The South Etobicoke News

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

Ribbon cutting ceremony to mark new Toronto Scottish Regiment mural

by

MASKED HEALTH CARE workers were among the many people featured in mural honouring Toronto Scottish Regiment. Photo by Tom Godfrey.

A small social-distancing group of community residents attended a ribbon cutting service to commemorate a new mural that celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Own).

The event took place on November 21 at the Sixth Street mural as well-wishers showed up to admire a beautiful new huge mural, which contains scenes of the regiment and some masked health care workers, to mark the pandemic.

Lakeshore Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) chair Chris Korwin-Kuczynski says the mural celebrates 100 years of service for the Toronto Scottish Regiment.

“We would like to thank the City for making this possible,” Korwin-Kuczynski said. “We are here to honour the many men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

MPP Christine Hogarth described the mural as ‘simply stunning.”

“These stories are very important,” Hogarth told a small gathering. “It is a nice testament to see something about COVID-19 added to the mural.”

At the top right corner of the mural are three health workers wearing masks.

“On behalf of the Premier, we are grateful to the men and women who gave their lives,” she said. “This will help us remember their service and those who lost their lives.“

MP James Maloney says it has been a challenging year and “we have to express our thanks and appreciation” to the brave men.

Regiment Lt. Col. Jason Kearney said they stand on guard for country and community.

“We stand ready to serve our nation and our community,” Kearney said. “We are your community.”

A first mural was installed in the summer of 2013 and was a joint project by the City of Toronto Mural Program, the Lakeshore Village BIA and the Toronto Scottish Regiment.

The design was submitted by a student in an Etobicoke school drawing contest.

The Regiment moved from Fort York in 2009 to a new armory adjacent to the Toronto Police College on Birmingham St.

The Regiment, which was known as the 75th Battalion, lost more than 1,000 soldiers during its fighting in France from 1916 until armistice in 1918.

Brazen duo nabbed while allegedly trying to sell hot clothing online

by

SOME of the stolen clothing and other items recovered by 22 Division officers. Toronto Police photo.

These stolen items from area stores were intercepted by police just before they were sold online.

Police from 22 Division have arrested two women from the Niagara Region who they allege were ripping off clothing and other items from an Evans Ave. store which were then sold on the Internet.

Police say members of their Community Response Unit began a probe following a theft from a retail outlet in the Evans Ave. and The West Mall area.

It didn’t take long before officers, along with Asset Protection Officers from the stores, linked several occurrences from multiple retailers throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

Police allege the “women were attending multiple retail outlets throughout the GTA and selecting large quantities of clothing and household items from various retailers.”

“They would then leave, making no attempt to pay for the selected merchandise,” officers said in a press release.

“The women then took the items to two separate addresses in the Niagara Region and placed the items for sale on a social media platform,” according to detectives.

The duo were arrested after police issued warrants to search two premises in Niagara Region.

Donna Decloux, 54, and Amanda Lair, 31, have been arrested and face a number of charges.  They are before the courts.

Cyclist killed after a collision involving a truck near cement plant in Mimico  

by

Residents of the Judson Street area say it was just a matter of time.

Homeowners in the quiet area are in shock after a cyclist was killed November 20 following a collision involving a cement truck.

Police said an adult male cyclist was hit by the truck and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Emergency crews were called to Royal York Road and Judson Street, near Mimico GO station, just after 5 p.m.

The driver of the truck remained at the scene.

Members of the Judson Street Community have been battling with a concrete company that was ordered moved to a location Port Lands area.

Residents have been complaining about the dust, noise and pollution from a steady stream of trucks using Judson.

“We have been predicting this for a long time,” says neighbourhood activist Dan Irwin. “This noise and dust situation with the trucks have been going on for years.”

He has been documenting the movement of the trucks through photographs, which are circulated to city politicians.

Royal York was closed from Newcastle St. to Judson Sts., as police investigated the incident.

The neighbourhood has been fighting for more than a decade to have the concrete plant moved from their community.

The plant sits on Judson St. alongside other commercial properties, across the street from homes, near Mimico GO Train station, and across the street from a park and a seniors’ home.

 

Tough days ahead for local businesses in a second COVID lockdown

by

Business owners in the South Etobicoke area are living in fear of losing their livelihood from a second pandemic shutdown as imposed by the Ontario government.

The province says the lockdown will begin on midnight Monday November 23 in Toronto and Peel Region as Ontario tries to curb a steep rise in COVID-19 cases.

The closure will affect restaurants and bars, which will have limited service, gyms, nail, makeup salons, spas, hairdressers and many others; which will be required to be shut for a minimum of 28 days.

A fine of $750 will be imposed for violating the public-health rules.

“Further action is required to prevent the worst-case scenario,” Premier Doug Ford said at Queen’s Park.

The restrictions announced on Friday means no indoor gatherings with anyone outside a person’s household, and outdoor gatherings are limited to 10 people.

Restaurants are limited to take-out, drive-through and delivery only service, according to public health.

People who live alone can have close contact with one other household, health officials say.

Religious services, funerals and weddings are limited to 10 people indoors or 10 people outdoors.

Shopping malls will be open for takeout service from food courts. Customers will not be able to shop at the stores.

Non-essential retail and malls are limited to curbside pickup or delivery only, according to public health officials.

Supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, discount and big box retailers, liquor and beer stores, safety supply stores, and convenience stores may open.

Schools will remain open.

Also shut will be personal care services, casinos, conference halls and bingo halls. Indoor sports and recreational facilities, including pools, closed with exceptions

Eight more people with COVID-19 have died, the province said Friday, bringing the official death toll to 3,451. So far this month, 315 people have died of COVID-19 in Ontario.

Officials of the Lake Shore Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) say local merchants will have a hard time coping in what is usually a busy time of the year for Christmas sales.

 

Dave relives Cloverdale Mall where the iconic past is meeting the future

by

Cloverdale Mall was built in 1956 and is undergoing major redevelopment with condos and stores.

By DAVE KOSONIC

Many South Etobicoke boomers will likely have fond memories of the Cloverdale Mall from back in the 1950s and ‘60s, including looking at miniature pet turtles for sale at Kresge’s to ordering a burger and fries at a Kingburger food stand in the courtyard.

This iconic mall that dates back to November 1956 is undergoing big changes, but one original business remains in existence and that is the Taylor Somers exclusive menswear shop. That includes the original location with several renovations over the years.  Also not forgotten is the old-style Cloverdale Restaurant owned and operated by a man known as Jimmy. The menu included dishes ranging from apple pie to a roast beef dinner with all the trimmings.  Line ups of waiting customers were common there.

There is also the unsolved Cloverdale Mall bank mystery from years ago. Many businesses regularly slipped deposits into an after-hours deposit box at the front of a bank located at the south end of the mall across from Winners. One morning when some bank staff members opened this deposit box to clear the bags it was empty. Despite a thorough investigation that included both police and bank officials the mystery was never solved and the hefty deposits were gone. This resulted in a confusion between the bank and affected businesses about how to make the situation right for those who lost their money.

During the 60s there was a lower-level bowling alley and pool hall at the C Mall, as it was sometimes referred to. There were no automatic pin-setters at the time and pin boys at the far end of the alleys cleared the fallen pins and then re-positioned them so a bowler could roll another ball down the alley during a five or 10 pin game.

In the pool room some billiard sharks really knew how to clear the tables with fancy shots that included two-bankers. At times it was almost like a scene from the movie called The Hustler as Paul Newman used his chalk tipped cue while playing against Jackie Gleason, known as Minnesota Fats.

Cloverdale was designed as an outdoor plaza originally with two open-air sections separated by a courtyard.  The property was originally farmland owned by the Eaton family. But when nearby Sherway Gardens opened in 1971 business at Cloverdale started to decrease so the owners decided to make an investment and enclose the facilities and make additions over the years.

The two big stores at Cloverdale were the Dominion Store and Morgan’s, which was later sold to the Hudson’s Bay Company. Then discounter retailer Zellers stayed for a few years. Target moved in and lost it’s shirt and closed. Other stores back in the day included United Cigar Store, LCBO, Tip Top Tailors, Calderone Shoes, The Hot Oven and Wilf and Mary Sayers record shop that sold the pop 45-records of the day that included Elvis of course.

The Cloverdale Mall is a landmark and large part of Etobicoke’s history dating back 64 years.

Police hunting man who sexually assaulted woman on Islington subway

by

Women using Islington subway station are being urged to be careful.

Toronto Police have released a security image of a man who is sought for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at the busy subway station, at Bloor St. W., and Islington Ave.

Police say they are hoping someone will recognize the suspect and contact them immediately.

Police say the suspect is sought for sexually assaulting the female around  6:20 p.m. on November 9 as she was travelling on an escalator in the subway station.

“While on the escalator she was approached from behind by an unknown man,” detectives from 11 Division said in a press release on November 18. “He sexually assaulted her and fled from the subway station and was last seen going east.”

Officers said they have been carrying out ‘extensive inquiries’ to identify the man without luck. They have released an image in the hope that someone recognizes him.

He is described as between the ages of 25 to 30, about 5-feet 7-inches to 5-feet 9-inches tall, with a dark complexion, frizzy hair tied in a bun and wearing a blue surgical mask.

Police said he was last seen wearing black shoes, tan coloured pants, a grey t-shirt, black zip-up hoodie, and a black backpack.

Officer warn that a sexual assault is any form of unwanted sexual contact. It includes, but is not limited to, kissing, grabbing, oral sex and penetration.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1100, 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 a free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.

High school students make cards of hope to cheer up area residents

by

Grade 9 students Amelia and Alexis are bringing brightness and hope into the lives of others.

The high school students at Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School have been busy making cards of hope to help lift the spirits of area residents during these challenging and uncertain times.

The  friends have been busy recently with water colours and designing cards of hope as their classmates do other activities.

The idea came from LAMP’s Community Relations Committee to share cards of hope and bring some cheer into the lives of others.

It did not take long before the girls were bringing the concept to life.

LAMP will be offering card-making activities and packages in the near future.

“Kudos and high fives to these thoughtful volunteers,” says Jasmin Dooh, of LAMP. “They are bringing hope and lifting spirits in the Lakdshore. Much gratitude.”

 

Fundraiser to help workers fighting COVID-19 at St. Joseph’s Health Centre

by

A local fundraiser has been launched to help frontline workers at St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation in their fight against COVID-19.

The free Home Music Festival is a resident-run event bringing music into the homes of Humber Bay Shores, according to its organizers.

Robert Simeon and Robert Matusik are among the organizers, and say the festival supports the fight against the virus and local health care workers who are making a difference.

“All 100 per cent of donations support the foundation,” they wrote on social media. “Support those who are making a difference in the community and working hard to save those suffering from COVID-19.”

“We are all smiles today after the success of #HomeMusicFest!,” says Simeon. “Thank you to all of the viewers, artists, politicians and businesses. We reached almost 10,000 people.”

The fundraiser was created last April and has been posted on the Go Fund Me website. It has raised about $2,250 in a goal of $5,000.

“We are a group of residents looking to boost the spirits of Humber Bay Shores residents, support local businesses, raise money for St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and spread positivity during the pandemic” they wrote in their post.

They are encouraging community residents to participate in the event at home and on any device, streamed through Facebook Live. The live stream will be available at www.facebook.com/HomeMusicFestHB, the Humber Bay Shores Discussion Facebook Group and shared on various other Facebook pages and groups.
They said the event is organized by the Waterview Explorer Condo Social Committee for the entire community.

So far area residents seem to be liking the idea of helping our first-responders at St. Joe’s.

“It is a great cause, the support of any entertainment at this time is a good thing,” wrote Justin Whiffen as he made a donation.

“Half decent!!,” says Sean Anderson as he dipped into his wallet.

A website www.homemusicfest.com has been listed but does not appear to be activated.

You can search for the event to donate at Go Fund Me.

 

Santa lovers at Sherway Gardens travel virtually in their cars to North Pole

by

New Drive-Thru Santa experience this year at Sherway Gardens.

Santa Claus lovers visiting Sherway Gardens this Christmas season to see the Jolly Old man are in for a treat that will virtually take them to the North Pole due to COVID-19.

Visitors will not have to leave the safety of their vehicles and will take part in a Drive-Thru experience to see Santa due to the pandemic.

Cadillac Fairview (CF), the owners of Sherway Gardens, unveiled on November 17 a Holiday Drive-Thru experience that will run from November 24 to December 24 at the popular South Etobicoke mall, which is well-known for its Christmas Santa.

In a release, CF said visitors can safely experience the Santa enchanted journey from their vehicle as they take part in an enchanted journey that will ‘feature seven whimsical stops.”

“The complimentary 35-minute voyage follows an elf on a mission to fill the holiday cheer battery to power Santa’s sleigh’ in his mission to the North Pole,” according to organizers.

The company said the trip will be narrated and include interactive activities and holiday character sightings.

The experience begins in the ‘colourful and illuminated Tinsel Tunnel,’ with visits to the enchanted forest, vibrant town square and bustling Santa’s workshop.

“The final stop concludes with a special meeting with Santa for a physically distanced photo to commemorate the unique experience,” according to Cadillac Fairview.

The company said due to COVID-19, it is committed to abiding by public health guidelines and to ensure the safety of their guests.

Each Drive-Thru reservation is for one vehicle and attendees must be buckled in. The experience is by appointment only and walk-ups will not be accepted.

Registration for the complimentary journey, which runs from 5 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. nightly, starts on November 17 by visiting https://www.cfshops.com/sherway-gardens/news-events/events/holiday-drive-thru.html.

They described the Drive-Thru experience as ‘a vibrant, one-of-a-kind expedition filled with anticipation, joy and excitement.’

For more information, visit https://www.cfshops.com/sherway-garden

Cadillac Fairview is one of the largest owners, operators and developers of best-in-class office, retail and mixed-use properties in North America. The company is valued at more than $30 billion and is owned by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.

Earn some decent money and benefits working for the TTC

by

Here is a chance to become a much-demanded transit operator at the TTC.

The TTC is hosting its first virtual women as Transit Operators information and educational session, to be held on November 24 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

This is an opportunity for women in our community and people of colour to learn about the benefits of starting a career at the TTC as a Transit Operator.

Officials said it is a lengthy hiring process and sometimes lengthier based on needs and availability of resources.

The TTC starts at about $27 per hour with full benefits and other perks.

The TTC says no commercial driving experience is necessary as there are other jobs available.

The transit company say they are committed to fostering a positive workplace culture with a workforce that is representative of the communities it services.

Accommodation is available for participants, including those with disabilities. Please contact Talent Management at 416-393-4570.

You can send your applications or visit virtually at www.ttc.ca/join