vaccinations to hundreds – thou sands? – of Leasiders. We couldn’t have done it without you.

to the responsibility of individual pet owners to determine how these actions might be perceived, if not breaking any laws. Leaside is not going to be a ‘condominium neighbourhood’ anytime soon. We face a different challenge. With the arrival of the midrise builtform, our challenge is to figure out how different (if at all) are the lifestyles, attitudes and interests of Leaside’s incumbent homeowners and the newest residents, in an effort to be neighbourly for the benefit of the community as a whole. Mr. Pirhonen’s efforts to willingly engage the local community bodes well for the successful integration of the Upper House residents with the wider community. I’m glad he reached out to say “hi” as all good neighbours do. How will the arrival of midrise buildings in Leaside affect liveability? Research shows that 80 per cent of homeowners are okay with other individuals using their bins. Where do you stand? Should the LRA take steps to diversify the board to ensure condominium and rental buildings are well represented? Let us know at leasidelife@gmail.com. n

Kathleen Wynne, MPP

Member of Provincial Parliament for Don Valley West

Please contact my office for any provincial issues and enjoy the Summer with care!

Constituency O ce

795 Eglinton Avenue East, Unit 101, Toronto, ON M4G 4E4 416-425-6777 www.kathleenwynne.onmpp.ca

In last month’s column I reported my concerns regarding the future of Leaside’s 88A and 88B bus routes, and my feeling that the Toronto Transit Commission had not fully grasped how important these local routes are for us. This month I am happy to be the bearer of good tidings! Over the last three years I’ve been representing the Leaside Residents Association at the TTC’s annual Service Plan consultation meetings. Previously they had raised the unhappy prospect of significantly reduced public transit availability in south and central Leaside. The TTC’s 2022 Annual Service Plan survey states: “The TTC had planned to consolidate all services on 88 South Leaside to terminate at Laird, but feedback from community consultation showed that the proposal did not suit the needs of transit customers in the area.” In short, the TTC listened to us. Once the Eglinton Crosstown begins to operate, the TTC will adjust the 88A and 88B South routes to link with the new Laird LRT station, while continuing to operate in circular clockwise and counter-clockwise loops, as they Carol Burtin Fripp

Co-president, LRA

do now. They will continue to connect the Leaside and Thorncliffe Park communities, and to run out of the St. Clair subway station. The eastern end of the 88A and 88B routes will extend somewhat, and that could raise the possibility of some delay due to traffic congestion. The Laird and east of Laird area will be an active construction site for some time, so we need to get firm commitments about bus frequency, and clear details of turning movements and actual on-street connections to the Eglinton LRT, but over all this is very positive news. By the way, more good transit news: the South Leaside Route 28, which connects the Evergreen Brickworks to Davisville subway station via Bayview Avenue, will continue to operate, providing an important service connection for South Leaside residents.

Leaside Traffic Management Plan update

In my Leaside Life column next month I hope to be able to report more information about the Leaside Traffic Management Plan (TMP). The LRA has been working with the Lawrence Park residents’ association to arrange a joint meeting with City Traffic staff. Both communities are subjects of a TMP and are equally eager to increase safety on our roads (as well as reduce flow-through traffic volume). As of the time of writing, our first meeting is scheduled for mid-August. We want to discuss how our communities over all (as well as neighbours on individual streets) can contribute to local solutions, and how projects will get approval and funding.

Next meeting

Our next meeting is on Wed., Aug. 4th, via Zoom. You are welcome to attend any of the LRA’s monthly board meetings, which take place on the first Wednesday of each month. If you’d like to watch or participate, let us know by Aug. 4th so we can send you the Zoom access details. Visit us at www.leasideresidents.ca. n

Bayview’s BE WELL

From the staff at Valu-mart:

We want to wish everyone a fantastic summer! Enjoy all the time you can with family and friends, but remember to stay safe.

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school life. He also received the

STEM, business and history awards.

The energetic Sameer was involved in the Junior Achievement program, earned a bronze medallion and cross in lifesaving and volunteered at a summer camp. Isabella Sabatini is a fencer who was grateful for the many weeks of online learning this year as she spent much of that time

Isabella travelling with the Canadian Women’s Foil National Team as a training partner to help them prepare for the Tokyo Olympics.

While she started fencing at the age of 8, Isabella became more seriously involved when she moved to Leaside in Grade 11 and has participated in

Canadian and international competitions, winning national and provincial medals, and is part of the Canadian

Women’s Foil Next Generation program. She has also volunteered as a coach, mentor and presenter at different fencing clubs. As she says,

“Fencing has taken me around the world, taught me strength, perseverance and life skills.”

With a 95% average, Isabella will be attending the University of

Calgary for kinesiology and working with both her fencing and strength and conditioning coaches, who are based in Calgary.

After obtaining her bachelor’s degree, Isabella is considering a career in physiotherapy or medicine.

She plans to continue training and hopes to compete at the Olympics herself one day.

Tara Sarkhosh, with a 96% average, also received the Principal’s

Entrance Scholarship to Queen’s where she will take health sciences to pursue her goal of becoming a craniofacial plastic surgeon. This goal was inspired by her co-op placement at Sunnybrook’s Plastic Surgery Clinic where she shadowed the clinical nurse, prepared patient files Tara and was one of the first students to observe surgical procedures. In addition to working in hospitals, Tara would also like to be a travelling doctor to help regions in need and open her own clinic one day.

Tara was the co-president of the peer tutoring committee which helped to organize online tutoring sessions and was president of a club devoted to health science competitions. She was president of the yearbook committee, which managed to produce an actual, rather than virtual, book in record time, and the MVP for her softball team. As if all this weren’t enough, she served as a camp counsellor and math tutor and volunteered as a skating instructor at Leaside Arena. With all of these accomplishments, it is not surprising that Tara received the Canadian Federation of University Women Leaside-East York Award for outstanding academic achievement, involvement in student activities and community service. These exceptional students all expressed their appreciation for the school’s welcoming atmosphere and its academic standards, the caring teachers with their passion for engaging students in meaningful ways, and their supportive peers. Congratulations to them on their achievements and best of luck for their future endeavours! n During a strategic planning session, we looked at what is good about the club and what needs to change. We recognized that we need to improve our social media presence and we also need a website. Just recently, our non-profit has been accepted by a Toronto educational institution for use in a student project to develop that very website for us. Hopefully, it will be up and running later this year.

Do you think the pandemic changed our gardening?

The pandemic has given us a wonderful opportunity to learn new things. I grew vegetables (something I haven’t done in a long time), and my plantings are now native plants that have food value and draw in wildlife. I enjoyed a summer watching butterflies and birds attracted to the seeds, grasping stems and eating off all the petals of a plant, and I didn’t mind! Find out more about Milne House: email milnehouse777@gmail.com or contact membership director Ann Steffener at admsteffener@rogers. com. Visit leasidelife.com to read the extended version of this article along with more questions and answers! n

We are here to help and proud to serve our community!

Bayview & Fleming 1601 Bayview Ave. Toronto, ON M4G 3B5 416-489-1873 8am - 10pm *

BRIAN MOK

Bayview & Broadway 1860 Bayview Ave. Toronto, ON M4G 0C3 416-482-9841 8am - 10pm*

* During the current pandemic, please check website for updated hours. Every Thursday is Senior’s Day.

Leaside Life • August 2021

Lynda Gorges Broker

ASATM Accredited Senior Agent Passionate about helping my Clients

416-486-5588 Lynda.Gorges@gmail.com www.lyndagorges.com This year, the City of Toronto will be hosting 14 drive-thru Environment Days at drop-off depots across Toronto in September and October. While I know many Leasiders were looking forward to the local community environment days typically hosted by my office in Ward 15 – Don Valley West, these events still provide an opportunity to properly dispose of a variety of household items, including clothing, small appliances, and electronics. You can also safely dispose of household hazardous waste, pick up free compost, and bring books, sports equipment, and clothing for donation. If you’re interested in attending one of these events, the two closest to Leaside are: • Sun., Sept. 12 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bermondsey Transfer

Station (188 Bermondsey Rd.) • Sun., Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bermondsey Transfer

Station (188 Bermondsey Rd.) You can find the full 2021 Environment Day event schedule and a list of items that will be accepted at www.toronto.ca/ community-environment-days. Jaye Robinson

Councillor, Ward 15, Don Valley West

Get vaccinated!

Getting vaccinated remains one of the best ways to protect yourself, your family, and your community from COVID-19. The sooner we get vaccinated, the sooner we can get back to the things we love. For more information on how to get your first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, visit www. toronto.ca/covid-19. n

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Leaside Life

leasidelife.com

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