The South Etobicoke News

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

Residents band together to save Van Dusen bridge

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A petition with more than 400 names is being circulated online by some residents to Save the Van Dusen Pedestrian Bridge.

Irate residents of the Norseman Heights, Sunnylea, Kingsway and Thompson Orchard areas say they regularly use the popular pedestrian bridge that crosses Mimico Creek at Van Dusen, which has been closed indefinitely.

“This bridge is always very, very busy with pedestrians and cyclists at all times of the year,” the residents say in a petition to Mayor John Tory and Councillor Mark Grimes. “This bridge connects our community and gives an alternative to walking or biking along busy Bloor Road bridge or Royal York bridge.”

Residents say there has been no communication from the City or Grimes. They were told by a local parent group that the bridge ‘has been condemned and maybe closed for a year or two.’
“We have heard nothing from the city nor has any signage been erected,” they claim.

They say the bridge should be a part of ActiveTO, which was developed as part of the pandemic response.

The residents are seeking that the City notify the community about the repair and when it will be completed, for the repair to be expedited and proper maintenance to ensure the bridge remains in order.

The closure also impacts cyclists, pedestrians and families during this time of social distancing, and increase walks by children to their local schools.

An official at Grimes’ office says the Councillor had a call scheduled with the staff responsible for the bridge closure, during which he will request measures be taken to inform the community about the bridge.

“We have been in constant contact with staff since the closure and, like the community, have been eagerly awaiting details,” Grimes office said.

“This bridge is a main artery for our neighborhood,” Michelle wrote on social media. “There is no indication or information as to why the bridge was closed and two years is an insane time to get this done.”

Diana says ‘the bridge has been a main focal point of getting to the shops at Royal York Rd. and Bloor St. W.’

The petition is accessible on you.leadnow.ca

 

Detective Olszevski is as tough as they get in fighting crime

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Meet Michelle Olszevski, a Toronto Police detective with nerves of steel.

Olszevski is a 27-year police veteran and a 2020 Ontario Women in Law Enforcement (OWLE) recipient.

A sharp detective, she has been leading a team, with the high-profile Gun and Gang Task Force since 2014.

Her team is responsible for the arrests of armed persons, and their investigations often entails lots of surveillance and the execution of search warrants.

The team has been directly responsible for the arrest of hundreds of violent offenders, and the seizure of more than 100 firearms and multiple kilograms of various controlled substances.

“These types of investigations are often dynamic in nature and present dangerous situations to both officers and the community,” according to police. ”On two separate occasions, her team has been involved in police-involved shootings.”

Olszevski is pivotal in ensuring all members sought and received the help needed to heal emotionally. She prioritized those under her command before her own wellness as she was also involved in the shootings.

“Her leadership and selflessness were recognized by all of her supervisors,” police say, adding she is well-known for a superior work ethic and difficult career path.

A detective in the task force works long hours due to the job and the court hours required.

She takes on this responsibility balancing her family life and her work life with no complaints, even though she is the only female detective in a male dominated unit.

Det. Olszevski not only ‘holds her own’ but she has become the ‘go to’ detective for complex investigations.

She is a role model for all investigators, specifically the next generation of female officer and is well respected and admired by her colleagues.

Olszevski is being recognized for her outstanding work and true leadership in a very difficult role.

 

 

Five family members arrested for gun offences

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Toronto Police have laid 53 charges after executing two warrants on July 14, leading to the recovery of 11 guns, 11,000 rounds of ammunition, 110 grams of crack cocaine, 400 grams of heroin and 672 grams of crystal meth.

Five people from the same Toronto household face a total of 53 charges after Toronto Police executed two warrants and recovered a stash of firearms, ammunition and drugs.

Officers from 11 Division Major Crime Unit, Community Response Unit and the Emergency Task Force recovered 11 firearms, 11,000 rounds of ammunition, 110 grams of crack cocaine, 400 grams of heroin, and 672 grams of crystal meth.

Samuel Morris, 34, faces 12 charges relating to drug possession and possessing prohibited firearms, unlicensed person possessing prohibited/restricted firearm, and possessing firearm obtained by crime.

Emily Morris, 25, faces five charges, including possession of schedule I substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of schedule III substance, and possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000.

David Morris, 48, Rachel Morris, 19, and William Morris, 22, all of Toronto, are charged with possession of schedule I substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking schedule I substance.

 

 

Super baker Ruben chose New Toronto over 33 spots for business

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Master baker Ruben Pires loves New Toronto so much that he decided to buy and open a bakery and pastry shop here on his first visit to the area.

The Argentinian-born pastry chef had visited more than 30-bakeries in the GTA while searching for a shop to purchase.

He was at first interested in buying in the Niagara Falls area, before someone brought him to south Etobicoke and he fell in love at first sight with Delicia Bakery and Pastry, at 2854 Lake Shore Blvd. W., at Fifth St.

“We had seen about 33 bakeries by then and loved this area right away,” recalls Pires. “We loved the people and the sense of community that exist in the area.”

It has been just over a year since Pires, and his brother-in-law Leandro, purchased Delicia which has been doing well. They also own two other bakeries in Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina.

He proudly shows on his phone about six cameras installed at the stores in Argentina, which he monitors from here in real time.

“It was quite a challenge operating the business during the height of the pandemic,” he says. “The people here stood behind us and have supported us.”

At that time the bakery was operating on reduced hours and take-out service.

The airy store, which has the beautiful aroma of freshly-made breads, cakes and other goodies, is busy these days as area residents try to return to normal lives.

“People love our fresh, hand-made goods,” Pires says. “Our customers tell us every day that they cannot wait to come back and sit down with a cup of coffee.”

His secret is the use of fresh ingredients for all his goods, which are baked with a European and Latin American flair.

There is also a hot table, deli, delicious empanadas and cakes for all occasions. The coffee is also tasty and full-bodied.

The bakery can be reached at 416-503-0555 and they deliver to residents in the community.

 

 

Faustina’s Coach Joe hangs up his hockey whistle

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By REJEAN CANTLON

Joe White is a hockey coach for the Faustina Hockey Club, and like many local hockey coaches, he is an unpaid volunteer. Sadly for many of his players and their families, the 2019-20 season was his last. Coach Joe has decided to hang up his coach’s whistle but not leave the game he loves entirely.

White’s contributions to minor hockey in South Etobicoke include coaching hockey for the better part of 15 years with various organizations and guiding the Faustina Fury U18 select program for the last five. He capped off his most recent campaign with a gold medal win with the NYHL Tier 2 Championship in 2018/19 season, the team was immediately promoted to Tier 1 and they had their sites on going deep into the playoffs, with another possible championship well in sight before the pandemic hit and their season was halted.

What’s special about Coach Joe has nothing to do with his successes on the ice but more about what his efforts mean to his players as a person. When he joined the team in 2012, his daughter, Cristina was part of the team. A few years later she decided to move on and leave the team, yet Coach Joe’s work was not done. He loved this team so much he decided to stay on and continue as head coach. His tireless volunteer commitment was not for the accolades but for the love of the game. White plans to stay on as a Faustina Member and as a member of its Board of Governors next season.

“For five years, Joe has been dedicated to our kids,” says incoming head coach, Ken Graydon. “Joe is always so organized and ready for practices and games. You can tell he really cares about the players and their development. Most of all, the kids really like playing together and I think it is because of the positive atmosphere Joe gives the team. Not only does he push them to be better, he also finds the time to smile and laugh along the way.”

On a warm, wet night in July during a pandemic, the team did what they could to honour their coach. They presented him with a personal gift that would have normally been given at an end of year banquet in person. Instead, they did the next best thing. Joe’s boys all signed a Faustina jersey in his honour and virtually presented it to him via a Zoom call.

Coach Joe acknowledged the gift with the grace that he has shown throughout his tutelage. “This jersey, signed by all of you, will always have a place of honour in my home. No doubt about it. Go get them next year boys! I know you can do it!”

Condo construction edges closer at vacant Mr. Christie site

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High-density sky condos are slowly moving closer to construction at the former Mr. Christie cookie site.

Another round of public engagement wrapped up on July 20 as developers fine-tune a mixed-use sky-rise community coming to 2150 Lake Shore Blvd. W., the vacant cookie plant site.

An Official Plan Amendment application for the 11-hectare property was submitted by landowners First Capital Realty and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in October 2019. It features a new community of 15 high-rises ranging from 16 to 70 storeys tall by London-based Allies and Morrison and Toronto’s Urban Strategies.

The neighbourhood will be home for more than 30,000 residents when completed, officials say.

Following feedback from the public and City staff, rezoning and Draft Plan of Subdivision applications have also now been formally submitted, with several revisions made to the multi-faceted development.

The main focus is a transit hub centres around a new Park Lawn GO Station, which remains a signature element of the proposal, and will be built by Metrolinx.

The revised master plan doubles the size of the proposed public park, tweaks the heights of several buildings, and makes accommodations for two new elementary schools.

A half-hectare public park, to be located near the northern edge of the property, has been enlarged to one hectare.

Buildings positioned to the north will shield the park from the noise and pollution of the Gardiner Expressway.

“Envisioned as an all-season area hosting a diversity of open spaces, the park will be complemented by a number of other green spaces on adjacent blocks,” according to the plan.

Enlarging the public park required reconfiguration of a central ‘loop road’ linked to Lake Shore Blvd. W. and a corresponding reduction in the size of the central galleria block, where a covered retail-lined pedestrian street is planned.

‘To ensure space for TTC bus bays along Park Lawn at the northwest corner, the proposed street connecting Park Lawn to the loop road will now be pedestrianized,” officials say.

In regards to potential shadowing on the proposed public park, the massing of the buildings fronting Park Lawn Rd. and Lake Shore Blvd. W. has been adjusted, shifting residential floor space to other areas of the site by enlarging the average residential tower floor plate.

While the applications are assessed by City staff, First Capital had invited the public to participate and submit questions by July 20 in a virtual open house for the proposed Park Lawn GO Station, which is expected to serve about 5,000 riders daily.

 

Welcoming NHL hockey stars to the area for season

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A campaign has been launched by the Lake Shore Village BIA to welcome NHL players arriving in town this weekend for the start of a shortened season of hockey.

BIA officials say as many as 12 National Hockey League (NHL) teams from the Eastern Conference will be Toronto for games. The Leafs usually practice at the Ford Performance Centre, on Kipling Ave.

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have announced return-to-play protocols, which features  Toronto and Edmonton acting as hub cities for players to better fight COVID-19.

The teams are to touch down on July 26 and will play their games without fans at the Air Canada Centre. Some of the exhibition games start on July 28.

Chris Korwin Kuczynski, Chair of the Lake Shore Village BIA, says two large banners are being made to welcome the Eastern Conference Players.

He said dozens of smaller posters will be circulated to businesses and other BIA members.

“We want to welcome all the players on behalf of the Lake Shore Village BIA,” he says. “We want them to have an excellent season.”

The teams will be isolated and confined to ‘bubbles’ to avert the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The NHL playoffs this year is slated to begin on July 30 after two weeks training camp.

The league consists of 31 teams, 24 of which are based in the U.S. and seven in Canada.

 

 

Some 3,000 tickets laid by police in cycling blitz

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Area residents have been complaining about fast and reckless cycling on our pathways and roads.

Police have listened and more than 3,000 tickets have been issued to road users as part of a week of action and engagement.
Police say the tickets were issued from July 13 to July 19 as part of a 2020 Road Safety Campaign Geared to Cyclists.

Officers also took the time to educate cyclists on collision-causing behaviours, as well as taking enforcement action.
The campaign focused on “The Big 4” behaviours that are known to cause injuries to people using our roads and identified drivers who were speeding, driving aggressively, driving while distracted and driving while impaired.
Police say 1,950 tickets were issued for speeding; 927 for aggressive cycling, 92 for handheld and 38 for other offences.

Officers laid ten stunt driving-related infractions where the drivers received a suspension and their vehicles were impounded. A total of 19 impaired-related arrests were also made.
Sergeant Jason Kraft thanked all those who helped spread the traffic safety messages.
Police say the campaign was part of Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan to curb collisions are preventable and unacceptable. Zero injuries and deaths on our roads is the number that we all should be working towards.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1985.

 

 

Fraudsters claim to be from Service Ontario & preying on seniors

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Police are warning the public of an ongoing fraud in which a person claiming to be from Service Ontario may get in touch by phone or email.

The caller claims the person’s SIN number has been compromised and “used in fraudulent criminal activity.”

The caller asks the victim for the local police number. A short time a person claiming to be from police calls back continuing the story of the fraudulent activity and advises the victim to deposit money to a specific Bitcoin ATM.

Police say the scammers are able to spoof the police phone number on the victim’s caller ID telephone. Many of those targeted are seniors or the vulnerable.

“Toronto Police Service is reminding the public to be vigilant, especially in these times of uncertainty,” detectives said in a statement. “Government agencies will not ask the public to deposit money using Bitcoin machines.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5500, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.222tips.com

Police warn that some cabbies targeting riders’ credit cards

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Residents are being warned by police of an ongoing scam targeting people on the move using taxi services.

Toronto Police say the scheme unfolds after a person waves down a taxi cab and requests a ride to a destination.

“Once at the destination, the victim is asked to pay with a debit card,” according to a release from detectives in 14 Division. “The driver advises they do not have change and do not accept credit payment.”

Police say the driver then provides the fare with a debit card payment machine.

During the transaction, the driver switches the victim’s card with another person’s credit card, police warn.

Fraud officers say people should not give their cards to anyone and it should always be kept in their possession and never return  a debit card machine with your card still inserted.

People should also inspect their card after each transaction to ensure it is their proper card.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1400 or anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).