By DAVE KOSONIC

The Lancaster bomber that was prominently displayed near the waterfront of Toronto’s Coronation Park for 34-years may once again take to the skies after a meticulous restoration is completed in B.C.

The “Lanc” as it was dubbed by flyers, was a heavy bomber and a popular draw for adults and school children from 1965 to 1999, when it was displayed near the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition.

The roar of its four powerful engines may even be heard againif it makes some tribute flights over Toronto in the future. But whether it will fly again remains up in the air.

Known as ‘Bomber FM104’, it was one of 430 Avro Lancasters assembled at the Malton Victory Aircraft factory during the Second World War. After being flown to England in 1945 the aircraft was not used for missions because it arrived near the end of the war.

Later the FM104 returned to Canada and was utilized by the Royal Canadian Air Force for maritime patrols and search-and-rescue missions until being retired in 1964.

After decades of uncertainity, the ‘Lanc’ has found a home at a not-for-profit British Columbia Aviation Museum, where it has been since 2018.

Only 17 Avro Lancaster bombers in complete form remain in the world. Eight of these are in Canada making this aircraft a piece of Canadian aviation history.

The continuing restoration of this aircraft to airworthy flying condition could take another decade at an estimated cost of $10 million, according to those involved with this project.

Upon the completion, this Lancaster will join the only other two others still flying today, including one in Hamilton and another in England.

Bruce Horne, a member of the B.C. museum, says the hope is to get the aircraft back in the skies again.

Some of the restoration funding is being supported by the government and private donations. The technical aspects of the project are being handled by skilled volunteers who are in the process of inspecting the aircraft’s 55,000 components and parts. Any missing pieces will be re-created to the exact specifications.

The FM104 was housed at the Canadian Space and Air Museum in Downsview Park until that facility closed. It was stored in a hangar at the Edenvale Aerodrome, near Barrie, at a cost of $25,000 a year because Toronto had no storage space available.

Despite some valiant efforts to keep the Lancaster here Toronto City Council decided to donate the  iconic jet to the museum providing that the facility covered the $80,000 shipping costs.

According to official Bomber Command statistics a total of 7,377 Lancasters were built at various locations during the Second World War and nearly 4,000 of them were shot down or lost in battle.

The bomber featured a long, unobstructed bomb bay which meant it could take the largest bombs and was one of the most heavily-used of the Second World War night bombers.

In about two weeks frontline Toronto Police officers in north Etobicoke will be issued body-worn cameras to record their interactions with residents.

The Toronto Police Services Board at its meeting on August 18 voted to move ahead with the camera technology, which will be rolled out at the end August at a cost of more than $30 million.

“Body-worn cameras will be used to create trust and legitimacy between officers and the public as we continue to modernize policing services,” said Interim Chief James Ramer. “This technology provides an independent, bias-free account of our interactions.”

By this fall, some 2,350 cameras will be in use across the city. All officers will be trained on the use of the camera and the associated governance, which include minimum penalties for non-compliance.

The force has worked with the Information & Privacy Commissioner, the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Special Investigations Unit, and the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, to develop a program that considers privacy, security, and disclosure responsibilities.
The cameras will be used when an officer arrives at a call for service, begins an investigation, or when asking a person questions for the purposes of collecting information.

The Board also approved a comprehensive policing reform package to address systemic racism and improve trust with communities.

The force plans to develop an alternative community safety response for new and existing models of community safety response, including mobile mental health and addictions crisis intervention.

They plan to expand the Mobile Crisis Intervention Program with existing community-based crisis services, including peer support, to meet current demands for mental health-related service calls, in an aim to provide services 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

The Chief is to make permanent an Anti-Racism Training component of the annual re-training and In-Service Training Program and create a stand-alone course that contributes to the delivery of fair and unbiased police services to Toronto’s diverse communities.

The Board’s Anti-Racism Advisory Panel and the Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Panel, will become permanent with expanded mandates that will bring the voices of community and expert organizations together in providing advice to the Board.

The Board also approved recommendations regarding the selection process for the new Chief of Police, mechanisms to make disciplinary proceedings under the Police Services Act more transparent and accessible and  increased collaboration with the City’s Anti-Black Racism Unit.