AUGUST 3 RALLY HIGH PARK ACCESS TO ALL first Saturday of each month including September 3 and October 5 meet at 11 a.m. meet at Bloor Gate. Bring signs. City of Toronto council have voted to close the park until 2027 to cars. Have this bylaw amended to provide free access to the disabled, mobility challenged, seniors, young families to High Park. Sign a petition at www.change.org

AUGUST 4 PARKDALE CARIBBEAN FOOD FEST from 12 noon to 8 p.m. in honour of Michelle Davis at the Green P parking lot at 1624 Queen Street West, at Callendar Avenue, featuring vendors and other activities. Email kolorsinc@gmail.com or marketingparkdale@gmail.com

AUGUST 11 SHORELINE CLEANUP of cigarette butts rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. put on by Friends of Humber Bay Park and Unsmoke Canada. The shoreline will be cleaned up and the collecting of cigarette butts. Meet at the 2195 Humber Bay Park W. Trail, at Humber Bay West near the Mimico footbridge. For more info e-mail friendsofhumberbaypark@gmail.com

LOVE, LAUGH AND LEARN language and literacy programs for parents and their babies every Thursday until August 1 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Sunnylea Park, by south fence near the tennis courts, 195 Prince Edward Drive. To register e-mail early.years@stonegatechc.org

WOMEN’S WALKING GROUP EVERY Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. until July 4 to connect with others, reduce stress, increase energy and lower blood pressure. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a hat, water and sunscreen.  To register call 416-231-7070 ext. 307 or email health.promotion@stonegatechc.org.

AUGUST 29 LAKESHORE HEALTH and Wellness Fair from 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at LAMP CHC to join us for a back to school health and wellness fair for families in South and Central Etobicoke. To register for a backpack and for more information, email youth@lampchc.org or phone 416.252.9701 ext. 310.

SEPTEMBER 7 FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZA at Franklin Horner Community Centre, 423 Horner Avenue, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Once again Royal LePage Porritt Real Estate is sponsoring a bouncy castle. Fun activities for all.

SEPTEMBER 15 ETOBICOKE TERRY FOX RUN for cancer research at West Deane Park from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lots of fun for all ages with live music, face painting, a bouncy castle, BBQ and more. For more email s.sprenger@rogers.com

SENIORS SOCIAL GAME GROUP for adults 55 and older last Friday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stonegate CHC, 10 Neighbourhood Lane, Unitg 201, to play euchre, dominos, Uno, bridge and more. Light lunch served. To register call 416-231-7070 ext. 307 or e-mail health.promotion@stonegatechc.org.

TUESDAYS YOGA INDOORS 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Stonegate CHC, Trillium Room, with Stephanie from Yoga Outreach Project. Bring your own mat and water bottle. To register call 416-231-7070 ext. 307 or e-mail health.promotion@stonegatechc.org.

SENIORS GENTLE EXERCISE on Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Stonegate CHC, Trillium Room, 10 Neighbourhood Lane, Unit 201, with a registered kinesiologist who will lead the group with exercises to increase strength, balance and flexibility. To register call 416-243-0127

WEDNESDAYS YOGA INDOORS 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Stonegate CHC, Trillium Room, with Kat from Yoga Outreach Project. Bring your own mat and water bottle. To register call 416-231-7070 ext. 307 or e-mail health.promotion@stonegatechc.org.

WEDNESDAYS FOR CHAIR YOGA at 1 p.m. at LAMP CHC for a gentle seated workout to strengthen muscles and mobility and improve balance using bands or light weights. For more contact anthonya@lampchc.org or call 416-252-6471 ext. 246.

WEDNESDAYS FOR MINDFULNESS with Corin at 3 p.m. online via Zoom as Corin De Sousa provides evidence-based mindfulness programs and workshops. She is a certified teacher with the Canadian College of Educators. To register e-mail anthonya@lampchc.org or call 416-252-6471 ext. 246.

SHUTTLE BUS TO NO FRILLS for grocery shopping at The Queensway and Royal York Road for seniors or those with mobility issues. Buses run bi-weekly and will pick you up and drop you off at home. Call 416-231-7070 ext. 239 to fill out the necessary forms.

THE GOOD FOOD MARKET every Thursday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Stonegate CHC, 10 Neighbourhood Lane, second floor, for affordable produce. Bring your own bags and cash or debit accepted. For more call 416-231-7070 ext. 307.

WALKING GROUP WITH NIKI AND BINNY at 10:30 a.m. meet at LAMP CHC and step into a healthier, happier lifestyle with a local walking group. Lace up your shoes and let’s stride towards better health. To register, contact Niki at NikiM@lampchc.org or phone 416-252-6471 ext. 257.

SOUTH ETOBICOKE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST become a member and be a part of a transformative movement. You’ll have a say in preserving affordable housing, green spaces, and community amenities for generations to come. For more contact info@SECLT.ca.

THE WEST TORONTO DIABETES EDUCATION program is a free service consisting of a team of Registered Dietitians and Registered Nurses providing free diabetes education and support for adults (18+) living with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. For more information, call 416-252-1928 Ext. 100.

It took a lot of lobbying by Long Branch residents to slow down a massive multi-condo development being planned for 220 Lake Promenade steps away from the lake.

More than 1,000 residents have signed an online petition and are raising funds to halt the five tall buildings planned for 220, 230, 240 Lake Promenade and 21, 31 Park Blvd., that stands to affect 548 tenants, many elderly, living there for decades.
Councillor Amber Morley finally said she is against the project as planned.

“I have since let the applicant know that I cannot support this application, at this location, in its current form,” she wrote in a newsletter on August 9.

The proposal, which has been working its way through the system, seeks to build a five-tower development that will include 30-story condos as well as multiple 12-story towers, which residents said will quadruple the density of the area.

Residents said as many as 548 mostly-elderly tenants will be forced to find apartments elsewhere that are affordable.

“An application this large would still have considerable negative impacts on those tenants and require many people to be displaced in an extremely difficult rental market,”  according to the city.

Morley said she has convened a working group to review the plan.

“The applicant made several changes in response to the feedback they received, including additional amenity space and park land considerations, but were clear that they are unwilling to adjust the scale of the proposal,” she said in a bulletin.

The significant concerns remains the height and density proposed at the location, which is in the middle of a residential area served by local roads.

The developer can continue with the City’s development application review process, potentially making further revisions, until a report is prepared by City Planning and goes to City Council for a vote.

Or they can choose to appeal their application to the provincial Ontario Land Tribunal.

Residents of the planned site said they have been unable to eat or sleep as they fret about their next home.

 

A meeting was held to determine what happens to a homeless encampment living in tents in a New Toronto parking lot.

There are also reports of people living in two area parks that residents want cleaned up.

A virtual meeting was held July 29 community update into the two or three men who have sought refuge in the parking lot of LAMP CHC, on Fifth Street, since last winter.

Members of the encampment had to, but failed, to  leave several days ago.

“Hear an update on the work being done to secure permanent housing for LAMP CHC parking lot residents,” according to a flyer promoting the meeting.

It includes maintaining and securing the agency’s parking lot area, including the fence and garbage cans,” according to the City.

Two of the men living at the site say they are quiet and haven’t posed a problem to area residents.

“We keep to ourselves and people don’t even know we are here,” one man said as they sat outside in chairs on a hot day.

Meanwhile, City crews have been working to clean up after an encampment of homeless living at Coronation Park, in the Judson and Royal York Roads area.

Residents said there are folks living in two tents in the park throughout the winter.

Judson area residents are blaming the homeless for a rodent problem due to waste food and goods left behind.

There are also reports on social media of another encampment of people living in Marie Curtis Park.

For more information about the meeting call Councillor Morley’s office at 416-397-9273.

Some South Etobicoke families had a chance to bond with officers from 22 Division Toronto Police and other services at a community meet and greet.
The 3rd Annual 22 Division Community Summer festival was held on August 10 at the Bloordale United Church, on Bloor Street W.
A number of lucky youngsters received free bicycles collected by police from the public and were shown proper riding techniques.
One young boy was in disbelief that he would receive a free bike from police.
Members of the Fire Services, Paramedics and other services were at the festival showing off some of their gear.

One of the more popular attractions was the Mounted Unit which drew the attention of most of the children, who wanted to pet the beautiful and well-trained horses.
Police said bicycles are being accepted at 22 Division, 3699 Bloor St. W.,  and will be distributed to children in need.
Inspector Jeff Bangild said officers are seeking feedback so they can better serve the community.
“It has been great interacting with the community and to listen to their concerns,” said Bangild, who has been on the force for almost 30 years but only stationed at 22 Division for several months.

Michael Georgopoulos, of the Community Police Liaison Committee, said it was a fun filled day of activities and food for the entire family.
He said here were activities for the children led by the Royal York Football Club, Eurostep Basketball and the Etobicoke Pickelballl Association.

A popular South Etobicoke ribfest that was scheduled for this weekend on the grounds of Humber College has been cancelled leaving many in the community disappointed.

Organizers had expected to attract more than 13,000 to the third annual Etobicoke Rifbest, which was to run from July 19 to 21 at Col. Samuel Smith Park.

The festival promised food from five of North America’s best rib teams serving up saucy, steaming barbecue alongside live music performances all weekend long.

The fest attracted many area residents some were employed as vendors, musicians, kitchen staff for the event.

Days before the festival, organizers issued a statement saying the event had been cancelled.

“It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of the Lakeshore Ribfest 2024 event scheduled to take place this weekend at Assembly Park in Etobicoke,” according to a letter signed by organizer Rick Brooks.

According to Brooks, the City of Toronto issued last-minute requirements that the festival put down truck matting to cover the entire grass area to prevent the park’s grass from getting damaged which, Brooks says, would be “nearly impossible.”

“It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of the Lakeshore Ribfest 2024 event scheduled to take place this weekend at Assembly Park in Etobicoke,” Brooks wrote.

“Despite our best efforts to offer alternative solutions with these new regulations, the time frame and logistical challenges presented have made it impossible for us to meet these requirements and proceed with the event as planned,” he explains.

He was disappointed for the vendors, sponsors, and the many attendees who were looking forward to enjoying this annual celebration of food and community.

“The past 2 years Lakeshore Ribfest has always been a highlight of the summer season for residents of Etobicoke and Lakeshore Village, and we share in your disappointment,” Brooks said.

Members of the Lakeshore Village BIA said they are disappointed since the festival brought people to the area

Pastry  baker Debbie Skellas has taken the simple donut to the next level and made it into an art form.

Skellas is the founder of unholy Donut, which does not have a hole in the pastry and instead filled with cream, fruit or other flavours.

She, with husband Mike, have recently opened their third donut store at 234 Brown’s Line, near Lake Shore Blvd. W.

They have others at 519 Maitland Street and at  596 Bay Street. The bakery was voted one of the best donut in the City of Toronto on social media.

Their donuts are all handmade using fresh ingredients and can often take hours to make since the brioche-style base requires more time to achieve its fluffy and gooey texture.

“We take our time because we want to ensure that the donuts taste great while also upholding the quality of the brand,” she said.

unholy Donuts’ caters to both chocolate lovers and those who like a fruity twist to their desserts. There are always about a dozen flavours to choose from and more is in the oven.

They feature filled and unfilled donuts in flavours like Ferrero Rocher, Nutella Bomb, Banana Delight and Strawberry Cheesecake.

“We currently have 12 flavours and hope to slowly introduce more,” Skellas said. “Each of the donuts resembles mini-cakes and is infused with custard that’s made in-house.

Depending on the donut, the custard filling may come in flavours such as vanilla, strawberry or raspberry.

Some of the popular flavours include: Ferrero Rocher donut, which sells for $5.95, the chocolate pastry cream paired with Belgian milk chocolate ganache and the Nutella Bomb, at $5.95.

Skellas got into the donut business during COVID when a downtown restaurant allowed her to sell her pastries, which people loved.

She has worked for years in her family’s restaurant and always loved cooking and baking.

The Brown’s Line facility is larger in size and allows them to expand their line of pastries.

There are batches of hand-rolled donuts in carts awaiting to be put into ovens for cooking.

There is also a space to perform the dressing of the donuts.

Skellas now has a staff of eight to help with her stores, which have a cosy and friendly feel.

Unholy Donuts can be reached at 437-294-5784.

Many of us in the community have lost track of the status of the historic 108-year-old Mimico train station in Coronation Park.

The fate and revitalization of the iconic train station is being considered by City Council on July 24.

A motion by Ward 3 Councillor Amber Morley seconded by Shelley Carroll calls for the City’s Parks and Forestry staff to plan for the restoration and activation of the Historic Mimico Train Station.

It seeks a building assessment and meetings with the local councillor, residents association, Mimico Village Business Improvement Area and other stakeholders to get their input.

The station was built around 1916, according to the Architectural Conservancy Ontario.

The building was originally owned by the Grand Trunk Railway and later taken over by the Canadian National Railway.

It stopped being used as a station in the late 1960’s and was abandoned in 1989 before being sold by Canadian National in 2001.

The new owner of the station applied for a demolition permit, and the Mimico Station Community Organization was formed to fight the demolition. They were successful, and in November 2007 the station was relocated to Coronation Park

City staff said the building has been closed for some time but there is an opportunity to revitalize the station as a local community asset.

They said there has been calls from residents to revitalize the area into a community space.

The City has to determine what work is required to ensure a safe and functional station building and identify potential uses and partnership opportunities.

Area residents have also been calling for the preservation of the Joy Gas Station, still standing as a heritage building at Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Windermere Avenue. At one time there were 16 of the U.S. owned stations in the Toronto area.

 

The raging rain and floods was too much for this one man who had to be rescued by helicopter from the swollen Etobicoke Creek.

A Canadian military helicopter was summoned to airlift the man to safety during a July 16 outburst that flooded highways and knocked off power to 167,000 people.

More than 20 people were rescued by firefighters after being trapped in elevators.

Many elderly residents were reminded of the outburst by Hurricane Hazel, with struck on October 15, 1954, which will be 70 years in three months.

Hurricane Hazel killed at least 469 people in Haiti before it struck Canada and the U.S. near the border between North and South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane.

A number of homes in Long Branch and the Marie Curtis Park area were taken away by the fast-moving flood waters.

Toronto Fire Services said several emergency services were called on Tuesday to the creek near Sherway Drive shortly after 5:30 p.m. for a rescue.

“There is no word on the person’s condition. It is unknown how the man got stranded on the island,” fire officials said.

The man was just one of several people who had to be rescued after heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding in Toronto.

According to Toronto Fire, on Tuesday, they rescued 20 people from cars and buildings, including a dozen who were stranded on the Don Valley Parkway.

“We had a gentleman stranded in the middle of the Etobicoke River stranded on a small island. We had a lot of flooding today, and we had high-flowing waves going through the river,” Toronto Fire District Chief Tony Rowe told reporters.

Toronto Fire added that crews responded to almost 500 incidents between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m., including elevator rescue and water calls.

Fire firefighters perished from the flood waters while tending to Hurricane Hazel calls.

Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest, second-costliest, and most intense hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed hundreds of people in Haiti before it struck the U.S.

 

An iconic and rare New Zealand locomotive is being rebuilt thanks to a Long Branch historian who posted online a sought-after 40-year steam device used to repair the train.

Loco 107 was built in 1885 and was left derailed and used to hold dirt when found in 1992, in Middlemarch, near Christ Church, by train enthusiasts who have been working for years to bring it back to life.

The enthusiasts managed to locate in their search for parts a Facebook Steam Engine Parts Page and a sought-after Zero Detroit self-lubricating metallic device that atomizes an oil mixture with steam to cool down the hot cylinders.

Long Branch resident and historian Bill Zufelt had purchased the steam device in the 1980s and is a collector of some rail items, including steam whistles. He listed the device for sale online for about $100.

“I had no idea what it was or let alone how it was incorporated into the operation of a steam train until I posted it on Facebook Marketplace’s category of Steam Engine Parts,” Zufelt said.

He was surprised and ecstatic when contacted by Gary Hodson, of Middlemarch, who said ‘my device would be an excellent and crucial part to restore old Loco 107.’

“I was astonished,” Zufelt said. “Someone half-way around the world saw the device and they wanted it to bring an ancient train back to life.”

The town has a population of about 160 and is a farming community with a long rail history.

He said the device is being sent from Toronto to Middlemarch by courier service and should be there by August.

The enthusiasts are part of Project Steam Middlemarch -The Prospector, a railway preservation society based in Dunedin. They are dedicated to the restoration of  steam locomotives formerly operated by the New Zealand Railways Department, with a goal to restore locomotives to operating conditions.

The 107, is one of two locomotives built in 1885 by Nasmyth, Wilson and Company. They entered service in 1887, were withdrawn in 1928, and in 1932 dumped in a river to help prevent erosion.

The remains were recovered in May 1992. The locomotive will be used as a tourist attraction once it has been restored.

 

 

A man who fled a fatal Gardiner Expressway  crash and took off by foot has been arrested.

“The driver of the black Audi was seen by witnesses fleeing the scene on foot,” according to Toronto Police. “He was walking on the elevated portion of the Gardiner Expressway towards Spadina Avenue.”

Police were called on July 4 at 2:04 a.m. to a personal injury vehicle collision on eastbound Gardiner, east of Dufferin Street.

Police said the two vehicles were driving eastbound on the Gardiner Expressway.

A four-door Audi sedan was travelling at a high rate of speed at the time and collided with the rear of a KIA sedan, according to police.

The KIA sedan had five occupants, three who were transported to hospital and two occupants were uninjured.

A 40-year old female passenger was transported to hospital and was pronounced deceased.

A 20-year-old female sustained life-altering injuries and a two-year-old child was transported to hospital with minor injuries.

Investigators are seeking any dash camera footage, surveillance footage, or information that may assist the investigation from people traveling in the area at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1900, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.

Vance Kong, 48, of Whitby has been charged with six drinking and driving and six driving offences.