The South Etobicoke News

Serving Humber * Mimico * Lakeshore Village * Long Branch * Alderwood

Etobicoke Reeve Shaver best known for bringing first automobile to the area

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REEVE SHAVER cherished 1909 Studebaker-Flanders cost $750 brand new back in the day.

PEOPLE CAME from miles around to see the Reeve’s new Studebaker-Flanders auto.

 

Former Reeve Franklin E. Shaver loved cars and is fondly remembered for owning the first vehicle in Etobicoke some 112 years ago.

Shaver, who came from a prominent Etobicoke family, served as the 12th Reeve of the Borough of Etobicoke, which was created in 1850.

He served from 1906 to 1908, when he was defeated by prominent cattle breeder John Gardhouse, a farmer who co-founded the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame inductee.

Back then the Borough of Etobicoke was growing and the businesses were booming.

Many residents had never been close to a car before that day in 1909 when Shaver pulled up in a shiny new Studebaker-Flanders automobile.

The auto was the first in Etobicoke and sported four cyclinders, water cooled engine, 20 horse power, 100-inch wheel base, 32-inch wheels and all-metal body.

It even had a selective sliding gear two speed transmission and reverse, shaft drive.

“The greatest automotive value the world has ever seen,” screamed the advertising for the vehicle. It sold for $750, a princely sum in those days.

The high-flying Studebaker Flanders company boasted to have 75,000 of the vehicles on the road and “every owner is an enthusiastic booster.”

“The Studebaker cars are built for honest everyday service, and will give you service – not excuses,” boasts its promotional materials. “From the moment your Studebaker Flanders is delivered, you have a car that is ready to go.”

Back then, there was little bus service and personal transportation was still primarily by horse-drawn carriage, according to the Etobicoke Historical Society (EHS). “Cars did not predominate in the rural areas until after the depression.”

Dundas Street and Lakeshore Road were both paved in 1917 and “other road were gravel or even mud,” they said.

There was good access to other towns, including downtown Toronto, by train. By 1917, the Toronto Suburban Electric Railway had opened passenger service from Keele Street to Guelph, passing through central Etobicoke.

Shaver’s family had done well. Patriarch Peter Shaver had arrived from Ancaster in 1830 and acquired 200 acres on the west side of Hwy. 427, between Bloor Street and Rathburn Road, according to the EHS.

He hired prominent Weston architect, William Tyrrell to design and build his home, which was completed in 1852. The house is Georgian in style and is built of red and yellow brick with a picturesque verandah across the front.

Many people know the historic “Applewood” house as the place where they or friends were married. It has hosted more than 12,000 weddings.

The Studebaker-Flanders was named after Walter E. Flanders who had been Henry Ford’s production manager in the early 1900s. Production was by The Everitt-Metzger-Flanders Company of Detroit.

Studebaker entered the automotive business in 1902 with electric vehicles and in 1904 with gasoline vehicles. For 50 years, the company established a reputation for quality, durability and reliability.

After an unsuccessful 1954 merger the company could not solve their cash flow problems and was forced to shut. The last Studebaker rolled off a Hamilton, Ont., assembly plant in 1966.

At one time more than 15,000 employees worked for the Studebaker automaker.

 

Free things to do and keeping busy in our community

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THE FARMERS Market starts on May 29 and runs until October 9.

JUNE 1 HUMBER CULTURAL HUB COMMUNITY INFO SESSION 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Staff will provide an update on the project and there will be a Q & A session. Open to the entire community. To take place at Humber College, Lake Shore Blvd. and Kipling Ave. area.

JUNE 1 BROOM MAKING with Amina Haskell for ages 10 to 14 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Kits provided. At the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment, 101 Portland St. For more information contact 416-253-9797 or email info@jeanaugustinecentre.ca.

FREE CHIROPODY SERVICES for those who qualify at LAMP- Open for new patients who are prediabetic or diabetic. We treat nail concerns, ulcerations, pain and more.  Contact 416-252-6471 ext. 262

JUNE 2 WEST TORONTO DIABETES EDUCATION PROGRAM free Foot Care from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information call 416-252-1928 ext. 100. You must have an email address. 

JUNE 12 J.A.C’s MENTAL HEALTH YOUTH CONFERENCE 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for fun and informative time with presentations on mental health, journaling workshops, meditation, breathing exercise and a guest speaker at the Jean Augustine Centre, 101 Portland Rd.  Contact 416-253-9797 or email info@jeanaugustinecentre.ca. 

 TUESDAYS JUNE 8, 15, 22, 29, FROM 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. New Wellness Series: Feel better this spring by stretching and relaxation through breathing and mindfulness. To register contact jasmnd@lampchc.org or 416 252 6471.

MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FREE emergency food takeout meals continue to be offered at 11:30 p.m. through LAMP’s adult drop-in program. Group programs are closed,

FOOD EXPLORATION WORKSHOPS ZOOM June 10 Chef’s Catering from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and June 17 same time Food Career Exploration Panel: learn from four chefs who have experience in the baking, pastry and restaurant industry. Starting June 10 registrants have 30 days to finish their online free Food Handler’s Certificate. Contact 416-253-9797 or email info@jeanaugustinecentre.ca.

FREE ADULT LEARNING PROGRAMS: Learn basic computer skills. Must meet registration criteria including 19 years and over and out of school, have a SIN number and access to a computer and an email account. Fluent in spoken English and provide proof of permanent residency. Small online group instruction on MS word, Internet, Keyboarding, e-mail and Zoom. Improve your reading and writing skills. For more information 416-252-9701 ext. 242 or 243.

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. 

STARTING JUNE 2 NEW EIGHT WEEK free mindfulness course on ZOOM on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. with Corin De Sousa, a certified mindfulness instructor with the Canadian College of Educators who  provides evidenc- based mindfulness programs. To register contact jasmind@lampchc.org

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.

BRIGHT HORIZONS ART SHOW RUNS UNTIL JULY 31 Enjoy works by the Humber Valley Art Club at the Cloverdale Mall Vaccination Clinic, 250 The East Mall. For more information visit www.assemblyhall.ca.

UNTIL OCTOBER 29 HUMBER BAY SHORES FARMERS MARKET runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get fresh products and crafts straight from the farmers’. Masks and physically distancing required and you must be COVID free.

CANADA POST is planning to relocate its 145 West Mall post office to another location. The new outlet will be within a four kilometer radius of the West Mall station “so we can continue to provide local residents and businesses with accessible postal service.” The company said its products, services and latest information can be accessed online at canadapost.ca No date has been given for the closure of 145 West Mall or where it will be relocated.

Sex movies believed to be filmed in New Toronto home attended by police

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POLICE investigating women found in possible large gathering in New Toronto.

OFFICERS patrolling the area in search of evidence.

 

A day in the life of a Toronto Police officer.

Officers from 22 Division are still shaking their heads after entering into a New Toronto rental home where they suspect sex movies were being filmed.

Police responded to a call in the Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Kipling Ave. area on May 15 in what appeared to be a public gathering, which is banned to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

A 22 Division officer at the scene said some people gathered outside the apartment scurried inside after police arrived.

The occupants of the unit refused to allow officers inside the apartment and a SWAT team had to be called to help breach the door, according to police.

Inside the unit officers found about 10 scantily clad women and noted that all the windows were covered up from the inside with thick curtains.

“We believe something was going on in there,” the officer said. “There were lights, cameras and women scantily dressed.”

Police had little luck obtaining information from the occupants of the apartment.

A number of people were fined for being part of a large gathering.

The house, according to a landlord, is rented by local college students and officials are investigating to determine if the women were safe.

 

Fireworks ‘aimed and shot at people, animals and officers’ in Victoria Day celebrations

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Councillor Grimes says some residents showed no respect to animals, people or officers. File photo.

Vehicle tow away statistics from the city.

Residents are calling for a meeting with the Mayor before Labour Day, when its fireworks time again.

 

Councillor Mark Grimes says the behaviour of some area residents on Victoria Day long weekend at waterfront parks shows a lack of respect for the environment, animals and our community.

“People were cutting branches off of live trees for bonfires, shooting fireworks at animals and enforcement officers, and treating our parks like garbage dumps,” Grimes wrote in his weekly report.

He had worked with City and enforcement staff for several weeks to develop a plan to deal with the fireworks, bonfires, illegal parking and litter.

“I was optimistic that we would have a good long weekend, but clearly something went wrong,” he wrote.

He has asked city staff to determine what went wrong and what else can be done.

“Officers were in the parks throughout the weekend, but were challenged due to the high number of visitors to the parks,’ the long-time politician said. “Discussions are underway to have more paid duty officers assigned to Ward 3’s destination waterfront parks.”

“Fireworks enforcement can be challenging due to the high number of parks and public spaces located throughout the city,” he said, adding enforcement resources are limited and calls related to essential services, public health measures and provincial emergency orders are prioritized.

“In many instances the responsible parties have departed the area prior to the arrival of enforcement resources,” Grimes explained.

He said bylaw officers must witness the fireworks discharge, and then may experience challenges in obtaining identification in order to lay charges for the illegal use of fireworks in a park. In some cases they may need support from Toronto Police to ensure the safety of staff and the public.

He moved a motion last October asking City staff to look at ways to strengthen the fireworks bylaw.

“People were shooting fireworks into crowds of people, at animals and even the police,” Grimes said. He will be moving another motion to strengthen the city’s ‘COVID-19 Unpermitted Fireworks Action Plan.’

That same night five circles of grass, which are homes of nesting birds, were burnt by an errant fireworks at Colonel Samuel Smith park. Wild animals, pets and birds are also scared off by the loud bangs and flashes of intense light.

 

Residents fuming that home of nesting birds burnt by fireworks at Sam Smith park

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Shallow grass that is home of nesting bird burnt by errant fireworks.

Nest of nesting birds seems untouched by fireworks. Photos Friends of Sam Smith Park.

Some South Etobicoke groups have banded together to try and get the City to crackdown on those who ignore rules on the use of fireworks and inflict damage to wildlife, pets and people with challenges.

The city promised action at an Economic and Community Development Committee meeting last April, the groups claim, adding they warned the committee that fireworks violations ‘were escalating at an alarming rate threatening our peace and well-being without any response from the city.’

The groups said ‘it was chaos’ last Victoria Day long weekend with more than 100 separate incidents of fireworks each night. The fire display in the Humber Bay Shores area began around 9 p.m. and continued late into the night.

Hundreds of complaints have been filed by residents outraged that pets, wildlife and people are being affected.

Fireworks discharged in Colonel Samuel Smith Park sparked fires leaving five distinct burns areas in the grasses home to nesting swallows, a designated Environmentally Significant.

The grass was set alit by those lighting fireworks; falling ashes are believed to have caused the fires.

“Boxes were found among the debris indicating that some of these fireworks were

designed to shoot 40 to 60 metres (130 – 190’) high,” they wrote. “This was absolute chaos and we are, to be blunt, furious.”

The group, which represents Friends of Sam Smith Park, Friends of Humber Bay Park, Etobicoke Fireworks Remediation Committee and Citizens Concerned about the Future of Etobicoke Waterfront (CCFEW), have been working to improve area parks for many years.

They are calling for a meeting with Mayor John Tory before Labour Day, the next long weekend for fireworks; for more police patrol parks, to shut parking lots on weekends and ban the sale of fireworks.

Bill Zufelt, Chair of the History and Cultural Committee Long Branch, said he’s ‘angry and beyond words.’

“As an avid naturalist and environmentalist the growing behavior and disregard for all living things, by the pandemic of human selfishness and stupidity is utterly appalling,” Zufelt steamed.

Sam Smith park is listed as the Number 3 Bird Hotspot in Toronto with some 268 species, according to e-bird, an online bird database. Tommy Thompson Park and the Toronto Islands are Numbers 1 and 2 for birdwatching in Toronto.

“That is a testament to diversity and quality of the habitats found at this city park,” according to a CCFEW statement.

“The diversity and quality of habitats has earned the park a reputation as one of the premier birding locations in the city,” the group said on its website.

Residents have complained about the hundreds of people who flock to area parks to drink alcohol and light bonfires without wearing masks or social distancing.

Videos show mountains of trash the visitors left behind for others to clean up.

“Wildlife trauma are being dismissed while the non-interventionist aim of the fireworks industry is covered with platitudes and impotent promises,” the groups wrote. “We need an assurance this issue will be prioritized and responded to effectively.”

Police stamp out crime duo accused of stealing cheques from Canada Post mailboxes

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PEEL Police cracked a major theft ring targeting Canada Post mailboxes.

CHEQUES were stolen in broad daylight from Canada Post mailboxes. Staff photos.

 

The more crimes change over time, the more they remain the same.

Two Toronto men are under arrest for allegedly stealing cheques from a series of Canada Post mailboxes in Peel Region.

Police allege the duo ‘used specific means to gain entry into Canada Post mailboxes and would proceed to steal cheques from inside.’

Officers from Peel Regional Police 11 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau have been working since January 2020 to nab the theft suspects.

“Investigators were able to identify links to several damaged Canada Post mailboxes that occurred in the Region of Peel,” according to a press release. “The suspect would then allegedly deposit the stolen cheques into various banks and conduct various transactions.”

The joint investigation involved Peel cops and their partners from Canada Post, ScotiaBank, York Regional Police, Toronto Police and Halton Regional Police.

The men were charged after police issued search warrants at two Toronto residences.

Zsolt Gaspar, 29, was charged with mischief over $5000, theft from mail, possession of property obtained by crime, fraud of $5000 and two counts of failing to comply with a release order. He appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice for a bail hearing.

A young offender is also facing charges. Further charges are pending.

Anyone with any information in relation to the above parties is asked to call investigators at 905-453-2121, ext. 1133. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.

 

 Hard-working local barber and other small businesses stay afloat in Go Fund Me campaign

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LOCAL BARBER Andy Dinner plans to help other struggling area businesses with the funds he raises. CBC photo.

ANDY DINNER (right) with exceptional intern he just couldn’t keep. Photo by Tom Godfrey.

 

A hard-working and well-liked local barber has raised more than $7,500 on Go Fund Me so he and another hard-hit New Toronto businesses can stay afloat.

Andy Dinner, of Your Neighbourhood Barbershop, at 2858 Lake Shore Blvd. W., set out on May 20 to raise $4,000 to try and cover his shop’s rent and expenses for two months.

The fundraising campaign in about four hours raised $7,300 and rising from a stream of donations made by community residents and businesses, who are supporting our small businesses.

“It (campaign) is gaining some serious traction,” Dinner said on social media. “We do not want an extra dime over that initial $4,000.”

He has raised the goal to $10,000 and said “every dollar extra over the original $4,000 will be split to other Lakeshore businesses.”

Some other local businesses which are also struggling will receive part of the donations, he said.

“We will not bite off more than we can chew. This isn’t about that,” Dinner explained. “We are using this momentum and exposure to help our struggling neighbours.”

He never expected to be shut so long in lock downs and emergency orders in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

“Working for 88 days and then being forced to close for 180 days and counting, with no end date in sight was simply unimaginable,” he noted.

Dinner wrote that his shop is new and did not qualify for government grants or benefits.

“We did not expect the Ford government to fail so miserably at how they are dealing with the pandemic,” he stressed. “We did not expect our industry to be disrespected and neglected in such a blatantly offensive manner.”

“We feel like this is an attack and we are offended.”

He said ‘we are about to pay our seventh straight month of rent with no income.’

“I spent my entire life savings opening up this shop and then it has been months of paying rent and hydro for this shop that I can’t work out of,” Dinner said. “My savings are tapped, I have nothing left.”

Residents love the shop, which has won A LAMP Medal of Merit and Etobicoke GEM award for Best New Business.

Thomas Bates said he donated because “Andy is a remarkable young man and needs our support in these trying times. Every little bit helps. Let’s help someone that is known for helping others.”

Owen Newell dug into his wallet because Dinner is an “entrepreneur with good business savvy.”

“Small business is so important,” Erin Krausz wrote on a Go Fund Me page. “Thanks for being such a great part of the neighbourhood.”

“Andy is the most friendly and warm welcoming person on Lakeshore and doesn’t deserve to give up his dream,” said donor Ethan Cochrane.

Thomas McAuliffe donated and wrote “from your neighbours in Alderwood.”

 

Riders love the new $73M Kipling Transit Hub serving the community

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The new Kipling Transit Hub will take riders across the GTA.

At the Kipling Transit Hub you can get the MiWay, GO Transit and TTC.

 

Response has been positive to the newly opened Kipling Transit Hub that can take riders across the GTA in comfort.

Riders seem to love the new $73 million transit hub at Kipling GO Station that has been under construction since 2018.

South Etobicoke riders can now connect to GO Transit, MiWay bus for Mississauga and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) services at the hub.

It is a massive facility that features 3,000 square feet of indoor waiting area space along with 1,400 parking spaces and 90 bicycle parking spots.

There is also an underground tunnel that will allow commuters arriving at the station access to the nearby Kipling subway station and an elevated pedestrian bridge that will provide access to the GO train platform.

“Transit will be critical for this region over the next decade and that’s why our government is proactively putting the building blocks in place to address those needs,” Associate Minister of Transportation Kinga Surma said in a statement.

Toronto Mayor John Tory said that the transit hub may not be a large project in terms of “the dollar amount” but is a “significant” example of government’s “working together across regional and municipal boundaries” to get transit built.

The bus terminal has accessible elevators, digital displays with schedule information, wayfinding signage, enhanced lighting, PRESTO and pay machines, as well as electric phone charging stations. Outside, the hub features a snow melting system on the bus platform, upgrades to the GO train platform, updated pick-up and drop-off building.

Metrolinx President Phil Verster said they have created a seamless transit journey by bringing together all of the transit services customers depend on.

“With connections to the Milton line, more than 10 bus routes, GO, MiWay and TTC transit providers and express access to the airport, the Kipling Transit Hub will be a new home base as customers travel across the region,” said Verster.

“The transit connections offered at the new Kipling Transit Hub will provide residents with better access to job and housing opportunities, both locally and across the Greater Golden Horseshoe,” said Ontario Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney.

Metrolinx says Kipling Transit Hub was designed with the goal to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.

Officers patrolling area parks to prevent large gatherings, bonfires and unruly fireworks

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OFFICERS will be patrolling area lakeside and other parks in search of large gatherings.

OFFICERS on bikes will be searching for bonfires, booze and large gatherings.

 

Toronto Police officers say they will be patrolling South Etobicoke parks this long weekend to prevent large gatherings, boozy bonfires and careless fireworks.

This is a busy time for officers of 22 and 11 Divisions as they field complaints of large crowds, no masks or social distancing, large fires, many people drinking alcohol and the careless use of fireworks on Victoria Day.

Officers of 22 Division say people face large fines if caught in large groups. Police teams will be visiting local parks; including those at Humber Bay Shores, Col. Samuel Smith, Marie Curtis and others, which at certain times will have their parking lots shut.

City agencies including police, fire, parking and bylaw have effected “full force” enforcement in the past in response to thousands ignoring COVID-19 and flocking to lakefront beaches in Etobicoke and the city’s east end to illegally light bonfires and fireworks, drink alcohol and not social distance.

According to the City, residents setting off fireworks with members of their households on their own private property, can do so without a permit on Victoria Day and Canada Day.

A permit is needed from Toronto Fire Services to set off fireworks on all other days. However, these permit applications are not being accepted at this time due to the Province’s Stay-At-Home order.

Dedicated police teams in the last month have responded to at least 1,000 calls of people gathering indoors and outdoors, as the provincial stay-at-home order is still in effect.

The force on April 22 implemented 16 enforcement teams to respond to reports of large gatherings, which are currently prohibited.

“Our dedicated teams are attending more than 300 calls a week, a stark number which sadly doesn’t seem to be dropping despite repeated calls for people not to socialize,” Staff Superintendent Randy Carter said.

Police said the fines for individual organizers of events who violate gathering rules range from $10,000 to a maximum of $100,000, including one year in jail. Fines for those attending can range from $750 to $100,000 including up to one year in jail.