Beach Metro Community News March 5, 2024

Annual Easter Parade planned for the Beach

THE TORONTO Beaches Lions Easter Parade will take place on the afternoon of Sunday, March 31.

The parade starts at 2 p.m. in front of the R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, at the foot of Victoria Park Avenue, and then heads west along Queen Street East to Woodbine Avenue.

The parade is part of a number of Easter celebrations locally including the annual Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt on Good Friday, March 29. A Beach tradition since 1967, the Toronto Beaches Lions Club have been organizing the parade since 1973. For more information, including how to take part in the parade, please go to www.beacheseasterparade.ca

Spring Sprint set for April 6

THE ANNUAL Spring Sprint hosted by the Beaches Recreation Centre Advisory Council will take place this year on Saturday, April 6.

The race will go along the Boardwalk and will be made up of a fivekilometre walk/run for the more competitive athletes, and a twokilometre walk/run for youngsters and seniors.

Taking place since 1987, with a three-year gap due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spring Sprint helps raise funds for the many community activities at the Beaches Recreation Centre.

Those wishing to take part must register in advance and in person at the centre, 6 Williamson Rd., on March 25 or 26, or April 2 or 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. Registrations will not be available on race day.

For more information, or to volunteer or sponsor, please email springsprint@hotmail.ca

Rally opposes plan to move Ontario Science Centre

By Alan Shackleton

A LARGE crowed gathered at East Lynn Park on Sunday, March 3, to oppose plans by the provincial government to move the Ontario Science Centre (OSC) from its current home on Don Mills Road to the Toronto waterfront.

The rally was organized by Beaches-East York Liberal MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon and featured a large number of speakers from across the city including youngsters who had been directly impacted by being able to go to the OSC in its present location on Don Mills Road just south of Eglinton Avenue.

“I love being able to do science experiments and learn fun things about science there,” said nineyear-old Alicia Zhu of Thorncliffe Park which is located just south of the OSC. “I also love going to the space observatory and learning about the stars, and I also love seeing the rainforest there as well.”

She said if the OSC relocated

down to the waterfront on the Ontario Place lands, which is the proposal by the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Doug Ford, the chances for her and her friends to go would be severely impacted.

“It would be out of reach for the people of my community,” said Zhu.

East Toronto resident Floyd Ruskin, of Save Ontario’s Science Centre and Lost Rivers Toronto, said the support to keep the OSC on the Don Valley ravine where it is currently located is strong among Liberal, NDP and Green Party members of the provincial government.

He called the plan by Ford’s government “ill advised” and said its links to a private spa being planned for the Ontario Place site along with the possibility of re-developing the OSC site were concerning.

“The government has tied the redevelopment of Ontario Place to the science centre,” said Ruskin.

He said the issue was not for just the East Toronto residents attend-

ing Sunday’s rally but for the entire city and province.

“It is the science centre for all of the people and it should stay where it is,” said Ruskin.

McMahon spoke passionately against the plans to move the OSC and what a bad idea it was .

“We want it to remain in its rightful home on the ravine in the beautiful building designed by (renowned Canadian architect) Raymond Moriyama,” she said. “Not every tourist destination site needs to be downtown. There’s no need for it to be down there (at Ontario Place).”

McMahon said keeping the pressure on the provincial government could well lead to a reversal of the plan for the OSC, as was the case when the province changed its plans to develop parts of the Greenbelt.

“It seems like they pull these ideas out of hat, and then we end up so many reversals just like the Greenbelt,” she said.

Other speakers at the rally which

lasted almost two hours included Mayor Olivia Chow, Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher, Toronto-Danforth NDP MPP Peter Tabuns, Don Valley East Liberal MPP Adil Shamji (who has the Ontario Science Centre in his riding), and Scarborough-Guildwood Liberal MPP Andrea Hazell.

The OSC was built as a Canada Centennial project by the provincial government and opened in 1969.

According to a report by Infrastructure Ontario, it would cost Ontario more money to repair the existing Ontario Science Centre than if a new facility were to be built.

The report said that an estimated minimum of $396 million over the next 20 years would be required for the repairs to the science centre if it were to remain on Don Mills Road.

However, the same report also suggested that a new facility at Ontario Place would cost just $9 million less than repairing the existing centre.

PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON

Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher (black jacket) speaks at a rally on Sunday, March 3, at East Lynn Park calling for the provincial government to reverse its plan to move the location of the Ontario Science Centre. The rally was organized by Beaches-East York Liberal MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon (red jacket) and featured a large turnout of community members and guest speakers.

Photo at top of page, drumming group Ngoma Ensemble perform at the Black History Month celebrations at Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre on Feb. 25. Photo above, Ally Grant sings the national anthem while joined on stage by event hosts Edson Faduous and Shahaddah Jack, and event organizer Anthony Fagan of the Eastview centre and the Eastview BGC.

Photos by Alan Shackleton

Photo above. Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher (with microphone) speaks at the opening ceremonies for the Black History Month celebrations at Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre. Also in the photo are hosts Edson Faduous and Shahaddah Jack, event organizer Anthony Fagan of the Eastview centre and the Eastview BGC, and Kerry Bowser, executive director at Eastview.

The

The club features a 1,500-square foot HO scale layout that models Southern Ontario through different time periods, with a mixture of passenger and freight trains; and a 1,300-square foot N scale layout running through mountain scenery.

For more information on the March 10 open house being hosted by the Scarborough Model Railroaders, please go to https://scarborough-model-railroaders.

Kew Gardens park and Ivan Forrest Gardens park. The installations are expected to remain on display until the end of March. For more info, go to www.winterstations.com

PHOTOS: JESSICA SHACKLETON

After long wait, crossing guard has been stationed at Lyall and Wayland

THE LONG battle to have a school crossing guard at the intersection of Lyall and Wayland avenues in the Upper Beach has come to a successful conclusion.

The new crossing guard (her name is Zina) started working at the intersection on Feb. 20, much to the relief of many local parents and residents who were concerned for the safety of students from schools in the area.

Most impacted by the new crossing guard are students at St. John Catholic School as the three-way intersection is at the back (north) entrance to the school. Students from Malvern Collegiate, Notre Dame Catholic High School and Kimberley Junior Public School are also affected, though their schools are not as close by.

“I made the original request on behalf of St. John school, for a school crossing guard at Lyall and Wayland in 2015,” said area resident Carmen Vanderreest.

She and resident Tara Duff, who is the parent lead of the Safe School at St. John’s group and an active member of the School Travel Planning (STP) Committee, have led the charge in making city and school board officials aware of the need for the crossing guard at the intersection.

“To finally have one is such a big safety win for students using this intersection. It’s wonderful for me to see all the work Tara has done to succeed in bringing it across the finish line eight years later,” said Vanderreest.

Duff said it has taken years

of advocacy work to get the crossing guard, who works mornings and afternoons in the times before and after classes but not over the lunch period, approved for the Lyall and Wayland location.

“I’m grateful we were able to achieve this for our community, after several years of advocacy and follow up,” said Duff. “This is a step in the right direction for the safety of students and pedestrians.”

Issues with the intersection that raised residents’ safety concerns were that it was a busy three-way stop with lots of students and vehicles, especially during student drop-off and pick-up times.

Traffic on Lyall Avenue travels both east and west, while Wayland Avenue is a one-way southbound street ending at Lyall (directly across from St. John’s north entrance). Traffic that stops at the intersection from Wayland can only turn left or right onto Lyall, which can be tricky with the increased traffic and number of students and pedestrians in the mornings and afternoons.

Duff thanked BeachesEast York Councillor Brad Bradford for his help on getting the crossing guard approved as other attempts in past years had not been successful.

Also, Duff told Beach Metro Community News that further safety improvements regarding where and when vehicles can stop near the intersection are upcoming. There are also plans to have the crosswalk bars on the pavement repainted in the near future so that they can more clearly seen.

“(City) staff have confirmed they can change the No Stopping hours from 8:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.,” said Duff after talking with Bradford’s office. “As this requires a bylaw change, it will need to go to Toronto and East York Community Council, which will be meeting on April 3. A request has been made for line repainting to refresh the intersection.”

As mentioned, the battle for the crossing guard at Lyall and Wayland has been a long one with many setbacks since 2015. In an interview with Beach Metro Community News student reporter

Do you know what your home is worth?

Josh Tudela late last year, Vanderreest spoke about the dangers of the intersection.

“While walking on the sidewalk, I myself was clipped by a van’s side mirror as it travelled tight along the curb while trying to pass another vehicle. I hate to think what would happen if that mirror had caught my backpack… or worse yet, a child’s head. I believe a crossing guard in a bright reflective vest, holding a red stop sign while blowing a loud whistle will control the traffic, focus driver attention and provide a much better sense of safety for our students and their caregivers,” said Vanderreest.

Duff said in an earlier interview with Beach Metro Community News that parked cars were adding to the danger level at the intersection. “We have seen cars drive on the sidewalk to pass other cars and swerve to avoid cars opening their doors into the intersection,” she said. “The goal of the STP (School Travel Planning Committee) is to make travel from and to school safer for their students, and a crossing guard will play a pivotal role.”

Bradford told Beach Metro Community News late last year that a review of the need for a crossing guard at the intersection had been done at the request of his office. The results of that review came back positive earlier this year. “I have always supported making our local roads safer, whenever and wherever I can,” he said.

— With files from Josh Tudela.

PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON

School crossing guard Zina helps students and pedestrians cross safely at Wayland and Lyall avenues.

Daycares not in “$10-a-day program” are closing or struggling to stay open

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

OVER THE past few months, many daycares across Canada have permanently closed their doors after years of service.

Although some have the COVID-19 pandemic to blame as revenue across various sectors took a major hit, not many were expecting the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) – a seemingly innocent gesture of good faith and support from the federal government – to be the final nail in the coffin for child care providers.

For many child care operators, the $10-a-day child care program has proven to be a double-edged sword.

Caitlin Moniz, President of the Beaches Co-Operative Playschool, a child care service which has been a fixture in the East Toronto community for more than 50 years, told Beach Metro Community News that they are on the brink of closure due to an inability to keep up with expenses.

“We’re slated to close by the end of June,” said Moniz. “We’re thankful that we can make it to June, but going into September, we can’t guarantee that we’ll have the enrollment we would need to stay open.”

Although Beaches CoOp had to pause services for more than a year at the peak of the pandemic, Moniz said that they were still in a “pretty good position” upon reopening.

However, things took a turn as the federal CWECC program rolled out in Ontario.

An agreement between the federal and provincial governments which aimed to deliver “affordable, inclusive, and high-quality child care for families in Ontario,” CWELCC was seen as a saviour for many parents des-

Local Journalism Initiative

Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for Beach Metro Community News. His reporting is funded by the Government of Canada through its Local Journalism Initiative.

perately in need of affordable child care.

Once the program began, child care services that opted into the program were mandated to cut their rates in half by Dec. 31, 2022; saving families an average of $6,000 per child every year. The end goal of the CWELC in Ontario is to reduce rates to a $10-a-day average by 2026.

But the program has come with a number of hiccups.

Like many other child care services in Ontario, Beaches Co-Op experienced dwindling registrations for their services as more and more parents opted to seek out the centres operating under the $10-a-day umbrella.

“The school almost shut down last year because we just didn’t have the enrollment since people were going to full-time care because obviously it was now cheaper,” said Moniz. “But we kept it open with hopes that we would join CWELCC this fall.”

To make matters worse, however, when Beaches CoOp attempted to join the program, they discovered that the criteria had changed and they were now ineligible.

“We’re technically considered part-time. We run morning programs five days a week and we also have afternoon programs,” said Moniz. “So because we aren’t (nine-to-five, five days a week), we aren’t eligible.”

Suffering a heavy loss of clientele and an inability to join the program that has taken away this clientele, Beaches Co-Op now finds itself between a rock and a hard place as it struggles to fund the inflated costs of running its child care.

Upon contacting officials about their eligibility status, Moniz said she was informed that there wasn’t enough funding for all centres even though the program hopes to create 86,000 new licensed early learning and child care spaces in Ontario.

The criteria, Moniz was told, was altered to focus access on communities that need the service the most. Unfortunately, this leaves many others on the verge of bankruptcy, scavenging for isolated clients of closed down centres as the child care industry continues to deal with the implementation of CWELCC.

“Kassia Preschool, a centre in our community that runs a program very similar to ours, shut down in December and we, luckily, took some of their families on,” said Moniz.

Kerry-Ann Facey, owner and Director of Kassia Preschool, told Beach Metro Community News that she has been overcome with

emotions after having surrendered to the idea of closing her beloved preschool after 12 years of service.

“I had to make the difficult decision in December of 2023,” she said.

With the news of Kassia’s closure coming as a shock to the families it serves, Facey said she did everything possible to try and keep her business’ door open, and families who had children at the centre created a GoFundMe page which collected more than $10,000, “but it just wasn’t going to work.”

“The business wasn’t sustainable any longer as it was every other year,” said Facey. “But at the end of the day I can’t point any fingers because I decided not to opt in (to CWELCC).”

Like Beaches Co-Op, Facey’s business found it increasingly difficult to keep up with the lower prices offered at $10-a-day centres –facilities that now have long waiting lists of clients hoping to register.

It is uncertain whether Facey would have had to close Kassia if she had opted to join the CWELCC program.

Since the second phase of the CWELCC roll out which required a 50 per cent rate cut that would be subsidized by the government, child care services across Canada have become increasingly anxious about the program’s nature.

“The funding that the CWELCC has doesn’t really cover the full cost of operating a child care program,” said Facey.

Furthermore, there have been reports of reimbursement payments coming in 40 to 45 days late which forces many child care providers to dip into personal savings or take out loans in order to keep their services afloat.

“Yes you want $10-a-day childcare and it sounds great but what kind of quality of care are your children receiving in these programs,” said Moniz.

“Especially if the centre is not receiving the funds from the government.”

The state of Ontario’s child care is uncertain. Hanging by a thread, many of Ontario’s child care operators have had their business structure simplified to basic survival.

For Beaches Co-Operative Playschool, the aim is to continue serving East Toronto families until at least June.

To do so, Moniz hopes to garner as much public support as Kassia through GoFundMe.

Anyone interested in supporting the centre during its final days can do so by donating at www.gofundme. com/f/beaches-cooperativeplayschool

Beach Metro’s dedication to community continues

AlAn ShAckleton Beach Metro News Editor

As this newspaper begins its 54th year, I want to celebrate Beach Metro Community News’ dedication to good local journalism and why that is important to you.

Right now in the free world, democracy is under attack.

And the stage for this attack has

been prepared by the gutting of good local journalism across not just Canada and the United States but other democratic countries. Good journalism holds politicians and corporations to account, upholds the values of democratic government, the rule of law, and free speech. It also celebrates the good in our communities and the events and actions that bring us together for the benefit or enjoyment of all.

What good journalism doesn’t do is blur the lines of accountability; knowingly spread wrong

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Letters to the Editor

information; or misinform for an ideological or political purpose.

Yet there is so much out there in the world of digital information and social media that tries to call itself journalism but is nothing of the sort. They are propaganda machines working to turn impressionable or vulnerable people against each other and make enemies of those who don’t share their political, religious or social ideologies.

You may want to say that’s not happening here in Canada, but please take an honest look around and understand that it already is.

These are scary times. And that’s why a trusted and objective press is so important. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s an absolute fact that good local journalism makes for a strong community. A strong and independent press is a cornerstone of how our free country is supposed to work. But in far too many communities the voice of local journalism is gone.

I’m sure you’ve heard about the closures of local radio stations by Bell Media recently which saw a lot of good journalists lose their jobs. In September of last year,

Metroland Media closed 70 of its community papers across Ontario. Those are now communities where democracy has been weakened.

There are days here at Beach Metro Community News when I wonder if we are going to be the last newspaper standing.

I hope not. But I promise you we’ll go down swinging.

For us to continue the fight though, we will need your support. You can help by becoming a Supporter at https://beachmetro.com/ donations/support-beach-metronews

Remembering Glenn’s Books

Re: ‘The Wolfe Tone Irish Pub brings a taste of Ireland to Queen Street East,’ Feb. 6, Beach Metro Community News.

I read with interest the article about the Wolfe Tone Irish Pub at 1961 Queen St. E. That address has seen many businesses come and go over the years and a few of them were mentioned in the article.

I would like to add that Glenn’s Books operated at that address in the 1980s. Jim and Dot Glenn lived in the Beach for most of their lives and raised four children there. While their store carried a wide range of stuff, it specialized in illustrated children’s books; especially from the 1920s through the 1950s which Jim always loved.

I’ve included a photo of Glenn’s Books taken in the mid 1980s by their nephew Bill Glenn. In the photo is a much younger version of me.

I thought I would send in this letter to provide a bit more background on this heritage property.

Nanci McCaul

Nice to see small business look has been retained in the Beach

After leaving the Beach for a job opportunity about five years ago, I decided to make a return visit on a business trip a few weeks ago.

I was pleasantly surprised at the changes. More particularly, I visited the jewelry store I had bought from often -- The Artisans. It was nice to see it still run by the same family, as I was told by an employee.

However, what a metamorphosis had taken place inside the premises including the unique mural that had replaced

a gaudy green. When I commented on the mural, the employee told me their daughter had taken over the reigns and had brought it into the 21st century with her ideas; backed by her mother who had originally opened the store in the early 1990s. Very savvy.

Once again, it was nice to see that this area had not lost its small business look that I had remembered

D. Johnston, Vancouver, B.C.

Queen and Lee plan out of proportion

Re: ‘Bedrooms with windows should be part of building proposal,’ Letters, Feb. 20, Beach Metro Community News.

Kudos to Christine Murray and Richard Marks for taking the time and trouble to comb through the plans for the proposed development at Queen Street East and Lee Avenue, and share with us the shocking shortcomings they found. Their letter

said there would 40 units with windowless bedrooms!

Personally, I think the whole development is out of proportion with the existing neighbourhood and is likely to cause serious traffic and parking problems. I also don’t think Beachers need a grocery store three times the size of the existing one.

Mary Campbell

PHOTO: BILL GLENN

Nanci McCaul in front of Glenn’s Books at 1961 Queen St. E. in the mid 1980s.

Oscar-nominated film Robot Dreams has Beach connection to local artist Paul Rivoche

By Erin Horrocks-Pope

ONE OF the films nominated for an Oscar at this weekend’s 96th annual Academy Awards has a Beach connection.

Robot Dreams, directed by Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger, has been nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars set for Sunday, March 10. The film is based on the graphic novel by Sara Varon.

Paul Rivoche, a longtime Beach resident and veteran freelance animation designer, played a crucial role in bringing the film to life.

Reached out to by Jose Luis Agrada, the art director for Robot Dreams, Rivoche joined the project remotely from Toronto during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rivoche’s task was to create the backgrounds for the film, envisioned by Berger as a “love letter to New York City.”

Drawing on his experience and attention to detail, Rivoche immersed himself in

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

Beach resident Paul Rivoche is a member of the creative team for the movie Robot Dreams, nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards. research to capture the city’s essence in the 1980s. His creative decisions helped set the stage for the film’s heartwarming and bittersweet story.

In discussing his involvement in the project, Rivoche said he was excited by the challenge of using classic cartoon style to convey adult themes such as love and loss.

“What got me excited

about the project was the challenge. When they (the Robot Dreams team) gave me the plot and creative outline, I saw this task of using such classic cartoon style to tell this very heartfelt, emotional story about adult themes like love and loss,” said Rivoche.

He also acknowledged the frustration felt by many fans unable to access the film on-

line, and said he hoped that it will become more widely available after the Academy Awards presentation.

“I know a lot of people have expressed frustration about not being able to watch the film online. I don’t know the strategy behind not releasing it, but I hope after the Oscars it will become more available because it really is a great film,” said Rivoche.

“We did it kind of old school,” he said of Robot Dreams, referring to the film’s 2D animation style.

“Like the prior-3D technology, which is simple 2D animation, it means it’s not created with dimensional space; it’s created with flat drawings based off of the graphic novel by Sara Varon,” explained Rivoche.

Drawing inspiration from his own community, Rivoche said that like many creative local residents he finds artistic fuel in the Beach area’s landmarks such as the iconic R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, the Boardwalk, and the vibrant businesses.

Author Subrata Kumar Das celebrates publication of two books, 60th birthday

By Yuantong Anita Liu

LOCAL BANGLADESHI

author Subrata Kumar Das’ 60th birthday was celebrated at an event on Sunday, March 3, honouring the publication of two of his books.

Toronto Poet Laureate Lillian Allen, industrialist Jay Sarkar, Beaches-East York MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Scarborough Southwest MPP Doly Begum, Beaches-East York MPP Mary Margaret McMahon and Scarborough Southwest Councillor Parthi Kandavel had been invited to join the celebration of Das’ work. Scholar Dr. Dilip Chakraborty, of Brampton, was to chair the event.

The two books on Das that were celebrated, along with his 60th birthday, were A Wonder Boy of Intellect, and Hirok-Joyonti: Subrata Kumar Das (Diamond Jubilee: Subrata Kumar Das

An East Toronto resident, Das is a Bangladeshi-Canadian writer, curator and community organizer.

Starting his writing career in 1993, Das has written 29 books and contributed to Canadian literature and its translation into Bangladeshi.

Asked about the future of Bangladeshi-Canadian writers in Canada, Das said he believed the future is very promising.

“I have seen that many new initiatives are being tak-

PHOTO: DIPAK SUTRADHAR

Living in the Danforth Avenue area, author Subrata Kumar Das has written 29 books and contributed to Canadian literature and its translation into Bangladeshi.

en to interact with the Bangladeshi community and the Canadian community, specifically in the writing zones. And what we have done is to make a breeze between the Canadian writers and the Bengali writers.”

Kanadiyo Sahityo: Bichchhinno Vabna, translated to Canadian Literature: Some Snapshots is a book Das published in 2019 that “helped the Bengali community to go into the Canadian literature more and more.”

“It took about five years for me to write that book at the very beginning,” said Das. “I didn’t have any vision to write because it seemed very difficult to me to go

through Canadian literature (at the very beginning).”

Das said he bought more than 1,000 books on Canadian literature to start his exploration in this area as the first step to writing. Then, he began to establish connections with Canadian writers.

“We began to invite the Canadian writers. They came to our community. They talked about their literature, and we began to learn. It was not only for me, it was for the community, and we tried to air those programs through NRB, a Bangladeshi television channel.”

Das said the local Bengali community began to gradually become associated with

Canadian literature through these initiatives.

In 2020, Das was invited to the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) for the first time and led teams of Bengali writers at the event.

Das said as more writers are involved in these interactions, more books from Canadian literature will be translated into Bengali in the future.

“Many more writers will be writing on Canadian literature. They will be translating Canadian literature into Bengali, and thus the future of the Bengali writers in Canada will be brighter.”

Community Calendar

MARCH 5: Seniors Active Living Health and Wellness Fair at St. Clair O’Connor Community, 2701 St. Clair Ave. E., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Exhibitors include Toronto Police 55 Division, Canadian Hearing Society, Alzheimer Society, Blood Pressure Clinic, and more! Free admission. St. Clair O’Connor Community is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a safe and caring residential environment for gracefully aging older adults and families. Info: 416-757-8757

MARCH 6-17: The Leslie Grove Gallery presents Beach Wood Rescued, a showing of sculptures and paintings by local artist Andrew Vasilevich, at 1158 Queen St. E., 12 noon-5 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday). The artist uses his creative spirit to mold discarded wood into imaginative sculptures that reveal the form and beauty of one of nature’s most magnificent structures.

MARCH 7: Seniors Active Living & Lifestyles Fair at Beaches Sandbox, 2181 Queen St. E., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Hosted by Community Centre 55. An informative, free day of workshops, active demonstrations, healthy snacks, and health-related exhibitors. Info: Jade 416-691-1113, jade@centre55.com

MARCH 9: Acoustic Harvest presents Guy Davis with opening set Broke Fuse-Jay Moonah at St. Paul’s United Church, 200 McIntosh St., 8 p.m. Tickets $35 advance, $40 at the door. Info: www.acousticharvest.ca, guydavis.com, www.brokefuse.com

MARCH 13: Scarborough Garden & Horticultural Society Presentation by President of Toronto Greater Bulb Society, Michael Erdman “Easy Summer Bulbs” at Scarborough Village Recreation Centre, Kingston/Markham Rds., 7:30 p.m. Free. Refreshments included. Guests welcome.

MARCH 16: Organ Stops at Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave., 4:30 p.m. Come hear accomplished organist Ryan Baxter perform the works of Mendelssohn, Bach, Rheinberger and Duruflé on our magnificent Guibault-Thérien organ. Entry is pay-what-you-can and helps support Beach United’s year-round community programs. Info: beachunitedchurch.com

MARCH 16: St. Paddy’s Day at RCL Baron Byng Beaches, Branch 1/42, 243 Coxwell Ave., 7 p.m. Irish dancer, stew, and raffles. Info: 416-465-0120

MARCH 16: Spring Watercolour Exploration“Plant Your Seed” at GAS, 1475 Gerrard St. E., 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Instructors: Beth Fanjoy & Paulina Golborne/ Max. participants: 10. $55 Early Bird / $60 Regular (paints, paper, journaling supplies included). Registration info: pagolborne@gmail.com

MARCH 17: Irish Music Service at Birchcliff Bluffs United Church, 33 East Rd. (Warden and Kingston Rd.), 10:30 a.m. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Celtic stories and songs with Randy Vancourt, fiddler Daniel Giverin and the BBUC Choir. This is part of our continuing Music Sunday Services, each month featuring a special musicbased service on a different theme. Info: www.bbuc.ca

MARCH 18: East York Garden Club members’ monthly meeting: Darryl Cheng will be speaking on An Engineer’s Approach to Houseplant Care at Stan Wadlow Clubhouse, 373 Cedarvale Ave., 7 p.m. informal gathering, 7:30 p.m. meeting start. New members and guests welcome.

MARCH 20: The Beach & East Toronto Historical Society presents author, travel writer and historian Ron Brown at The Beaches Sandbox, 2181 Queen St. E., 7-8:15 p.m. Admission free. All welcome. Info: www.tbeths.com

MARCH 22: Cheese and Wine Tasting Featuring Wines from Australia and New Zealand at Gerrard Art Space / GAS Inc., 1475 Gerrard St. E., 7-8:30 p.m. Indulge your taste buds with the finest flavors these regions have to offer. RSVP on The Pantry Eventbrite page. Info: 416-778-0923, gerrardartspace@gmail.com

MARCH 22-APRIL 26: Presanctified Liturgy followed by vigil for peace at St. John The Compassionate Mission, an Orthodox Apostolate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, 155 Broadview Ave., Fridays, 7 p.m.-midnight. All welcome. Info: 416-466-1357, info@stjohnsmission.org

MARCH 31: Toronto Beaches Lions Easter Parade along Queen St. E. from Nursewood Rd. to Woodbine Ave., 2 p.m. Info: www.beacheseasterparade.ca

APRIL 6: Scarborough Seedy Saturday & Green Fair at the Centre for Immigration and Community Services (CICS), 2330 Midland Ave., 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Featuring more than 50 exhibitors including the seed exchange, seed vendors, eco associations, gardening groups, the Toronto Master Gardeners, and garden accessories. Kids’ activities, too! Admission $2 or PWC and kids are free. Info: www.facebook.com/SSSGFair or email the organizers at scarboroughseedysaturday@gmail.com

APRIL 6: Annual Spring Sprint - 2km and 5km run/ walk, organized by the Beaches Recreation Centre Advisory Council. Volunteers will be needed the day of the event as well as leading up to the event. Please send your contact information to: springsprint@hotmail.ca

APRIL 6, 7: The Art Guild of Scarborough’s Spring Art Show and Sale at Centennial Recreation Centre – Scarborough, 1967 Ellesmere Rd., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Show features over 400 original, juried works of art by member artists, many of whom will be in attendance. Free parking, admission, and refreshments. Info: https://theartguildofscarborough.com/upcoming-shows

APRIL 20: Bridge Pub Crawl. Friendly duplicate bridge, rotating through three pubs on Queen St. E. in the Beach. Info: 416-987-1019 or https:// www.beachbridgepubcrawl.wixsite.com/bbpc

FRIDAYS: GRANTFUL FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP Food Bank and Soup Kitchen, 2029 Gerrard St. E., 3:30-6 p.m. Registration is required. New clients must present identification for members in their household on their first visit. Time slots are handed out and clients are encouraged to arrive at the food bank the time slot they selected. Info. 416 -690-5169

FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: Seniors’

Lunch at RCL Baron Byng, 243 Coxwell Ave., 1 p.m. Free for veterans and seniors over 65.

RCL TODMORDEN BR. 10, 1083 Pape Ave. •March 8: Bingo, then DJ Derek from 8 p.m. to closing •March 15, 28: Bingo, followed by Karaoke, hosted by AJ (8 p.m. to closing) •March 17: St. Patrick’s Day Parade. After the parade, come to Branch 10 for an afternoon of good cheer, good comradeship and entertainment by DJ Jose at 3 p.m. •March 24: Cribbage starting at 1 p.m.

GUIDED MINDFULNESS MEDITATION at Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Rd., Mondays, 7-8 p.m. Drop-in. Donations welcome, with all donations going toward the use of the church’s space. All welcome.

BEACHES MENTAL WELLNESS GROUP meets each Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Community Centre 55, 97 Main St. at Swanwick. Info: www.mentalwellness. help. Or join us most nights of the week on Zoom. Go to: https://www.meetup.com. Ask to join us: Mental Wellness Peer-to-Peer Support-Groups

BEACH INTERFAITH OUTREACH FELLOWSHIP

LUNCHES for adults in the community, 11 a.m. •Mondays at Corpus Christi Church (16 Lockwood Rd.). No lunch April 1. •Tuesdays – alternating locations: St. Nicholas Anglican Church (1512 Kingston Rd.), March 5, 19, April 2, etc.; St. Aidan’s Anglican Church, (2423 Queen St. E), March 12, 26, April 9, etc. •Wednesdays at Beaches Hebrew Institute (109 Kenilworth Ave.). No lunches April 17 and April 24. •Thursdays at Beach United Church (140 Wineva Ave.) •Fridays at Kingston Road United Church (975 Kingston Rd.). Lunch format may vary from site to site. Last day of program this year is Friday, May 17. Info: 416-691-6869

BEACH PHOTO CLUB. Are you interested in photography? We invite all shutterbugs to check out our local photo club. We offer a range of activities including guest speakers, mentorship, opportunities to share your work, photo excursions, competitions, practical seminars and more! We meet the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from September to June, 7-9:30 p.m., at Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave. (unless specified in program). Info: beachphotoclub.com or email beachphotoclub@gmail.com

SCARBOROUGH PLAYERS present Steel Magnolias at Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Rd., March 8, 9, 14-16, 21, 22 at 8 p.m., March 10, 17, 23 at 2 p.m. Tickers $24 (discounts for students and seniors). Free parking. Reserved seats. Wheelchair accessible. Box office: 416-267-9292, www.theatrescarborough.com

LIGHT IT UP LANTERN CELEBRATION. Join East End Arts to celebrate the return of spring by making your own lantern of light and love at a free lanternmaking workshop (Thursdays until March 14), and then come to the Community Lantern Parade in Dentonia Park on March 17 to celebrate with the east end community. Info: https://eastendarts.ca/light-it-up-2024/

GERRARD ASHDALE LIBRARY, 1432 Gerrard St. E. •March 12: Kimchi Making for Teens with Chef Sang Kim, 1-2 p.m. Bring home your very own kimchi! Registration required. •Mar 16 & 30: Ashdale Writers Group at Gerrard/ Ashdale Library, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Hone your craft, meet fellow writers, and share your stories. New members are always welcome! Meetings are held every other Saturday on our 2nd floor. •Mar 19 & 26: Free Tech Help for SeniorsSeniors E-Connect, 4-6 p.m. Our youth volunteers will provide you with one-on-one tech support. Info: 416-393-7717 FALLINGBROOK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH is pleased to announce the addition of our new Music Director, Nick Jessome. If you enjoy singing and would like to join our Choir, join us on Sundays for worship at 10:30 a.m. Choir Practices are on Thursdays at 7 p.m. at the church. We would love to add more tenor, bass, alto and soprano singers to our choir. Info: fboffice@rogers.com, 416-699-3084, www.fallingbrookpresbyterianchurch.com NEIGHBOURHOOD UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION, 310 Danforth Ave (entrance north on Jackman at Hurndale). Weekly Sunday services begin at 10:30 a.m. We are a vibrant, family-friendly, and welcoming community of individuals all on the same path. At Neighbourhood we dig deeper into who we are and how we can experience a spiritual life through our Unitarian Universalist beliefs. Our Lifespan Learning program offers engaging and age-appropriate programs that nurture our children’s sense of wonder, exploring spirituality, values, and the world around them through storytelling, arts and crafts, and interactive discussions. We invite you to get to know us. www.nuuc.ca

THE MEETING HOUSE EAST TORONTO: we are a Christian Church in the Anabaptist tradition, part of the Be In Christ family of churches. We meet Sundays 10-11 a.m. inside The Beach Cineplex, 1651 Queen St E. Join us for contemporary music, Jesus-centred teaching, and great discipleship programs for children and youth. The coffee is on; we hope to see you soon! Info: bit.ly/tmheasttoronto BEACHES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 65 Glen Manor Drive. (S of Queen). We are an inclusive and affirming congregation in the heart of the Beach. We provide nonperishable food for those in need through our Free Food Pantry. Our Refugee Commitee has been in operation for many years. On the 2nd Wednesday of every month we host a Coffee Outreach from 1 - 3 p.m. Sunday morning services are at 10 a.m. March 17th will be a special Jazz Service. Info: www.beacheschurch.org, 416-6995871. Minister: The Reverend Katherine McCloskey GRANT AME CHURCH, 2029 Gerrard St E., invites you to our Worship Service Sundays at 11 am in person or live streamed on ZOOM, YouTube and Facebook. Bible Study Wednesdays 7:00 pm on ZOOM. Please join us in prayer Wednesday mornings at 6:30 am on our prayer line. DialIn No.: 1 587 405 1252 Access Code: 700 6901#. Info:

Reel Beach: Movies in East Toronto

As Oscar night approaches, movies wouldn’t be the same without music

Bernie Fletcher

“If music be the food of love play on.”

-- Twelfth Night.

The Academy Awards will be presented on Sunday, March 10, and here’s hoping the late Robbie Robertson will win Best Original Score for Killers of the Flower Moon A film score helps elevate the mood of a scene and stirs emotions.

What would the movies be like without music? Imagine Jaws without the ominous tuba or Psycho without the screeching violins. Chariots of Fire almost inspired me to run along the beach.

There’s a new musical version of Mean Girls. It’s been 20 years since the original filmed on Balsam Road and at Malvern Collegiate (gym and talent show scenes). Instead of trying to make “fetch” happen, students have made music happen.

Music has always been a vital part of life at Malvern Collegiate, continuing a long tradition of excellence with “note-worthy” students such as piano prodigy Glenn Gould, opera star Teresa Stratas and jazz trombonist Russ Little, as well as director Norman Jewison.

The daughter of immigrants from Crete, Teresa Stratas grew up singing Greek songs in her parents’ restaurant. While Teresa was at Malvern in the 1950s the family lived on Main Street near Danforth Avenue, then on Brookside Drive.

Stratas made her first film at 22 in The Canadians (1961) where she sang This is Canada. She made other movies, including winning a Gemini Award for Under the Piano (1996), but her true love was opera.

Stratas had her professional opera debut in La Boheme in 1958 and was the lead soprano for the New York Metropolitan Opera for 36 years. She also starred in Franco Zeffirelli’s film La Traviata in 1982. She is now retired in Florida.

Russ Little lived on Glenmount Park Road not far from Stratas. He learned trombone and life lessons from Malvern’s head of music, the legendary Mr. George McRae.

Little became the musical director of television shows such as SCTV along with a renowned career with jazz band The Boss Brass.

Music plays a key role in Jewison’s films. La Boheme sets the theme in Moonstruck (1987, three Oscars) with scenes at “the Met.”

The late film director made two famous musicals, Fiddler on the Roof (1971, three Oscars) and Jesus Christ Superstar (1973).

Robbie Robertson isn’t the only Scarborough musician to venture into film and television. The Weeknd (West Hill Collegiate and Birchmount Park Collegiate) has one Oscar nomination for Original Song.

The Barenaked Ladies sang the theme for The Big Bang Theory and their songs such as One Week can be heard in a number of movies.

Jazz musician Jimmy Dale grew up near Pharma-

cy Avenue and the Danforth and became musical director of the Emmy-winning Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. His son, producer J. Miles Dale, won an Oscar for The Shape of Water (2017).

Even going back to the silent film era, movies usually had a musical accompaniment.

Percy Faith (1908-1976) got his start playing piano in the theatres along the Danforth. He went on to fame with huge hits such as The Theme from A Summer Place and has one Oscar nomination for Love Me or Leave Me (1955).

If Robertson wins the Academy Award, he will join Toronto composer Howard Shore who has three Oscars for The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was Shore who suggested the name The Blues Brothers one night at Dan Aykroyd’s after-hours club on Queen Street East.

Martin Scorsese collaborated closely with Robertson for 47 years ever since The Band’s farewell 1976 performance in The Last Waltz (1978), the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The famed director has dedicated Killers of the Flower Moon to his friend: “Robbie’s cultural heritage became more and more important to him the older he got…The score was a real cinematic experience.”

Scorsese told Variety, “I just miss Robbie, period, the friendship, the work, the tales he told, all of it. He lived his music. I lived my movies.”

Robertson’s music lives on… “You can find me somewhere down the crazy river.”

Guy Davis performs at Acoustic Harvest

The concert takes place at St. Paul’s United Church, 200 McIntosh St., on Saturday, March 9, at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

The opening set will be performed by Broke Fuse -

Davis is a two-time Grammy nominated musician, an actor, author and songwrit-

er. He uses a blend of roots, blues, rap, spoken word and world music.

Tickets are $35 in advance ($40 at the door).

To order tickets, go to www.acousticharvest.ca/ concerts.html

Teresa Stratas, right, attended Malvern Collegiate in the 1950s. The famed opera singer was lead soprano for the New York Metropolitan Opera for 36 years. She is shown in this photo with Placido Domingo in the 1982 film La Traviata.

BLUES MUSICIAN Guy

Davis will be the headliner at the Acoustic Harvest concert set for this Saturday in southwest Scarborough.

Jay Moonah.

Family Day long weekend skating fun at Ted Reeve Arena

East Chinatown welcomes the Year of the Dragon

First-rate care on a first-name basis –today and always.

From new babies to cancer treatments and life-saving surgeries, Michael Garron Hospital has always been here for you and your loved ones. And we always will be.

One great way to say thank you is with a gift in your will to our hospital. You can create a legacy of care and compassion that will benefit the people you love, and the generations that follow.

To learn more, go to mghf.ca/gift-in-will or contact Yolanda Bronstein at 416-469-6580 ext. 2161

Photo above, members of the Toronto Beaches Lions Club were at Ted Reeve Arena on Family Day for the community skate they hosted on Feb. 19. The skating party was sponsored by Justin McCartney (at left) Crew & Co. Royal LePage Estate Realty.

Photo at right, Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford, right, hosted a Family Day long weekend skating party at Ted Reeve Arena on Feb. 18. In the photo with Bradford are (from left) Alex, Sam and Liam.

PHOTOS: ALAN SHACKLETON

Photo above, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of East Toronto hosted a Lion Dance and Parade on Sunday, Feb. 18, as part of the Lunar New Year celebrations to welcome the Year of the Dragon. The parade travelled along Gerrard Street East and then south on Broadview Avenue. Photo below, some of the participants gather at the Zhong Hua Archway on Gerrard Street East prior to the parade’s start.

PHOTOS: ALAN SHACKLETON

Deja Views

A look at Beech Avenue in 1933

The Spring Sprint is back with a New Boardwalk Course

Starting at Leuty Pavilion

Sat. April 6th, 2024

5k walk/run + Sr/Child 2k

To sponsor or volunteer contact us at springsprint@hotmail.ca

Registration Information: March 25 and 26, April 2,3

7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Beaches Recreation Centre

$30 cash or cheque only No race day registration

www.beachmetro.com/support

By David Van Dyke

This archival photograph was taken on Beech Avenue, just a little south of Kingston Road, in 1933.

Is it not amazing to see how much a pine tree grows from a seedling in at least 91 years?

Say, do you live in the Beach with a street name that is a tree and have an old photo of your house? Please consider sending it to me at gdvandyke61@gmail. com

Seniors Active Living and Lifestyles Fair slated for March 7 at Beaches Sandbox

PRESENTED BY Community Centre 55, the Seniors Active Living and Lifestyles Fair will take place on Thursday, March 7, at the Beaches Sandbox on Queen Street East.

The free event will feature workshops, active classes,

exhibitors and refreshments.

It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Among the exhibitors will be organizations and businesses featuring unique services to help seniors stay independent and active.

Refreshments will include

coffee, tea, snacks and other foods at no cost. Those attending are also welcome to bring their own food to the event if they prefer.

The Beaches Sandbox is located at 2181 Queen St. E., between Lee and Leuty avenues.

Ron Brown to speak at The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society event

AUTHOR, TRAVEL writer and historian Ron Brown will be the guest speaker at an event presented by The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society on the evening of Wednesday, March 20.

Brown is the author of Toronto’s Lost Villages. The book examines the histories of the hamlets and villages that over the years have been swallowed up by the City of Toronto. “Over the course of more than two centuries,

Toronto has ballooned from a muddy collection of huts on a swampy waterfront to Canada’s largest and most diverse city,” reads a summary of the book.

Many of the hamlets and cottage communities have been forgotten, but Brown’s book brings them back to life.

Brown is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada and past chair of The Writers’ Union of Canada.

Over his career he has writ-

ten numerous books including Backroads of Ontario, Rails Across the Prairies, and The Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore

The free presentation takes place from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the Beaches Sandbox, 2181 Queen St. E.

For more on The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society, please go to the website at http://tbeths.com/ or contact the Society by email at contactTBETHS@gmail. com

PHOTO: CITY OF TORONTO ARCHIVES

PHOTO: DAVID VAN DYKE

Arts & Entertainment

Jackalope art gallery set for opening exhibition this month

By Yuantong Anita Liu

LOCAL ARTISTS Gail Williams and Tracy Davies will be celebrating the opening of their gallery, the Jackalope Contemporary Art Gallery, at 1558 Queen St. E. near Coxwell Avenue, on Saturday, March 16.

Williams and Davies said they want to provide an inclusive opportunity for all artists at their gallery.

“We feel it is very important to showcase all artists of all ages and backgrounds, (such as) up and coming artists, emerging artists and professional artists, to give everybody a place to take part.”

Living in the Woodbine and Gerrard avenues area, Williams said she has been in the Beach area for about 50 years.

“I worked in the healthcare field, but I always wanted to be an artist. So, a few years ago, I started showing my art, taking workshops and showing at art fairs. And then along the way, I met my good friend here, Tracy, at one of the art fairs.”

Williams said Davies started talking about opening an art gallery which had never been on either’s radar before.

“But the more she talked about it, and the more I found out about her, the more I got excited about it.”

A registered nurse for many years, Davies had also been studying and creating art since childhood.

“I had won some shows in elementary school and got to be in the gallery show at that young age. So that sparked my interest and then I left nursing 15 years ago and jumped into the arts,” said Davies.

She used to run a gallery in Cornwall, Ont., but during the COVID-19 pandemic, she came back to Toronto and now lives in the Lee Avenue and Queen Street East area of the Beach.

Davies said they are looking through many artwork submissions for the gallery, and a lot of them are coming from the United States.

“We will curate the submissions and put together a cohesive piece of work to introduce in the show and we’re opening the submissions to not just the city, but nationally and internationally.”

Davies said they will provide a vested show prize of $500 during the opening exhibition to get everyone involved in the activity.

“You can come in and see the show, enjoy the show, meet artists and then decide what is your favourite piece,” said Davies.

“We’ll do a voting here in person and we’ll put it on the website so the community can vote as well.”

Another attraction for those exhibiting at the Jackalope Gallery is that Davies and Williams would provide “a super special commission rate” for the artists.

According to Williams, the commission rate in most galleries is 50 per cent for the artists and 50 per cent for the gallery. However, they decided to start with a 70 per cent commission for the artists, and the remaining amount to the gallery, aiming to “encourage emerging artists as well as well-known artists.”

Asked about the reason they started the gallery, Davies said they want to make sure everyone feels comfortable coming in and taking part in creating and enjoying art.

“As an artist wanting to take part in shows and be a part of the community or find a group that’s inclusive. It’s not always easy for people to go and approach a gallery. It’s very daunting.”

Davies said it is powerful and uplifting when people feel like they belong. “I thoroughly enjoyed the excitement of seeing artists selling works, taking part in shows, feel-

ing like they’re a part of a special community and having each other to lean on.”

They also want to provide networking opportunities in the gallery, especially for new artists.

“Maybe they’re new artists and they’re not ready to show, but they can at least come in and get to know other artists and join the community, take classes and then eventually go out and apply to galleries,” said Davies.

Davies said she and Williams have the same outlook on inclusivity.

“I’ve always had the belief that everybody is creative,” said Williams.

“Whenever I say that to people, they always say, I could never be an artist. I can’t even draw a straight line. And my response to that is well, thank God, because who needs straight lines?”

She wants people to value their own creativity and beauty in everyday life.

“I think people let their past teachers or adults, or anybody in power, say, oh, that doesn’t look like that. They let that be a judgment on them and it stops them (from pursuing art). It’s really important to embrace that part of yourself because it makes your life more interesting,” said Williams.

The Jackalope Gallery business hours will be Thursday to Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Grand Opening gala celebration on March 16 will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Along with the regular hours, Williams and Davies added that they are always happy to open up by appointment and hold private tours if requested.

Davies said the gallery will feature contemporary and modern art, but they are also seeking artists working with sculpture jewelry, functional works, glass, ceramic, fiber, metal and photography.

“We’re open to all sorts of creations. We’re open to working with whoever loves and appreciates art.”

For more information on the Jackalope Gallery, please go to www.thejackalopegallery.ca

Easter & Passover

All meals are served with your choice of protein, featuring:

Sugar & Spiced Glazed Baked Ham (GF/DF)

Honey Mustard & Apple

Cider Sauce (V/GF/DF)

Or

Traditional Roast Turkey (GF/DF)

Celery, Onion & Mixed Herb Bread Stuffing

Traditional Pan Gravy (DF)

Homemade Cranberry Sauce (V/GF)

All meals are accompanied with:

Or

Rosemary & Garlic Roasted Leg of Lamb (GF/DF)

Lamb & Shallot Au Jus (DF)

Starter Easter Bonnet Devilled Eggs with dill & radishes (V/GF) 2 pieces per person

Salad Spring Kale & Quinoa Salad chopped kale, quinoa, cucumber, feta cheese, chickpeas, scallions, fresh mint & parsley with lemon vinaigrette (V/GF)

Potato Duck-Fat Roasted Smashed New Potatoes with fresh herbs (GF/DF)

Vegetable Side Dish

Creamy Cauliflower & Broccoli Casserole with mixed cheese (V/GF)

Dessert Torched Lemon Meringue Tart (V) 1 individual tart per person

Minimum order of 2 people

Serving 2, 3, 4 or more people

Turkey 2 people $115

Ham 2 people $110

Lamb 2 people $120

Delivery and Pick-up options available Subject to HST & Delivery Fee

All food is fresh, fully prepared, packaged and provided with re-heating and serving instructions.

order@corbincateringandfoods.com

corbincateringandfoods.com 416 699 2433

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

Gail Williams and Tracy Davies will be celebrating the Grand Opening of the Jackalope Gallery on Queen Street East on Saturday, March 16.

Arts & Entertainment

Scarborough Players’ production of Steel Magnolias takes stage this week

SCARBOROUGH PLAYERS’ production of Steel Magnolias opens March 8, at Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Rd.

Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana is where all the ladies who are “anybody” come to have their hair done.

Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle, the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter Shelby, is about to marry a “good ole boy.”

The play, a woman’s play in the best sense of the word, is alternately hilarious and touching. Its examination of female bonding and the lasting friendships it can create is part of the play’s enduring appeal.

Considered a modern classic, the play is recommended for audiences age 10 and up.

The Scarborough Players’ production is produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Services, Inc.

Steel Magnolias is a comedy that tugs at your heartstrings. Director, Greg Nowlan’s appreciation of the play best describes what it is all about:

completely drawn characters that jump out at you. You want to listen to what they have to say. We go through the four seasons (out of sequence mind you) with these women,” he said.

stories that are shared while hair is washed, cut, coloured, and styled.

The play also has the drama of the relationship between mother and daughter. M’Lynn and Shelby argue and disagree, but they love each other. In fact, Shelby has a lesson for us all: “I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.”

be supported by a new ASM, Victoria Badham, who was last seen as Mrs. Cratchit in A Christmas Carol.

The challenge for any production of Steel Magnolias is creating Truvy’s late 1980s beauty salon. Costuming the ladies of Chinquapin are Katherine Turner, Jamie Obregon and her daughters Kaylee and Elena Oak.

“I love these characters. They make me laugh and they make me cry. They are

Steel Magnolias utilizes the ritual of the beauty parlour; a ritual that is almost tribal. It reveals that these are intelligent and modern women. They are witty, funny, charming, and remarkable. They talk about all manner of things: the theatre, homosexuality, religion, fashion, and football. Some call it gossip, but it is the stories of a community that are told in this beauty parlour. The surface innocence of a small town is opened to reveal the remarkable depths beneath it, in the

The characters are resilient in the face of adversity; no wilting flowers here. They are steel magnolias one and all.

“This is a wonderful play that will entertain our audience and give them something to think about as they make their way home at the end of the performance,” said Nowlan.

Steel Magnolias welcomes Nowlan back to the director’s chair with Scarborough Players. He is best known for his work onstage and appeared, most recently, as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol

Once again, an extraordinary creative team helps to put the show together.

Taking a step back from costumes, Mary Nowlan is putting her creative talent to work as set designer. Watch out for lighting magic from Jennifer Bakker, and sound design by Larry Westlake.

Stage manager, Bodene Corbitt, returns and she will

This production is also being supported by the talented “Steel Magnolias of Scarborough”, Susan and Michelle Jankovski of Susie’s Shears Beauty Salon. They have devoted their time and talent to ensure that our Truvy and Annelle get the hair just right.

The remarkable cast includes Players’ veteran actors, Alison Mullings as Truvy (Rita in Educating Rita), Coral Benzie as Shelby (Janine in Halfway There), Rhonda Upshaw as Clairee (Vi in Halfway There), Malorie Mandolidis as Ouiser (Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice) and Christine Dick as M’Lynn (Belinda Blair in Noises Off). Scarborough Players are also delighted to welcome newcomer, Valerie Courville, as Annelle.

Steel Magnolias runs from March 8 to 23, 2024. To order tickets, or for more information, visit www.theatrescarborough.com or call 416-2679292.

PHOTO: BRIAN WHITMORE

The Scarborough Players’ production of Steel Magnolias runs from March 8 to 23 at the Scarborough Village Theatre. This photo is of the scene from Shelby’s wedding day with (from left) Christine Dick as M’lynn, Valerie Courville as Annelle, Rhonda Upshaw as Clairee, Malorie Mandolidis as Ouiser, Coral Benzie as Shelby and Alison Mullings as Truvy.

DR.

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Kriens LaRose, LLP

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Catherine Allon, BSc, MEd Caring Conversation for Life & Relationship Issues 416-694-0232

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Melani Norman CPA, CMA Accounting Issues and Systems, Bookkeeping, Personal and Corporate Taxes Call 416-471-0337

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HOUGHTON

KATHRYN WRIGHT

Barrister & Solicitor Family Law & Mediation

416-699-8848

2239 Queen Street East www.kathrynwrightlaw.com kathrynwrightlaw@gmail.com

Administration/Advice to Estate Trustees

416-767-CASS (2277) x 207 416-795-4899 (cell) 416-491-0273 (fax) garry@garrycass.com

Glover & Associates

Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries Real Estate, Family, Litigation Wills & Estates, Corporate 416-691-3700

Queen and Hammersmith

Shelly Pereira, Paralegal Commissioner/Notary, Small Claims, Landlord & Tenant/other Tribunals, Municipal Offences, Letters & Mediation. Call for a Free 30 min. Consultation 647-693-6240 Toronto info@toronto-paralegal.net

Peter J. Salah Family Law Lawyer 124 Merton Street, Suite 300 We Collaborate, Negotiate & Litigate 416.752.8128 peter@salahlaw.ca www.salahlaw.ca

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ESTATE LAWYER 416 690 1855 [P 416 690 1866 [F 2972 DANFORTH AVE.

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Shelley C. Quinn, LL.B., LL.M. (Family Law) 662 Broadview Ave. t. (416) 551-1025 www.QuinnFamilyLaw.ca

Stephen G. King, Architect B. Arch. OAA, MRAIC “Serving the Beach since 1987” Residential, Restorations, Home Inspections, Commercial, Interiors, Landscapes

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Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Orthotics ashbridgeshealth.janeapp.com 1522 Queen St. E. 416-465-5575 www.ashbridgeshealth.ca

MASSAGE THERAPY

Jen Goddard, R.M.T. Neville Park Health Group 2455A Queen St. East 416-690-6257

is an avid birder and nature photographer naturephotosbyann.blogspot.ca

Ispy, with my little eye, something that is gray, or black, or white, or brown, or piebald, or blond, or silver, or maybe even reddish. Can you guess?

Well, obviously it’s the eastern grey squirrel, (Sciurus carolinensis).

Because our fluffy tailed neighbour mostly appears in two colours, grey and black, many people think they are two distinct species.

While not a perfect analogy, think of them like black, chocolate, and golden Labradors: the same creature with no notable difference other than colour.

Like most animals, the varying colours are a result of genetic mutation, passed down from generation to generation, because they offered some sort of survival advantage.

Some colours gave them better camouflage, some make it easier to find a mate

and reproduce, and sometimes, in cases like albinism/ leucism, it just happens randomly.

I feel like I only used to see the two main colours, and now I’m seeing variety more often.

I’m not sure, however, if that’s because the other colours are becoming more common or if I’m just paying more attention.

It wasn’t that long ago

that I finally saw my first white squirrel, and I can’t express how excited I was.

What amazed me, though, was learning later that white squirrels are almost always white, not because of albinism as I thought, but because they have leucism.

To paraphrase what I’ve learned, from a couple online sources: leucism is when the animal is lacking many of its melanin

pigment producing cells, while albinism is when the animal doesn’t have any of those pigments because it’s lacking a specific enzyme. It’s OK if you don’t quite understand, we can just chalk it up to ‘genetic magic’ and move on to enjoy looking at them.

If you’ve noticed our squirrels tend to be larger in the winter, it’s not just because they’ve fattened

themselves up on nuts; they have thicker and longer fur in the winter for fairly obvious reasons.

Did you know that their tail has the important job of acting like a rudder when they jump from tree to tree?

The tail also helps keeps them warm in the winter, and they adorably use it as a blanket to wrap around themselves.

Perhaps most importantly,

their tail can distract their predators, though they may lose it in the process.

Better the tail than their life, of course.

One more fun fact for you: Squirrels can go up and down trees headfirst, quickly and gracefully, thanks to a special adaptation: their ankles/ wrists are hyper-flexible and can rotate a full 180 degrees.

The squirrel may be heading down the trunk, but its feet and claws actually keep pointing upward, enabling a speedy, but dexterous, descent. Amazing.

While most of us recognize the quick kuk-kuk-kukkuk scream of a grey squirrel, the next time you hear it, consider looking around for something bigger.

As soon as I hear that sound, I know there’s a good chance that a predator is nearby, so I look around hoping to spot something like a fox, hawk, coyote, etc…

Have you seen any other interesting colours on squirrels? If the answer to the question is yes, will you please let me know.

Neil McNeil intramural hockey awards inaugural Vandersteen Cup

By Jessica Shackleton

THE INAUGURAL season of Neil McNeil Catholic High School’s intramural hockey league came to an exciting close on the afternoon of Thursday, Feb. 22, at East York Memorial Arena.

The two finalists, the Maroon and Gold teams, battled to win the first-ever Vandersteen Cup in the championship game. In the end, it was a 3-1 victory for Maroon.

Neil McNeil is known for its hockey excellence and won the provincial championship (OFSAA) in 2019.

The Victoria Park Avenue school has seven hockey teams; senior and junior contact, non-contact ‘A’ and ‘B’, and three intramural teams. There are 20 students on each intramural team which are currently colourcoded. The boys school has a population of around 800, and hundreds of the students are hockey players.

Peter Ranson is a business teacher and is one of the coaches of the competitive Neil McNeil senior teams along with Justin Mihevc. Ranson and Mihevc wanted to find a way for everyone interested in playing hockey at the school to get a chance to do so.

“Coming out of COVID and realizing the importance of helping out kids and getting them engaged and involved in extracurriculars, versus Fortnite in the basement, we realized that this would be a great way to engage and give an opportunity for kids to feel part of our school community,” said Ranson.

The intramural league is for Grade 9 and 10 students to play in, and is coached by Grade 12 students.

Since hockey is so popular, there simply isn’t space for everyone on the competitive teams. The intramural league gives all the boys who want to do so a chance to play with their classmates and connect.

The league already has student coaches and refer-

ees and the goal is to expand the program so that students can manage the entire intramural league and everyone can work together, said Ranson. Even if the participants don’t play hockey, there can still be an intersection with other disciplines.

“There’s futures to grow. You can engage other kids who might not play sports,” said Ranson. “To help kids develop themselves not just inside the classroom but outside the classroom through sports and things related to sports.”

Student coaches are players on Neil McNeil’s competitive teams and take care of everything behind the bench during the intramural games.

Though they could earn volunteer hours for their time, Mihevc said that none of the student coaches asked for it and they simply enjoyed what they were doing.

“It’s part of our brotherhood slash leadership program where the senior boys help to mentor and create that sense of community within our school,” said Ranson. “The idea is that the kids playing now will also one day be coaching and involved in it.”

The Maroon team were the first ever winners of the Vandersteen Cup which is named after retired teacher Frank Vandersteen. He stopped teaching in 2009, which is before some of these students were born, and yet he is instantly recognized whenever he is at Neil

McNeil.

“He is the teacher that any former graduate always asks about, every student who sees him smiles when they see his face,” said Ranson. “He’s very supportive of sports…he’s a local legend.”

A fitting person to have a trophy named after him, Vandersteen is known for his magic words of motivation and wants players to feel self-assured and keep the fun of playing.

Vandersteen was at East York Memorial Arena for the championship game.

For sports advice, he said: “Play as well as you can with the skills you have.”

Sports are meant to be fun and teach things that cannot be learned anywhere else, said Vandersteen.

“Somebody needs to lose but somebody also needs to win,” said Vandersteen.

He said another important piece of advice and another goal of taking part in sports for kids is “teaching them to be gracious losers.”

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the biggest parts of the school community that was missing was sports. Going to school and learning is important, said Ranson, but being involved in the community is too.

Grade 9 student J.T. was on the Maroon team, and he said the intramural league gave him a chance to play and feel more involved at school.

“Very fun, it’s amazing… a great thing to have,” he said.

PHOTO: JESSICA SHACKLETON

The Maroon team won the inaugural Vandersteen Cup, the championship trophy for Neil McNeil Catholic High School’s intramural hockey league, on Thursday, Feb. 22, at East York Memorial Arena. In the grey sweater in the photo is Frank Vandersteen, legendary Neil McNeil coach and the man the Cup is named after.

PHOTO: JESSICA SHACKLETON

Members of the Neil McNeil Catholic High School’s Gold and Maroon teams compete in intramural hockey action on Feb. 22 at East York Memorial Arena.

Photo above, the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, is joined by athletes from Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School in Etobicoke during the 36th annual Lieutenant Governor Games held at Variety Village in Scarborough on Friday, Feb. 23. Hundreds of athletes from schools across the city took part in the Games that featured a number of different accessible sports.

Photo below, students from Terry Fox Public School in Scarborough learn taekwondo skills from Shane Cunningham of Cunningham Taekwondo during the 36h annual Lieutenant Governor Games at Variety Village.

PHOTOS: ALAN SHACKLETON

Open Doors: Spiritual Matters

Lent provides an opportunity to reflect on selfishness, and the power to change

rev. Dr reBeccA BriDgeS

Anglican Church of St. Aidan in the Beach

“If it’s not about love, it’s not about God.”

– get in touch today.

The above words often show up in sermons given by Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church (where I was ordained a priest), our sister church in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Curry is known for speaking freely and enthusiastically about Jesus’ abundant love for us, including when he famously preached a sermon on love at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. (It’s a powerful sermon—if you have 13 minutes to spare, you can find it on YouTube.)

As Curry stood at the pulpit in St. George’s Chapel of Windsor Castle, he preached about love with an energy and passion that made many

Group

of those gathered squirm uncomfortably in their seats: “There’s power in love. There’s power in love to help and heal when nothing else can. There’s power in love to lift up and liberate when nothing else will. There’s power in love to show us the way to live.”

But Curry also has some thoughts about the love’s opposite—the force in the world that keeps us from fully experiencing the depth of God’s love for us and prevents us from fully sharing that love with our neighbour. In another sermon, he observed, “I’m convinced that the opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is selfishness, and hatred is derivative of selfishness. You see, selfishness or self-centeredness … is the root of all evil. It is the source of every wrong. It is behind every bigotry. It is behind every injustice.”

As Bishop Curry observed, “Love can lift us up when the gravity of selfishness will pull us down. Love

can bind us together when selfishness will tear us apart. There’s another word for selfishness. Believe it or not, it’s called sin. That’s why we have Lent, a season to deal with sin. But love is the cure.”

The Season of Lent (40 days of prayer, reflection, and fasting that many Christians observe between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday), and indeed our lifelong way as followers of Christ, is a way that is meant to be paradoxical and countercultural.

We are to be in the world, but not of it. We are stuck in the mud and muck of this imperfect world. And yet we are also set free, like a kite or a banner, free to fly and wave in the wind, yet anchored by the security we have in God’s love for us and our love for one another.

In this season of Lent, we have an opportunity to reflect on the inherent selfishness that permeates so much of our world — of “what we have done and

what we have left undone”

(as we confess each Sunday). Not just as individuals—but as churches, as institutions, and as a society.

Yet even in the face of such stubborn selfishness, may we yet feel encouraged and inspired by the abundant mercy, grace, and hope to be found in the loving, liberating, and lifegiving way of Jesus. Unconditional forgiveness and unselfish love have the power to change us, and through us, to change the world.

If you are looking for opportunities to gather, pray, and reflect this Lent and Holy Week, know that all are always welcome to join us at St. Aidan’s in the Beach.

Learn more about our worship services and small groups at www.staidansinthebeach.com.

- The Rev. Dr. Rebecca Bridges is the Incumbent (pastor) of the Anglican Church of St. Aidan, 2423 Queen St. E.

art show now on at The Neighbourhood Gallery

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Gallery on Danforth Avenue is now hosting the exhibit Observing: Lands Transformation.

call 647-717-3982 upon arrival to be let in. For more information, please go to www.nuuc.ca

izing in Canadian artisanal cheeses and local accompaniments at 1620 Gerrard St. E., is presenting the event.

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The group show features works by artists Tina Amirshahi, John Cook, Diane Helinski, Peter Marmorek, John Oughton and Lauren Renzetti.

The exhibition continues until March 31.

The gallery is located in the Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 310 Danforth Ave. The building is open Monday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. To visit the show, please

Cheese and Wine tasting slated for the Gerrard Art Space

THE GERRARD Art Space will host a wine and cheese event on the evening of Friday, March 22.

The Cheese and Wine Tasting Featuring Wines from Australia and New Zealand takes place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The evening will feature a selection of “exquisite wines” from Australia and New Zealand.

The Pantry, a grocery store special-

Tickets are $70.56 and can be purchased online Eventbrite by going to www.eventbrite.ca/e/cheese-andwine-tasting-featuring-wines-fromaustralia-and-new-zealand-tickets774282157777?aff=erelexpmlt

The Gerrard Art Space is located at 1475 Gerrard St. E., just west of Coxwell Avenue.

For more information on upcoming events at the Gerrard Art Space, please go to www.gerrardartspace.com

Bluegrass Concert set for Evergreen Brick Works

EVERGREEN BRICK Works in the Don Valley will be bringing together four of Canada’s most beloved bluegrass bands for a night of music and family fun on Saturday, March 16.

The Bluegrass Concert takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and will feature the much anticipated reunion of the Foggy Hogtown Boys, trailblazers since 2001 for what is now a thriving Canadian bluegrass scene. Other bands slated to perform at the concert are Showman & Coole of The Lonesome Ace Stringband; the Andrew Collins Trio; and Stoney Lonesome.

Tickets for the March 16 concert are $35 to $45 for early birds who order in advance, and $60 at the door. To order tickets in advance, go to https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/bluegrass-concertat-evergreen-brick-works-tickets-798885617387

Vacant Home Tax declaration deadline extended to March 15

THE CITY of Toronto has extended the deadline for homeowners to declare the status of their property for purposes of the Vacant Home Tax (VHT) until Friday, March 15.

Originally the deadline had been end of the day on Thursday, Feb. 29 to declare the occupancy status of the home for the 2023 taxation year.

However, in a news release on Friday, March 1, the city said it was extending the deadline by two weeks. The extension is expected to be officially approved by Toronto Council at its next meeting. As of Feb. 29, the news release said the city had received declarations for more than 63 per cent of residential properties in Toronto. Through the (VHT), the city is hoping to increase housing supply by minimizing the number of unoccupied residences. For info, go to www.toronto.ca/services-payments/property-taxes-utilities/vacant-home-tax/