Toronto Police say they have witnessed rats in Coronation Park on a visit following complaints of an encampment there by members of the Judson Street Community.

Const. James Karpik, of 22 Division Neighbourhood Community Officer Team, in an email to a City of Toronto official and a resident, said he inspected the park on May 12 following complaints and saw rats in the encampment area.

“I have also observed several rats in the immediate area due to food laying in the open,” Karpik said in his correspondence.

He said the area was cleaned up several weeks ago and is now littered again with suitcases, clothing and other types of garbage.

“I have also seen evidence of several small Sumach trees that have been cut down and their wood used for a camp fire,” the officer wrote.

Karpik asked City officials for a cleanup crew ‘to return for a quick clean-up as it would be greatly appreciated.’

Residents in the Judson Street Community area have been seeking help unsuccessfully from City officials, including Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor and Deputy Mayor Amber Morley, to help control the rat infestation issue.

Taneisha Thompson, of Morley’s office, in an email said they have informed the City’s encampment team about the new garbage in the park but was not sure when it will be cleaned up.

She said staff from the Parks and Forestry Department will be inspecting Coronation Park for rat holes and investigate pest control measures.

“With encampments and tents set up across the city, resources are prioritized by the encampment team based on need,” Thompson told residents.

She said ‘If a location does not have a portable washroom placed by the City, local resources where individuals can access public facilities are shared.

Thompson was not sure when something can be done to control curt the rats, which are now multiplying and invading the yards of area residents.

Residents have sent out photos of rats seen on their property. They fear the critters will spread a disease to people or their pets..

They said the rats feed on the leftovers from a number of homeless people living in tents in the park.

Area resident Dan Irwin said he had not seen a rat in the area until now and he has been living there for 39 years.

Irwin said he recently watched as ‘at least 5 baby rats frolicked in my backyard.’ He said it’s the most he has seen and the critters are multiplying.

A number of other residents have written to City officials to voice their concerns about a rat infestation problem in the community sparked by the park encampment.

 

June is Thyroid Disease Awareness Month and you are encouraged to get checked for the disease, according to the Thyroid Foundation of Canada (TFC).

Etobicoke’s Kat Ostroumova, one of Canada’s top fitness trainer 2024, suffers from a thyroid condition and said up to 50 per cent of people are unaware of the condition and are undiagnosed.

Ostroumova has used her challenges to start her own business, KAT International Fitness, to transform her life along with many others who are trying to deal with the disease.

There are an estimated 200 million people in the world who have some form of thyroid condition and studies indicate in Canada one in three people suffer from the condition, according to the TFC.

“If left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to serious heart, bone and other health complications,” according to the organization.

The TFC said more than 12 percent of Canadian women will develop a thyroid condition in their lifetime and women are five to eight times more likely than men to experience thyroid conditions.

Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism includes dry skin, goiter, depression, fatigue, sensitivity to cold and weak slow heartbeat. It also includes weight loss, anxiety, rapid forceful heartbeat, tremor and eye changes.

The TFC is a non-profit registered volunteer organization which was founded in 1980 by Diana Meltzer Abramsky in Kingston, Ontario.

The group offers a dedicated toll-free telephone line manned by volunteers, fundraising for thyroid research and sharing important medical information on its website.

The thyroid is a tiny, butterfly-shaped gland, that plays a huge role in your body by influencing the functions of many of the body’s most important organs, including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin.

During Thyroid Awareness Month you are urged to learn more about the disease and support those affected by it.

You can help by volunteering to help others or by simply becoming a member of TFC.  For further information contact 1-800-267-8822; visit https://thyroid.ca or email info@throid.ca

Residents along Royal York Road believe this automated speed enforcement ticketing camera was deliberately pushed over by a disgruntled motorist.

The heavy camera box, which weighs hundreds of pounds, was shoved to the ground on June 10 on Royal York Road, just north of The Queensway, near the Etobicoke School of the Arts.

The sign alerting motorists of the camera system is high and partially hidden from view by trees.

There has been a rash of traffic ticket cameras vandalized , sprayed with paint or tipped over in Toronto and Peel Region in the last year.

One speed camera in Bloor West Village was spray painted on 31 different occasions over the span of just a few months last year.

Another located near an elementary school in Toronto’s east end was tipped over 19 times, temporarily knocking it out of service for multiple days on at least three of those occasions.

A third camera, in Scarborough’s Highland Creek neighbourhood, was moved by vandals despite its weight. It was out of service for eight days as a result.

Toronto Police said there were 555 incidents of speed camera vandalism reported between June 2022 and May 2023.

Last year there were more than of 172 reports of vandalism in Peel Region to its automated speed enforcement camera units.

The City said speeding is a serious problem on its roads and the cameras help to “make our streets safer for everyone by encouraging drivers to slow down and obey the speed limit.”

A man who admitted to setting on fire caregiver Nyima Dolma by dousing her with lighter fluid at the Kipling Subway Station two years ago has been found not criminally responsible.

Dolma, 28, suffered burns to 60 per cent of her body after being doused with lighter fluid and set on fire in June 2022 at the station. She died in hospital 18 days later.

Nyima was born in Tibet and was accepted in Canada with her family from India several years ago. They had been living in the Mundgod region in India, in an area known as a ‘Tibetan refugee establishment.’

Her dad, Tsering Pasang, had arrived in Toronto earlier and held three jobs as he awaited his wife and two daughters to join him for a new life in Canada.

Tserinmg couldn’t handle the sad news and committed suicide after hearing the shocking news of his daughter’s death in her new country.

“My sister was on her way to work as a professional caregiver when she was attacked by a stranger who threw lighter fluid on her and set her on fire,” according to her sister back then.

Tenzin Norbu, 33, of Toronto, was charged with first-degree murder in the shocking death of the “friendly and loving” Dolma.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Maureen Forestell ruled on June 11 that Norbu was not criminally responsible for Dolma’s death due to a “long-standing” psychotic state which rendered him incapable of fully understanding what he’d done.

Court heard that the two were strangers when Norbu approached her on the Kipling bus on June 17 and asked her if she was Tibetan. When she replied “yes” Norbu pulled out a jar of lighter fluid and poured it on Dolma before igniting it.

A medical expert testified that Norbu had schizophrenia and was incapable of knowing that his action were morally wrong and had delusions that the Tibetan community hated him.

He also abused alcohol and cannabis which exacerbated his symptoms and likely suffered from the disorder for many years.

Norbu, a newcomer to Canada, will be remanded to the Ontario Review Board for an initial disposition hearing in about 45 days.

The board will determine the hospital in which he will be detained and what privileges, if any, he will have. He cannot be released unconditionally until the board concludes he is no longer a significant threat to safety of the public.

Dolma comes from a loving family and hundreds from the Tibetan community attended a memorial service for her at the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre, on Titan Road. A Go Fund Me page raised more than $20,000 to help with her funeral services.

 

 

Some eagle-eyed Mimico residents say the Black bull figure that stood outside Royal York Meat Market on Royal York Road has hit the hay.

The large bull, which has graced the meat store for years, was quietly removed earlier this month.

The meat store at 329 Royal York Road, near Hay Avenue, is reported to have been sold and is being refurnished as a restaurant.

The market has been popular with regulars for decades as it prided itself on selling fresh meats at a good price.

“Our meats are prepared daily and our produce section is constantly being added to,” according to its advertising.

The family business was voted one of the best meat shops in South Etobicoke at one time.

Angry residents of the Judson Street area have complained to City officials of a rat infestation problem they say is caused from food and other garbage from a homeless encampment.

They said homeless people living at Coronation Park, in the Judson Street and Royal York Road area, are responsible for mountains of food and other refuse at the park, which the vermins thrive on.

“I have been here for more than 30-years and we have never had rats,” complained Dan Irwin. “The rats are expanding their territory as the garbage dump expands.”

Irwin has seen several of the critters running around his yard and some residents have resorted to traps to control the infestation.

He told fellow residents by e-mail that he has notified Toronto Public Health, Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Amber Morley of the infestation and has not heard back.

“I should have mentioned and emphasized Bubonic Plague coming to Mimico,” Irwin wrote. “The City should be involved, it is a result of their negligence.”

Residents said City crews cleaned up the park in early June and took out piles of garbage, but the squatters were allowed to remain until officials can find them housing.

Long-time resident George Marnica, of Harold Street, described the situation as a rat-a-palooza.

“This is ridiculous and potentially a health risk for all,” Marnica said. “I just had a rat stroll through my backyard on a leisurely walk.”

He said ‘we are being turned into a Third World country and cities.’

Claudette Piscione said the rat situation will only get worse as the summer begins.

“Amber (Morley) we voted you in now we need you to step up for our community this needs to be dealt with immediately,” Piscione wrote.

Local businessman Hubert Walsh said the mountains of garbage from some of the homeless are unbearable.

“The garbage build up is almost double to what was there last week,” Walsh said. “Unbelievable how much garbage this guy (homeless) is surrounding his tent with.”

There were three tents pitched up along a fence of the park in recent days.

Residents said some of the homeless make their way into a seniors residence next door to use the washroom and sleep in vacant apartments.

Construction is underway on a new 56-unit housing development for the deafblind in New Toronto.

The upcoming Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CHKC) with six floors is being built at 150 Eighth Street, on the site of a former Royal Canadian Legion hall, which has been demolished.

Heavy equipment is digging up the site in preparation for a 6,500 square feet state-of-the-art training centre where deafblind people can learn essential life skills to aid their independence.

Every June is National Deafblind Awareness Month and the CHKC estimates more than one per cent of Canada’s population or about 466,420 people are deafblind. In Ontario, an estimated 211,250 people are deafblind.

“The new housing development will help reduce CHKC’s waitlist and give more people with a combination of hearing and vision loss access to an independent life,” the organization said. “People with other disabilities will use any remaining units.”

The building will include communication systems such as American Sign Language (ASL) and tactile ASL to braille and print-on-palm.

There will be training in home management skills such as cleaning, laundry, and home safety, organization and maintenance.

Residents can learn about cooking, safe food handling/storage, personal grooming, money management and technology, including computer skills, Apple and Android devices and deafblind-friendly apps.

“CHKC is unique because we have a 16-unit affordable housing building where deafblind consumers live independently in their own apartments,” said executive director Jennifer Robbins. “For over 30 years, these residents have received support from intervenors, who become the eyes and ears of people with vision and hearing loss.”

The Centre has secured $32 million of the $38 million needed to complete the project. They plan to  raise the remaining amount from donors and sponsors.

“Our entire team, which includes members of the deafblind community and independent committee members, is working passionately to help more people with dual sensory loss access an independent life,” Robbins said.

She said they are experienced housing provider for those who are deafblind and know what is needed to create independence and community under the same roof.

The City and province are funding seven new affordable and supportive housing developments that will provide 260 units for the deafblind and others.

Thousands of people jammed into a closed off Lake Shore Blvd. W. to celebrate the annual Grill Cheese Challenge.

TTC shuttle buses transported riders around the New Toronto area, which was closed on June 8 for streetcars as fun-lovers took to Lake Shore.

The street was filled with people and the smells from a range of different foods flowing from different booths as residents lined up to try the varied offerings, ranging from shwarma to assorted grill cheese.

Event organizer the Lakeshore Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) estimate the popular, annual festival attracted a record crowd who were entertained by live bands at a beer tent set up at the intersection of Lake Shore Blvd. W., and Islington Avenue.

Stores on both sides of the street were open, some with sales, to attract the many shoppers in the crowd.

“We have had lineups for our grill cheese ice cream,” said Ed Johnson, owner of Mimico’s Ed’s Real Scoop ice cream store. “It seems people have eaten their grill cheese and are looking for desserts.”

He created a special grill cheese ice cream which turned out to be a favourite by those in line.

“I love ice cream and this is great,” said area resident Sarah as she licked a cone. “It is all homemade and very tasty,”

Lidia from Benjamin Moore Paints, said the turnout of people for the Challenge was fantastic.

“This is one of our biggest crowds for the Challenge in years.” Lidia said. “It is a good crowd and the weather is good.”

Faouzi, from Faulkner’s Home Appliances, said it is a good crowd and people were enjoying themselves and the assortment of food being offered.

Tammy from Ridley Funeral Home, which had a booth set up, said the crowds were patient and people were in a good mood.

“The kids are smiling and having a good time,” said Irma, who was visiting with her family from Alderwood. “We are glad we checked out the fair this year.”

Jane, who was on the job, was out in search of a drink poured in an empty pineapple, which seemed to be trending this year.

The dog show attracted many people, who brought their pooches with them.

One of the last movie theatres in South Etobicoke may soon become a field of high-rise condos.
An application has been made to redevelop the sprawling Cineplex Cinemas Queensway site, at 1025 The Queensway, into 10 condo towers ranging up to 46 storeys in height.
The Queensway and Islington Avenue gathering spot for many for decades has been a mainstay in the community since 2001.
The 20-screen theatre, like many, has been struggling to re-attract new audiences since being pummeled by the pandemic.

It will join others like The Westwood Theatre, which is being demolished to build thousands of units of affordable housing, near the new Etobicoke Civic Centre, in the Six Points area.
The redeveloped Cineplex is slated to become a master plan community with a mix of residential, commercial, institutional, and public spaces across a series of buildings ranging from 7 to 46 storeys.
It is now in the hearing stages as necessary permits have to be obtained, if approved by Etobicoke York Community Council, before construction can begin.
Plans were filed with the City of Toronto in late May to begin the project, which will feature a north-south and east-west roads connecting the buildings.
The cinema’s vast surface parking lot containing 1,277 parking spaces, is set to be redeveloped into the new complex that will include a new park.

A plan feature towers with heights of 46, 43, 43, 39, 37, 33, 31, 25, 25 and 18 storeys, plus a pair of mid-rise commercial buildings rising seven floors.
The developer proposes to construct a whopping 4,328 residential units to occupy a majority of the site’s combined total of over 346,000 square metres of floor space.
Almost 22,000 square metres of space would be dedicated to employment uses within the mid-rise buildings, along with over 2,500 square metres of retail and daycare space.
The towers will be anchored by a central 4,347 square metre public park and two blocks of privately-owned-publicly accessible spaces.
The north end of the complex fronting The Queensway is already in the process of being constructed as Verge Condominiums by RioCan Living that will be about 17 storeys tall.
The site is situated near significant transportation arteries including the Gardiner

Expressway directly south and Highway 427 to the west.
That area of The Queensway is deemed a development zone and tall condos are planned to the east and west of the cinema.
Residents of the area are not impressed with the project and have taken to social media to voice their concerns.
Area dwellers say the area is already congested and lacks the infrastructure for the thousands of new residents who will be moving in.

“Talk about jamming as much as you can within a space that is surrounded by two roads and a highway,” ilovetrees wrote. “The infrastructure is not set up and never will be to support this massive amounts of people.”
Another writer said traffic will become an even worst nightmare considering parts of the Gardiner Expressway is already under construction for three years.
Bettercities point out that Islington Avenue is already congested and it will get worst with cars doing a shortcut through the development.
“This is how condos have been killing the scene because they don’t bring back the businesses they killed in the first place,” wrote Nana AkaJerz Okyere. “At least bring the cinema back in the podium geez.”

Sub maker George Kozaris has a passion for making his customers happy.

Kozaris this month is celebrating his 50^th year as owner of Lakeshore Super Submarine, at 2939 Lake Shore Blvd. W., where most people in the area have enjoyed his sandwiches.

He’s been dubbed the ‘Reeve of Lakeshore,’ since he knows most residents after serving belly-filling subs for half a century to at least 100,000 customers.

“I started in the business with my brother when I was 20, and I am now 70,” smiles Kozaris, who has a great sense of humour in addition to being a big Montreal Canadiens fan. “I plan to keep on going until I drop.”

He and his late brother started the business in 1974 at a store at Third Street and later moved uptown to near Seventh Street.

The avid hockey fan has memorabilia of the sport decorating his store. He takes pride in serving delicious sandwiches served with fresh meats and sliced vegetables, like tomatoes, lettuce, green pepper and other condiments.

“I slice all the meat myself every day,” he says. “This way I know that everything is fresh and my customers will enjoy it.”

His customers keep on returning and he knows them and their families by name. Many visit the bright roadside eatery at least weekly to get their fill. One man enjoys the sandwiches so much that he has been returning regularly for 47 years.

Long-time resident Jerome Drayton said he’s been getting his fill at Lakeshore Super Submarine for about 20 years.

Kozaris know his favourite sub, drink and even where he likes to sit.

“This is the best sub around,” Drayton insists. “I have been coming here for many years and the quality is always great.”

Drayton is a former long-distance runner and marathoner eats healthy foods and it is one of the reason he returns.

Lakeshore Super Submarine has thousands of great reviews online, yet people return for the comradery, quality of sandwich and price.

Most of the sandwiches are still in the $10 range and are bulging in size with a large portion of meat and condiments. At first I couldn’t eat an entire sub because of the size. Now I can devour it. And as more food products shrink in size, this has not.

His shop was made even more famous after appearing in one of the successful Police Academy movies, which were filmed in the area.