The South Etobicoke News

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

Officials warn about dangers of leaving pets locked in vehicles in the heat

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It is a yearly warning that seems to go unheeded.

Toronto Police, vets and firefighters are warning residents not to leave their pets, or even children, in locked vehicles during this heatwave even if the windows are slightly opened.

The warnings are being repeated after an area woman locked her dog in an SUV in a parking lot, which took firefighters some time to rescue.

The firefighters spent a fair bit of time rescuing the animal when they could be doing other duties, an official noted.

“Under no circumstance should you take your pet in your car if you think you might have to leave it in there, even if only for five minutes, warns veterinarian Dr. Cliff Redford.

Shopping trips are one of the most common scenarios where this occurs, he says.

The best thing an owner can do on a hot day is to leave their pet at home, “in a cool spot with lots of water,” the vets advise.

Police say if you must take your pet with you in the car, make sure someone is always with them.

“One of the best ways to cool them off is to soak their fur, so you can take a bottle of water and literally soak (them) — especially their ears and their feet,” an officer said.

Exercising in warm weather can cause a pet to overheat so be aware of and watch for signs of heatstroke, says the Toronto Humane Society, adding the symptoms for dogs can be excessive panting, fatigue, glazed eyes or a dazed expression and vomiting.

“An immediate response to if your animal is overheating would include removing them from the heat and placing them in a cooler area,” the THS suggested.

They say when it comes to dogs, pay extra attention to younger, older and heavier pets, dog breeds who have short noses and any pets with health issues.

Ontario is the first jurisdiction in Canada to have a full animal welfare enforcement system. The Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act came into effect in January 2020 and allows police to enter motor vehicles to help pets in distress.

If you see an animal in a hot car and are concerned the animal’s life is in immediate danger, dial 911. Members of the public should not attempt to enter a vehicle in these situations.

 

 

Popular drive-in movies at Sherway Mall almost sold out

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See you at the movies!
CF Sherway Gardens Mall is hosting a popular outdoor drive-in-movie experience on Thursdays and Sundays at one of their converted parking lots.

The shows began on July 29 and will run for three weeks. It features a double bill at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and tickets are $10 per car. Tickets are strictly on a first-come, first-served basis with all proceeds being donated to charity.

Many of the older pre-released fun movies are already sold out.

Sherway officials say this is a great way to spend “a fun family night or a date night to remember.”

The mall has partnered with the City of Toronto on their Drive-InTO initiative, which is focused on bringing temporary drive-in entertainment experiences to the City this summer.

On the third weekend, in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada, Sherway will be hosting a special night showcasing  Canadian content including the feature film, True North: Inside the Rise of Toronto Basketball (E); Mighty Jerome (E), which chronicles the rise, fall and redemption of Harry Jerome, Canada’s most record-setting track and field star; and the profoundly moving film, nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up (E) that tells the powerful story of the death of a young Cree man named Colten Boushie and his family’s fight for justice.

Some of the upcoming movies include:

Saturday, August 8 at 6:00pm – The Wild Life (PG)

[SOLD OUT] Saturday, August 8 at 9:00pm – Long Shot (14A)

Thursday, August 13 at 6:00pm – True North (E) – in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada

Thursday, August 13 at 9:00pm – nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up (E) – in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada

Friday, August 14 at 6:00pm – Mighty Jerome (E) – in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada

Friday, August 14 at 9:00pm – True North (E) – in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada

[SOLD OUT] Saturday, August 15 at 6:00pm – The Wild Life (PG)

[SOLD OUT] Saturday, August 15 at 9:00pm – Long Shot (14A)

 

 

Man taken to hospital in morning crash on Horner Ave.

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A man was rushed to hospital this morning after a collision between a car and a motorcycle near Horner and Alderbrae Aves., in South Etobicoke.

Toronto Police Traffic officers say a man suffered a serious injuries in the crash involving a car and motorbike on August 7, around 7 a.m.

“Drivers and pedestrians please move over and allow emergency vehicles to pass,” police said on Twitter afterwards.

Police say the man is expected to survive. The motorist was unhurt.

Some roads were closed in the area as police conducted their investigation.

 

Art advocate Ashley Watson now head of Lakeshore Arts

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A champion and advocate for the arts in South Etobicoke has returned as the new Executive Director for Lakeshore Arts.

Ashley Watson, who previously worked for Lakeshore Arts (LSA), began her new role on July 30.

“It’s great to be coming back to Lakeshore Arts and build on the amazing work done by Susan Nagy (previous Executive Director)” Ashley said. “I look forward to collaborating with our staff, board members and the Etobicoke community to continue to grow Lakeshore Art’s inclusive arts programming.”

She is known as an accomplished arts leader, who is well-respected in the arts community.

“Community arts are special since the development and presentation of art is done in collaboration with the community,” Ashley said. “Art is a powerful tool for expression, learning and connecting with each other.”

She is “uniquely qualified to lead the team that delivers LSA community-focused arts programs,” according to a news release. The former teacher is credited for growing LSA from “a local Mimico-focused organization to one working to deliver arts programming to underserved communities across Etobicoke.”

Lakeshore Arts President Marijana Cuvalo says Ashley has a “wealth of experience in championing the arts and advocating for the needs of the South Etobicoke community.”

Cuvalo says the LSA is entering a new chapter “one still extremely committed to driving cultural, social and artistic growth and building inclusive, healthy communities.”

Ashley previously worked a Development and Partnerships Manager and Operations Manager with LSA.

She has served as a founding curator of Humber Galleries where she established multiple gallery spaces and a collection of contemporary Canadian artwork. She holds a Master of Arts degree specializing in Art, Museum and Gallery Studies from University of Leicester, U.K.

Ashley has previously taught at University of Toronto, Humber College and University of Guelph.

 

The Westwood Theatre showed first-run flicks for 50-plus years

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By DAVE KOSONIC

The long-gone Westwood Theatre went down like the Titanic, the last movie shown at the storied south Etobicoke movie house.

Development was expected to be completed this Spring on the 13.8-acre site that is soon to be home of a new Etobicoke Civic Centre, public square, recreation centre, library, office space and child care facility.

Many moviegoers like to recall the good old days when they could enjoy first-run movies at the Westwood while munching on candy floss, hot dogs and popcorn.

The Westwood was located at the southeast corner of Six Points, or spaghetti junction, where Bloor and Dundas Sts. and Kipling Ave. met.  This location was highly accessible, there was plenty of free parking and theatre seated about 1,000 fans.

The popular cinema opened in February 1952 and the featured flicks as Laughter in Paradise and You Never Can Tell. Dudley Dumont was the first manager whose success included screening good movies at discount prices so that the seats were always filled. By 1996 it cost $3 to see the thriller Mars Attacks.

The Westwood opened with one screen. In 1968 an addition was built on the east side of the building that included a second screen.  In 1980 the large original screen was divided in half creating three theatres.  Movie buffs were overjoyed with more and more movies to view.

The Saturday afternoon matinees were packed with school kids who were dropped off at the front door of the show.  Many of these youngsters were more interested in the snack bar rather than the movies being screened.  Groups of young guys would often sit in the back rows and get noisy.  The ushers, who wore dapper tailored uniforms, would shine their flashlights on the youths and order them to sit still.

Sadly, for countless Westwood fans the theatre was closed in 1998, and ironically the last movie shown was Titanic.  The facility was shut because some politicians at the time thought that the theatre land could be better used for other purposes.  But that vision is taking a long time.

Before the Etobicoke landmark was demolished in 2013, it served as a shelter for homeless cats and In 2003 was used for the filming of the movie Resident Evil.

Some Westwood lovers wanted the old and bold Westwood sign saved and displayed to mark the theatre’s more than 50-years of operation, but that did not occur.

 

 

Man shot in Mimico early Sunday as shooter flees on foot

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It was early Sunday morning and some people were attending church in the Mimico area when gun shots rang out.

Toronto Police officers rushed to the area of Lake Shore Blvd. W., near Mimico Ave., after responding to calls from members of the community, many who were enjoying their first cup of coffee.

Emergency crews were called about 11 a.m. for a report of multiple shots fired.

Paramedics said they arrived to find a man suffering from minor injuries.

He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He is expected to survive.

Police say the shooter took off and was last seen running west on Lake Shore Blvd.

Police described the suspect as a black male, last seen wearing a black Adidas track suit and black and white running shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-2200.

 

 

Police searching for suspect who attacks women and a man

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Police believe this suspect is becoming more brazen against area women.

Toronto Police officers are investigating multiple assaults against women and a man in the area of Roncesvalles and Howard Park Aves, in the City’s west-end.
Police say a suspect has struck at least three women and one man in separate incidents.

Police say on July 28 the man approached a 36-year-old woman and allegedly sprayed contents of a drink at her before fleeing on foot.

Detectives in a release alleged the man on July 21 approached a 38-year-old female and “proceeded to spit on the woman” before again fleeing the area on foot.

Officers allege on July 20 the suspect approached a 55-year-old man, whom he proceeded to assault, before taking off on foot.

And on May 13, police say the suspect approached a 50-year-old woman and allegedly assaulted her before fleeing.

The man is described as 25 to 40 years of age, 5’8″ to 5’10”, thin to medium build, black hair. In the most recent incident the man was wearing a black baseball cap, grey t-shirt and grey shorts .
The investigations are ongoing and anyone who may have witnessed the incidents, or has information, is urged to contact police.
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, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.

Renforth Rd. traffic cam issues the most tickets in the City

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A new radar camera installed on Renforth Rd. is spitting out money.
The South Etobicoke Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) camera has proven to be the most productive in issuing tickets of 50 installed in hotspots across the city.

A total of 7,645 tickets were issued by the Toronto radar cameras from July 6 to 20, according to a news release from the City.

City officials say the highest speed detected was 89 km/h on Renforth Dr., near Lafferty St., which is in Ward 2 – Etobicoke Centre, where the posted speed limit is 40 km/h.

That same camera on Renforth Dr. issued the highest fine at $718 and the most tickets of all the cameras, which represents 12 per cent, or more than 900, of all tickets issued.

A nearby camera caught the most amounts of repeat offenders with a total of eight tickets for speeding at Trehorne Dr. , near Duffield Rd. The number of repeat offenders during the first two weeks following the start of issuing tickets was 591.

There were about 299 erroneous tickets issued by the City during the time period which have been withdrawn.

And the penalties are expensive if caught.

A driver caught speeding between 1 and 19 km/h over the posted speed limit will receive a set fine of $5 per kilometre. If travelling between 20 and 29 km/h over the posted speed limit, the set fine will be $7.50 per kilometre. For anything between 30 and 49 km/h over the limit, the set fine will be $12 per kilometre.

If a vehicle is detected speeding 49 km/h over the posted speed limit, the total payable fine amount would be $718. This includes a set fine of $588, a victim surcharge of $125 and $5 inapplicable court costs.

Long Branch author wins Emerging Writer prize for debut book

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Congratulations to Long Branch author J.R. McConvey whose book of short stories won a 2020 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.

The prize supports Canadian debut authors by helping to kick-start their careers, according to a news release.  Three Canadian authors were selected this year.

McConvey, an area screenwriter, has been published in Malahat Review, Joyland and the Dalhousie Review. He was also long-listed for the 2016 CBC Poetry Prize.

His first book, a short-story collection, Different Beasts, which is being recognized was published in 2019. It takes the prize in the speculative fiction category.

Judge Andrew Pyper says this is the ‘kind of storytelling that burns certain images into the reader’s mind.’

“McConvey’s imagination is curious and ready for travel,” Pyper wrote. “It was a difficult task choosing a winner for this year’s shortlist, which is good news for everyone.”

Different Beasts is a short story collection that explores the beastly side of humanity and the human side of monsters. The characters are both otherworldly and earth-bound, ranging from mutant angels and insectoid demon-gods to politicians and parents.

The 12 stories in Different Beasts ask what it means to be both human and monster. Shape-shifting waifs, haunted stuffies, scavenging drones, insectoid demon-gods, and mutant angels all come to life in this wildly imagined debut, according to the release.

“In this wild, fantastical, viscerally memorable debut, J.R. McConvey explores the power dynamics that undergird social relationships and crystallize into structures of fealty and worship, fear and control, aspiration and desire,” according to reviewers.

The Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize is now in its sixth year. The winners were selected from a shortlist of talented Canadian writers. The shortlist was chosen by Kobo’s team of booksellers, with book completion rates, customer ratings, and reviews taken into consideration along with our specialists’ collective gift for spotting unique stories, new voices and under-the-radar talent.

The book is available on Amazon.ca

 

Banners welcome NHL Stars to the City & South Etobicoke

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Let our national sport begin!

Two large banners and dozens of smaller posters welcoming NHL Eastern Conference players, including our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs, were placed on businesses in New Toronto.

Area residents are hoping the NHL stars will see the banners and posters from their ‘Toronto bubble’ as they travel by team bus along Lake Shore Blvd. W. for a skate at the Ford Centre for Performance, on Kipling Ave.

“We want the players to know that they are welcome as they drive by,” says Chris Korwin Kuczynski, Chair of the Board of the Lakeshore Village BIA. “We want them to have a good time and some good games in Toronto.”

One of the banner was placed outside the Maple Leaf House Grill & Lounge, at First St., where there was a well-attended media conference.

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.

Most of the Eastern Conference players are expected to arrive in Toronto on Sunday, July 26.

Some are expected to practice at the Ford Centre, which is used by the Leafs.

Many spots where fans can usually see their favourite players have been shut or are non-accessible due to the pandemic.

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

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

The NHL playoffs this year is slated to begin on July 30 after a week of training camp.

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