Humber Happenings 6#4 Winter 2013

HUMBER HAPPENINGS A Community Publication by the Humber Bay Shores Condominium Association

Winter 2013

SEASONAL

HOTSPOTS

The best places to visit around the holidays.

COV STO ER RY!

WATERFRONT DINING Breakfast, lunch or dinner!

SAME GAME, DIFFERENT ARENA Exclusive Q&A with Doug Holyday.

WINTERTIME GETAWAYS Personalized travel planning.

Riva walks a new path Coming to the Etobicoke Humber Bay waterfront.

Private, personal boutique chic.

You’re one of a kind, not one of the crowd. You make your own waves and your home is a refuge of refinement. That’s what Riva del Lago is all about. A more personal experience; right on the waterfront. Register your interest now.

Because Riva is not like the rest.

Register at

MonarchGroup.net Prices, specifications and promotions are subject to change without notice. Renderings are artist’s concept and images are for mood and impression only. E.&O.E. November 2013

Waterfront Boutique Condos from the low $300’s

in this issue

HUMBER HAPPENINGS AA Community the Humber Humber Bay Community Publication Publication by by the Bay Shores Shores Condominium Condominium Association Association

Features 12 Holyday greetings

New Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Doug Holyday discusses Humber Bay Shores.

14 Custom Italian Dining

Eden Trattoria provides a friendly dining atmosphere by the waterfront.

17

17 Exotic Winter Travel

Travel ideas from the community’s resident travel gurus.

our community 6

president’s message

8

news & Events

2013 successes, Town Hall, traffic.

Transit, Christie’s site topics at Town Hall meeting; Farmers’ Market wraps.

20 HBSCA Position Statement Christie’s site must stay as employment lands to secure local economy.

columns

27

4

Welcome

By Andrew Ardizzi

22 Ask Dr. Ghazi

By Dr. Farzad Ghazi

23 development

By Alyssa Trivelli

8

24 Health & Wellness

By Dr. Maureen Henderson

HUMBER HAPPENINGS

26 Eco Logic On the Cover: Cover photo by Stan Wojick

By Jim Lord

A Community Publication by the Humber Bay Shores Condominium Association

Winter 2013

SEASONAL

HOTSPOTS

The best places to visit around the holidays.

COVE STOR R Y!

WATERFRONT DINING Breakfast, lunch or dinner!

SAME GAME, DIFFERENT ARENA Exclusive Q&A with Doug Holyday.

The cover photo was taken at Humber Bay Park East by Stan Wojick, a retired federal public servant. He lives in the Humber Bay Community. His interests are wildlife, travel photography and acoustic music. To view his other photos, please visit his website at www.pbase.com/stanwojick.

27 vitality to the core

By Guy Dufour

28 Hill Happenings

By MP Bernard Trottier

WINTERTIME GETAWAYS Personalized travel planning.

Other cover photos, from left: Eden Trattoria is an all-day casual dining hotspot; Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Doug Holyday; Cruise Holidays~Humber Bay Travel helps you plan your holiday getaway.

30 Councillor’s Corner

By Councillor Mark Grimes

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013

3

HUMBER HAPPENINGS

Welcome

Cold weather?

Despite frosty temperatures, make the most of it! by andrew ardizzI

T

he holidays are upon us once again, and with them comes the standard tidings of cheer, goodwill and all of the other standard holiday bells and whistles we’ve become accusomted to over the years. It’s also a time where I think we can surprise ourselves, challenging what we thought our capabilities were.

This is a great time of year to get out into the community to do some charitable work.

While it’s a time to reflect and appreciate everything you have in your lives, it’s also important to acknowledge those less fortunate and help them out. Donating canned goods, or to the Salvation Army, providing some holiday cheer to a young child through something as small as a toy; those little things will make their holidays truly memorable.

The winter season is also a time of wishing you could just stay inside by the warmth of a fire or within arm’s length of the thermostat to make sure you’re never too cold. Especially on those really cold days, you may just want to stay in bed un-

der the covers; that doesn’t sound too unattractive at all, actually. Despite that, as you’ll see in this issue, the cold weather is no excuse to sit idly throughout the winter months.

In this issue’s edition of Eco Logic, Jim Lord talks about how you can best make your home a little more ecofriendly, while Guy Dufour encourages you to get outside and continue your exercise routines, guided by his helpful tips on how to best approach exercise in the colder months. Dr. Ghazi also stops by again in this issue, offering some tips to help make sure your favourite, furry little friends are safe amidst the unsuspected dangers the season brings them. But if you really do want to just get away from it all and you miss the warm weather, check out this issue’s cover story about travelling during the holidays.

Happy Holidays! HH

The winter season is also a time of wishing you could just stay by the fire.

4 HumberHappenings.ca

Andrew Ardizzi is the editor of Humber Happenings and can be reached by email at humberhappenings@mediamatters.ca or by phone at 905-370-0101.

Winter Issue 2013 Humber Bay Shores Condominium Association Board of Directors President Jim Reekie, Palace Place Vice President Don Henderson, Bal Harbour Treasurer Jay Perry, Nevis Secretary Tom Arkay, Palace Pier Past President Judi Richter-Jacobs, Players Club Director Laura Nash, Marina del Rey Phase III Director Bill Scott, Hearthstone Director Alex Smyth, Players Club Director Horst Richter, Marina del Rey Phase II Director Wayne Lakey, Grenadier Landing Director Jim Faichnie, Waterford Director Jonathan Isaacs, Marina del Rey Phase I Director Brian Stevens, Voyager I & II Director Tim Owen, Grand Harbour Director Kathryn Winter, Grand Harbour Director Simone Purboo, Explorer Director Sharon Jazzar, Newport Beach Director Gary Mogyorodi, Nautilus Strategic Planning Initiative Coordinators Planning & Infrastructure Jim Reekie Building Community Sharon Jazzar Communications & Outreach Jay Perry Email Board Members at hbscaboard@rogers.com Humber Happenings produced by Editor Andrew Ardizzi Art Director Daniela Luberto Writers Guy Dafour, Dr. Farzad Ghazi, Mark Grimes, Dr. Maureen Henderson, Jim Lord, Jim Reekie, Alyssa Trivelli, Bernard Trottier Advertising Jay Perry 416-587-1748 / jayperry@a-b-c-inc.com Media Matters Inc. President Darryl Simmons General Manager Ryan Potts VP Industry Relations Gloria Mann Editorial Director Mike Davey Marketing Assistant Will Jacques

Media Matters Inc. 645 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6G 3T6 t. (905) 370-0101 f. (866) 868-7072 e. humberhappenings@mediamatters.ca Humber Happenings is published four times a year.

Volume 6 Issue 4

Sailing & Powerboating Centre

SAIL INTO SUMMER The Humber Sailing & Powerboating Centre offers certified and professional sailing and powerboating lessons on Toronto's beautiful Humber Bay, Lake Ontario.

To learn more or register contact us at 416-252-7291 • sailing@humber.ca • humber.ca/sailing Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 5

PRESIDENT’S message

Looking to 2014 It was another year of great successes throughout the Humber Bay Shores community, but the best is yet to come.

by Jim Reekie

A

nother year has come and gone in Humber Bay Shores, and a lot has happened in our community this year.

Foremost I’d like to welcome our newest member to the HBSCA: Nautilus, 16 Brookers Lane.

Our first Farmers’ Market in Humber Bay Park West was a great success. We plan on expanding the Market next season to 25 vendors. All our vendors this season enjoyed the Market and its location and are coming back. We will be posting a complete vendors list on our website in the early spring, so keep check-

ing for updates! Thank you all for your support this season and thanks to all our staff that helped out.

Our second annual Waterfront Festival was a great success. We’ve already started planning our third, and we plan to take it to the street and make it bigger and better, so mark Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014

Foster Law oFFice Specializing in: Real Estate | Family Law | Wills & Estates | Landlord/Tenant | Corporate | Litigation Offering: Reasonable Fees | Flexible Hours | Client-Centered Services

Call Timothy Pusztai at

905.826.1177

Serving the Greater Toronto Area For Over 50 Years

6 HumberHappenings.ca

tpusztai@rogers.com

6537 Mississauga Rd Unit C, Mississauga, ON L5N 1A6 (401 & Erin Mills Parkway)

presidents message

on your calendars. Again, thanks to all of you that made this happen.

Our seventh annual golf tournament was held on Sept. 13. It was a bit chilly and windy when we teed off. The weather didn’t get any better so everyone needed hot chocolate or coffee to keep them going. The course was in good shape and the greens were fast.

Congratulations to this year’s winners: Brian Green, Jim Curren and Enzo Dametto. I’m also grateful to be able to include myself among them.

Thanks to the hard work of our beautification committee, our new sitting area near Newport Beach has been completed. Our community signs have arrived and they look great.

The Town Hall meeting was held at the Polish Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Councillor Mark Grimes and a number of city staff were there, but residents were not happy with what city staff told them. A survey was given to those who

attended and we’ll report on the feedback in a future issue.

Our first Farmers’ Market in Humber Bay Park West was a great success.

Traffic We have had ongoing issues with the traffic lights at the streetcar tunnel.

There were changes made to the signals

to see if they would operate any better.

After a month of testing, further monitoring has been suggested. We’ll ask for more adjustments as necessary.

The bus shelters at 3 Marine Parade Dr. and 58 Marine Parade Dr. should be installed by the time you read this.

Also look for the stretch from Lake Shore Boulevard from the streetcar tunnel to Palace Pier Court to be repaved by the end of November, another commitment from Councillor Grimes.

We are still working with the city traffic department to see how we can alleviate some of our traffic problems on Lakeshore Blvd from Park Lawn to Palace Pier Court.

Have a safe and happy holiday season! HH Jim is presently the HBSCA president and has served on the board since 2004. He is retired from a career working in the Toronto District School Board.

Your Community is Our Passion.

Are you a Condo Board Member that feels your Community should receive better attention and care?

Do you feel too involved with the day to day management?

Do you feel you can get better value out of your current maintenance fee?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please call Scott Newhouse, President at 905-845-2020 ext.102 or scott@harmonymgmt.ca.

Harmony Management is a boutique condominium management firm specializing in great condominium communities.

www.harmonymgmt.ca

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 7

news & events

City staff, HBSCA discuss transit and Christie’s site at Town Hall meeting HBSCA president Jim Reekie and Toronto city officials met Oct. 24 for a Town Hall meeting at the Polish Hall to discuss public transit and the future of the Mr. Christie’s bakery site.

Ward 6 Councillor Mark Grimes touched on the importance of moving the Humber Loop west towards Park Lawn Avenue to help improve community transit options.

“Transit’s an issue and we continue to have growing pains, but we need to improve transit and that starts with moving the Loop back to Park Lawn and Lake Shore and connecting it with Mimico GO,” says Grimes. “We need to continue to create connecting paths and trails to Mimico GO from the Humber Bay Shores community.”

Although the City’s Planning Committee, headed by Ward 5 Councillor Peter Milczyn, set forth an inquiry into the viability of building a second GO station inside HBS, Metrolinx Director of Policy Planning Daniel Haufschild reaffirmed the Mimico station was the community’s access point to the GO network.

“Mimico is the local GO and there are no plans for a

8 HumberHappenings.ca

Jim Reekie, Mark Grimes and Daniel Haufschild joined HBS residents and other city officials to discuss issues concerning the community.

second station,” says Haufschild.

However, he says Metrolinx is pursuing a regional study to be conducted throughout the summer of 2014 which will aim to devise a solution on how to best serve the urban market to avoid having residents pay double fares.

Grimes added that the basic connecting infrastructure is in place, however they just need to figure out a way to connect the individual pieces.

From the 230 people in attendance, questions were submitted and included as part of the two-hour meeting. One resident questioned when the TTC route145 downtown express route would be upgraded to regular service.

Mitch Stambler, TTC manager of service planning, says the transition to regular service is not imminent.

“Downtown Express routes are very expensive services to provide. The 145’s ridership is low, although it is increasing.

But it’s not yet at an acceptable level,” he says.

Residents also questioned what measure of assurance could be offered to protect the community from further residential development.

Michael Williams, the city’s GM of economic development Toronto GM of Economic Development Michael Wilsays losing the Christie’s bakery liams reaffirmed the city’s is a huge hit to the local econostance of opposing any my and hurts the community’s residential development on the Mr. Christie’s bakery site. employment base, however he

news & Events

clearly stated the city’s position on redevelopment of the site.

“The city will oppose any movement connected to rezoning the Christie’s site as a residential zone,” he says, noting one proposal that would see the development of new condominiums in Humber Bay Shores. “We’re going to get employment opportunities into the community.”

Williams says there are numerous options on the table, including the construction of a health centre, potentially a new Humber College campus, and cultural institutions such as theatres and arts spaces. No matter what becomes of the space, the city is committed to creating new community-based employment opportunities, composed of companies small, medium and large in size.

“It’s always a challenge to set the vision, but unless we work to define that vision we’ll never achieve it,” says Williams.

While Williams reaffirmed the hope that the city would fight to keep the Christie’s site designated for employment opportunities, Reekie was also hopeful that by fall 2014, once the Condominum Act has been reviewed by the province, that Humber Bay Shores will begin to see some measure of fair taxation for condo owners.

While multi-residential complexes do have the same taxation base as residential homes, Grimes says it not as simple as creating a two-tier system and that it’s something that

Ruby Zgheib

Mortgage Specialist 416-606-8347 rita.taccogna@ rbc.com

Mortgage Specialist 416-294-9679 ruby.zgheib@ rbc.com

needs to be thoroughly debated and considered.

Although some residents were displeased at some of the comments made by city staff, Reekie was pleased that so many attended and were willing to make their voices heard.

Rich and Flavourful Indian Fare

Need mortgage financing?

Look no further.

Let us make it happen.

Rita Taccogna

Nearly 230 packed the Polish Hall for the first HBS Town Hall meeting.

Kothur brings you a bouquet of handpicked Indian dishes from various parts of the country – try our dosas for a quick snack or the pulaos for a sumptuous dinner. Exotic and mouth-watering flavours make Kothur a superb choice for a lavish dining experience. Add a little spice to your everyday!

2403 Lake Shore Blvd W. Etobicoke 416-253-5047 kothurindiancuisine.com

Advice you can bank on

TM

All personal lending products and residential mortgages are offered by Royal Bank of Canada and are subject to its standard lending criteria. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. ™Trademark of Royal Bank of Canada.

45810 (08/2010)

Visit our other locations for an authentic taste of Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisines!

Everest Hakkah House 2356 Lake Shore Blvd W. 416-640-1015 everesthakkahouse.com

Kothur Indian Cuisine 649 Yonge St. 416-926-0953

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013

9

news & events

HBSCA tees off for annual golf tournament Golf enthusiasts from across Humber Bay Shores gathered for a day filled with drives, putts and good times.

This was the seventh consecutive year the tournament was organized, with the 2013 edition being held on Sept. 13 at the Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Georgetown, Ont. HBSCA president Jim Reekie is an avid golf lover and relishes the chance to hit the fairway each year.

“I love having the chance to see old friends from past events,” Reekie says. “It’s a lot of fun to see them, as well as all the new people who come out every year.”

Reekie says many people came out and enjoyed themselves despite the cold weather, taking part in hole-in-one and longest drive contests.

“It’s one of those things where we organize it as a very casual event,” he says. “I think that’s why we all enjoy doing it every year.”

During the event, the Royal Bank of Canada’s Darren Clarke presented Humber Bay Shores Condominum Association president Jim Reekie with a cheque for $1,000, which has been donated to The Gatehouse, an Etobicoke program that provides

troubled youths with the support systems they need.

“We truly believe in The Gatehouse’s mission,” says Reekie. “Troubled kids need support to build their futures, and their staff do inspiring work.”

above left: Ajay Mehra won one of the event prizes for the lowest foursome team score. above right: HBSCA president accepted a cheque from RBC’s Darren Clarke for which will be donated to Gatehouse, an Etobicoke-based charity offering support to children who have suffered abuse.

Below: HBSCA and the HBS community joined old friends on the links for the seventh annual golf tournament.

10 HumberHappenings.ca

news & Events

2013 Farmers’ Market a success The Humber Bay Shores Farmers’ Market recently wrapped up its first season, but a 2014 Market is already being planned with promises of more food options from Ontario farmers.

HBSCA president Jim Reekie feels the weekly event, which ran from June 1 to Oct. 12 in its first year, achieved the goals the HBSCA set out to meet at the outset.

“We actually just had our committee wrap meeting and we all thought it was a success and was most importantly a great way to bring the community together,” Reekie says.

Reekie says they hope to expand the Market in 2014, adding another 10 vendors to bring the total up to 25—many of which will be returning from the 2013 Market.

“All of the vendors are happy with how our Farmers’ Market progressed from week to week and they’re excited to come back next year,” he says. “Some have even asked if they can have their space expanded.”

Reekie adds that the community response has been overwhelming and is an indication of the event’s success in bringing fresh food to the community while bringing the community itself together.

Events, Fun and More!

Nov. 28-Dec. 8, 2013: One of a Kind Christmas Show & Sale will be held at the Direct Energy Centre.

Nov. 29-Dec.15, 2013: Celebrate the sights, sounds and scents of Christmas at Lowe’s Toronto Christmas Market takes place in the Distillery District.

“This is why we do events like this: to bring people together,” he says.

The 2013 Farmers’ Market was a success for the HBSCA, and they’ll take the lessons they learned forward when planning for when the 2014 Market begins. From left: Kathyrn Winter, Sharon Jazzar, Simone Purboo, Joanne Reekie, Bill Scott, Jim Reekie, Don Henderson, Brian Stevens and Jim Faichnie.

Mrs. Green’s Eco-FriEndly clEaning SErvicES inc.

A new standard in residential/condo cleaning.

Servicing the Humber Bay community for over 8 years.

Mrs. Green’s is an environmentally friendly cleaning service committed to cleaning with environmentally-friendly, non-toxic products for the health of the client, community and environment. Our goal is to provide you a time-saving and professional alternative to your home surroundings.

Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22: Venture out to the Annex near the City’s downtown core for the annual Arts and Crafts show. The show runs from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Dec. 31, 2013: Eden Trattoria’s annual New Year’s Eve party. Complimentary champagne at midnight, party favours, DJ and more. For reservations call: 416-255-5588.

Dec. 31, 2013: Ring in the New Year at Nathan Phillips Square with live music and plenty of fireworks.

Jan. 1, 2014: Start the year off on the right foot with a free, all-levels yoga class at Mystic Pointe Yoga, at 268 Manitoba St., from 1-2:15 p.m.. Limited to 25 participants.

Mrs. Green’s outdoor fresh scent is all we leave behind in your home. The instant you walk in the door, you will know Mrs. Green’s was there.

Call us now for your Free eStimAte towards a healthy clean home!

www.mrsgreenscleaning.com 416.201.8004

info@mrsgreenscleaning.com

Jan. 31 to Feb. 13, 2014: Celebrate the city’s culinary delights at Winterlicious. More details online.

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 11

Feature

Fortune Shines Upon the Bold At 70, Doug Holyday agelessly continues to serve beloved community.

by Andrew Ardizzi

12 HumberHappenings.ca

Andrew Ardizzi: Congratulations on

becoming Etobicoke-Lakeshore’s new MPP. After serving as Etobicoke’s Mayor in the mid-90s, and after spending the last 15 years sitting on Toronto City Council, how has the transition from municipal politics to provincial politics gone for you so far?

Doug Holyday: My transition is basically related to coping with a wide range of provincial issues, many of which I dealt with as a Toronto Councillor. The subjects are similar but the procedure to debate them is different.

AA: What does this new phase of your life mean for you personally, and is this something you saw yourself ever doing prior to being approached this past summer?

DH: Although I had no plans to change roles prior to the summer, I responded to the request from Tim Hudak to assist our party in the formation of a new government when the next election is called.

AA: What do you feel your biggest challenge is going to be?

DH: After I participate in the campaign to defeat the Liberals, the challenge to deliver a more efficient government at a more reasonable cost is my main goal.

AA: Have you had much time to get out into the Humber Bay Shores community since being elected? I noticed that you stopped by the Farmers’ Market in July.

DH: In my 30 years of public service, I have had occasion to be involved with affairs in Etobicoke-Lakeshore on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, I followed events in Humber Bay back when it was known as the Motel Strip in relation to planning matters. In my time, Humber Bay was the southeast portion of Etobicoke Township and the Village of Mimico was a self-governing entity. I have been active with all the Lakeshore communities in all aspects of life whether they be political, social, recreational sports, or charitable endeavours.

AA: Public transit is a central issue for the community. What can you do to help improve access to public transit in HBS? DH: Transit came up as an issue during the recent campaign and I explained then that the area enjoys the same level of service as the other parts of the riding.

It is not feasible under current conditions to provide GO train service other than from the improved Mimico station.

Doug Holyday has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to serving Etobicoke.

AA: You’ve been very vocal about your

support for Toronto’s subway expansion.

Where does Etobicoke fit into the city’s long-term plans for transit expansion?

DH: I am a proponent of expanding the Bloor Subway from Kipling to Sherway to better serve the Lakeshore communities.

AA: Given that HBS is among the highest taxed per capita for its geographical boundary, do you think there should be a separate property tax for condos once the Condo Act is under final review?

DH: Property taxes are levelled on the basis of the value of your property, not on the level of service. Whether they can be provided universally is another matter. I look forward to seeing the results of the provincial Condominium Act review.

AA: What is your opinion on Bill 20 with respect to ensuring greater community consultation on development projects, and what are your thoughts on OMB end-run approvals of HBS/Mimico development?

How can runaway development in the area be better controlled in the future?

DH: The debate that led to the number of units allowed on the area now known as HBS was carried on for 20 years or more by provincial and municipal levels of government; we had a Metro level too at that time. The finalized agreement brought down by the OMB defined the number of units that could be built on the available land and remains in effect today.

AA: At this point in your career, what drives you and keeps you impassioned and motivated to do well by the community that put its trust in you? What’s your goal?

DH: My public record speaks for itself. I offer the same degree of commitment today that I have delivered from the first day that I was elected to public office.

Keep an eye out for the debut of MPP Holyday’s column in the next issue of Humber Happenings. HH

M E E t ...

Lynn Tribbling

ExcEptional R e a l E s t a t e ...

ExcEptional Realtor Award-Winning Sales Representative: Coldwell Banker Terrequity Reality, Brokerage

“Humber Bay Shores is the jewel in the crown of Toronto waterfront real estate.” ~Lynn Tribbling

Your lEading

direct: 416 252-2221 office: 416 366-8800 email: ltribbling@sympatico.ca visit: www.lynntribbling.ca

nEighbourhood Enthusiast* *Past owner: Palace Pier Penthouse, Palace Place Penthouse, Grand Harbour Penthouse, Waterford Model Suite Current owner: Newport Beach Penthouse

two time winner North AmericAN Body Shop of the yeAr!

direct link to insurance companies No hassle guarantee from dings to major collision DOOR DINGES?

HAIL DAMAGE?

LakeSide pharMacy 2438 Lake Shore Blvd W, Etobicoke, ON M8V 1C4

now open!

WAX ‘N SHINE?

DOOR DINGES?

FreeWAX Medication review!

‘N SHINE?

HAIL DAMAGE?

Free Delivery!

Free Weekly/Bi-Weekly Blister Pack!

15% BUMPER oFF every REPAIR?Wednesday for Seniors!

DOOR DINGES? WHEEL DENTS? HAIL REFINISH? DAMAGE? MINOR WAX ‘N SHINE? BUMPER REPAIR?WHEEL REFINISH? MINOR DENTS?

Caring and friendly services.

Low Cost Low Cost We accept all insurances.

395 evans Ave.Same-Day Same-Day toronto m8Z 1K8 Appearance We waive co-pay $2.00.

BUMPER REPAIR? MINOR DENTS? WHEEL REFINISH? Appearance (West of Kipling) Services Services Low Cost 395 Evans Avenue, just west of Kipling 395 Evans Avenue, just west of Kipling 416-259-6344, or dentdoctor@427auto.com 416-259-6344, or dentdoctor@427auto.com Ask for Jenny at ext. 0 for an appointment Same-Day Call us at: for Jenny at ext. 0 for an appointment 416.259.6344 427auto.com AskDentdoctor@427auto.com Appearance Imagine getting your vehicle back Imagine getting your vehicle back the same day.....looking like new!

Services the same day.....looking like new!

MondayFriday: 9am-7pm Saturday: 10am-4pm Sunday: Closed

416-252-2999

395 Evans Avenue, just west of Kipling 416-259-6344, or dentdoctor@427auto.com Ask for Jenny at ext. 0 for an appointment

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 13

taste of humber

Finding Eden Mark Mastrangelo balances fine dining with a ‘Trattoria’ setting. by andrew ardizzi

M

ark Mastrangelo has grown up in the restaurant business. His family have been active restaurateurs across Toronto for the last 44 years, while Mastrangelo himself has been in business for the last 18 years. In that time his love for it and the people he serves on a nightly basis has yet to waver.

“It’s not stale, there’s always something

to do. You definitely don’t get bored, and you’re meeting new people all the time,” says Mastrangelo, owner of Eden Trattoria.

Mastrangelo first fell in love with the business at a young age while hanging around at his grandfather’s restaurant— later managed by his father for 25 years.

He recalls sitting at his grandfather’s place one day, telling his uncle how he’d like to open his own restaurant, which they did together in 1995 along St.

E X P E RT R E PA I R S TUNE-UPS OVERHAULS LARGE SELECTION OF BIKES ACCESSORIES

CYCLEBUTIK.COM

2749 Lake Shore Blvd W. at First St thomas@cyclebutik.com

14 HumberHappenings.ca

647.258.0012

Eden Trattoria offers a casual dining experience with the waterfront a stone’s throw away.

Clair West. Mark spent 12 years working out of that location before opening Eden Trattoria on Marine Parade Drive in 2007. Despite running the St. Clair West restaruant for 12 years, upon selling it to focus on Eden he found he still had much to learn.

“The industry is always changing and adapting. Restaurants are always opening and trying new things, but you have to stay with the times,” Mastrangelo says.

taste of humber He says customer service and good food are the two most important aspects of running a restaurant, something he employs with Eden’s customizable menu. He feels it allows customers to sprinkle a little variation across their plates, something he says you’ll scarcely see elsewhere.

“Everything we try to do is designed to give you a quality product,” he says. “If a customer asks if we can modify the menu, unlike other restaurants who might say, ‘no, we can’t do that,’ we try to treat people like friends and the way we would want to be treated. We’re running an entertainment business, and we need to make sure everyone has a good time. If you’re upset, I’m upset.”

“Because we’re cooking all of our meals fresh and from scratch anyway, what does it matter if you want to add shrimp to a pasta? What does it matter if you want to add mushrooms to your Penne Alfredo?”

A key to Eden’s success has been their expansive menu and modest price points that cater to customers of all stripes whether they’re looking to have break-

fast, lunch and dinner, or simply want to come in, have a beer and watch the hockey game. Eden also has a private area on the second floor designed for special events. The aim is to create a welcoming atmosphere fit to a customer’s needs.

“Trattoria” even translates as “a casual place” in Italian.

Mastrangelo’s philosophy intertwines and crystallizes to form a single hope: to create a dining experience customers can afford and enjoy enough that they’ll stop by for a fresh meal throughout the week.

“We want people to come in for three or four quality meals a week,” he says. “We want to offer the community good quality food in a comfortable, positive atmosphere.

While it isn’t easy running a restaurant, what keeps him motivated is waking up each day, opening Eden’s doors and seeing everyone inside, sitting down and enjoying a fresh meal. That’s what it comes down to for Mastrangelo—the people.

“You’re not always walking in here and seeing the same faces all the time,”

Eden’s forté are it’s customizable pizzas and pastas.

Eden offers an array of desserts, inlcuding cakes, macarons and chocolate chip cookies.

he says. “I’ve met maybe a million people in my life. Everybody has a story. People will sit at the bar every night and you get to talk to them and learn a little bit about them. The best part is that they always have new stories.” HH

NOW

1 Marine Parade Drive, Unit 101. Across the street from Rocco’s Restaurant

OPEN!

At Chateau Pooch we offer pet daycare & boarding for dogs up to 50lbs. & grooming for dogs up to 60lbs. We also offer party services for birthdays and other special occasions.

Daycare by the hour, half day or full day

647-348-2778

Equipped with cameras for internet or smartphone viewing

facebook.com/chateaupooch

Guests are supervised 24 hours when boarding

chateaupooch.com

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 15

Proudly Serving the Humber Bay Shores Waterfront Community and West Toronto.

Call one of our knowledgeable Sales Representatives today to Guide you in buying and selling!

Kingsway Branch 3031 Bloor St. W. 416.236.1871 www.rlpkingsway.com

Bloor West Village Branch 2320 Bloor St. W. 416.762.8255 www.rlpbloorwestvillage.com

South Etobicoke Branch 635 The Queensway 416.252.4368 www.rlpsouthetobicoke.com

416.251.5100

2083 lakeshore Blvd w

ExpEriEncE

20% OFF

apps, beverages & desserts*

i ta ly

without

lEaving

Family Owned & Operated

thE

lakEshorE!

live music

tuesdays & saturdays with giordano cattonar

For our full menu, dinner, lunch & brunch visit www.roccorestaurant.ca *Mondays & wednesdays only to area residents

16 HumberHappenings.ca

cover story

River cruises are becoming increasingly popular, including this cruise which takes you along the Danube River and right in front of Budapest’s parliament buildings.

Details

The Gift is in the

Cruise Holidays~Humber Bay Travel guides your travel planning.

By Andrew Ardizzi

T

here’s no other place any of us should be during the holidays than sitting by symbols of the season next to our friends and family and sharing in the warmth of each other’s company. It hardly matters where we are, only that we spend those precious moments with those closest to us.

But let’s face reality, if most of us had the choice between spending time with our friends and families in a cold wintery locale or in a warmer climate, the latter alternative may turn out to be the more popular choice. If that’s the case, the Cruise Holidays~Humber Bay Travel family are willing to sit with you, chat

over a warm cup of coffee and help you plan that wintertime getaway.

Opened in 1988 by the mother and daughter trio of Marianne Garney, Karen Garney and Krista Cluett, Cruise Holidays~Humber Bay Travel has been a mainstay in the Etobicoke travel scene since opening, before nestling into the heart of Humber Bay Shores in 2006.

Marianne, Karen and Krista, travel aficionados themselves, have always loved travelling and have used that experience, combined with their own independent research and an extensive travel information network, to serve the ever-growing Humber Bay Shores community and its travel needs.

“As a family we traveled a lot, and we wanted to share our love of travel and so the three of us decided it would be a great business to get into that would also let us spend quality time together,” says Karen.

Originally cruise travel-centric, their business has morphed over the years and has branched out to incorporate land-based travel options as well to ensure their clients have everything they need to map out the perfect, most complete travel package.

“Our clients take a lot of cruises—and wherever there is water, there is a ship to take you there. However, travellers also want to visit these amazing destinations that are either inland or that they would like to visit in more depth. Over Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 17

cover story

The MS Oosterdam pulling into Austrailia’s Sydney Harbour.

Right: A beautfiul elephant enjoys the Tanzanian warmth near Mount Kilimanjaro.

Below: Visit Angkor Wat, a temple located in Cambodia that was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu shortly after its construction during the 12th century.

the years we have put together some really great itineraries in Africa, Australia, South America and Asia for our clients, experiences that are just not possible on a ship,” says Cluett.

But given how the business has evolved over the years, the Humber Bay Travel family has adapted their services to cater to the modern Internet savvy and expansively informed traveller.

“With the onset of online booking and through conducting their own web 18 HumberHappenings.ca

searches, clients are a little more informed now than they previously were, but they still need that measure of customer service,” Karen says. “We’re trying to educate clients a little more on what they’re already researching.”

Cluett agrees, feeling that through simply offering a guiding hand when clients want to plan a special trip, they can help make the process much more simplified.

“It can be confusing online,” she says.

“What we’re doing is supplementing the

information people have and helping them find something that fits into what they’re looking for.”

To help in that process, Cruise Holidays~Humber Bay Travel offers a collection of pre-arranged cruise packages, land-based travel packages, as well as fully customizable offerings that are centred entirely around the wishes and desires of the client. Karen says one option they offer clients is the ability to plan a trip around a specific event, noting these types of bookings are common as they have trips booked as far into the future as 2015. From that initial point, however, they will use their expertise to help clients plan around an event such as the Olympic games and then find them the best travel accommodations. They search out information on the best community events, most notable entertainment options and the best hotels, all within a client’s travel budget.

cover story

Being familiar with the latest information available helps to keep them ahead of the curve in the travel business, allowing them to provide the soundest and most comprehensive advice and knowledge.

“We need to be informed so that we can be a prime resource for travellers in our area,” says Karen, adding that their extensive research includes finding the hottest new travel destinations and locales.

That process has become a little easier, given that most people these days have bucketlists or a mental checklist of things they would like to experience in their lives.

“People want to see so much and they have a checklist and we try to arrange their trips for them around that checklist,” says Karen. “First we have to determine what they’re envisioning. You really have to figure out what they want or try to exceed their expectations.”

“At the end of the day we all work hard, and when you only have one or two vacations a year, you want to make sure it’s perfect,” says Karen. “We really want to make sure they get what they want. It’s a very personal relationship we have with our clients.”

They say some of their more popular travel destinations, especially during the winter months, are trips to the Caribbean, South America, Asia and Tahiti. Additionally becoming especially popular are river cruises to destinations such as Europe, South Vietnam and Cambodia.

Also becoming quite popular leading into the holidays are personalized shopping trips to New York and Paris, which boyfriends and husbands have been buying for their significant others. The trips include airfare, a shopping excursion, meeting with renowned designers and the coup de gras

is that they get to take the trip with whomever they choose.

Gift travel packages such as basic trips, stays at resorts or hotels, or certificates for specific destinations have also become commonplace. They have also noticed a series of trends in travel.

Cluett says multi-generational travel has become quite popular, with more families beginning to travel with their extended families over the last decade. These gatherings include trips to resorts or cruises, and are great options for the holidays as families can come together in one place, not have to worry going through the annual turkey-preparing motions, and focus on simply being together.

“During the holidays we do a lot of family cruises, because not everyone wants to do the dishes at the holidays, no one wants to cook the turkey, the tree is there and it’s decorated for them, so it’s all there for them. It’s a time when a family can go and spend some time together, but nobody has to do all of the planning,” says Cluett. “It takes a lot of effort to make sure everyone is comfortable and has fun, but if we do our jobs right our clients will have memories to share that will last a lifetime.”

Crusie Holidays~Humber Bay Travel also caters trip itineraries to solo travels, private touring, the ever popular river cruises, or experiential travel; this allows clients to cross items off their vacationspot bucket list one trip at a time, no matter if they want to visit an exotic Carribean locale or the Great Wall of China.

Central to their business is their effort to keep their interactions with clients personalized so they can really get to know them and make sure clients get everything they want out of their vacations.

“We provide for all of our clients’ travel needs, we’re just one phone call away.

We’re friendly, we’re invested in our clients and the community through our support of neighbourhood events like the waterfront festival,” says Karen. “We’re not strangers at the end of some 1-800 number, and we welcome everyone to come in and talk to us about where you’d like to travel. It doesn’t matter whether it’s after hours, if someone wants to meet with us at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m., we’re more than happy to.” HH Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 19

Town Hall Meeting Highlights Community’s Voice Your Association has a number of committees that work to make the Humber Bay Shores community an attractive, enjoyable and sustainable place to live, work and play. The HBSCA, now 18-years-old, has 20 condominium corporations representing approximately 10,000 residents within a very small geographic area bordering roughly 2.5 km of the Lake Shore Boulevard and Park Lawn Road crossroads.

In the face of intensive development, our focus over the last few years has been meeting with city officials and staff on planning and infrastructure inadequacies.

Some of the work we have successfully accomplished is represented in improvements to public transportation such as the 145 express bus service and the extension of the 66D bus route to include Marine Parade Drive. We have lobbied hard for tighter controls on the construction projects, considerations in the Village Court project, new traffic controls and input for better functionality, and so many more area improvements that are underway. The HBSCA

20 HumberHappenings.ca

provides the unified voice that is commanding the attention of City Hall and the province. We have authored a study on the issue of fair taxation for condominiums that has been referenced in the province’s review of the Condo Act. We continue to work hard so that our beautiful area can become and stay a wonderful place to live, work and play.

Some of the ongoing issues and our desires are contained within this article.

The Christie’s Land Our board members are represented on the city’s Mr. Christie’s Site Working Group. The group has met three times to voice the opinion that any future ac-

tion protects the site as employment lands as opposed to residential lands.

We feel any development needs to be integrated into the HBS and Mimico-by-the-Lake communities, giving strong consideration to planned transportation and transit improvements (GO, TTC, trail, streets and sidewalks parking) as well as servicing and infrastructure requirements (such as energy needs, storm-water mitigation).

We support proper planning of land use that complements our mandate to shape HBS into a great place to live, work and play.

Transportation Our members previously met with then-MPP Laurel Broten, TTC Chair

HUMBER BAY SHORES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION

Karen Stintz, Councillor Mark Grimes and Vice President GO operation Paul Finnerty. The emphasis of the meeting was transit requirements and various strategies to allow for a more accessible GO transit experience for our residents. We would support another station adjacent to the current TTC Humber Loop. Alternatively, we would support a shuttle bus service to the Mimico GO station. We have met with TTC representatives to monitor progress of improved services to our area.

We would like to see the Loop moved so that our area has double the streetcar service than it does at present.

We continue to lobby for better traffic light functionality at the TTC tunnel and various road improvements throughout the area such as more sensible parking guidelines and enforcement.

Parks, Forestry and Recreation We have met with city staff of the Parks, Forestry and Recreation department to try to impress upon them the need for better care of our community

Transportation, Metrolinx, TTC, and the Parks department clearly got the message that we have key questions on outpaced infrastructure need in the face of expansive development and residential growth. A great showing from nearly 230 community residents was a strong signal that the association has your support as we represent our parklands. We would like to see a more area’s best interests. manicured look and maintenance that We will be conducting a survey of allows for full access and more enjoy- those that attended and publish the ment of the waterfront. We also would findings in a future issue of Humber like consideration for a children’s play- Happenings. We will further use those ground and more controlled spaces for results in our efforts with all governdogs. The pathway that is part of the ment representatives, elected or not.

Goodman Trail has become a comThe HBSCA is an organization ripe muter transportation lane; we would with great ideas, possessing both the like the city to better care for it and energy and resources to address the to ensure it is cleared of snow during challenges facing our neighborhood. winter months. We would like to see If you would like to join our emailing these improvements so that it is safer list be sure to send us a note: HBSCA@ for all of us. rogers.com.

Many of these themes were raised Help us with our commitment to the at our recent Town Hall meeting at the HBS as we hold our community leadPolish Alliance Hall on Oct. 24, 2013. ers and city officials to account conCouncillor Mark Grimes and city staff cerning their responsibilities toward representing Planning, Traffic and our community.

Look for more updates at HumberBayShores.org and in upcoming issues of Humber Happenings.

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 21

ask dr. ghazi

Holiday hazards Keeping your pets out of trouble ensures they have happy holidays too!

by Dr. Farzad Ghazi

W

ith the upcoming holiday season, there are a number of precautions pet owners can take to ensure their pets also have a safe and happy holiday.

If you have a mischievous kitten, you probably already know that cats are obsessed with shiny objects that are used as ornaments—some of which can be dangerous. Some decorative glass bulbs can shatter into tiny fragments, whereas tinsel and ribbons are irresistible lures for cats. If ingested, they can become lodged in the intestines, leading to surgery during your holiday season! You should therefore always ensure that your pet is never left unsupervised with a decorated tree. It is also advisable to make sure that your tree is securely anchored so that climbing pets won’t knock it over.

Decorative candles can be knocked over by climbing cats or wagging tails and can become a fire hazard and some scented candle fumes are toxic to birds.

If you have a chewer, you can secure your electric cords and holiday lights with a deterrent such as Bitter Apple spray.

It is also worth noting that beautiful holiday plants such as poinsettias, holly, mistletoe and particularly lilies are toxic to pets.

The toxicity depends on the age of the pet, the quantity, and the part of the plant that is ingested. Ingested pine needles (real and 22 HumberHappenings.ca

artificial) can also cause severe irritation of the gastrointestinal system.

If you have relatives over for dinner, make sure everyone is on the same

Ensure your pet is never left unsupervised with a decorated tree. page with feeding pets human food.

They should understand why sneaking tasty munchies under the table is a no-no! Generally speaking, fatty and spiced foods like turkey skin, gravy and stuffing can potentially trigger an inflammation of the pancreas which can be painful with serious life-threatening consequences. Dinner leftovers like bones, tinfoil, and poultry strings should be removed immediately. It is not a good idea to leave wrapped food (e.g. chocolate, fruitcake) under the tree overnight

because pets with a good sense of smell may get into it while you’re asleep.

Geriatric pets with arthritis are usually more prone to pain and discomfort during cold times of the year. Having lots of activity with visiting guests and children during the holiday season may trigger joint pain after strenuous exercise. Make sure that the routine of your old pet is not drastically altered.

While walking your dog in the winter, you may notice the use of road salt to keep sidewalks and roads free of snow. Unfortunately, this salt can be harsh on the pads of dog’s feet because it causes irritation of the tissue and large chunks can get stuck between their toes. Inspect and rinse your pooch’s feet after each walk.

If you’re planning to travel over the holidays, make sure to leave your contact information with the pet sitter and a signed note which authorizes them to make decisions on your behalf, should an emergency occur in your absence!

Have a safe and happy holiday! HH

Dr. Farzad Ghazi is the owner and operator of Marina Animal Hospital located in the Park Lawn area. Marina Animal Hospital provides medical and dental care, surgery services and laboratory testing to all fourlegged pets as well as aid for some legitimate rescue groups. He can be contacted at 416-255-2777. www.marinaanimalhospital.ca

development

A local marvel The first conceptual renderings of what is to become the Village Court surpasses developer’s dreams.

by Alyssa Trivelli

A

t long last, a vision for Village Court has been released. A dynamic interplay of structured hardscape elements and lush landscaping, MBTW’s design for this feature area is complex, but balanced.

The main challenge with Village Court was to introduce all of the required programming elements while addressing the tricky drop in grading between the bottom of Brookers’ Lane and Marine Parade Drive. Those untrained in the challenges of landscape design might not see just how difficult the grading drop is to coordinate, but just imagine trying to match the elevations of all of the fixed entry points, while taking into consideration the slope requirements for the numerous pathways. Needless to say, Village Court will be a feat, especially in terms of achieving a functional grading design.

Village Court is bound by interjecting, walkable paving band—textured ribbons that frame the space. To the south, a stand of deciduous trees separate’s Monarch’s “Waterscapes” condominium from the stepped, grassy quad. To the north, the retail spaces in Monarch’s “Explorer” condominium are partitioned by structured seating nooks and feature planting beds. At the east end of the quad, a wooded outlook deck, outfitted with fixed benches, overlooks the Humber

Bay Shores waterfront. Step down past the deck, over the concrete bleachers, to find a forecourt composed of pixelated feature paving and underlit leaf-inspired

It will be a place where a variety of social and cultural events collide. benches—a very interesting focal point, inviting all kinds of activities, from passive lounging to active play and community functions.

Despite the challenging characteristics of the property, the final design includes a variety of features that, together, create a visually-stunning, accessible public space. Village Court, however, will be much more than this. It will be a place where residents and visitors can mix and mingle, positioned to be one of Toronto’s most popular community-based open

spaces. A meeting point where Humber Bay Shores residents will converge–meeting for a coffee on the patio, overlooking Lake Ontario, catching some sun or reading a book, stretched out on the grass.

Ultimately, it will be a place where a variety of social and cultural events collide, enhancing the public realm and promoting a more intimate condominium experience for the Humber Bay Shores community. HH

Village Court will provide HBS with a new community park area to enjoy right by the waterfront.

Alyssa Trivelli is a graduate from the University of Western Ontario’s Urban Development program. Upon graduating in 2009, Alyssa was hired by Monarch to work in its High-Rise division.

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 23

health & wellness

Why are we so sick?

Ideal Protein may answer that question.

By Dr. Maureen Henderson

T

here is a pandemic of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol related disorders, arthritis, and allergies.

Once someone is chronically ill; and despite 50 years of drug development and use

of these medications, that person tends to stay chronically ill. We are taught to believe that drugs and surgery will improve our health, and that sometime in the future, a magical drug will fix us. So why are we still sick then? Clearly what we are doing isn’t working. Is it the wrong approach?

In the last 100 years we have gone from be-

MIMICO

ing the super species to the sickest species!

As a society, we are spending more money on prescriptions every year. Obesity rates are steadily rising. Type 2 diabetes is no longer called “adult” onset diabetes, since many children are now developing this condition. How many people do you know who are using cholesterol and/or high

CRUISING

CLUB

I

magine enjoying lunch or dinner overlooking our fabulous harbour with family and friends, or a relaxing dockside picnic.

A limited number of social memberships are currently available in our Club. The beautiful clubhouse and grounds are Humber Bay’s best kept secret.

For enquiries we invite you to contact our Membership Director at 416-252-7737 or gm@mimicocruisingclub.com.

AN OASIS IN THE CITY. MCC H H half page.indd 1

24 HumberHappenings.ca

03/22/2013 10:25:57 AM

health & wellness blood pressure medication? Can you name what you did this week that made you less healthy? More healthy?

When I was diagnosed with a serious auto immune disorder, my specialist at Sunnybrook Hospital did not prescribe any drugs. Rather he recommended I alter my diet and try the Ideal Protein Protocol.

Today, at age 65, I am pain free, medication free, feel great and have returned to my former athletic activities of running and rollerblading! As a result of my progress, I am passionate about helping others overcome their obstacles to health, and most begin with dietary changes and nutritional education. Our clinic is an authorized Ideal Protein weight loss centre and during the past two years, we have helped over 400 dieters reach their goals and maintain their health. Ideal Protein is a weight management system that stresses education and understanding, helping you to eat smarter and understand how body fat is burned, the relationship between insulin and weight gain, which foods are

best suited for healthy weight management and how you should pair carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Ideal Protein is a weight management system that stresses education and understanding.

As with any alteration of lifestyle activities, customized one-on-one coaching, guidance and encouragement become an integral part of success. Every positive behaviour you do for your body will enhance your health and contribute to favourable

life changes. Do you wish to be healthy and active into your seventh and eighth decades, or will you spend your last ten years in sickness and disability? We are all too familiar with an older relative who spends their days going from medical appointment to medical appointment and consuming numerous medications that are not fixing what’s going wrong with them.

If you are interested in improving your health, please call the office for a complimentary information session on how you can achieve optimum health, re-energize and feel great about the rest of your life. You can change this cycle for yourself and it’s never too early to make that decision! HH

Dr. Maureen Henderson has practiced chiropractic, rehabilitation and health maintenance in Etobicoke for 38 years. If you are interested in a complimentary Body Composition Analysis or more information on the program, please call the clinic to schedule an appointment at 416-231-9502.

You know me.

I know the neighbourhood.

RAVI GURDITA Sales Representative Professional Inc, Brokerage 1 East Mall Crescent, Toronto, ON M9B 6G8 Office (416) 232-9000 Cell (416) 873-5894

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 25

eco logic

Eco-friendly vacationing Reducing your carbon footprint while travelling is easier than you would think!

by Jim Lord and Jessica Harrison

T

he holidays are approaching and many are planning winter getaways. Whether you’re looking for a snowy or a sunny holiday, a relaxing locale or an adventurous outing, there are many vacation opportunities to choose from. However, with the environment being a forefront global issue, many towns, cities and resorts are working to increase their eco-friendliness.

Banff is known for skiing, snowboarding, hiking and a multitude of outdoor winter activities. The town has implemented environmental initiatives to further green their community and preserve their natural surroundings. A free bus service is open to all residents and visitors with hotel passes. The city also boasts an award-winning water treatment facility that separates organics from the recycling process and a complete waste diversion program. Banff is a compact destination, so walking or biking to local attractions is a great way to travel without producing emissions. Banff also has a large solar panel installation to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If escaping winter and the snow is a priority, look for southern holiday destinations. Costa Rica has really embraced eco-tourism. With its beaches, rainforests and mountains there are many natural adventures to be had there. With over 20 percent of the territory being nation26 HumberHappenings.ca

ally protected, conservation and environmental preservation are primary focuses for Costa Ricans. Costa Rica has incorpo-

Flying has the greatest impact on emissions per passenger.

rated a rural community tourism program which includes planned rural tour experiences within local communities and rural environments to help promote those communities. For adventure seekers, the Rainforest Adventures eco-park offers zip lining, aerial tours, bobsleds, nature treks, kayaking and rafting, while also having achieved the highest eco rating possible for their operations.

One of the key contributors of greenhouse gas in our atmosphere are the CO2 emissions from air travel; flying has the greatest impact on emissions per passenger. One way to reduce your

environmental footprint this season is to have a “Stay-cation.” Not only will vacationing close to home reduce carbon emissions, it’s also a great budgetfriendly, low stress option. Why not book a hotel in downtown Toronto and live like a tourist for a few days?

Relax, enjoy your room and amenities, support local restaurants in an area you may not have ever ventured to, take in the environment while reducing your personal emissions. We are also fortunate enough to live close to the Niagara Escarpment which houses many local wineries. Why not spend the weekend touring a winery or two?

When planning a trip, always look for the Canada Green Key ECO-Rating or the iStayGreen rating when choosing accommodations. These organizations conduct audits of hotels and resorts to evaluate their eco-performance. No matter where you go for the holidays, try incorporating some environmentally friendly options into your itinerary. Always be aware of your eco-footprint, and remember to practice responsible tourism along your journey! Happy travels! HH

Jim is one of the founding principals of Ecovert Sustainability Consultants. He helps organizations achieve their green goals.

Jessica is a member of the team and also helps businesses achieve their green certifications. www.ecovert.ca

vitality to the core

Surviving the holidays Tips to keep you fit through the winter months. by guy dufour

H

olidays are like a box of chocolate, you never know how much weight you are going to gain. In these times of love, sharing and giving, here are three tips you can adopt to survive the holidays without depriving yourself of all of the season’s delicious treats.

Rule #1 Exercise first thing in the morning AND exercise everyday. If you’re visiting family or have relatives staying over, your day will be filled with nieces and nephews wanting to play, or sitting and talking for hours with your family members. Either way, you won’t want to get up and go workout. Exercising as soon as you get up will foremost set you up for an energetic and more fulfilling day, and will allow you to enjoy those family moments without having in the back of

your mind the nagging thought that you have to workout.

Rule #2 Make momentum your ally. The night before you promised yourself you’d go for a run but now your bed is so comfy and warm. Get up and tell yourself in-

Exercise first thing in the morning AND exercise every day.

stead of a run, you are going for a 10 minute walk and then coming back to bed. Once you get started, that walk will turn into a light jog pretty quickly.

Focus on getting started.

While your bed may be warm, getting out early to run will set the tone for your day.

for 1 hour or more. Shock your body. Do something different. Do a full body workout instead of focusing on one or two body parts. Try supersets or circuit training to get more done in less time. Even a 10 minute workout is better than not training at all.

The “Get Out of Bed” routine, use it to keep it! HH

Rule #3 Keep it short and sweet. A 15 or 30 minute workout can be an amazing one.

Don’t think you HAVE to be in the gym

Rope drills help increase upper body conditioning, grip and core strength, and will give you a high-intensity metabolic workout.

Guy Dufour is the founder of Corefit Training.

He is a certified personal trainer, strength coach and has a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Guy’s philosophy is that overall health and fitness is for life and can be achieved by everyone. He can be contacted via email at guy@corefittraining.ca.

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 27

Hill Happenings

Insurance rates enter deep freeze Employer and employee insurance rates to remain at current levels for three years.

By Bernard Trottier

R

ecently our government announced that employment insurance rates that employers and employees pay will be frozen for the next three years. This means businesses and their employees in Etobicoke-Lakeshore will be keeping more money in their pockets,

28 HumberHappenings.ca

which is great news for our local economy and small businesses.

The Conservative government understands that small business is a cornerstone of our economy, creating jobs that support families in our communities. Etobicoke businesses in diverse sectors like manufacturing, food processing, tourism and tele-

vision production invest in new ventures that grow our economy. That’s why we’ve introduced measures to help them out, like a hiring credit for growing their businesses that expands their workforce.

Little wonder small business has been such a key part of Canada’s recovery from the recent global economic downturn. In

Hill Happenings fact, with the help of small businesses, Canada has created over one million new jobs since the end of the global recession—the best record among all the G-7 countries.

But as we all know, the global economic recovery remains challenging.

This is especially true for Canada’s key trading partners—the United States and Europe. With our big export markets still on shaky ground, that’s going to have an impact on Canada’s economy.

That’s why our government is staying focused on the economy. One way we’re doing this is through a three-year freeze on EI rates. This means rates for both employees and employers will stay at or below the 2013 level ($1.88 per $100 of insurable earnings) until 2016. This will leave $660 million in the pockets of job creators and workers in 2014 alone, compared to what they would have otherwise had to pay under the projected formula. Global companies with operations in Etobicoke-Lakeshore, like food manufacturers, look at factor costs like EI premiums when they decide where

to locate production. Making our riding an attractive place to invest means more money stays in Etobicoke-Lakeshore, helping to support our local economy.

Small business is a cornerstore of our economy.

I’m proud to promote such a positive plan for the economy, since that’s what Canada needs.

I’d like to leave you with some personal news I received this past September. I was

honoured to have been nominated Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Publics Works and Government Services by Prime Minister Harper. In this role I will be working very closely with the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, the Hon. Diane Finley.

Public Works and Government Services Canada’s (PWGSC) mandate is to be the steward of Canada’s public buildings and assets, and to be a common service agency for the Government of Canada’s various departments, agencies and boards. With a strong focus on quality services and sound financial stewardship, they aim to ensure optimum value by enabling other government departments and agencies to provide their programs and services to Canadians. I look forward to this new challenge. HH

Bernard Trottier has served EtobicokeLakeshore since 2011 as its MP and serves on a number of federal committees.

Humber Happenings I Winter 2013 29

Councillor’s Corner

Evolving our community As the community grows we need to work harder to keep our neighbourhood cleaner.

by Mark Grimes

A

s our community has grown, the need to ensure it is maintained and allowed to continue to evolve and meet its potential is forever important. This is especially true of our parks and programs such as the Green Bin initiative.

Humber Bay Shores Parks When communities grow and evolve so too must the amenities that the community relies on. In my many discussions with members of the HBS community the one issue that keeps coming up is the path system and the waterfront parks. Increased density in the immediate area as well as their transformation to city-wide destination parks has changed the landscape from the time they were first made.

To address some of these issues city council has, at my request, approved a comprehensive needs study to re-examine the needs and opportunities presented by the great park space in the Humber Bay Shores Community. The report, which is expected back in early 2014, will look at the necessary capital improvements and maintenance requirements in the coming years to address the challenges presented by a growing and changing local population. Everything from cycling infrastructure and play spaces, to parking and naturalized areas 30 HumberHappenings.ca

will be examined and reviewed to coordinate both the City and local community efforts moving forward.

When combined with the previously approved precinct plan the review will

lay out concrete groundwork for park improvement. Not all of the changes proposed will be immediate but together they will pave the way for an even more vibrant waterfront community.

24 percent of the over 300,000 tonnes of waste from apartment and condo buildings was being diverted to landfills. This is in comparison to the 66 percent diversion rate from single family homes. As organics make up roughly 48 percent of waste from multi-residential buildings, the green bin expansion is a great opportunity to increase waste diversion citywide and reduce landfill use.

The program itself is simple to use.

Individual unit owners and tenants will be provided with a small kitchen container to collect their organic waste. The containers can be lined with plastic bags to reduce mess as the bags are sifted out as part of the processing. From there the organics are deposited into designated organics bins the same way recycling and other waste is. As an added bonus the organic waste is turned into compost which is free for pickup at any of the City’s transfer stations If you have any questions, or are interested in bringing the green bin program to your building, please visit toronto.ca/recycle.  HH

Green Bin Program rolling out to Multi-Residential Buildings Over the last two years the City of Toronto has begun rolling out the green bin organics recycling program to its multiresidential customers. As of 2012 only

Mark Grimes is the Councillor for Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore. He is a life-long resident, activist and businessperson in south Etobicoke. He can be reached by email at councillor_grimes@toronto.ca, or by phone at 416-397-9273.

Green bin expansion is a great opportunity to increase waste diversion.

C o m e d i n e , d a z z l e a nd d a n c e t h e ni g h t a w a y

Holiday parties • private functions • corporate functions • event catering • home delivery

It’s the holiday season at Eden and we’re ringing in the New Year with our annual celebration on the eve of 2014. Details coming soon to edentrattoria.com.

For reservations, please call 416.255.5588.

58 Marine Parade Drive, Etobicoke M8V 4G1

0K

EXCLUSIVE PALACE PLACE

,25

$1

LD

SO

3 Bdrm, Formal Dinning - 2,863 Sq.Ft.

3,257 Sq.Ft, 3 Bedroom, Formal Dining Room, Den, 3 Bath, 2 Solarium, 3 Parking, And Locker. Huge Kitchen With Stove Top Island And Eat-In Breakfast Area. Spacious Living Room Is Perfect For Entertaining With Views Of The Lake And High Park. Master Bedroom With Lake View, Huge Walk-In Closet And 6 Piece Ensuite. 5 Star Amenities Include: 24 Hour Concierge, Valet Parking, Shuttle Bus, Indoor Salt Water Pool, Gym, Roof Top Club, Restaurant, Store, BBQ and 9 a of Private Lakefront Garden!

Exceptional Lake & City Views!

3 Bedroom, Seperate Big Dinning Room, 3 Bathroom, 2 Solariums 2 Parking Spaces, Locker. Panoramic, Breathtaking Views Of The Lake & City Skyline Views. Brand New Hardwood Floors Throughout. Master Suite With Huge Walk-In & 6 Piece Ensuite. Spacious Kitchen With Eat-in Breakfast Area Overlooking The Lake. Amenities Include: 24 Hr Concierge, Valet Parking, Shuttle Bus, Indoor Pool, Gym, Guest Suites, Games Room, Rooftop Club, Putting Green, Meeting Room, BBQ. k

99

$3

Chic Nevis Smaller Pet Friendly Building

960 Sq. Ft., 2 Bedroom, Open Balcony, Parking And Locker. Many Upgrades!

White Kitchen with Granite Counter Tops and Floors. Engineered Hardwood Floors Throughout. Amenities Include: Sky Club, BBQ And Fireplace. Billiards, Media/Hobby Rooms, Guests Suites.

Gym. “You can have any pets”

k

39

$5

Luxurious Palace Pier Gorgeous South-West Unobstructed Lake Views!

Huge 1,550 Sq. Ft., 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, Parking, Locker. Hardwood Floor Throughout. Great Amenities, Great Social Life.

LUXURIOUS PALACE PIER

Views Of Lake Ontario and High Park

K

74

$4

HEARTHSTONE

BY THE BAY Great Oppurtunity For Seniors And Investors. Luxury Retirement Condo For Independent & Suppotive Living 958 Sq.Ft. 2 Bedroom, Sunroom, Parking, Locker. Upgraded Open Concept Kitchen With Granite Countertops, Mirror Backsplash, Slick Black Appliances. Attractive Lighting. Many Amenites: Restaurant, Club, Lap-Pool, Gym and More. Orgenized Actvities, Care. .

K

49

$5

FRIDAY HARBOUR Lake Simcoe - 56 minutes away Visionary Urban-Inspired Lakeside Four-Season Living Resort planned on 600 acres on Big Bay Point in Innisfill. The Doug Carrick 18-hole Golf Course, 1,000-slip Maina, Private Beach, Tennis, Shopes, Restaurants and Nature.

EAU DU SOLEIL The Icon of Humber Bay! Will Be Completed In 2017.

2 Bedroom, 822 sq.ft. Plus Balcony Parking, Locker. Premium City And Lake Views. Exclusive Finishings - Granite, Glass, Under-Mount Sink, HardWood.

Electric BBQ. Fabules Amenities. The Hotteset Condo.

Get ANIA BASKA’s Condo Team Working for YOU!