Leaside Life Issue 89 October 2019

O C TO B E R 2019

Leaside Life

No. 89

Meet your Candidates page 10

leasidelife.com

FEDERAL ELECTION OCTOBER 21st

Leaside Leafs AAAs win the provincials. Story on page 2.

SHELLEY RAYMOND

We are the champions!

FAREWELL TO SANDY’S CYCLE PG. 3 LEASIDE TEEN DOMINATES SQUASH PG. 4 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? A NEW FEATURE PG. 20 WELCOME TO LEASIDE’S BRUNCH BUNCH PG. 28 VISIT US AT LEASIDELIFE.COM: COMMUNITY DIRECTORY • UP TO DATE EVENTS • ARCHIVED STORIES

by SUSAN SCANDIFFIO On Mon., Sept. 2nd, a group of thirteen 8-year-old boys made history.

For the first time since 2001, a Leaside Leafs AAA team won the provincial baseball championships.

Coached by Jeff Wolburgh, “Coach Single,” Alex Hodgson, and Graydon Joyner, the 9U (2010) AAA team overcame a field of 16 teams and beat the expected winners, the Oakville A’s, in a nail-biting 16-14 final game to bring home the trophy.

Down by one run going into the final inning, the boys rallied to score three runs, while their solid defence prevented the A’s from adding any additional runs.

The team finished third in the provincials last year and had made it their goal to win it all this time around. To this end, their off-season saw a strong emphasis on conditioning and positive reinforcement. Coach Single, an experienced mentor and coach at Baseline Sports, worked alongside the other team coaches to continue the development of the players as “complete” athletes (emotionally, mentally and physically).

FROM THE COVER

MICHELLE O’REARDON

Leaside Life • October 2019

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Leaside Leafs AAAs win the provincials

Head coach Jeff Wolburgh with his wife Nadine and son Blake.

Eric Stickney, executive athletic director and self-proclaimed “lifetime member” of Leaside Baseball, points out that this is a win that “the

entire community can celebrate,” and he believes it’s a “strong indicator of things to come.”

Head coach Wolburgh has a great wealth of experience with Leaside Baseball, having coached his four sons in the league for the last 14 years. He has worked with several of the players of this championship team for six years, while coaching this specific team for the last three.

The head coach greatly admires the players’ dedication. These are kids, he notes, who are, “super-competitive, play their hearts out, and all support each other on the field.”

He also comments that it truly “takes an army to coach.” He’s grateful to the team parents who brought food, cheered in a positive and supportive manner, and organized meals and other details of the multiple tournaments the team played this season.

As for the post-win celebrations, the boys will all get turns to house the championship trophy during the off-season, and have received rings and hats, along with the enjoyment of a raucous pool party at the Wolburgh household.

Congratulations to the provincial champions! ■

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Saying goodbye to an old friend at Sandy’s Cycle Shop & Books

3

will continue to buy and sell books online. A few of the bikes might also make the trek (pun intended) and then be sold from Stratford.

There won’t be a free-standing shop, though, but if you wander into one of Stratford’s bike shops next season, maybe you will see him working as a

Patrick Rocca bro ke r

bike mechanic once again.

David knows himself well – “I am by no means a neat freak, but it is who I am” – and being self-employed in a non-traditional retail building suited him.

Farewell to a neighbourhood institution, and David Sandquist. ■

Leaside Life • October 2019

Saying goodbye after nearly five decades isn’t easy.

Saying goodbye to Sandy’s Cycle Shop & Books (known as Sandy’s Bikes & Books) will be especially hard, since this quirky shop has been such a local fixture.

We first wrote about Sandy’s in June, 2016 – “Ever heard of this kind of bike shop? David Sandquist’s father, the original “Sandy,” started Sandy’s Cycle Shop on Millwood in 1971. The business moved to Laird and then to Research Road, but as of Sept. 30, Sandy’s Bikes & Books will be no more.

David’s lease was coming up, and he didn’t see himself running the business for another five years from that location. Also, he and his wife bought a home in Stratford – a long commute from Leaside. Their two children work in the arts, so Stratford is a good choice for them too.

Ten per cent of the shop’s books may go to Stratford, where David

LORNA KRAWCHUK

by LORNA KRAWCHUK

LEASIDE PEOPLE • MEET YOUR NEIGHBOURS

Molly Chadwick dominates the squash court LEASIDE SPORTS

Susan Scandiffio Columnist

I’m thinking of standing in a fully enclosed 31 x 21 ft. box and having a small rubber ball hurled at my head at speeds of up to 250 km/hr.

Because I’m just that brave.

Or I’m choosing to play squash.

The description of the game of squash may be a bit less dramatic than mine, but it’s not a sport for the faint of heart. It’s fast, challenging, and…well, there’s the issue of the high-speed ball coming at you in a court measuring 9.75m by 6.4m.

But 16-year-old Molly Chadwick is not daunted at all when it comes to the sport. She picked up squash at the age of 8 and by 11 was playing provincially. The following

SQUASH CANADA

Leaside Life • October 2019

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Molly after winning the Nationals in 2018.

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year she rose to the national level and has never looked back, finishing second in her age group twice, and capturing the national championship three times (including the past two years).

In May of this year, Squash Canada chose Chadwick to be one of only four members from across the country to represent Canada in the World Junior Squash Championships in Malaysia. Not only was she one of only four chosen, she beat out older players for a spot on the roster.

A Rolph Road graduate now in Grade 11 at St. Clement’s, Chadwick manages a gruelling training schedule that sees her in the gym or on the squash court six days a week, year-round. She also plays basketball for her school and for the North Toronto Huskies, all while maintaining high academic standing. Being an athlete, Chadwick says, has taught her a lot about time management skills and about using training in one sport to improve her performance in another.

Her coach, Jessica DiMauro, has trained both adults and juniors for approximately 40 years and comments that Chadwick is extremely disciplined and “mature beyond her years. Her squash intelligence is high. She understands game plans, opponents, and how to make adjustments during matches. This is a huge part of her success.”

Chadwick is part of a family, including parents Beth Pierson and Rob Chadwick, and two older sisters who, as she says, “love watching sports together” (or, as I would call it, a family with excellent priorities).

A long-time Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors fan, Chadwick takes in basketball with her family along with football, tennis, golf, etc. (but not hockey; I might have to perform an intervention).

As Coach DiMauro sums up Chadwick, it’s “her fight, her tenacity, her strength, her volleys, and her dedication (that) make her the champion that she is.”

With all the talent and commitment that have propelled her to international success, Chadwick is sure to be someone her family, and many others, will be watching for years to come. ■

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MEET A LEASIDE BUSINESS

Bella Rouge is a neighbourhood haircare gem Michelle, Manush and Rhona of Bella Rouge.

Lorna Krawchuk

Even though there is a large front window at Bella Rouge, the south anchor of the retail strip between Rumsey and Airdrie on Millwood, it isn’t until you walk in the door that you realize what a light-filled delight this hair salon is.

It was that light, airy atmosphere that most attracted Rhona McDonald nine years ago when she came to what was then the Bayview Clipper, which was on the market.

Rhona, who had rented a chair in various neighbourhood salons for a number of years, decided that “for once in my life” she was going to go out on her own – and she did!

Her daughter, Michelle McDonald, agreed to sign on as salon manager

LORNA KRAWCHUK

Publisher Leaside Life

– receptionist, buyer, interior designer (her actual training)… everything but hair. Most unusual

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Leaside Life • October 2019

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Re-election Headquarters 1669 Bayview Avenue rob@roboliphant.ca roboliphant.ca

416.366.1222

for a hair salon, there isn’t one picture of styled hair on the walls.

But if you have art for display?

That’s another story.

Rhona grew up in what was then Rhodesia. Every week, she accompanied her mother to her standing Saturday morning hair appointment. The owner suggested she might want to become a student of his, she agreed and has never looked back. One thing she retains is her mother’s advice: “Don’t ever become one of those temperamental hairdressers – always be friendly and kind.”

She married a Canadian, who, she says, “promised her the Rockies, and gave her Lake Ontario,” and whom he describes as “his African souvenir.” Their daughter, Michelle, started spending time with her mother in whatever salon she worked at from the time she was small. She remembers being taught to greet customers politely as they came in the door. That certainly trained her well for her current role as receptionist.

Rhona hired Manush, the salon’s artistic director, four years ago, when she was introduced courtesy of a mutual friend. They clicked, and now Manush is also part of the team.

A neighbourhood gem This is definitely a neighbourhood BELLA page 25

Leaside Life • October 2019

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After 40 years of business on Bayview Avenue...

Parallele Interiors will be closing its doors at 1717 Bayview on October 25th and relocating to FOC! (Furniture on Consignment) at 196 Wicksteed Ave. As of October 29th, you will find Paul Lussier, owner and operator of Parallele Interiors sharing space with FOC! He will continue to provide his clients with exceptional service and quality window coverings from his new showroom.

In regards to custom picture framing, Alek will continue his craft from The Frame Up at 703 Mount Pleasant Avenue.

You can visit Paul at the showroom by appointment or in your own home with a free consultation.

I look forward to seeing you soon! —Paul Lussier.

Landscaper celebrates 37 years of greening Leaside Owning a landscaping business wasn’t on Simon Stevenson’s list as a young man. He really didn’t have a list – but thought that maybe becoming an architect or a veterinarian might be interesting, so off he went to the University of Toronto’s Erindale campus.

He lasted a year, then headed to Alberta to find his fortune, but it was the wrong time of year in the oilfields, so instead he found work in Edmonton. Next, he was accepted

by Royal Roads, then part of the Royal Military College – thinking he “might follow my father’s footsteps” – his father being Col. Michael Stevenson, who had a distinguished military career in Britain and around the world, before ending up in Leaside, where he and his wife Judy still live.

Finally, the penny dropped. He liked sketching and drawing, had enjoyed

LORNA KRAWCHUK

by LORNA KRAWCHUK

helping in his grandmother’s garden since the age of 10, and was drawn to a landscape technology program at Ryerson.

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Leaside Life • October 2019

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Simon’s top tips on working with a landscape contractor: 1. Interview a few contractors “to find someone you feel comfortable working with – and that has to work both ways.”

2. Plan your budget. Landscaping can be a large investment. The old rule of thumb for costing an extensive frontand-back-yard project is to consider a budget of 10% of the house value (before the rise in Leaside house prices these past few years).

3. Plan ahead. It really doesn’t work to phone a landscaping company on the first warm day in March to initiate a spring project. Nor does it make sense to phone the morning of the first snowfall to see if a crew can come to clear the drive.

During those summers, he worked for a friend’s lawn-cutting business.

The friend even sold him the route he worked, and that was the genesis for Leaside Landscaping. He considered whether to name the company after himself, but preferred a name that would carry on beyond him.

Plus, he intended to work locally, so Leaside Landscaping it was. That was 1982, and Simon and Leaside Landscaping are still together 37 years later. He is thinking he might LANDSCAPER page 25

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Leaside Life • October 2019

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Meet the Don Valley West federal candidates Election day on October 21 is fast approaching for the residents of Don Valley West.

It’s time to head to the polls to elect your representative in Ottawa.

Six candidates are running in the Don Valley West riding, representing the Liberal, Conservative, NDP, PPC, Green and Libertarian parties. Don Valley West has historically been a battleground between the Liberals and Conservatives, with the Liberals in power for 22 years and the Conservatives 18 since the riding’s formation in 1979. Meet the candidates: Liberal incumbent Rob Oliphant was elected in 2015 with a majority 53.78% vote.

A United Church minister, the Rev. Dr. Robert Oliphant was recently appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, plus he is co-chair of a number of committees including the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, the Canada-Pakistan Friendship Group, and the Joint Committee on PhysicianAssisted Dying. Previously, he served as the Chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, and acted on the Committee on Public Safety and National Security.

Conservative candidate Yvonne Roberston is a 20+ year resident of Don Valley.

In 1997, she incorporated her company Matrix Power Services Ltd in Canada and began bringing specialized electrical products throughout North America. She expanded into new markets with Sahara and Co., a wellness company specializing in all-natural teas, candles and bath therapies. She supports many local charities and is proud specifically of her work alongside the officers at 53 Division through their Cops and Kids program.

NDP candidate Laurel MacDowell is a professor emerita of environmental and labour history at the University of Toronto, and an award-winning author. Professor MacDowell’s research interests are in the Canadian working class and North American environmental history. She teaches a graduate course in comparative North American environmental history at the University of Toronto.

No photo available

Green Amanda Kistindey is a Search and Rescue Engineer as well as a member of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs. Ms. Kistindey is an Acadian-Métis, whose strong ancestral heritage has shaped her advocacy for preserving the land on which her ancestors once thrived. She presently holds concurrent certifications with the United Nations for ’Working in Natural Disasters’ and ’Working in Complex Emergencies’ and is a consultant in times of international crisis when natural disasters hit.

People’s Party of Canada Running for the newly incorporated People’s Party of Canada is Ian Prittie. According to his website, "A professional engineer (P.Eng.) since 1994, Ian pursued a career in the financial sector as an equity analyst after earning the chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation in 1998. Today, as a certified project management professional (PMP), Ian owns a small business assisting clients in the financial sector design and implement both business and technology projects."

Libertarian John Kittredge served in the Canadian Forces Supplementary Reserve. The long-time Leaside resident is President of CEO Performance Inc., an independent management consulting firm focusing on performance improvement.

—Lucas Flemming

.

.

Meet two Leaside families who love to bike

by HOLLY REID

HOLLY REID

Freedom.

Independence.

Confidence. These are the feelings people often recall when you ask what getting their first bike meant to them. And that’s precisely what the Carter and Psarras families hoped to inspire in their children when they chose to make cycling a family affair.

A natural progression Cycling with kids was a natural progression for the Carters. When James and Sonya moved to North Leaside in 2006, they discovered the Don Valley trail system. As the family grew, the kids were taken along in a bike trailer. “Once the kids could ride by themselves it really opened up where we could go as a family,” says James. Clara, who is 7, has been cycling for two and a half years, and has mastered the hill out of Serena Gundy Park.

Six-year old Sofia has been riding for just over a year and takes great pride in demonstrating how quickly she can stop when riding fast. The family has done rides of up to 14 kilometres and rented bikes

on a recent vacation to Martha’s Vineyard so the whole family could tour around.

James, Clara and Sofia Carter.

(Clockwise) Dean, Leah, Audrey and Christopher Psarras.

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Leaside Life • October 2019

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A new obsession The frustration of his commute downtown prompted Dean Psarras to give cycling to work a try. He soon discovered the nearby Don Valley trail system and the convenience of commuting by bike on residential streets. So when his children were old enough, he wanted them biking too. Audrey, at age 8, already has strong enough bike handling skills to tackle mountain bike trails in E.T. Seton Park and low-traffic residential roads.

Six-year old Christopher is always pushing to keep up with his big sister, and four-year old Leah is learning the basics. With the arrival of twins Matthew and Penelope, Dean and his wife Sandy already have a bike trailer for when they are a little older. As Dean notes, “Having the kids out on rides has been great. We’ve explored our neighbourhood and ridden the trails to Evergreen Brickworks, Edwards Gardens and the Science Centre.”

Park. Sidewalk. Road.

In Toronto, children age 13 and younger can ride on the sidewalk and that’s where the Carter and Psarras kids mostly ride, with a parent on the road beside them.

Being competent riding on the road is an important goal and, eventually, the parents would like to see their children biking to school.

But as Dean explains, “To teach a child to swim, you wouldn’t start in the deep-end of the pool.” James advises to begin in the park on the grass, moving onto the park trails and then the sidewalk when kids are ready. Both parents stress the need for courtesy when riding on the sidewalk. Dean says, “Remind your kids to act like a guest on the sidewalk and always give pedestrians the right of way.”

Teaching children to ride a bike is not without challenges but these parents see the payoff in acquiring a life skill that will provide options and opportunities throughout their children’s lives.

Holly Reid is a recreational road rider and cycling commuter. An advocate for safe cycling, she is a member of Cycle Don Valley Midtown, Cycle Toronto’s advocacy group for Wards15/16. ■

by GEOFF KETTEL One year ago this column reported on RioCan’s “Leaside Centre” development as contained in its July 2018 resubmission to the City. There were concerns about the site layout lacking a civic plaza appropriate to its future as the new centre of Leaside. And, most controversially, the density had increased, not decreased, as is more typically the case in the course of the approval process for these types of development.

One year later, in July 2019, RioCan submitted another set of revised plans, with significant changes.

Now there is a new civic plaza and a public connection from the Laird and Eglinton intersection to the interior space; the public park has moved to the corner of Laird and Vanderhoof and is now connected to the interior passage, and to the community space. The community space is relocated from the rear (SE corner) of the site to front onto the urban plaza and public park. The four-storey office building has been relocated to the SE portion of the site.

Geoff Kettel

The heights of the residential towers remain the same at 18, 21, 36, and 38 storeys. RioCan argues that from an experiential perspective the building heights are not meaningful – the ground-related conditions are more important and have been significantly improved. This appears likely to be the biggest point of contention as the Laird in Focus plan proposes a lower number of storeys.

Of course one must remember that between last year and this year the context of planning in Toronto has dramatically changed with the Ontario government’s approval of Bill 108, an omnibus bill that changed numerous planning and other acts, including effectively restoring the OMB, by giving final decision-making powers to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT).

Perhaps the major positive change in the past year is the change in planning dynamics; RioCan reached out to the LPOA to seek input in the spring and there are now regular T:6.875” meetings, which are felt to be constructive and beneficial. (And as well, the LPOA is having regular

Saving old Leaside meetings with City Planning on this and other issues). There is no question that the plan has significantly improved in regard to public realm.

LPOA reps continue to emphasize the need for excellence in urban design and architecture as the detailed design proceeds.

Laird in Focus, the City plan for the block from Laird to Aerodrome, Eglinton to Vanderhoof (Area A), and the west side of Laird (Area B) will release the Site and Area Specific Policies (SASP) amendment to the Official Plan just prior to the Public Open House on Tues., Sept. 17.

According to City staff this will be a declarative statement of the City’s intent and direction for each of the areas. In addition, the City will issue design guidelines for each area.

The intended schedule is for the Laird in Focus SASP and the 815-845 development application to each go to North York Community Council and to City Council in October 2019. ■

13

Leaside Life • October 2019

RioCan’s Leaside Centre and Laird in Focus

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Leaside Life • October 2019

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How do I love thee, Autumn? Let me count the ways The fall has always been my favourite season, and October my favourite month. The heat of summer finally gives way to the cool and crisp but not yet cold autumn air, as we break out our sweaters. The grass grows a little more slowly so the summer weekly lawn-cutting moves to bi-weekly in the fall. Pumpkin spice inexplicably overtakes chocolate as Canadians’ favourite flavour. And Halloween candy fills grocery store shelves.

(Actually, that starts sometime in August, but you get the idea.)

That sense of renewal that arrives in September is still hanging on as we head into October. And let’s not forget the colours, that eye-popping red, orange, and yellow symphony on Leaside trees in October.

But it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. We’ll pay for October’s vivid visual feast in November when we’ll be raking a never-ending supply of fallen leaves and awkwardly stuffing them into garden waste bags that simply refuse to stay open. But this minor complaint is somewhat offset by the occasional welcome whiff of burning leaves in the wind.

It’s turkey time: I suppose there’s

Terry Fallis Columnist

another seasonal downside at this time of year, at least for some school kids. Growing up in Leaside, I well recall that by the time October rolled around, the initial flush of excitement we all felt about returning to school and seeing all our friends again had, shall we say, moderated somewhat (or more accurately, promptly left town) as we settled in for the long grind to the Christmas break. But that seems a trifling concern against all of October’s benefits. Let’s not forget Thanksgiving and the family feast that annually leaves me stretched out on the couch moaning and belatedly rethinking my poor decision to have a fourth helping of turkey, potatoes and gravy. All I can say is, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Hockey’s back! October also heralds the return of hockey season

at Leaside Memorial Gardens.

To this day, I remember my first house league hockey practice (it was October 12, 1968). There are other reasons this time of year is my favourite. I was married in October.

I picked up the first car I ever owned in October, 1985. You can still golf in October. And the Leafs are back, as is my annual refrain: “This could be their year.”

Writers’ festivals are everywhere: The fall is also book season. A flurry of new books is released and there’s a rash of writers’ festivals where authors present their new works and engage with readers from one end of the country to the other. My seventh novel, Albatross, hit bookstores in August, just in time for this annual fall literary love-in. By the time you read this, I will have already travelled to writers’ festivals on BC’s Sunshine Coast, Calgary, Ottawa, Eden Mills near Guelph, and several other hotspots. It’s when I figure out how to talk about my latest novel and learn what readers like and don’t like about the story.

I also sign a lot of books and talk to hundreds of readers – which is always enlightening and almost

FALLIS continued

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always gratifying. Even readers who question the placement of commas or my occasionally dubious use of the “em dash” (yes, there is such a thing) are warmly welcomed.

These annual festivals are also among the few opportunities when writers can commune with other writers. I can almost hear the raspy English-accented David Attenborough voiceover: “In the fall, the shy and introverted writers venture from their nests and appear in the real world, testing the air, warily circling one another, and eventually putting on displays to compete for willing readers. Yes, it’s literary festival season in the wilds of Canada.” Not every writer enjoys festival season, but I do.

So, let’s not lament the end of summer and the all too imminent return of winter. Let’s celebrate the season in between. Pull on that cardigan, grab that rake, sharpen up that pumpkin carving bowie knife, read a good book by the fire, and embrace the fall. After all, February is just around the corner.

Terry’s seventh novel, Albatross, was published by McClelland & Stewart in August and is available in bookstores everywhere. ■

Leaside Life • October 2019

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Live-Work. Learn. Play. Repeat.

Eighty per cent of Canadians live in cities. Cities are the economic engine driving Canada. Likewise, neighbourhoods are the economic engine of cities. Given their circumstances, some neighbourhoods do better than others and no doubt Leaside is one of them. Why? Perhaps Leaside’s early success was a result of the good fortune bestowed upon us by Frederick Todd, the landscape architect whose design set us on the path to becoming one of Canada’s first live-work towns. Could our live-work roots be one of the contributing factors for this success?

And if so, what if we were to lose that competitive advantage – be it an economic hit to the success of the employment lands in the business park, inept zoning decisions that inhibit decision-making, or simply being outmanoeuvred by more aggressive business interests looking to attract investment and create new jobs in their neck of the woods rather than ours.

Last September, I wrote about laneway housing and how changes to the bylaws might create opportunities for those of us in Leaside living

Glenn Asano The Business of Leaside

on a laneway. I have been following this development closely because I am intrigued by the prospect of eventually graduating from my home office and moving into a full-blown dedicated workspace situated in my backyard with a front entrance on the lane. You see, realizing the livework dream is something I have been pining for. Not just a live-work situation as an individual, but a vision to be a part of an entire “live-work neighbourhood.” Think along the lines of the success that has become New York’s Greenwich Village. A live-work neighbourhood is one where most of its residents work within five to 10 minutes from where they live and can address most of their daily needs within a 10-minute walking radius of their home, workplace, or live-work unit.

The live-work concept is not an entirely understood form of space ...at least when it comes to being spelled out in the bylaws. There are degrees of “work-use intensity” when categorizing live-work types.

The simplest form is “home occupancy” – “I’m working from home” or “we have a home office.” The next form would be categorized as a truly “live-work” space where work activity occurs but remains secondary to the residential nature of the space. The most intense form would be a “work-live” space where the primary use is commercial or industrial and the residence becomes secondary in use of the space. At this level of work intensity, there might be noise (i.e. assembly, light manufacturing), employees, walk-in trade, and direct sales.

For the latter two models, Thomas Dolan, a respected California-based urban landscape architect/designer/ author uses the terms: “live-with” (e.g. artist’s loft, home office), “live-near” (e.g. separated work area, possibly unique entrance, clearly walled-off area or floors), and “live-nearby” (e.g. housing over retail, converted garage, separate work unit in a courtyard) to further categorize live-work space.

I’ll add a fourth term which would be “live-close” (e.g. the Canada Wire factory on the east side of Laird with its workers resident on the west side, and the proposed RioCan development at Laird and Eglinton where there will be considerable office space adjacent to the residential towers where people can work).

The very nature of work is sure to change given the technological advances on the near horizon. Dolan notes that “live-work has been occupied and experimented with (mostly by trial and error, in a relative regulatory vacuum) for most of the last half of the 20th century.” This seems to be the case in Toronto. The City has not established a clear standard for zoning live-work or work-live spaces. Without a consistent set of policies and bylaws, it becomes difficult for property developers looking at new forms of space or an entrepreneur choosing a new location to set up shop and proceed with confidence. Not to mention how residents should perceive live-work actions - let’s say when your neighbour is selling products from home, or the hairstylist and massage therapists

LIVE-WORK continued next door have customers continually taking up limited street parking.

ANTIQUES WANTED

Leaside Life • October 2019

Balanced development will lead to revitalization I support increasing the amount of live-work space made available in Leaside as well as updating the current bylaws to clearly define the rules of engagement. Making live-work space available along the main street perimeter of the employment lands (and the area between Vanderhoof and Wicksteed) would provide a gentle transition from the industrial areas in the south toward the residential areas being developed along Eglinton to the north.

Continued support of the larger-scale manufacturing operations while offering a variety of new commercial space targeted toward small business as well as emerging entrepreneurs would create the type of balanced development that the employment zone requires to lead the revitalization of this valuable but underutilized asset.

How can we attract fast-growing companies and investment to Leaside? How can we attract the best employees to work here? What is our competitive advantage? Let us know at leasidelife@gmail.com.

Leasider Glenn Asano is a partner and principal consultant for the strategy and business development practice at Centred Performance. He is also an instructor with the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. â–

17

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Leaside Life • October 2019

18

When I was a board member of the Bayview Leaside BIA, I did some historical digging to create the first fall event for the BIA. I knew this could be more than a generic harvest fair and that meant it needed to be authentic, locally specific, and connecting our community to the very roots of our Leaside past.

Events bring visual excitement and economic benefits to a community. A meaningful festival can do so much more. It can celebrate our unique heritage and be the glue that binds us and the land together as one community.

Thanks to the Lea family farms on the east and the Lawrence family farms on the west, the abundance of apple orchards that once graced both sides of Bayview was definitely authentic, specifically local and naturally worthy of a celebration. That’s what Apple Fest is all about.

I know that my own backyard was once a part of the original orchards, and knowing this makes me look at this piece of land differently.

Every time I dig into my gardens, I feel I’m digging into the original soil that once helped nourish the

The Leaside Gardener: Debora Kuchme Columnist

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.

When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

—Aldo Leopold apple trees of the old farm. I think about how those apples provided a livelihood for our early settlers and gave them a nutritious food source that helped feed so many, including their animals, through the long winter months. Then of course, there were the wonderful ciders that were much safer to drink than the untreated water.

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Home of the Northern Spy All of that could be enough to pay homage to our rich apple history, but there’s still more. A few lines in Jane Pitfield’s book Leaside raise our apple past to another level: “John Lea was a successful farmer.

In time he bought cows and kept a dairy as well as planting an orchard of Northern Spy apples.”

Northern Spy apples? That’s a reason on its own for Leasiders to celebrate Apple Fest. If you know anything about apple pies, then you also know that the Northern Spy is the king of apples for baking. In fact, this variety was once called the King apple as well as the “apple pie” apple for that very reason.

Why don’t more Leasiders know this? Shouldn’t we have a classic Leaside Northern Spy pie by now?

Great apple pies and ciders are only two of the many attributes of the Northern Spy. The Leas embraced this variety early for a much more practical reason: it was suited to the land.

This apple was late to flower, so out of risk during late spring frosts, it produced fruit later (into October) and stored well throughout the winter.

You don’t need to be an agricultural farmer or a gardener like me to understand why land is the important part of our community and why our relationship with it matters even more. If you eat food, drink water and breathe air, it should be obvious.

Last year’s Apple Fest was a tremendous disappointment for me as only a handful of Bayview merchants stepped up to embrace this important community event.

Meanwhile, the Pixies worked tirelessly as they had for two Apple Fests prior, transforming every tree on Bayview into apple trees, hand painting Apple Fest signs and adorning the busker stations with hay bales and corn stalks.

It was the buskers performing in the chilling winds until their fingers blistered who moved me the most.

With a joyful eloquence, I heard them explaining to the shoppers on the street what OUR Apple Fest was all about.

On October 5th, the Bayview Leaside BIA will host the fourth annual Apple Fest celebration, and even though I’m no longer on the board, I will be looking forward to it.

I hope you – and more Bayview merchants – will be too. Here’s to Apple Fest! Visit leasidelife.com for more of this article along with my own favourite apple pie recipe! ■

SHUTTERSTOCK

Apple Fest: A tribute to our past, a connection to the land

CYCLING NEWS Join fellow cyclists to advocate for safe and connected cycling routes. Next Meeting: Wed. Oct. 30, 7:00 pm. Trinity Grace Church, 826 Eglinton Ave. E. For more info or to RSVP contact: cycledonvalleymidtown@cycleto.ca

LEASIDE GARDEN SOCIETY Oct. Meeting: Thu. Oct. 10, 7:30pm at the Leaside Library, 165 McRae Dr. Speaker: Maureen Hulbert on The Wildflowers of Canada. AGM Nov. 14.

ST. CUTHBERT’S CHURCH 1399 Bayview Ave. 416 485 0329 stcuthberts@bellnet.ca Free presentation by the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto on Wed., Oct. 16. Refreshments at 7pm, speaker at 7:30.

Annual Women’s Dinner Fri., Oct. 18.

Doors open at 6:30 pm, Dinner at 7:15 pm. Tickets $25 from the church office.

ST. AUGUSTINE’S CHURCH, 1847 Bayview Ave. saintaugustine.ca Groove Room Coffee House Fri. Oct. 11. 7-8:30 pm. Listen to great live music by local artists and have a coffee and dessert with friends. Featuring Les Garant. $5 –proceeds to the Flemingdon Park Food Bank. Contact office@saintaugustine.ca Sun. Oct. 6, 4pm: Blessing of the Animals A brief worship service and individual animal blessings followed by refreshments. All animals welcome.

NORTHLEA UNITED CHURCH 125 Brentcliffe Rd, 416 425 5252 office@northleaunited.ca Looking for an oasis of candlelight, prayer, meditation & music in your life?

Taizé Worship Wed., Oct. 9, 7:45-8:30 pm. Additional date: Nov.13th.

BAYVIEW CHURCH OF CHRIST 1708 Bayview Ave. Join us for a Spiritual Renewal weekend! Oct. 26-27. Sat. 10:30 -2:30pm, Sun 10am-Noon Paul Birston on Landscapes and Archaeology of Israel, Greece and Turkey, Illuminating the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures.

For info and registration contact BayviewChurchofChrist@rogers.com​

BLOOD DONOR CLINIC Tues. Oct. 29 2-7:00pm at Northlea Public school, 305 Rumsey Rd. Book an appt at Blood.ca or call 1-8882 DONATE.

LEASIDE UNITED CHURCH 822 Millwood Rd. leaside.admin@ bellnet.ca. 416-425-1253

19

Meditation Group meets Thursdays from 11-12pm Community welcome.

The Fall Awesome Sale: Oct. 18, 3-7 pm and Oct 19, 10am-12pm. Great bargains. Enjoy baked goods. Trivia Night Fri, Nov. 1 at 7:30 pm. All proceeds to charity. Join the fun with teams of 8, individual entries welcome! Prizes, pizza, and finger food. Tickets $25.

Leaside Life • October 2019

EVENTS

LEASIDE PRESBYTERIAN 670 Eglinton Ave East.

Christmas Bazaar, Sat. Nov. 2nd, 10am-2pm. The Merry Market features a bake/craft sale, silent auction, and vendor market. Free entrance/parking.

SUOMI-KOTI ARTS & CRAFTS 795 Eglinton Avenue East, 416-425-4134 www.suomikoti.ca Sale: Sat., Oct. 5, 10am-3pm. Featured artists from Suomi-Koti and Finnish arts community. Browse and linger over a cup of coffee or tea and a delicious Finnish cinnamon bun. All welcome!

CANADIAN FED. OF UNIV. WOMEN LEASIDE-EAST YORK The Power of Women Working Together Monthly Meeting: Thurs.

Oct. 17, 7:30pm, Northlea United, 125 Brentcliffe Rd. Speaker: Timothy Spain, Former Soloist with the National Ballet of Canada and London Festival Ballet, who will share Life on the Move.

Visitors and new members welcome! For more info www.cfuwleasideeastyork.ca, or email joincfuw@gmail.com.

LEASIDE LIBRARY For up-to-date info, please see our website: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/leaside/ or 416-396-3835.

Safe Winter Driving A representative of the MTO will share tips to help drivers navigate Ontario roads during winter conditions. Learn about winter tires, winter prepping, how the province manages snow removal, how to find information about road conditions before you travel, and more. Space is limited. Call 416-396-3835 to register.

Thurs., Oct. 24 10–11:00am.

Comic Arts Workshop with Kean Soo Ages 13 – 19. Join award-winning graphic cartoonist Kean Soo (Jellaby, March Grand Prix) as he shares his process of writing stories, creating characters, and drawing for comics and graphic novels! Kean will be teaching basic writing and drawing techniques to create your own stories. Space is limited, call to register. Fri., Oct. 11, 2-3pm. ■

JOIN US for a fundraiser event For Leaside High School’s 75th happening Oct 2020 Friday, October 18, 2019 7 - 11pm Leaside Pub 190 Laird Dr, East York Tickets $25 available at the door, or leasidehighschool.com includes appetizers & live band “The Parkhursts”

Leaside Life wants to profile interesting Leaside High alumni. Do you know of someone? Email suggestions to leasidelife@gmail.com

Leaside Life • October 2019

20

Living in Penticton but still Leasiders at heart

by SUZANNE PARK Lives are busy and complex.

Residents and neighbours come and go, yet once a Leasider it seems you’re always a Leasider at heart.

Susan Smith and George Gutierrez were Leaside contributors for over 20 years at community events, Leaside United Church, and the tennis club. They were the type of neighbours who’d be there in a flash to pitch in, often hosting and always joining in block parties.

What first attracted them to Leaside?

“We moved to Leaside in February, 1996. We were searching through different communities in Toronto in late winter 1995. As we drove though Leaside, two ice skating rinks were full. It looked like a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting – we were hooked,” said Susan. Now she and George live in a very different environment – Penticton, BC. “It’s just under two years since we free spirits packed up our things, said goodbye to family and friends and headed west,” Susan said. “Excitement and uneasi-

Where are they now?

SUSAN SMITH AND GEORGE GUTIERREZ

ness were familiar emotions but our conviction to transition our lives in a different direction never wavered. However, the question which hovers in the air is why did we choose to leave our community, the city life, the place we raised our daughter Danielle to move across the country to a place so remote to our fellow city dwellers? Our

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answer is as simple as, why not?”

The traffic congestion, Eglinton Crosstown, high-rise construction, and increased air pollution did factor into the big move. But more importantly, it just felt right to make a move.

“We arrived in Penticton in late November and settled into my sister’s house to search for housing and community. When moving to a small city, ensure you have temporary housing planned in advance because the housing shortage exists right across the country.”

Key to making the transition has been getting involved in their new community. “When you move somewhere new without kids or a dog – get involved. George joined the tennis club, of course, I joined a book club, volunteered locally and we started enjoying Penticton’s outdoor life. Most importantly we found a beautiful condo home and exchanged our view of Trace Manes Park for a close-up view of Lake Okanagan.”

In many ways, Susan said, Penticton feels bigger than Toronto.

“It doesn’t have hundreds of small communities like Toronto. At every outing in Leaside, we would meet people we knew. George and I miss the Leaside where your children are known, dogs are recognized and familiar faces greet you on Bayview.

Yet, we are ‘Pentictonites.’ Every day we wake up, look around at our beautiful mountains, lakefront and can’t imagine being anywhere else. George has a new group of tennis buddies and I am the managing director of the Naramata Centre, a spiritual retreat and education centre. The tradition of starting over continues!” ■

announces

The 7th Annual Reception and Induction Ceremony Friday, November 15, 2019 William Lea Room Leaside Memorial Community Gardens

Tickets $30.00 Doors open at 6:30pm • Reception and Open Bar Induction Ceremony and Presentations • 7: 30pm Information on ticket sales is available at leasidesportshalloffame@gmail.com and 416-421-4944

The following will be inducted into the LSHOF 2019: Paul Gardner: Athlete (Hockey) Kim McCullough: Athlete (Female Hockey)/Community Sports Builder Bob Weir: Athlete (Long Distance Swimmer) Phillip Parsons: Athlete (International Croquet)/Community Sports Builder Recognition of the LSHOF Athlete of the Year: Brian Periku The Leaside Sports Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and promoting sport at the recreational, competitive and elite levels in and from the Leaside community in Toronto.

We aim to foster a community where participation in recreational and competitive sport is valued, and where the achievements of athletes and the contributions of volunteers are recognised and honoured.

The Leaside Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 2013 — Leaside’s centennial year — and is supported by the community’s many sports clubs and local leaders.

On my way to the library today, I stopped by to have a chat with my good friends the garbage and recycling bins at the Trace Manes children’s park, to see how their summer had gone.

“Super busy,” they said, “and so fun to see everyone enjoying the wading pool and playground. As you can see, we’re being well used. But we do feel a little sad, unloved, somewhat disrespected and taken advantage of. So, could you pass these messages along to the community for us? It would make our jobs a lot more manageable and enjoyable!”

• Please don’t dump your household garbage in us as we get overfilled. And when that happens park users have nowhere to put their garbage and it often spills over. Gross!

It is also against the law, and if caught you can be cited for an infraction and fined – which would be a waste of your hardearned money. If you need a larger garbage or recycling bin, please call 311 or purchase garbage tags for excess garbage bags online or at Shoppers Drug Mart or Canadian Tire.

Cheryl Vanderburg Leaside Litterati

• If you see overflowing garbage or recycling bins, please call 311 to have us emptied. We like to look fresh and clean to serve you with pride and excellence, and sometimes the regular pickup is not enough.

• Dog owners – please take your scooped and bagged dog poop home with you, as you take your

dog home with you, and put the bag into your own green bin.

This way it will be turned into compost for your garden, give us some room to breathe, not stink up the park, not attract flies, and not clog up the landfill sites. If you have excess organics and need additional green bins, you can contact 311.

• Please stop throwing non-recyclable items such as coffee cups, dog poop, food and other odds and sods into the blue recycling bin. It contaminates all of the good recyclables and then everything ends up in the landfill. Kind of a waste, we’d say. Our friends in Solid Waste Management post signs to help you place items in the correct bins so please read and respect them and us.

“Thank you! We’re excited about the upcoming park renovations!

And we’re looking forward to having a little rest now that everyone is back to school. We love to serve our community, so drop by anytime and say hi. Best wishes for a litter-free Leaside. With gratitude, your Trace Manes garbage and recycling bins.” ■

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Leaside Life • October 2019

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And now for a word from your garbage bins

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Leaside Life • October 2019

24

ED

ITED

Re: Changing Leaside I enjoyed your [Glenn Asano] article on the changes facing Leaside in the future. This is just the tip of the iceberg when you add in other social and environmental changes coming our way. Our existing infrastructure (sewers, buildings, hydro lines, healthcare, etc.) are not suitable to handle the forecasted impact due to increased temperature and extreme weather events (climate change). It will not be possible for the City of Toronto to manage these issues without better funding and cooperation from the provincial government and it looks like that is not likely in the near term. NOW is definitely the time to start planning for these realities before it is too late.

Michael Brophy Re: Sharing Sidewalks As an 80 year-old, I find this concept very distressing. That a biker would try to pass an elderly person who may well have balance and mobility problems by ringing their bell is extremely dangerous for both parties. I have been struck twice in the past year by bikers who are speeding down the Bayview hill between Sunnybrook Hospital and the CNIB. When a bell rings behind seniors, who are often arthritic and unable to turn around to see the biker, they become startled and easily lose their balance. (This may cause the biker to be hurtled into moving traffic, which is often inches away from the sidewalk.)

Something must be done about this strip of sidewalk as there are many blind and disabled people using it, and ringing a bell behind this population is extremely dangerous.

A sign forbidding cycling on this sidewalk with a stated fine is immediately necessary, prior to a plan for a bike lane on the other side of the barriers.

Please reply to this e-mail and rethink the ringing of bells on the sidewalk behind pedestrians that is stated in “Share the Sidewalk.”

I have ridden a bike myself on the sidewalk, always dismounting around pedestrians. This is a reasonable compromise.

Nancy Hammett

Bella Rouge...

Landscaper...

From Page 6

From Page 8

salon – parking on the street, bike rack a future possibility, cookies, and water by the outside door for passing dogs. There is also an extensive beverage selection: an espresso machine, 17 different teas, hot chocolate for cooler weather.

Some customers have been following Rhona around for years – others are new to this location, but men, women, children – all are welcome. They are also coming to a salon that is working hard to be “green.” Hair colour is ammonia-free, for instance.

The neighbourliness extends to their new tenant, “Absolute Beauty

by Jess,” whom they acknowledge with her name on the large front window.

In Michelle’s words, “team work makes the dream work.” And no, much as I enjoyed talking with Rhona, Michelle and Manush, I am not a client – I have been following my own hairdresser around for years.

Bella Rouge Salon & Spa, 864 Millwood. ■

try to make it to 50.

Now, he is joined at work by his wife Della in the office, Della’s brother in charge of maintenance scheduling, and one of his two sons currently working on a crew.

Both sons have been involved in the business off and on since they were teenagers, starting by cleaning trucks.

The business has evolved too.

Originally, most of the jobs were maintenance contracts. Now, the focus has shifted to design and construction. Landscaping involves a number of skills, including working with live materials, irrigation systems, stones and boulders. And there is the odd surprise – like the hidden well in the middle of a Leaside backyard. Some of his workers are seasonal crew – especially with students in the summers – but many of his employees have been with him for years.

Simon still takes pride when he drives past a property he landscaped years before and sees how the trees and plants have matured. ■

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Lake Leaside remains – will the swan return?

Very few neighbourhood issues become so infamous that they earn a nickname within the community, but that’s exactly what’s happened with the unfinished development site at 70 Wicksteed Avenue – or, as you may know it, Lake Leaside.

As the moniker suggests, Lake Leaside refers to a standing pool of water at a site that was originally intended to be developed into a shopping centre. Unfortunately, the discovery of soil contamination on site halted the development process midway and the site was left excavated but undeveloped. Runoff water and precipitation filled the excavated site shortly after, and Lake Leaside was born.

This spring, I met with the general manager of Toronto Water and the developer multiple times to accelerate the Short Term Discharge process so the site could be drained in time for the summer. While the drainage process was successfully initiated in June – several weeks ahead of schedule – it is only a matter of time before the site fills with water again and the process will have to be repeated.

Jaye Robinson Councillor

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Leaside Life • October 2019

26

While I’m pleased with the shortterm progress we’ve made, I’m working closely with Toronto Building on a long-term, site-specific strategy to prevent future flooding events at Lake Leaside. Through a mechanism in the conditional permit issued for the site in 2014, we’ve directed the developer to restore the area to its pre-development condition, replace all vegetative matter, and restore prior drainage patterns to ensure the site does not flood again next year.

Throughout my time in office, reforming our planning and development process has been one of my top priorities. Lake Leaside clearly exhibits the need for a comprehensive review of the City’s bylaws regulating property standards and unfinished development sites. Developers should be required to remediate and fully restore construction sites, such as Lake Leaside, before they become a visual nuisance or health and safety concern in the community.

This month, the Planning and Housing Committee put forward updates intended to bridge the gaps among the Planning, Building, and Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) divisions. At committee and City Council, I will be advancing this strategy to improve our regulation of unfinished development sites and hold developers accountable to their project timelines through the use of fines, permit revocation, and other enforceable regulations.

Currently, while many new development applications include a targeted project completion date, there is often a significant gap of time between project approval and commencement of the construction process.

On sites where ongoing work is paused, building permits remain valid for up to six months under the Ontario Building Code, even if no progress is occurring. The grey area around stalled construction sites is compounded by a lack of enforceable regulations to ensure that proposed development timelines are adhered to.

As a result, commercial, industrial, and residential sites across the City can be left unfinished for years at a time, at no expense to the developer. The story of Lake Leaside demonstrates that we must take a strong stance on property regulations and utilize a multi-divisional, integrated approach during the transition from the planning to construction process. ■

Larger class sizes add pressure at Leaside schools

Happy 95th Birthday to Leasider Dorothy Hatton Howard In Dorothy’s own words, “If you dwell on something too long, it overtakes you.

Let it go.”

Rachel Chernos Lin Trustee

2019-20 is currently standing at 23.6 students, up from an average of 21.9 students last year. Historically, school boards have had different class-size averages and different teacher attrition rates, so they will likely reach the four-year class size average of 28 students at different stages.

It should be noted that although the TDSB has a system-wide average of 23.6 across high school classes, the averages we are seeing locally in Leaside are much higher. At Leaside High School, for example, where enrolment has exceeded the numbers originally projected, 114 out of 279 classes are over capacity and several classes are in the high 30s.

Larger class sizes are not the only fallout being felt by students as a result of these cuts. Because there are fewer teachers, fewer sections

are being taught, making timetabling extremely challenging. In many cases, students were not able to enrol in their first choice of electives. In the past, switching courses was fairly easy, whereas this year the options for changing courses have been more limited. This situation, which is directly related to the provincial government’s determination to increase high school class sizes, has been not only frustrating, but extremely upsetting and disappointing to our students.

This is just the first year of the province’s four-year plan to increase class sizes. While I am not in favour of the recent cuts to education, I am committed to looking at all creative options open to the TDSB to reorganize our schools so they can best support our students. Currently, senior staff are busy working on a Secondary School Review that will make recommendations to alleviate some of the above-mentioned pressures, and a preliminary report is due to come out later this fall. I will do my best to keep our community updated of any developments on these important issues. ■

Kathleen Wynne MPP Don Valley West

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in Don Valley West!

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

27

Leaside Life • October 2019

Having officially taken office only last December, I am now experiencing my first September as a school board trustee. With three kids of my own in three different TDSB schools this year, I had a feeling it would be busy, and I wasn’t wrong!

September is an exciting and sometimes stressful month for almost everyone involved in the education system, especially students and parents. This fall, the implementation of the provincial government’s budget cuts has created some additional problems to what is always a challenging process.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have received a great many calls and emails regarding class sizes. All of our local Leaside schools are at or above capacity. Most classrooms are full, and many students are finding themselves in larger classes than in previous years. Our secondary schools are particularly impacted, and Leaside High School is no exception.

As many of you may be aware, last spring the provincial government announced a plan to reduce the number of high school teachers by increasing the average class size from 22 to 28 in Ontario high schools over the next four years. The government requires each school board to reach these higher averages across individual boards through attrition (i.e. retiring teachers, who are not replaced).

Based on the current TDSB secondary teacher attrition rate, the TDSB average high school class size for

Leaside Life • October 2019

28

n w o d Chow aside’s at Le nch u b h c n bru

by Suzanne Park

Whether you prefer a leisurely brunch or a quick grab & go breakfast, Leaside has much on offer. A casual stroll any weekend and many weekday mornings will reveal a thriving brunch culture in our part of the world.

Packed coffee shops and restaurants hosting a diverse selection of entrées, beverages and pastries attract Leasiders and visitors. The most popular spots sport lineups filled with patrons animatedly chatting while awaiting their table.

Call, email or drop into our office!

1536 Bayview Avenue 416-483-4444 info@bonniebyford.com

If you’re part of the breakfast crowd, you’re not alone. David Portalatin, vice president, food industry advisor, for NPD, says on npd.com that “in 2019 at home breakfast is on the decline and breakfast trends include more healthful and balanced meals, grab and go and more restaurants adding or completely focusing on breakfast and brunch.”

Google Yelp and you’ll see Leaside is home to two breakfast restaurants in their top 30 and one in their top 10. Can you guess which ones from our chart below?

Here we offer an easy-to-follow guide to Leaside’s breakfast, brunch and munch spots. Let us know your Leaside favourites and why: RESTO Amsterdam Barrel House Cobs Bread Drink Juice Co.

www.bonniebyford.com

SPECIALTIES Smoked Brisket Bennie and Classic Eggs Bennie Ham and cheese or spinach croissants and pastries 100% Organic juices and Custom Smoothies: Rise & Rind, Sweet Greens & I’m Celery & I Know It Juice

Eggstatic

Fusion of Middle Eastern & Western Brunch: Halloumi & Akawi Sauté, Mini falafels, smoked salmon bites

Epi Breads

Grilled veggie quiche and pastries

Freshii

Fiesta Salad with greens, avocado, aged cheddar: add tofu, falafel, chicken, steak or egg

Green Canoe

Lumberjack Chicken and cheese waffles

Leaside Local

Southern fried chicken and waffles with hot honey, crisp coleslaw and Hollandaise

Lit Espresso Bar

Espresso, coffee, teas, chai, London Fog, breakfast sandwiches, pastries and cannoli

Millwood Melt

Grilled cheese, of course! Specialty melts include The Rise and Shine (eggs) and the Green Machine (avocado)

Patisserie La Cigone

All Day Breakfast and quiches, Tart Flambée and les tourtières

Rahier Patisserie

Quiche, croissants, pastries and mini cakes

Sophie’s Kitchen

Eggs Bennington, Run of the Millwood Frittata, Sutherland Sweet Stack

Starbucks

Coffee, tea and smoothies, double-smoked bacon and cheddar and egg sandwich

Sunset Grill

All Day Breakfast balanced with veggies, fruit, eggs and bacon

The Bagel House

Bagels: Cream cheeses, BLT, smoked salmon, Open 24 hours

The Chocolate Messenger

A Sweet Breakfast: Hot chocolate, coffee truffles, chocolates

The Leaside Pub NEIGHBOURING LEASIDE

The Real Estate Tradition

Weekend Grand Slam Brunch: Eggs with 6oz NY striploin or Build-Your-Own Omelette

Hazel’s Diner

The Caker-Layers of eggs, cheese and bacon wrapped in a pancake

Starving Artist

Vegan/gluten-free waffles with fruit, bacon, eggs, smoked salmon or salad

The Donlands Diner The Homeway

Traditional Eggs Bennie, turkey club or hot hamburger sandwich Buttermilk pancakes, cinnamon with caramelized bananas or blueberries

Lynda Gorges Broker

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

Passionate about helping my Clients

Seating (*limited)

Grab & Go

ü ü*

ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü

ü ü ü ü ü ü ü* ü ü ü ü ü ü* ü* ü ü ü ü ü

Bayview & Fleming 1601 Bayview Ave. Toronto, ON M4G 3B5 416-489-1873 8am - 12am* Bayview & Broadway 1860 Bayview Ave. Toronto, ON M4G 0C3 416-482-9841 8am - 10pm* Excluding Holiday Hours

*

BRIAN MOK My staff and I are proud to serve our community!

Address

Contact

87 Laird Dr.

416-504-1060 • www.amsterdambeer.com

1539 Bayview

416-322-0521 • www.cobsbread.com

463 Manor Rd. East

647-352-4333 • www.drinkjuiceco.com

1568 Bayview

647-352-1568 • www.eggstatic.ca

1526 Bayview

416-488-1952

Laird Smart Centre 45 Wicksteed Ave

647-417-1716 • www.freshii.com

900 Millwood Rd.

416-421-5005

180 Laird Dr.

416-696-6226 • www.localleaside.com

1517 Bayview

www.litespressobar.com

902 Millwood Rd.

647-885-7048 • millwoodmelt.com

1626 Bayview

416-487-1234

1586 Bayview

416-482-0917 • www.rahierpatisserie.com

1614 Bayview

416-485-1614 • www.sophieskitchen.ca

1545 Bayview and Laird Smart Centre

416-322-5519 416 429-8827 • www.starbucks.ca

Laird Smart Centre

416-429-1515 • www.sunsetgrill.ca

1548 Bayview

416-481-8184 • www.thebagelhouse.com

1645 Bayview

416-488-1414

190 Laird Dr.

416-467-8682 • www.leasidepub.com

523 Mt. Pleasant Rd.

416-484-9828

505 Mt. Pleasant Rd.

416-792-7053 • www.starvingartistbar.com

417 Donlands

416-421-8500 • www.donlandsdiner.com

955 Mt. Pleasant Rd.

416-488-3242

Leaside Life • October 2019

29

For all your health and beauty needs, come and visit our TWO convenient locations.

Leaside Life • October 2019

30

Our AGM, traffic, development, and so much more!

First, an announcement: the Leaside Property Owners’ Annual General Meeting will take place on Mon., Nov. 4, in the Tennis Lounge at Trace Manes. Doors open at 7 p.m.; the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. We have lots of issues to discuss, and announcements to make, so I hope you will join us.

Traffic!

In the month since my previous column several residents have contacted me with traffic-related concerns. Most fall under the category of “non-enforcement of traffic signage.” Drivers of heavy trucks continue to ignore “No Trucks” signs posted on Leaside’s residential streets. They do so at all hours including the middle of the night, when the arterial streets they are meant to use are clear. As well, I get frequent complaints that many drivers and cyclists continue to interpret stop signs as merely optional, not as the law. These are city-wide problems, not just Leaside’s. Given the City’s Vision Zero 2.0 plan, we should expect some serious discussion of alternate and effective methods of enforcement.

Carol Burtin Fripp Co-president, LPOA

The recent Astor Ave. stop sign relocation continues to confuse.

According to Southvale Dr. residents, it has also led to a noticeable increase in westbound speeding in the block between Rolph and Astor, creating a new safety hazard. This needs to be brought to the attention of both our councillor, Jaye Robinson, and the Traffic Department, and considered when the City formally assesses the change.

Development!

Moving on (pun not intended), the City’s Planning Department has received an application for a condominium development on the former site of Stanley Cleaners at 922 Millwood at Randolph Rd. It is likely to be the subject of a public consultation meeting sometime this fall. Stay tuned.

Both Geoff Kettel and I have often

mentioned in our Leaside Life columns how difficult it is to control inappropriate development within Leaside. More and more traditional Leaside homes are demolished and replaced, with little attempt to fit into the neighbourhood streetscape. It seems as if almost every applied-for variance, no matter how egregious, gets the Committee of Adjustment’s go-ahead. A key reason for this is Leaside’s lack of formal protection for the neighbourhood’s residential character. We only have design guidelines, which have no weight in law, and consequently, all too often, no weight at the Committee of Adjustment. The LPOA has written to Councillor Robinson requesting a meeting to discuss this with planning staff and develop protective measures that actually have teeth.

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The LPOA’s 2019 Annual General Meeting is on MON., NOV. 4, at Trace Manes at 7:30 p.m. The next regular monthly LPOA board meeting is on NOV. 6 at 7:30 p.m., at Trace Manes. We invite you to attend and learn what is happening in our community. ■

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Leaside Life Published once a month in Leaside, Toronto ON, by FH Publishing Inc., 1444 Dupont St., Unit 11A, M6P 4H3 • 416-504-8047 Circulation 10,000 to every door in M4G PUBLISHER: Lorna Krawchuk • EDITOR: Jane W. Auster GRAPHIC DESIGN: Robin Dickie • ADVERTISING: Karli Vezina leasidelifepublishing@gmail.com ph. 647-978-4487 or 416-504-8047

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