Prayers were said to honour five firefighters from the former Kingsway-Lambton Fire Station who were killed 67 years this week while rescuing residents in Hurricane Hazel, one of the worst storms to hit Canada.

The brave men were killed as they went to rescue people stranded in a car by floodwaters on the Humber River. The fire truck the men were driving became stuck on a flooded street and overturned, tossing the men into the raging water.

Five of the nine men on board died. We remember and pay tribute to Angus Small, Dave Palmateer, Frank Mercer, Tiny Clarence Collins and Roy Oliver. Marsh Palmateer, Jack Philips, Jim Britton and Bill Bell survived.

Hurricane Hazel struck the Toronto area on October 15-16, in 1954, with catastrophic results. It was Canada’s worst hurricane and Toronto’s worst natural disaster. During the storm, winds reached 124 km an hour and over 200 millimetres of rain fell in just 24 hours.

This city felt the brunt of the hurricane on October 16.  In Toronto, 81 people died. Some 30 of the victims were on Raymore Drive, where the Humber River tore homes from their foundations.

“I felt so helpless, but there was nothing I could do, nothing anybody could do. The water was so deep, up to our chins, and all the firemen were weighed down by clothing and boats and equipment,”   volunteer fireman Bryan Mitchell told reporters afterwards.

The hurricane left Etobicoke Creek overflowing its banks, flooding three Long Branch streets and killing seven people.

Several houses were washed into Lake Ontario, many while their occupants watched from higher ground or roof tops, but some with the residents still inside.

“If it hadn’t been for the trees, which held the houses back, half of them would have been swept out into the lake,” Reeve Marie Curtis told the Globe and Mail. She said two trees prevented a house with 35 people perched on the roof from floating into the lake.

Firemen and police rescued people from their homes, moving them to higher ground or roof tops. People pulled into the lake were rescued with ropes.

The destruction left thousands of people homeless. The total cost of the destruction in Canada was estimated at $100 million (about $1 billion today). The storm would change the Toronto landscape forever and mobilize the need for managing watersheds on a regional basis.

A plan was proposed to clear 300 homes from the lower elevations at a cost of $1,600,000 and create a 35-acre park, named after then Reeve Curtis.

By the time Hazel dissipated it had caused between up to 1,200 deaths and inflicted damages in Canada, Bahamas and the U.S., Haiti, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Grenada, Bonaire Curacao and Aruba. Damages was estimated at $382 million then.

 

 

Area residents say they were startled by a loud crash and then police sirens.

A search is now underway for a driver of a vehicle who fled the scene of a fatal crash on October 15 in the Burnhamthorpe Road and Shaver Avenue area, just west of Islington.

Toronto Police were called around 12 p.m. for reports of a loud crash.

Investigators say a Gold Pontiac Montana van and a black sedan were travelling westbound on Burnhamthorpe at a high rate of speed when the van collided with a Honda CRV that was going south on Shaver, causing that vehicle to flip over.

The driver of the sedan fled the scene of the crash.

The driver of the CRV, a 59-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the van was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police released surveillance images of the black sedan and are asking anyone with dashcam footage or additional information to contact them.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1900, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).

A beauty queen with a heart of gold.

An Etobicoke contestant of this year’s Miss World Canada beauty pageant has taken to Go Fund Me to raise funds for kids in Make a Wish Foundation on behalf of Miss World Canada.

Simran Sohal has raised almost $1,000 in an online fundraiser to help the foundation, which helps fulfill the wishes of children with a critical illness between the ages of 2 to 18 years old.

“Together we can change the lives of children with critical illness by granting them their wishes and giving them strength to fight their illnesses,” Sohal wrote in a post. “Let’s bring a smile to their faces and make a difference in their lives.”

She is a National Delegate for Miss World Canada 2021, to select a beauty queen to represent Canada at the 70th Miss World Final on December 16, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 

“Please support me and join me in raising funds for making children’s wishes come true,” Sohal appealed. “Regardless of the amount, every donation creates a life changing impact.”

She was also crowned Miss GTA World 2021 earlier this year.

The area resident is a hard worker and a graduate of a Bachelor of Arts Specialized Honours in Theatre from York University.

“I feel blessed for this life-changing opportunity as it would pave the way for turning my dreams into reality,” she said.

The Miss World Canada contest has been held annually in different incarnations since 1957 to select Canada’s representative to the Miss World contest. The contest was not held last year due to COVID-19.

The pageant is held each summer in Toronto. This year it was integrated as part of the Miss World Canada 2020 selection process, in which some 44 candidates faced off.

Jaime Yvonne VandenBerg, of Alberta, won the title of Miss World Canada 2021 on October 3 in Vaughan. She held the title of Miss International Canada 2020 and Miss Earth Canada 2018.

The current Miss World is Toni-Ann Singh of Jamaica who was crowned in 2019. There was no contest in 2020 due to the pandemic.

 

 

BY DAVE KOSONIC

The community of Markland Woods has a lot to be thankful for.

Developer Marc Cavotti had a vision in 1958 to create a unique residential area in Etobicoke that was to be carved out of 400 acres of land that was owned by the Silverthorn family since 1809.

Now more than 60 years later this community named Markland Woods, or sometimes just Markland, continues to thrive and hundreds of the original Silverthorn forest trees are preserved and protected.

Cavotti overcame one development hurdle in a positive and productive manner in 1965. His land near Etobicoke Creek by the present- day Bloor Street was deemed a floodplain not safe for homes so he created the Markland Wood Golf Club as an alternative.

Markland is not a typical subdivision with many identical homes, instead most residences are unique in style because so many different builders were involved in home construction there.

And how prices have soared. My late father Edward purchased our Markland family home in 1962 on Toledo Road for $28,000 from two independent builders.

We maintained ownership on the home until about eight years ago when my father’s estate was settled.

Markland has a very strong sense of community spirit with residents working together for the better of all. Much of this can be attributed to the Markland

Homeowners Association formed in 1962. One of the association’s biggest battles involved the low-flying airliners travelling over Markland while approaching Pearson Airport by using the south-north runway.

They won that battle in two ways. A parallel south-north runway was built with an aircraft approach to the west of Markland. Secondly these two runways are only used when absolutely necessary for example due to wind conditions.

Markland is formed around the four- kilometer Markland Drive and divided down the middle by Mill Road.

Numerous well-known people lived in Markland Wood including the late Ron Lawless who resided on Thicket Road. He was the President and CEO of Canadian National Railways for many years.

The late Thomas Bolton who was at one time the President of the Dominion Stores grocery chain lived on Markland Drive.

And keeping the forest tradition alive many Markland roadways relate to trees, for instance, The Green Pines, Mountain Ash Court and Maple Gates Crescent.

By the way here is how the name Markland came to be. It refers to Mark Cavotti’s land or Markland.

 

 

Some Long Branch autumn lovers are taking part in a car rally to watch the beautiful turning of colours of the leaves across the region. Others are cleaning up our prized lakefront, others praying for their loved ones lost due to COVID-19.

There are many things to do this fall as the weather is still warm. Here are some events that may tickle your fancy, if you do not want to remain inside.

 

 

A number of South Etobicoke agencies have come together to celebrate the lives of loved ones lost due to COVID-19 in our community.

“We have navigated quite a year, one that has robbed us of many things but most dearly our loved ones,” according to Rev. Jacqueline Daley, of St. Margaret, New Toronto, on Sixth Street.

“We are coming together to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have passed away in our families, at our workplaces and other circles,” she said.

The community is invited to a gathering and remembrance installation to honour those who have passed. It will take place on October 23, at St. Margaret, New Toronto, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Daley said attendees will receive a ribbon to write the person’s name to add to the installation.

Should organizers not be able to hold the gathering in person due to weather or health restrictions, a virtual celebration will be held on the same day and time.

If you have any questions, would like to RSVP and have your loved one’s name your loved one’s name read please send their name to operations@lakeshorearts.ca

Rev. Daley can be reached at  647-766-7794 or priest-stmargaretnewtoronto@toronto.anglican.ca

A woman waiting for a bus in New Toronto was sexually assaulted by a man who took off, officers from 22 Division say.

Toronto Police said the incident occurred on September 29, around 11:30 p.m., in the area of Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Kipling Ave.

“A man approached a 23-year-woman from behind while she was waiting to board a bus,” police allege. “The man sexually assaulted the woman.”

The suspect is described as being about 25 years old, 5-foot 8-inches, medium build with red facial hair. He was wearing a grey Champion brand hoodie, salt and pepper Roots sweatpants and red shoes.

It is believed the woman was a Humber College student who was on her way home.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.
Police said sexual assault is any form of unwanted sexual contact. It includes, but is not limited to, kissing, grabbing, oral sex and penetration.

 

Many parents are left worried and concerned over the closure of Silverthorn Collegiate Institute due to an outbreak of COVID-19.

The almost 900 students of the 291 Mill Road School, in central Etobicoke, were moved to remote learning, according to Toronto Public Health officials.

All in-person classes and activities were dismissed on October 12.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) said the closure will allow public health officials additional time to investigate the cases. There is no idea on how long the closure would last.

“We’re working closely with Toronto Public Health and helping in any way we can,” TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird said.

The outbreak was declared and a decision to close the school was made after an investigation last weekend showed potential exposures to students across multiple grades.

There have been 21 active school outbreaks and 30 active investigations in 122 school settings as of October 8.

This is its first whole-school dismissal of the academic year.

Parents said they are concerned their children may contract the virus and school and health officials are encouraging students to get their vaccination shots.

Free vaccination shots are available at a Mobile Immunization Clinic on October 18 at Lakeshore Collegiate Institute, at 350 Kipling Avenue, from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The school is more than 50 years old and is named after a prominent Etobicoke family.

 

 

Niagara Regional Police are searching for a vandal who smashed a bust of an iconic former slave who snuck dozens of Blacks into Canada to escape slavery through the Underground Railroad.

The bust of Harriet Tubman was pushed off a pedestal to the ground and broke into pieces last weekend at a St. Catharines church where she once worshipped.

Police believe the incident occurred around 9 p.m. on October 10 when a man in the courtyard of British Methodist Episcopal Church, on Geneva Street, shoved the heavy statue. The incident was caught on the church security cameras.

“I’m heartbroken,” said Rochelle Bush, historian and trustee at the Salem Chapel BME Church told the St. Catharines Standard.

“We were trying to maintain the grounds, trying to have something to commemorate Harriet Tubman and now it’s no more. It’s gone. We have to replace it. I’m just shocked that anyone would do it.”

The stone bust of the famed Underground Railroad ‘conductor’ was unveiled at the church in September 2010 and was the focal point of a meditation garden.

The bust was sculpted and donated by artist Frank Rekrut, who spent months creating a likeness using a black and white photo. Other donors contributed to the work’s installation, benches and a pedestal.

Tubman was born in 1822  in Dorchester Country, Maryland and lived to be 91.

She is described as a U.S. abolitionist and political activist, who escaped slavery and made some 13 trips across the border at night to illegally sneak about  70 slaves into Canada, where they became free people.

She used a network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. During the American Civil War, she served as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army. In her later years, Tubman was an activist in the movement for women’s suffrage.

As a slave, Tubman was beaten and whipped by her various masters as a child. Early in life, she suffered a traumatic head wound when an irate boss threw a heavy metal weight intending to hit another slave, but hit her instead. It caused her severe injuries which she suffered for life.

These experiences, combined with her Methodist upbringing, led her to become devoutly religious.

Tubman is today idolized in the Black and wider communities for saving the lives of dozens of slaves by sneaking them to Canada by following the moon and stars in the middle of the night.

 

 

The Lakeshore Village Better Business Improvement Area (BIA) is set to lose another of its directors.

Members of Etobicoke York Community Council on October 12 will consider a motion for the removal of long-time director and vice-chair Peter Kearns, who owns Kearns Financial Inc.

Kearns, who has been on the executive for some time, is expected to be formally removed by the community council, whose members claim they have the authority to do so, according to documents filed to council and posted on its website.

Documents filed state that a report has been submitted asking council to remove ‘one director who has resigned from the Lakeshore Village BIA Boards of Management.’

The community council is delegated authority to appoint and remove directors from the boards of Businesses Improvement Areas (BIAs) that fall within its geographic boundaries, according to the documents.

The BIA’s treasurer, Rattan Gandhi, also resigned from his long-time position several months ago.

In another development, barber Andy Dinner, the owner of Your Neighbourhood Barbershop, has told the South Etobicoke News that he will be running for president of the BIA in the upcoming election.

Dinner said he has been in touch with other area business owners who are demanding changes.

The BIA chair is held by Chris Korwin Kuczynski, a former Toronto councilor.

The next virtual BIA meeting is slated for October 13.

Anyone can attend a BIA meeting, both members and non-members. To speak or give presentations, you need to be invited or pre-arrange the meeting with the Chair Person. Only board members may vote at regular meetings.