City officials are working to lessen loud motorcycle noise.

Super loud motorcycle and vehicle noise have been a constant source of complaints by residents of Humber Bay Shores and other Toronto areas.

City officials say they continue to receive complaints regarding “excessive noise from motorcycles, which is often a result of speeding.”

To help lessen motorcycle noise, Municipal Licensing and Standards have a dedicated Noise Enforcement Team that have partnered with Toronto Police to stage an event so riders can see if sound levels are within acceptable limits.

The event will take place at the Etobicoke Civic Centre this month to highlight and share information on the loud noise and what to do about it.

Police said no tickets will be given out and all riders are welcome.

City officials said online that while the Noise Bylaw prohibits unnecessary noise, bylaw enforcement officers do not have the authority to pull over vehicles in motion.

This specific authority is granted to Toronto Police under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act (HTA), who also have jurisdiction over speeding.

Join them on September 30, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Etobicoke Civic Centre, 399 The West Mall.

 

You may have to leave home a little bit earlier this weekend if you are taking the subway.

There will be no subway service on Line 2 between Kipling and Islington stations on Saturday, September 4 and Sunday, September 5, 2021 for structure and signal maintenance. Shuttle buses will operate.

All stations will remain open for people to load their PRESTO card or purchase PRESTO Tickets and connect to surface routes.

As Islington is not yet an accessible station, customer travelling westbound on Line 2 who require an accessible connection should exit the train at Royal York Station and see any TTC customer service employee for assistance.

Customers should note that masks or face coverings are mandatory when travelling on the TTC (exemptions apply). More information on how to wear a mask properly.

 

With weeks before the September 20 federal elections, things are heating up here in our community.

Two virtual all candidate meetings are set for next week for those following the tight race, which is starting to pick up for the party leaders.

One meeting is for September 7 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and the other on September 9 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and is sponsored by the Daily Bread Food Bank. Please see the posters attached.

 

 

Members of the Polish community gathered to celebrate the 41^st anniversary of the Solidarity movement, which would form the government of their country.

The movement was kept alive by Polish nationals living in Canada and in other countries during some tough times.

Tribute was paid to Chris Korwin Kuczynski and his late father, Zbigniew, who kept the protest alive for months in front of the Consulate General of Poland, on Lake Shore Blvd. W., as attention for Solidarity grew worldwide.

Also being honoured is outgoing Consul General Krzysztof Grzelczyk, whom some members of the community claim was the “best Consul-General they have had in Canada.”

Grzelczyk, and his wife, are returning to Warsaw this month after four years in Toronto.

MPP Christine Hogarth and Mississauga Centre MP Natalia Kusendova were among those taking part in the August 31 ceremony.

Hogarth said she is working with the community to establish a Polish Heritage Day Month to take place next May.

Solidarity is a trade union founded in August 1980 at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland. It was the first independent trade union to be recognised by the state.

The union’s membership peaked at 10 million in September 1981, representing one-third of the country’s working-age population.

Solidarity’s leader Lech Wałęsa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and the union is widely recognised as having played a central role in the end of communist rule in Poland.

 

Polish government attempts in the early 1980s to destroy the union through the imposition of martial law in Poland and the use of political repression failed. Operating underground, with significant financial support from the Vatican and the U.S., the union survived and by the later 1980s had entered into negotiations with the government.

The 1989 talks between the government and the Solidarity-led opposition produced an agreement for the 1989 elections, the country’s first pluralistic election since 1947. By the end of August, a Solidarity-led coalition government was formed and in December 1990, Wałęsa was elected President of Poland.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 1 – 30 Humber Valley Art Club presents
Our Blue Planet: Juried Show and Sale, a fundraiser for Endangered Canadian Wildlife, at Neilson
Park Creative Centre, 56 Neilson Drive. The show
will give local artists a chance to show and sell their
paintings while raising funds for the WWF Canada.
For more information call 416-622-5294 or
info@neilsonparkcreativecentre.com
SEPTEMBER 2 – 4 is the 9th Annual Latin Festival
2021 celebrating Latin America culture in the City
of Toronto. The virtual event will feature Jazz FM
radio host Laura Fernandez, Afro-Cuban Junonominated artist trumpet virtuoso Alexis Baro and
Juno winner Hilario Duran to name a few. Visit
www.latinfestival.ca or Facebook or YouTube.
Thursday 2 – 7 p.m., Friday 3 – 7 p.m. and Saturday 4 to 7 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 14 By The Lake Book Club and The
Assembly Hall invites you to join journalist and antiracist activist Desmond Cole as he talks about his
book The Skin We’re In and pulls back the curtains
on Canada’s systemic inequities. It is a Virtual Club
event that starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5.
For tickets or more information visit
assemblyhall.ca
SEPTEMBER 14 Sleepy Hollow Golf Club Staying on
Course Charity Golf Classic for the Jean Tweed
Centre, which for 35 years has been providing support, services and a safe place for those who need
it the most. This is their largest fundraiser and proceeds will help women and their families. For further information and register please visit
www.stayingoncourse.ca. To support their work go
to www.jeantweed.com
WEDNESDAYS SEPTEMBER 8, 15, October 27 LAMP
Community Health Centre Intro to Mindfulness.
Corin De Souza provides evidence-based Mindfulness program and workshops. She is a Certified
Mindfulness teacher through the Canadian College
of Educators. Online workshops Wednesdays at 7
p.m. To register contact jasmind@lampchc.org or
call 416 252 6471 ext. 308.
SEPTEMBER 17 is the 22nd Annual LAMP Awards of
Merit Call for Nominations. Nominate someone today who has gone beyond a call of duty to make a
difference in the community. Deadline for nomination is September 17. For more information visit
lampchc.org or contact Jasmin Dooh at 416-252-
6471 ext. 308.
SEPTEMBER 18 Humber Bay Shores 24th Annual
Waterfront Clean-up from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Meet at
8:45 a.m. at Humber Bay Park in front of Eden
Trattoria or Humber Bay Park West to pick up your
gloves and bags. Dress appropriately and COVID19 protocols being followed.
SEPTEMBER 18 Long Branch Neighbourhood Association Tree for Tree 10 a.m. To 1 p.m. At Colonel
Samuel Smith Park. Register by Sept. 12.
SEPTEMBER 20 Community Update. Join a virtual
public meeting to address the opoid overdoses in
City Shelters. Members of the public are invited to
learn about iPHARE-the Integrated Prevention and
Harm Reduction Initiative. Visit Toronto
Toronto.caiPHARE
SEPTEMBER 20 PLEASE DONT FORGET to vote today
in our federal elections as we select a new leader.
The candidates include Justin Trudeau, leader of
the Liberal Party, Erin O’Toole leader of the Progressive Conservative party, Jagmeet Singh, of the
New Democrats and Green Party’s Annamie Paul.
Elections Canada website will be updated with results on election day. Visit elections.ca.
HELP HAITI YOUR DONATIONS are badly needed to
help the poor and at risk to help rebuild their
lives after a recent deadly earthquake. Donations
to the Canadian Red Cross will be used for immediate and ongoing relief efforts, long term recovery, resiliency and preparedness for future
events in Haiti. To donate visit
donate.redcross.ca or call 1-800-418-1111.
EVERY THURSDAY FROM 2 P.M. to 6 P.M. the Cooper
Mills-Gooch Community Food Bank provides
fresh groceries and essential food items every
Thursday in the Jane St. and Dundas St. W. area. Contact 416-358-0031 for more information.
NEW TO CANADA: are you a permanent resident,
convention refugee or live-in caregiver, LAMP’s
Settlement Support Services offers information,
orientation, referral to community services, employment assistance, English as a second language and all the skills you need to succeed.
Call Tali at 416-252-9701 ext. 283 or email
tali@lampchc.org.
MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FREE emergency food
takeout meals continue to be offered from 9:30
a.m. to 11:30 p.m. through LAMP’s adult drop-in
program. Group programs are closed.
EVERY THURSDAY The Good Food Market from 12
to 4 p.m. at Stonegate CHC at 10 Neighbourhood
Lane for affordable produce, outdoor market and
bring your own bags. COVID protocols are in place.
For more call 416-231-7070 ext 307.
ARTS ETOBICOKE PROGRAM every Wednesday
from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 7 Capri Road. Arts take
place in the first half and a dance segment in the
second half. Visit our website for more information at www.artsetobicoke.com
FREE CHIROPODY SERVICES for those who qualify
at LAMP- Open for new patients who are prediabetic or diabetic. Contact 416-252-6471 ext. 262.
Getting Involved
READ HISTORIAN Michael Harrison who has
been researching the history of Mimico and New
Toronto since the 1990s.
http://mimicohistory.blogspot.co
http://mimicoestates.blogspot.com/
http://mimicosoldiers.blogspot.com/
http://lostcreeksofsouthetobicoke.blogspot.com/
http://humberbaysoldiers.blogspot.com/
http://newtorontosoldiers.blogspot.com/

This must be a first for former MP Jean Augustine in her many years of public service.

A quote from the former long-time Etobicoke Lakeshore Liberal Member of Parliament is on a cop car.

A Black Heritage Police cruiser, probably the first of its kind in Canada, was unveiled on August 26 by the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) Black Internal Support Network and community partners at the region’s police headquarters.

The cruiser design was conceived by the Queen of Heaven Catholic Elementary School’s Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism and Equity (iDARE) Committee as part of a design contest held last February.

“This design concept seeks to lay a foundation for healing and a path forward for the Black Halton community and the HRPS working together with a common understanding and a common purpose,” says Bonnie Wiltshire, Chair of the iDARE Committee.

The cruiser features a quote from Augustine that resonated with the design team for its overarching message about the celebration of Black history.

The quote reads, “Black History is not just for Black People. Black History is Canadian History.”

“I am so proud to participate in the unveiling of the HRPS Black Heritage Cruiser where the message is around who we are as a community,” says Dr. Augustine, the first African-Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament, who paved the way for Black History Month in Canada.

“From police services, to community groups and educators, this work around diversity and inclusion is an important message for people to see. Black history is Canadian history and we all need to recognize that.”

Const. David Joseph, of the HRPS Black Internal Support Network, said “we are proud to stand behind all that this cruiser design symbolizes and communicates to our community.”

“This project is just one of the many ways the HRPS is working to build relationships with all members of the communities we serve by keeping the door open to meaningful and constructive dialogue,” he said.

Augustine has been active in the community and is involved in the Jean Augustine Young Women’s Empowerment charity, on Portland St., in Mimico.

 

 

 

Flamboyant Mimico artist Fernando Ferreira enjoys life and is on a mission to bring art into the world of hard-hit seniors.

Ferreira on August 28 held an outdoor showing of some 300 mostly-abstract works of art that he has created to brighten up long term care homes across the province.

The retired 30-year TTC driver has another 700 pieces to go, which he hopes to complete by next June.

Each piece, and they are all painted on two feet square boards, is original and contains a heart and love. They come in bright, upbeat colours that helps people celebrate.

“I will be painting 1001 pieces for 721 long term care homes in Ontario,” Ferreira says. “Every long care home will have one.”

He is recruiting politicians as Conservative MPP Christine Hogarth and others to help him get his art to the homes.

About a dozen neighbours and fans of the artist from his Mimico Estates apartment attended the lakefront showing with the CN Tower in the background.

Ferreira shows an area of the backyard under a tree that serves as his studio where he gets the inspiration for his artwork.

“I paint about two a day or 60 a month when I am working,” he says. “I have had donations and help for materials from some of the tenants.”

He spends most of his own money for the artwork.

His neighbour Audrey Yates says people love the artwork.

“His style is so simple and upbeat,” Yates says. “Every painting has a heart and they contain so much love.”

Ferreira, who is from the Azores, loves painting and artwork. His father was a noted paint chemist and at home “is where I learned to mix paints.”

In the 1960s when he first arrived in Canada he sold similar paintings to people in Toronto’s upscale Yorkville area and was able to save $5,000 in three years to make a deposit on a house.

He has been living in Mimico for about 17 years and moved here for the lake, fresh air and beautiful trip by TTC to downtown Toronto.

Ferreira can be reached for artwork or donations at 647-855-0721.

 

 

 

 

Murder on a hot day in Long Branch.

If anyone knows Adrian Hurley, they are asked to call police.

Detectives are searching for the killer of Hurley, whose body was found lying in a Long Branch intersection.

Officers of 22 Division said they were called to the Thirty Ninth Street and James Street area on August 27 around 6:07 p.m.

It was reported that “a man was found lying in the intersection and had obvious signs of trauma,” according to a police news release.

“He was pronounced deceased on scene,” police said. “A post mortem was conducted on August 28 and the cause of death was determined to be gunshots.”

Information is being sought to help catch the shooter.

The victim has been identified as Adrian Hurley, 23, of Toronto.

Police are seeking dash-cam or security camera footage if any resident has any.

There has been some speculation that the victim may have been killed elsewhere and his body dropped off in Long Branch.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, 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). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.

 

It was a nightmare.

Hundreds of Alderwood area homes were without power, or still waiting to be connected, after a terrible wind, pelting rain and hail storm snapped mature trees and downed power lines affecting the lives of many residents.

Toronto Hydro and other emergency crews are working overtime to return power to the area.

Dozens of mature trees were snapped by the howling windstorm leaving as many as 1,000 Toronto Hydro customers without power.

Most of the affected areas were located in and around Horner Ave., Delma Dr., Evans Road, Lakeshore, Brown’s Line and Etobicoke Creek.

Near Avalon Road and Orianna Drive, a huge telephone pole was snapped like a tooth pick and thrown like a javelin into the back window of a vehicle, smashing the glass. Luckily there was no one there.

On Heslop Drive, in Alderwood, a large mature tree broke from the heavy winds and fell on the Hydro wires that connected four home damaging the connections.

And on Savona Drive, a healthy 50-year-old Linden tree, which is used as medicine, was brought down by the storm.

“I am heartbroken and want to cry,” says Cathy, the homeowner. “This tree was healthy and it smelled so great. We will never have a tree like this again.”

She said it was gone in 10-seconds since the incident was captured on a security camera.

Horner Ave. was reduced to one lane near Brown’s Line due to a fallen tree.

There has been “significant damage with trees downed,” Hydro spokesperson Cindy Brooks said. “We do have crews onsite and extra forestry support to help us assess the damage.”

Hydro officials said the damage from the storm requires complex, lengthy repairs.”

Severe thunderstorms swept across the west end of the GTA on August 26 triggering widespread weather watches and warnings.

Fueled by a cold front, along with high heat and humidity, the storms produced pea-sized hail and torrential rainfall that led to localized flooding in some areas.

Environment Canada said roughly 60 millimetres of rain fell in less than an hour.