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Volume 50 No. 1
BEACHMETRO.COM
March 9, 2021
Fight for our Beach Metro News. A Beach Metro News begins its 50th year
s the last person standing, to reflect its local agenda and who has been continually the current municipal district Sheila Blinoff involved with this paper (Ward 9 Community News), and a Beach Metro News since it began, (well, since its constitution. It was to be not-forSpecial Advisor fifth issue in May 1972), it is my profit and non-partisan. It would pleasure to welcome you to the be distributed without charge to beginning of its 50th year. homes and businesses in the area Letter to Our Community: Expressway was cancelled, and The impetus to start a local by volunteers. Financing would then it was curtains for the rest.) paper was the lack of commucome from the sale of advertising. nity coverage by the main media. Like several current institutions In 1972, the Beach Metro Community NewsVolunteers startedwould as be a encouraged protest paper in opposition to the People wanted to know what was that started here in the 1970s, to get involved. Expressway. happeningScarborough in their own neighbourWard 9 News began at the old A young engineer from Binghood, and what their politicians YMCA at 907 Kingston Road. ham Avenue, Doug White, was were doing. That building had been shut entrusted with overseeing the new Fifty years later, we are in an even bigger fight – a fight for our own survival. At the same time there was a down for a while when two Scarventure. Doug had been hired on borough Road neighbours, Betty plan for a network of expressways a recycling grant run out of the Stephen and Lenore Diaz, offered linking the growing suburbs to the He was re-directed to Advertising revenue alone can no longerYMCA. cover the cost of gathering, editing and to keep the Y presence alive old city of Toronto. It was generalorganize the paper while others local your door and/or online for free. ly opposeddistributing in Toronto. In the east news withoutto recompense by running washed bottles, crushed cans and end the proposed Scarborough a drop-in for local groups if the Y cardboard, and promoted recycling Expressway would follow the rail would cover the utilities. on his behalf. are asking join us. Please become a Beach Metro Community News Supporter line alongWe Gerrard down Coxwell you to Among those drawn to the All seemed well until two days and link up with the Gardiner. The building was a varied group of peo- before the first issue was due off today. ple interested in starting a paper. initial plan called for demolishing the press on March 1, 1972. PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON Eight came to the first meeting. A 1,200 homes, later changed to 706 Norm Houghton, one of the If you value the Beach Metro Community News and want continue to see these pages filled thousand flyers went out before in this neighbourhood. founders and one of theto most the second meeting, and a crowd What better way to rally the important leaders in the early with the kind of stories that are important to our community, support us financially. came. There were another six pubcitizens of Ward 9 and keep them years, had been talking to the Beach Metro News cartoonist Bill Suddick is in his 40th year lic meetings, and many informal informed and ready to act, than staff at Seven News, the Riverdale with the paper. Here he is with some of his calendars from ones behind the scenes. their ownThe newspaper? (In 1971 the paper that had been a template. Beach Metro Community News is a non-profit entity, which meansdecades everypast dollar donated and his first cartoon from April of 1981. To find Towards the end of 1971, the Spadina Expressway was canHe and they suggested there were out more about Bill and his cartooning, please see our story goes back into bringing you local news and community stories. We also have10.hundreds of on Page Continued on Page 10 celled, in 1974 the Scarborough group had a name for the paper
40 years and counting of cartooning with Bill Suddick
volunteers who deliver the paper to your doorstep every two weeks, and a volunteer Board of Directors made up of people who live in your neighbourhood.
Concern and confusion over planned 17-storey building Act now to save community news! Scan the QR code at the top of this page or go online to
Residents are “concerned and stricted building heights to mainBy Ali Raza, Local Journalism www.beachmetro.com/support to become a Supporter today. Initiative Reporter confused” regarding a 17-storey tain a district agreed-upon characdevelopment coming to 1631 Queen ter - are wondering what to make A NEW development proposed St. E.- despite guidelines that re- of a new Housing Now mixed-use Thank you! for Queen Street East and Coxwell strict height. development. Avenue is too tall for the neighMany who participated in the “We’re somewhere on the specbourhoodThe and will set an unwanted creation of the Queen Street East trum between concerned and conBeach Metro Community News Board of Directors precedent, some Beach residents Urban Design Guidelines for the fused,” Jeffrey Levitt said. “It was are saying. Beach in 2012 - guidelines that re- kind of surprising to see the city
Mary Beth Denomy – President Desmond Brown – Past President David Morrow – Vice President Judith Saunders Allen – Secretary Doug Black – Treasurer Paul M. Babich – Special Advisor Sheila Blinoff – Special Advisor
come out with this proposal.” Levitt was involved in developing the Queen Street East Urban Design Guidelines. He is supportive of the affordable housing initiative, stressing that is not the cause of concern among residents. The proposed height is the “elephant in the room,” he noted.
The site is located southeast of Queen Street East and Coxwell Av enue, and falls within the Queen Street East Urban Design Guide lines which cover building heights along Queen Street East in the Beach from Coxwell to Nursewood Road. Continued on Page 19
BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY 1972•2022