Beach Metro Community News November 1, 2022

Remembrance Day ceremonies planned locally

REMEMBRANCE DAY ceremonies are planned for Friday, Nov. 11, at lo cations in the Beach, East York and southwest Scarborough.

The Beach ceremony takes place at the Kew Gardens cenotaph on Queen Street East opposite Bellefair Avenue.

It begins with a parade of veterans from Corpus Christi Church on Lock wood Road at 10:30 a.m. to Kew Gar dens. The official ceremony at the cenotaph starts at 10:55 a.m.

In East York, the ceremony takes place at the East York Civic Centre’s Memorial Gardens, 850 Coxwell Ave., starting at 10:45 a.m.

Southwest Scarborough residents can observe Remembrance Day at the Scarborough Cenotaph, at Kings ton Road and Danforth Avenue, be ginning at 10:45 a.m.

The sacrifices made by Canadians during the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, peacekeeping missions and other conflicts are hon oured at Remembrance Day services

Remembrance Day is held at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, as that is when the Armistice was declared to mark the end of the First World War which took place from 1914-1918 and killed more than 60,000 Canadian soldiers.

Toronto Votes 2022: Incumbent councillors Brad Bradford in Beaches-East York, Gary Crawford in Scarborough Southwest, and Paula Fletcher in Toronto-Danforth were re-elected in last week’s municipal election. Our coverage starts on Page 4.

Halloween Festival fun at Variety Village

Rare natural habitat on west end of Woodbine Beach needs protection, say environmentalists

By Alan Shackleton

THE CALLS to protect what is considered to be environmentally sensitive land at the west end of Woodbine Beach appear to gain ing traction as the City of Toronto recently announced that a disc golf course that had briefly been in the area last year will not be reinstalled at the site.

Local environmentalists Clyde Robinson and Noam Markus have been drawing attention to the increasing biodiversity of the natural area located at the beach’s west end and to the east of Ash bridges Bay Park.

“This is a very rare habitat, that

Meet Santa

has rarely been seen elsewhere in Toronto,” said Markus of the area.

“If you don’t look closely, you don’t know what’s going on here. People are not able to recognize that it is more than an empty lot… It’s not just grass growing here. It’s sedge grass and rushes…. ground nesters are laying their eggs and pollinators are flying over.”

Markus and Robinson helped produce a report on the area and the many differing kinds of kinds of plants, birds and bees that are calling it home.

The report was shared with the City of Toronto in late August, and may have played a role in what the

city’s plans for the area will be in the future.

In the immediate future, one thing that will not be happen ing is the re-installation of what had been the Beaches Disc Golf Course South Course.

That nine-hole addition to the existing North Course which is on parkland closer to Lake Shore Boulevard East opened in the fall of last year, and immediately raised the concerns of environ mentalists and bird watchers who said the location was inappropri ate.

In March of this year, the city removed the metal baskets and tee posts that had been located

in the area and vowed to undertake an environmental evaluation of the area.

“The evaluation included a multidisciplinary, on-site review by staff as well as consideration for concerns expressed by the residents,” said Donna Kovachis, Director, Parks for the city in response to questions from Beach Metro Community News sent last month.

“City staff have since completed this evaluation and, in consideration for the ecological impact the course would impose, have determined that the additional nine-hole disc golf course will not be re-installed.”

She said the city will continue to

The Beach

PHOTOS: DONNA BRAYBROOK

There was food, fun and costumes at the Halloween Food Truck Festival held at Variety Village on Danforth Avenue last weekend. Those attending were invited to dress up in Halloween costumes while enjoying treats from the food trucks and helping to support Variety Village programs.

“Our

welcome to uncommon

value

Site home to numerous plants, insects and birds

‘Rare’

other locations for the additional nine holes

may better accommo date a course.”

Robinson and Markus said they were pleased by the city’s deci sion, but still questioned why it had ever been put at that

location in the first place.

They said “many ques tions will now arise as to how the area will be desig nated or treated” by the city. Kovachis said at this time an additional nine-hole disc golf course is not being con sidered in the areas of Wood bine Beach, Woodbine Park or Ashbridges Bay Park.

BROWN TEAM

“The city will undertake a public consultation prior to the installation of any ad ditional disc-golf courses,” she said.

Jeff MacKeigan of the Beaches Disc Golf Course said his group will be happy to work with the city on find ing a space for the additional nine holes.

“We’re excited for a new location of the nine baskets and will continue to en joy the existing nine-hole course,” he said.

“We encourage everyone to come out and play disc golf. The course is free and open all year round, so it’s a great way to get outside and into nature.”

A late-summer walk around the area at the westend of Woodbine Beach with Robinson and Markus re vealed to Beach Metro Com munity News a wide variety of plants, birds and bees in the area.

“It’s not hay” growing at the site, said Noam. “There is such diversity. There’s 160 species of plants growing here.”

And 27 of them are con sidered species of concern according to the report he helped put together and submit to the city. That re port can viewed online at https://noam195.wixsite. com/west-woodbine-beach/ post/woodbine-beach-dunehabitat-biodiversity-anddamage-report-summer-2022

Some of those plants in clude three types of milk weed that are critically important for migrating pol linators such as Monarch butterflies.

Also among the rare plants identified was um brella flatsedge which is con sidered a species of regional concern, said the report.

“This rare plant species, thought to have been extir

pated from the region, was documented in the habitat in 2020,” said the report. That was the “first regional ob servation in over 100 years, from this habitat,” the report said.

Markus and Robinson said the area is becoming one of the most important and ac cessible bird watching loca tions in Toronto.

Birds spotted in the area include the ground nesting killdeer, Savanah sparrows and song sparrows. Numer ous species of bees, wasps, dragonflies and beetles were also identified, according to the report.

Markus said the area has also become an important area for migrating birds.

“It’s a crucial stopover be tween the Rouge and Tom my Thompson Park (Les lie Spit),” said Noam. “We need to do our part and help them” he said of the migrat ing birds.

Both Robinson and Markus want to stress that future plans for the area will require a wide range of public input and need to take note of the growing habitat at the west end of Woodbine Beach.

“We’ve got to make people aware,” said Robinson.

PHOTO: ADAM OWEN-GILL

Clyde Robinson, left, and Noam Markus show some of the slender false foxglove plants in the natural area at the west end of Woodbine Beach during a walk-through with Beach Metro Community News in the late sum mer. The area is a rare habitat and needs to be protected, they say.

PHOTO: ADAM OWEN-GILL A great golden digger wasp feeds on golden rod at the west end of Woodbine Beach.

PHOTO: SUSAN LEGGE

Crawford returned as councillor for Scarborough Southwest over challenger Kandavel

By Josh Sherman

WARD 20 Scarborough Southwest incumbent Gary Crawford has won another competitive race as he held onto his Toronto council seat for a fourth term in the Monday, Oct. 24, municipal election.

Days before the election, a Forum Research poll had put Crawford in a dead heat with candidate Parthi Kandavel, a local Toronto District School Board trustee and Grade 6 teacher.

But, with 61 of 61 polls re ported in, Crawford had se cured victory over Kandavel by receiving 8,216 ballots cast in his favour. Second place Kandavel had gar nered 6,936 votes.

“I’m very pleased to be continuing in my role as councillor for Scarborough Southwest, and I want to thank the residents of this community for the faith and trust that they’ve given me to continue doing the good work that I’ve been doing,” Crawford told Beach Metro Community News just after 9:30 p.m. on election night outside of the Tara Inn, a Kingston Road pub where his supporters were gath ered to celebrate.

No stranger to stump ing, Crawford, also a former TDSB trustee, says every campaign has challenges and this one was no excep tion.

“You just work hard, you listen to people, you react to everything they say — and do what you need to do to win,” says Crawford, who had been endorsed by Mayor John Tory, who held on for a third term Monday night.

Crawford credits his team and volunteers, who were pounding the pavement right into election day, for his victory: “I think it was that work — it’s the one vote at the time, getting people out to the vote.”

Asked what his top prior ity will be at city hall, Craw ford suggests he hopes to continue his work as chair of Toronto’s budget committee.

“The big priority, of course — if I come back in my role as budget chair — is to look at the finances of the city and to move the city forward,” he said.

A little later on election night, Kandavel described his feelings following what turned out to be an unsuc cessful bid for a council seat.

“I’m proud of our team, I’m proud of our community, I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish ethically [and] above board,” he told Beach Metro Community News from inside the Royal Cana dian Legion Branch 13 on Kingston Road as supporters reacted to the results.

“I’m proud of the support I’ve received. I’m not going anywhere, and we’re going to bring the fight back,” he added.

As he gave up a chance at another term as trustee to throw his hat in for a council role, Kandavel said he’s look ing forward to some time off with his family during his remaining parental leave before returning to the class room in January.

“The silver lining is that

Kevin Rupasinghe, who was third with 3.208 votes, also praised those who worked on his campaign.

“I’m super proud of my team, and I’m really grate ful for all the support we’ve got,” Rupasinghe told Beach Metro Community News in a telephone interview.

He said he wasn’t sur prised by the results.

“The historical advan tage that incumbents have is enormous, and it’s been shown time and time again,” added Rupasinghe, who has worked as an engineer as well as in the non-profit sec tor.

With election hopes dashed, he plans to continue his advocacy work.

“The real work happens between elections,” he said. “Whether it’s road safety, whether it’s housing afford ability, the transit in Scar borough, the climate crisis: none of these can wait four years, and I’m not going to wait around till the next elec tion,” said the former cam paigns manager for Cycle

Toronto, adding, “my M.O. has always been to advocate and to organize.”

Lorenzo Berardinetti, who rounded out the top four candidates with 2,773 votes, is weighing his next move as he deals with the shock of a campaign that he thought would fare much better.

“I was quite surprised. It did not reflect the reaction I was getting at the door,” he said.

“A lot of people were say ing to me that they were go ing to vote for me,” he added, congratulating Crawford on his win. The lawyer by trade, who has served on Toronto council and is also a past member of provincial parlia ment for Scarborough South west, Berardinetti said that he doesn’t have any regrets about running, nor is he ruling out a future attempt at public office. “Anything’s possible.”

Also running for the Scar borough Southwest coun cil seat were Malik Ahmad (709 votes); Corey David (615 votes); Sharif Ahmed (608 votes); and Philip Mills (363 votes).

PHOTOS: JOSH SHERMAN

Photo above left, Gary Crawford speaks to supporters on election night after win ning his fourth term as councillor for Scarborough Southwest. Photo above right, challenger Parthi Kandavel finished second in the Oct. 24 election for the Scar borough Southwest council seat.

I’m going to spend more time with our nine-month-old.

Brad Bradford elected to second term as councillor for Beaches-East York

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

ON LAST Monday’s election night, as Carmelo Lorefice roasted chestnuts outside his restaurant, Trecce, Brad Bradford and his team were next door awaiting the re sults for this year’s munici pal elections.

“I’ve been here since ’87,” said Lorefice. “I’ve seen a lot of councillors and he is the best one.”

It appears other BeachesEast York residents shared the same sentiment because at around 9 p.m. on Oct. 24, they elected Bradford as Ward 19’s councillor for a second term.

Bradford received 15,169 votes, more than twice that of second-place finisher Jen nie Worden who had 6,291 votes.

A former urban planner prior to first being elected ward councillor in 2018, Bradford celebrated his vic tory on election night with supporters at Local 1794 on Danforth Avenue.

Bradford topped a field of six challengers to retain the seat he first won in what was a very close 2018 race.

“We started the journey four years ago,” said Brad ford.

“It’s been four years of working with the commu nity, trying to build a better Beaches-East York. We ran a grassroot campaign and spent the past five months knocking on doors, listening to residents. To see it culmi nate tonight in a big win is a confirmation of the work that we’ve been doing to gether as a community.”

During his campaign, Bradford continually empha sized the need for more af fordable housing.

He said that the food in security Toronto is experi encing runs parallel with

the city’s need to tackle the housing crisis.

Considering his back ground as an urban planner, many voters saw him as the right candidate for BeachesEast York.

“It’s overwhelming to be surrounded by friends and family and supporters – people who believe in us and what we’re doing,” said Bradford. “It’s heartwarming and I will forever be grate ful.”

Bradford first won his seat after an amalgamation of what used to be the two wards of Beaches-East York (Ward 31 and Ward 32). The seat was vacant as Ward 32’s Mary-Margaret McMahon and Ward 31’s Janet Davis did not run. He ran against 15 other candidates in 2018, winning by only 288 votes over the second place fin isher.

As he continues in his po litical journey with a new term of Toronto Council starting on Nov. 15, Bradford said his focus remains the same. “Certainly we have some challenges in front of us. Principally the housing crisis, taking action on cli mate change, but also get ting the little things right,” he said.

He mentioned the need to clean up parks and improve traffic conditions to make sure people can efficiently travel around the city.

Starting in the next term, the province’s Strong Mayor Act will be implemented in Toronto. The “strong mayor” will have the power to veto bylaws unless two-thirds of city council opposes the de cision, in which case they can override the mayor’s de cision. Many have criticized this with claims that it will only take away councillors’ abilities to perform their job effectively.

However, Bradford said he

takes no issue with it.

“I don’t really see it that way,” said Bradford. “I’ve al ways been a very collabora tive person who is willing to sit down with folks who are interested in moving things forward. That certainly in cludes the mayor and my 24 other council colleagues.”

He believes that nothing changes because “progress is made when all levels of government and colleagues around the council chamber work together.”

Before returning to cel ebrations with his friends, family, and supporters who came out to congratulate him, Bradford addressed voters who were at home on the night. “My sincere and heartfelt thanks to residents of Beaches-East-York for placing their trust in me for another four years,” he said.

“I don’t always get it per fect, but I’ll always try my best and I’m looking forward to working with [the commu nity] moving forward.”

Worden told Beach Metro Community News that she was proud of the hard work done during the campaign by her supporters. “I am incred ibly proud of my team and of the campaign we ran, togeth er,” she said. “I am thrilled that so many neighbours supported my vision of a city that works for all of us.”

Also seeking the council seat in Beaches-East York in Oct. 24 election were Adam Smith (1,902 votes); Steven Thompson (1,735 votes); Frank Marra (1,460 votes); Donna Braniff (702 votes); and Sebastien Auger (469 votes).

Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for Beach Metro Community News. His re porting is funded by the Gov ernment of Canada through its Local Journalism Initia tive.

Kennedy, Crawford returned as Catholic school board trustees

INCUMBENT TORONTO

Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) trustees

Angela Kennedy and Nancy Crawford were easily re turned to their positions in their East Toronto wards in the Monday, Oct. 24, munici pal election.

Kennedy was elected in the TCDSB’s Ward 11 (which includes Beaches-East York and Toronto-Danforth) for the eighth time.

Kennedy recorded 5,930

votes in the Oct. 24 election.

In second place in Ward 11 was Celine Di Nova with 2, 447 votes.

Third place went to Lisa Romano-Dwyer with 1,989 votes. The fourth place fin isher was Anton Perera with 966 votes.

Kennedy has held a num ber of positions with the TCDSB in past years includ ing chair of the board prior to this fall’s election.

Crawford was first elected

as the TCDSB’s Ward 12 which includes Scarborough Southwest in 2010, and has held the position since then.

Crawford recorded 5,216 votes in the Oct. 24 election, easily beating her only chal lenger Grazia Cubellis who had 1,752 votes.

Crawford has served on numerous school board com mittees and chaired several. Crawford also served as Vice Chair of the TCDSB at two different times.

Across the GTA, at every Delmanor residence, we’re constantly reminded of the contribution our residents made to building and protecting this country. They sacrificed to make our lives better. It’s our responsibility to make theirs easier. Join us this month in saluting our veterans, past, present and future. Be ever grateful for your freedom and those that served to protect it. We are, every day.

DRIVE

YORK

Ontario needs an all-party Climate Change Committee

Mary-Margaret McMahon MPP Beaches—East York

The number one reason I jumped back into politics is the Climate Emergency. Around the world, we are seeing the effects of climate change at an exponential rate.

Extreme heat, devastating floods, horrific forest fires. 50+ de gree temperatures where people, animals, and agriculture will be severely disadvantaged, throwing our current systems into chaos. As an eternal optimist, even I find the pace and the severity alarming. This is the crisis of our lifetime

and now is the time for action!

I believe that we can all work together to transition to a resilient Province of Ontario.

To this end, I have called on the government to pass my motion to build an All-Party Climate Change Committee at Queen’s Park. Emer gency preparedness is not a par tisan issue. We all need to tackle this crisis together. It can be done. Ontario is falling behind - the key to a successful climate future will be action - immediate action!

There are many things we can and should be doing immediately to mitigate the worst of climate change. The price tag on climate inaction is high.

In the recent report by the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario we saw blatantly how the

lack of climate ready infrastruc ture in our province will cost us. They estimate these environmen tal hazards will add roughly $6 billion to the costs of maintaining public buildings and facilities in a state of good repair over the remainder of this decade.

Worse, in the high emissions scenario, where we don’t act now on climate adaptation and improv ing our infrastructure to prepare, cumulative costs would increase by $116 billion, or $1.5 billion per year on average over the rest of the century.

We can safeguard our infra structure from this problem right now - with the first step being creating a dedicated climate com mittee for legislation surrounding the climate crisis.

Many businesses, municipali ties and organizations are already leading the charge. But they need provincial government support and leadership. We can provide this assistance by creating a com mittee dedicated to addressing these issues. It does not have to be a choice between the economy and a sustainable future.

Our province cannot afford inac tion. This is more than an environ mental issue, it is a financial crisis and disaster-in-waiting.

There is an opportunity to build up the green economy by creating thousands of jobs for Ontarians in renewable energy, deep retrofits, and resilient infrastructure that will make us truly open for busi ness.

Ontario is a world leader in

so many ways, and we can be an environmental leader as well. We can mitigate the worst of climate change. We can do it now in the 43rd Parliament! Ontarians are looking to us to work together to get things done for the Greater Good! Change brings opportunity.

We can look at the next genera tion and say we did this for you.

There is so MUCH climate despair and anxiety, especially amongst our youth. Our kids, our grandkids, our nieces and neph ews, our friends, and neighbours are looking to us for direction and leadership. There is still hope to be had to act on creating a resilient earth and society for them to carry forward. Life doesn’t get better by chance. It only gets better by change.

PUBLISHER/GENERAL MANAGER

Susan Legge (ext. 24) susan@beachmetro.com EDITOR Alan Shackleton (ext. 23) alan@beachmetro.com

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CLASSIFIED AD/PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY LEAD Carolin Schmidt (ext. 22) carolin@beachmetro.com

Library budget cuts are a sign of city’s declining accessibility to needed services

The Toronto Public library, one of our city’s best institu tions, has been asked to run on the same operating budget in 2023 as it did in 2022. This will amount, during a time of skyrocketing inflation, to cuts to its services.

As a longtime user of the library, I am devastated and I am angry. I bring my one-year -old daughter to the library branches near our home on a weekly basis for programming, for independent play, and to take out books that we read vo raciously together. The library is home to hundreds of pro grams serving the most diverse group of people.

Toronto has the largest neighbourhood-based library sys tem in the world, which is something I am so proud of.

A cut to the library’s budget is a sign of the city’s declining accessibility and a refusal of our city council to push forward policy that would make Toronto a great city for everyone.

Contrary to what some readers might think, the city’s ser vices are not seeing an increase in their budget across the board.

A growing population will lead to an increase in demand

for library services, which will require a larger budget. This is, unfortunately, not in the cards under mayor John Tory and his supporters.

If we take a look at another (and much larger) budget item – for example, the Toronto Police Service, we see that their budget increases every year. One could argue (and find data to point to the fact) that a decrease in social services is linked to an increase in crime.

One could also argue that instead of taking this into consid eration and addressing the root causes of our social inequi ties, we should continue to increase funding to the police, to increase surveillance, and to widen these inequities through punishment, and incarceration.

What is clear to me is that this is a choice we can make rather than an inevitability. I would encourage readers to look at the budget for themselves and to make informed deci sions based on the facts.

Britt Caron

Closure of eastern Gardiner ramps left no reasonable options

As soon as the Gardiner on-ramp came down in August, the ability for East-Enders to use the Gardiner was destroyed.

Instead of taking Lake Shore Boulevard and utilizing a quick and effective merge onto the Gardiner, drivers must now commute all the way to Jarvis Street.

This is causing a back-up along Lake Shore Boulevard East as far as Parliament Street. The agreements made for the demolition of the on-ramp were done so in 2016, where there was no mention of a suitable alternative for the EastEnd community other than what looks like a rush-job to cram twice as many drivers onto the remaining on-ramp at Jarvis.

It is completely unreasonable for anyone living in the EastEnd to commute in this fashion. While the City of Toronto says that a new on-ramp (the Hybrid 3 model) will be com pleted by 2024, it leaves no other reasonable options in the meantime.

Aedan Crooks

SERVING THE BEACH, BEACH HILL, BIRCH CLIFF, CLIFFSIDE, CRESCENT TOWN, EAST DANFORTH, GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR, LESLIEVILLE AND UPPER BEACH

Jackman Avenue students take part in walk to remember Chanie Wenjack, 9, who

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

STUDENTS AT Jackman Avenue Junior Public School participated in a walk in honour of Chanie Wenjack, a nine-year-old Anishinaabe child who escaped one of Canada’s infamous residen tial schools in 1966 but died while trying to make his way home.

“I feel like the story of Chanie Wenjack has been something that has enriched the learning that we’ve done over the years here at Jack man around Truth and Rec onciliation,” said Jackman’s vice-principal, Moira Brum mell.

The Thursday, Oct. 20, walk began with two stu dents reciting the Land Acknowledgment to their peers. A teacher, Zoe Rankin, then addressed the crowd with notes about what the day was about.

“It is estimated that be tween the early 1880s and 1996 over 150,000 Indigenous children were systematically taken from their families,” Rankin told the students who were gathered on the Jackman field.

“They were sent away to residential schools run by church organizations and funded by the Canadian gov ernment.”

She further explained to the students the methods used to strip these resi dential school students of their culture. As she read her speech, in which she re vealed how Wenjack’s jour ney ended, she was notice ably shaken by the damage

after escaping

inflicted upon the residential school victims as her voice crackled while tears brewed in her eyes before she exited the stage.

Following his escape from the school in the northwest ern Ontario town of Kenora, Wenjack attempted to walk home to Ogoki Post, an In digenous community located 600 kilometres from the resi dential school he was forced to live in. His body, Rankin said, was found a week later on Oct. 22, 1966 having suc cumbed to starvation and exposure.

To commemorate his jour ney, the approximately 600 Jackman students gathered then walked one kilometre each on the streets sur rounding their East Toronto school.

During the walk, a sec tion from the group chanted “Walk for Wenjack” in a

manner that persisted for the majority of the 20-minute walk. Other students spo radically shouted the same slogan to make passersby aware of the purpose of the walk.

The intent of Thurs day’s walk was to both gain ground in Canada’s road to Truth and Reconciliation, as well as to raise money for the Downie & Wenjack Fund.

Gord Downie is the late lead singer of Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. He died on Oct. 17, 2017 from brain cancer.

“The Downie & Wenjack Fund is part of Gord Down ie’s legacy and embodies his commitment, and that of his family, to improving the lives of Indigenous peoples in Canada,” said Rankin. “This charity aims to build cultural understanding and creative paths towards reconciliation

Dog parks are for dogs, and schoolyards are for children

The Beach has a well-earned reputation for being a dog-friendly neighbourhood. One area of the community that is not open to dogs, however, is school property.

Parents of children who attend Williamson Road Junior and Glen Ames Senior Public school are working to remind area residents that schools are dog-free zones. Dogs are not to be on school property, regardless of whether school is in session. Dog parks are for dogs. Schools are for kids.

As a community of parents, we are work ing closely with the staff at Williamson Road and Glen Ames and with the Toronto District School Board to ensure our message is heard. This is a concern on a practical level: school staff should not be allocating their time to cleaning up dog poop, contacting se curity or engaging with dog owners who flout the rules. Parents and caregivers should not have to deal with dog poop on children’s shoes or clothes.

More importantly, this is a safety concern. A child was recently bitten by a dog on the school grounds while attending Williamson

Road Aftercare. We have children who are now frightened of dogs—and with good rea son.

Dog owners, we know you love your dogs. Many of us are fellow dog owners and con sider our dogs family members. Regardless, dogs do not belong in schoolyards explicitly designated for children. It does not matter whether your dog is friendly, old, a puppy, calm or has impeccable recall: your dog is not welcome at our schools. Several dog parks and off-leash areas are a short walk from Williamson Road and Glen Ames schools. Please use them.

There is a longstanding TDSB bylaw that prohibits dogs from school property. School staff have the authority to order dogs and owners off the property, call security or if necessary the police. Both Williamson and Glen Ames principals can issue trespass no tices to repeat offenders.

Concerned parents and caregivers of children at Williamson Road and Glen Ames schools

school

between non-Indigenous peoples.”

As of the morning of Oct. 20, the school had raised $4,415 for the Downie & Wen jack Fund.

For more information on the Fund, or to donate, please go to https://down iewenjack.ca/our-story

Local Journalism Initiative

Lest We Forget..

The vital role that women played during the war years

Bernadette Sheila Ledgard Baran (1930-2015)

British Womens' Land Army, UK

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

Meditation Classes

McMAHON

an

collective of industry

to

PHOTO: AMARACHI AMADIKE

Students at Jackman Avenue Junior Public School took part in a walk on Thurs day, Oct. 20, to honour and remember Chanie Wenjack.

Celebrating

Fall Show & Sale

November

Community Calendar

NOV. 1, 15, 29: The Baron Band at Royal Cana dian Legion Br 1/42, 243 Coxwell Ave., 1-2:30 p.m. Free seniors lunch provided. Info: 416-465-0120

NOV. 2-30: Beach Photo Club presents “The Eclectic Eye” at The Clark Centre for the Arts, Guild Park and Gardens, 191 Guildwood Pkwy., Mon-Sun 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Artists’ reception Nov. 5, 1-3:30 p.m. Featuring over 50 im ages by 17 club members. Info: www.beachphotoclub.com

NOV. 5: Jazz & Reflection with The Octokats at Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave., 4:30 p.m. The essence of cool jazz octet in a musical exploration of East Coast meets West Coast Jazz. Freewill offering. Eventbrite: https:// www.eventbrite.ca/e/jazz-and-reflection-the-octokatstickets-430864636727. More info: beachunitedchurch.com

NOV. 5: Cliffcrest Artists Christmas Mar ket at Birchcliff Bluffs United Church, 33 East Rd., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Painting, signs, ornaments, quilts, shirts, jewellery and so much more!

NOV. 11: Remembrance Day Ceremony at Kew Gar dens Cenotaph, beginning with a parade of veterans from Corpus Christi Church on Lockwood Rd. at 10:30 a.m. to Kew Gardens. Ceremony begins at 10:55 a.m.

NOV. 11: City of Toronto Remembrance Day Cer emony – East York at East York Civic Centre Me morial Gardens, 850 Coxwell Ave., 10:45 a.m.-12 noon. Free. Info: Toronto.ca/LestWeForget NOV. 11: Remembrance Day Ceremony at Scarborough Cenotaph (Kingston Rd. and Danforth Ave.), 10:45 a.m. NOV. 14-25: Virtual Bazaar at Fallingbrook Presby terian Church, 35 Wood Glen Rd. Pick up Nov. 25 & 26. Please access the website www.fallingbrookpresbyteri anchurch.com to view catalogue and procedure on how to order. Items include: Baskets, Children’s PJs, Adult socks, Knitted Cowls and Scarves, Placemats, Christ mas pillows, Children’s quilts and wallhangings, Jams and more. Info: Marion 416-698-1878, bmobrien@eol.ca

NOV. 15: Beaches Recreation Centre Advisory Council Annual General Meeting at Beaches Recreation Centre, 6 Williamson Rd., 7 p.m. AGM open to new members. The Beaches Recreation Centre Advisory Council as sists the Recreation Centre with funding and events. The Advisory Council hosts Spring Sprint, 2km and 5km walk/run along the boardwalk, pancake breakfast and other seasonal events. Info: springsprint@hotmail.ca NOV. 16: Seniors Active Living Fair at St. Aidan’s Church, 2423 Queen St. E., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Hosted by The Neigh bourhood Group in partnership with OACAO and funded by the Ontario Government. We invite seniors from across the city to join us for a free day of informative presentations, entertainment, information tables from local agencies and businesses, and free refreshments. Info: Sara Wilson 416-691-7407, sara.wilson@tngcs.org NOV. 19: Acoustic Harvest presents John Prince & A Piece of the Rock at St. Paul’s United Church, 200 McIntosh St., 8 p.m. Tickets $30 in advance at www. acousticharvest.ca, $35 cash at the door. Masking is strongly recommended by our artists and vulner able/immunocompromised audience members.

NOV. 19: Music for the Soul presents Sarah Beatty at Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave., 4:30 p.m. Country folk singer-songwriter Sarah Beatty enchants us with warmth, wit, and thought-provoking messages. Attendance Free/by donation Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/ music-for-the-soul-sarah-beatty-tickets-446020989787

NOV. 19: Bazaar at Scarborough Bluffs United Church, 3739 Kingston Rd., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Coffee shop, bake sale, frozen foods, Christmas Boutique, knitting & sewing, crafts, jewelry, toys & games, and more! Lucky draw for a handcrafted quilt. Cash only event. Info: 416-267-8265, www.scarboroughbluffs.org

NOV. 26: Christmas Craft Market at Royal Canadian Legion, 243 Coxwell Ave., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Info: 416-465-0120 FOOD BANK at Grace Pascoe Care Centre (GPCC), 72 Main St. (back doors off parking lot), welcomes all in the community who need groceries and are proud to be an agency of the Daily Bread Food Bank. Opening Hours - Thursday evenings, from 6-9 pm. Clients will be asked to register as a Daily Bread user, and we kindly ask you bring your own bags and please wear a mask if you don’t have a health exemption. Info: 416-691-4721

VARIETY VILLAGE FOOD DRIVE until November 20 in support of Feed Scarborough, Food Securities initiative. Please drop a non-perishable food item to Variety Village, 3701 Danforth Ave., and let’s sup port our community and make a difference! Drop off: Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat & Sun 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

CHAN BUDDHIST SOCIETY OF CANADA, 84 Swanwick Ave. All are welcome. Every Sunday 10 a.m. Chinese morning service in person; 6 p.m. free meditation class, instructed by Chan/Zen Bud dhist monk. Info: ShengGuang Sifu 416-816-6630

DONATIONS OF CLEAN CLOTHING NEEDED for low-income seniors. Pants, tops, T-shirts, warm coats, ski jackets, socks, running shoes, boots, blankets etc. All donations are greatly appreci ated. For drop-off info, please call 416-690-5650.

BEACH INTERFAITH OUTREACH LUNCHES, 11 a.m. •Mondays at Corpus Christi Church (16 Lockwood Rd.) •Tuesdays – alternating locations: St. Nicholas Anglican Church (1512 Kingston Rd.), Nov. 8, 22, Dec. 6, 20, Jan. 10 etc. and St. Aidan’s Anglican Church, (2423 Queen St. E), Nov. 1, 15, 29, Dec. 13, 27, Jan. 10 etc. •Wednesdays at Beaches Hebrew Institute (109 Kenilworth Ave.) •Thurs days at Beach United Church (140 Wineva Ave.) •Fridays at Kingston Road United Church (975 Kingston Rd.). Lunch format may vary site to site. Info: 416-691-6869

BEACH PHOTO CLUB. Are you interested in photogra phy? We invite all shutterbugs to check out our local photo club. We offer a range of activities including guest speak ers, 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

DANCING WITH PARKINSON’S (DWP) Free Dance Classes for Seniors at Woodgreen Commu nity Services, 721 Broadview Ave. (basement level), Wednesdays 3:30-4:30 p.m. In partnership with Wood green Seniors’ Active Living Centre. Open to se niors of all abilities and mobilities. Registration info: 416-466-2111, www.dancingwithparkinsons.com

LIBRARIES

BEACHES LIBRARY, 2161 Queen St. E. •Nov. 2: Day of the Dead Celebration, 5-6 p.m. Story, music and crafts about el Dia de los Muertos, a Latin American holiday celebrating loved ones who have passed on. Drop-in for children of all ages and their caregivers. •Nov. 8: To ronto’s Beach Neighbourhood in Fiction and Non-Fiction, 6:45-8 p.m., with authors Jane Cawthorne and Kather ine Taylor. Registration required. Info: 416-393-7703

GERRARD ASHDALE, 1432 Gerrard St. E. •Nov 5: BenTastic Magic Show, 11 a.m.-noon. An upbeat, hi larious, and interactive magical experience for all ages. •Nov. 10: Understanding Your Dreams, 6:30-8 p.m., with psychotherapist Ann Schnurr. Info: 416-393-7717

MAIN STREET, 137 Main St. •Nov. 3: Knit Wits Knit ting and Crochet Club, 9:30-11:30 a.m. All levels welcome. Bring your own materials. Drop-in. Info: 416-393-7700

CHURCHES

CORPUS CHRISTI PARISH, 1810 Queen St. E. “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” - Psalm 100:4-5. We celebrate daily masses Tuesday to Friday at 9 a.m., on Saturdays at 5 p.m. and on Sundays at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Coffee Hospi tality is held in the parish hall after the 11 a.m. Sunday mass. The priest is available for confession Saturdays from 4-4:45 p.m. at the church. The Rosary will be said Tues day to Friday soon after the 9 a.m. mass and Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The Eucharistic Adoration is on the First Friday of every month after 9 a.m. Mass. We invite newcomers within the boundary of our parish to register with us. Info: https://corpuschristito.archtoronto.org/ or 416-694-0382

ST. JOHN’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, 794 Kingston Rd., 2 blks. east of Main St. No registration required. Masks needed. Masses: Sat. Vigil at 4:30 pm, Sun. 9 & 11 am, Tue. - Fri. 8:15 am. Confessions 3:45 to 4:15 on Sat. Info: stjohnsto.archtoronto.org, 416-698-1105

ST. AIDAN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 2423 Queen St. E. Sunday worship 8:30 a.m. in person, or 10:30 a.m. in person or on Zoom. Wednesdays: Mid-week service, 10:30 a.m.; Christian Meditation at 7:30 p.m. All welcome. Our energetic, active church offers varied opportunities for spiritual growth, vibrant Children’s and Music programs, Youth activities, and a strong commitment to action on social justice and environmental issues. Holiday Craft Market December 3rd. Interested vendors please con tact office@staidansinthebeach.com to arrange for a table. Info: www.staidansinthebeach.com, 416-691-2222

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST NORWAY Anglican Church, 470 Woodbine Ave. Welcome to St. John the Baptist Norway! We are a growing community which enjoys the Anglican expression of the Christian faith. We gather to connect with one another and worship God on Sundays at 9 a.m. on ZOOM and In-Person or on Livestream at 10:30 a.m. We have a Food Pantry open on Monday mornings from 10 a.m.-12 noon. Info: stjohnsnorway.com, 416-691-4560

ST. SAVIOUR’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 43 Kim berley Ave. All are welcome. We’re meeting both in-person, and via Zoom each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Call the church for info. 416-699-6512. Blessing Box in church yard: “Take what you need, give what you can”. Info: www.stsaviours.ca, https://www.facebook.com/ churchwithreddoor/. Sermons available on Proclama tion! Podcast (now available for free on iTunes).

BEACH UNITED CHURCH, 140 Wineva Ave. We offer a combination of in person and YouTube livestream op portunities Sundays at 10:30 a.m. We ask that all folks attending in-person worship wear a mask to help care for the most vulnerable in our community. Services are led by our creative and passionate music director Steven Webb and Rev. Greg Daly our minister. In addition to Sunday services Beach United Church offers a variety of inspirational music and educational programs open to the entire Beach community. Info: beachunitedchurch.com

BEACHES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 64 Glen Manor Dr. We are an inclusive and affirming congregation in the heart of the Beach. BPC has strong commitments to community service and social justice issues. Highlights include providing non-perishable foods for those in need through our Free Food Pantry outside the church build ing. Our Refugee Committee has been in operation for many years helping families and individuals arrive and start a new life in Canada. Coffee Outreach Nov. 2 from 1-3 p.m. is an opportunity for people in the neighbour hood to gather for coffee, snacks and fellowship. Our book study group ‘Theology on Tap’ meets every Mon day at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Current book being discussed is “Jewish and Christian Women in the Ancient World”. Info and links: www.beacheschurch.org or 416-6995871. Minister: The Reverend Katherine McCloskey FALLINGBROOK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 35 Wood Glen Rd. All welcome for in-person worship and ZOOM, Sundays at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Angela J. Cluney. Join us for our Hobby Circle on the fourth Monday of the month at 2 p.m. Any hobby is welcome. Info and event links: http://www.fallingbrookpresbyterianchurch.com

Fletcher easily re-elected in race for Toronto-Danforth council seat

By Alexandros Varoutas INCUMBENT PAULA

Fletcher has secured an other term as councillor for Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth.

Fletcher received 20,305 votes in the Monday, Oct. 24, Toronto municipal election.

Wali Abro came in sec ond place with 1,982 votes. James Dyson came in third with 1,937 votes. Denise Walcott received 1,740 votes, and John De Marco received 1,469 votes.

Fletcher said her top pri orities after re-election re main affordable housing, safer roads, and keeping To ronto a livable city.

When asked about the province’s strong mayor leg islation, however, there was some concern.

“People are a little worried about what (Premier) Doug Ford has planned for the city and they want to make sure there’s strong, independent voices at city hall to keep us moving in a good direction,” she told Beach Metro Com munity News

Another major concern is the Metrolinx Ontario Line, which runs ride through Fletcher’s riding. Residents are concerned that they’ll see the same level of disrup tion on Danforth Avenue as they have on Eglinton Ave nue from all the construction for that transit line.

Fletcher, who was first elected in the 2003 election, has been the councillor for a ward in the Toronto-Dan forth area since then.

She was also a Toronto

District School Board Trust ee for the area from 2000 to 2003.

In the 2018 municipal elec tion, the newly created Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth doubled in size due to Premier Ford’s decision to half the number of wards in the City of To ronto. This led Fletcher, who

represented the ward south of Danforth Avenue, to run against Mary Fragedakis who had been the incumbent councillor for the ward north of Danforth. Fletcher won in 2018 with 42.27 per cent of the vote in a field of 10 can didates. Fragedakis was sec ond with 26.18 per cent.

PHOTO: ALEXANDROS VAROUTAS

Incumbent Paula Fletcher was easily re-elected to another term as councillor for Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth in the Oct. 24 municipal election. Here she celebrates at The Duke on Queen Street East on election night with elected Toronto-Danforth public school trustee Sarah Ehrhardt and Peter Tabuns, Toronto-Danforth MPP and interim leader of the Ontario NDP.

Diwali celebrations at

PHOTO: ADAM OWEN-GILL

Beach Photo Club show opens Nov. 2 at Guildwood’s Clark Centre for the Arts

THE BEACH Photo Club has an exhibit opening on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at the Clark Centre for the Arts in Scarborough.

Celebrating its 26th season, the Beach Pho to Club’s show will run from Nov. 2 to Nov. 26 at the centre which is located on the grounds of the Guild Park and Gardens on Guildwood Parkway.

The show is titled The Eclectic Eye and will feature 56 images by members of the club.

The works on display will reflect the art ists’ diverse interpretations of nature, cul ture, and the human condition using various photographic techniques, including inten tional camera movement, and composite im ages amongst others.

Seventeen members of the club are partici pating in this month’s exhibit.

The Clark Centre for the Arts is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

An Artists’ Reception for the exhibit will take place on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Don Valley Art Club hosts Holiday Show and Sale

THE DON Valley Art Club’s Holiday Show and Sale is set to start on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

The show takes place at the Papermill Gal lery in Todmorden Mills, and will continue until Nov. 20.

The show and sale will also take place on line from Nov. 9 to Nov. 27.

Works from more than 100 of the club’s members will be featured at the show.

The Don Valley Art Club started out as a small group of East York artists in 1948, and has since grown and flourished with a mem bership of more than 180 active participants.

Visitors to both the in-person and online shows are invited to “browse and explore new and original art for all occasions, people and spaces.”

Show times at the Papermill Gallery, 67 Pottery Rd., are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednes days through Sundays.

For more information on the shows, both online and in-person, please visit the Don Valley Art Club’s website at www.donvalley artclub.com

Brahmsfest concert set for Nov. 11 at Kingston Road United Church A BRAHMSFEST concert presented by the JOM Collective will take place at Kingston Road United Church on the evening of Fri day, Nov. 11.

The program will feature six artists cel ebrating the music of Johannes Brahms.

The JoM Collective is a Toronto-based or ganization that brings together spirited mu

sicians and performers to communicate their craft, collaborate, and thrive within a vibrant artistic community.

The Brahmsfest concert will be part of The OPUS Series, established as the regular performance platform of The JoM Collective, supported by its parent organization, The Joy of Music, Inc., a registered charity es tablished by Board Chair and Beach resident Mary Gore.

The Nov. 11 Brahmsfest concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 online in advance and $30 at the door.

To order tickets online, please go to Brahmsfest.eventbrite.com

Kingston Road United Church is located at 975 Kingston Rd.

Scarborough Music Theatre presents You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown

SCARBOROUGH MUSIC Theatre cele brates the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Scarborough Village Theatre this month with production of You’re A Good Man Char lie Brown

On Nov. 4, 1982, Scarborough Music The atre took to the new theatre’s stage with a production of West Side Story.

To honour that 40th anniversary, this sea son’s production of You’re A Good Man, Char lie Brown, will open on Nov. 4 of this year.

The opening night audience can look for ward to celebrating with cake and other sur prises.

Anniversary events will also include free workshops offered by all three of the Theatre Scarborough groups.

For ticket information, please go to www. TheatreScarborough.com

The Other One of A Kind Craft Show slated for Nov. 12

THE OTHER One of A Kind Craft Show and Sale is back as an in-person event next week end at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 on Dawes Road.

The boutique craft show features an array of hand-crafted items created by artisans, and food vendors putting an emphasis on vegan treats.

The show is set for Saturday Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The annual show was put on hold for the past two years as an in-person event due to COVID-19.

This year’s show is raising funds for The Scarborough Women’s Centre and The Beaches Mental Health Wellness Centre.

For more information on the The Other One of A Kind Craft Show, email vickytsor linis@rogers.com

Black Lives Here Indigenous culture and traditions were keys to healing for Jessica Pitanwanakwat

MiMi LiLiefeLdt mimi@missfit.ca

THE TRADITIONAL threebedroom semi sits on a quiet street in the Upper Beach. I am welcomed inside by Jes sica Pitanwanakwat, the single mother of three who resides in this home. Jes sica is an Indigenous woman who was born in Sarnia, On tario and has led a life full of personal and generational trauma.

Jessica’s quiet demeanor belies the amount of wisdom and self awareness she has amassed over her lifetime. Throughout our discussion I hear her concede her own patterns of behaviour and call out the systems of op pression that have failed her and her ancestors. “I grew up in an alcoholic family. My grandpa went to residential school and the intergenerational trauma of all that has been passed on. My great grandfather was a veteran, and he escaped the Indian agents to protect

my grandmother and her siblings (from having to go to residential school). They led a more traditional In dian life but over time my grandmother lost those ways because of society (looking down on Indigenous people and their way of life),” Jes sica told me.

As a child Jessica also felt the weight of her heri tage. “At the time I was pretty much the only Native kid in the school, and I was ashamed of myself,” she shared.

During her childhood, Jes sica and her younger broth er moved with their mother from Sarnia to St. Catharines to Sudbury. When I asked the reason for all the moves, she said, “My mom moved from St. Catharines to Sudbury to have a better life, to get away from all the partying and the drinking and stuff like that. She did quit for about 10 or so years.”

Jessica became a mother herself at 22 years old and achieved her high school di ploma at 24 years old. After graduating, she moved to To ronto, “having my son gave me more inspiration to fin ish school and go to college. I moved by myself; it was something big for me. I had every mixed emotion.”

With meagre funds and little knowledge of the city, Jessica moved into a base ment apartment at Dufferin Street and Rogers Road and had to commute across the city to Centennial College’s Scarborough campus. “I would drop my son at day care and then I went all the way to school there. I did it for a whole year and I was so stressed,” Jessica told me.

Having a small child and travelling a great distance didn’t fare well for her spa assistant courses. After missing classes due to sched uling difficulties, and conse quently failing some classes Jessica understandably gave up at the end of the year. “I

had funding from the Re serve (Indigenous Services Canada has several different post secondary school fund ing programs) that’s why I moved because I had these opportunities, but it didn’t work out the way I planned it. I was out here by myself and didn’t know how to han dle it,” she said.

Unsurprisingly there are many inadequacies in the system for Indigenous educa tion. Particularly in Jessica’s case, they weren’t account ing for her needs as a single mother who needed more support, guidance, and fund ing. Giving someone just enough money to scrape by is setting the bar shamefully low. How is someone sup posed to thrive when they are living in vermin infested apartments with unsympa thetic landlords? What re sources are available and ac cessible for a young mother who was new to the city?

“I started partying more and I went on Ontario Works (social assistance). Every year I was moving because of the living conditions I was in and a lot of times because I was Native, they gave me a harder time. The areas I had to live in were not nice. I would lose my furniture and have to start all over again every time,” Jessica told me.

As a person with economic privileges, this is something I never thought about. When you don’t have extra money, you can’t pay for movers and must get rid of your furniture and have to buy more every time you try to improve your living situation. Along with the multitude of systemic injustices that began with colonization, generations of Indigenous people have had to live not only with ongo ing trauma but also these types of powerless cycles. For most of her life, Jessica’s way to cope with her abu sive mother and (later on) partner has been to escape through drugs and alcohol.

She told me, “My mom made me feel like I wasn’t worth living. She didn’t love her self, so she projected those feelings onto me. I almost died a few times because of drugs, I was attracting the wrong people. I didn’t care about myself, but I didn’t want to die because I had my son.”

At 29 Jessica met her expartner. “He was emotion ally unavailable; I had to stop depending on other people to love me and love myself.”

Today, at 40, she has finally gained an understanding of herself and her purpose. She still has many struggles to overcome and wishes there was more support within her own Indigenous community. Recently she experienced a traumatic incident (for legal reasons we are keeping the details out of this story), but she claims when she reached out to Aboriginal Legal Ser vices, she was left hanging. The same, she said happened when she contacted the Na tive Women’s Resource Cen tre looking for support.

Though most of her closest family members, friends and partners have let her down, there was one person she said that showed her love. “I had a very strong relation ship with my grandma, she had a beautiful spirit. She always hugged me and made my favourite foods. She made me feel worthy. She taught me how to cook and sew. The love she had never had to come with any attach ments or expectations.”

Her grandmother’s pass ing was devastating to Jes sica, but she turned to her Indigenous roots and spiri tual practices to honour her. In her own healing and re covery Jessica told me how important her culture has been for her transformation. “What has kept me strong is connecting more with myself, my creator, and my ancestors. I had never done that before, but I thought, ‘Wow, this is keeping me grounded.’”

As Jessica continues her journey, she envisions help ing people like herself. “I want a piece of land (on the reserve), for myself and my kids to have. I want to learn how to live off the land. I nev er had that. There was noth ing there for me, I want to help keep our traditions and our ways of life. Plus, I want it to be a place where people can go and heal.”

I am grateful to Jessica for reaching out and telling me her story. She has done a lot of healing on her own but hopefully through sharing her experience, she won’t feel so alone, and others can learn and heal from it too.

PHOTO: MIMI LILIEFELDT

Jessica Pitanwanakwat says more supports are need ed for people in Indigenous communities.

Paul Myers Memorial Advancement Scholarship continues rugby legacy

THE LEGACY of former Balmy Beach Rug by Club and Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foun dation (TIRF)

the late Paul Myers

continuing through a sports scholarship established in his memory.

The Paul Myers Memorial Advancement Scholarship was announced by the TIRF late last month.

The scholarship will support student athletes who strive to make a positive and long lasting impact in their communities.

A Beach resident, who played and coached with the Balmy Beach Rugby Club, Myers died last May at the age of 60 from cancer.

Along with his many con tributions to rugby in the Beach, including helping to coach teams at Malvern Collegiate, Myers was development co-ordinator of TIRF. Myers helped create TIRF and aided in its growth as an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for young athletes in the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) community who might not have oth erwise seen themselves playing rugby. The foundation reduces economic, geographic and cultural barriers to participation in the sport.

Julie Myers, Paul’s wife, said she and his family and friends are pleased that the schol arship will be awarded annually.

“The kids and I are moved by the estab lishment of a scholarship in Paul’s memory,” said Julie.

“He will always be in our hearts and minds, and through this scholarship he will contin ue to give back to student-athletes who will make a positive impact.”

The scholarship was made possible thanks to the generosity of the friends, family, and colleagues of the Myers family.

The first recipient of the Paul Myers Me morial Advancement Scholarship is Shawnti Peters, a first-year sociology major and var sity athlete at Brock University.

“I aspire to be the kind of leader that Coach Myers was. I know that he opened many eyes and doors for people,“ said Peters. “I want to thank his family for taking the time to sup port me and giving me the chance to be the first recipient of the Paul Myers Memorial Advancement Scholarship.”

Bill Di Nardo, TIRF co-founder and board member, said Myers strongly believed in the importance of student athletes being engaged citizens who supported their com munity.

“We are so pleased to be able to continue the legacy of Paul’s work in supporting stu dent athletes through this newly created scholarship,” said Di Nardo. “Education and character development were cornerstones to Paul’s approach in nurturing athletes.”

For more information on the Paul Myers Memorial Advancement Scholarship, please visit the TIRF website at https://tirfrugby. ca/2022-paul-myers-memorial-advancementscholarship

Malvern Varsity football team set for championship game at Varsity Stadium

THE MALVERN Collegiate Black Knights Varsity football team will taking part in the Tier 2 city championship game on Thursday, Nov. 10.

The game will be played at 3 p.m. at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Stadium, 299 Bloor St. W.

Malvern’s opponent in the championship game was not known as of Beach Metro Com munity News’ print deadline.

Malvern coach Rob Salvatore wanted to get the news out about the game in this week’s edition of the paper in order that school

alumni planning on attending were aware of the date and time. “I know there are alumni in the area that will often come to these big games.”

Malvern qualified for the championship with a perfect season of three wins in the three-team Toronto Tier 2 Varsity football league. Other teams in the league are Lake shore Collegiate in Etobicoke, Newtonbrook Secondary School in North York, and they will play a semifinal game on Nov. 3 to de termine which team will face Malvern in the championship final.

PAUL MYERS

PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON

A Malvern Collegiate runner, black sweater, makes a move on Lakeshore Collegi ate tacklers during high school football action earlier this season at Birchmount Stadium. Malvern won this game 20-14.

Cross country teams from local schools win city championship titles

RUNNERS FROM two local schools earned city championships at cross country meets held last week.

For the 14th year in a row, the boys from Neil McNeil Catholic High School won the overall team title at the Toronto District Catholic (Colleges) Athletic Association cross country championships held at Centen nial Park in Etobicoke on Friday, Oct. 28.

Also, for the third time in a row Neil Mc Neil won the team title in all three age groups (Novice, Junior and Senior) competed in at the championships.

Two runners from Neil McNeil also won gold medals for finishing first in their indi vidual races last Friday.

Cecil Jenkins won gold in the Novice boys race, and the silver went to his teammate Ty Machado. Finn Veale was fourth in the race for Neil McNeil and Owen Mielniczuk was sixth. In the Novice race, Neil McNeil had eight runners finish in the top 20.

In the Junior boys race, Xavie Gordon won the gold for Neil McNeil. His teammates El ery Alexander, fifth; Josh Paul, seventh; and Ian Yusti, eighth, rounded out the top 10 fin ishers in the race. The Neil McNeil Junior boys placed six runners in the top 20.

The Senior boys were led to their team tile by Fitz Williams, fourth; Jamie Parkin, sixth; Ewen Fraser, eighth; and Noah McPherson, ninth. The team had 11 runners finish in the top 20 in the race.

The Neil McNeil cross country team now heads to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) champion ships on Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Dagmar Ski Resort in Uxbridge.

“For the 14th consecutive year Neil won the Overall Title and swept all three age groups (at the city championships),” said

coach Steve Masterson.

“The coaching staff is very proud of the fact that Neil has qualified 42 of 42 teams to OFSAA during that time period.”

Neil McNeil cross country coaches are Steve Masterson, Ashley Masterson, Abigail Layton, and Lou Di Florio.

Beach cross country runners from St. John Catholic School also put in champion ship performances at the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) elementary school championships held at Earl Bales Park in North York on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

For the St. John’s runners, this meet marked the incredible 19th overall team championship in row at the TCDSB city fi nals.

Age group team championships and gold medals for St. John at Tuesday’s meet went to the Grade 3 and under girls team; and the Grade 6 and Grade 8 boys teams at the meet.

Silver medal team honours for St. John went to the Grade 8 and Grade 5 girls; and the Grade 7 and Grade 5 boys squads.

Bronze medal team honours for St. John went to the Grade 6 girls squad.

Individual runners to finish in the top 10 in their races for St. John at the city champion ships were:

Gold - Justin (Grade 8 boys); Elizabeth (Grade 8 girls); and Eden (Grade 5 girls).

Silver - Trinity (Grade 8 girls), Lane (Grade 5 boys).

Bronze - Julia (Grade 5 girls).

Sixth - Bobby (Grade 6 boys); Tavian (Grade 5 boys); Madyn (Grade 3 and under girls).

Seventh - Eamon (Grade 6 boys); Sydney (Grade 6 girls).

Ninth - Olivia (Grade 3 and under girls).

10th - Cole (Grade 7 boys).

PHOTOS: SUBMITTED

Photo above, St. John Catholic School cross country runners celebrate their 19th straight overall team championship at the Toronto Catholic District School Board city championships last week at Earl Bales Park in North York. Photo below, Neil McNeil Catholic High School cross country runners celebrate their 14th straight overall team championship at the Toronto District Catholic (Colleges) Athletic Association cross country championships at Centennial Park in Etobicoke last week.

Tara Shannon

DR.

Dr.

OPTOMETRY

DR.

Catherine Allon, BSc, MEd

William F. Deneault

Dashwood & Dashwood Barristers & Solicitors

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

Janet D’Arcy DC, FRCCSS (C) Chiropractor Sports Injury Specialist 2455A Queen St. East 416 690-6257

John H.

BJARNASON, D.C. Chiropractor 1906 Queen St.

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Geoffrey J. Dashwood 961 Kingston Rd. Tel. 416-690-7222 Toronto, M4E 1S8 Fax. 416-690-8738

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Emily C. Larimer CPA, CGA BOOKKEEPING & PERSONAL TAX RETURNS INCLUDING TAXES IN ARREARS Call: 416-693-2274 emily@eclarimercpa.com www.eclarimercpa.com

Patrick Ruiz Professional Corporation CPA, CA An accountant you can count on For your Small Business Self-employed income & investments Real Estate Rentals 647-300-4062 • patrick@prtaxcpa.com

Snider & DiGregorio Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries. 978 Kingston Road, Toronto, Ont., M4E 1S9 Tel: 416-699-0424 Fax: 416-699-0285 Email: info@sdlegal.ca

O’Reilly, Moll & Mian Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries Public 300 Main Street 416-690-3324

KAMRULHAFIZAHMED

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

QUINN Family Law

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

416-694-2868

BEACHES WELLNESS CENTRE

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KATHRYN WRIGHT Barrister & Solicitor Family Law & Mediation 416-699-8848 2239 Queen Street East www.kathrynwrightlaw.com kathrynwrightlaw@gmail.com

GARRY M. CASS BARRISTER & SOLICITOR, TEP Wills/Estate 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

Beaches Family Law and MEDIATION

Linda Bronicheski, J.D. 47 Main Street (at Lyall) 416-763-6884 Linda@BeachesFamilyLaw.com

Stephen

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Neville Park Health Group

Six-year-old Jacob is cleaning up the Beach with sweeping business

A SIX-YEAR-OLD Beach resident has start ed a porch sweeping business so he can raise funds towards buying his friend a present.

Jacob Grimanis is aiming to raise enough money to be able to buy a toy for his friend from Planet X, according to his mom Lia who recently let Beach Metro Community News know about the new business.

“A natural organizer, he’s been sweeping since he was two years old,” said Lia of Jacob.

With so many fallen leaves now that au tumn is here, this might be an especially good time to engage Jacob’s services.

He sweeps porches and walkways/side walks of leaves and other debris.

“He’s been putting up little Post-It notes on doors up and down his street, often decid ing only to leave his little advertisement if he thinks their porches might actually need a sweep,” said Lia.

Jacob will also water the plants on your porch or walkway if asked, and his prices are very reasonable as he charges a Toonie per porch.

For more information on Jacob’s porchsweeping business, please contact him through a phone call to 416-802-3821.

Beach Metro Community News Lucky Volunteers for Nov. 1

“Our son, Charlie, has now become the primary delivery person in the family and he loves the fact that he’s now tall enough to reach most mailboxes.”

For being selected Beach Metro Community News Lucky Volunteers for Nov. 1, the Walo family has been awarded a prize of $50.

If you would like to become a Beach Metro Community News volunteer carrier, please email our Distribution Manager, Melinda Drake at melinda@beachmetro. com for all the info.

PHOTO: SUBMITTED Jacob Grimanis, age six, is cleaning up with his porch-sweeping business in the Beach.

The Beach Metro Community News Lucky Volunteers for Nov. 1 are the Walo family -- Susan, Richard, Charlie and Ruby.

“Our family began delivering the Beach Metro along the east side of Wineva Avenue in 2020. Even when everything was shut down during the pandemic, we could look forward to delivering the paper and feel a connection to our commun ity,” said mom Susan.

By David Van Dyke

Huge crowd takes part in Lola’s Dip in memory of Lola Bower

The following report on Lola’s Dip which took place in Lake Ontario off Kew Beach on Oct. 23 was writ ten by Ofelia Loret De Mola, mother of Lola.

CURRENTLY WE are sit ting at 110 per cent of our fundraising goal. With double the attendance from last year (we had about 300 people) the Lola Dip 2022 event raised over $17, 500 for SickKids Hospital this year, bringing us to over $43,500 accumulatively. All in mem ory of our daughter Lola. Our hearts are feeling full.

This is how it all started… on Lola’s first birthday, it was Mar’s idea, who was almost four years old at the time, to sell balloons and brownies and give the mon ey to SickKids Hospital to help other kids.

Mar decorated an empty tissue box with stickers for donations and I pulled a wagon across Queen Street with Mar and my doula’s daughter and did our first fundraiser.

Mar and I brought 20-something dollars in change to the SickKids Lob by where they have donation bins.

Fast forward six years and we have about 300 people gathering with more love than I can fit in my heart.

We sang happy birthday to Lola and released biodegrad able balloons to the sky, we blew bubbles together (bub bles, like Lola, are beautiful but only there for a short time).

We heard moving speech es by the SickKids nurse that was with us when Lola passed and the grief co-ordi nator that has helped us ever since.

We danced and sang with the amazing live band, we ate and drank, took deep breaths and dipped in three degree Celsius Lake Ontario. We warmed up in a sauna and wore Lola Dip toques, bid for silent auction items,

and we reached our fund raising goal and the dona tions keep on coming…

None of this would be possible without all of you. Thank you for coming, for sending messages, dona tions, for volunteering your time, for caring.

I am forever grateful to:

Our generous sponsor Shea Warrington (Shea Sells Boutique), who has attended the last few dips with over flowing enthusiasm. What a giver!

When I approached her to sponsor the event, within minutes she replied “Yes I am in 100 per cent!” She didn’t want acknowledge

ments. She just wanted a kiss. I forced her to bring some signs. It was her idea to get toques made and she paid for them all so we could raise more money.

Marie McBride and her band (Cotter n the Act). Ma rie would have been Lola’s music teacher at school. I wouldn’t want anybody else leading that happy birthday song. Marie and the Cotter brothers are simply the best.

isauna owned by a couple that has never met us before and yet volunteered their entire day to drive from Au rora and be part of the event. Most beautiful wood burning fire sauna I have ever seen.

Nicest people ever!

Felicity Barons and Lori Ives- Baine from SickKids Hospital for the support dur ing and after Lola’s life.

All the food and beverages at the event were donated. Thanks so much to the local restaurants!

And thanks to all the busi nesses that didn’t hesitate to help with the silent auction, even though it hasn’t been the easiest couple of years.

And of course our friends and family who helped at the event…you know who you are and we love you and ap preciate you .

So if you were in balloon or bubble duty, watching the

silent auction table or serv ing pizza and hot chocolate, running the sauna, setting up or cleaning up, thanks for contributing to the most suc cessful Lola Dip yet.

“We are ready” my friends, to do hard and meaningful things because we are not alone and because we are all stronger than we give our selves credit for.

I am not sure how it would be possible, but I am going to say it anyways…We will make this even bigger and better next year! I love you Lola. We hope you will join us next year!

-- Ofelia, Geoff and Mar.

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PHOTOS: DONNA BRAYBROOK

Photo above left, a huge crowed turned out for the second annual Lola’s Dip in Lake Ontario on the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 23. The event is held in memory of Lola Bower and is also a fundraiser for SickKids Hospital in Toronto. Photo above right, Lola’s parents Geoff and Ofelia after the dip. Lola’s Dip takes place on or near Oct. 23 as that was her birthday. Lola Bower died at the age of 16 days in 2015 due to an enlarged heart.

Hawk running after its prey was a sight not seen before

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

up at the sky, and down on the ground, as spectacular bird sighting are taking place all over Toronto.

Every day I take out my camera and hope I will see something new. Even when it’s ‘just another sighting,’ like the beautiful bushytailed red fox I saw just around the corner from my house the other day, I’m thankful for the wildlife in our amazing city.

Just recently, however, I saw something I’d definitely never seen before. I even messaged my son, who helps me put my story ideas on pa per, to tell him I finally had a new story about a hawk. Normally, one expects to see a bird of prey swoop down on its target, right? Maybe it’ll grab a songbird at a feeder, a mouse in a farmer’s field, or a squirrel off a tree branch. I’ve seen all of these situations many, many times over the years. I don’t, however, think I’ve ever seen one trying to catch its dinner by RUN NING after it. I’m sure you can imagine my double take when I saw this playing out on one of my neighbour’s front yard.

Picture a Cooper’s hawk, a juvenile, running back and forth on its talons and trying to pounce on squirrels it had no chance of catching. It would flap up into a bush, or onto a rock, and sit for a few minutes, look around until it found a target, and then, when the squirrel got close enough, it would hop back to the grass and ‘run’ after it. After 15 minutes of this, I began to feel bad for the young guy. Multiple squir rels passed through the yard, running within metres of the bird, and never once did the hawk come close to catching one. Not only did they run by him, but they constantly screamed/chat tered at him any time he moved. It was almost like they were mocking his in

PHOTOS: ANN BROKELMAN

ability to catch them.

If you are wondering if the bird might have been injured, please don’t worry. I’ve spent enough time with wildlife rescue to feel confi dent that this bird was just young and inexperienced.

First, he still had a white chest with a dripping brown coloring, unlike the adults that have a rusty barred chest/belly. More impor tantly, he still had yellow eyes, compared to the very distinct red eyes of the adults.

This is actually a very dangerous time for young hawks. They are on their own, hunting by themselves, for the first times in their lives. In addition to all the challenges a young hunter might face, (such as learning not to run after their prey when they have been given the gift of flight), they have to contend with unnatural obstacles, such as windows and cars, for the first time.

How is a parent bird sup posed to teach its young not to chase a chipmunk into a busy street, or to tell the dif ference between someone’s

window and a clear sky?

Just a few days before I saw the juvenile Cooper hawk I had a call from a dear friend, Norma, who has helped me many times with catching mangy foxes, that a juvenile red-tailed hawk had hit one of her neighbour’s windows.

I hopped in the car, got there in just a few minutes, and found the young bird sitting on the railing of her front porch. Wearing thick gloves and armed with a net, which the Toronto Wildlife Centre taught me how to properly handle for bird rescues, I slowly approached the hawk. He, luckily, didn’t make any efforts to escape or panic as I captured him.

The homeowner gave me an old towel and bedsheet, which I used to compliment one of the boxes I keep in my car for just such an occa sion, and I managed to get the poor guy as safely boxed up as I could manage.

He’s now in care, and I’m hoping for good rehabilita tion news soon. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to be the one to release him when he’s

ready to be back in the wild.

Please keep Toronto Wild life Centre’s phone number 416-631-0662 in your phone. Should you see wildlife or birds in trouble, please call them. There’s also more info on their website at www. torontowildlifecentre.com.

Photo above, a Cooper’s hawk pre pares to run after a squirrel while it learns to hunt. Photo at right, a red-tailed hawk rescued after flying into a window.

Household Services

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Coal Mine Theatre to move to new location on Danforth Avenue

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

COALMINE THEATRE announced their re location to the northwest corner of Woodbine and Danforth avenues after a fire damaged the old theatre’s lobby and front facade in September.

The owners, Diana Bentley and Ted Dyk stra, initially launched fundraising efforts to help restore the original building at 1454 Danforth Ave., just west of Coxwelll Av

enue. However, that restoration project was deemed as too costly. “The damage caused to our beloved theatre was, sadly, far too ex tensive for us to continue with our current Season 8 programming as planned,” read a statement on Coal Mine’s website.

Bentley and Dykstra decided that a better solution was to find a new location to contin ue the theatre’s eighth season. They found a new home for their line-up of programming at 2076 Danforth Ave.

The original location was well known for

the intimacy felt by viewers during perfor mances due to the cozy nature of the 80-seat venue. Although the new venue is slightly bigger, boasting a 120-person capacity, Coal Mine has assured patrons that they have maintained “the up-close-and-personal per formance intimacy that has become the Coal Mine’s hallmark”.

Guests will, however, now enjoy a more spacious and relaxed seating configuration, said the theatre’s website.

In September, Coal Mine launched a fun

draiser for restoration costs. At that time they had generated more than $8,000 thanks to the generosity of community members. Since the decision to relocate, Coal Mine has launched another fundraiser, The Firewall Fund at www.coalminetheatre.com/donate to help cover the new costs.

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

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