The South Etobicoke News

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

Some movement on the multi-tower former Mr. Christie cookie site

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There seems to be some movement afoot on a massive mostly-condo development taking place at the former Mr. Christie cookie site.

On September 22 a staff report, the Christie’s Planning Study, will go before the City’s Planning and Housing Committee ‪for study.

Area councillor Mark Grimes says since the initiation of the study in 2019, city staff have been working on the plan for the Christie’s site, incorporating feedback from the community and First Capital Reality’s application.

City staff have recommended less density, lower tower heights, fewer buildings, and a larger park than proposed for the prime lands at 2150 and 2194 Lake Shore Blvd. W. and 23 Park Lawn Rd., which will be a site of the Park Lawn GO Station.

The public transit infrastructure being implemented through the proposed Park Lawn GO Station and a dedicated TTC streetcar connection provides additional transit capacity to service future travel demand to and from the area, the City says.

On the site, some 15 highrise towers ranging in heights from 16 to 70-storeys as well as 21 buildings ranging in heights up to 12-storeys are planned, according to the City.

The proposal would include a total of 7,139 residential units, of which there will be up to 1,400 units of affordable housing. The plan would include 40 per cent of two-plus bedroom units and 10 per cent of three-bedroom units.

There will be a minimum of two non-profit childcare facilities; an approximate 6,000 square metre recreation centre; a public library, community agency space and spots for two school and emergency services.

The draft plan creates two new public parks. A large 1.2 hectare park is proposed on the northeast side of the community and a second .3 hectare park is proposed along Lake Shore Blvd. W.

Both the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board have identified a preliminary need for school sites.  The space will be secured for the schools and if not occupied by schools, it will be converted to another use.

There will also be three new public streets and one private street to help move traffic during the rush hours at Humber Bay Shores. There is a plan to reconfigure the Gardiner Expressway exit and on-ramps and provide a new connection from Brookers Lane.

Two large public squares are proposed, Station Square, at 4,311 square metres, and Boulevard Square, at 3,358 square metres.

The iconic water tower, with the Christie’s Logo, will be relocated to the park lands.

The proposal would also include 4,425 parking spaces within a four- level underground parking garage.

Locations will be made available for future municipal emergency services, including Toronto Fire Services, Toronto Paramedic Services and Toronto Police Service on City-owned property.

The draft policies guide future development to ensure that streets and buildings are designed to absorb storm water, improve the quality and quantity of biodiversity, expand the tree canopy and ensure that power is continually available for essential services.

City Planners say it could take up to 25-years for all the construction to be completed.

You can submit feedback and questions related to the Christie’s Planning Study to Sarah Phipps, the Project Manager, at Sarah.Phipps@toronto.ca or at ‪416-392-3078, or CouncillorGrimes@toronto.ca.

Another meeting for public feedback is scheduled for October.

A City Report for Action can be viewed at https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ph/bgrd/backgroundfile-156396.pdf

Community meetings next month for New Toronto shelter

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City of Toronto staff are slated to meet with New Toronto residents next month to address concerns about a proposed shelter for homeless people.

Community Engagement Facilitators will meet with residents, groups and businesses during the  third week of October to allay fears about a planned shelter, which will contain about 100 beds, at 2950 and 2970 Lake Shore Blvd W.

The Facilitators are planning an information session and will also be talking to local organizations and the Lakeshore Village Business Improvement Area (BIA), says Ward 3 Councillor Mark Grimes.

Grimes after weeks broke his silence on the shelter in a message on social media. He wrote the City is in the process of purchasing the properties and a deal is scheduled to be closed by December or January, unless there are issues that arise during due diligence.

“Financial details of the transaction, including the purchase price, will be made public after closing,” he wrote.

The site was among four Etobicoke properties looked at by City officials for a shelter. The others were discounted due to size or obligations with tenant contracts.

He stressed that City staff have delegated authority when selecting potential locations for shelters.

“This means, once a site has been identified as meeting the City’s requirements, staff have authority to move forward,” Grimes noted.

City staff say they selected the New Toronto site based on existing by-laws, proximity to services, transit, accessibility and size of the space.

Grimes said he would like to see a women’s shelter on the site, since there are a number of service providers in the area dedicated to assisting women, such as Women’s Habitat, the Jean Tweed Centre and the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment.

“What has become increasingly clear through the COVID-19 pandemic, is the City’s inability to provide adequate shelter for some of our most vulnerable community members,” he warned. “We’ve been saying for months that we’re in this together and that includes the City’s homeless population.”

His office receives dozens of calls and emails from residents about people sleeping in tents in parks and on the streets and ‘we need to find housing for them’.

Justin Lewis, of the City’s Shelter, Support & Housing Administration (SSHA), says “our engagement process aims to help the local community understand what services will be added to meet community needs, and to identify possibilities for the community to collaborate and participate in the shelter’s success.”

There will be ‘community walk-throughs,’  along with email updates to keep residents informed.

Third-party Community Engagement Facilitators, Maria Crawford and Violetta Ilkiw, of Barnes Management Group, who are assigned to the project, can be reached at clc.2950.70lakeshoreblvdwest@gmail.com or at (416) 800-2914 ext. 202.

A website has been created for the shelter at https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/community-partners/emergency-shelter-operators/about-torontos-shelter-system/new-shelter-locations/1000-beds-george-street-revitalization-shelter-expansion-projects/2950-70-lake-shore-blvd-w/

SSHA will present a report to a City Council General Government and Licensing Committee meeting on October 5.

 

 

For Grandpa Ribber it is a long way from Boston Beach

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Its been a long way for Reuben Riley, aka ‘Grandpa Ribber,’ from Jamaica’s Boston Beach to Brickyard BBQ at 120 North Queen St., in South Etobicoke.

Riley was in charge of cooking for his siblings as a boy and over the years developed his hometown’s ‘pit slow cooking,’ while working to become a master ribber, now with a loyal following.

“Using wood for fuel, we dug deep holes in the sand, and cooked in this manner,” the long-time chef recalls. “This was essentially the same approach as the pit barbecue style of the American South.”

Riley and his crew, are proud of their trade; love their customers and are always friendly and smiling.

Fans love their ‘Stout Drunken’ BBQ sauce dripping over the steaming soft pork side ribs. They also feature smoked jerk riblets on rice, a unique side dish favoured by Riley since his days of cooking for his family.

“This a special combination of my early childhood cooking experience and my later learning of BBQ mastery, which has proven to be a popular addition,” he says proudly.

The secret many rib-lovers think is due to their specially-brewed dark stout sauce.

“I originated this sauce style, when I was chef at The Granite Brewery,” Riley says proudly. “The customers liked it so much that we bottled it and sold it in our retail beer section.”

But it wasn’t always smooth smoking as he developed his skills and taste for homestyle ribs.

After arriving in Toronto in 1975, Riley held a number of cooking jobs in commercial kitchens before obtaining his chef qualifications at Niagara College in 1986 and began working in Toronto.

It was while he was a chef at a large restaurant that they began featuring slow-smoked barbeque on the menu. It was such a success that they formed a ribfest team and took part in a number of festivals.

“I was the pit master and head sauce maker for this team and was fortunate to win a few trophies,” the chef recalls. He won best ribs at St. Lawrence Market, the CNE and best sauce at festivals in Etobicoke and Burlington.

Riley always knew that he wanted to cook and there was no looking back.

“For me there’s really nothing like the large-scale production thrill of rib fests,” he smiles. “I put together a rig, put together a team from my restaurant employees and did the North Scarborough Rotary Ribfest, Brantford Kinsmen Ribfest as well as a booth at the Caribana festival.”

“These events were successful for us and were greatly enjoyed by my team who were happy to be learning a lot of new skills and seeing a lot of new faces,” he vows.

He and his staff of five now have ribfest experience and plan to keep on the summertime circuit.

“We pride ourselves in our attention to customer service,” Riley explains. “They (my team) are trained in the ways of ribfesting and have gained such knowledge and the same love for it that I have.”

“My appetite for ribfesting was whetted mightily; after the first event, it felt like I had never left,” he adds. You can visit Riley and check out his ribs at 120 North Queen St. , phone him a 41-252-5882, 416- 953-2142 or by email at: info@brickyardcatering.ca

Mimico Square is alive with the sounds of music and dance

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By BOB SUMMERS

Mimico Square is alive with drawings, music and dance.

Artists used spray chalk to lay down a giant dance map, including a large cat and then the dancers took over.

It is part of the Toronto Arts in the Parks @dancetogetherfestival event at Mimico Square, located in Amos Waites Park, 2445 Lake Shore Blvd. W.

It started with an organized dance event September 13 and then turned into a “participate as you want” event with dancers invited to use the dance map to do whatever dances they would like into the first days of October.

It would have been a larger event if it hadn’t been for COVID restrictions.

The Dance Together Festival is co-produced by Toronto-based dance artists Kate Nankervis and Katya Kuznetsova. The outdoor neighbourhood event is made possible through the Toronto Arts Council Animating Toronto Parks grant and is part of the Arts in the Parks programming.

Local dance artists will lead dance workshops in diverse styles, including Swing, Salsa, Kizomba, Contemporary, Street Dance, and more.

The festival is free and open to all levels, ages and abilities.

Dance Together Project is all about fun and accessible partner dance lessons for beginners. Far from strictly ballroom, the genres include anything from Slow Dance 101 to Salsa, as well as Wedding Dance instruction and composition, tailored to the song(s) of your choice.

You can share your dance or pose on Instagram to be entered in a draw for prizes in dance and art classes, art prints and more. Check out the prizes on @dancetogetherfestival Instagram.

All classes and events are beginner-friendly.

The event wraps up October 4 but the map will stay until rain washes it away. Those who want to dance are urged to dress comfortably for moving.

Club that was scene of a shootout in New Toronto temporarily shut

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An alleged afterhours club associated with recent early-morning gunplay that sparked outrage among New Toronto residents has been shut for now.

The venue, at Lakeshore Blvd. W., and Ninth Street, has been under the microscope since a horrific September 8 shootout in which more than 80 bullet casings were found in the aftermath of an alleged gender-reveal bash.

Area Councillor Mark Grimes, in an update, said eight officers from 22 Division, four agents from Municipal Licensing & Standards, and another from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission, visited the ‘event-space’ on September 12 to conduct a check.

‘We attended the space to find out if it was operating in compliance with established bylaws,” Grimes wrote on social media.

“The venue was found to be operating without the proper business license and Toronto Fire found violations contrary to the Ontario Fire Code,” he noted. “The business cannot operate until they bring these matters into compliance, which likely won’t be for approximately two months.”

The City will be working with Toronto Public Health to confirm if the space is compliant with Public Health regulations.

“They’re going to go over everything with a fine-tooth comb,” Grimes said.

City officials said the business hasn’t applied for a permanent liquor license.

Grimes said with event spaces, those who are renting the space are responsible for securing their own Special Occasion Permit (SOP) to allow for the temporary sale of liquor. These permits are administered by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission.

City officials are to be notified of any indoor SOP applications that are submitted at the address.

Irate residents have been calling without luck for a meeting with local police and politicians to talk about the shootout in which more than 80 shots were fired by rival groups. Shots damaged about a dozen vehicles and burst a gas pipe.

The Toronto Police Centralized Shooting Response Team are investigating the incident and anyone with information are asked to contact 22 Division at 416-808-2200, or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477.

 

Plans being drawn to move Civic Centre to Westwood Theatre Lands

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Plans are underway to move the ailing Etobicoke Civic Centre to the newly-developed and up-and-coming Westwood Theatre Lands.

The move of the historic centre came up at an Etobicoke York Community Council meeting on September 9. A motion was adopted without any amendments. A photo of the new Civic Centre is opposite.

Councillor Mark Grimes had requested that City Planning officials ‘initiate and bring forward a zoning by-law amendment for the new Etobicoke Civic Centre to facilitate the development that is emerging on the former Six Points lands.’

“The establishment of this new civic centre will provide much-needed services for a growing West District and act as a catalyst for revitalization of the Etobicoke City Centre,” community council was told.

The social, economic and financial benefits of the move includes: a new civic and community infrastructure; including a recreation centre, library, childcare and public square.

The “existing old, functionally obsolete and costly Etobicoke Civic Centre will be replaced,’ the positioning of municipal services at a transit hub will improve access for residents, staff and visitors.

The move will support ModernTO with efficient municipal office spaces and redistribution of jobs in Etobicoke; support TransformTO by building a Net-Zero community and incorporation of district energy systems and mean prudent financial gain with funding contributed from unlocking underutilized City-owned land in the West District.

The Civic Centre was built in 1958 to replace the single storey brick Township of Etobicoke Municipal Hall at 4946 Dundas St. W.  The original building also features a clock tower with a non-numeric clock face.

Its history contains the Etobicoke Municipal Centre War Memorial, which was constructed in 1968 in memory of those who gave their lives in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

Next to the Cenotaph is a provincial plaque commemorating Corporal Frederick George Topham, V.C., an Etobicoke war hero that was erected in 1980.

City officials are taking a second look at homeless shelters

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As anxious New Toronto residents await public hearings into a proposed homeless shelter, City officials say costs have doubled and they may have to invest in thousands of affordable housing units.

The City of Toronto says the costs for each shelter bed they operate has doubled due to COVID-19 and they may have to invest in thousands of new housing units.

In a draft report developed by the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) and the United Way, City officials have put forward a number of potential strategies to get people off the street and keep them housed.

One of the main ideas in the report is for the City to lease and purchase old buildings and office spaces to be converted into permanent housing.

But, Mayor John Tory on September 15 called on the federal and provincial governments to contribute millions of dollars to an ambitious plan to develop 3,000 new affordable rental homes over the next 24 months.

“In the present circumstances with health-related considerations taken into account, (it is) more cost effective to build and acquire supportive housing than it is to build and operate more shelters,” Tory said.

The cost of operating a shelter bed before the pandemic was about $3,000 monthly but Tory said that number has increased to about $6,000 due to the need to reduce the capacity in shelter facilities, which the City has done through the relocation of thousands of clients to hotels and other temporary facilities.

He said the city can provide permanent affordable housing and supportive housing at a cost of just $2,000 per month with help from both levels of governments.

Under the proposal, the city would provide $228.5 million to build the modular homes “through capital and operating funding as well as land value” and the other levels of government would contribute an additional $200 million.

Other proposals include the transformation of existing emergency shelter spaces into permanent housing units; the rapid construction of modular housing; and the creation of a more robust network of harm reduction and addiction resources.

Many residents and businesses in New Toronto have been up in arms about a proposal to open a homeless shelter at Lakeshore Blvd. W., and Eighth Street, which will have rooms equipped for COVID patients.

They claim a shelter will lead to an increase in crime and other problems in the area.

A public hearing has been ordered to take place before a vote by City Council on September 30. No date is  set for a public meeting.

 

 

Budding New Toronto comic Dinner is barber with a heart

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New Toronto’s newest stylist Andy Dinner says he is a ’barber with a heart.’

The owner of Your Neighbourhood Barbershop, at 2858 Lakeshore Blvd. W., recently purchased $50 in coupons from his neighbour, Big Guy’s Little Coffee Shop, to give free coffees to his customers.

A part-time stand-up comic, he is also working with LAMP and St. Margarets’ Church, on Sixth Street, to provide free trims for those in need or seeking jobs.

“That’s just the type of guy I am,” Dinner says. “I am from around here. I like the people and they support me.”

He is an affable stylist, who makes customers feel welcomed and at home in his shop. The bright and friendly salon has been opened for just over a month and customers, or friends, are checking it out.

“Awesome addition to New Toronto,” says area resident, Jay Schramek. “Had a trim today. Fantastic service and outstanding cut.”

He also provides a $10 discount for seniors and there are further savings for those seeking cuts who suffer from Down Syndrome and autism, he says.

“There are a lot of seniors in need of support in the community,” Dinner notes.  “I want to make people look good and feel good about themselves.”

As he says: “I am a bald barber and want to make people appreciate their hair.”

When not styling, Dinner (yes, his real name) is busy cracking jokes.

He recently appeared and received good reviews at a comedy show featured at Kitchen On Sixth Restaurant, which is always busy.

“He is funny,” one attendee said. “His jokes about growing up were pretty good.”

Dinner is involved in different charities or projects in the community that some call him a “barber with a heart.”

Your Neighbourhood Barbershop can be reached at 416-919-7463 or by email at info@yourneighbourhoodbarbershop.com

 

 

Cherished community Cenotaph to be relocated to Col. Samuel Smith Park

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The developers of a former Legion Hall in New Toronto will be responsible for paying for the move and installation of a much-cherished Cenotaph that graced the community for decades.

The move of the Cenotaph comes as members of Etobicoke York Community Council on September 9 voted to adopt without amendment a plan by a developer to build on 150 Eighth Street. The matter will go before City Council on September 30.

A six-storey building containing 90 residential units, 94 parking spaces and a floor area of 9,964-square-meters is planned for the site.

A five-metre wide strip of land that spans the length of the north property line will also be conveyed to the City of Toronto as parkland to expand the existing Eighth Street Skate Park.

Members of the community have expressed their concerns about the maintenance of a beloved 7.5 metre high-granite Cenotaph that was installed in 1983 and commemorates the Canadian soldiers lost during WWI, WWII and the Korean War.

The Cenotaph and former Legion hall attracted hundreds of residents yearly who paid their respects to fallen soldiers in Remembrance Day activities until the hall was shut.

Council agreed the relocation of the Cenotaph to nearby Colonel Samuel Smith Park, at Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Kipling Ave., will be part of the development.

“Prior to the issuance of any building permit an, or demolition permit for the subject property, the owner shall, at the owner’s sole cost, relocate the Cenotaph from its existing location to Col. Samuel Smith Park,” community council members agreed.

Council members ordered the developer to issue a Letter of Credit to the City for $360,000 to guarantee the safe relocation of the Cenotaph to Colonel Samuel Smith Park and to guarantee against any damages to parks property and to the satisfaction of City officials.

They said the move, with final siting and orientation of the Cenotaph will be determined and agreed upon by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture.

Council also deemed the developer is responsible for the structural design of the new Cenotaph foundation, all utility locates, all excavation, construction of the new concrete foundation, and the moving of and installation of the Cenotaph onto its new foundation.

The developer has to provide documentation from a qualified structural engineer certifying that the design and construction of the Cenotaph foundation in Colonel Samuel Smith Park has been completed as per the owner’s structural design and to the satisfaction of City officials.

Area residents say it is about time that the Cenotaph be placed in a new home, which they hope will be a high-profile and visible section of the park, where it can be seen by many.

 

 

Officer Dekezel makes a difference in the lives of at-risk girls

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A female Etobicoke police officer is being recognized for helping at-risk girls tackle some of life’s biggest challenges.

Jennifer Dekezel, an officer with the force’s Community Response Unit, started the Girlz Will Be Girlz program eight years ago after receiving a call from an elementary school principal in a high-crime area.

“The principal had me in and I spoke with a few young girls who were being bullied, and I spoke to the bullies too,” said Dekezel.

The principal was impressed with Dekezel, and asked her to come back.

The group started with just four girls, meeting weekly. Now it has grown to close to 25 girls between eight and 17 years old, with some girls coming back year after year.

Dekezel has been presented with a Special Recognition Award for her work by the Association of Black Law Enforcers.

Principals and teachers refer students to Dekezel’s group. They can be newcomers, introverts, bullying victims, or bullies themselves or anyone who might benefit from bonding with a group and a strong mentor.

Dekezel takes the girls on outings, as well as individual activities like back-to-school shopping and ice cream trips. She has also sat in hospital rooms after suicide attempts and taken late-night phone calls from girls who need someone to talk to.

Dekezel, who is from Manitoba is half Trinidadian and half Italian. She didn’t know her parents growing up and was adopted by a Winnipeg family of Belgian and Scottish-English heritage.

Some of the girls who have been with Dekezel have gone on to start groups of their own, like one 12-year-old who started an anger-management group at her school.

One of the biggest differences Dekezel has noticed is with newcomer girls, who come from communities where police are viewed with suspicion.

“Having a police officer who is a friend makes a huge difference,” she says. “Those girls go and talk to their parents, who talk to their neighbours, and the list goes on.”

The group receives partial funding from Pro-Action Cops and Kids with Dekezel covering the rest out of her own pocket. She is in search of sponsors.

Story by Kevin Masterman, Toronto Police Service.