The City marked the late Mayor Rob Ford’s 55^th birthday by renaming a stadium at Centennial Park the Rob Ford Stadium.

City officials, the Ford family and hundreds of well-wishers, gathered at Centennial Park on May 28 to unveil a sign renaming the stadium, where the late politician and Etobicoke native spent many cherished hours.

Rob was the beloved coach of the Don Bosco Eagles during his time at Toronto’s City Hall. City council voted to rename the Etobicoke stadium in honour of the popular mayor in December 2023. Some of his former Eagles players were in attendance.

Area councillor Stephen Holyday hosted the unveiling as supporters cheered. Many represented the so-called ‘Ford Nation,’ who devotedly supported the former Ward 2 Etobicoke North Councillor before he became Toronto mayor from 2010 to 2014.

Rob’s daughter Stephanie said her dad spent many wonderful hours at the park coaching his team.

“If anything were to be named after my father, this stadium would be the most fitting,” Stephanie said. “It represents his love for Etobicoke and how much he did for the people as mayor, but also what he did for his second love – football.”

She remembered her father’s dedication to the players, helping them succeed outside of the game.

Premier Doug Ford said Rob loved football and believed in his players.

“A lot of his players went on to succeed in life,” Doug recalled. “He knew not everyone was good at academic skills.”

The family will cherish the local park was renamed after Rob and “it just means absolutely everything to us,” he said.

Mayor Olivia Chow said Rob sat beside her late husband Jack Layton at City Hall and they loved to talk about football.

“I know how it feels to have someone pass away at a young age,” Chow said. “I know how difficult it is to lose someone so prematurely. He was young,”

She said Rob was instrumental in paying tribute to Layton by the naming the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, for which her family will always be grateful for.

Rob Ford’s tenure as the City of Toronto’s 64th mayor was marred by controversy. He passed away from cancer at the age of 46 in March 2016.

He was well known for personally visiting many Ontario Housing projects and talking to residents living there and was there to  help them. Rob was famed for personally answering his phone when voters called or always called back if not available.

Toronto Police are warning residents to be wary of hidden cameras being trained on their homes by crooks to monitor your movements so they can conduct break and enters.

Police said the remote hi-tech cameras with battery packs are usually secretly placed in bushes or hedges facing homes where thieves suspect there are valuable items.

The cameras relay images to the thieves alerting them in real time of the movements of residents or when their vehicle has left so they can break into the home and steal jewelry or other valuables.

The warning surfaced after a home on Thirtieth Street in New Toronto was broken into last week and ‘high value’ items stolen by brazen thieves. The home was ransacked for about 30 minutes before the bandits fled.

Police found a camera attached to a battery pack across from the home. The device was hidden in evergreen bush across the street in a neighbour’s front yard. It was camouflaged with green tape, pointed at the targeted home.

“They had been watching us to learn our schedules, how many people in the house etc.,” the victimized residents posted on social media.

Three days later police found a similar camera in another break and enter in Etobicoke. And last year there was an exact incident at a home in an affluent area of central Etobicoke. In all cases, valuable jewelry, family heirlooms and other costly items were stolen.

Police warn that the thieves use a metal detector to find hidden jewelry so they quickly flee.

Residents are advised not leave their windows open and be vigilant for the cameras.

The targeted residents in this case posted pictures of two suspects; the camera and where it was hidden.

It is noted the thieves were wearing gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints.

Social media was lit up with residents expressing their concerns over the daring thefts.

“How terrifying to know that people are watching it,” wrote Vera Teschow “Thank you for having the courage and the thoughtfulness to share with others in the area.”

“Thank you for sharing and let’s all promise to be good neighbours and keep your eyes open,” said Michelle MacDonald. “Let’s keep it that way neighbours.”

Susan Hausmann said residents should always check their shrubs for foreign items.

“Wow. They are getting pretty smart,” she wrote. “We should all go and check our shrubs to see if there are any cameras facing our neighbors.”

“I would like to see them break in and someone be home to give them a surprise,” noted Bev MacPhee. “I am sure they would not be walking out of the house.”

Lucy Lu said we need tougher laws to prevent the brazen thieves.

“And they will keep doing this cuz even if caught they are released next day,” Lu wrote. “It’s just gonna get worse unless the laws change or we could defend ourselves cuz not even that we are allowed.”

“I hope they are caught,” said Templelena Nugent. “Nothing like taking your sense of security away.”

Starting on June 1 Toronto Police officers will begin cracking down on loud noise in the City.

Officers with sound meters will going to homes or businesses with noise complaints and pulling over loud vehicles to check their sound levels.

There will also be noise blitzes conducted by police on area roadways following complaints of loud traffic noise.

The City is requesting areas from residents where police can conduct joint illegal muffler enforcement events involving Municipal Licensing and Standards Division.

“This will be combined with other data sets and not all locations will be selected as certain criteria must be met,” according to City staff.

On June 1 new decibel limits for motor vehicles and motorcycles of 92 decibel at idle and 96 decibel at any engine speed greater than idle, measured 50 centimetres from the exhaust, will come into effect.

The City is targeting illegally modified vehicles by requesting the province increase fines and demerit points for noisy vehicles;  develop stricter and more specific regulations in regards to vehicle modifications; periodic inspections for vehicle exhausts and modifications.

Officials also want to initiate noise activated cameras, in an automated noise enforcement pilot project, which will automatically issue a ticket for loud noise.

The City has also requested Toronto Police conduct joint vehicle enforcement blitzes with bylaw enforcement and explore equipping police officers with sound level meters to target vehicle noise.

Staff will also educate licensed car repair facilities that muffler cut-outs, straight exhausts, gutted mufflers, Hollywood mufflers, by-passes and similar devices are banned under the Highway Traffic Act.

The City has requested that police explore equipping and training its Traffic Services Unit on sound level meters to support enforcement of excessive motor vehicle noise.

Mayor Olivia Chow said in a city as large and vibrant as Toronto, certain levels of noise are reasonable and reflect life in a densely populated city.

“The changes to the Noise Bylaw that Council adopted demonstrate that we are listening to residents’ concerns about noise and are taking action,” Chow said. We are ‘balancing the competing needs of people living, working and visiting our ever-growing city.”

Chief Myron Demkiw said six noise enforcement blitzes, including one in the Humber Bay West area, were conducted in 2022 and there were no charges to vehicles as most of the complaints were against loud motorcycles.

Condo residents in the Humber Bay Shores area have long complained that street racing cars or loud vehicle noise are disrupting their way of life.

A woman and her young child are lucky to be alive after being struck by a car in Mimico.

Police said the incident occurred on May 24 around 5:17 p.m. at be busy Royal York Road and Mimico Avenue area.

The mom and her child suffered minor injuries.

The pair were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene.

Traffic in the area was affected for a period of time

It is unknown if charges will be laid.

The area can be busy at times with traffic entering an exiting a grocery store on Royal York Road with a traffic light close by.

The City is set on purchasing 13 new state-of-the-art firetrucks at a cost of more than $1 million each.

Retiring Toronto Fire Services Chief Matthew Pegg has proposed the City purchase 13 rescue pumper trucks built on Spartan Chassis with Cummins L9 engines for $17.6 million, including taxes and HST.

A report by the Toronto Fire Services was made to the General Government Committee and will be considered by City Council.

The fire trucks are required to upgrade the City’s aging 84-truck fleet and due to the company Dependable Emergency Vehicles, a Division of Dependable Truck and Tank Ltd., will cease making the L9 vehicles next year.

Pegg said heavy truck manufacturers across North America are snapping up the L9 engines in large amounts as they are being discontinued.

He said purchasing the fire trucks ‘will prevent delays in Toronto Fire Services’ life cycle management program to ensure operational vehicles.’

The City last April ordered 30 of the rescue pumper trucks in another contract worth $33.6 million, his report stated.

And in 2022, another ten rescue pumper trucks for a total contract value of $5,113,395 were ordered from the company, which offers some of the lowest prices and good quality emergency vehicles.

“The Cummins L9 engine has been the standard power source in Toronto Fire Services’ fire apparatus for years due to its availability, size, and emission compliance,” Pegg wrote.

He said Cummins Canada is discontinuing the L9 Model by the end of 2025 to be replaced by the X10 model, projected to begin production in the first quarter of 2026.

“This transition was announced earlier this year and many of the impacts are still being determined,” he said.

At the time of this report, the Cummins X10 engine has not been fully designed and it can take some time. It will also cost about $100,000 more each.

“Toronto Fire Services manages a defined lifecycle replacement program for apparatus, that allows the service to ensure it has the vehicles on the road necessary to deliver service to Toronto residents,” Pegg said. “The strategy is based on purchasing a set number of apparatus annually, so that older apparatus can be transitioned out of the fleet.”

The Brampton company has a long history providing apparatus to Toronto Fire Services at reasonable and reliable delivery times and provides a convenient location for warranty service.

The Cummins L9 features from 260 to 380 horsepower and up to 1250 foot pounds of torque. It is designed to excel in some of the toughest duty cycles. High-strength components and features, like replaceable cylinder liners for easier rebuilding, add life to the engine and add to its value.

The Toronto Fire Services was created in 1998 from the merger of the former fire departments of the City of Toronto, East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York. It is the largest fire department in Canada and the 5th largest municipal fire department in North America.

South Etobicoke and provincial convenience stores will begin selling beer, wine and alcohol cocktails this summer, according to Premier Doug Ford.

Ford was in Etobicoke on May 24 to announce that some of 8,500 Ontario convenience stores will begin selling beer, wine and alcoholic drinks by August 1.

Corner stores, gas stations and retailers can begin applying for a licence from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) on June 17, the province says.

Similarly, the 450 grocery stores province wide that already have licences for beer and wine will be allowed to sell ready-to-drink cocktails on August 1.

All other supermarkets and grocers will then be able to sell beer, wine, cider and canned spirit drinks as of October 31.

The retail locations where alcohol will be available for purchase will be able to sell packs of beer of any size, including 30 packs. They will also be able to set their own prices, though the province has regulated minimums.

The move will “give people more choice and more convenience when it comes to buying beer, cider, wine and other alcoholic beverages in Ontario,” Ford said. “The response from the public, from stakeholders, from small businesses has been absolutely overwhelmingly positive.”

He said the expansion will create new growth opportunities for local brewers, wineries, retailers and small businesses.

“It’s going to support local jobs and most importantly, it’s going to give people more choice and convenience,” Ford said.

The province will in turn dish out $225 million to help The Beer Store maintain jobs and offset the costs of an accelerated timeline for beer sales at more locations throughout Ontario.

The funds will help support front-line workers at The Beer Store.

“We’re going to be audited every step of the way, to make sure that it’s being distributed in the right fashion.”

The LCBO will remain a public asset and will continue to operate as a wholesaler and a retailer. A full complement of beverages like vodka, gin and whisky will continue to be sold exclusively through the LCBO network.

The AGCO will be responsible for licensing retailers, and the government says the expansion will come with stronger penalties for infractions. Retailers whose licences are revoked won’t be able to reapply for two years.

The government is putting an additional $10 million over five years to support social responsibility, but a coalition of public health and advocacy organizations have called on the province to develop a comprehensive alcohol strategy for reducing harms.

South Etobicoke has some of the oldest trees in the City but more than half require maintenance to keep them alive and healthy, according to a report.

A City Tree Maintenance Review Update has found that more than half of our trees need general maintenance and less than one per cent needs immediate work.

The review that was conducted last year said 109,607 inspection of trees in park and streets found about 60 per cent of City trees needed maintenance and almost 40 per cent did not require any work.

The review was prepared by the City’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation (PFR) staff for the Infrastructure and Environment Committee for information purposes.

Toronto’s canopy cover and total tree population has increased over the last 10 years, from 26.6% to 28.4% between 2008 and 2018. The City’s tree population increased from 10.2 million to 11.5 million trees.

It said the PFR is the steward of Toronto’s urban forest of 11.5 million trees, of which 6.1 million are on private property, 3.5 million growing in parks and ravines and 640,000 on public streets and trails.

The City has long recognized the importance of trees and urban forests and the benefits they provide. In 2021, City Council reaffirmed Toronto’s canopy cover target of 40 per cent by 2050 to align with the City’s Net Zero Strategy.

The intent of the City’s tree by-laws are to regulate tree injury and removal, protecting trees from unnecessary harm, while promoting maximum tree protection and compensation, including replacement planting.

A City report stated that from May 2022 to the end of 2023, a total of 3,858 tree removal permit applications were considered by PFR, of which 3,335 removal permits were granted by staff, 114 tree permit application were denied, and 409 applications withdrawn by the applicant.

Of the 114 tree permit applications denied by City staff, 60 were appealed by the permit applicant to Community Council.

In Etobicoke York alone some 14 tree removals were appealed; six adopted staff recommendations and eight had their applications amended.

The City says it wants to increase its tree canopy — the amount of city streets shaded by trees — to cover 40 per cent of Toronto by 2050. As of a 2018 city review, the canopy covered about 30 per cent.

Trees are described as a natural air conditioner. A healthy tree canopy is the only way of cooling entire neighbourhoods, according to City officials. Trees filter out air pollution, and in other areas, reduce flash floods and landslides.

Trees are important in urban areas because crowding, impervious surfaces, and development produce lots of heat. Canopy can also help us reduce our carbon footprints and save on our electric bills.

Her loved ones can breathe easier today.

A Swiss woman whose body was found near Humber Bay Shores seven years ago has finally been identified by Toronto Police officers who refused to give up.

Police said the woman’s body was found in August 2017 in Lake Ontario, near Humber Bay Shores.

Her name has not been identified and she was called Jane Doe.

“Investigators were called to the scene and determined the remains were that of a female between 48 to 72-years-old,” police said in a release.

Officers said there were no signs of foul play and some of her belongings were found in the area of the remains.

“Despite continuous efforts by law enforcement to identify the woman, no leads yielded a match and the case went cold,” according to the release.

Toronto Police in 2022 submitted forensic evidence to a Texas facility in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help to identify the woman.

Scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman. It was returned to Toronto for use in a forensic genetic genealogy search to develop new leads in the case.

Follow-up investigations led Toronto officers to potential relatives of the woman throughout North America, most of whom traced their heritage to a region in Switzerland.

Police and the RCMP reached out to Swiss police in August 2023 and their probe focused on a woman who was reported missing in Switzerland in September 2017.

Police said as the woman’s identify is not being released because her death is not considered a criminal matter.

Area artists will be sought for a proposed art park being planned to beautify The Queensway area.

A $750,000 work of art will grace a park between two condo towers at 1001, 1007, 1011 and 1037 The Queensway, near Islington Avenue at the northern portion of the Cineplex Theatre site.

 A motion will be considered by the Etobicoke York Community Council on May 22 to approve the artwork for the park and the hiring of an artist to perform the work.

“The provision of public art in the public realm will further assist the creation of a sense of place and overall recognition of The Queensway,” according to City staff. “Public art can create identity and can help to celebrate the history and character of the area and its community.”

It said the new 1849 square metre public park is situated between the buildings and fronts onto The Queensway. The park will be located between two towers, about 20 storeys high, which will contain 545 residential units.

“The centrally located park is the public art site,” according to a report. “Public art was reviewed in accordance with the policies of the City of Toronto Official Plan.”

The motion states that $750,000 will be donated to the art work by the developers of the condo towers. The funds will be used for artist fees, consultations, installation and other costs.

“The public art is proposed to be a free-standing artwork that is in a highly visible location at the north-west entrance to the park,” according to City officials. “This location is accessible to all, either physically and/or visually, and intends to be a highly impactful feature of the overall development.”

The artists will represent a ‘broad representation from the art community, including those from the Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving groups or communities.’

It called for the selection process to be initiated through a national, open competition that will be widely advertised on multiple platforms, including artwork competition websites and social media.

The call will be distributed to agencies representing or having access to Indigenous artists, in support of the City’s Public Art Strategy.

Three art experts will select five qualified artists for the work and one will be chosen by a five-member jury panel.

In the jury is ward resident Matthew Varey, Artist and Creative Director of Visual Arts, Etobicoke School of the Arts.

Varey during his career as an artist, has exhibited around the world at Mati Gallery in Greece, Art Forum Berlin in Germany, Art Miami in the United States, and at Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa in Italy.

The lucky artist will be selected later this year, with the park construction to begin in the Fall of 2025 and with the artwork to be installed by the summer of 2026.

For more information contact Andrea Mantin, Project Manager, Programs and Strategies, Urban Design, Tel. (416) 392-2281, andrea.mantin@toronto.ca

A popular and charismatic long-time Mimico 50-year entertainer who was beloved in the community has passed away.

George Kash, popularly known as Mr. Oktoberfest, passed away on May 20. He was 84.

The self-described professional entertainer was a party icon in Ontario and beyond. He was the undisputed “Mr. Oktoberfest,” as leader of the oompah-pah band the Oktoberfest Express and standing MC of Toronto’s Festival of Beer.

His characters included Mr. Watermelon Head and Mr. Coffee Bean Head.

“George was my best friend, bandmate and beautiful soul,” recalled Leo Sullivan. “He touched the hearts of thousands in his 50-plus years in the entertainment world.”

Sullivan said Kash wore many hats and was well-known for playing Santa Claus in the annual downtown parade.

“He always left the people wanting more,” he said. “Love you my dear friend.”

Long-time Mimico resident Bob Hodge said Kash lived on Lake Shore Blvd. W., for many years and ‘was a real character.’

Hodge said the entertainer was always there for tree lightings and drop-in appearances locally.

“He also had a couple of bands including The George Kash Experience and did music ranging from Oom Pa Pa to rock and roll,” he said.

I first saw Kash many years ago in a performance at Ontario Place where he performed for many years. In this show he was drinking beers while standing on his head.

Kash was arguably one of Toronto’s most widely known and versatile performers.

He employed his infamous interactive techniques, getting right into the audience and bringing people into his act in a way that would make any rock star envious. He also performs his trademark move – drinking two beers while standing on his head.

His resume included actor, town crier, disc jockey, auctioneer, clown and product promoter, to name just a few of the hats he wore.

“I’m a professional entertainer, that’s what I do,” he says with his characteristic, no-nonsense swagger. “It’s unbelievable you can make a living this way. I’m just all about a good time.”

Kash was loved for his trademark move of drinking two beers while standing on his head. He’s been performing this feat since 1978 when he first did it to put a few British upstarts in their place at the Edelweiss Beer Garden at Ontario Place.

Kash headed The Oktoberfest Express and emerged as Canada’s premier Oktoberfest performer and gained the title as the Undisputed Mr. Oktoberfest.
This Lord of the Lederhosen gained international acclaim far from South Etobicoke to countries as Australia, Fiji, Portugal, Morocco, and other hot Oktoberfest areas including Kitchener, Edmonton, Ontario Place and the Canadian National Exhibition.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.