The South Etobicoke News

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

Two locked and loaded handguns seized by police in traffic stop

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Two fully-loaded handguns (one in the photo) were seized by two sharp-eyed 22 Division officers during a traffic stop.
Police were patrolling the South Etobicoke area on September 8 when they observed a vehicle travelling with an improper licence plate.
“Our keen officers conducted a traffic stop which resulted in the arrest of two individuals with two fully-loaded handguns,” police say.
Police are warning “these guns are not toys.”
“They are serious weapons to hurt others,” according to officers. “These individuals have no reason to possess these firearms other than to hurt our community members.”
Police have stepped up patrols in the New Toronto following a Wild West shootout last weekend when some 80 shell casings were found in the vicinity of an afterhours booze club on Lakeshore Blvd. and Ninth St. area.
Police say a suspect was using a deadly machine pistol to fire rounds, which hit about a dozen vehicles and a gas line. One man was shot in the thigh area.

Shoot-out by rivals in New Toronto afterhours club party clash

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More than 80 bullets were flying in New Toronto as you slept.

It was a wild-west shootout as one man was injured and more than a dozen vehicles laced with gunfire in a feud by rival parties attending an afterhours club.

At least 80 bullet casings were found when the smoke had settled down in the early morning of September 8 on Eighth St., near Morrison St.

Police and politicians believe the gunfire erupted around 4:30 a.m. at the scene of a new after-hours club that recently opened up near Lakeshore Blvd., and Ninth St.

Officers say a ‘gender reveal’ party, which was well advertised on social media, was taking place at the club.

Councillor Mark Grimes says he is working with police and City officials to have the club shut down and for more officers to begin patrolling the area.

Residents say the club became rowdy after midnight when dozens of cars, and club patrons, usually lined the laneway.

One man was shot in the leg, and will recover, and another was provided life-saving emergency medical aid while passed out on a couple’s front lawn.

Police said the brazen occupants of two cars in the area were shooting at each other, and then were seen fleeing the area at a high rate of speed before police arrived.

Lakeshore Blvd. W.  between Seventh and Ninth Sts. was shut for traffic and the TTC for hours as police searched for forensic clues, which included cars laced with bullet holes which smashed the windows, sides and even one with a flat tire.

Witnesses say one suspect was shooting what appeared to be a ‘machine pistol’ which peppered rounds everywhere as bar patrons, partygoers and witnesses scrambled for cover. Others with weapons at the party were shooting back at the gunman.

A gas meter was struck by one of the bullets and Enbridge had to attend to shut the gas off, police said.

Police say this is among the most shells collected recently from a Toronto crime scene.

Area residents say the gunplay demonstrates that a City plan to open a shelter nearby will only make things worst, with more people coming into the community.

This has been the third shooting, and a stabbing, in the area in the past month.

Police are going through video of the area and say mugshots of the suspects will be released soon.

 

 

Police seeking suspect in two hate crime attacks in New Toronto

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Toronto Police have released a blurred photo of a crazed suspect sought for two racially-motivated attacks in New Toronto in which a victim’s turban was torn off his head.

Police say the suspect targeted two South Asian men on August 25 and 31 who were going about their business.

In the first attack, police said the suspect approached a 21-year-old man in the Lake Shore Blvd. W. and First Street area.

“Without warning the man began striking the victim repeatedly and then tore off his turban,” police said in a press release.  “The suspect fled on foot eastbound on Lake Shore Boulevard W.”

In the second incident, officers say the suspect approached a 23-year-old man in the Dwight Ave. and Birmingham St. area and “began striking him on his head.”

The assailant then took off north on Dwight Ave.

Members of the force’s Hate Crime Unit are probing the attacks and believe the same suspect is responsible for the assaults.

“Police are actively investigation these incidents as hate-motivate assaults,” according to the release.  “Officers from the Hate Crime Unit will continue to work with divisional officers to establish the full circumstances.”

Mayor John Tory said hate-motivated assaults are completely unacceptable in our city.

“I want to assure members of our South Asian community that we stand with them against this violence,” he assured.

The suspect is described as white, 20 to 25-years-old, 5-foot-8 and about 180-pounds. In the first attack he was wearing a dark hoodie, bright orange hat and dark pants with white shoes. In the second incident, he was wearing a grey hoodie, with grey sweat pants and a black baseball cap.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-1100 or CrimeStoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS or online at www.222tips.com

 

 

Get your dancing shoes out for festival at Amos Waites Park

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Do you like to dance!

This foot-moving event takes place on September 13 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Amos Waites Park.

Dance Together Festival 2020 invites you to move, shake and boogie safely through the “Dance On Map” at the park, at 2441 Lake Shore Blvd. W.

Organizers say there will be a vibrant collaboration between dance and visual artists as Mimico Square is transformed in to an open-air dance space waiting for your nimble feet.

So get your tap dance or other type of dancing shoes. Then pick a pathway on the square and follow the steps, or make up your own dance along the way.

Go any time and get your dance on!  You too could be like Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers.

Share your own #danceonmap videos on Instagram and tag @dancetogetherfestival for a chance to win cool art and dance prizes!

Protestors march with signs outside proposed New Toronto shelter

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More than 100 area residents held a noisy protest outside the proposed site of a New Toronto homeless shelter while calling on City Council to find another spot and not one in a prime commercial location.

Area residents called for the shelter to be relocated or for smaller shelters to be created across the city rather that the use of so-called ‘mega-shelters.’

“This is a primary commercial site on our main strip and it is not the right place for a shelter,” says Vashti King, of the New Toronto Ratepayers Association, which organized the September 3 demonstration. “We support the shelter and propose alternate solutions.”

The group is proposing that Councillors create smaller shelters across the city rather than treat people in “mega-shelters.”

Toronto City Council are slated to vote to purchase the 2950 and 2970 Lake Shore Blvd. W. properties in a virtual meeting on September 30. A sale signals a shelter may be coming.

King says more than 300 anti-shelter letters have been sent to Mayor John Tory and others and more than 1,200 area residents voted against the proposal in an online survey. A slightly higher amount voted online for the plan.

Residents warn that there are about 14 social agencies in the area and ‘enough is enough.’

Rattan Gandhi, Treasurer of the Lakeshore Village BIA, was encouraged by the turnout of residents who showed up to voice their concerns.

“The community is very much concerned about this issue,” Gandhi says. “You can just see that by the turnout of people, which is very encouraging.

He believes property taxes may rise since the lack of taxes paid by the shelter will be passed on to local residents and businesses.

Debbie, a community worker, says there are long waits to access the local social agencies for people needing help.

“There are many families who cannot afford to pay rent,” Debbie says. “It is so bad that we are now giving away the highest amount of food vouchers that we ever have.”

News of the shelter, which will have rooms from COVID-19 patients, have split the community with businesses and homeowners calling on Council to relocate the facility.

The site is the former BiWay store and empty office building near Lake Shore Blvd. W. near Eighth St.

Questions raised in the hiring of executive at Lakeshore Arts

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The Board of Directors for Lakeshore Arts is being accused of skirting around their anti-Black equity policies in the recent hiring of an executive director.

The well-known arts program, in an open letter on social media, said they are engaging in an external consultant ‘who specializes in anti-oppression and anti-racism training.’

“This is the first of many steps that will need to be taken to help identify and eliminate white supremacy within Lakeshore Arts,” stated the August 31 letter signed off by the program’s Board of Directors.

It all began after an urgent August 18 letter from Natassia Morris, a former Operations Manager at Lakeshore Arts (LSA), that was signed by six other Black artists.

They claim the recent executive director’s position, which was vacant, was obtained by Ashley Watson, another white woman, despite the program’s anti-black and equality policies that was put in place last June, in which staff committed look at other nationalities for jobs and opportunities.

“We will work to ensure that racialized people attain leadership positions in our organization not only part time, temporary or entry level positions,” Morris wrote.

She complained that Watson had previously held other positions on the Board and was staff at Lakeshore Arts.

‘Your placement of …, another white woman, as the new leader of LSA was a violent action towards the Black communities that support you,” Morris’ letter stated. “It is for this reason that I as a former member of LSA management team and a Black woman (along with other artists) simply cannot remain silent.”

She wrote “the culture of silence equates to complicity, and it has created a dangerous and toxic environment for Black artists, community and non-profit workers.”

“Your placement of Ashley at the helm of your organization is rooted in white supremacist culture,” the letter alleged. “It is a vicious cycle that we have seen repeated ad nauseam.”

They accused the Arts program of harbouring racism.

“Just as anti-Black racism has been an insidious, often unacknowledged across Canada, so too your organization actively evaluate and confront how you have maintained systemic racism and oppression,” the group said. “How will you take action against those in all your operations.”

The Board said there is an “urgent need to be held accountable for our actions in order to confront and dismantle white supremacy in our organization.”

 

Humber College getting new Cultural Hub, residences and arts venues

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Humber College is probably the largest landholder in the Lake Shore Blvd. W. and Kipling Ave. area.

Now work is underway at the college’s Lakeshore Campus to construct two student residences, two performing arts venues and other learning spaces on the historic grounds.

Construction has begun on a new Humber Cultural Hub, which will be completed in 2024. It is designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects and being built by Ellis Don. It is one of a number of expansion and renovation projects that the college is undertaking.

The student residences will be eight and nine storeys tall, and will add rooms for up to 300 students. It will add 124,000 square feet of new living space, according to the plans.

The residences will rise up out of a two-storey podium that will have a new cafeteria and a new gym.

The Hub will also have two music and performing arts venues, one with 600 seats and another that can hold 150 people.

The venues can act as a potential destination for arts programs and even festivals in west Toronto, college officials say.

The Hub will be home to studios for recording, 3D animation, multimedia production, computer labs and an Indigenous classroom.

When it’s done, the project will connect to an existing library and a student residence..

College officials say the Hub will spark exciting possibilities for students, local cultural and creative industries and the community.

It will provide access to talent development, entrepreneurial supports and applied research, according to college information. It will also benefit culturally underserved local communities, build new appreciation and opportunities for the creative arts, attract new jobs and industries to the area and enrich the local economy.

Humber says his facility will enhance the training and career-readiness of students while allowing the college to solve business challenges for industry in the creative and performing arts.

“The Humber Cultural Hub will be a nexus for immersive, interdisciplinary performances, unique audience engagement and future focused pedagogical delivery that will enhance the Humber experience for students, faculty, alumni, industry and the community,” says Guillermo Acosta, a Senior Dean, of Faculty of Media and Creative Arts.

 

Drive Thru Ribfest taking place at Humber College South campus

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There’s nothing tastier than a piece of  barbeque rib in the summertime.

The community is being invited to a Ribfest Drive Thru barbeque taking place at Humber College South Campus on August 29 and 30.

The event starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 8 p.m. at the Lakeshore campus, at 3199 Lake Shore Blvd. W., at Kipling Ave.

The Ribfest is presented by Humber College, Rotary Etobicoke and features award-winning ‘ribbers as Billy Bones BBQ, Uncle Sam’s BBQ Stand, Oklahoma Pistol Pete’s and Alabama’s Finest Camp 31.

“With Toronto beginning to reopen, come out and experience a classic summer favourite at our newly designed Ribfest drive-thru,” according to the event organizers. “Enjoy mouth-watering ribs all from the comfort of your vehicle!”

Organizers say Toronto Ribfest is a not-for-profit event that’s been taking place for 18 years.

They say more than 100,000 supporters attend yearly and donations raised go to helping those in need in the community.

So far, more than $3 million has been raised for Etobicoke local hospitals, community centers, schools, shelters, food banks and charities.

 

Summer Music Series online virtual concert

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Its hot outside and we are aching for some summertime jazz in the city.
The jazz is not going to happen.
But, Lakeshore Arts is partnering with Mimico-by-the-Lake BIA to present The Summer Series on August 28.
The online virtual concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and feature local and musical acts.
This is a fundraiser for the Jean Augustine Centre for Young women’s Empowerment, which has been forced to cut some of its programming due to COVID-19.
You can donate at jeanaugustinecentre.ca, in honour of the “Summer Music Series.”
Stay tuned for more information and some of the artists being featured.
Also local brewery, Great Lakes Beer has launched a fundraising beer called Empowerment to help raise funds for the centre.
Please note that the Lakeshore Arts Long Branch Public Library mural box was painted in the last few days by artist Nazli Nahidi.

Art painting and sale to support Humber Bay Park

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There will be another Community Sidewalk Painting and Art sale tomorrow in support of Friends of Humber Bay Park.

The painting and sale will take place on August 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Studio Connect, 62 Marine Parade Drive, in Unit 5.

Artist Soudabeh Majidi invites you to add strokes to the painting.

Majidi, a graduate of Ontario College of Art and Design, has been painting and instructing Art for a decade. Soudabeh started to paint Neemo, the family dog who had been changing several homes and eventually became a loved family member in her household.

The Friends of Humber are also hosting their 2020 photo contest of images taken in the park. Photos must be from Humber Bay Park and adjacent areas.

Photographers have until September 15 to get registered and download their shots to fohbp.ca, and access the Photo Contest 2020 tab.