The South Etobicoke News

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

Wrestler Sweet Daddy Siki was way before his time

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We all loved him!

Wrestler Reginald Siki was the dirt-poor son of a Texas sharecropper who moved to Toronto, where he dyed his hair blonde and changed his name to Sweet Daddy Siki to become a fan favourite who packed Maple Leaf Gardens for years.

Busloads of fans would jam the Gardens every weekend to moan over the latest antics of the popular and well-liked Siki, or to see him get pounded by an irate opponent. He was a main card attraction who made his debut in 1962 and wrestled at the Carlton St. shrine until 1980.
Siki, who was born in 1940 in Montgomery, Texas, began learning the ropes at Compton College in Los Angeles. By the 1950s, he was fighting in New Mexico.
He is called the “Jackie Robinson of professional wrestling” for facing intense discrimination in the U.S. south, where he was once forced to fight in front of the KKK.
Having suffered enough racism, he and his late long-time Canadian wife moved to Toronto in 1961. He fought in venues across the country and was a fixture at Stampede Wrestling for years.

A large man, with a soft voice, Siki was best-known for his unique moves that included the “coco butt, airplane spin and neck-breaker,” which had rivals in pain on the mat.
Siki was a pioneer, who had grown more popular than the headline fighters, as Whipper Billy Watson, Gene “Big Thunder” Kiniski, Abdullah The Butcher, Dick “The Bulldog” Brower and Lord Athol Layton.
‘Mr. Irresistible’, as he was dubbed by fans, Siki was then earning a whopping $3,000 a bout and was receiving bundles of mail from fans around the world.
He brought sizzle and glamour to the ring and many fans booed as Siki would take out his white hand-held mirrors and begin admiring his good looks and well-built body.
“He was a Black wrestler who had a gimmick that wasn’t rooted in his colour,” one magazine said. “He didn’t want you to hate him because he was Black. You were supposed to hate him because he was a vain, rude, arrogant prima donna.”
In a time when ring attire consisted of solid colour trunks and black boots, Siki’s were candy-striped. His boots were white, with the backs cut out to show off his calf muscles. With bleached hair and mustache, he wore sequined robes and Jackie Kennedy sunglasses on his way to the ring.
“I saw my first wrestling match at the age of 14, and I knew right then that is what I wanted to do,” recalled Siki, who was at one time a corporal in the U.S. Army.

He was a regular fixture in the Parkdale area, where he lived and for years drove around in a converted hearse. Along the way, Siki has earned six major wrestling belts, including the Austria-Asian championship, the North American championship, which he held for three years; the Texas championship and the tag-team heavyweight crown.
His body has suffered a tremendous toll from the sport. His injuries included two broken ribs, his hands were broken twice, his ankle and leg broken and half-his-face paralyzed, after being kicked in the face.
To this day fans still recall his signature phrases: “I’m the Women’s Pet and the Man’s Regret” and “A lot of people try to copy me, but there’s only one Niagara Falls and only one Mona Lisa. And there’s only one Mr. Irresistible”.
Siki has mentored and influenced today’s top stars, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Adam “Edge” Copeland, Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Trish Stratus.
Today, he remains secluded and friends say he isn’t feeling well these days to talk.
A documentary called Sweet Daddy Siki was aired by the CBC’s Documentary Channel on June 11, 2017.

 

 

Community donates to LAMP to feed the poor

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Etobicoke Lakeshore MPP Christine Hogarth and Global Medic ‘s Rahul Singh, in photo, who founded the David McAnthony Foundation, which operates Global Medic, stop by LAMP to help with COVID 19 emergency response.

Christine and Rahul delivered 20 boxes of dry staples to LAMP including lentils, peas, barley, rice, chickpeas and kidney beans LAMP is grateful for their kindness and generosity. Global Medic earlier in the month donated 174 Hygiene kits to LAMP.

LAMP CHC is slowly scaling up primary health care services and clinical operations to include in addition to essential services increasing the number of in-person visits of patient or clients designated ‘need to be seen’.

In response to social isolation LAMP is offering some virtual programs like Mindfulness and Wellness workshops on Zoom. A four-week online mindfulness workshop series helps people to manage and control their mental health. It takes place June 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 3 pm.

The Centre’s takeaway meal program has been expanded to include Fridays through the adult drop in. Now from 9:30 am to 11:30 Monday through Saturday people can pick up a free takeaway meal at the Birmingham St. entrance.

The EarlyON services at LAMP will distribute new and used books free of charge to families in June. For more information call EarlyON at 416-252-8293

Two online wellness workshops focusing on nurturing your spirit during COVID-19 takes place June 17 at 2 p.m. and June 24 at 2 p.m.

LAMP is also hiring young people for eight summer job positions thanks to federal funding.

To register call or email jasmind@lampchc.org 416 252 6471 ext. 308.

 

Politicians roughed up at Sir Adam Beck School

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Tensions once ran high at Alderwood’s Sir Adam Beck Junior School as two local politicians were roughed up and detained by an angry crowd.

Next month will mark the 84th year since Etobicoke Reeve William A. Armstrong was roughed up and forcibly confined at Sir Adam Beck School, at 544 Horner Ave., as part of a labour dispute.

Armstrong, who was in 1946 the chair of  Etobicoke’s first planning board, and Relief Officer Charles Grubbe, were forcibly kept in a basement boiler room of the school for more than 18-hours, before arrangements were reached so they could leave.

Grubbe was using the school as a pay office to disperse payments to some 2,168 men who were unemployed and receiving relief benefits in cash or vouchers for use to purchase food and other items, according to local historian Denise Harris.

The men during the Depression era were expected to work on road maintenance or other jobs and many felt they deserved more pay, which sparked rotating strikes and public protests at the time.

On July 8, 1936 the school was packed with about 500 relief workers, strikers and supporters. A confrontation broke out after Grubbe ran out of money resulting in some workers not getting paid.

The strikers allowed Grubbe to call Reeve Armstrong who arrived at the school about 4:30 p.m., according to reports.

“When Armstrong tried to leave the building at 5 p.m., he was forcibly prevented from doing so,” according to newspaper accounts. “Both Grubbe and Armstrong were confined to the stifling and dripping basement boiler room for more than 18 hours.”

A member of the union warned “the reeve and relief officer will be fed the ‘same grub’ as being brought in to feed the union guys.”

After several unsuccessful bargaining attempts the men were finally released after compensation was received by all the workers.

Armstrong, a former head of employee relations at Ontario Hydro, served as Reeve from 1934 to 1936.

Many people at the time had a hard time coping with a heatwave that took place from July 8 to July 15,  which saw swimming pools packed with thousands of residents, with some people sleeping outdoors in parks.

Some 225 Toronto residents died as a result of the heatwave. With files by Denise Harris.

Chief Saunders urges residents to get tested

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It’s only a matter of minutes.

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders takes a couple minutes from the job to get a drive-thru COVID-19 test.

Saunders says he doesn’t have any symptoms of the virus.

“As first responders it can be difficult to maintain physical distancing doing our jobs,” the Chief says. “We do our best to protect the public and getting tested is important. “

He urges residents to follow public health directives to help keep everyone safe.

Members of the public can receive a free check by driving to the Etobicoke Drive-Thru Assessment Centre, located near Etobicoke General Hospital in the Humber College overflow parking lot, off Queen’s Plate Drive at Highway 27.

The Assessment Centre is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., seven days a week.

Officials say motorists do not need to leave their cars to be assessed or tested.

Patients will remain in their vehicle for the duration of their screening and assessment. They are screened upon arrival to determine if they are eligible for testing. Those who meet the assessment criteria will be directed to drive toward the testing area where a nasal swab will be taken. The Assessment Centre includes plenty of signage and staff are available to direct you.

The drive-thru model protects the health and safety of hospital staff working at the centre. Individuals without cars can access the centre through a separate walk-in assessment and testing area.

Your family doctor will receive your results, or a health official will contact you if the test is found to be positive.

The Ontario government is working on increasing its testing to about 14,000 people daily.

Restaurants helping to feed frontline workers

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Long Branch cake guru Monja Chiara was searching for ways to help in these trying times when she came across an initiative called Sustain the Line, which helps feed frontline workers battling COVID-19.

The owner of Cake Star, at 3431 Lake Shore Blvd. W., is one of a number of Etobicoke businesses which have volunteered for the program that fed more than 1,200 meals to hard-working medical and emergency workers in their first two weeks.

“This is a great program,” Chiara says. “We have fed many frontline workers and they truly appreciate the meals.”

A fixture on a number of TV baking shows, she says many restaurants want to help feed healthcare workers, but don’t have the support they need to do so.

Their purpose, according to the group’s website, is to connect local food businesses able and willing to deliver meals to frontline healthcare workers to supporters willing to fund these meals.

Anyone who wants to donate funds or deliver meals can get in touch using a Sustain the Line website. The donor pays the food provider a lump sum to make the meals, and then the provider gets in touch with local healthcare workers.

The concept started with Toronto’s Mission Watch Company and Old Road BBQ in Nova Scotia committing to feed frontline workers for a month in Nova Scotia. NextLevel (New Jersey), Conduit Law (Toronto) and Aron Brand (Montreal) joined them within days to expand the idea to North America.

The non-profit organization aims to connect more small food businesses to those who want to fund meals for frontline healthcare workers.

To donate or volunteer visit www.sustaintheline.com/

Woeful history of Mimico’s largest waterfront mansion

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If some of the rooms in a mansion on Lake Shore Blvd. W. could talk, we would probably be amazed by some of the tales they could tell.

The Consulate of the Republic of Poland for 44-years has occupied what is described as the ‘largest home built on the Mimico waterfront’ that sits behind a tall ornate iron fence that stops at Number 2603.

The limestone ‘English Tudor style’ home was designed by leading architect John Wilson Siddall and originally had 21 rooms including six marble bathrooms, four fireplaces, a panelled library, two solariums and formal gardens extending to the lake.

It has been the scene of many events in Polish history including the Solidarity movement and many elections in Warsaw.

The home was built in 1927 by Lawrence J. McGuinness, the well-known booze baron and distiller, who started a wholesale liquor business in Toronto in 1905.

McGuinness, according to local historian Michael Harrison, made his money as a ’bootlegger and rum runner’ who exported liquor into the U.S. during Prohibition from a home next door, at 2619 Lake Shore Blvd. W.

“McGuinness was well-known in Toronto and was a personal friend of Ontario Premier Mitch Hepburn,” wrote Harrison. “In 1938, he built a distillery and bottling plant in Mimico.”

He wrote that at the height of Prohibition, McGuinness and his partner Harry Hatch, controlled all traffic in liquor along the west-end of Lake Ontario.

They became wealthy and McGuinness used some his profits to purchase property and build the huge mansion, now Consulate, at 2603 Lake Shore Blvd. W.

McGuinness passed away in 1951, and the liquor company was taken over by his son Larry Jr., who ran the business until it was sold to Standard Brands in the 1970s, then Corby’s in 1987 before being shut.

Larry Jr., made a name for himself by competing on the Canadian Olympic equestrian team in the 1952 and 1956 Games. In 1973 he sold the distillery operation later sold the mansion to the Polish Government in 1976.

A year later he declared bankruptcy after a series of bad investments and moved to Florida to live with his family.

With files by Michael Harrison

Port Credit BIA launches Support the Port fundraiser

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The Port Credit BIA with partners have launched a community gift card initiative in support of local businesses and the Compass Food Bank.

Residents are being encouraged to purchase a Support The Port electronic gift card, and the BIA with community partners Brightwater, Edenshaw Developments and Port Credit Community Foundation will match the funds with a donation to the food bank.

The gift cards can be redeemed at any participating business and so far $20,000 have been contributed to the initiative.

“The sad reality is many businesses will not make it through this crisis,” says Jake Pedler, Chair of the PCBIA. “The Port Credit Business community is very resilient, passionate and united so with the support of our community and sponsor this initiative will greatly assist in the recovery and boost morale.”

The Compass Food Bank and Outreach Centre is located in Port Credit and serves South Mississauga with a safe and welcoming place for families in need.

To purchase a Support the Port gift card, visit supporttheport.ca.

Brightwater is a modern waterfront village coming soon to Port Credit offering unmatched lifestyle amenities, elevated design, urban conveniences, and boundless opportunities to connect.

Edenshaw Developments Ltd. is a champion of great living, better businesses and happy, healthy communities that always put people first.

The Port Credit Community Foundation is a non-profit  organization created for the people of Port Credit. It is dedicated to fund a combination of hard investments, charitable endeavours, event support and other community initiatives. To learn more visit portcreditcommunityfoundation.org.

Virtual graduations, classes trending to the future

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This seems to be a year of virtual graduations and events for students across the city.

Alderwood resident Kendal Christie graduated virtually on May 26 from Branksome Hall and a great time was had by her parents, who were glad the family were at home safe.

Kendal says she is delighted to graduate with top marks and will be attending McMaster University in Hamilton this fall to study Life Sciences. The program will take place virtually until students are allowed again to gather in public.

The virtual graduations, classes, conferences and meetings have become popular, and a big business with the spread of COVID-19.

Grads today for very little can host a live event or broadcast their graduation to students, educations or their families online.

Organizers of the virtual live events say they encourage connection, give attendees a way to watch speeches, see the awarding of awards, diplomas and can celebrate together and this way they all remain safe and healthy.

 

COVID-19 takes the life of local historian

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A local historian who wrote about the Villages of Etobicoke has lost this battle with the dreaded COVID-19 virus.

Paul Joseph O’Connor passed away on April 25. He was 66.

He was married to Maija Asaris for 34-years and will also be greatly missed by his mother, Mary, siblings Susan, Kevin (Lisa) and nieces and nephews.

Friends remember him as a friendly and caring person.

“Paul loved his Irish heritage, a spirited Irish get together, travel and family history,” according to his family. “Throughout his life, Paul shared a passion for history.”

He gladly supported Heritage Toronto, the Etobicoke Historical Society, Alderwood Historical Society and once contributed a chapter to the Villages of Etobicoke.

His family are expressing their thanks to the staff of Trillium Hospital who cared for Paul in his fight with the virus.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations can be made in Paul’s memory to St. Ambrose Catholic Church or the Trillium Health Partners Foundation.

Union leader Whitfield fought for social rights

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By STAFF:

Postal workers from Etobicoke and beyond are mourning the loss of a popular Toronto union leader who fought for better working conditions.

Megan Whitfield was a fierce advocate for social rights and justice who passed away suddenly on May 24 with her family at her side. She was 51.

Megan was a long-time member and board member for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists’ Canadian Chapter (CBTU), and Equity Vice President of the Ontario Federation of Labour and was elected the 1st Black President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), the Toronto Local.

Megan was also a member of the CBTU Region 1 Women’s Committee and CBTU International Constitution Committee.

“She was admired by so many for her tenacious and fearless advocacy of worker’s rights and social justice,” the CBTU wrote. “She will be missed by the thousands of workers that she has represented over the years.”

Megan is survived by partner Keith Dunnon, mother Joan Gooden, and her sons Cody, Chevon and Cory Barnett, her grandchildren, Sophia and Maya Barnett, and many other family members and long-time friends.

“Our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends and trade union family across Canada,” the union mourned. “We miss you sister.”

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Howarth says she is deeply saddened by Megan’s passing.

“She was a fierce advocate for worker rights and social justice. Rest in power,” Horwath said.

Her long-time friend, fellow CBTU member Mark Brown, says Megan had many friends and acquaintances in the union movement.

“She will be missed by so many people who she has helped over the years,’ Brown recalls.

Megan told CP24 last March during an International Women’s Day march that she credits other female trailblazers for helping her to achieve her position.

“Never underestimate the power of a woman,” she said then. “As the world is on fire we will burn, but we will rise and we will accomplish and achieve.”

Funeral details are unknown at this time.