One of our more beautiful waterfront parks is celebrating the 25^th anniversary of its opening this month.

The 200-acre Colonel Samuel Smith Park is named after Lieut.-Col. Samuel Smith, a historic figure who owned the property in the 1800s.

Development of the parklands began in the 1970s and Colonel Samuel Smith Park finally opened in 1996.

Much of the park was created from lakefill from former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital and the RL Clark Filtration Plant and is now one of the City’s largest waterfront parks.
The 250-metre, figure-eight-shaped rink which loops through the natural environment, was city’s first ice skating trail. It was installed by Councillor Mark Grimes in 2010.

The park is said to be one of the City’s top spots for bird watching, with over 200 different bird species in the area. It is also known by locals as a good spot for fishing.

It is the resting place for The New Toronto cenotaph, which was relocated after the closure of the Royal Canadian Legion on Eighth Street.

This park is located along a stretch of wooded shoreline in the Kipling and Lakeshore area. It is home to a variety of plants, trees, birds and other wildlife, as well as a network of paths and bike trails.

First-time Conservative Party candidate for Etobicoke Lakeshore Indira Bains says her campaign team is pushing hard knocking on every door in the last days before the September 20 vote.

“All kinds of volunteers are dropping in and helping out,” Bains says. “There is an energy and enthusiasm and we are riding it.”

All the candidates for the federal election have been door knocking, putting up signs and trying to win over converts to vote for their party on Monday at the polls.

Bains and her volunteers are surprised by the level of anger against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“I am surprised at how many people are angry at Trudeau for calling this election,” Bains says. “They (voters) think he is irresponsible and self-centred.”

She claims some voters say “Trudeau has embarrassed Canada on the international stage for legalizing marijuana and wasting time with the WE and SNC Lavalin scandals.”

Bains says voters like the Conservatives recovery plan and others in regards to mental health, climate change and the environment.

“Etobicoke-Lakeshore is a big riding and we are working our way through it canvassing and distributing materials,” she insists. “We are not letting up.”

Liberal incumbent James Maloney says in his literature that his party created the Canada Child Benefit and lifted 435,000 children out of poverty.

He said the Liberals lowered the retirement age from 67 to 65 and supported more than 4,000 local businesses during the pandemic.

“We have a real plan that will create jobs, grow the middle class, and help ensure Canadians can get a home of their own,” according to Maloney.

NDP Sasha Kane highlighted reconciliation with Indigenous nations, the need for solutions to the affordable housing crisis, urgent action on climate change and electrifying the TTC fleet as top priorities for her.

The Green Party’s Efam Elue has a strong plan on climate change and the environment.

The last virtual all candidates meeting takes place tonight September 16. It is sponsored by LAMP and Long Branch Community.

The diverse riding has a population of 129,000, which includes 90,000 voters spread across Mimico, New Toronto, Long Branch and Alderwood. It is home for some 4,000 small businesses.

 

 

Five people are under arrest in connection with an online romance scam ring whose members preyed on seniors in the Burlington area.

Police said one lonely female senior was defrauded of more than $150,000 in the scheme, dubbed Operation Silver Fox.

A senior victim was contacted in October and November 2020 by a person claiming to be a retired Canadian Army Sergeant, named Darren Michaelson, according to Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS).

They “began an online romantic relationship,” police said in a September 15 release.

“Over a number of weeks, the victim was deceived into sending money to persons they believed were assisting Michaelson with legal troubles and assistance returning to Canada,” police said.

Detectives said the victim was defrauded of more than $150,000, presumably her life savings.

Halton police launched an investigation, called Operation Silver Fox, following a complaint.

Three Toronto men, aged 36, 35 and 28-year-olds, were charged with seven offences of fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.

Two women, a 21-year-old from Oakville and 38-year-old from London, Ont., have also been charged with fraud related offences.

Police said more arrests are pending as they believe there may be additional victims.

Investigators would like to remind residents of the danger and frequency of these types of scam.

Officers are warning not to send money or gift cards to persons you have not met in person. Do not provide your personal information such as financial documents, identification or passwords when communicating online.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Constable Derek Gray of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Seniors Liaison Team at 905-825-4747 ext. 2344

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

Sounds like the TV show Happy Days, with my faves Richie Cunningham, Potsie Weber and ‘The Fonz.”

A 1950’s drive-in diner with carhop roller skate servers, live music and an outdoor night market, will be open for business on September 24 to 26 at 37 Advance Rd., Unit 105, near the Kipling Station.

 

In what is called “Toronto’s one and only drive-in experience,” the Dusty Star Diner is an immersive experience and a nostalgic recreation of a 1950’s drive-in diner with servers on roller skates, which was a norm back 70 or so years ago.

There will be a live 1950’s rockabilly band, “The Ichi-Ibons” and era style tunes when the band is not performing.

Canada’s Number 1 Food Truck will also be there. Fidel Gastro’s street food company serves tasty diner-style fusion fast food and has been featured on several television shows.

 

There will be a market with various vendors ranging from vintage clothes, jewelry to amazing hot sauce. Check out their unique offerings and support local artisans, craftsman and small businesses.

The event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. From 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

It costs $28 per car, which reserves a car spot, with two people minimum. You can have as many people in vehicle as are seats/legally allowed.

It will be $28 for a picnic table, which reserves your table. Six people per table maximum.

And $8 for a walk-in only ticket. COVID-19 rules followed.

 

 

The Toronto and Canadian police community are mourning the loss of Constable Henry Snedden who was shot dead by a deranged man in Etobicoke 43 years ago today.

Snedden and his partner, Donald Chadbold, responded on September 15, 1978 to what they thought was a domestic dispute on Mooreshead Drive, near the Etobicoke Civic Centre, in the Renforth Drive and Burnhamthorpe Road area.

“Upon arriving at the disturbance, the officers found two groups of people standing outside 16 and 18 Mooreshead,” according to police records. The officers separated.

Suddenly a man, Arthur Hayden Packwood, began struggling with Constable Snedden, according to documents.

Chadbolt rushed to his partner’s aid. Momentarily the two officers appeared to have the situation under control, police said.

“They didn’t realize Packwood had managed to get Snedden’s service revolver out of his holster,” according to police. “Shots rang out. Constable Snedden was dead before reaching Queensway General Hospital.”

“Snedden’s partner cradled him, trying to keep the veteran alive,” records show. It was too late.

The young officer was shot twice in the chest by Packwood, 27, on the front steps of the home with his own gun.

He had been on the force for just over two years.

Packwood, who had a mental illness and believed he was acting in self-defence, was eventually found not guilty of murder, due to insanity.

Another officer suffered serious injuries when he crashed his motorcycle rushing to the scene to help his ailing brothers.

His death, along with other officers who pass, are marked yearly by their colleagues.

 

One of the questions being asked by residents these days concerns a large paved lot recently completed at 170 Birmingham Street in New Toronto.

It is not a new company moving into the community, but a parking lot for Humber College students.

Students will be paying more than $200 to park there for a semester. From the lot they will be shuttled to the college. There are about 344 parking spots, according to information from Humber College.

The additional students are expected as the college transforms its Lakeshore Campus ‘into a destination for arts and culture through the development of the Humber Cultural Hub.’

The Hub will include music and performing arts venues, including a 500-seat performance hall, a 130-seat recital hall and an amphitheatre.

It “will create an exciting new destination for arts and entertainment in west Toronto,’ according to college officials. It provides “much-needed capacity to meet the growing demand for skilled talent and delivering important benefits to culturally underserviced local communities.”

The Hub is expected to attract businesses, create jobs, enrich the economy and cultivate new audiences for the arts, according to a college website.

The building will create residence space for 300 students, new retail spaces, a cafeteria and community athletic spaces, including a practice gymnasium, which will contribute to a more vibrant campus life.

There will also be a new campus entrance, courtyard and shared spaces to provide new opportunities for students, partners and community members to connect.

“The new facility will provide an educational environment that is second to none and will welcome the public to enjoy and participate in a wide variety of artistic, cultural and heritage experiences,” college officials promise.

Also planned is an Indigenous classroom that is near the outdoors and designed with natural lighting, rounded corners and culturally appropriate furnishings, along with Indigenous cultural markers and artwork throughout the Cultural Hub.

The college said their student population has more than doubled in the last 10 years and they have outgrown its existing facilities.

The first phase will include the construction of a 250,200 sq. ft. building featuring a 130-seat recital hall used primarily for academic purposes and specialty teaching spaces for arts and cultural programs.

It is expected to be complete by May 2025.

There is a lot going on in the area as summer wraps up and residents look for other activities to keep them busy; like an upcoming Humber Bay Shores cleanup, LAMP Annual General Meeting, no-appointment vaccinations at Cloverdale Mall and not forgetting to cast your ballot in the federal elections on September 20.

 

Police are warning those who are hearing impaired of a new scam to defraud them of their hard-earned money.

Peel Regional Police say their Communications officers have received four calls on the force’s hearing impaired phone line from citizens who received a call asking for $1,000.

“This isn’t a legitimate call,” Peel police said in a statement. “Don’t pay them.”

If you have information or are seeking help call Peel Police’s TDD number at 905-451-1196.

 

A Mimico man who was stabbed on Saturday is recovering from his wounds, police say.

The victim was stabbed on September 11 in the Royal York Road and MacDonald Street area around 8:30 a.m.

Police said the suspects fled in a dark vehicle, possibly an SUV or van. There are no description of the suspects at this time.

An area resident said the victim is believed to be a store owner who was defending himself in what was a possible robbery.

This is the second stabbing to occur in the area in the last month.

There was a stabbing inside a Walmart store on July 15 that left a man seriously wounded.

Police say a man in his 60s was stabbed in the back near North Queen Street and The Queensway.

He was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

There has been no arrests.

 

 

By DAVE KOSONIC

It was a jet-setting hotel that provided upscale accommodations and hospitality for high-flyers on the Airport Strip for four decades, but now all that is left of the former Constellation Hotel site is fond memories and a deserted parking lot.

Located at the north-east corner of Carlingview Drive and Dixon Road, the Constellation was often referred to simply as the Connie. It opened in 1962 and after about 40 dynamic years it forever shut its doors in 2004.

In its glory days, the popular hotel hosted a slew of prominent guests, including two former Canadian Prime Ministers: Lester B. Pearson, Pierre Elliott Trudeau and many celebrities.

Part of the Constellation’s success occurred because nearby Malton Airport was being expanded into Pearson International Airport to cash in on the introduction of jet travel. Many travellers wanted accommodations close to downtown and area as provided by the Constellation. The only competitor was the smaller Skyline Hotel, on Dixon Road, that exists today under a new name.

The Constellation has many interesting stories. For quite some time an out-of-service Lockheed Super Constellation propeller-driven airliner was displayed in front of the hotel. This aircraft had previously been owned and operated by Trans-Canada Airlines, which is now Air Canada.

The late Captain Bill Elliott fondly recalled piloting the aircraft on display for Trans-Canada. He said it was quite challenging to fly because it had no auto pilot system or computerized cockpit instruments. Tours through this aircraft including a look into the flight deck were conducted by a guide attired like a stewardess as female flight attendants were called then.

The Constellation was more than ‘just a hotel.’ It offered many extra features. There was a large lobby that provided shopping from souvenirs to stylish womens’ clothing. The Constellation School of Hospitality was based there. Students gained hands-on experience on-site while doing their ‘internships’ ranging from basic housekeeping to working at the hotel’s front desk. There was also a very large indoor pool provided for guests with a unique circular design.

The Banyan Tree Bar and eatery was located in the main lobby. A well-dressed gentleman known as Charles greeted guests as they entered this place for decades and his kind and polite presence was legendary at the Constellation.

The enclosed rooftop Magic Carpet Lounge was rumored to be a haven for couples, who shall we say were engaged in ‘affairs.’ There was a small and discreet private elevator tucked away in a corner that exclusively serviced the Magic Carpet far away from the main lobby where people could come and go quietly, basically unnoticed.

There was an on-site bank, car rental business, gift shop and also barbering and hair styling facilities for women and men, all new in a hotel at the time. There were also extensive facilities for conventions and trade shows that helped fill the rooms.

The hotel was re-named the Regal Constellation Hotel but its demise and demolition followed over the next few years. Business declined sharply partly due to the many more hotels that sprang up along the Airport Strip and the SARS epidemic that wreaked havoc.

A Hong Kong based hotel investment group purchased the Regal Constellation but the business rejuvenation and restoration plans fell through. Then some high-profile hotel investors from Arizona purchased the hotel but gave up when their business plan failed.

Starting in 2007 the hotel’s 15-floor towers and a six-story atrium were being demolished. The building was fully torn down by January 2012 and is a parking lot.

It is now owned by another company as it awaits sale.