Mimico residents are in for a surprise.

A $260,000 plan to install 65 speed humps and all-way stops to streets in the Mimico area will be considered next month by local councillors.

The Mimico Neighbourhood Mobility Plan (NMP) will be considered by Etobicoke York Community Council on June 3.

The proposal has left many residents angry since it will slow down traffic and make it slower for those who live there.

The Mimico NMP project area is located between Royal York Road to the west, Manchester Street/Burlington Street/Victoria Street to the north, Louisa Street to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard West to the south.

The area includes Judson Street/Royal York Road intersection and the Newcastle Street /Royal York Road intersection, and will take into account dynamics from a broader context area, according to a report by the City.

The report proposes three speed humps on Lake Crescent, two on Symons Street, three on George Street, seven on Wheatfield road, two on Hillside Avenue, four on Queens Avenue, three on Elizabeth Street, four on Station Road and four on Superior Avenue, between Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Cavell Avenue, to name a few.

There will also be two on Alexander Street, 10 on Cavell Avenue; between Royal York Road and Burlington Street, and six speed cushions on Mimico Avenue, between Royal York Road and Lake Shore Blvd. W.

Community council will also decide if the speed limit should be reduced from 40 kilometres an hour to 30.

Also planned are all-way compulsory stop controls at the intersection of Stanley Avenue and Albert Avenue and Victor Avenue.

The report said it costs the City $4,000 to install one speed hump or speed cushion and $2,000 for an all-way stop.

The City said the measures stems from complaints by the community in regards to resident safety due to speeding vehicles using the area as a shortcut and a lack of parking.

“There is a history of community-led advocacy to improve safety and mobility conditions in the area,” according to the report. “Over the years, members of the Mimico community have expressed concerns about transportation conditions and road user behaviour.”

It said there is a history of collisions resulting in serious injury or fatality, non-compliance with traffic regulations, road user safety, and atypical geometric design of intersections are among the most frequently cited concerns.

“Residents have submitted a series of petitions related to speed management and requests for traffic  calming and intersection controls,” according to the City.

The report said there are a number of schools in the area and some of the roads will made slower for traffic through the use of bike lanes, planters in the roadways, all way stop signs or through pedestrian crossings.

Pedestrian crossings are planned for Royal York Road and Judson Street; the CN Rail Corridor, at Stanley Avenue: which will have crossings at Station Road, Queens Avenue and Superior Avenue to list a few.

You can view the full report on the City website or https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/get-involved/public-consultations/infrastructure-projects/mimico-neighbourhood-mobility-plan/

Police say they will be out in force on Victoria Day in the Humber Bay Shores area to curb the abuse of fire crackers and fireworks that takes place yearly at this time.

There are reports every year of condo dwellers, or visitors, shooting off fireworks from balconies aimed at people or vehicles on the ground.

Residents have repeatedly complained about their pets being spooked by the noise of the celebrations.

Toronto Police and Municipal, Licensing and Standards officers will be in place at area parks including; Marie Curtis, Colonel Samuel Smith, Humber Bays West and East to enforce fireworks bylaws.

There are usually a litany of complaints from Humber Bay Shores residents of fireworks being fired from balconies at people or pets on the ground and other forms of noise and bright light abuse.

Police said they will also be out in numbers at Ashbridges Bay during the Victoria Day fireworks and are reminding people not to bring or set off their own fireworks this long weekend, in an effort to avoid a repeat of past public safety issues.

Large crowds are expected to gather along the bay and at Woodbine Beach on Monday to watch the annual Victoria Day Fireworks.

Personal bonfires and fireworks are strictly prohibited at the event and in all city parks. Possessing said items could result in seizures and fines, officials say; people caught setting off fireworks will be subject to a $1,000 fine.

Alcohol is also not permitted at Ashbridges Bay, on the beach or in the park areas.

 

No one was hurt after an e-bike caught on fire in an apartment above a store in Alderwood.

Neighbours said flames were shooting out an apartment window about 10:45 p.m. on May 18 above Sherway Physiotherapy at 324 Brown’s Line.

“There was smoke everywhere,” said Carrie, who lives a few doors away. “There were about eight firetrucks fighting the fire.”

She said one pumper spent all night at the scene in case of possible flare ups.

Carrie said three men lived in the apartment and they were not home at the time as the device was being charged.

Neighbours said the men regularly repaired the e-bikes and added parts to them.

The physiotherapy clinic, and those next door, appeared to have suffered major water damage from firefighters attacking the lingering blaze.

There were a number of people from area apartments and a nearby bar checking out the firefight.

The burnt out e-bike, and another one, were left outside on the street. The fire blackened window was wide open with the fire damage clearly visible.

“Our apartment was left smelly from the black smoke,” Carrie said. “You could smell it from down the street.”

It is not known if, or how many, residents had to seek shelter elsewhere due to the intense battery blaze. It is not known if charges will be laid.

Flames sparked by lithium-ion batteries are on the rise and pose a “significant risk,” the city’s fire chief said after a blaze aboard a subway train demonstrated how quickly flames sparked by a faulty battery can spread.

There was a major e-bike fire on a TTC subway car on New Year’s Eve that led to the bikes banned from GO Trains last March.

The transit system has begun conducting electric bicycle inspections across the network, looking for uncertified batteries which could be a potential fire hazard.

And two residents were hospitalized last October after another e-bike caught fire inside a Toronto apartment.

Fire officials are warning e-bike users to purchase batteries from the manufacturers and stay away from replica or cheaper brands, which may not be recommended for the devices.

No one was also injured on May 18 after boat exploded and caught on fire while being docked at a Humber Bay West park.

“Ya we got to see most of this from the balcony,” said a witness on social media. “Never seen clouds of smoke like that before.”

“Yeah I called a couple times, after forever it just ended,” Straxi wrote. “By that point I heard the firefighters, but I was really surprised there was no hold.”

Local marathoner Jerome Drayton’s love of a girl led him to a successful career in long-distance running that took him to the Olympics and the famed Boston Marathon.

Drayton, 79, became of the 16^th and last Canadian to win the annual 127-year old Boston street race in 1977.

In the end the girl, then a student of Mimico High School, spurned him but Drayton kept up his love of competitive running for more than 20 years.

Drayton has won dozens of races; including the Fukuoka International Marathon in Japan, which he won three times. He also placed second in the New York City Marathon in 1975 and placed sixth in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.

He has lived in South Etobicoke since 1957, first for decades in Mimico, before moving a couple years ago to New Toronto.

You may have passed by his portrait many times as it is painted with other high-achieving residents on a Lake Shore Village BIA Wall of Fame, which graces the side of a pharmacy on Sixth Street.

Drayton, originally of Russia, is known around the world for his prowess in running the marathon, which are all the same length of 26.2 miles or 42.2 kilometers.

“The Boston Marathon was a tough race,” he recalls. “The race often intrigued me as it had not been won by a Canadian since 1948.”

The New Toronto resident beat thousands of top runners in the Boston race to make it to the finish line in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 16 seconds. Canadian Gerard Cote won the event four times in the 1940s.

Drayton said the Montreal Olympics and the Japanese Marathons were other major and high-profile races which featured many elite runners competing.

“I loved the running which I did for enjoyment,” he says. “I also loved travelling to different places to race.”

Back then there was no prize money for winning races as there is now, he notes.

During the day he worked downtown for the Ontario Government as a Sports and Recreation Fitness Consultant, in which he helped organize amateur sports groups and aided them to obtain funding.

“I trained for hours twice a day back then,” Drayton says. “I would run in the morning for about an hour and go back out in the evening for another hour.”

He retired from the sport in 1983 after putting in thousands of miles in practice and competitive running.

Drayton likes the South Etobicoke area which he says has not changed that much but the people has over the years.

“It is a good place to live,” he says. “We have a lot of good people down here.”

Drayton doesn’t run these days as he suffers from arthritis in one knee, which makes it painful.

The former marathoner is still sharp and remembers his races, when and whom he competed against long ago.

South Etobicoke places of worship, faith-based schools and other vulnerable centres have been the scene of many hate-filled demonstrations of late.

Now safety zones to curb hate may soon be in place to protect residents of the many anti-Arab or anti-Jewish demonstrations taking place.

The City is requesting the provincial government create safety zones around places of worship, faith-based school and vulnerable community social infrastructure.

A motion by Councillor James Pasternak is calling for City Council to request the Attorney General of Ontario to introduce legislation to permit peaceful protests or demonstrations while creating safety zones at facilities, including daycares, community centres and museums.

Pasternak said since October last year there has been an increase in protests and demonstrations in Toronto.

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said there was a 93 per cent increase in hate crimes since last October 7; and 56 per cent of the incidents have been anti-Semitic and target the Jewish population.

Demkiw said there has also been increases in anti-LGBTQ hate, anti-Black, anti-Arab, Muslim and Palestinian hate.

“To date no such safety zones have been created,” Pasternak wrote. “Instead, demonstrations continue to occur close to and target such facilities, creating fear and distress for many Torontonians.”

Council said the safety zones should within a radius of 50 to 150 metres from the affected churches, faith-based schools, day cares and other agencies.

Police have stepped up patrols at some of the centres that attract protestors.

The motion states that all City residents have a right to safely gather and peacefully co-exist.

“All Torontonians have an opportunity to voice their opinion,” the motion said. “This must not extend to disturbing protests that target vulnerable locations.”

Mayor Olivia Chow last October passed a ‘Keeping Toronto Safe from home’ for the creation of community safety zones.

A prominent businessman is one of two board members appointed to head the Lakeshore Arena.

Nick Eaves and Andrew Teichman were appointed by City Council on May 22 for a two year tenure to lead the Lakeshore Arena Corporation Board.

Eaves, who has a long background in Etobicoke, spent 21 years at Woodbine Entertainment Group, including five as its Chief Executive Officer.

He is also the Chief Venues and Operations Officer at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Marlies, Raptors 905, TFC II and Raptors Uprising Gaming Club.

Eaves joined MLSE in 2016 and is responsible for overseeing the Operations, Capital Projects and Development function at its venues. He also has oversight of MLSE’s LIVE division that brings hundreds of world-class music and entertainment events to its venues each year.

“Nick has an extensive knowledge of the facility and its operations,” according to a biography.

Eaves is said to have led Woodbine through significant change and helped create opportunities for development and future growth, due to a the five-year Horse Racing Partnership Plan with the Province of Ontario.

He is an active community volunteer with organizations as Out of the Cold, United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Woodbine Entertainment and Tourism Toronto, where he also serves on their Boards of Directors.

Eaves volunteers with the Out of the Cold Program, Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter, Youth Without Shelter and United Way Toronto. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Western University.

Also being appointed to the arena board is Andrew Teichman, who has more than 30 years of experience in acquisitions and divestitures, major project and engineering management, and investment management.

Teichman has considerable clean-tech venture capital experience, including serving as a director on various technology development companies. His areas of interest include economic and urban development, climate change, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies.

The Lakeshore Arena Corporation is a City corporation that manages the arena, otherwise known as the Ford Performance Centre, a marquee four-pad ice arena that offers ice rentals, leagues, public skating, drop-in programs, tournaments and special events to the local community.

It is used by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies, and some visiting NHL teams and tenants include Hockey Canada, Hockey Hall of Fame and the NHL Alumni Association.

MAY 18 ETOBICOKE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Annual Plant Sale rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Fairfield Seniors Centre, 80 Lothian Ave., for a large selection of perennials, native and pollinator friendly plants, herbs, annuals, shrubs and house plants. Also garden accessories, tools and gardening advice. Cash or credit card accepted. More at www.etobicokehort.ca

MAY 23 MOVIE MATINEE at LAMP CHC at 1 p.m. in the community room for the screening of a family friendly film. For more information, contact AnthonyA@lampchc.org or phone 416-252-6471 ext. 246

UNTIL MAY 24 FREE ENGLISH CONVERSATION CLASSES learn and improve your English skills with ESL teacher. Adults only, beginners and intermediate levels are welcome. Fridays to May 24 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Stonegate CHC Meeting room, 10 Neighbourhood Lane, Unit 201. To register call 416-231-7070 ext. 307 or e-mail health.promotion@stonegatechc.org

MAY 25 COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Do our Spring cleaning together at Franklin Horner Community Centre, on Horner Avenue, in its garage sale. All is welcome. Tables $25. Also a BBQ that day. For more contact 416-252-6822.

MAY 25 FREE GIANT GARAGE SALE presented by the Royal York United Church from 8:30 a.m. to noon to come and shop for treasures, like housewares, small furniture, games, toys and puzzles, jewelry and purses. There will be a gardening area with perennials, houseplants, pots and gardening items. At 851 Royal York Road, three blocks south of Bloor Street W. Call or text 647-292-2448 or visit ryru.ca for further information.

MAY 25 – 15TH ANNUAL SPRING BIRD FESTIVAL at Colonel Sam Smith Park, Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Kipling Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a day of guided bird walks, live birds, reptiles and amphibians, backyard habitat building, art workshops and children’s activities. Bird walks run regularly during the festival and place your dog on a leash. The festival is part of the annual Toronto Bird Celebration that runs through May. See more at Toronto.ca/SpringBirdFestival.

EVERY THURSDAY UNTIL JUNE 6 Virtual Chair Exercise on Zoom for older adults at 11:30 a.m. Join Fitness Instructor Cynthia as she leads a group for 45 minutes with seated exercise in your own home to improve mobility and endurance. To register call 416-231-7070 ext. 307 or e-mail health.promotion@stonegatechc.org

 STONEGATE CHC THE GOOD FOOD MARKET runs every Thursday from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at 10 Neighbourhood Lane, 2nd floor, for affordable produce. Cash and debit accepted. Any questions call 416-231-7070 ext. 307.

EVERY TUESDAY SENIORS GENTLE CHAIR EXERCISE from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Trillium Room at Stonegate CHC, 10 Neighbourhood Lane. A Registered kinesiologist will lead a group with exercises to increase strength, balance and flexibility. To register call 416-243-0127 ext. 503 and specify Stonegate location or visit www.stonegatechc.org.

LAST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH OLDER ADULTS 55 PLUS Seniors Social Game Group from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stonegate CHC, 10 Neighbourhood Lane. It is an opportunity to meet, socialize and take part in card and board games. Light lunch served. To register call 416-231-7070 Ext. 307 or email health.promotion@stonegatechc.org.

EVERY FRIDAY LATIN DANCING Spice up your dance moves and immerse yourself at LAMP CHC in the vibrant rhythms of salsa, bachata, and more. No partner or experience needed – just bring your passion for dancing! For more e-mail anthonya@lampchc.org or call 416-252-6471 ext. 246.

DAILY WALKING GROUP WITH NIKI AND MARY at 2:30 p.m. at LAMP. Step into a healthier, happier lifestyle by joining our local walking group! Lace up your shoes and let’s stride towards better health and stronger community bonds together! To register, contact Niki at NikiM@lampchc.org or phone 416-252-6471 ext. 257.

THURSDAYS AT 3 P.M. FREE ART CLASSES in person at LAMP CHC join local artist Nataliya Sydorenko and experience the health benefits of painting and drawing-enhance your creativity, improve memory and reduce stress. To register, please email anthonya@lampchc.org or phone 416-252-6471 ext. 246. WEDNESDAYS UKELELE 101 at 2:30 p.m. at LAMP call Anthony 416-252-6471 xt. 246.

More than 900 area residents have signed an online petition demanding changes or a halt of a massive Long Branch condo development.

Five residential towers have been proposed to redevelop 220, 230 and 240 Lake Promenade and 21 and 31 Park Boulevard, across from the shores of Lake Ontario.

Signs have gone up around the large property warning residents that an application for the changes are before the hearings process.

The proposal would see some low rise apartments with 548 residential units being demolished to be replaced by two 12 storey buildings, two 14 and two 30 storey mixed use buildings.

The older low-rises being demolished are the home to many seniors who have lived here for decades, are older and being threatened with demolition and having to move.

“We have roots, friends, family, schools, doctors, and social lives are all based here and we love it,” according to the petition. “Most of us are in rent-controlled apartments … and we expected to live out our lives in this place, not having to fear major rent increases in our lifetime.”

The petition states that residents are being threatened with a five to 10 year construction zone that would uproot the tenants of two buildings, who would have to move away until the new rental buildings are finished.

“Hundreds of people would have to put with living in a construction zone until we also get moved away from our beloved lakefront hundreds of feet away,” according to the petition. “There would be obscured views as there are no 30-storey skyscrapers, or buildings over 10 storeys in our neighbourhood,”

It said 30 storey towers are three times too high for the community.

The proposed buildings will have a total of 2,021 suites, 548 of which would be rental replacement, 29 of which would be market rental, and 1,444 of which would be market condo suites. The complete can take as long as 10-years to be completed.

The project calls for 1,307 new parking spaces for vehicles in three underground garages of two storeys each, with 101 of the spots meant for visitors. Located alongside the Waterfront Trail, there are 1,556 resident bicycle spaces planned across the site, or about .75 spaces per unit, with another 86 spots for visitors.

Residents said their streets are narrow, most have no sidewalks and not made for major traffic that would happen if density was increased never mind what the truck traffic would be like for years during construction.

They said the incoming condos area are not on a roadway or convenient for public transit.

“This kind of increased density would destroy many people’s long-time homes, darken the surrounding houses and completely change the character of this small community,” according to residents.

The petition can be accessed on change.org

A massive 45-storey mixed-use condo tower is proposed for a very busy intersection in Islington Village.

The tower at 4875 Dundas Street West is near Islington Avenue and will be built on the south west corner site of a current 10-storey rental apartment building that will be demolished to make way for the new development.

An application has been filed for an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to permit the construction of a mixed-use high-rise and demolition of the older building.

The new building is designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects and features a four-storey podium and will house a total of 488 units, which includes 432 market-based condos and 56 rental units.

An underground garage spread across three levels would provide 221 parking spaces, with 214 for residents and seven for visitors. There will be 332 long-term and 35 short-term bicycle parking spots.

The area is busy for motorists and pedestrians as several TTC bus routes operate near the proposal site, offering connections to Islington, Kipling, and Dundas West stations as Islington Station is close by.

The neighbourhood is getting congested with condo towers as a 25 story building is proposed at 4888 Dundas Street West and another at 27 storeys close by.

A major redevelopment is also planned for the lands at the Islington Station, at Bloor Street West, where a new bus terminal and a 55, 41, 34 and 32-storey buildings are in the works.

The development will be close to a new Etobicoke Civic Centre and thousands of affordable housing being constructed in the Six Points Interchange area, near Bloor Street West and Kipling Avenue.

There are four buildings ranging height up to 24 storeys and about 2,800 affordable housing units planned for the site.

Toronto hockey fans are skeptical and weighing in that all charges were dropped against two men who were arrested for the armed carjacking of Mitch Marner’s SUV at Cineplex Cinemas Queensway.

The star hockey player and his team the Toronto Maple Leafs are out of the playoffs now but almost two years ago he had his expensive Land Rover carjacked as he and his now wife were leaving the theatre.

Police at the time said a black Honda Civic pulled up to block Marner from leaving a parking lot at the Islington Avenue and The Queensway theatre. Three suspects armed with two handguns and a knife demanded the keys of his vehicle and drove off.

Two of the suspects were arrested in March 2023 and charged with robbery with a firearm and disguise with intent. One faced a further charge for failing to comply with a release order.

The men were granted bail that same month.

Court documents show the charges were withdrawn by the Crown in October 2023, according to the Toronto Star. The court was told “there’s not a reasonable prospect of conviction.”

The robbery came as a wave of carjackings were increasingly making headlines across the GTA with Marner’s experience shining a spotlight on the City’s rising auto theft crisis.

There were more than 12,000 car thefts in Toronto last year; with up to 20 thefts daily in South Etobicoke alone.  Police said a vehicle is stolen every 40 minutes in this City.

There have been 137 carjackings in Toronto so far this year, which is an increase of more than 60 per cent from the same date last year.

Many hockey fans were skeptical the charges against the men were dropped and took to social media to express their views.

“Someone screwed up and we cannot simply shrug our shoulders,” an outraged Kamil wrote. “The outcome of this is that two potentially very dangerous criminals are still out there and so far they’ve been able to get away with it.”

Kamil is asking what really happened and why was the men arrested without sufficient evidence.

“This is a curious outcome,” Kim suggested. “Almost always the truth comes out in time.”

“Kudos on a job done by Toronto Police and the Ontario Crown,” said Wally.

Carl said it is about time those in authority come clean.

“It’s time this secrecy was done away with,” Carl wrote. “No doubt mistakes were made now as so often in the past.”

 

 

 

 

 

The thefts have led to hundreds of armed home break-ins and car jackings as thieves rob owners of their high-end vehicles, which are then shipped abroad for resale or for use here to commit crimes.