Leaside Life Issue 140 January 2024 by Leaside Life

J A N UA R Y 2024

Leaside Life No. 140

leasidelife.com

Food for thought on Bayview

MJ CRAWFORD

DIGS DORFMAN OF THE SWEET POTATO PAGE 8

LOCAL B US TING IN OR E PP

WE ARE PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED BY LEASIDE’S OWN ACCURATE DISTRIBUTING 416-429-9102

Leaside Life • January 2024

Experience the Joy of Winter Birding

Editor’s Welcome Roaring into the new year 2024 is the Year of the (Wood) Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. While Chinese New Year’s does not arrive until February, somehow the dragon seems an appropriate symbol for this entire new year. In Chinese culture, the dragon is a powerful representation of good luck, strength and health, and also renewal, inspiration and innovation. In other words, positive energy, promise, and dare I say, hope. We could certainly use more of these qualities after a difficult and dispiriting 2023.

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We’re here to deliver. Leaside Life receives a lot of queries from Leasiders and other Torontonians with stories to tell and suggestions for people they think we should be featuring. I started noticing at the end of last year that many of the emails were about creative locals – artists, authors, kids

Jane Auster Editor Leaside Life

with unique (successful) fundraising ideas. These are stories we want to tell, and enjoy telling. Here’s just one example: In this issue Suzanne Park profiles local artist Martha Johnson, who finds her inspiration in Leaside’s gullies and ravines. Her latest exhibition, Veritas Green, focuses on “green” landscapes, including some right here in Leaside. As she told Suzanne, “A major portion of my visual art practice, painting and sculpting local wildlife, began with the sighting of a grey wolf crossing Wicksteed in Thorncliffe over 20 years ago.” A perfect example of inspiration. We hope you’ll continue to read Leaside Life, be inspired, and maybe even share a story idea with us, since you are, ultimately, our greatest inspiration. Happy New Year! n

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Leaside Life • January 2024

LAYERS OF LEASIDE

MITCH BUBULJ

“Home is where one starts from,” wrote T.S. Eliot. While the phrase was part of his epic poem Four Quartets grappling with themes like the rise and fall of empires, it seems fitting to tell the tale of Tim Rance and a humble home on Sutherland Drive. Tim was just a toddler when his parents bought the house for the princely sum of $12,500 in 1952. Three siblings were born during their years on Sutherland, and the only reason they sold in 1963 was that baby number five was on the way. Tim’s dad, Charles, was a paediatrician at the Hospital for Sick Children, and his mom, Barbara Jean, a nurse before she got married. Leaside appealed to them since it was family-friendly and not too far from the hospital in downtown Toronto. Tim explains that his dad was in medical school at the U of T when World War II broke out so subsequently was fast-tracked in order to serve. He was a medical

Tim Rance (left) with the author Mitch Bubulj.

officer with an infantry regiment and worked in field hospitals as Canadian soldiers liberated Holland and pushed into Germany. Since

he spoke German fluently (he did an exchange as a teen to Germany

REUNITED Page 28

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MEET A LEASIDER 4

Kathryn Whaley’s kidney quest Kathryn Whaley describes herself as “so blessed to be part of such a supportive community.” She is referring to her church community at Leaside Presbyterian Church, her neighbourhood community in North Leaside and also a wide circle of friends, some from her childhood in Whaleys Corners, Ont. (the town is related to her family), and others from first year at the University of Waterloo. Blessed she may feel, but she is in need of a blessing too. Being treated for juvenile arthritis from the age of three, involving long-term use of high doses of non-steroidal antiinflammatory medications, caused the scarring, permanent damage and ultimate failure of her kidneys. For the past four months, she has been receiving dialysis treatments three times a week for about four hours each day at the St. Michael’s Hospital Kidney Care Centre in the East York Town Centre in

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Leaside Life • January 2024

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Thorncliffe. She is being trained to organize the needed treatments herself with a goal of being able to do dialysis at home. She has just learned that her veins are strong enough to graduate from a port in her chest to a fistula on an arm, which means she will be able to shower and swim without having to care for the open port. Dialysis at home will enable her to modify the times, within limits, but regular dialysis is still a necessity. Unless! The “unless” is a kidney transplant. The wait for a donor kidney can be five to seven years from an organ donor (in Ontario, you can tick a box on your income tax return to donate any useful organs – have you?). An alternative is a living donor. Since most of us have two kidneys and can manage quite nicely with just one, there is an opportunity for a life-changing donation. It’s not quite as straightforward as giving blood, and involves extensive psychological testing as well as physical testing to qualify, but the end result can change another’s life for the better at a small cost to you. Kathryn’s first-year university friends, Lynne Fraser and Rosemarie

WHALEY Page 30

Leaside Life • January 2024

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MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS 6

Rebel baker with a cause launches in Leaside Corey Ginou Ferguson started baking at her grandmother’s knee. She spent many happy hours in her Baba’s kitchen learning the joys of Macedonian cooking. “Baba was a rebel in the kitchen,” says Corey. “She didn’t use recipes and she measured with soup bowls and teacups, using whatever ingredients she had on hand. Her food was always a delicious surprise made with so much love. Food is love for Macedonians. I would sit for hours as a child on the little sofa in her kitchen and watch her cook.” For Corey, cooking was a chore, but “Baba changed that for me. Art and baking are my passions.” It was always Corey’s dream to start her own baking business, but that dream had to wait for a while. The would-be baker first pursued a career in art, graduating from OCAD, and began a career as a successful graphic designer and art director. Throughout the ’90s, she worked for many of the big advertising agencies, and on major campaigns. Meanwhile, Corey and her husband Geordie moved into an apartment in Leaside and then bought a house on Parkhurst when they were expecting, eventually ending up on Cameron Crescent for the last eight years. She saw a son and a daughter through Bessborough Elementary and Middle School and volunteered her services at the school (she did the Bessborough school yearbook for many years),

MARY RAVNASKI

Leaside Life • January 2024

by ROBIN DICKIE

Leaside Matters and other local community organizations. With her kids growing up and so much changing in the world of advertising, it occurred to Corey that maybe she could combine her passions. It was time to make a move. She completed pastry school and got her qualifications, business plan and certifications in line. Ironically, the hardest part was designing her logo! Keeping it local After much planning and testing, Corey landed at Manning Canning Kitchen, Leaside’s local commercial kitchen on Vanderhoof (www.manningcanning.com) where she books

regular baking sessions. Manning Canning is a collaborative model providing support, space, storage and consulting services for new food entrepreneurs. Corey absolutely loves it there, saying “I’m so happy when I’m in the kitchen.” She started her online profile and dropped samples to friends. By this past November she was ready to go. The freshly minted commercial baker launched Rebel Baker at the November @sheshopsswap (Leasider Vicki Hall’s latest clothing swap event), then popped up at a holiday market in North York and the Arts & Style Market at the Amsterdam Brewery in December. Local entrepreneur and Bessborough mum Jenn Avveduto @thejenxproject produced Corey’s custom food labels, all her display materials, including her Rebel Baker apron. The launch was an all-round success and completely Leaside grown! To keep things fresh, Corey plans to bake by theme with sets of offerings in an online bakeshop. Follow her at @realrebelbaker or join her mailing list at realrebelbaker@gmail.com for tips on seasonal baking and what’s coming out of the Rebel oven. Each batch also features an item with proceeds for charity, mostly local food banks. A website is coming in the new year. What’s delicious? Try her Leaside Hockey bars, a popular mix of caramel, chocolate and Skor bits, or her lemon and ginger loaves. New

REBEL Page 24

Leaside Life • January 2024

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Food for thought from The Sweet Potato by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO While much attention is paid to the mantra “health is wealth,” it’s hard not to look past the other obvious truth that unfortunately, in many cases, “wealth is health.” With the high cost of non-processed foods like fresh produce and proteins, healthy food options are often inaccessible to many in society struggling with food insecurity. This was a reality Digs Dorfman discovered as a university student doing his own grocery shopping. Dorfman’s mother had been, as he notes, “really into organics and health foods way ahead of the major trends.” Shopping with a limited budget, he felt that “healthy food was the privilege of the wealthy.” As the grandson of a produce purchaser, it was no surprise that Dorfman ended up in the grocery business. Working his way from shelf-stocking in the summers to running weekend markets, Dorfman eventually opened his own store, The Sweet Potato, in The Junction neighbourhood in

FROM THE COVER

MJ CRAWFORD

Leaside Life • January 2024

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Toronto in 2007. After much anticipation, with signs heralding its imminent arrival, in May of 2023, the organic grocer opened a second location of Sweet Potato at 1678 Bayview. As a student at Northern Secondary School, Dorfman spent a lot of time with friends in Leaside. Opening a store on Bayview was a natural fit as he “loved the fact that there are so many other independent businesses on Bayview.” He also wanted to set up shop in a spot that was so obviously community-centric. Dorfman’s vision has been the same since day one: to provide local, organic produce and other healthy food at affordable prices. To source the most local and fresh produce, Dorfman purchases from Ontario farmers. If items are not available in Ontario, he then looks to farmers in other provinces and, as an infrequent choice, sources items from the U.S. The store has a wide variety of fruits and vegetables along with dry goods, health and beauty items, frozen and bulk foods. It also has a large selection of cheeses, the vast majority of which are from Ontario and Quebec. The store’s head chef, previously with Oliver and Bonacini Hospitality, also offers prepared takeaway foods including soups, meat pies, quiches, Asian and Indian dishes, rotisserie chicken, baked goods, and more. There are multiple options for those with dietary restrictions including gluten and lactose free foods. Not just organically focused, Dorfman is also committed to environmentally responsible business practices. Working with local farmers as well as other local businesses keeps emissions lower. Additionally, the store provides glass bottles for cold-pressed juices which can be returned for a refundable deposit. Prepared meals are provided in containers which can be returned for sanitizing by a local company and reused. The waste reduction through this circular system, notes Dorfman, “is phenomenal!” The Sweet Potato, says the grocer, focuses on connecting Torontonians with their local food system in a way that will allow all to access healthy food without breaking the bank. And that’s food for thought. n

Leaside Life • January 2024

I just had my Beatles birthday Believe it or not, Paul McCartney was 14 years old when he wrote When I’m 64. What could he possibly have known about growing old at such a tender age? Well, I’ve learned a thing or two about the subject in the last couple of weeks as I had my Beatles birthday – you know, my 64th – just before Christmas. For the most part, it feels pretty much the same as 63, but I’ll report back after ball hockey season opens in April. I must confess, I’m still coming to grips with my advancing age. It’s crazy. Every year I seem to get, well, another year older. When I see a story in the newspaper or read a novel about a 64-year-old, I do not think of me. I picture somebody else, you know, somebody older and greyer. Yet when I catch my reflection in a mirror or see my image on a security monitor – and I don’t mean in the midst of a robbery, but just lining up at the bank machine – it’s possible that I’m finally starting to see a guy in his early 60s (and yes, 64 officially qualifies as “early 60s”). I honestly

Terry Fallis Columnist

don’t know what happened. I don’t know where the years have gone. Yes, I completely buy into all those clichés about “time flying.” I guess they’ve become clichés because they’re all too true. I have such vivid memories of our two sons when they were newborns and then toddlers. What I can’t explain is how they are now 31 and 28. As you may be able to tell, I’ve been wrestling with my age for a few years now. I even tackled the subject in my recent novel, A New Season. My brilliant idea was to give my narrator the same bewildered feelings on aging that I have been experiencing in the hopes that I might learn something in the process. I think the act of writing the novel may well have

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helped. I seem to be more accepting of the cold hard facts of my situation. I am 64. There, I said it. I can’t debate the reality of my birthday. I was born at the very end of 1959. It says so on my birth certificate, backed up by all the power and authority of the Ontario government. Not to make matters worse, but that means I’ve actually lived in eight different decades if you can wrap your mind around that mathematical anomaly. I’m still trying. I know what my Leaside readers who are in their 70s and 80s are thinking right about now. A sample: “I wish this guy would shut up.” “Cry me a river.” “Just you wait, and you’ll soon be pining for your 60s.” I know, I know. And they’re right. I’m making more of this than I ought to. If I’m completely honest, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life. At 64, I’m one lucky dude. We all have good friends and family who never made it to 64. And as my wife keeps reminding me, being 64 today is much different from being 64 in our parents’ generation. Being in your 60s today is like being in your 50s three decades ago. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. After all, I still play ball hockey. I still wear slim-fit jeans (although they’re feeling tighter each time I squeeze into them). I still feel younger than I am. I identify as a 35-year-old... okay, maybe 45. Sure, I’m up more often in the night than I used to be, but that just gives me more awake-time to enjoy life! Sure, my recovery time after a ball hockey game is longer than it once was, but that’s why we only schedule one game a week. And sure, it’s possible that my hearing is no longer quite so acute. But I’m enjoying life at 64, perhaps more than at any other stage of my life. So, yeah, as I write this, I’m 64. All good. I got this. And I’m looking forward to my ball hockey game tonight. But no calls tomorrow morning, please. A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis grew up in Leaside and is the award-winning writer of nine national bestsellers, all published by McClelland & Stewart. His most recent, A New Season, is now in bookstores. n

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MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS 12

Ring in Jing Chinese Restaurant on Bayview I’m told that Jing is short for Beijing, which might make it even easier to remember this newish eatery, which opened in August on the site of the long-lived California Roll at 1634 Bayview. Prominently displayed on the bar at the back of Jing Chinese Restaurant are two covered jars, symbolizing the business’s wish for good luck and success. The jars seem to be paying off. Diners from all over Leaside are coming, not just once, but as repeat customers – “it’s our third time here, and not the last,” I heard from the table behind me. Manager Ling Chen has previous history on Bayview. She worked at Riz years ago, and was happy when her good friends Jackie Lim and her brother Jerry asked if she’d be interested in coming back to Bayview to work in their new restaurant. As she says, “for friendship, no problem,” and also “this is a nice neighbourhood, and I’m happy to come back.”

Ling Chen, manager.

When you first enter, you see that Jing is a quietly elegant space that easily seats singles, couples or quartets. What you don’t see is the upstairs room, complete with washroom, that is set with long

LORNA KRAWCHUK

Leaside Life • January 2024

by LORNA KRAWCHUK

tables for larger groups or private events. What you also don’t see is the kitchen. During light-business times, there are at least three chefs working at individual stations – for appetizers, dim sum and wok menu items. Their origins are Asian, including regions of China, Nepal and Vietnam. When things get busy, there can be six or seven chefs, plus supporting staff. While there are connections between the ownership of Jing on Bayview and Tao on Laird, manager Ling insists the taste of the food is completely different. At Jing, for instance, she points out the jars of specially-made sauces displayed on the bar, which you can buy if you’re interested in adventuresome flavours, one of which is the basting sauce for their Peking duck. Jing also advertises four types of lobster specials – each involving a 2.5-3 lb. lobster. The lobster is cut into small pieces, which makes it easy to share and also easier to tackle for the less adventurous diner who doesn’t fancy struggling with claws. A serving cart delivers wok items to your table. Your choice gets a quick stir in the very hot cast-iron pan while the garnish items are stirred in. Jing also features a printed menu, and a special lunch menu, plus the restaurant is happy to accommodate special needs. And there will be new dishes coming soon. Jing is fine-tuning a fresh menu now that they have a better idea of their guests’ tastes. n

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A Leaside beauty queen’s crowning glory I recently had the opportunity to meet Petra Kruger. Ms. Kruger was “Miss Leaside, 1963.” She won the title when beauty contests were common across Canada. Leaside itself had sponsored one since at least the 1940s. The 1963 contest was particularly eventful because it coincided with Leaside’s 50th anniversary, scheduled for celebration on September 12-15. Weeks before the contest, people were making preparations. The mayor of Leaside herself, Beth Nealson, announced in the August Leaside Advertiser the need for “attractive and intelligent Leaside girls” to compete. The Bayview Business Men’s Association published a similar request in the Toronto Star. At the time, Petra was living with her mother and sister on Bayview Avenue, near Parkhurst. A few years earlier, when she was a teenager, she and her family had moved to Canada from Germany. A newcomer to Leaside, she worked in the office of the Kenneth M. Smith Glassware Company on 30 Industrial St.

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Decision to compete That’s how it all started – at work. “I didn’t ask to be a contestant,” said Petra. “I was told I had to enter by my boss.” Petra explained that at the time most Leaside businesses wanted to have an employee represent them in the contest. “My boss said to me

Petra Kruger is crowned Miss Leaside, 1963.

PETRA KRUGER

Leaside Life • January 2024

– ‘You’re it!’ That’s how I became a contestant.” In all, 17 entrants were chosen. This number was reduced to 10 following a semi-final competition held at Bayview Bowl on September 9. Petra remembers that before the semi-finals, the contestants were given training in modelling, deportment, and cosmetics. Clothes and accessories were provided by Leaside merchants. The finals The Miss Leaside finals took place at Leaside High School auditorium on September 12 – which also happened to be Petra’s 20th birthday. Petra recalls that each contestant was required to walk across the stage and back wearing shorts and a blouse. “Then we had to change to a skirt and sweater and do the same again.” No swimsuits! Right from the start the organizers stressed that this was to be a tasteful and wholesome event. The women also had to answer a skill-testing question. “Each girl was given a word to use in a sentence of their own making. My word was ‘obey.’ The sentence I came up with was: ‘People who drive cars should obey traffic lights.’ My English wasn’t

BEAUTY QUEEN Page 24

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Martha Johnson paints Leaside green by SUZANNE PARK Leaside artist Martha Johnson loves painting outside in Leaside’s gullies and ravines. You may even spot her when you’re strolling through Leaside’s industrial areas or the Don Valley. Warning: Do not approach! Martha recently revealed to me, “I prefer not to be disturbed during my marathon painting sessions. I often start early afternoon and don’t pack up until the sun sets.” Martha enthused about the joy of plein air painting. “Painting outdoors permits me to fully immerse in my art and I’m treated to wildlife surprising me as they appear, then disappear. A major portion of my visual art practice, painting and sculpting local wildlife, began with the sighting of a grey wolf crossing Wicksteed in Thorncliffe over 20 years ago.” Martha fell in love with creating from an early age. As a young child, she remembered colouring with purple and then scribbling with orange crayon, as she discovered the joy of colours. Recognizing a budding talent, her father, who worked in an advertising

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Leaside Life • January 2024

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department, started bringing home art supplies for her to experiment with. To add to her artistic cred, Martha has a familial connection to the famous artist Tom Thomson. “My Uncle Bill (William) Little was the music director for the Taylor-Statten Camps in the 1930s. Spending a lot of time up north, he met a lot of people and was intrigued by the mysterious 1917 death of Thomson. He was also a family court judge and sought out and gathered facts from locals that resulted in the publication of his book, The Tom Thomson Mystery, in 1970. A follow-up was published in 2018 by Bill’s son John Little, Who Killed Tom Thomson?” After graduating with a Fine Arts degree from University of Guelph Martha worked as a costume and set designer with the Canadian Stage Company. A highlight was The Dream in High Park’s 1987 production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Next, she worked in advertising as an art director predominantly making cold calls to agencies. Her advertising boss left a lasting impression on young Martha. “He continually pushed me to come up with a strong idea before embarking on any project. He’d say to me, ‘What’s this idea? It needs to be stronger. I need to defend it to my client.’ This concept of having a strong idea at the outset has informed all my projects and artworks.” Throughout her career, Martha has crossed paths and studied with many artists including Tom Hodgson, a Painters’ Eleven group member along with Harold Town, Jack Bush, Oscar Cahén, Hortense Gordon, and other renowned Canadian artists. “Tom gifted a cherished easel to me that initially belonged to Oscar Cahén, who was shocked when I met with him in the 1970s. His once pristine easel that he’d initially given to Tom Hodgson was now paint-splattered from years of my use. I admit, I’m not the tidiest artist.” Inspired by the Group of Seven and their colleagues, Martha continues to seek out locations where they painted in and around Leaside and the Don Valley. Martha’s local landscapes, including her painting Chartreuse Laneway, Spring Branches, painted near Stickney Avenue and Laird Drive, will be showcased at a solo exhibition entitled Veritas Green at Pier 1 Gallery 55 St. Clair Street West. Learn more at: https://www.marthajohnson.ca. n

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Leaside Life • January 2024

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Co-owners Adrian Saul and Dan Finkelstein at the entrance on Lea.

JANIS FERTUCK

Leaside Life • January 2024

by JANIS FERTUCK Hey, Leaside golfing enthusiasts! How does the idea of enjoying a game on a variety of courses around the world without ever leaving the neighbourhood sound, especially on those days when there isn’t even a blade of green to be seen on which to golf? Leaside golfers now have a new way to enjoy their game on a variety of courses without braving inclement weather. Golf 247, a fully automated golf simulator facility that opened at the corner of Laird Dr. and Lea Ave. last March may just fulfill golfers’ yearning for some putting action. The owners, Dan Finkelstein, who used to run a law firm, and Adrian Saul, who played hockey for the Leaside Kings as a boy and had a pro career overseas, were inspired by their passion for golf and golf improvement to try something different. “We designed a facility to significantly help a player to figure out how to enjoy the game more,” said Dan, and to do so in private in their playing bays. When the property across from Olde Yorke Fish and Chips became available, the partners seized the opportunity since they love that busy and popular location. They also opened a second location in Brooklin near Whitby in July.

The entire facility uses AI. It has three large, private bays where golfers can practise using highend analytical tools and can access about 700 different courses in stunning HD. Some of the most popular courses – no surprise – include Augusta, Cabot Cliffs, Pebble Beach and Eagle’s Nest. Dan explains that the courses have been recorded using drones “to perfectly capture the exact golf courses to a tee (no pun intended)” and their software constantly updates them. When golfers book a private bay, they receive confirmation, instructions and a cloud key on their phones, which will not work after the session ends. There are cameras throughout the facility and “the computers understand the booking sheet and act accordingly,” says Dan. Up to four players can take part in a session, the length of which may vary. For example, it takes about three hours for a foursome to play Augusta. Another feature of the facility is the availability of lessons offered by two CPGA-certified golf pros. According to Dan, the pros are very talented and have helped many players to improve their games already. They offer a promotion of 35% off the first lesson, which is run in collaboration with a Leaside real estate agent, Sarah Underhill, who is an

GOLF continued

Leaside Life • January 2024

Finkelstein teeing off on the 12th hole at Augusta.

ardent fan of Golf 247. Sarah has stated on Instagram that she prefers lessons in the privacy of the bays to help her build her confidence. Lessons are also available in packages of five. In addition, it is possible to purchase a membership, which lowers the regular hourly rate for a small one-time fee. One aspect of their facility which sets them apart from other similar facilities is a promotion linked to the Stanley Cup. If someone correctly picks the Stanley Cup winner when becoming a member, all their booking fees between April 15 (when the playoffs start) and the following April 14, will be refunded. It is also possible to purchase gift cards online. The facility appeals to every age group and children especially enjoy the technology aspect of the facility. Several sports figures, such as former Leaf Darcy Tucker and Bryan Hayes from TSN, are regulars. While the mornings are a bit quiet, the afternoons and evenings are very busy. The popularity of the club supports Dan’s belief that “golf is a key life lesson” and Leasiders are eager to embrace that philosophy. Time to tee up! n

Leaside’s very own gum shoe

Leaside Life • January 2024

by DAVID CRICHTON

Lynda Gorges Broker

Healthy& Happy

New Year

416-486-5588 Lynda.Gorges@gmail.com www.lyndagorges.com

a sniff.… Pull it out…The taste is gonna move you when you pop it I dragged my left foot along the in your mouth.…” ground as I headed toward Lit Finding a stick among the empty Coffee shop at Millwood. It was tin foil wrappers, loose change deliberate. I was cursing, internally and lipsticks was like finding of course. People were staring. Step. the prize at the bottom of a Pink Drag. Step. Drag. The object of my Elephant popcorn box. Better, actusilent vitriol was a wad of ally. Because it was so off-limits. beige gum stuck under If caught, punishment was the front toe of my swift, typically meted out shoe. And all my with a hairbrush that foot-dragging was also in the purse. served to do But the danger made was smear the the stale prize all THE glob of mouth the more valuable. LEASIDE rubber so that There was the OBSERVER it took up more usual interrogareal estate tion: “Did you go there. But I’d into my purse?” folbe damned if I lowed by the hiding was going to pick of the evidence. I had it off by hand and developed a technique of then inadvertently being able to half swallow cover my lips in a herpes it, so any visual check evaded chancre blanket from some discourher scrutiny. However, the smell was teous cud-muncher. I would have to my giveaway. I could never pass the deal with it when I got home, with sniff test. “Don’t swallow it!” Mom rubber gloves and bleach. would admonish. “It’ll stick to your I stopped dragging my foot and insides!” I could feel the slight tug from I wondered if all these black dots the gum every time I lifted my left on the sidewalk were a reaction to foot. Step. Tug. Step. Tug. I tried similarly induced fear from mothto ignore it. I had to get to Lit and erly medical misinformation. It cerbegin writing my next story. Yeah, tainly worked on me. this very one. I arrive. Thankfully, Twenty-three black dots. That’s no window hog is in “my” spot. how many I counted. Twenty-three Things might be looking up after wads of gum. Twenty-three people all. I take notice of Cud Muncher’s just horking away. And because gum gift now that my shoe is contacting is made of polyethylene vinyl – aka the café’s tile floor. Schtick. Step. plastic – it doesn’t even start breakSchtick. Step. Schtick. ing down for at least 200 years. One Americano and oatmeal These wads could have been made cookie later, I head to my seat in the 30 years ago. Heck, they may still be window. Schtick. Step. Schtick. Step. around when my great, great, great I sit down, unpack my computer, grandkids are walking on Bayview. pad of paper, pen. Sip of coffee. Bite What could be more gross? of cookie. Aaaaand, think about Somehow, looking out Lit’s window what to write. Still feeling that at all of this had fired up my olfacnagging aggravation in the back tory senses. I could smell spearmint. of my brain about my shoe-goo as Just like Mom’s purse. How, the? A I force myself to focus. But I can sniff of my fingers raised more quesfeel it down there. Half an ounce of tions. Gum? From what? It was then fuzz-covered disgust with a 300 lb. I realized I had been absent-mindmocking energy. edly picking at a bolt or knob under It’s then that I notice, outside, the my table, while daydreaming about number of black spots on the sidegum. No. Please, no. I looked under walk. Not many people know what the table. Not a bolt. But definitely these spots are. I do. Gum. Lots of a knob. A gum knob. It was green, it. I start counting the spots within with teeth marks and as hard as a eyeshot. As I’m counting, I rememrock. This was definitely more gross. ber how my mother used to keep Wait. And what was that? A tingle? gum in her purse. It always smelled On my lip? Oh no… like a glorious bouquet of leather, “The taste is gonna, gonna, gonna perfume and Juicy Fruit. “Take moo-oove ya!” n

Leaside Life • January 2024

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Curious Idler The past several years have been nothing short of horrific for so many local news outlets. This was highlighted last September as Metroland, one of the country’s largest publishers, shuttered 70 community papers and along with it 600 jobs. Thanks to a wonderful group of supportive and community-minded advertisers, Leaside Life has been able to buck this trend and continues to grow. Now entering our 13th year of serving the Leaside and Bennington Heights community, we are thrilled to be publishing our 140th edition. Thanks to you!

A new Phill Box for your meds? Did you know that more than 1.2 billion plastic pill bottles are dispensed in Canada each year? Most of these bottles are made of recycled plastic, called #5 polyethylene, and are made from a clear orange plastic to help prevent ultraviolet light from damaging the pills inside. Although the City of Toronto says you can put the familiar orange pill bottles in your blue bin for recycling, these little orange beauties are hard to recycle and many end up in the landfill. What’s that got to do with Leaside? Our very own Pace Pharmacy has partnered with US-based Parcel Health to offer a sustainable alternative to the plastic pill bottle. The Phill Box is a paper-based, 100% curbside-recyclable and biodegradable prescription packaging alternative to

January Events ST. CUTHBERT’S

1399 Bayview Ave. (416) 485-0329 stcuthbertleaside@toronto.anglican.ca www.stcuthbertsleaside.com Tai Chi – Tuesdays 1:30- 2:30 p.m. in Lamb Hall. Suggested donation $4.

ST. AUGUSTINE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH 1847 Bayview Ave., (416) 485-2656, info@saintaugustine.ca

Tree time at Fr. Caulfield Park

plastic pill bottles. It is water-resistant, light-proof and made with sustainably sourced paper. “When I first learned about what Parcel co-founders Melinda and Mallory were doing, I immediately fell in love with the mission and the idea of being able to offer this to patients across Canada,” Adam Silvertown, the pharmacy’s founder and owner, states. “I believe many patients are more likely than ever before to want and care about a new and improved type of packaging that is better for the environment.”

Macnaughton and Cameron neighbours decorate community tree What started during Covid as an opportunity for neighbours to meet each other while obeying the social distancing rules has turned into an annual tradition for the neighbours on Macnaughton and Cameron. A tree, compliments of Leasider Daryn Everett, and with the help of Mitch Cruikshank and Jack McFadden, is erected in Fr. Caulfield Park. The neighbours then gather and do a community decorating day with donations collected in support of the Leaside Toy Drive.

The 20th annual Leaside Toy Drive brings joy The Leaside Toy Drive held their annual toy drive for the children of Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park neighbourhoods at the Leaside Pub on Thurs., Nov. 30. It was their 20th anniversary and they delivered more than 6,000 toys this year and more than 50,000 toys since they began. They thank each and every person who donated cash or an unwrapped toy to help bring some joy to these children at Christmastime! n

Toy Drive at the Leaside Pub

Friday, Jan 12, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Groove Room Coffee House Listen to great live music by local artists and have a coffee and dessert with friends. Cost is $5 with all proceeds going to the Flemingdon Food Bank. We are looking for performers.

LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY

LEASIDE UNITED CHURCH

CFUW

822 Millwood Rd., (416) 425-1253 Grief Support Group Jan 10-May 1, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Facilitated by Jean Marie Suchora, Minister of Pastoral Care. Free.

NORA CAMPBELL

Happy New Year from Leaside Life!

leaside@gardenontario.org, www.leasidegardensociety.org Jan. 11, 7 p.m. via Zoom. Speaker Series. Guest speaker Paul Zammit. Lessons from My Garden Travels. Thurs., Jan.18, 7:30 p.m. NASA’s OsirisRex Asteroid Expedition Speaker: Kimberly Tait, ROM, Canadian Space Agency team member and geologist. For zoom link: joincfuwley@gmail.com. n

ED WONG

Leaside Life • January 2024

LIGHT UP THE DARK AT THE AGA KHAN MUSEUM December 27–29 6:30–9 pm

Watch the Museum transform into a captivating canvas of light.

Enjoy extended hours and $10 admission to the newest exhibition, Shezad Dawood: Night in the Garden of Love Inspired by and Featuring Yusef Lateef.

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REBEL From Page 6 24

Leaside Life • January 2024

Corey and her grandmother

specialties handed down and modified from her mother, Baba and all her Macedonian aunts are coming soon. The Rebel Baker was born and launched in honour of Corey’s grandmother. “She’s the original rebel who inspired me to develop my passion for the kitchen,” she says, “but I am carrying the torch.” n

BEAUTY QUEEN From Page 14 that good at the time,” Petra laughed, “but the judges must have liked my answer because I won the title.” Miss Leaside I asked Petra how she felt when her name was announced as the winner. “I wasn’t blown away by it. I guess it was because my boss asked me to do it. It wasn’t a big deal to me. My boss wasn’t that surprised either. He just said something like ‘good for you’ when I came to work a few days later.” One thing did surprise her, though: “Right after they put the crown on my head, it fell off onto the stage. Fortunately, a photographer picked it up and put it back on.” A photo of the mishap appeared the next day in The Globe and Mail. A motorcade followed, in which Petra was driven through Leaside in a convertible “waving like the Queen” to bystanders. In addition, she received gifts from several Bayview retailers – including a watch (which she still has), a gift certificate from a modelling agency and an impressive trophy, which she has also kept. Life after “the crown” When it was all over, Petra returned to her job at the glass company. Soon after she became a stewardess for Air Canada and by the mid1960s had moved from Leaside to elsewhere in Toronto. It was around this time that she met her future husband David, also a Leasider. They were married in 1969 at St Cuthbert’s church. Later, the couple moved to King City where they lived for the next 30 years raising a family. About seven years ago, they moved back to Leaside and now live in a condo near Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. “I always felt at home in Leaside,” noted Petra. “I moved around quite a bit after the beauty contest. But Leaside always felt comfortable. And because I had worked here as a young girl, I felt I wanted to live here too. And would you believe – I came back!” We’re glad you did, Petra. Our own Miss Leaside. n

Bayview’s

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Leaside Life • January 2024

I’m working towards a neighbourhood of neighbours My mantra is typically “I’m all about place” (you’ll likely know that already). But that does not mean I can’t be about people too. What does that mean? Recently I attended the release of the Toronto Vital Signs Report 2023 by the Toronto (Community) Foundation. At one level this was a downer – on almost every measure the community trends in Toronto are going in the “wrong” direction. The Foundation reports: “The pandemic has accelerated a long-standing decline in friends and family networks, donations, and volunteering. Civic engagement and connection are foundational elements to create a healthy, happy and resilient community. However, people are seeing friends less often, participating less in groups and in activities, while also donating and volunteering at lower rates than before the pandemic, which, in many cases, was already lower than in past decades. These shifts not only

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Saving old Leaside compromise the quality of individual lives, but also pose a challenge to the broader social fabric, threatening our collective ability to collaborate, innovate, and face adversities together.” This is important, and concerning. Fortunately, the Foundation does not leave it there, but proposes action to address the decline. They say: “Let’s focus on the problem that underlies them all – restoring the connection between us and our city.” Their call is to join them in committing to just ONE act of civic optimism over the 150 days from November 15, 2023 to April, 2024, and to inspire others by sharing it on their map and social media, with the goal to enhance neighbourly connections. “Toronto is grappling with many crises, yet research shows that strong social connections boost our wellbeing and enable us to tackle issues together.” (Read more of the report: https:// torontofoundation.ca/powerofus.) To encourage participation, the Foundation has partnered with Volunteer Toronto to create a micro-grant program, with applications closing on Jan. 15, 2024 (https://info.volunteertoronto. ca/powerofus), to provide up to $1,000 to resident-led groups, grassroots organizations, and informal collectives across the City of Toronto towards projects that help build social connections and increase civic participation. The funded initiatives seek to create opportunities to activate neighbourhoods, animate public spaces, or bridge connections between people, to increase a sense of belonging in our communities and address the growing challenge of social isolation. So, how does this relate to Leaside? Leaside still seems to be a pretty well-connected place. There are a variety of social networks here based on themes, ranging from

sport (for example, Leaside Curling Club, Wildcats Girls Hockey), pastimes and hobbies (Leaside Bridge Club, Leaside Garden Society), civic engagement (Leaside Residents Association), history (Leaside Heritage Preservation Society, East York Historical Society) to church groups, which, apart from worship services and choirs, maintain an array of social justice activities, such as pastoral care (featured in Leaside Life’s December issue) and refugee resettlement. So, sure, Leaside offers lots of opportunities for connections, but the question is – what are we doing about it? – have we bounced back from the pandemic, and are we once again engaging in community activities? But are they the same old, same old activities, or have we explored new ones? Speaking for myself and what I’m doing to rise to the Toronto Foundation challenge? Let me offer a couple of activities I am doing now, beyond my civic engagement “day job.” I now register for (and attend) pilates/yoga classes run by the City Recreation Department at Trace Manes Community Centre. And I have joined the chancel choir at Leaside United Church. Apart from the physical benefits of exercise classes, and singing, there are also social and mental health benefits of such activities. I write this in the afterglow happiness of two amazing shared Carols by Candlelight services, with the combined choirs of Leaside United Church and Northlea United Church on December 3 and 10th respectively. Being part of making joyful music provides an incredible lift to the soul. Back to the collective. How will Leaside rise to the Toronto Foundation challenge? How about an event in 2024 to bring many of the groups together to celebrate and discuss how social connections might be improved? How about linking in the residents of Leaside East, the fast-growing tower community south of Eglinton east of Laird? This is just one idea. I’d welcome others. So, while Leaside is definitely a Neighbourhood, we can be more – a Neighbourhood of Neighbours! n

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Leaside Life • January 2024

Leaside Children’s House

REUNITED From Page 3 in 1936) he was invaluable when dealing with captured German soldiers. In fact, at war’s end when he was longing to return home, he was told his services were needed for a full year after the end of hostilities because of his linguistic and medical skills. Life in Leaside must have been an antidote to the frenetic forties. Life in the ’50s The ’50s were an idyllic decade for Tim. He recalls that since he lived across the street from Rolph Road Public School he and his siblings were never late. “We could watch Captain Kangaroo (a popular children’s TV show) and still make it to class before the bell at 9,” he quips. And groceries came to the door six days a week. He remembers the milkman taking away empties and leaving full bottles early every day but Sunday (the milk box is still in situ), and a grocer who sold eggs, cheese and vegetables once a week. As well, mail was delivered twice a day Monday to Friday and once on Saturday. The cinema on Bayview (Shoppers Drug Mart today) was

Tim and his family in 1958 (Tim is to the left of his father)

popular with kids since for 10 cents they could see the Saturday matinee. The bus ran up the street and into the newly built St. Clair station on the Yonge subway line, getting passengers downtown in under 30 minutes. Mahovlich, Armstrong and Kelly – Stanley Cup winning Leafs – all lived within 300 metres of his front door. The family moved to Lytton Park in 1963, but Tim has never forgotten his family home on Sutherland where he spent his formative years. Why my interest in this particular former Leasider? For the past 25 years I have raised my family in the same home, one built by prolific builder John Bellomo (see “The Italians who Built Leaside,” December 2023 Leaside Life). It was luck and fate that led me to Tim. In November I was able to host him at “our” place. It felt magical walking through the house with him as his memories flooded back. The first stop he asked to see was the little room under the basement stairs where he and his brother Don made a play fort. He was overjoyed to see it was pretty much as it was all those years ago. People like to talk about a house having “good bones,” but the old house on Sutherland has more than that – a good soul. n

RANCE FAMILY

Leaside Life • January 2024

822 Millwood Road Toronto, ON M4G 1W4 Tel: 416-425-1253 www.leasideunited.com

Jan 10 – May 01, 2024 2:00 – 3:30 pm

Join us

This Grief Support Group will be held bi-weekly for a total of 9 sessions. It is open to adults 19 and over who have experienced the loss of a family member or friend and it provides an opportunity to talk about your own grief and learn from the experiences of others.

LOCATION Leaside United Church (Hearth Room) COST There is no cost to participate FACILITATORS Jean Marie Suchora (MA, Minister of Pastoral Care)

Barbara Kinnear and Graham Lute (Members of Leaside United Church)

Please call or email Alison Jane, Office Administrator (alison@leasideuc.com) by January 3, 2024.

LEASIDE UNITED CHURCH 822 Millwood Road

March 1, 2024 at 7 pm Participants of all ages in drama, humour, sports, music etc. Must drop in and perform Act on Thu, Feb 22 or Sun, Feb 25 between 6:30 and 8:30 pm. A Donation will be made to a local Charity. For further information Tel: 416-425-1253.

Leaside Life • January 2024

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP

LEASIDE UNITED CHURCH

Leaside Life • January 2024

Will 2024 be the year of traffic safety in Leaside? As we head into the new year, I encourage you to be aware of upcoming opportunities to make an impact on Leaside’s traffic issues. You will recall that, near the end of 2023, Phase One of the Leaside Neighbourhood Transportation Plan (LNTP) was released, and North York Community Council gave the go-ahead for local polling to take place on its traffic-calming recommendations. As fine-tuning of the plan continues, consultation with residents regarding its proposed changes is due to take place shortly. I am told by Councillor Jaye Robinson’s office that before doing the actual polling, Transportation Services will be mailing a notification letter to those Leasiders whose homes would be directly affected by the specific measures proposed. The letter will include more information on the measures. As well, there will be further background regarding the overall plan and how the polling process works. Contact information will be included in these notification letters

Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LRA

in case you have questions, so that these can be addressed before the polling actually begins. Councillor Robinson asked that the letters be sent out promptly early in January, to avoid holiday delivery delays, with the polling itself to be mailed a few weeks later. The other Leaside traffic-related issue which attracted quite a bit of attention recently was the City’s Transportation staff recommendation to install a traffic signal on Bayview Avenue at Sutherland Drive, to create a safer crossing for pedestrians and cyclists at that intersection. The question is whether a traffic signal is the best answer. Councillor Robinson’s motion at the November NYCC meeting sent the matter back to staff to look at alternatives, and called for more local

consultation to find an effective solution which is also acceptable to the community. At this point, it appears that a new staff report will probably be on the agenda of the North York Community Council in February. May your 2024 be bright! The Leaside Residents Association wishes all Leasiders a very HAPPY NEW YEAR, and remind you that we welcome your comments and questions. We also encourage you to get involved! Attend our monthly board of directors meetings in the Trace Manes building at Rumsey and Millwood. It’s a good way to keep up to date on Leaside issues. Although these board meetings generally take place on the first Wednesday of each month, at 7:30 p.m., our next meeting will be on Wed., Jan. 10th. To reach us, visit leasideresidents.ca and press the Contact Us button, or use leasideresidents.ca/contact-us. n

WHALEY From Page 4 Battaglia, have set up a Facebook page, Kathryn’s Kidney Quest, to attract a living kidney donation. As Lynne says, “Our outreach will hopefully help to raise awareness of Kathryn’s need and convince people to learn more about being a living kidney donor. It’s the first step, but a big one.” A new website, www. kathrynskidneyquest.com, is also up and running. Kathryn and her family discovered Leaside as “a wonderful neighbourhood through a friend in prenatal class in 1999” and moved here in September 2002. She and her family joined Leaside Presbyterian Church, where she’s been an active volunteer. Carol Anne Armstrong, who joined the church through becoming friends with Kathryn years ago, describes her friend as “generous and autonomous. She doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of help. It is a big challenge for her to set the bar low on dialysis days.” Support for Kathryn, in the form of a new kidney from a living donor, would certainly be a positive way to see in the new year. Interested in becoming a living kidney donor? Learn more: https:// kidney.ca/Get-Involved/Be-anOrgan-Donor/Consider-Being-aLiving-Kidney-Donor. n

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Leaside Life • January 2024

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