density of already mediated/ approved proposals (i.e. 1837-45 Bayview, 2-20 Glazebrook).
How can residents influence the Ontario government? Can the City influence the provincial government? The meeting with Jason Thorne, together with staff from North York Planning, took place on August 25. Bob Reid from BARA gave an excellent presentation to amplify the issues. “We presented multiple maps showing current zoning, “station core area,” OPA 405... all clearly showing that the Glenavy site is outside the area designated for intensification. We emphasized that while high rises make sense along major arterial roads (Bayview and Eglinton), the Glenavy proposal crosses the line – bulldozing existing single-family homes to build a 39-storey high rise ... directly across the street from single family homes, on
SOLID • STRONG • SUCCESSFUL
a quiet residential side street.
Thorne and City staff talked about “smoothing out” some of the existing mixed use areas so that the borders with neighbourhood zoning aren’t “jagged” or “cutting in and out.” I interpreted that as “the Glenavy site is definitely going to be rezoned as mixed use.”
Thorne made the point that given the Province’s newly announced (and significantly expanded) major transit station zones, the City is going to have to redesignate zoning at hundreds of locations across the map in the next several months.
To me, that sounds like the encroachment into existing neighbourhoods will not only proceed, but it will also expand.
The discussion was disappointing in that the City did not affirm the residents’ concerns, but restated the planning process mantra, that virtually anyone is within their rights to apply to the City for approval to build anything, anywhere.
Stephanie Bowman
Member of Provincial Parliament for Don Valley West
Thanksgiving
Leasider Jim Parker summarized the meeting: “We didn’t influence them at all, except to let them know that we didn’t like the proposed density and location. My feeling was that they made every decision based on what they thought the OLT would rule. They don’t have the appetite to take on the Province and wrestle control of Toronto’s development direction. n
FLAHIVE From Page 20
Ulysses was. Lest I be consigned to the ranks of the humourless, let me say emphatically that Palm Meridian is funny. Our reading experience is likened to “time travelling from a medieval castle into a gay IKEA.” Elderly attendees of a wedding are told to “please stand if you’re able.” And Hannah reminds us that “they don’t let you take perishable food where [she’s] going.”
Despite its black comedy, this novel is what old-fashioned critics used to call a rattling good read – quickpaced and verbally lush. As Terry Hong observes, Palm Meridian “vividly demonstrates that living loudly, vivaciously, and gloriously to the very last minute is an essential life lesson to embrace.” Grace Flahive explores the beauty and disquiet of queer relationships in old age – a perspective rarely seen in contemporary literature. In her novel, one thing is certain: Old age is not for cowards. n
Community engagement opportunities in Don Valley West
As the leaves change colour and the crisp autumn air settles in, my team and I have been busy planning a full calendar of events for Ward 15 – Don Valley West. From Town Halls to monthly Coffee Chats, creating opportunities for community engagement is a priority for me as your City Councillor.
I will be hosting four Town Halls over the next year. Located in neighbourhoods across Ward 15, the Town Halls will feature presentations from senior City staff and offer a chance for residents to ask questions, share feedback, and learn more about the work happening at City Hall. I’m committed to making local government accessible and transparent, and these events are a great way to stay informed and involved.
Ward 15 Town Halls: October 23, 2025 | Thorncliffe Park Community Hub
November 25, 2025 | Leaside Memorial Community Gardens February 24, 2026 | Virtual Meeting
May 14, 2026 | Location pending!
I’m also continuing my series of Coffee Chats – informal meetings held monthly in neighbourhoods throughout Ward 15. Whether you have a specific question or just want to say hello to the Ward 15 team, we’d love to see you there! These chats have been a wonderful way to build community connection and discuss the issues that matter most to you.
Coming soon in Leaside!
Coffee Chat: October 28 |
Trace Manes Community Centre | 1:30 p.m.
Ward 15 Town Hall: November 25 | Leaside Memorial Community Gardens | 6:30 p.m.
For a full schedule of events, visit my website at RachelChernosLin. ca/events. Please check back periodically as events planned far in advance could be subject to date changes.
On another note, we are anticipating the completion of several exciting park projects this fall, including the Cudmore Creek & Trailhead rehabilitation and the Redpath Avenue Parkette revitalization. For updates on these projects and so much more, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter at RachelChernosLin.ca.
Finally, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reach out to my office, attend a community event, or stop by a Coffee Chat. Your ideas and feedback continue to shape the work I do at City Hall, and I’m so grateful for your engagement. I’m looking forward to seeing both familiar and new faces at our upcoming Town Halls, park openings, and community gatherings. Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected Don Valley West and Toronto. n
APPLE FEST
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
ENTERTAINMENT & FAMILY FUN
BETWEEN 10:30AM-3:00PM (RAIN OR SHINE)
WHERE: BAYVIEW AVENUE FROM PARKHURST TO DAVISVILLE
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL!
Kreitmaker beautifies industrial Leaside brick by brick
by MITCH BUBULJ
Here’s the challenge: identify the location pictured at right: London’s Docklands? New York’s South Street Seaport? Perhaps closer to home – Toronto’s Distillery District? Try Leaside’s Industrial Street. It’s a little bit of faux 19th century factory architecture in our local business park, which, since 2024, has elevated the otherwise drab commercial streetscape.
Known as the Courtyard, it is the brainchild of Peter Ntakos, president and founder of Kreitmaker, a leading supplier of masonry, concrete and landscaping materials, which Leaside Life first featured in November 2022.
Ntakos bought 31 Industrial St. in 2003. He made the astute decision to locate his business in a central location to reduce commute time for his customers, who are mostly builders and homeowners creating custom homes and additions or doing renovations.
And that, along with his good business sense, has ensured the “made in
Leaside” company is a success story. Ntakos explains that he is “a brick guy.” “My father was in the concrete business and so I was familiar with this line of work from a young age. Growing up in the Oakwood
area meant I was surrounded by 100-year-old brick buildings; it’s a look I learned to love, and which connects me to Leaside.”
Kreitmaker has grown to include an outlet in Scarborough and a showroom on Davenport Road. They have expanded their services to lowering basement floors, doing chimney repairs, beautifying driveways and supplying materials for “granny” suites. They have even begun making concrete burial vaults. But they are first and foremost distributors of bricks. Ntakos explains that most of the bricks are imported from European manufacturers although there are two brickworks in Ontario which supply good solid local building materials to customers. Their showroom on Industrial Street is impressive; it is there where I learned that they could match any brick, colour and texture-wise – good to know for many Leaside homeowners.
It was last year that Ntakos got the idea to convert their tired asphalt receiving driveway into something beautiful as well as functional. “I took my design inspiration from Longo’s (originally the Canadian Northern Railway repair depot, circa 1918) and some of the other industrial buildings in the old factory area,” says Ntakos. “I wanted to build a courtyard and event space that showcased our brick and cobblestone products.”
It’s ended up looking more like a movie set than an exterior brick
showroom.
Since last spring it has been the locale for three or four events per year. There have been “lunch and learn” sessions for architects and vendors as well as themed gatherings such as “Bricks, Bourbon and Beer.” They recently held a successful event called “The Laneway Lifestyle” that brought together contractors, vendors and a City planner. Ntakos explains that all events are catered by another Leaside “institution,” GrillTime, at 62 Laird Dr. Kreitmaker seems to be paved with gold, especially since Ntakos brought his son Constantine on staff as marketing coordinator. It’s great to know such a valuable building supply depot is so close at hand. Aesthetically it’s even better. Plan to include the first block of Industrial Street in your next Leaside walk. For the full “Distillery District” vibe, stroll past at night when their unique lighting brings brick and cobblestone to life. n
Suomi-Koti Celebrates 38 Years!
We welcome you to join us in celebrating 38 years of Suomi-Koti and 33 years of dedicated care at our Nursing Home.
An evening of dinner, music, and memories honoring our journey as part of the Finnish-Canadian and Leaside community.
Oc ctober 25, 2025 @ 6:0 00 PM 795 Eg glinton Avenue Ea ast
Tickets: $175.00 — Includes a $100 charitable tax receipt
Call 416-425-4134 for tickets and information
All are welcome! Let’s celebrate together.
MITCHELL BUBULJ
Peter and Constantine Ntakos
THE Idler Curious
Spotted!
On Sutherland in South Leaside. Leaside’s very own “Walking Man.” We’ve encountered him before during our idles in the neighbourhood. This remarkable gentleman (who does not like to draw attention to himself) walks several kilometres every day, in all kinds of weather, on the streets of Leaside. Make sure to say hi when you see him and say you read about him in Leaside Life.
An Rx for Fido
We recently heard from one of our favourite local independent pharmacy owners – Adam Silvertown. He wrote to tell us that Pace Pharmacy (at 40 Laird Dr.) is now offering pet prescriptions via their Vetmeds.ca division. “Our goal is to offer pet owners another option to get their pet’s prescription medication and supplements,” said founder and CEO Adam Silvertown. “I believe we could save pet owners hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars over the life of a pet by getting medication from Pace Pharmacy, rather than at a vet clinic.” Paws up if you are a fan!
Gyro celebrates half a century in Leaside
Gyro Mazda has been a family-owned and operated dealership in the heart of Leaside for a remarkable 50 years. To mark this milestone, the company recently acquired a 1923 (yes, 1923!) Durant Motors vehicle manufactured right here in Leaside. The vehicle is now proudly displayed in the dealership if you want to visit and take pics with this iconic vehicle. Happy anniversary, Gyro! Keep those wheels in motion.
Kudos to East York’s Officer Cadet Matthew Hicks!
Officer Cadet Matthew Hicks from East York, Toronto was officially given a badge of the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), which signifies his admittance to the Cadet Wing of RMC. Demonstrating efforts and resolve, Matthew successfully completed a 30-day orientation and integration period con-
cluded by a challenging obstacle course, which provides first academic year naval and officer cadets with a structured introduction to military academy life to prepare them to be successful in the Regular Officer Training Plan and RMC’s four-pillar degree program. RMC delivers the requisite training so that its newest members may begin the journey towards reaching their goals and begin their careers in earnest. Matthew chose to study engineering to pursue a career as an Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Impressive. Congratulations, Matthew!
Leaside Garden Society names winner
The Leaside Garden Society (LGS) announced the 2025 winner of its Founders’ Scholarship. Bridget Leonard, a resident of Leaside, is a student in the University of Guelph’s Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences Co-op program. She also won the scholarship in 2024.
This year’s committee agreed that of a small pool of challenging candidates Bridget was the most deserving once again.
Bridget’s commitment to community service and horticultural education and ecological activities is directly aligned
with the LGS mission. In her application she stated, “After attending two Leaside Garden Tours, I am amazed to see the passion for horticulture in Leaside and the generosity of community members to support the advancement of their neighbour’s horticultural knowledge. The values of growing up in Leaside have positively influenced the person I am today... someone who loves the environment, is passionate about accessible green spaces and connecting communities together.”
Poets live among us
Richard Grace, who resides outside the M4G postal zone, wrote to us after receiving Leaside Life. “I have always been a bit of an ‘expatriate soul on the wrong side of the tracks,’ not really in Leaside technically, I suppose, as we are west of Bayview on Cardiff Road, but I certainly enjoyed reading the recent edition of your mag, especially the articles by Geoff Kettel on the various large ‘concrete mushrooms’ planned for us on Glazebrook. In any event, I have enjoyed your magazine but noticed with all the great informative articles, you don’t offer up any poetry.”
Not true, Richard, as we
Fred Lewis, class of 1980 (below left), presenting the RMC badge to Officer Cadet Matthew Hicks. September 2025.
NORA CAMPBELL
have featured wonderful poems written by students at Leaside High School. But, forgiving this slip, we are still pleased that Richard sent us a few of his own poetic creations. Here’s just one of his beautiful entries:
The Cedars of Clayoquot Sound Gruesome whimsy of arthritic mime
Whose spears camped sharply in the sky
Apparel indigo in gnarled lime, A certain stillness for the eye
The stark assault of green inclines, A fierce rigour in decline
That ruined verdancy imbues In fantasies of mime
Warrior lost
The cedars climb
Ancient claims before the fall, An odd insanity of shapes Resigned
In Rorschach haste
Assuming the gaze of patient lime
Atop an outcrop rock Impossible,
The onslaught aqueous rage aside
There is a stillness that the Raven flies
A sleep defeated
And death of speeches in the sky.
Letter to the Editor
Re: Unleashed and barking
Upon reading the article by Mitch Bubulj, I found three inaccuracies. As a dogwalker in Leaside who started my business the year we had the awful ice storm, in 2009, I spent several days in the park with a couple of dogs. Therefore, the park was opened prior to 2010. The fine for walking your dog off leash can be up to $615, not $500, as this is the base charge. And the current signs that are posted upon entering the park do not indicate that commercial dog walkers are not allowed in the Sandy Bruce off leash area, as noted by the City of Toronto. There are several walkers, including myself, who are taking advantage of the incorrect sign until the City corrects it. BUT there are always a few extremely rude dog owners who are quick to point out you should not be there. The park is a wonderful addition, and anyone walking three dogs or fewer should be welcomed!
Maureen Hewitt
Note: letters to the editor may be edited for space.
SCAVENGER HUNT
Scavenger hunt a huge success...and you can still enter!
We’ve received dozens of submissions to the Leaside-focused scavenger hunt designed by our very own steps-defying Susan Scandiffio. All have praised the breadth and creativity of the clues, which have taken hunters to countless nooks and crannies all over the community. Winners will be announced October 1 and all results will be made available after that. We thank readers for participating! Oh, and there’s still time to submit...In the meantime, keep walking, keep hunting. n
Thank You Leaside!
…from Isaac and Nyle for the generosity of the Leaside Community in support of their 10th annual lemonade stand for the Terry Fox Foundation.
$2,364 was raised on Sunday, September 14th. Over the 10 years, $16,114 has been donated.
With heartfelt appreciation, Isaac, Nyle and family.
See you next year for the 11th annual!
LEMONADE FOR TERRY FOX!
This Halloween – trick … or dog treats?
by DAVID CRICHTON
I flick Steve’s power switch, and he springs to life. Jerry instantly reacts by becoming a horse in a burning barn. His ears pin back, and his legs go into Scooby-Doo mode before finding traction and launching him out of the room.
Steve, you need to understand, is a clown. I found him years ago on “CLEARANCE,” at the Home Sense on Brentcliffe – bottom shelf, covered in dust, face down. He’s three feet tall with a crazed, murderous grin and matted orange hair. He’s activated by sound – a clap, a yell – triggering laser-red eyes to flash and his arms to claw the air. What’s truly unsettling, though, is his sound effects: a hellish sound soup of carnival music and screams. All the while Steve howls with unhinged glee. He’s “scary AF,” as my son would say. (That’s “as f**k” to us non-acronym lovers.) I thought naming him Steve might take some edge off. Wrong! It only adds to his menace.
In other words, he’s the perfect Halloween porch ornament. So too,
for last Halloween.
And here he stands, greeting the first wave of kids – the small ones who must be in bed early. They stop and look up at Steve. He eyes them, motionless. I open the door and tell them, “It’s okay, he’s not real.”
THE LEASIDE OBSERVER
They move single file up the stairs to avoid getting too close.
A parent says, “What do you say?” In unison, they yell: “Trick or treat!”
Steve erupts into action – the crazy laugh, the music, the screams, the horror. All at once, the kids screech and flee. “Wait, come back. Don’t you want a treat?” I’m aware of how creepy I must sound. The parents laugh. No matter. More Coffee Crisps for me.
Next wave – the 8-10 year-olds. They’re not as afraid but maintain a healthy distrust of Steve. “Creepy, clown, Mister.”
“Insult him, and he comes to life.”
Parents laugh.
An hour later, wave three – the teenagers. They still want candy but are too cool to dress up.
“Sick clown, man.”
I ask a kid in sweatpants and a hoodie, “What are you supposed to be?” He points at his glasses: “A smart kid.”
“Are they fake glasses?” I ask.
“No,” he admits.
“So, your costume is a lazy kid who wants free candy.” His costumeless cohorts chortle.
I ask the next one, “And what are you?”
“A cat.”
“But no costume,” I deadpan.
“I identify as a cat.”
Not bad. She’s quick. “For that, you get a Coffee Crisp,” I tell her.
Her friend tries to cop the idea, “I’m a cat, too!”
“Ah, so close,” I feign sincerity. “If you had said you were a ‘copycat’ you would have gotten TWO Coffee Crisps. Instead, you’re a lame duck, and that gets you black licorice. Next.”
Soon out of treats, I bring in Steve
and turn out the light. With another Halloween and several Coffee Crisps under my belt I eventually make my way to bed, where Jerry is still shivering through his Post-Traumatic Steve Disorder.
As I lay in bed reading, Jerry sits rigid, staring into the dark hallway. He grumbles.
“What is it?”
He answers by growling more loudly, looking more intently into the shadows. A little unsettled, I put on my Big Man Voice and yell downstairs: “HEY, who’s there?!”
Without missing a beat, Steve roars back with blood-curdling effect. His horrific cacophony rolls up the stairs. Jerry yelps out a “Yike! Yike! Yike!” I squeal. My book flies. Things that are inside me try to come out. Jerry peels off down the hall. Steve bellows with derision. I stomp downstairs, looking very unintimidating in my underwear. I grab Steve by the head as if to show him who’s boss and shunt him into the closet. Feeling drained and rubber-legged by my adrenaline crash, I head back upstairs to find Jerry. “Jerry!? Jerry…want a treat? Come back. Don’t you want a treat?” n HALLOWEEN continued
• Music and Arts
• Aquatics
• Bloorview School and Nursery Schools
• Therapeutic Recreation, Robotics and so much more!
To learn more about Holland Bloorview’s volunteer opportunities please visit: www.hollandbloorview.ca/volunteer
October
CFUW LEASIDE-EAST YORK
Oct. 16, 7:00 p.m. In person at Northlea United Church, 125 Brentcliffe Rd. Tea 101 - From Garden to Cup. The complexity and beauty of tea. Speaker Katherine Maxwell, Blue Mountain Tea Co.
ST. AUGUSTINE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH
1847 Bayview Ave
Groove Room Coffee House Listen to great live music by local artists and have a coffee and dessert with friends. Fri., Oct. 10, 7:008:30 p.m. Pay what you can, with 100% of the money going to the Flemingdon Food Bank. We are looking for performers. Contact info@saintaugustine.ca.
DON VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES
Annual General Meeting – Thurs. Oct. 9, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at the Thorncliffe Park Community Hub, Unit 200, 45 Overlea Blvd. Contact Laura Anonen, laura. anonen@dvcls.clcj.ca for info and RSVP.
NORTHLEA UNITED CHURCH
125 Brentcliffe Road 416 425 5252 northleaunited.ca office@northleaunited.ca
Community Food Drive Sat. Oct. 25 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and Sun. Oct. 26
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.
10:00 a.m.-noon. Drop off current dated canned or dry goods for the TNO Food Collaborative! 3 locations to choose from: Northlea United – 125 Brentcliffe Rd Leaside United – 822 – Millwood Rd. St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican –1847 Bayview Ave. See ad on page 32.
ST. CUTHBERT’S, LEASIDE
ANGLICAN CHURCH
1399 Bayview Avenue 416 485 0329 www.stcuthbertsleaside.com stcuthbertleaside@toronto.anglican.ca
Tai Chi Tuesdays 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. in Lamb Hall. Suggested donation $5. Join us!
Blessing of the Animals Sun., Oct. 5th at 4:00 p.m. on the Green. You and your pet are invited!
Women’s Dinner Fri., Oct. 17 in Lamb Hall. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for dinner served at 7:15 p.m. Tickets $35.
Christmas Fair Mark your calendars! Sat., Nov. 8 from 11 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Donations accepted now. No furniture or clothing.
LEASIDE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
670 Eglinton Ave. E. 416 875 0424 www.leasidepc.ca
Board Games Night Everyone welcome! We have an assortment of games or bring your own to share. Snacks and drinks provided. Fri., Oct. 17, 7:00-9:00 p.m. For more info, email: lpc.gamesnight@gmail.com
LEASIDE UNITED CHURCH
822 Millwood Road 416 425 1253 www. leasideunited.org robert@leasideuc.com
We are having our Awesome Fall Sale Fri., Oct. 17 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sat. Oct. 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We thank everyone for their ongoing support. See ad on page 37.
LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY
Speaker Series presents Pat Main on Love gardens, Will travel. Thursday, October 9th, 7:00 p.m. (refreshments at 6:30 p.m.) at the Leaside Library (165 McRae Drive) The Society welcomes guests and new members to join our meetings. Visit: www.leasidegardensociety.org or email: leaside@gardenontario.org for more info.
CANADA’S BIGGEST MINIATURE SHOW AND SALE
Lovers of all things tiny are looking forward to the 46th annual MET Show and Sale of Fine Dollhouse Miniatures on Sat., Oct.18, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. $10 cash at the door or through Eventbrite. Kids under 12 are free (no strollers). The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, 6 Sakura Way at Don Mills and Wynford Dr. Free parking. For info visit www.metminis.ca.
LEASIDE LIBRARY
marketing and public relations jobs, when her father said, “it’s time,” she joined him at Turco Persian in 2009, and became its owner in 2011. Greg died in 2023, but Brigitte is still in the neighbourhood, living now in Kilgour Estates.
Jessica’s husband, Dan Buganto, has also joined the company and is instrumental in continuing modernization and expansion while furthering the core business. The company prides itself on “introducing ecofriendly practices and products, deepening a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable care.”
Turco Persian today
In the old days, the mansions along Sherbourne and Dundas had summer and winter carpets, which they rotated. The men from Turco Persian kept them all in good shape and provided storage in the off season. Now the business extends throughout the GTA and to Collingwood and Muskoka and includes cleaning and seasonal storage, not only for rugs but also for outdoor cushions. Jessica Kasparian is known as a skilled appraiser for insurance and estate needs.
It is an accomplishment that a company started in 1906 is still healthy, in the same location, and now in its third generation of Kasparian ownership.
165 McRae Drive 416 396 3855
For a full list of programs at Leaside branch, please visit www.tpl.ca/leaside. n
Fun fact – Jessica fondly remembers “Miss Fertuck” as one of her teachers from Leaside High. We, of course, know her as Leaside Life writer Janis Fertuck. n
JESSICA
Earning a living
“Marriage soon made me realize that painting wouldn’t pay the bills. So, after my first year at OCA, I switched to their advertising and illustration program as a more assured way of earning a living.” Over the next three decades, David forged a successful career as a creative executive and art director at some of Canada’s most prestigious ad agencies.
Painting, however, remained his first love. A set of oil paints his daughter Gabrielle gave him on his 54th birthday was just the catalyst he needed to return to the canvas.
Back to painting
Since then, David has produced hundreds of paintings, many of which have been shown at exhibitions across Ontario – including Toronto, Peterborough and Oakville, where he has lived since 1969. His work often depicts landscapes, stilllives, village scenes and buildings,
reflecting his interest in architecture and love of southern France, where he has frequently travelled. In addition, he’s published and illustrated two children’s books and co-authored, with his wife, a study of 19th century Oakville architecture, entitled Old Oakville (1979).
Leaside again
While David was busy resuming his painting, Jane Pitfield (née Jane Toller) was busy editing and writing her book about Leaside. As the project neared completion, she began looking for someone to illustrate the book’s cover. “I asked a friend if she knew any artists familiar with Leaside,” says Jane, “and she suggested David Peacock.” Working from a contemporary black-and-white photo of the William Lea house, and with input from Jane, David created a beautiful colour portrait that captured the look and feel of the original house and its setting. It took him about five or six hours to paint and now hangs in Jane’s office in Pontiac, QC, where she serves as warden of Pontiac Regional County Municipality.
David continues to live in Oakville, while retaining fond memories of Leaside. In 2024, he donated over 100 of his paintings to Oakville’s Knox Presbyterian Church. Proceeds from their subsequent auction raised more than $35,000 for the church and its programs.
If William Lea – himself a painter and collector – were alive today, I’m sure he’d want to buy one of David’s paintings. And I think I know what his first choice would be.
The author would like to thank David Peacock, Jane Toller Pitfield and Phyllis Ellis for their generous assistance as he was researching
OXYGEN From Page 12
local businesses related to health and wellness.
All the instructors have professional training or yoga teacher certification. They then train with the franchise to learn the safety methods and teaching techniques specific to Oxygen Yoga & Fitness to ensure they deliver consistency in their “easy-to-follow, safe and fun classes.” The company also offers a 200-hour certification training program in yoga.
Sandie says the team loves the welcoming and encouraging Leaside community and is very happy to be here. Their plan is to increase the number of classes to 80 a week so they are open whenever members want to work out.
She adds, “Our members are amazing at supporting us and are referring lots of family and friends.” Many comment that the studio is like a second home where they feel comfortable. Sandie is confident they will reach their 80-class goal in the next year or two. In the meantime, they continue to follow the company motto: “I love my life.” n
Protecting our rights and our voice
There’s an old saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
And neither will Toronto’s housing shortage be solved in a big rush, despite frequent new pieces of legislation with dramatic names like “The Protect Ontario By Building Faster and Smarter Act” – legislation promising to remove barriers and red tape to fast-track dense residential high rise development. The key criterion has become speeding up the planning process.
Toronto’s housing situation is indeed a crisis.
But important considerations are reduced when speed is the number one factor. There’s no time for sober second thoughts about maximum densities and heights, and real community building.
If you look at the wording in much of the new legislation, you will also note a troubling new trend. Much of it is so-called “as of right.” This term reduces any local municipality’s previous zoning requirements to consider important site-specific factors (traffic consequences, infrastructure issues?), in the name of accelerating
There is a lot to be said for residents’ input on development in our neighbourhoods. We know our communities and can point out flaws in one-size-fits-all development proposals which might otherwise lead to unintended problems later. It is useful information, not “red tape.” As-of-right status gives a developer too much power. Each application to build should be examined on its own merits, as well as impacts on the location. It should not come at the cost of diminishing local democracy. The speed of the planning process is important but protecting and enhancing neighbourhoods like Leaside are important too.
the approval process itself. With as-of-right zoning, the process is streamlined. There are fewer hoops for an applicant to jump through. Public consultation meetings take place less often or are even eliminated in regard to draft site development plans. And once an application has been approved, appeal rights are limited to the developer.
The Leaside Residents Association board meets on the first Wednesday of each month. We invite you to join us and join in! Our next meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wed., Oct. 1st. It will be in person, at the Trace Manes building on Rumsey and Millwood. n
CONCRETE REPAIRS: STEPS/WALKWAYS/PADS
STONE MASONRY: BACK DECKS/FRONT PORCHES/STEPS
INTERLOCK PAVERS: BACK PATIOS/WALKWAYS/STEPS
