Giving thanks this holiday season
I know Thanksgiving has already been and gone, but I always think the better time to give thanks is the winter holiday season. It’s a time to reflect on the year as it draws to a close and be grateful for the many gifts in our lives.
Starting with…
You! Our readers. We wouldn’t be here without you. And it’s not just that you’re reading Leaside Life, but you are active readers of this publication, often commenting on articles and contributing your own stories. Lately, we’ve been the happy recipients of beautiful local poetry, after the introduction last year of Poetry Corner featuring Leaside High School’s budding poets. Our writers. Perhaps it will sound corny and clichéd, but Leaside Life’s contributors over the years have become more than just writers for hire. We’re a family now, not only meeting for editorial lineups
but also spending “outside-ofwork” time together in various settings. And here’s another cliché: Leaside Life, thanks to the writers, is greater than the sum of its parts. Leaside, Bennington and “Leaside-adjacent.” Leaside Life thrives on the wealth and diversity of story topics in one of the most vibrant, growing neighbourhoods in Toronto. We are never at a loss for intriguing, interesting, often heart-warming ideas, thanks to you.
Happy holidays to all – and see you on the other side of 2025! n
May your homes be filled with laughter, peace, and the magic of the season.
From our family to yours, we wish you a joyous holiday and a prosperous New Year!
Congratulations to Leaside’s talented athletes
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
BAYVIEW
The Leaside Sports Hall of Fame once again hosted their annual Induction Ceremony, on Nov. 14th, to honour and celebrate the Hall’s latest inductees, the Athletes of the Year and the Team of the Year.
Those being honoured excelled in their roles as athletes, tireless volunteers and builders in various sports.
Hall of Fame Inductees
ANGELA RUBINI SOCCER BUILDER
MARKET
Angela Rubini has been involved in Leaside in the sport of soccer as a builder, coach, manager, and more for over 30 years.
With the Leaside-East Toronto Soccer Club, Rubini served in multiple roles, including running the summer camp program and helping
to run the Women’s Adult League. She was also involved in building, coaching and managing the LeasideEast Toronto Soccer Club’s Competitive Girls Team. With her passion for excellence, the program produced several players who have gone on to compete at the highest levels in varsity, national and international soccer, including Toronto AFC player Sarah Rollins and Michigan State’s standout national team callup, Kayla Briggs. Briggs, who also happens to be Rubini’s daughter, notes that “my mom has played a huge role in my success. She has always been my biggest supporter through the good and the tough times. I am so grateful for how she has taught me to be a great competitor, but what I learned the most from her is how to carry yourself off the field.”
ATHLETES Page 24
I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS CHARITABLE LEASIDE
BRING
15TH NOV - 15TH DEC, 2025
Spreading comfort one blanket at a time
If you’ve ever seen one of the many Peanuts TV specials, you’ll know Linus, with his ever-clutched security blanket.
Inspired by a story in a US magazine in 1995 about a young girl with cancer clutching her favourite “blankie,” there are now groups around the world distributing blankets to young people in traumatic situations, coordinated by Project Linus. Peanuts creator Charles Shultz gave his permission for use of the name and image, hand-sewn onto every blanket distributed. Turns out, we have our own local connection. M&S Auto Centre, at 214 McRae Dr., is one of the pickup locations for some 2,000 blankets a year distributed by Diana Delic for Project Linus Canada, whose sons run M&S.
LEASIDE PEOPLE
Diana was “really bummed” in 2024, when she “only” collected 2,023 blankets while aiming for 2024. One local Leaside quilter alone
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has made more than 1,800 blankets over the years and is still contributing regularly. Another volunteer, a 94-year-old in Sutton, “cranks out crocheted blankets like crazy.”
Diana keeps in regular contact with hospitals, children’s cancer and, midwifery centres and bereavement camps for children, and she makes sure blankets go to “a child who needs a little comfort.” She’s “never had to turn down a request from a hospital.”
Blankets can be quilted, knit or crocheted as long as the material is new, handmade and washable (and if yarn, acrylic). Diana, a crocheter, had heard of Project Linus. About 17 years ago, she contacted Project Linus Canada founder Rona Kleiman. The two worked together for several years, with Diana carrying on.
More needleworx for good causes
Leasider Jane Withers, one of the Thursday group doing various “needleworx” at the Leaside Library, regularly collects hand-made items made by members for the Toronto branch of the Needlework Guild of Canada (another registered charity), which distributes items for infants, toddlers, children, teens and adults through frontline social service agencies.
Gerri, another Leasider and Thursday knitter, also contributes bright knit blankets for Project Linus, but hers travel to those in
Niloo Saiy, PharmD, CDE. RPh Associate-Owner
Brenda Woods
DEREK WOODS
Leaside’s first Councilwoman did it her way
Beth Nealson is rightfully celebrated as Leaside’s first female mayor. But she wasn’t the first woman elected to local office in Leaside. That achievement belonged to an independent and unconventional woman named Lenore Sibbald. Here’s her remarkable and somewhat eyebrow-raising story.
Ottawa-area roots
Lenore Sibbald (neé McVeety) was born in 1918 and grew up in the Ottawa region, where her mother ran a women’s clothing store in Perth. She was one of three girls in the family, and her father died when she was only six. As a young teen she had an intense relationship with an Ottawa boy five years her senior. But his family disapproved, and the romance was ended in 1935.
ANTIQUES WANTED
Leaside
By 1940, Lenore and her mother had moved to Leaside and were living at 218 Sutherland Dr. – home of Thomas Whiticar, a foreman with
settled into a comfortable, traditional 1950s middle-class life –with Claude as the breadwinner and Lenore as the dutiful housewife. Or so it seemed.
Politics
the Canada Pacific Railroad, whom Lenore’s widowed mother had recently wed. Both sisters had also married, and Lenore, now a secretary/stenographer, began dating a University of Toronto dental student named Claude Sibbald.
Shortly after Claude graduated in 1943, the couple married at Leaside United Church. Following the wedding they lived briefly in Manitoba where Claude, a lieutenant in the Canadian Dental Corps, was sent to treat the dental needs of servicemen stationed there during WWII.
Lenore and Claude returned to Leaside in 1947, and Claude started a dental practice. They bought a home at 24 Killdeer Cr., had a daughter, Karen-Ann, and
Lenore, however, was not the typical housewife. Rejecting this role, she took a job with The Leaside Advertiser as a writer and journalist. It was there that she probably met Beth Nealson, who also wrote for The Advertiser . Together, the two women in 1955 ran as candidates for the Leaside municipal council. Both lost, but each received over 1,000 votes. Lenore stayed active between elections, attending in Ottawa the annual meeting of the National Progressive Conservative Association, in January 1956. At the end of the year, she again ran for councillor. This time she won and became the first woman council member in the history of the municipality – defeating Arthur Donahue, her former boss at The Advertiser, by just 39 votes. It was a memorable event, recognized by the Toronto Star, which published her photo soon after the election. Two years later, in December 1958, Lenore was re-elected but with a much wider margin. She received more than 2,300 votes – the second highest number of any candidate. Throughout her tenure as a Leaside councillor, Lenore’s reputation as a conscientious public servant grew. She served on the town’s parks committee and in that capacity was praised by The Globe and Mail literary critic William Arthur Deacon as someone who listens to her constituents. At the same time, she continued to be active in the Progressive Conservative Party, both at the provincial and national levels, hosting meetings, attending receptions and participating in conventions as a party member and delegate.
Turning point
In the early 1960s, something happened which shifted Lenore’s life in a whole new direction. She was in Ottawa with other town councillors when, on a whim, she decided to phone her old boyfriend from 30 years before. That boyfriend had become the largest and most
TORONTO STAR, DEC. 4, 1956
Santa’s Open House
Mark your calendars and come meet Santa Clause at our Santa’s Open House! December is here and Christmas is just around the corner. Capture the magic of the season with a free photo with Santa Clause! Everyone who comes will get a digital and printed photo on the spot! Plus, everyone who comes will be automatically entered into a raffle to win 1 of 30 amazing prizes generously donated by local business!
MONICA
Bayview bold – Write Impressions celebrates 25 years
by JANIS FERTUCK
Write Impressions, the popular and lively stationery store anchoring the northeast corner of Bayview and Millwood, is celebrating its quarter-century anniversary this December, joining a select group of high street retailers with remarkable staying power.
The shop is part of a family business started by Cheryle Challe, who opened the first Write Impressions in Hamilton in 1986, followed by another in Oakville in 1999. Cheryle’s son, Troy, grew up in the retail environment and had a parttime job in university working in the gift and paper field with many of the same suppliers he still works with today at Write Impressions. After graduation, he was employed for a few years at a large format retailer as a buyer of gifts and paper but decided he wanted to go “from conception to execution faster” and to share “wonderful products directly with customers” in stores.
In 2000, when Troy became the owner of the new Write Impressions
FROM THE COVER
Bayview – their first Toronto location – he got to realize his dream. As business grew, the family also added stores in Bloor West Village and Waterloo. Troy says this expansion was possible thanks to “the amazing support from the Leaside community.” It was “bittersweet” for him, though, as the expansion, in 2006, took him on the road instead of in his favourite place, 1515 Bayview Ave. Now he’s back and is supported by a team of sales associates.
In the early days, the shop focused largely on stationery products and pens, as the name suggests. Cards are still the “bread and butter” of the store, says Troy, quoting the adage that “there is nothing more charming than a handwritten note.” But keeping with the times has seen the inventory grow dramatically to include self-care products, décor and tabletop items like napkins, candles and serving pieces as well as a children’s section featuring stuffies, games and blankets.
Write Impressions’ ability to respond to changing customer tastes is a key ingredient in the store’s continued success. According to Troy, Write Impressions sets itself apart from other similar stores by “working collaboratively with manufacturers and suppliers to bring in new and unique products of beauty, value and function.”
In addition, Troy goes “the extra mile” to deal with requests, often for specific items like ink or fine writing instruments, and researches how to procure them.
It’s this customer care that keeps shoppers coming back for both the quality merchandise and exceptional service. Regular customers report they can always find high quality gifts and special items for a variety of occasions, and they appreciate the friendly and helpful staff.
For Write Impressions, moving to Bayview 25 years ago was clearly more than just a good business decision. They’re part of a local family –as Troy says, “the wonderful group of businesses on Bayview who support each other through thick and thin.” n
JANIS FERTUCK
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Big, bigger, better at vacant Millwood site?
922 Millwood Rd. has sat…and sat…and sat but new plans have recently been submitted for the vacant (and possibly contaminated) former Stanley Cleaners site at the northeast corner of Millwood and Randolph. Proposed now is an eight-storey building with 60 units, double the count of the earlier 30-unit (five-storey) plan.
Bigger yes, but better? Ummm, I don’t think so.
Residents’ concerns with the earlier application will likely be amplified with this new larger one, especially its lack of conformity with the relevant Neighbourhoods policy and its fit with the prevailing character of the neighbourhood in terms of height, massing and design. The application’s planning rationale attempts to orient the building to a Laird Drive context rather than its actual (Millwood Road) context.
In terms of design, the original proposal for a five-storey building at this location incorporated significant step-down, in particular on the side facing east towards the houses across Krawchuk Lane. No such stepping is proposed for the boxy revised eight-storey building. And the drawings present a blind south wall above the fourth floor right up against the existing four-storey building (928 Millwood).
At the time of writing the application still awaited declaration as “complete,” following which a community consultation meeting will be arranged, and is expected for December or January. n
Are you ready to reimagine a Leaside laneway?
2025 saw the successful launch of Laneway coLabs, a new initiative inviting Toronto residents, community groups, and BIAs to apply for support to revitalize their local laneways. Applications for the 2026 program are now open.
The nearby apartment buildings are no more than four storeys, with one exception – Leaside Gate with five storeys (which precedes the current Official Plan). While sevento eight-storey buildings (mid-rise) have been approved in Leaside, they are located on Bayview, Laird, and other main street locations, not on an interior street such as Millwood Road. Any height above four storeys requires careful review to determine any negative impact on the adjacent streets and houses.
Leaside boasts several lanes, mostly unnamed and largely unknown. Through the program, Laneway coLabs will work directly with communities to co-design and implement laneway improvements – helping to transform underused spaces into vibrant, welcoming public places. Possible enhancements include murals and public art, gardens and greenery, climate adaptations (such as rain gardens and rain barrels), furniture, and lighting.
Learn more at www.thelanewayproject.ca/colabs and let me know if you’re interested.
This is a true grassroots initiative, involving interested and engaged neighbours to design and implement a project. n
Tom Scanlan channels his inner child with I Wear Pajamas All Day Long
by GREIG HENDERSON
You don’t have to be a psychoanalyst to appreciate that in its benign aspect, children’s literature is all about wish-fulfillment. In I Wear Pajamas All Day Long, the little child, who represents all children, makes this clear when their opening words are: “I wish for just one day I could do things my own way.”
In childhood we get our first taste of altered states – spinning ourselves into dizziness, looking through our legs at a topsy-turvy world, climbing everything in sight, falling down at whim, and, among many other things, submitting to the tickles, twirls, and gyrations adults delight in inflicting upon us. But when we want to do things our way, more often than not we are stymied by our caretakers.
If they were given the freedom to do whatever they want to do, the little child in this story would wear pajamas all day long, never go to bed, paint their room red, wear gloves on their feet, put socks
“I love the book. It is amazing because it’s such a cool book and it makes me laugh!! My favourite page is ‘I’d build a sandcastle in the sea and try to swim on sand’ because it sounds so funny.” — Hallie Lalonde, Grade 2, age 7.
tions, children are adept at cleansing
WIN 1 OF 4 SIGNED COPIES! SEE PAGE 26
the doors of perception and escaping the prison house of normality, in this case through humour and fun. The book delivers its comic vision in rhyme and meter, which makes it pleasing for a speaker to recite and easy for a listener to remember. And this retired English professor is delighted to observe that the poetry scans perfectly and the diction, syntax, and structure are not only simple and age-appropriate but also artful and uncondescending. Children know when they’re being talked down to. This book respects their nascent sensibilities.
The illustrations by Hiruni Kariyawasam are brilliant. Each of the little child’s wishes is given its own page. The visual reinforces the verbal, and vice versa. The book ends by addressing its readers directly – “What would you do if you could do whatever you want for one day?” – and by furnishing them with a blank page to describe or draw a picture of a silly thing they would do.
The author of this book, Tom Scanlan, is nothing if not active. He has written seven elementary and secondary textbooks on urban geography, 83 letters to the editor, and numerous feature stories that have appeared in our city’s newspapers. As director of is five Communications
JEANETTE GRAVES
Scanlan and his wife Sharon
by MITCH BUBULJ
Winnie Turner’s shortbread –long on tradition and taste
“My grandma Turner’s shortbread recipe is as much a part of Christmas as the tree,” declares Susan Parr, an area resident with deep family roots. Her great-grandfather built his first home on Bayview – originally #5, now known as 1395 – in 1920. And while she moved often when growing up because of her dad’s job, she says Leaside was always “home base…. we’d visit my grandparents regularly; most Christmases we spent with them on McRae.”
Like many Torontonians more than a century ago, Susan’s ancestors came from the UK. They brought their traditions with them, which at Christmastime included baking sweet treats, like shortbread. Originally living on Merton and Balliol, they crossed Bayview once Leaside became more established. “My great-grandparents were active parishioners at St. Cuthbert’s, so it made sense to build their house right next to the vicarage lived in by Canon Lamb and his wife Estella, née Lea. Both houses still stand today.”
Susan adds that her grandparents were very invested in Leaside. Her grandfather served on the Board of Education. He worked at Canada Wire and Cable for a while and even lived in one of the semis on Rumsey built by the company for employees. “It’s where my mom was born.” A few decades later, “after my parents got married, their first home was a second floor flat at the Talbot Apartments where their first child was born: me.”
She adds that “my memories of Christmas in Leaside are happy and strong.” Susan remembers watching her grandmother prepare the shortbread dough and refrigerating it overnight. She also remembers the wellworn cookie cutters, shaped like Christmas trees, stockings and reindeer. “There are only three ingredients to the recipe: butter, flour and brown sugar.” The preparing and chilling of the mixture meant it was a process, but it was always a good time for
family to come together around the kitchen table, especially for her mom, grandma and two younger sisters. She also recalls her grandmother adding maraschino cherries and red and green sugar sprinkles as decorations on the cookies when fresh out of the oven. Susan’s are done to perfection and not too sweet but with a nice soft texture.
Not only is Susan keeping her grandmother’s shortbread recipe alive, but like her grandparents she is continuing their spirit of community activism. Since retiring as a civil servant in the Ontario government, mostly with the Ministry of Community and Social Services and with a focus on children’s wellbeing, she has been active with the Leaside Historical Preservation Society as one of the founding members. While family have come to Susan to copy out the recipe – Susan is the
Left: Susan’s original recipes with a picture of her grandparents Percy and Winnie Turner.
keeper of ancestral heirlooms and has all her grandma’s handwritten recipe cards – the recipe has also travelled.
“I remember one Christmas we were living in Owen Sound; my grandparents came to spend it with us. Winnie prepared the mixture in a big bowl with her favourite wooden spoon, and they tasted almost as good as the ones that came out of her oven in Leaside. For some reason the old enamel stove on legs with the oven beside the cooktop that they owned forever turned out the best meals.”
MITCH BUBULJ
Susan Parr
Above: Susan, Christmas circa 1957.
Holland Bloorview President and CEO Julia Hanigsberg leaves on a high note
by SUZANNE PARK
As the festive season approaches, thoughts of a new year and new you might be on your mind. That’s especially true for Julia Hanigsberg, president and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, as she retires after over a decade at the hospital.
Although looking forward to her next chapter, Julia greatly appreciates her time with the hospital’s patients and their families, staff, volunteers and supporters. In an interview with Leaside Life, she reflected on memorable initiatives.
“Being the largest and only Canadian academic research and teaching hospital that focuses on neurodevelopmental disabilities and disability healthcare, we’re advancing the current and future care of children and youth,” she said. “We teach doctors, nurses, physio, occupational and behavioural therapists, and have trained some of the first developmental pediatricians around the world. We have a big role beyond our walls. Leasiders, your donations are making a big impact!”
Growth is key
She added, “Amazingly, over the last decade, with government, sponsorships and donations, we’ve grown approximately a third, which means new programs, helping children with different kinds of disabilities, like eating disorders, which make it hard to stay nourished. Stabilizing them can prevent them from needing an acute care hospital bed.
“Growth means new staff with new ideas,” she said. “It means helping more children, youth and families. Plus, we look at the whole child, the whole family and provide innovative solutions. One example is the outdoor Spiral Garden
summer camp where kids with disabilities can express their individuality and really shine in art, music, and play alongside their typically developing peers. The camp welcomes children of all abilities.”
Many memories
Asked for an enduring memory, Julia smiled and offered, “We are committed to each child at Holland-Bloorview being a selfadvocate as being a child with a
Julia Hanigsberg (left) and Jillian Peters in 2015 and Julia and Jillian in 2025.
disability is not easy. There will be challenges to overcome and these young people will need tools while with us and when they move on.”
Julia continued, “There’s a little girl who’s now a teenager and on her high school prom committee. She’s grown so much since I first met her. She was five or six and approached me in her pink wheelchair. I was in the early days as CEO. She wheeled to my open office door and said she had to speak to the boss. Then she added, I know you’re new here and I don’t know what you’ve done so far but the pizza and chicken nuggets aren’t as good as they used to be. Behind this brave young girl her mom was turning red yet wisely didn’t interfere. I was thrilled! We’re a children’s hospital; if we can’t get chicken nuggets right, we’re in trouble.”
Julia beamed and added, “It was the cutest thing and made my day. This young girl honestly advocating for her needs. I thought, she’s on her way.”
Fundraising for the future
“Holland Bloorview’s new $100 million fundraising campaign, Together We Dare , is the largest campaign for childhood disability in Canada and will help improve access to care for kids and youth with disabilities, support greater inclusion of children with disabilities in all aspects of life, and help raise funds for ground-breaking technologies and research that change the game for children and youth with disabilities,” she said. And what’s next for Holland Bloorview’s president and CEO? More time with family and a few consulting projects. We wish her –and Holland Bloorview – the best of luck for the future.
Note: Holland Bloorview recently announced Bruce Squires as the incoming president and CEO, effective Feb. 2, 2026. He was most recently president of McMaster Children’s Hospital and vice president, Women’s & Children’s Health at Hamilton Health Sciences. n
Greg Koabel digs into The Making of Canada
by MITCH BUBULJ
Wolfe, Macdonald, Secord, Champlain, Montcalm. These individuals are iconic in the annals of our nation. But what about Pierre Le Moyne, Mary Ann Shadd, Shingwaukonse and George Denison? They are names you are not likely to find in the indexes of high school Canadian history textbooks. Author and Leaside Library employee Greg Koabel thinks they – and 16 others – should be celebrated, not lost to the mists of time. Their stories need to be told, a job he accomplishes in his new book The Making of Canada Koabel’s work is an amalgam of several episodes taken from his podcast series, “Nations of Canada.” The Making of Canada came out earlier this year, in May, and is an engaging, chronological exploration of 20 individuals who – while not prominent in our lore – “made a distinct contribution to the collaborative work of building a nation.” The book is published by Sutherland House, a Leaside
success story that has been around since 2017, offering thoughtful non-fiction to a worldwide readership. Koabel explained that “biography is a great way to get into history.” And the Scarborough native knows a lot about the subject. He studied history at the University of Regina and did his Ph.D. in the UK at Nottingham Trent University, with a focus on 17th-century Britain. He even taught British history for four years at his alma mater in Saskatchewan. Why the shift to Canadian history? “I decided focusing on our own stories would open up opportunities,” he said. “The conventional narrative left me underwhelmed; delving into complex untold stories changed my mind.”
There’s the story of Charles Salaberry, a Quebecer who led troops in the War of 1812. He defeated the Americans at the Battle of Chateauguay, one fought in Lower, not Upper Canada, like the more famous Battle of Queenston Heights, for example. Koabel argues that Salaberry’s victory is significant because it was fought by outnumbered “Canadians” and Indigenous allies such as the Kahnawake Mohawk and not mostly British soldiers as was the case in Upper Canada.
Koabel also informs us that it wasn’t just during the War of 1812 that our American neighbours tried to absorb us. James Douglas, Guyana-born and of European and African heritage, fended off American incursions in what is now British Columbia in the 1850s. George Denison, a Torontoborn Loyalist, viewed the U.S. Civil War as a “challenge to Canada’s existence and an occasion to mobilize at home” and contributed to the
Nurturing Leaside one seed at a time
It was with great satisfaction — and yes, a touch of sadness — that I read our Councillor’s announcement last month in Leaside Life about the completion of the City’s major capital improvements at Leaside Gardens. The satisfaction came from knowing firsthand how challenging it is to secure funding at City Hall, not to mention how painfully long the process can be. The sadness came from knowing that my days as a proud Leaside Gardens board member were officially over. Yes, folks, my two terms are up and I’m going to miss the “job.” Despite the bumps along the way, I had a tremendously rewarding experience, mainly because of the quality people I worked with along the way. Finishing my board term felt abrupt, and I didn’t want it to end. I felt as if I had been rudely pruned from a garden I had helped tend. We planted ideas, grew relationships, and even pulled a few weeds along the way. Things were starting to bloom… then the city’s term limits did what they were designed to do –made space for new gardeners.
Glenn Asano The Business of Leaside
Stepping back left me with mixed emotions. I was so proud of what was growing, but I also knew I’d miss the tending. Then a few weeks ago, I was invited to join a planning session with the new board, and it felt like someone handed me the watering can again. And in that moment, I realized something important: when you volunteer, you’re tending the garden for the community — and then one day you realize the community has been tending you too.
Leaside’s strength is its people I’m reminded of a theme I’ve witnessed again and again, whether here in Leaside or in other places I’ve lived and worked: the success
of most things comes down to the people. In April 2019, I floated the idea of a “Leaside Strength Index,” not to measure net worth or real estate values, but something far more meaningful: our neighbourhood’s capacity to care, show up, and participate.
I believe that a neighbourhood with a high proportion of residents with these characteristics is one of the key contributors to the liveability of a community. Having more opportunities to be around people who show up and care is genuinely uplifting, good for the soul and underpinning the togetherness I value in our community. That closeness is something Leasider Jim Heller touched on recently at the Leaside Residents Association’s November board meeting. While presenting his paper “Recommendations to Mitigate the Consequences of LRT Transit Corridor and Related Developments on Leaside’s Quality of Life,” he used a word I had never encountered: “propinquity.” He described it as the closeness we enjoy as neighbours — the easy familiarity that comes from bumping into one another at Trace Manes, the Gardens, an LRA meeting or a shop on Bayview. His concern was that intensification along Eglinton could make that closeness harder to sustain.
A neighbourhood is really a shared garden. The buildings and streets are the planters and pathways, but it’s people who do the planting, weeding, watering, pruning. They bring the place to life. You can build a neighbourhood out of concrete, but you can only truly grow one with people. Leaside’s strength has never been its postal code; it’s been its people.
Jim’s not wrong to raise the alarm, but maybe the battle to “push back” is already behind us. Back in 2019 I wrote, “at the heart of the matter is the population densification of Leaside and what that will mean for us.” I argued that if change is inevitable, then we should shift the conversation from “Should there be growth?” to “Will Leaside be ready for growth?” Some developments may be on pause now, but not forever. The cranes will come when the market dictates. In the meantime, there’s always pickleball!
Our task now is to ask what will hold us together as the neighbourhood inevitably becomes denser — what we will need to grow the kind of garden we’re still proud to call home. It’s time to think about the seeds, soil, labour, tools, and yes, even the silver bells and cockle shells to help cultivate the future we want.
Let’s define our future NOW
In response to Jim’s rallying cry, now is the time. Before construction and change reach full steam, we must define our own future rather than have it imposed on us, think strategically about our needs, and engage with the City so Leaside’s infrastructure and overall liveability can be maintained, if not enhanced. In 2026, we elect a mayor and 25 City councillors; soon the promises will start rolling in. But before we listen to candidates, we should listen to ourselves. What do we mean when we say Leaside is a “great place to live”? Green space? Walkability? Schools? Safety? Friendship? Opportunity? Likely all of those — but the balance is ours to define.
A while back, when the old Leaside Property Owners’ Association became the new Leaside Residents Association, it signalled a shift from guarding property to belonging. Ownership is about boundaries; residency is about relationships. It’s a subtle but powerful evolution that I was proud to witness.
So Leaside, there’s never been a better time to support the LRA and come out to an event or two. Also, with the assistance of Leaside Life, be on the lookout in the new year for a residents’ survey where you can share your thoughts. The results will be shared across the community and used to identify the issues Leasiders care most about. Ideally, we will follow this with a local “forum/symposium” to discuss the issues together, in person, and celebrate Leaside’s many volunteers and their organizations.
Leaside’s greatness has never been measured by density but by how many of us care enough to show up. The more who do, the more our community grows.
Season’s Greetings, Leaside! See you in 2026.
How would you describe what makes Leaside a great place to live?
Do you believe Leaside is ready for the next decade of change? If not,
what’s missing — and what would you most like to understand through a resident survey? Want to help shape the upcoming resident survey? See the call-out box to sign up. n
Help Shape Leaside’s 2026 Resident Survey
Before the community-wide survey launches in February, we want to hear from residents about what you think it should cover. What issues matter most? What questions should we ask? What’s missing? Sign up to contribute your ideas. We’ll send you a brief pre-survey questionnaire to help shape the final design. Scan to participate! Your perspective will help us ask the right questions.
William Lea Room Events: December 7 10am-3pm Vinyl Record Show December 14 10am-3pm Sportscard Show December 21 10am-3pm Comics and Collectibles Show.
Free Adult Public Skating 11am – 12pm for adults (18+) only Tuesdays, December 2nd, 9th, and 16th Thursdays, December 4th, 11th, and 18th. Adult Public Skating will resume on January 6th, 2026.
January 2026 everyone welcome for our Free Community Skating on January 24th, 2026, upon the reopening of the Bert F. Grant Rink Every Saturdays 5:15pm-7:15pm on Rink B. Free: all ages welcome. Helmets mandatory for children 12 and under and recommended for all skaters. n
Get into the racket
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
CREATIVE PLAY FOR KIDS WITH AINSLEY Every Sunday during Worship
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:
Saturday December 6th 9am to Noon
SANTA PANCAKE BREAKFAST AND CHRISTMAS MARKET
Kids $6 Adults $10 Family $25 Santa parade, Pictures with Santa & Mrs.Claus
Sunday December 14th 5PM
OUTDOOR LIVING CHRISTMAS NATIVITY SERVICE
WITH LIVE ANIMALS & HOT CIDER
Wednesday December 24th 4PM
CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE MANOR FAMILY SERVICE
Carols by Candlelight
240 Manor Road East, Toronto, ON manorroadunitedchurch.com
by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO
Pop. Bang. Crack. Ping. Boom. Thwack!
Those are the sweet sounds of a shuttlecock meeting a racket in what’s often been called the world’s second most popular sport that’s only growing in popularity.
Leasiders are no strangers to the beauty of this racket game. Since 1959, athletes have been gathering twice a week to compete and form lasting friendships at the Leaside Badminton Club.
Every Tuesday and Thursday night from September to June, the club, which is affiliated with Badminton Ontario, plays at Leaside High School.
Players must be at least 18 to join, and current players range in age right up to their 70s. The club’s membership is capped at 50 to ensure that all have access to a court each night.
While many enthusiasts play badminton in backyards, on the beach or in community recreation centres for fun and exercise, the level of play at the Leaside Club is more in the intermediate range for experienced players.
Club president Anthony Sam
notes that while the play is competitive, “everyone has a chance to play, it’s quite informal and everyone has lots of fun. Best of all, the fun extends to post-game get-togethers and club socials in December and May.”
Joseph Madison, who joined the club 22 years, ago comments that “for me, as a younger man, I loved the competitive factor and fun of testing myself against better players.”
Now aged 70 and still competitive, Madison says, ”I appreciate the fact that I have a place to go to, to be physically active and to go home, satisfied that I competed and looking forward to the next play date.”
While the club is a not-for-profit organization, players must try out to be part of the league. Sam notes that players must be strong at the game but also blend with the team’s culture of having a positive presence and good court etiquette.
Interested in joining the Leaside Badminton Club to get in some racket fun? Contact LBC Membership at leasidebc.membership@gmail.com.
It’s definitely a good racket to get into. n
ATHLETES from page 3
JAMES (JIM) WILSON HOCKEY AND BASEBALL BUILDER
Raised in Leaside, Jim Wilson has been a force in the sports of hockey and baseball as well as a dedicated coach, mentor and government-appointed curriculum developer.
As a baseball player, Wilson was an original participant in the Leaside Atom Baseball Association, a member of Ontario’s National Junior Championship Team in 1964, an all-star catcher for the Leaside Maple Leafs’ inaugural, undefeated season in the Halton County Sr. Baseball League in 1968, and a member of Ontario’s team in the PanAmerican Games Trials.
on the University of Toronto’s Hockey Team that won the inaugural Canadian Intercollegiate Championship (1966), and was a player-coach for Italy’s national hockey team in the European Elite division.
Wilson coached hockey, football, baseball and rugby locally, provincially and internationally for over 60 years at multiple levels and was a Coaching Certification Director for the Canadian Hockey Association and USA Hockey.
He was also the director and head instructor of Ontario’s first women’s hockey camp in 1973.
Howard Birnie, Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer and former coach of Wilson notes, “I knew Jim best as a baseball catcher. He was an excellent receiver, hitter and team leader playing at the highest amateur levels in Ontario.”
As a hockey player, Wilson was an original participant in the Leaside Hockey Association, played
At Leaside High, Wilson was a volunteer coach for 13 years in football, hockey and rugby. He was also the first appointee for the Central Ontario-Toronto Region Coaching Mentorship Program in hockey in 2005 and was selected by the Ontario government to develop
the Ministry of Education’s first High School, Exercise and Science Course for university acceptance throughout the country.
2025 ATHLETE OF THE YEAR SARAH ROLLINS SOCCER
Sarah Rollins began her soccer career at the age of 4 with the Leaside-East Toronto Soccer Club. At 12, she moved to the semi-professional North Toronto Nitros until her graduation from high school. Playing with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, Rollins was named University Sports Rookie of the Year, and her team won two national championships.
In January of 2025, Rollins began her professional career, signing with the Northern Super League’s AFC Toronto.
Christmas Christmas
Amy Walsh, a member of the Canadian Soccer Women’s National Team who played at FIFA World Cups, the Pan Am Games and the Olympics, and is current analyst for CBC and TSN, says that Rollins is “exactly what the NSL was made for. At 20 years old she’s shown such maturity and composure whether she’s playing in the heart of the back three or deployed on the right. She’s versatile and has shown amazing leadership for such a young player.”
ishing you the blessings of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love this Christmas and always
December 6th 4:30-6:00 pm Family Advent Adventure
December 15th Carols with Friends with Nativity Animal Petting Zoo
6:15 to 7:00 pm • Visiting the animals. This year we welcome special guests a donkey, a sheep and an alpaca who will be on The Green.
7:00-7:30 pm • A traditional holiday carol sing-along in the church, followed by refreshments. Please bring a non-perishable food donation for the Flemingdon Food Bank.
December 24th 4pm Christmas Eve Family Service
A lively, interactive service with an Instant Pageant (no experience required) December 24th 8pm Christmas Eve Choral Eucharist with Candlelight
SAM BROWN BASEBALL
December 25th 9am Christmas Day Service
Sam Brown began playing with the Leaside Baseball Association at the age of 9 and continued his outstanding baseball journey with both the Leaside Maple Leafs 22U and the Guelph University Gryphons. With the Maple Leafs, Brown twice represented Ontario at the National 22U Championships, winning a bronze in 2023 and a silver in 2024.
In his four years of play with the University of Guelph Gryphons, Brown was named MVP of the team three times. As captain, he helped lead the Gryphons to a silver medal at the National Championship. He also earned the University of Guelph’s President’s Trophy, an annual award given to top student-athletes who excel in both academics and athletics.
2025 TEAM OF THE YEAR LEASIDE’S CLUB MERAKI NOVICE SYNCHRONIZED SKATING TEAM
The Meraki Novice synchronized skating team of the Leaside Skating Club reached new heights
on the national stage in 2025.
The team, coached by Lisa Lamarche and Mertcan Pak, and composed of 19 athletes ranging from Grades 8 to 12, represented the Leaside club at Skate Canada’s Synchronized Skating National Championship.
Delivering a powerful performance, the team captured the silver medal in a field of 13 of the nation’s strongest teams.
Lamarche notes that “the team is defined by their discipline, determination, and passion for synchronized skating. Their strong work ethic, coachability, and willingness to push beyond their comfort zones have fueled their continuous growth and success. Through teamwork, respect for one another, and an undeniable love for the sport, they embody the true spirit of excellence.”
Congratulations to these outstanding athletes and builders honoured this year. You make us proud! n
Idler
Calling all collectors
Are you a passionate collector?
Maybe you’re housing the world’s top collection of vintage Lego. Miniatures and dollhouses? Prized hockey cards from the glory days? Maybe even vintage beer memorabilia. If you have a world-class collection, Leaside Life wants to hear from you for a possible story in our publication. Confession: the Idler used to collect 18th-century English Toby jugs.
2026 Agnes Macphail Award – Nominations now open!
Every year the Idler looks forward to learning the recipient of the prestigious Agnes Macphail Award, presented to a resident of the former Borough of East York who has made outstanding contributions as a volunteer, advocate, contributor to community life and leader in issues dear to
Macphail’s heart. The ideal candidate lives by Macphail’s motto, “Think Globally, Act Locally.”
Do you know a worthy individual? Nominations must be received by midnight, Jan. 1, 2026. The nomination form may be found at: https://www.toronto. ca/city-government/awards-tributes/ awards/agnes-macphail-award/.
Do you wear pajamas all day long?
We want to hear from young readers: what would you do if you could wear pajamas all day long? Share your story and send a pic to leasidelife@ gmail.com. The Idler will select four of the most-pajama-friendly entries, who will receive a copy of Tom Scanlan’s new book, I Wear Pajamas All Day Long. The Idler wouldn’t mind a day in jim-jams.
While we’re at it….
the Leaside Skating Club and was named the 2025 Team of the Year by the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame, is hosting a raffle. You’ll have the chance to win NHL, NBA tickets and much more (including a cash prize of $9,500) while supporting local girl sports. To purchase tickets, visit merakisynchro.ca
Calling all LHS yearbook owners
Tresanne Busato Darling, a teacher-librarian at Leaside High, has an almost complete set of yearbooks. She’s missing only one year –1994/1995 – and likes to have doubles. There are several years for which she only has one copy. Maybe your The Call yearbook is sitting in storage, gathering dust. Maybe you’d just like to do a clearout. Now’s your chance. If you have a The Call yearbook up for grabs, contact Tresanne: tresanne.busatodarling@tdsb.on.ca.
We’re giving away five copies of Leaside Life columnist and Leacock Award winner Terry Fallis’s latest bestseller, The Marionette . Just answer this skill-testing question: What city besides Toronto was the setting for Terry Fallis’s last novel, A New Season? Write to us at leasidelife@gmail.com if you think you know the answer.
Are you a synchro lover?
Fresh off their silver medal finish at Skate Canada’s Synchronized Skating National Championship, the Meraki Novice Synchro team is raising funds for training, ice time and competition costs. The team, which represents
Book crook on the loose?
Faithful reader Will Fripp wondered if there’s a bibliophile with sticky fingers making off with books from the Little Free Libraries. He sent the Idler a photo from the Little Free Library just north of Humphrey’s (Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles) on Bayview. Someone, likely the miniLibrary’s owner, posted a sign, after the library was completely emptied of its literary wares. Will also noted that late that same week the Little Free Library at Southvale and Hanna was also empty, leading him to wonder if the run on books was wider than just this particular library. Thief…or just voracious reader? n
Lord…the flies!
by DAVID CRICHTON
Winter flies are never a good sign. As a kid growing up in an old farmhouse for a time, spotting a live fly while the temperature outside would send a polar bear packing its Speedo and booking a flight south could only mean one thing: death. A mouse had croaked somewhere behind the plaster and lath. Or a lifeless bat was dangling from an attic rafter. If we were really lucky, maybe something bigger, under the house.
THE LEASIDE OBSERVER
These are my thoughts as I stand in line at Longo’s and a fly lands on my salmon. What the heck is a fly doing here, I think? We’re into November. Frost has been on my windows. It’s already steering-wheel-heater weather for this wimp. I wave off the fly. It does a quick aerial figure eight and sticks its landing on my cheddar cheese. This time, I attempt a ninja snatch. I open my hand slowly, intending to look like a hero to the cashier. “No fly for you today, Grasshopper.”
Defeated, I head out to Tony’s Barber Shop for a little trim and cre-
ative combing. Before I can even sit down, I spot it beside the sink. How the…? Did he hitch a ride? I do a mental rundown of my morning: Deodorant? Check. Clean shirt? Check. Clean socks and underpants? Checkety check-check. I lift my right foot and scan the bottom of my shoe. Same with my left. Nothing. Phew. The barber’s apron floats down on me. Seeing my arms are now pinned, the fly strafes me from all angles. I bob and weave my head, while muttering, “Must be my hair product.” The stylist raises her eyebrow as if to say, “Maybe don’t use canned sardines.” I attempt to deflect, “Maybe you have something dead in the walls.…”
As I cash out, the fly makes a final bombing run. In frustration, I give one last exaggerated swipe at the air. I don’t know of anything more satisfying than the minuscule thump on my flailing hand when it actually makes contact with a bothersome airborne fly. So small, and yet so rewarding. I envision him dizzy, tumbling through the air, his composite-eyed noggin
encircled with micro-sized chirping birds as his pesky attitude receives a little slap on the thorax.
Next stop, Service Ontario in Staples, for a new driver’s licence and health card. I take my number and glance at the screen. The list of codes looks like a foreign language. There’s no order, no ranking system. Given the scrolling numbers, I could be served next or summoned at midnight. After 83 (I counted them) minutes, and showing Saboteur3546 who’s boss in Words with Friends, I’m called.
“Now serving H-O-57.”
Paranoid I’ll miss my moment, a hasty gathering of my jacket, scarf, wallet and glasses turns into a yard sale. Credit cards spill out, receipts scatter, my glasses skate across the floor. A lone quarter rolls away. I give chase, hoping to slap it flat with my foot. No dice.
“H-O-57?”
Andrew A. Sudano B.A. (Hons) LL.B Barrister & Solicitor
“That’s me! I’m coming.” The quarter rolls under the chair of a snoozing elderly man. It’s just a quarter, I think. But by this point, I’ve drawn so much attention to myself, I can’t very well just leave it. I reach under the man’s chair. He awakens with a start. Crouching beside him, so close I can see his ear hair, I quickly hold up the quarter to prove I’m not doing anything that’s going to get me posted on the community Facebook page. He starts feeling his pockets. I palm the quarter like the apparent thief he believes me to be.
“H-O-57?!”
I scurry to the wicket, “I’m here, I’m here.…” I slump into the chair cradling my laundry and litter.
“Okay so you’re getting your licence and health card, and you need your picture taken today,” says the guy behind the desk.
“Yes, I think so.”
“You definitely do. Please take a seat in front of the screen.”
Wait. Did he just say…? I take up my position, hoping my new haircut will somehow trick the lens into reversing my so obvious decay.
“Okay, remain still…and three, two…”
Something lands on my forehead. You’ve got to be kidding, I think. Impossible.
“…one.”
I shake my head and wave at my face.” CLICK.
“Sir, you have to remain still.”
“Yeah, I know,” I reply. “Like I’m dead.…” n
SCAN
in 1867, two years after the end of the Civil War.
Mary Ann Shadd helped refugees to Canada, Black Americans who travelled the Underground Railway. She founded a weekly newspaper, the Provincial Freeman, in Toronto and even married here in 1856. Her efforts helped to make a Canadian identity. “The book is about a bunch of people trying to make life better; all contributed to shaping Canada, a country that is very much a work in progress, a nation defined by, but perhaps not limited to, the wide array of traditions in its past,” said Koabel.
He has worked at Leaside Public Library for six years. For him, Leaside is a “real community. The branch is nestled in the middle of a residential area and not on a main street, which is unique in Toronto, and circulation rivals busy downtown branches –Leasiders like their books.”
Koabel’s book is well researched and freshly written; it will make a great gift for yourself or anyone you know who craves a deeper dive into Canada’s rich history. n
Another time the recipe travelled to Hawaii when she and her husband visited his brother, and small children. “I thought it would be fun to bake with the kids. Shortbread holds it shape when baked but for the first time the cookies came out of the oven flat as pancakes – the heat? Not sure, but they still tasted great!
“Just as my grandma baked shortbread knowing how happy it made us kids, I now prepare them with and for nieces and nephews. They bring Christmas joy, especially to the little people.” n
Giving Tuesday in Leaside
by TRACY L. MCFERRIN
Giving Tuesday is often described as a global day of generosity and a response to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I like to think of it as an invitation to connect and build community close to home, a reminder that each of us has something to give, whether it’s time, talent, or treasure, and that giving is one of the simplest ways we strengthen the ties binding a community together.
Last year, Canadians donated over $16.2 million on Giving Tuesday, according to CanadaHelps. This year, the day falls on Dec. 2, and Leasiders have numerous meaningful ways to participate.
One standout option is the Together We Dare Campaign for Holland Bloorview’s Centre for Excellence in Childhood Disability (see ad on page 38). Every donation to this campaign is being matched 3:1. This is a powerful chance to triple your impact. Holland Bloorview is Canada’s largest children’s rehabilitation hospital and an international leader in pediatric research, care, and education. As Senior Director of Community Fundraising Michael Ragsdale explains, the Centre is uniquely positioned “to address the most critical needs facing kids with
disabilities and their families, in Canada and globally.” Supporting this campaign means standing with children and families right here in our neighbourhood.
The holiday season also brings opportunities to brighten the lives of local kids. Access Storage has once again partnered with CTV News on the Toy Mountain campaign. New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at 205 Wicksteed Ave., through Dec. 19.
And even closer to home, the Leaside Toy Drive – a volunteer-run, community-powered tradition now in its 22nd year – continues to rally neighbours to bring joy to children in our area. Details are at www.leasidetoydrive.ca.
No amount or gesture is too small on Giving Tuesday. A few dollars, a few minutes, a conversation with a neighbour about what they care about – each is a form of giving that strengthens our shared life in Leaside. Giving is more than a transaction; it’s a way of connecting. And connection, after all, is something everyone can give on Giving Tuesday and all year long.
Tracy L. McFerrin is a Leaside resident and principal and co-founder of Credo Philanthropy Advisors, LLP, which helps individual and foundation donors make impact with their charitable giving. She is also the co-creator of The Practice of WE on Substack, a field guide on resilient relationships for professionals in mission-driven work. n
The Essential Canadian Planner Stay Organized, Informed, and Canadian Every Day of the Year!
Beautifully packaged in faux leather with silver foil accents, a ribbon marker and sprinkled throughout are:
Key national observances
Public holidays and civic observances
Famous birthdays and historical notes
Major arts, cultural and sporting events
SCANLAN From Page 12
for 43 years, he provided communication services to more than 50 Canadian charities. He has also broadcast baseball scores at Leaside’s Talbot Park for over a decade.
His wife, Sharon, is responsible for the elegant design of I Wear Pajamas All Day Long. She and Tom are the hosts of the Hidden Gems Toronto Podcast ( hiddengemstoronto.net ), now in its fifth season. Tom says they wanted to give back to the city they love. They continue their “quest to shine a light on fascinating people and places that fly under the radar but are a vital part of our city’s fabric.”
All these accomplishments aside, Tom and Sharon derive their greatest joy from their three adult children, the partners of their children, and the seven grandchildren with whom all of them have been blessed. His grandchildren, Tom says, were the inspiration behind his first foray into fiction. The holiday season approaches, and if you are interested in purchasing this wonderful book, it is available at one of our most-loved local bookstores, Mabel’s Fables on Mount Pleasant Road. n
COMFORT From Page 4
need in Kitchener/Waterloo.
Another Thursday Library needleworker, Brenda Woods, is working on the design for her quilt for Project Linus. The fabric squares themselves also boast a nod to charity – from a sale organized by Fabric Spark on the Danforth, sample squares were sold to fund scholarships for girls in Sub-Saharan Africa through Beautiful World Canada.
In the October 2016 issue of Leaside Life, we wrote about the knitters at Leaside Gate at 955 Millwood Rd. They continue to knit every Wednesday, now under the leadership of Eleanore Wynn and Carol Smiley. The knit six-inch by six-inch squares are then crocheted together – 35 of them – into a small blanket and 70 to make a cover for a single bed. The small blankets are donated to Camp Scugog, with its camping weeks for mothers and inner-city children, or to the Abiona Centre for Infant & Early Mental Health on Broadview Avenue. The single bed size blankets head to the WoodGreen Supportive Housing location on Cedarvale Avenue, also in East York. All handmade, all for worthy causes. n
Conveniently located at 3300 Yonge St. (Yonge and Fairlawn) Register at www.tandemstudiostoronto.com or give us a call at 647-348-4953.
SIBBALD From Page 6
Happy Holidays!
S t e p h a n i e B o w m a n Member of Provincial Parliament for Don Valley West Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday season!
Please join me for my New Year’s Levee with Hon. Rob Oliphant, P.C., M.P., Don Valley West
Sunday, January 11th, 2025, 1:00pm to 3:00pm Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Ave East RSVP to sbowman.mpp.co@liberal.ola org
Constituency Office 795 Eglinton Avenue East Unit 101, Toronto, ON M4G 4E4 416-425-6777
Stay Connected! Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates sbowman.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
important independent film producer in Canada: Budge Crawley. Budge was married at the time with five children. But the flame between Lenore and him had never fully died, and before long the two had rekindled their relationship. By the mid1960s, Lenore had left her husband and retired from Leaside politics. In 1968, she and Budge married in Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Lenore moved to Ottawa. There was only one problem. Budge had never legally divorced his first wife, Judy. In short, he was a bigamist – and remained so throughout his marriage to Lenore, which lasted 14 years. Budge would divide his time between both spouses, spending part of it with Judy in Ottawa and part with Lenore, who had moved back to Toronto. Later, in the early 1970s, Budge bought a house in Rosedale at 170 Glen Rd. where he and Lenore lived for several years. She accepted her marital situation without apparent complaint. She even partnered with Budge in his film business, collaborating with him on many projects. Armed with her considerable political, social and networking skills, she travelled to Hollywood in 1976 and single-handedly arranged audience viewings for Budge’s film, The Man Who Skied Down Everest , nominated for an Academy Award as best feature documentary. When the movie won, becoming the first full-length Canadian film ever to receive an Oscar, it was largely the result of Lenore’s behind-the-scenes efforts with Hollywood bigwigs and academy judges.
She and Budge had been separated for several years when he died in 1987. But they remained close, and she continued to refer to herself as “Lenore Crawley.” She died on Aug. 15, 2000, and is buried close to where she grew up and where she first met Budge – near Perth, Ont. Lenore McVeety Sibbald Crawley did it her way. n
TORONTO STAR, FEB. 27, 1943
Lenore Sibbald at the time of her engagement.
Looking to volunteer over March Break?
We are recruiting volunteers for our March Break* program. Programming includes recreation activities such as:
• Creative Arts Respite Camp
• Ronald McDonald Playroom
• Therapeutic Recreation and more!
*Minimum age for this program is 16.
To learn more about our volunteer opportunities please visit: www.hollandbloorview.ca/volunteer
SPECIALIZING IN RESIDENTIAL MASONRY AND MASONRY RESTORATION IN TORONTO, ETOBICOKE AND GTA
• CONCRETE REPAIRS: STEPS/WALKWAYS/PADS
• STONE MASONRY: BACK DECKS/FRONT PORCHES/STEPS
• INTERLOCK PAVERS: BACK PATIOS/WALKWAYS/STEPS
• RETAINING WALLS
• TUCKPOINTING
• BRICK REPAIR
• CHIMNEY REPAIR
• WATERPROOFING
Looking for holiday cheer
Over the course of 2025, the Leaside Residents Association has heard from many of you regarding our neighbourhood’s local planning and traffic issues. I’ve recently gone through the year’s notes, and thought I would report, in time for Christmas, what improvements Leasiders would like to find in their Christmas stockings. Traffic improvements rank high on residents’ wish lists, as does more effective enforcement: “Signage that means what it says.” Speed restrictions which actually restrict speed. “No Trucks” signs along local streets which are obeyed, not ignored, by truck drivers. Stop signs and turn restrictions regarded as more than mere suggestions. Neighbourhoodwide traffic control measures, not just the occasional Band-Aid solution. A ban on speeding electric scooters, which do not belong on sidewalks, risking pedestrians’ safety and crashing into cars backing out of their driveways. Enforcement is the key to
tree canopy. We Leasiders are proud and protective of our trees. Why are contractors and builders (who “accidentally on purpose” kill trees while doing renovations) only fined, rather than losing their licences? Many of them are repeat offenders.
All the above would be very welcome Christmas presents indeed!
Bring back the Magna Carta!
Here’s something to think about, and a novel approach to consider. Provincial interference in local municipal governance is probably the most frustrating challenge that cities and residents’ associations like the LRA must contend with. It’s getting worse and happening more often. All thanks to enforcement of a 19th-century law defining cities as mere “creatures of the provinces.”
Perhaps it is time to remind our friends at Queen’s Park that citizens under the British Crown have enjoyed municipal rights since 1215, 810 years ago. I refer to the Magna Carta. According to Clause 13, “The city of London shall enjoy all its ancient liberties and free customs. … And grant that all other cities, boroughs, towns and ports shall enjoy all their liberties….”
Clause 13 of the Magna Carta was intended to remedy interference and chicanery by higher levels of authority trying to intervene in local affairs.
Sound familiar? Perhaps Magna Carta’s time has come again!
The LRA and Leaside Life magazine wish you and your families a very joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy 2026!
LRA’s board meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. These are public meetings, and you are welcome to join us, and join in. Our December, January, February,
