OCTOBER 2012
Milton Villager Magazine Volume 1, Issue 1 - October 2012 Community based magazine that focuses on local news and events http://www.MiltonVillager.com 10,000 copies distributed each issue to Milton homes by Canada Post 500 copies distributed each issue to Milton businesses If you would like to advertise in Milton Villager Magazine email rick@dilorenzo.com or call 416-821-1219 Publisher - Rick Di Lorenzo Photographers - Ann Kornuta, Zeeshan Hamid Reporters - Stuart Service, Laura Steiner Guest Reporters - Anne Zujko, Jenifer Sim Cover photo Hailee Tracado, Milton Haunted House Volunteer Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher and no liability is assumed for omissions or errors
FREE TICKET TO RIDE Milton Transit on Appreciation Day
“I think [Milton Transit is] a perfect way for folks to get around this great town. It’s a reliable service, a nice friendly atmosphere. I think it’s top notch.” When Boyd’s passengers were dropped off at the Milton GO station, they were handed transit maps and served free coffee by local councillors.
The Town of Milton owns 13 buses that run from Monday to Friday, reaching all bus stops every 30 minutes during peak morning and afternoon commuting periods. Milton Transit and its eight routes are operated by a private contractor, Pacific Western Transportation, which provides all maintenance and personnel for the service.
Before setting out to ask passengers their thoughts on the current transit system, the Milton Mayor said “It’s just one small way to say ‘thank you very much’ he “might wind up with a battle scar or two.” to the passengers that use not only Milton Transit, “We’re obviously not going to satisfy everyone,” but GO Transit as well,” said Milton mayor Gord Krantz said. “For the most part, I believe what I’ve Krantz, who was among the Appreciation Day observed after doing this for a number of years is passengers. that people are relatively satisfied with the service.” Krantz’s morning included boarding several buses while talking to passengers on routes 3 and 4, two of the more heavily commuted routes.
Drivers Vince Chimienti, Tony Pegus, Brian Down, Thomas Ee, Sadia Malik, Marco Placencia and Serg Nevzorov Photo by Ann Kornuta
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Over his three years with Milton Transit, Boyd said it’s days like Milton Transit Passenger Appreciation Day when he’s proudest to be part of the service.
“It gives us that feedback and that’s really what it’s all about,” Krantz said. “It really does assist us big time. Sometimes you can’t see the proverbial forest from the trees. It could be something as simple as tweaking a route.”
Milton Villager
Milton Transit driver Cam Boyd said his passengers were “pleasantly surprised” and appreciative upon learning that all bus rides were free on September 14.
By Stuart Service
WORLD RECORD
SET AT INAUGURAL
Milton Half Marathon
By Stuart Service
4 | Milton Villager
The Milton resident wearing bib #1 didn’t take a single sip of water while running a time of 1:38:59, 29 seconds faster than the previous record set by 80year-old Briton John Keston in 2005. “This will happen every year for sure,” Jane Wood, organizer of the Milton half-marathon and 5k run, said after the starting gun. “For a first time event this is phenomenal,” Wood added. “It’s great having Ed Whitlock here trying
to break the record. I think that helped promote the race a lot.” She said the “whole shebang,” which drew a sizable crowd of 515 runners, was put together locally with the help of nearly 20 sponsors. Wood also owns a Milton running and triathlon store where she provides free running clinics every Wednesday night. “If you train with us, we teach you how to do it at Running Free,” she said. “We give them a program that gets them running five days a week. From there, they build up their mileage until they can run 21.1 kilometers.”
And they’re off...
Photo by Ann Kornuta
M
ilton’s inaugural half-marathon on September 16 made international news when 81-year-old Ed Whitlock broke the world record for runners 80 older.
More than 500 people sporting bibs participated in Milton’s inaugural half-marathon and 5 km run. Pictured in front of the pack wearing bib #1 is Ed Whitlock, an 81year-old Milton resident who set a new half-marathon world record upon completing the September 16 race.
By Stuart Service
Knox Church re-welcomes its congregation after two years under construction
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n eager congregation packed Knox Presbyterian Church on Main Street for its official re-opening on September 23.
The view from within Knox Presbyterian church, which was officially re-opened on September 23 following a nearly $2-million renovation. Photo by Stuart Service
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Knox church, which was built in 1890, underwent two years of reconstruction to improve the building’s structural problems. The church now has a brand new roof, cutting edge audio and visual equipment, and an interior rebuilt from the ground up.
Milton Villager
Marking the re-opening of the historical building is a monument created by Harvey Shoemaker. Shoemaker’s statue entitled “Immanence” features on each side the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve. “On the back is a person, prostrate, supporting the weight of the world,” Shoemaker said. “It reaches out to invite us as members of the human race to love and respect one another,” he continued. “It was designed to touch the heart and soul of the viewer while motivating and inspiring each individual.” The Gala Re-Opening Celebration was a combination of an evening service as well as a tribute to the fundraising efforts needed to complete the nearly $2 million restoration. Prior to the re-opening, the church congregation continued to host an outdoor sunday service led by Knox pastor Howard Sullivan. “It has taken many many people thousands of hours of cooperating and working together,” Sullivan said. “As the pastor of this church it is a completely humbling experience being part of this. I’m just so grateful for all the leadership that has been shown for all the cooperation, for all the unity that was necessary to bring us to this day.”
Knox Presbyterian congregation member Harvey Shoemaker created a monument entitled “Immanence” to inspire and complement the character of the church’s restoration. Photo by Stuart Service
La Rose Italian Bakery Celebrates 30 years in Milton!
W
hat does it mean to be a Miltonian? If you ask Maggie Lizzi of La Rose Italian Bakery she will tell you it is all about family, friends and giving back to the community My most recent trip to the bakery for an emergency “bun run” put me in line behind a woman who was new to Milton. Having moved here only a few months ago, she had been urged by many to make the trip to La Rose Bakery. Her reaction was familiar to many…”Thank goodness I had the good sense to eat before coming in here! This bakery is amazing!” Though the selection of fresh pastries, deli counter, groceries are exceptional, Milton residents know that the food is not the only thing that makes the La Rose Bakery special. It is because of their belief in family and their love of our community that truly makes them stand out. La Rose Bakery helps out where they can through providing sponsorships to events, donating beautiful gift baskets for auction and creating memorable cakes for numerous fundraising events in town. For many months Maggie Lizzi has been preparing for this 30th Anniversary Gala event, sending out endless requests for sponsorship and donations to her auction, she worked tirelessly to rally the community around our hospital, the heart of our community. In the end, hard work and dedication has paid off. Five years after their 25th Anniversary which raised $28,000 for MDHF, La Rose Italian Bakery has done it again with an incredible $61,000 in net proceeds from their 30th Anniversary Gala being donated to MDHF.
Anthony Von as Elvis
“Once again, La Rose Italian Bakery has demonstrated leadership in it’s fundraising which combined celebrating 30 years of business success in Milton with a sizable contribution to Milton District Hospital Foundation. It is people like Maggie Lizzi and the Lizzi family whose generous support will make the expansion of our hospital possible.” said Brian Penman, Chair, Milton District Hospital Foundation. More than 250 friends, family and business partners all gathered on Sunday September 16th at Glen Cairn Golf Club to celebrate this milestone with the Lizzi family. Guests were treated to a gourmet four course dinner, candy table and an extensive sweet table prepared by La Rose Bakery’s Pastry Chef Daniel Gonzalez . The evening included a live and silent auction with many wonderful prizes all donated by local businesses in Milton and suppliers of La Rose Bakery. Live entertainment of the Anthony Von Show Band kept the dance floor busy until the end of the night! Milton’s Mayor Gord Krantz sums it up perfectly by saying, “For 30 years the Lizzi Family has provided friendly personal service from their La Rose Italian Bakery. Congratulations on your anniversary gala and for putting ‘icing’ on the celebrations by raising $61,000 for the Milton District Hospital Foundation.” Congratulations
La Rose Italian Bakery and Delicatessen! By Anne Zujko
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The Lizzi Family (Cosimo and Maggie are joined by their children Domenic, Salvatore, Maria and Emily)
Milton Villager
Guests enjoy the sweet table
Mallowe’en Spooktacular!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27th, 10 am - 12 noon Hallowe’en Craft & Pumpkin Carving 10:00 am - 12 noon Smoke & Potions Spooky Science Show 10:45 am - 11:15 am Creepy Critters Demonstration 11:30 am - 12 noon Pumpkins, supplies and goodie bags are limited to the first 300 children present
Parents must remain with their children. Open to children ages 4 - 12. For more details visit miltonmall.com and click on the Kids’ Club icon.
www.miltonmall.com corner of Main and Ontario
Bring the family out on Saturday, November 17th at 10 am to enjoy a show by Splash N’ Boots and welcome Santa to the mall.
Int roducing...
THE MILTON TALENT CONTEST
The first two weeks will be preliminary rounds, with the finals taking place October 18, 2012 in the Mattamy Theatre. All performances begin at 8pm, and will be hosted by Harvey Shoemaker. Competitors participate in groups or as solo acts. The groups are limited to 15 people, and all participants must live in Milton and be over 14 years old. Contest organizers say they’ve had everyone from magicians and singers to ukulele players register. It’s an indication of how diverse the talent in Milton is; “it’s time to bring it out and let Milton see,” say the organizers. Milton’s Cultural Services Manager Rob MacKay has confirmed the judges as Television Host Kelly MacIntyre, Theatre Director Heinar Piller, and Bob Hall of the Milton Show Choir. “Hosting a new Arts program on TV COGECO called Art & Soul and having a long career in the music
Judging criteria include natural ability, showmanship, audience appeal, and quality of performance. MacIntyre feels she has something constructive to offer contestants. “I hope to instill some positive feedback to each of the contestants to take away from this,” she said. The contest was first announced in early September. “Milton is full of artistic talent and this contest offers a wonderful way to support local undiscovered talent,” Mayor Gord Krantz said in a news release announcing the competition. Between three and five participants from each evening will advance to the finals on October 18, 2012. The winner will get a chance to perform in the first annual Mayor’s Gala in January, 2013. Organizers view this as a chance for performers display their talent in the Mattamy Theatre. The idea is part of an ongoing effort to bring more variety to the Arts Centre. Tickets are $10 being sold for all three performances through the Arts Centre’s official website, and at their box office inside. There are a limited number of tickets available for students at $5 each through the EyeGo discount program. http://miltoncentreforthearts.ca
by Laura Steiner
Kelly MacInt yre
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industry I was thrilled to be asked to be a judge and bring my experience to the panel,” MacIntyre said of being named to the panel.
Milton Villager
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veryone has a unique talent. It could be playing a musical instrument or singing, or even as a magician. Miltonians now have a chance to showcase it in the first ever Milton Talent Contest at the Milton Centre for the Arts taking place October 4, October 11, and the finals on October 18, 2012.
o ot Ph nn A by ta nu or K
Adam Smith is looking forward to seeing how his “free library” experiment, which he built on the front lawn of his Commercial Street property, is going to pan out. Will its users return the books they borrow? And will more books be added to the three library shelves from passersby?
Micro Library Milton resident opens
10 | Milton Villager
on front lawn
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ommercial Street resident Adam Smith came up with a small solution after the nearby Bruce Street Library closed its doors for good. “I’ll build my own library,” Smith said.
“It’s definitely gone viral,” he said. “Reading the comments on the shares is awesome. They come from all over the world. I’m in contact with a guy in a small town in South Africa right now who’s working with a high school there.”
Smith said the Harry Potter books were the first to disappear from his library. Smith is finishing the construction of six smaller versions of the free library to be installed on the properties of friends and family. For those interested in making a do-it-yourself library of their own, Smith said he’ll be posting the design’s plans on “The response has been amazing. People love it,” the library’s facebook page: www.facebook.com/ Smith said, noting that the photo he uploaded commercialstreetlibrary. to Facebook had been shared more than 2,000 By Stuart Service times in less than 24 hours. He said “the engineer in me” compelled him to construct a giant birdhouse-like structure for his front lawn. Passersby can open up the $10 glass door, which Smith bought at the Reuse Centre in Burlington, and either take a book or leave a book.
by Jenifer Sim
W
ith a long, hot summer behind us and the cold weather fast approaching, it is time to get ready for Hallowe’en. Originally thought to be the time when the veil between the world of ghosts, goblins and spirits was at its thinnest, today Hallowe’en is a day of fun for both children and adults. The Milton Haunted House is again set to create new and lasting memories for a younger generation. In its third year, it is rapidly becoming a favourite Hallowe’en tradition for Miltonians of all ages. The Milton Haunted House started out as a neighbourhood attraction, set up at the home of Ward 7 Councillor, Rick Di Lorenzo. When it grew in size and popularity it began threatening to take over his basement and his garage, Di Lorenzo decided to move it to a more central venue. With the help of a team of volunteers, the event has been expanded and relocated to the Milton Mall where Rick and his team are thrilled to provide a “spooktacular” family event. Over the past two years the Milton Haunted house has raised more than $16,000 for Milton District Hospital Foundation (MDHF).
until 7 pm. Admission to the event will be by donation. Money raised will go to the Milton District Hospital Foundation to help with the purchase of essential medical equipment for Milton District Hospital.. One of the unique features of The Milton Haunted House is that it is designed to be suitable for all ages and sensitive to all visitors. Before entering, parents and children are offered a flashlight which can be used as a signal for the volunteers inside the set that the visitor would prefer a more “family” experience. As a result, the experience can be a gentle but slightly spooky adventure for little ones as well as a scream-fest for the more daring visitors. Youth volunteers come from the Milton Youth Theatre Productions and local high schools, and adult volunteers come from across the community. High school students are able to receive Community Service Hours for the time they put in on the project. In addition to the Haunted House tour, penny raffles, face painting, and photo opportunities will also be available. For those who wish to get an earlier start to the day, the Milton Mall will be having its Third Annual Mallowe’en Spooktacular from 10 am until 12 noon on Saturday, October 27th. There will be free pumpkin carving, costume contests, crafts and entertainment aimed at children ages 4 to 12.
The 2012 edition of The Milton Haunted House will once again take place at the Milton Mall across from the Stitches Mega Warehouse. It will be open on Saturday, October 27th and Sunday, October 28th, with the ghouls working to scare you silly from 12 noon For more details, visit www.miltonhauntedhouse.com
Platinum Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors:
Silver Sponsors: MILTON HYDRO
All sponsor contributions go directly to MDHF (Milton District Hospital Foundation)
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