LeasideLife issue 8_LeasideLifev1 12-06-18 11:32 AM Page 1
No. 8 • July 2012
Leaside Life
Our own Mr. Baseball is __honoured P-11
CYNDA FLEMING
Redway calls Parker a ‘mugrump’
We’re taking a holiday in August Leaside Life will skip publishing the summer issue at the end of July. We’ll be back at the end of August for our September issue. Meanwhile, we’ll be making some changes. As you might see from this issue, we’ve improved the quality of the paper we’re using. And we hope we’ll have a web site up by September. We’re working on it. Meanwhile, we hope you all have as good a summer as we’re hoping for ourselves.
UNDER ATTACK: Councillor John Parker, centre, listens as angry residents complain he’s not leading the charge against the proposed SmartCentre development on Wicksteed.
Angry residents yell in attacks on Parker The tone of the SmartCentre public meeting on June 11 was set when the first panel speaker, former East York mayor Alan Redway, called Councillor John Parker a mugrump. By the end of the meeting many of the 300 people in the audience were complaining loudly that Parker was insulting them and they were yelling at him. In his day, said Redway, a mugrump was a fence sitter, with his mug on one side and his rump on the other. “We need you, John, to lead the charge against this proposal” by SmartCentre for 147,000 square feet of retail shopping on Wicksteed at Laird, he said.
That was the common call throughout the three-hour meeting, organized by the Leaside Property Owners’ Association and Leaside Unite. “We don’t need him to tell us to let the planning process unfold as it naturally should,” said Redway. But Parker refused to agree with an attack approach. “You’ve got to focus on what exactly is in the application. We are bound by the Official Plan that applies to this site,” he said. The plan permits retail based on the affect on other businesses and traffic problems in nearby areas. Emotions ran high when Parker ANGRY, Page 6
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By ANDREA VILLIERS
Leaside Life, July 2012
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Trying again to get a BIA on Bayview
d… rds ee r Bi S r te tte et Be ts B c tra At
Bayview merchants took one step closer to trying to form a Business Improvement Area (BIA) on May 30. Over 20 store owners at a meeting at Originals Bar formed a potential steering committee: Trae Zammitt The Smokin’ Cigar), Raymond Gork (Leaside Paint), Seta Danielman (Dolce & Gourmando), Stanley Janecek (White House Meats), Jesse Sadhra (The Bagel House), Photis Philos (Bell Jewellers), Rob Tremblett (Valu-Mart) and Roland Tan (Rumah Tangga). The meeting was convened by Councillor John Parker. He said Councillor Josh Matlow, who represents the west side of Bayview, was supportive. “It’s essential it happens otherwise Bayview will be left behind,” says Ray Gork. “The big box stores on Laird are a concern. They have a tendency to suck people off the street.” However, he says, “For as long as I have been in business I’ve been in
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competition with the big box stores. The biggest concern is the ample parking the big box stores offer.” Virginia Evoy, special assistant to Councillor Parker as liaison with the merchants, says the “process of implementing a BIA is more difficult now than formerly, when only 30 percent needed to be in favour. Now 50 percent plus one is required.” She says that this past spring Parker decided to try to push for creation of the BIA. “I have always been of the view that the will has to come from the businesses themselves,” says Parker. “It has also been clear to me that the will is there. But it also became clear that the whole process might benefit from a further, more direct, nudge from me to translate that willingness into action. “For that reason I have made it a priority to take the matter in hand and see if I can’t finally bring the right local leadership together and get the job done.” Michael Saunders, from the
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LeasideLife issue 8_LeasideLifev1 12-06-18 11:32 AM Page 3
Sydney, NS to Toronto – next year right across Canada
Bessborough school parent Triina Forbell started the Kilometer Club after getting an enthusiastic response from principal Michael Walkington in April. She got funding from the Home and School early in June and had the kids running for a week by June 11. They made it from Sydney, NS to Toronto. Next year’s plan is to run the full distance across Canada. By TRIINA FORBELL The inspiration for Kilometer Club comes from Northlea mother Claudine Lukawesky, who has run it at Northlea school for four years. She was very supportive and collaborative in sharing her ideas about the program so that we could run it at
Bessborough as well. The goal for the students was to promote fitness, well-being, participation and mostly to have fun. The goal fo the school was to see how far we could get across Canada. Students from kindergarten to grade 7 ran every morning for one week from 8:10 to 8:30 around the soccer field (200 metres). They could run as many laps as they wanted to, but minimal laps were set, which all student completed. All participants received a bracelet and a charm for each day they attended. Most students ran numerous laps, and kept running for the entire 20 minutes. We had some grade 1 students running over 20 laps! I have many people to thank, most importantly all the students
at Bessborough who came out to participate as well as Bessborough Home and School who funded this project. Important roles were played by grade 3- 4 teacher Meera Jain and grade 7 students Hayley Everett, Jack Stebila, Maddie Zarb, Carla Castillo, Adelaide Baker and Scott Munn. They collected the student attendance, added up the distance run each day, and kept track of how many students per class participated. Once all the statistics were added up, we rewarded the class with the highest participation with freezies and treats. We have had almost 200 students participate each day. The smiling faces of happy students makes it all worth while! Thank you to all who took part! n
Leaside Life, July 2012
CYNDA FLEMING
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8 Leaside volunteers win jubilee medal I’m sure you were watching along with me as the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II culminated with four days of festivities in London, England. What a remarkable woman and what an extraordinary record of service. The Government of Canada commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne by creating the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. It’s a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country and to recognise the significant contributions and achievements of Canadians. As the Member of Parliament for Don Valley West I was invited by the Governor General to nominate 30 deserving individuals from my riding to be recognised in this way. I chose to nominate people who have made an outstanding volunteer contribution through one of the many local community organizations that help to make the various neighbourhoods of Don Valley West such great places in which to live. Eight of these individuals are connected with Leaside and I am pleased to introduce them to you. Phillip Francis and Mary Louise Matthews were nominated for their volunteer contributions to the Leaside Lawn Bowling Club. Both are past presidents of the club and worked tirelessly on its behalf. In recommending these two, current club president Helen Riley singled out their leadership in increasing community outreach, encouraging volunteers, maintaining the club’s facilities and overseeing
John Carmichael MP Don Valley West
the recent renovations to the club house. Paul Mercer, Brooke Biscoe and Charlene Kalia were nominated for their volunteer contributions in connection with the Leaside Arena Expansion Project. Paul Mercer chairs the expansion committee and has provided extraordinary overall leadership to the whole project. Brooke Biscoe chairs the Arena Board and spent countless
BRENDA BI
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WINNERS of the Queen’s Diamond Julibee medal Mary Louise Matthews and Phillip Francis, centre, were chosen by MP John Carmichael for volunteer contributions to the Leaside Lawn Bowling Club.
hours in meetings and behind the scenes. Charlene Kalia led the successful efforts to raise the $2.5 million locally needed to secure City Council approval. We owe a big debt of gratitude to these three, and all who worked with them to get to the point where construction is about to begin. Norm “Charlie� Ahier “has been the heart and soul of the Leaside Atom Baseball Association for more than three decades,� says Bill Pashby, who recommended him for recognition. “He has quietly, effectively and modestly acted as president, groundskeeper, organiser and much more.� And Marianne Knight was nominated for her work with East York Meals on Wheels where she has volunteered for the past 25 years. In recommending her, executive director Anne MacNeill said, “Marianne is 81 years old and has more energy and dedication than people half her age.� Michael Stevenson was nominated for his tireless volunteer service to the veterans living at Sunnybrook Hospital. I am also aware that Howard Birnie was nominated by my provincial colleague, Kathleen Wynne, for his outstanding service to the Leaside Baseball Association and I heartily concur in this nomination. Volunteers are the life blood of every community and those named here represent so many others who also give freely of their time and energy to make Leaside a better place. I hope you will join me in thanking and congratulating them. Happy Canada Day! n
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Angry From Page 1
refused to answer a question on density. Steve Kanellakis, a Leaside Unite member, took the microphone out of his hands and asked, “Are you prepared to fight 51 percent density (on the site), yes or no? And, please, please don’t insult our intelligence.” Shouting to be heard over the raucous crowd, Parker said, “Density is not part of the tests, density has nothing to do with it.” When asked whether density affects traffic, city traffic planning manager Pascoal D’Souza said yes. Parker said he would be happy to tell council how people feel, but he asked, “Is that relevant?” Dag Enhorning, president of Leaside Business Park Association, said, “I don’t think John Parker has presented himself as well as he should have tonight. We’ve worked with John for many years and he has been very instrumental in reducing the size of other developments, most notably 85 Laird or what we refer to as the Longo’s site. “I know that John is working hard to get this site smaller. I’m not sure why he won’t say so.” Parker’s first comments to the angry crowd, after he was asked if he had the political courage to the fight the SmartCentre plans, were, “I’ll tell you what takes courage in politics -what takes courage in politics is to stand up in front of people who have had their worst apprehensions raised by people with credentials that are sufficient that give a level of concern. “I am not about to get on a soapbox and pontifiate on things I cannot deliver given the system we have to work with.” During opening remarks, Graham Shirley, co-founder of Leaside Unite, said the overwhelming concern about this development is the “safety of our children and seniors. …the proposed development will have a detrimental effect on our community.” Former Leaside councillor Jane Pitfield said, “Do not be lulled by comments that this is early in the process.” She aimed a further attack at Parker by saying, “Do not be impressed by a traffic median that is going to take care of our traffic problems.” Asked if he would support a Walmart at the site, Parker, said, “I did my homework. The Walmart on Eglinton is 210,000 square feet. What’s proposed here is 80,000 square feet.” Leaside Unite member Wilmar Kortleever, of North Leaside, said he
also did homework and in Kitchener there is a 54,000 square foot Walmart and in Tillsonburg one of 79,597 square feet. Parker cautioned against taking SmartCentre to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). “We are dealing here with an applicant who is not the least bit afraid of a trip to the OMB. I wouldn’t encourage us to take that particular strategy.” Speakers from the audience said they would be willing to go to the OMB and win. The meeting moderator, LPOA Vice-President Carol Fripp, opened the meeting outlining the features of the SmartCentre project: on 6.6 acres with 130 foot frontage on Laird and a depth of 1,150 feet, the first floor will have eight stores. Above that will be a two-level 83,400 square foot anchor store. The density will be 51 percent, compared to 29.6 percent at the RioCan Centre at Laird and Eglinton and 33 percent at the existing SmartCentre across the road. The new Leaside Village on Laird has a density of 31 percent. Leaside Unite, the LPOA, the Leaside Business Park and some Bayview merchants have formed a working committee. They plan to hire a traffic consultant and a lawyer. n
CYNDA FLEMING
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Leaside Life, July 2012
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LEASIDE ONE HUNDRED committee is asking for ideas for next year's festiivities. From left, Lorna Krawchuk, Virginia Evoy, John Parker, John Piper and Geoff Kettel.
From Leaside100 planning committee: Plannning for Leaside One Hundred in 2013 is well underway. We invite you to friend us on Facebook. Simply go to Facebook, and ask for Leaside One Hundred. We will be using Facebook as our primary internet place for letting you know what is going on. If you are a regular Facebook user, you will be quite comfortable with this. Those of you with internet access who haven’t yet tried Facebook – take this as your opportunity to dive in. We’ll even give you a hand if you need help. We will also be providing updates in upcoming issues of Leaside Life. Over the summer, watch for, pick up and wear your free Leaside One Hundred button.
We are asking groups, clubs and organizations throughout Leaside to consider how you can incorporate Leaside One Hundred into your activities throughout the next year. The staff at the Leaside Library have already provided a number of ideas of ways they can integrate their local activities with us, and we thank them for that early, enthusiastic support. For your consideration – as part of a legacy project from this special year, to plant sufficient new trees this coming year to effectively double our tree canopy. With the immediate problem of the emerald ash borer,
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In our Hood Leaside Life, July 2012
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By BETH Congratulations to Leaside artist Patti Knight, whose art show of original paintings opened for the month of June at the Redline Café in Corktown. Cosmology: Art in Space, features Knight’s work, inspired by photography from the Hubble Telescope. After many successful years in business, Knight decided to follow her passion and has been painting and creating the past 10 years. For over 23 years, residents of Cameron Cres./Macnaughton Rd. have “recycled” their treasures at a giant street sale held the first Saturday in June. Despite buckets of rain, this year’s sale proceeded as planned, featuring Leaside Dad Band, The Parkhursts, at the end of day BBQ and street festival. Special fundraising at this year’s sale for the Schizophrenia Society raised $1,500. As a Leaside Community Appreciation Event, The Mad Italian on Bayview recently raised money for the Do the Happy movement for the Hospital for Sick Children. Within three hours on May 27 almost $1,000 was raised selling $1 gelatos. IN OUR HOOD, Page 9
Best Wishes For a Happy
Canada Day!
Councillor
John
Parker WARD 26 · DON VALLEY WEST
councillor_parker@toronto.ca Toronto City Hall 100 Queen Street West, Suite A13 Toronto ON M5H 2N2 www.johnparker.ca
LeasideLife issue 8_LeasideLifev1 12-06-18 11:32 AM Page 9
In Our Hood From Page 8
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Welcome, Jus de Vie, on Bayview. Promoted as the first cold press juicery in Toronto, store owner Esther Hardoon is excited to open in Leaside. “People are very health conscious here,” she says, adding that the cold press process means that the enzymes in the juice are protected, which makes the juice so healthy. So drink up! St. Anselm grade 8 graduating class has decided to create a green legacy this year. They’ve raised money so that once they’ve done the weeding, they can plant a garden on the east side of the school. Hopefully, future grade 8 graduating classes will continue this new tradition. Congratulations to Cheryl Bannier, Leaside resident recently appointed by the City of Toronto to the Leaside Arena Board of Management. Cheryl adds a new dimension to the Board as a member of the Leaside Curling Club, an organization that shares the arena site. With the new arena construction underway, there’s going to be a lot of activity at the site over the next couple of years. n
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Trying From Page 2
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Toronto Economic Development and Culture department, was at the meeting to answer questions. “There was a meeting two years ago and nothing went forward. If they’re going to do it—do it. If they say they’re not going to do it—then don’t do it,” says Domenic Badali, of Badali Fruit Market. Councillor Parker urged the group to put in an application to the city by the end of June. n
Leaside100 From Page 7
and the necessity it has caused to cut down our mature ash trees, it is especially timely to look at augmenting our healthy tree stock. If you grew up with a tradition of hymn singing, you might want to participate in a hymn festival. What are the 100 best things to do in Leaside? Put on your thinking cap, and send your ideas to leasideonehundred@gmail.com n
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By BETH PARKER Howie Birnie was just a kid of 73 when the Toronto Star ran a feature about his being Mr. Leaside Baseball. Now he’s grown up, and as he hits his 75th birthday, he will get more recognition: This July he will get a community appreciation night with a City of Toronto Tribute. He’ll also be honoured by the Toronto Baseball Association, the Ontario Baseball Association, and will receive a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for service to the community. The ceremony will take place (of course) at Talbot Park, where he has been the “guardian angel” since 1964, followed by a reception with cake at Originals on Bayview. ‘It’s the people in the community that put this together,” says Brad Birnie, one of Howie’s two sons, who also played with the Leaside Baseball Association, “Absolutely everyone wanted to honour him.”
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Except for when it rains, Birnie, president of the Leaside Baseball Association, has been at Talbot Park for the past 40 years. Son Brad recalls the many years his dad spent there, coaching, organizing, directing, and in recent years, umpiring. “As long as I can remember,” says Brad, “It’s been about the ballpark. I think I was there from the day I was born.” He adds that his mother, Marjorie Birnie, was a big part of the contribution to the community because she was okay with all the time her husband spent as a volunteer there, “At least we always knew where he was,” he says. Birnie’s family, his wife and two sons, lived “across from Leaside” on the other side of Bayview but Birnie spent his entire working career in the Leaside Industrial Park at the former site of DRG Packaging (formerly known as E.S. & A. Robinson Canada). He was asked to coach for the Leaside Baseball Association while he was involved with the Toronto Playgrounds League. Jumping at the chance to get involved in a dedicated baseball organization, he coached at the junior level for nine years, became involved in the executive, then moved into umpiring. In addition to his role as league president, he’s also the sec-
Howie Birnie, from the Toronto Star feature of Sept. 10, 2010. retary treasurer for the Toronto Baseball Association. “Over the years, what I like most is seeing so many kids playing baseball, then later in life meeting them again and finding out how successful they’ve become,” says Birnie. As Toronto grows and family life gets busier, Birnie has noticed a big drop in volunteers as well as the number of parents who could find the time to stay and watch the game. The Howard Birnie Appreciation Night is raising funds for the Howard Birnie Appreciation and Baseball Improvement Fund. Donations can be made on line at canadahelps.org, East York Foundation/Donate Now “Howie Birnie Tribute.” n
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Leaside Life, July 2012
From Star feature to many awards
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ART
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Leaside Unite asks for help
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH YOUR
The following was sent to Leasiders on the Leaside Unite elist: In the wake of the Community Meeting on Monday, June 11, a small working group of representatives from Leaside Unite, Leaside Property Owner's Association, Leaside Business Park Association and Bayview merchants has formed to meet with Councillor John Parker to discuss concerns and (we hope) begin to resolve some of the issues associated with the proposal for 70 Wicksteed. We are also forming committees to work on specific aspects of the proposal. If you are interested in working on any of the following, please let us know ASAP at contact@leasideunite.com: • traffic & planning issues • business impact • legal issues • fundraising • publicity & communications LEASIDE, Page 13
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Leaside From Page 12
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Leaside Life, July 2012
Petitions We have over 800 signatures now (online and hard copy) but the petition effort continues - we still need volunteers to gather signatures. Some streets in particular need attention, including Southvale, Glenvale, and Broadway. Please let us know if you'd be willing to help out with that; take a block, take a few blocks - whatever you can manage! If you send… an email, (we’ll) send you the PDF of the petition form to print out.
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Obviously, if you have particular expertise in any of these areas, please let us know!
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Alan Redway
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We must be ready to do battle Leaside's recent successful fight to save the Talbot apartments brings to mind the first major development battle in our community, on Mallory Cres. It set a precedent in the history of community action that must never be forgotten. ln 1966, Cadillac Developments and Belmont Construction applied to rezone l0 l/2 acres south of Moore Ave. and east of Bayview, including the Mallory Cres. road allowance itself to permit the construction of three 22-storey and two 29-storey apartment buildings. That proposal would have replaced 46 single family homes with 1,382 new ones . At that time, 1966, Mallory Cres. was part of Bennington Heights, located in the former Township of East York bordering on the former Town of Leaside. The amalgamation of the town with the township to create the Borough of East York, resulting from the Goldenberg Royal Commission study of Metropolitan Toronto, was to take effect Jan. 1, 1967. The Mallory Cres. battle was fought at the same time as merger discussions were going on between Leaside and East York. The fight began when East York Council approved the development over the objections of Leaside Council. After receiving representations from the area residents, Leaside Council agreed to oppose the rezoning when it came before the OMB for approval. Despite that and despite receiving a letter from Reeve True Davidson of East York lauding the benefits of the project, the residents collected and delivered petitions and hundreds of letters of opposition to East York Council. Leaside and Bennington Heights homeowners packed a public meeting at East York Collegiate aimed at selling the merits of the proposal. A daily newspaper called it a stormy session that accomplished nothing. ln fact, however, it served to strengthen the residents' resolve to REDWAY, Page 16
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Just because you can afford the LCBO’s wine prices does not mean you need to pay them.
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Leaside Life, July 2012
Leaside prefers to pay less for wine.
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Redway From Page 14
Leaside Life, July 2012
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oppose the rezoning. The residents then launched a fund raising drive culminating with another packed public meeting at Leaside High School. This resulted in the formation ol the Leaside-Bennington Heights Association which, with the support of the Leaside Property Owners’ Association, took the lead in opposing the rezoning. The OMB hearings lasted 10 days. The application for approval of the rezoning by East York Council was opposed by the Leaside-Bennington Heights Association represented by one ratepayer from Leaside (Donald Anderson ) and one ratepayer from Bennington Heights (Eric Moore ), the Leaside Property Owners’ Association, Leaside Council and a number of individuals appearing in person. The Board's decision was a victory for the residents. Not only was the rezoning application dismissed, but legal costs were awarded against the township and the developers, a first. The developers appealed to the provincial cabinet. One month after Leaside and East York merged to become the Borough of East York, the cabinet rejected the appeal. Our community has retained its fine residential character because homeowners were prepared to give freely of their time and money and keep it that way. When the occasion arises, we the present residents must be prepared to do the same. n
John Parker Councillor, Toronto Ward 26 Don Valley West
Arena work will cause parking woe Years of wishing, dreaming, hoping, planning, designing and fundraising came to a head late in May of this year when the City of Toronto awarded a construction contract worth over $11 million to build a second ice rink to the existing Leaside Gardens arena. PARKER, Page 18
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HOWARD BIRNIE
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LeasideLife issue 8_LeasideLifev1 12-06-18 11:33 AM Page 18
Parker From Page 16
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Construction activity on the site is expected to start this summer after materials procurement/fabrication and other preliminary work has been carried out. Completion is targeted to coincide with the start of the 201314 hockey and skating season. The big story behind this achievement is the financing package. For the most part, the project does not rely on Toronto’s taxpayers. About $7.5 million will be paid for with funds borrowed on the strength of the income stream of the rink itself, to be paid down out of arena operating revenues. Another $1.5 million will be financed by a further loan provided by Infrastructure Ontario, a provincial government funding agency. Over $2.5 million has already been contributed by the Leaside community and the users of the arena. This amount was raised largely through various fundraising initiatives sponsored by the arena management board and expansion committee. I arranged for a further contribution of up to $1 million from the city’s capital budget if necessary. By the time this column appears there will have been a big ground breaking ceremony and community barbeque at the arena site to thank the community for its generosity in making the arena expansion possible, and to draw attention to the start of actual construction. I take this occasion to note that the coming hockey/skating/curling/swim/Wm. Lea Room events this season will be challenging, as the arena lands will in effect be a large construction site. Parking will be at a premium. Participants in ongoing activites will be asked to accommodate the temporary circumstance with patience and understanding. Car pooling will be encouraged. Parents will be expected in many cases to drop their children off at or near the arena and then park offsite. With that in mind area residents will be counted on to be understanding as their streets provide overflow parking on a regular basis during the year of construction. Every effort is being made to schedule construction activities to minimize the loss of on-site parking during the operating season, but the loss of parking capacity will be unavoidable despite all best efforts to the contrary. PARKER, Page 19
LeasideLife issue 8_LeasideLifev1 12-06-18 11:33 AM Page 19
Parker From Page 18
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Publisher Leaside Life
1913 planners set the tone for Leaside The planners for the Town of Leaside in 1913 certainly knew what they were doing. They planned for a mix of housing styles – detached, semidetached, low-rise apartment buildings, and in a variety of sizes – from larger ones in the interior of the town to smaller ones on the outskirts, but all on relatively small lots. Mixed in with the housing were the provisions for public buildings – a library, sports complex, schools, churches and parks – and commercial space on Bayview, Eglinton, Laird, Millwood, McRae and Southvale. Housing could be owned or rented. In the 1950s, many people bought a house, and then rented out rooms to be able to afford the mortgage payments. For those choosing apartments, the only way to do so was to rent, because condominiums didn’t exist. It was the late 1980s when a group at Leaside United Church was formed with the intent of looking at how a condominium apartment building could be built so that people in the church looking to move from their houses would still be able to stay in the community. The result of this work was the 106-unit condominium building at 955 Millwood Rd., opened in 1988. Ownership wasn’t restricted to those from Leaside United, but a goodly number of those initial units were purchased by people with connections to the church. On the strength of the success of that building, another condominium KRAWCHUK, Page 20
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Leaside Life, July 2012
Lorna Krawchuk
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Congratulations and thanks to board chair Brooke Biscoe, expansion committee chair Paul Mercer, fundraising chair Charlene Kalia and the countless other community members and members of city staff who brought this project to this watershed moment. n
LeasideLife issue 8_LeasideLifev1 12-06-18 11:33 AM Page 20
Krawchuk From Page 19
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was built directly across the street at 928 Millwood, and a retirement residence just to the north. Now, of course, there are condominiums on McRae, Bayview and Kilgour Estates to provide even more choice. Another form of housing, a life lease, also came into being in Leaside – again, as a direct result of the work of a group from Leaside United Church. The aim was to provide housing similar to a condo, but with the restriction that all the owners would need to be over the age of 55. (With condos, they can be marketed as being senior-friendly, but there is nothing to prevent those younger and/or those with children living with them from purchasing.) The local project, called Stay at Home in Leaside, or SAHIL, is the 18unit building you see on the southeast corner of Bayview and McRae. Five Finnish churches came up with yet another wrinkle. For SuomiKoti, the Toronto Finnish-Canadian Seniors Centre at Laird and Eglinton, there is a mix – ground floor offices and services, five floors of mixed life lease and rental apartments in 88 units, and a top floor that is a 34-bed nursing home. At the lowest level, there’s a beautiful swimming pool with community access for aqua fitness classes. In the past few years rental townhouses and now high-rise apartment buildings are being built near the Don River Valley edge south of Eglinton. There are also a few hardy families living in illegal spaces in the industrial area south of Eglinton and east of Laird. Bennington Heights was the product of different ideas in planning than were in place for Leaside. The lots are more generous, apartment buildings are just on the perimeter rather than integrated throughout, Bennington Heights Public School is the only public building, and there is no commercial space. n
Leaside Life Published once a month in Leaside,Toronto ON, by Ruth G. Publishing Inc., 66 Donegall Drive, Toronto ON, M4G 3G5 Circulation 8,500 to every door in M4G PUBLISHER: Lorna Krawchuk EDITORIAL: Harry Goldhar, Andrea Villiers ADVERTISING: Ruth Goldhar TYPESETTING: L. Choy 416‐486‐7387 leasidelife@gmail.com
LeasideLife issue 8_LeasideLifev1 12-06-18 11:33 AM Page 21
Carol Fripp Vice-president, LPOA
How will we cope with more traffic? By the time you read this column in late June, a public meeting regarding the proposed SmartCentre North shopping mall at Laird and Wicksteed will already have been held, jointly hosted by Leaside Unite and the Leaside Property Owners’ Association. All signs point to Walmart as the anchor tenant. And all signs indicate strong public opposition. I continue to hear from residents concerned with existing significant traffic problems on their streets. It’s not just residents living on the “traditionally� busy streets who report safety issues. Across Leaside, from Glenvale through Leacrest, people cite speeding. failure to obey stop signs, failure to obey turn restrictions, truck drivers ignoring notrucks signs, drivers overtaking each other at speed, drivers overtaking cars and buses on corners, and lack of police enforcement. If the SmartCentre goes ahead, these problems will be much greater. As well, I’ve heard from you with questions about the construction-tobe of the new LRT line along Eglinton: what traffic diversions are being planned, to bypass clogged arterials? How long will these diversions last? What if commuters continue to use our residential streets after the construction period ends? Will there be (should there be) traffic planning measures such as calming and minor street redesign to protect the neighbourhood from becoming inundated with commuter and retail traffic? Once drivers have established their routes through Leaside, it is harder to reduce that traffic than to prevent those patterns forming in the first place. The LRT itself presents new advantages but also new challenges: will its cost create more pressure from developers (or councillors) to build more and higher buildings along and near the LRT route? And will there still be sufficient bus service along Eglinton to ensure that FRIPP, Page 22
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Fripp Leaside Life, July 2012
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transit remains accessible, since the LRT stations in Leaside (at Bayview and at Laird), are not within comfortable walking distance? These are questions which the LPOA has also been asking, at all of the information meetings held by the city, and whenever we meet with staff. I suspect that in the not too distant future we’ll be looking at our internal traffic issues, and holding public meetings, to get some consensus. The Leaside Property Owners’ Association exists to reflect Leasiders’ priorities. We get our lead from you. We are experienced in the workings of the municipal process, in deputing at city committees and council, at approaching councillors. But we do need to hear from you. What issues are most important to you? Do you have questions? suggestions? solutions? And might you be interested in getting involved yourself? We are always looking for additional board members. You don’t need to be an expert, but you do need to care about Leaside and keeping it a good place to live. Please get in touch with us. Go to our website (lpoa.ca) and press “contact us”. Or write to us: LPOA, Sunnybrook Postal Outlet, 660 Eglinton East, PO Box 50055, Toronto M4G 4G1. n
Deadline for September, August 10 leasidelife@gmail.com
Summer for family LEASIDE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Summer Kid’s Club, Tuesday, Aug. 28–Thursday, Aug. 30, 670 Eglinton E. for children JK-grade 7 with youth in grade 8 and up appreciated as helpers. Adult Volunteers also needed. Music, crafts, baking, outside play and more. To volunteer or to register, Rev. Angela or Phyllis at 416-4220510 by Friday, Aug. 24, 4 p.m. $30 per child per day or $50 per family per day, $75 per child for the three days or $125 per family. Special assistance and subsidized spaces available with strict confidentiality
LEASIDE LIBRARY, 165 McRae Dr., TD Summer Reading Club, sign up in person and receive your poster and booklet. Visit the library to report on your books by Friday Aug. 31. Summer Storytime, Tuesdays, July 3 – August 28 (2–2:30 p.m.), stories and movies. Drop in. No registration required. Movie Matinees, Thursdays, July 5 – August 30 (2–2:30 p.m.). Drop in. No registration required. eBook Training One-on-One, Thursdays (7–8 p.m.) Bring your e-reader, mobile device, and/or laptop for hands-on help. Drop in. Summer Dance Film Series, Wednesdays, July 11 – August 8 (6–8 p.m.) Drop in. Wed. July 11: Step Up 2, Wed. July 18: Burlesque, Wed. July 25: Stomp the Yard. Chess in the Library, Saturdays, July 14 – August 25 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.). All skills and all ages. Visit or call for more information. Publishing Your First Novel, Monday, July 16 (2– 4 p.m.). Learn about the process of publishing from Jeremy Bates, a new and upcoming Canadian author. Evergreen Awards Adult Summer Reading Program, Wednesdays, July 18 – August 8 (2–3 p.m.). Discover great Canadian books, fiction and non-fiction. July 18: Introduction to the Evergreen Book List. July 25: Local Toronto author Anthony De Sa talks about his first novel, Barnacle Love. Teen Summer Reading Club, Wednesday, July 18 (4–5 pm). Discuss Catherine Austen’s All Good Children.
Leaside Life Editorial and advertising Deadlines for Leaside Life: August 10 leasidelife@gmail.com 416-486-7387
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Leaside Paint Centre 1525 Bayview Avenue Toronto M4G3B5 416 489 7900
Our staff will advise you on all aspects of your painting project. Need a contractor? Check our website for the name of a reputable contractor; www.leasidepaintcentre.com
LeasideLife issue 8_LeasideLifev1 12-06-18 11:33 AM Page 24
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