Toronto Today - March 2012 by Town Crier

oRONTO oday

Man in the middle

JOHN PaRker

The conservative councillor who went rogue on Rob Ford

March 2012

THE EMPTY NEST EFFECT

New census figures show midtown is both growing and shrinking

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Contents

Vice President of Finance

Doreen Iannuzzi

Vice President of New Media

EDITORIAL Eric McMillan EDITOR-in-chief

Rodger Burnside MANAGING EDITOR

Brian Baker

sports editor

Shadi Raoufi

EDITORIAL ART DIRECTOR

Karolyn Coorsh Gordon Cameron Shawn Star Associate EDITORS

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EVERYDAY DUDE ‘I’m not a comedian, I’m a guy who talks junk,’ Keith Pedro says

Numbers help tell a human story

here’s a rule of thumb in the book publishing industry that you lose half your readership for every mathematical formula you print. This likely holds true for the popular press too, of which we like to think Toronto Today is a member. Conversely though, enough readers are number nerds to make it worth a publication pointing out figures. “By the numbers” boxes, graphs, maps and other such sidebars are a growing feature of newspapers and news magazines. As we put this publication to bed, I’ve had several moments of doubt. Geez, this is one really serious issue, I’ve noted. It starts with a map illustrating population growth rates in Toronto census tracts, based on Statistics Canada data. Woo. But the associated articles mine the information to extract a more human story — how our neighbourhoods are changing, and what it may mean for the future development of our communities.

Eric McMillan, editor-in-chief We hope we’ve succeeded in overcoming any dismay you may have in trying to understand statistics. And we hope you stay on board over the next year as StatsCan releases more census material for us to work over and figure out what it says about us and where we live. That is, we hope we have your number. TT

THE REAL ESTATE PERSPECTIVE on our changing—still popular—neighbourhoods

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A BUSINESS BY ANY OTHER NAME may not smell as sweet when it’s being ripped off

AGENT OF STYLE: Afiya Francisco keeps fashion up to date one webisode at a time.

LIBRARIES GOING DIGITAL: What does it mean for the future of reading?

WITHROW’S ON THE BALL: Hockey league for fun gets serious.

Plus lots more... On the cover: THE EMPTY NESTERS EFFECT on Toronto’s population Page 4 Illustration by Eric McMillan/Toronto Today

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MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY

News&Opinion

Population growth

From 2006 to 2011

+17.7% or more +11.8%–17.7% +5.9%–11.8% +0%–5.9% Less than 0% MIDTOWN IN THE MIDDLE: New census figures show that the population in parts of Toronto — including the downtown condominium developments, selected suburbs, and Yonge-Eglinton and the Davenport area in midtown — has intensified dramatically over five years (darker colours on this map). But areas of the city — both central and suburban — have also experienced slow growth and even declining population (lighter colours).

Hurry up and slow down Empty nesters are cooling growth in some areas, heating it up in others

By Karolyn coorsh

ging Baby Boomers are swapping their two-storey detached homes in the suburbs for vertical downtown living, say population analysts. It’s parents whose children have fled the nest and are preparing to retire who could be accounting for a growing population shift occurring in midtown and downtown neighbourhoods. Newly released census data on population between 2006 and 2011 places Toronto on the list of municipalities with steady growth. Toronto’s population grew by 111,779 residents, an increase of 4.5 percent between 2006 and 2011. It’s a minor hike, compared to neighbouring municipalities like Vaughan (20.7 percent), Ajax (21. 6) or Whitchurch-Stouffville (54.3), which have been experiencing significant growth for years. But Nelson Wiseman, politics professor at the University of Toronto, says we’re not seeing a full

TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

exodus to the suburbs. While there may be some pockets of Toronto that have shown no growth, Toronto by and large is not suffering from declining numbers. “The suburbs started to grow dramatically after the Second World War — that pattern has continued,” Wiseman says. “Now, with increased energy costs and an older population, that’s one of the reasons the city of Toronto itself is starting to grow more rapidly.” Wiseman says empty nesters looking to downsize aren’t retiring north to cottage country like in years past, but joining the downtown urbanites. “There are cranes all over the city — but there are a lot downtown,” he says. Midtown councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam says her ward, one of the most populous in the city, is an example of that burst in population growth.

The 2011 census data map indicates large swaths of the ward with an increase in population of 17.7 percent or higher. Ward 27, which stretches from Moore Park to Queen Street, has seen a slow influx of seniors who want affordable housing closer to transit lines and within walking distance to amenities, Wong-Tam says. “I’ve run into people who are coming in from Richmond Hill, their kids are gone, and they’ve decided that they want to live downtown. They want to get away from the driving culture and they love that the downtown is so electric.” Wong-Tam, who was first elected councillor in 2010, says she’s already seeing more mature adults at neighbourhood CONTINUED Page 7

Midtown neighbourhoods still popular

By SHAWN STAR

ichard Byford remembers when he and his young family moved into Leaside in the late 1970s. “We’d walk our little babies down the block and say ‘Shhh, don’t wake anybody up, they’re all old people,’ ” he recalls. “And then within five years, the older ones moved on and a whole bunch of younger families came onto the street with their kids.” That was 35 years ago when the vice-president of Bonnie Byford Real Estate Ltd. was just getting started in the business. Now, he says it seems things are coming full circle. “And now we’re going back to where we’re still here 35 years later, and so are many of the others, but the kids have left,” he said. “So in the next couple years, there’s going to be a change over on that block again.” Byford uses his own experience as an example of population change in a neighbourhood to explain why some areas in midtown, according to the census, appear to be declining in population. “It’s just the changeover in the neighbourhood,” he says. “The neighbourhood itself hasn’t declined in popularity, it’s just the people within the houses have gotten older and they’re going to move on to their condominiums and the new families will move in with a couple kids and we start the process all over again.” One of those areas that experienced a decline over the past five years is a good-sized portion of Lytton Park. Byford says the usual reasons for why a neighbourhood would drop in population don’t apply in the case of Lytton Park. “(Population can decline) if the neighbourhood is going down because of a crime situation or if the schools are in decline, but the neighbourhoods I work have all been popular for 30 years and are just staying popular because of all the good things about them,” he said. “It doesn’t mean Lytton Park is falling away in popularity, far from it. It’s part of the inner core that’s super popular.” Royal LePage midtown agent Frank Jones agrees areas like Lytton Park are only in decline due to a rise in empty nesters. But he also points to a southward shift of home redevelopment. “Builders and developers were purchasing properties up there around Yonge and Lawrence because they were cheaper and bigger lots. The whole Cricket Club area and Lytton Park, builders could get in and buy properties for a few hundred thousand dollars,

build a 2,800 to 3,500-square-foot beautiful home on it, sell it, and be able to make a good profit,” he said, adding those builders would net in the area of half a million dollars per sale. “But now that’s totally changed because homeowners don’t want a few hundred thousand for their lots, they want a million

dollars for their lots.” Developers then started buying properties around Yonge and Eglinton for $1.4 million, building a 4,000 sq ft home on it, which Jones says costs them a total of about $2.2 million, and then they list the CONTINUED Page 6

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Breaking down the numbers Though Toronto’s growth rate fell short of the national average, our city still had more significant growth in terms of sheer numbers than any other municipality in the GTA. From 2006 to 2011, Toronto welcomed an additional 111,779 residents, making our total population 2,615,060. Given that Toronto’s density is 4,149.5 people per square kilometre — at least double all other GTA municipalities, save for Mississauga and Newmarket at 2,439.9 and 2,086.3 respectively — it is all the more impressive that Torontonians found the elbow room to squeeze in an additional 61 new neighbours per day over the past five years. The census pegs Toronto’s population growth rate at 4.5 percent, but with Toronto’s massive population compared to other municipalities, that number is quite a feat. In fact Toronto, on average, grew more each year over the past five years, than it had in the whole five years previous. Considering the increase of 111,779 over the last five years, that’s about 22,356 per year, while from 2001 to 2006 we added just 21,787, for a total growth rate of less than one percent. When comparing growth rates over those two five-year periods (2001-2006 versus 2006-2011), The rate of Toronto’s growth rate increased by a whopping 513 percent. This is astronomical and is highly unlikely to continue. But for fun let’s surmise it does. Where will we be in, say, 20 years? If this current growth rate continues exponentially over the next 20 years (four terms), Toronto’s overall population will come in at just slightly over 80 million. If that happens — and we don’t expect it will — we’d probably need a few more councillors.

Continued from Page 5 home for around $2.7 million. “So they’re still trying to make that half million dollars,” he says. “There’s a lot of development going on here because for the additional price of living at Yonge and Eglinton instead of Yonge and Lawrence … it’s far superior.” Though that explains the general change over in population, how can one explain the areas that experienced significant growth? “There’s condo buildings everywhere popping up,” Jones said, naming 900 Mt. Pleasant Rd., 83 Redpath Ave., 212 Eglinton Ave. E., 88 Broadway Ave., and 70 Roehampton Ave. as just some of the more recent developments. “And then one of the largest condo tower developments was the Minto buildings.” Of course, with that much development comes concerns from the community. And Jones, who has lived near Yonge and Eglinton for 20 years, says the majority of those concerns deal with not wanting to see the neighbourhood change from the quiet place it was. Using the Minto Towers and their approximately 500 units as an example, Jones says the equivalent would be building 500 single-family dwellings in an area like Richmond Hill, all on 40 ft by 140 ft lots — in other words, urban sprawl.

Once developers would break down the options like that, Jones says a lot of people realized the condos were a better idea, environmentally speaking, because it prevents people from driving all the way downtown from Richmond Hill, and also preserves the green space that would be eaten up by a such a large housing development. “I do see that as a positive thing, having the neighbourhoods grow, like the downtown core,” he says. “It’s going to get big.” Another area of significant growth was in Lawrence Park and around Sunnybrook. Though Lawrence Park might be expected to be in the same boat as an area such as Lytton Park, Jones says the reason for growth there has more to do with the development of the Kilgour Estates just south of Sunnybrook, which added hundreds of new condominium and townhouse units in the past few years. Referencing his previous notion about population changeover, Byford explained how he saw the original population growth in the Yonge and Law-

rence area, attributing it to the extension of the subway line north of Eglinton. “When the subway went from Eglinton as its northernmost outpost into Lawrence, the world of Yonge and Lawrence was transformed, and it became not more suburban, but part of the inner city at that point,” he said. “So transit does affect population movement and growth of any neighbourhood or style of any neighbourhood.” Byford says the same thing is likely to happen in the areas that will be reached by the Eglinton line once it’s completed. And Jones believes the line is inviting more growth in the immediate area of Yonge and Eglinton in terms of development. “There’s plenty of space down here for continued development,” he says. “With the development now of the Eglinton line, you’re going to see even more growth. People will have easy access to work.” But aside from the Eglinton line coming in, is there still a big future for development in midtown? “Absolutely,” Byford says, adding the proximity of the financial district downtown is a huge draw for commuters. “From a general commentary, in these inner midtown neighbourhoods, we’ve got this surge of smaller homes being removed and bigger homes going in, so one would think that might add to the population,” he concluded. “Whether it’s pure population growth or not, I know why they’re moving here: they like the village atmosphere, they like the access to downtown, they like the neighbourhood shopping, and they like the schools.” TT

Character is doing what is right when no one is looking

Men of Character from Boys of Promise

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TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

Man in the middle

Councillor Parker is considered a Ford ally but it was his opposition to the mayor’s transit plan that sparked the revolt

By karolyn coorsh

association meetings. “It’s been a really nice surprise to run into seniors who said ‘You know, I just sold my four-bedroom house in Ajax and I’ve always wanted to live downtown. I never could do it and so I figured I’d do it now’.” On the north side of Bloor in her ward, Tam says longtime homeowners in Rosedale and Moore Park are also beginning to downsize and sell, but they’re not moving far. Residents she greets on patios tell her they have downsized but are reluctant to leave their social club network, so they move to central neighbourhoods like Yorkville — also affluent but with more condominiums. “ ‘We’ve decided to move into the city,’ they say. I think they say that with a lot of affection, because they realize they do live in the city but now they’re living in a much more urban place than the park-like setting in Rosedale.” While seniors may be foregoing the car to experience downtown living for the first time, young families

are still moving north to the suburbs where there is abundant green space and less traffic congestion. “Driving around downtown Toronto is hell,” Wiseman said. Though she’s pleased to welcome new residents to the area, Wong-Tam says she’s concerned that local capital infrastructure projects are not keeping pace with population growth. “We’ve had all sorts of intensification along the transit corridors, and the subway lines, but I don’t have more schools, I don’t have an expansion of child care spaces, and I don’t have an expansion of community centres,” she says. “So I know that something’s got to give.” The councillor recently requested a report from the city’s chief planner and social development finance staff to determine the gap between intensification from population growth and community amenities. “I suspect that the report will come back saying that we are underserviced with respect to community and recreational amenity space,” she said. TT

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Continued from Page 4

himself at odds with the mayor. “I want it to be clear that I’m not participating in any rebellion against anybody,” he said. “I’m not opposing the mayor in his overall legislative goals and his agenda but this is an issue where we just didn’t see eye to eye.” Parker dismisses talk of divide along political lines on the floor of council, but those who oppose any nod to right-leaning views are quick (and pleased) to point out Parker’s quiet but instrumental role on the transit file. “It’s true that Councillor Parker usually votes with the mayor, and that’s why it’s all the more interesting a decision that he took,” says left-leaning councillor Joe Mihevc. “He said in his speech he CONTINUED Page 21

Francis Crescia/Toronto Today

COUNCILLOR John Parker opposed the mayor’s transit plan, though he tends to be a Ford ally.

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scenes to come up with a compromise that reaffirmed some Transit City light rail projects — a project declared dead by the mayor himself the day he took office — that returned to an old plan to build the line mostly aboveground east of Brentcliffe Road. Parker’s numerous roles at city hall made it hard for either side to ignore his position on the matter. Not only is Parker a TTC commissioner, but the former MPP and Osgoode-educated lawyer is also a fiscal conservative who usually has the mayor’s back on big-ticket votes. Most importantly, his constituents have vested interest in the aboveground/belowground debate: The portion of the Eglinton light rail in question is to run directly through their ward. Days after the transit vote, Parker acknowledged this is the first major issue where he finds

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n her role as TTC chair, Karen Stintz emerged as the most influential voice of dissent in Toronto’s torrid transit debate, but it was another midtown councillor who set the stage for major disruption in council ranks. In November, long before Stintz proposed a revised option for surface rail in Toronto, Don Valley West rep John Parker foreshadowed the 2012 transit showdown when he expressed his opposition to Mayor Rob Ford’s plan to completely bury the Eglinton light rail line, at a cost of $8.4 billion. “We’re buying LRTs and asking it to do what a subway does,” Parker told Toronto Today. “It’ll be the goofiest LRT line known to man.” Parker’s view was that a completely subterranean Eglinton rail would cost a premium to build and result in few returns, so he set to work with Stintz behind the

MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY

Business

francis crescia/toronto today and tristan carter/toronto today

THIS IS NO COPY, RIGHT? Indeed, Avenue Road Roofing and Alpine Roofing are two differrent companies, but happen to have similar printing on the sides of their work vans and trucks. This is not a case of copyright infringement or copycat tactics, as both companies are ranked A+ on the Better Business Bureau website.

Playing the name game Examining Toronto’s copycats, coincidences and the difference between them

By Tristan Carter

Ask the experts Please write to our experts: If you would like to take advantage of their years of experience, send your questions to “Ask the Experts” and they will be happy to reply to you in this space. By E-mail: adsales@mytowncrier.ca, by Fax: 416-488-3671 or write: Ask the Experts, c/o Town Crier, 101 Wingold Ave., Toronto, ON, M6B 1P8.

Marc Linett

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: My 8 year old child was injured in her gymnastics class at school. She fell off the pommel horse in the middle of an exercise and fractured her arm in two places. The gym teacher did not have any spotters in place. Is it possible to sue the school for my daughter’s injuries? : The school may be responsible for your child’s damages if the physical education instructor was negligent in his or her supervision of class activities. As your child is a minor, an action could be brought by you on her behalf. You may also be entitled to damages personally under the Family Law Act if you have provided nursing or other services to your daughter or have experienced a loss of her companionship. You should obtain the names of any witnesses to the incident, including staff and students, and should ensure that a proper report has been made to the school board. You should consult a lawyer promptly if you intend to pursue a claim on your daughter's behalf.

TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

hat’s in a name? Well, a name is an identifier. It allows you to be referred to and recognized. It differentiates you from others — unless they have the same name, that is. This is especially true for businesses. While naming a person after another individual can be seen as a sign of respect, businesses rely on having a unique name, logo or slogan consumers can associate with their products or services. And while imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, in the business world it can severely hurt one’s bottom line. It’s also illegal. According to the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards, “No advertiser shall imitate the copy, slogans or illustrations of another advertiser in such a manner as to mislead the consumer.” And yet it happens all the time. In July, the Better Business Bureau, a not-for-profit organization concerned with corporate accountability, released an alert in regards to two businesses: Yellow-PageCanada.com and Yellow Page Marketing B.V. The bureau accuses both companies of trying to make their targets believe they are dealing with Yellow Pages Group, well known for its phone directories. “There are companies that have mimicked their logos and their names,” said Fiona Dunbar, the bureau’s dispute resolution supervisor. “What their thing is, they send out faxes to businesses and the businesses think they’re dealing with Yellow Pages. “They fill it out and they fax it back and they’re signed up with this other company.” Yellow Pages Group said it is working with the appropriate authorities to address the issue. In the

past three years, the bureau has received 16 complaints about Yellow Pages Group, which currently holds an A- rating on the bureau’s site. The two similarly named companies have received a total of 482 complaints in the same span and both hold an F rating on the site. “We are aware of fraudulent organizations which have chosen to pose as Yellow Pages Group in order to capitalize on our known and trusted name,” read an email statement from the company. Hari Nesathurai is a lawyer and trademark agent in Toronto and says in order to avoid legal trouble, companies need to be careful when registering a business name. “If you register a name that’s close or deceptively similar to someone else’s business name, and especially if you’re in the same business, it’s actionable,” he said. “It would be actionable as copyright infringement sometimes. It would be actionable as passing off, which is the more common offence.” While some cases may seem clear cut, others fall into grey areas. Avenue Road Roofing and Alpine Roofing are the two largest roofing businesses in the city. The similarity of their names is debatable, but their trucks and signage are almost exactly identical. Both feature a white background with the company name in large, blue letterhead. However, both companies are accredited businesses with the bureau and both hold A+ rankings on the Better Business Bureau site. Although companies could face legal action for having a name akin to that of another brand, there are no barriers in place to prevent such names from being registered. CONTINUED Page 10

Fashion

Agent of style Keeping fashion current one webisode at a time

By Ann Ruppenstein

s a regular fashion expert on The Marilyn Denis Show, Afiya Francisco knows the thrills that come with being on live television. “It’s a bit of a rush,” she says. “There’s that inherent back of mind fear, ‘well, there’s no going back should anything happen’ but it’s great. It makes for a nice frank conversation because there is no editing involved so what happens, happens and it’s definitely interesting.” When it comes to being in front of cameras, Francisco says she sometimes picks outfits that demonstrate the topics she’s covering on programs such as Entertainment Tonight Canada or Princess — including how to dress for the holidays — but she most often chooses colours that will pop on screen and clothes that reflect how she’s feeling at the time. As creative director of The Style House blog and co-host of the web series Style Agents, she keeps on top of fashion trends and says pastel shades will be big in the coming months. “The way we’re seeing it being done this time around is that they’re being paired together, which is different for pastels,” she says. “So you’re really walking with a candy-coloured confectionary. I think that’s a welcomed change when the weather starts warming up.” Water-inspired themes will also be making a splash, she says, either literally with fish or aquatic prints or abstract with sparkly materials that shimmer and give the illusion of wet clothes. To transition easily and quickly into an outfit from day to night, Francisco says the secret is in using accessories, which can be stored at your desk until you are ready to head out on the town. “Let’s just picture a great black dress with a blazer that can very much be office appropriate for the day time with subtle jewellery,” she says. “But come evening, if you were to throw on a great statement ‘look at me’ necklace, extra-tall pumps, swap out your tote for a dazzling clutch, right there that outfit has gone completely 360 from the office to the evening.” Francisco says she frequents independent stores and one of her favourite midtown destinations is The Narwhal near Rosedale Subway Station because she likes their selection and aesthetic. “I like buying things often you don’t find at other places,” she says. “I think it’s like a nicely curated option.” If you are shopping for a specific event like a wedding, she says to try things on, revisit the items at a later point and then decide whether or not to buy them. If you wait to start shopping until the day of the party, she says you are more likely to spend more than you wanted to, settle on something you may not wear again or choose an outfit you aren’t overly happy or comfortable wearing.

Every season or at least twice a year, she says it is also important to take a proper inventory of the clothes you already own to assess what you have, how to wear it and what you need to buy. Even though people often hang on to designer items or pieces with sentimental attachment, she says to get rid of things you don’t wear because they’re just taking up space. “Try things on and make sure you still like the way they look on you and you’re not dressing to your body a year ago or a year from now,” she says. “Then when it comes time to dress in the morning, it’s less likely that you’re going to have those moments of ‘I have nothing to wear.’ “How often do people say that looking at a completely stuffed wardrobe?” TT

MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY

How to protect your business name Trademark lawyer Hari Nesathurai advises: A. Register a name that is unique or is as unique as possible. B. File a trademark of copyright application. C. When you find someone trying to use that name, take steps to protect it.

10 TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

Cont. from Page 8

“Here’s the interesting thing, the government doesn’t police you,” Nesathurai said. “So I’m not allowed to register the exact same name as someone else but if I change that name slightly … the government is going to let you register that.” Carol Cave, who registered Toronto Maid & Janitorial Service 15 years ago, knows this, but says a business with a similar name is causing confusion for her customers. “I’ve had people calling really upset because they had paid for their service and the people had

not shown up,” Cave said. “I had a minimum of half a dozen times people calling, threatening me with a lawsuit and I just explained to them that it wasn’t us.” She said she is particularly concerned as she makes her living in a service industry that relies heavily on reputation. “Most of our business comes through word of mouth,” she said. “You’re in people’s homes. It’s very private. They have to trust you.” The competitor in question, Toronto Maids Service, was started and incorporated in 2009, according to a Better Business Bureau report. The report states the corporation holds a C- rating and has received 48 complaints in the last three years. When contacted by **Toronto Today** an employee would only identify the corporation’s owner, Prakash Chand, by his last name and when asked for contact information provided a generic company email only, which was not replied to. Glen Perinot, Nesathurai’s partner at Nesathurai Perinot, said the situation between the two maid service companies would likely not be actionable. “My concerns would be that those marks are clearly descriptive of the services that are provided in association with the mark,” he said. “Unless you are able to prove distinctiveness, courts will accord little protection to marks that are descriptive of the wares and/or services.” Cave said she has thought about changing her company’s name but ultimately decided against it. “I had my employees come up with a bunch of names and we voted on them,” she said. “They came up with a bunch of good names and we googled them and there was just as many as those so we decided we’ll just keep our name.” But Nesathurai said more than a simple web search is in order for those who wish to protect their business interests. He recommended business owners-to-be perform what is called a NUANS corporate name search to find pre-existing businesses with names that are alike. “This is the new way to do it, you google it, but googling doesn’t get you everyone because there’s a lot of companies that don’t have any web presence at all,” he said. For those companies with a web presence, Perinot said extra precautions should be taken. “A lot of Internet users have a tendency to think that everything is in the public domain because it’s on the Internet,” Perinot said. “That’s not the case. “When you’re dealing with the Internet and you’re providing businesses and services over the Internet, you have to be a little more vigilant and diligent in regards to trademark protection.” He said all brand names, slogans and logos should be trademarked or copyrighted and a clear indication of this should appear directly beside them. “You might want to put the little TM beside the logo and/or the trademark,” he said. “If it’s a registered trademark put the little R in the circle, which normally is attributed to and used in association with registered trademarks.” “They’ll have to delete it,” Nesathurai said. “When they copy that logo that R is going to be on it.” Even so, it is possible to get away with having the exact same name as another business, so long as you don’t provide the exact same products or services. “You can have the use of the same name in a different market place,” Perinot said. “For example, somebody who sells Ford boxes. Ford boxes is obviously not confusingly similar with Ford vehicles.” TT

News&Opinion

Paperback vs Digital

What the future holds as Toronto’s libraries turn a new page

By omar mosleh

s a new chapter for Toronto Public Libraries unfolds, city librarian Jane Pyper says their chief objective remains constant: to connect Torontonians to information, even if they have to do so digitally. “As a public library we want to encourage reading and we think reading is reading is reading,” Pyper said. “The container may change, but the content remains paramount.” So it didn’t bother or surprise Pyper when she learned ebooks were the library’s fastest-growing service in terms of popularity, followed closely by access to their wireless connection. In 2011, there were more than 500,000 ebooks circulated — a 103 percent increase from 2010. Other trends consistently show that while the library’s primary role as merely a provider of books is changing, it’s still a popular destination for knowledge in digital format. Computer use was up by 6.5 percent, at 6.4 million users. But that increase is easily eclipsed when one looks at the percentage growth in number of users who accessed the library’s wireless network from their own devices: 2.5 million — a 126 percent increase from 2010. “(People) may come to the library to do some of their work, but they’re bringing their own computer, tablet or phone and spending several hours here to do their work,” Pyper explained. These stats reflect the library’s shifting role as a hub for information in all formats rather than just a repository for books, says Pyper. “As the world has changed, libraries have changed along with them,” she said. But that technological shift has not been without its challenges. With ebooks enormously popular, libraries have had to find a way to prevent unauthorized duplication. The Toronto Public Library has installed digital rights management software on its ebooks, which prevents it from being shared and also makes the file disappear from your computer after three weeks. “So it’s like it’s borrowed,” Pyper said. “You don’t have to physically return it, which may be a challenge for our fines in the future, but it is in effect borrowed for a set period of time.” While this provides some solace to publishers, some are still hesitant to sell their ebooks to librar-

ies, such as Simon & Schuster. Random House has agreed to provide digital materials. “In a traditional environment, I think publishers have always understood that libraries are fostering their market,” Pyper said. “They’re encouraging reading, introducing people to new authors ... so we just need to bring that understanding into the new media world.” Some, such as City of Toronto budget chair and Ward 39 councillor Mike Del Grande, have publicly mused about what the library’s role should be. “Should the city library become a Blockbuster?” Del Grande said at a media scrum, pondering why residents can access new releases such as Pirates of the Caribbean. Pyper’s response is that while the library’s digital collection has changed — they once offered a projector to go with the 16-millimeter film — they have always strove to offer a balance between academic and educational materials. “The same sort of thing is reflected in our print collection,” she said. “It’s not all serious high-level material, but some of it is.” Del Grande also questioned how much nonEnglish literature the library should be offering. “We’re spending tons of money for ESL,” he said. “Should we not have a discussion of how much of the library budget should go for non-English resources?” That discussion never came to fruition, as an outcry over closing libraries left most politicians unwilling to prod the sacred cow. But Pyper says it wouldn’t have gone far anyway. For one, she argues even non-English speakers still pay taxes to Toronto, and are thus entitled to relevant materials. But even if that were not the case, Pyper says the city has always made it a priority to offer material in non-English languages. For example, in 1885, two years after the library opened, French and German were introduced. In 2011, French and multi-lingual materials were 12.5 percent of overall circulation. “This is a business the Toronto Public Library has been involved with for a long time,” she said. “In regard to other language materials, it’s shifted over time, in terms of the languages that circulate

really well.” For example, South-Asian materials are highly utilized. “Certainly what has happened is it’s more reflective of the makeup of Toronto,” Pyper said. She contends there is also evidence showing that kids who grow up in a household where they observe reading are more likely to become life-long readers. “We do believe that literacy in any language supports overall literacy,” she said. “What’s important is the reading is happening, not what language it’s in.” But as more and more readers flock to libraries for digital media rather than books, will it ever get to the point where they simply transform into computer labs? Not according to University of Toronto senior lecturer of new media at their department of humanities, David Hlynsky. He said he doesn’t believe libraries will disappear because physical books still have an appeal. “I don’t think it’s going to go away for the simple reason for that fetish we have with that physical object,” he said. “I think it’s going to be hard to break that habit of holding a book in your hand.” In addition to the nostalgia, he says features like type fonts and layout won’t transfer well to digital formats. “Even things like the quality of paper and the quality of binding ... hold a great deal of value,” he said. That would seem to line up with the fact children’s books are one of the few categories that have not seen an explosion in digital borrowing. “Children’s material in particular have pictures and colour, and that experience has not yet translated very well into an e-reader world,” Pyper said. From a purely practical point of view, Hlynsky points out it will be decades before all the world’s print material is available digitally. For Pyper, it doesn’t matter whether the information is digital or analogue, as long as it gets where it needs to go. “For us, the library’s really about connecting people to information and resources,” she said. “It may not be a book anymore, but it’s still about making that magic happen.” . TT MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY 11

Dining

Seven deadly dins Liz Campbell

he line-up along the narrow aisle by the door is long, but at least there’s entertainment. Rosa, chef extraordinaire, is two feet away, tossing tomatoes into pasta. While chopping an onion, she suddenly picks up the uncut half and with a broad grin, tosses it at one of the staff. When we’re seated, the waiter leaves a tablet computer on the table. It offers links to red wines, white wines, beer and cocktails, as well as sweets. Oddly however, the menu is hand written on three chalkboards around the room. This is because the menu changes daily, according to the whims of Rosa, who rules with an iron fist — or onion. My three guests and I order a bottle of white Grillo from Sicily ($32). It’s served Italian style, in heavy glass tumblers (Reidel who?). We sip and study the boards. There are four lists: Antipasti, Primi, which is pasta, Secondi, which are the main courses of meat or fish, and Contorni, accompaniments and vegetables. The waiter recommends we choose from all four. Or we can dine family style with a selection of appetizers and pasta from the chef and our own choices of mains ($28 per person). We opt for our own. I start with grilled shrimp with pea puree ($8). The puree has a definite kick of spice and makes a nice contrast with the shrimp, which are perfectly grilled. We’re off to a great start. A salad of arugula with goat cheese and roasted red peppers ($7) gets thumbs up with the comment that there’s plenty of it. The prosciutto salad ($9) is a happy blend of radicchio and greens topped with a generous portion of paper-thin pro12 TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

sciutto and a prettily quartered fig. “The fig is a nice touch,” says my guest. The same mix of greens and radicchio hides under a helping of fried calamari ($7). The batter is light and delicate, while the oil doesn’t linger on the palate. From the pastas, available in small and large portions ($6.50/$9.50), we choose two small portions and share them — our attempt to eat moderately. In fact, the portions come in small bowls and aren’t excessive. Linguine with rapini has lots of fresh chopped tomatoes as well as the rapini. It beats the heck out of the usual red sauce and allows one to taste each ingredient. Lovely. The tortiglioni with cauliflower has a distinct bite of hot peppers. It doesn’t need the extra parmesan, which the waiter brings in a small mason jar. In another, there’s sliced hot peppers in oil. Two of us put some of these on the pasta. They’re savoury but not impossibly hot and add even more tang. I can’t resist sexy duck leg ($9) — I have to see what makes it sexy. Served on a small mound of greens, it’s meaty and juicy, smothered in rosemary and wine jus. Actually, on the bill it’s described as sexiest duck leg. Did I get the sexiest of the lot? In Italy, is rosemary sexy? Google was no help. Spicy rabbit ($11) is smothered in peppers and potatoes and is very spicy indeed. My guest enjoys the dish but I watch in fascination as he keeps adding to the pile of small bones on his plate. Apparently these are bunny spareribs! Braised lamb shank is surrounded with marrowfat peas ($11). It’s meaty and tender with little seasoning to spoil the taste of the lamb. “It’s a

little well done but still excellent,” says my guest. A grilled pork chop comes with caramelized onions ($11) and while tasty, “it’s not very different from something I’d make on the barbeque,” says my guest. Actually, that’s the point. This is casareccia, home cooking. And we do what you’d do at home, we share our four contorni ($4 each). Grilled zucchini have only just kissed the flame, so they’re still firm. Grilled rapini is, by contrast, well done. The roasted red peppers are delicious but served cold. And spicy broccoli is soft, overcooked, and has no discernible spice. The desserts are brought in from elsewhere, the waiter says, because Rosa grew up in Italy with olive oil, not butter, so she doesn’t do desserts. Key lime pie, a tart of raspberries ($6.50), white chocolate and pistachios ($7), and a white and dark chocolate mousse

($7) are all delicious. Seven Numbers is busy, tables are close together and the noise levels are extraordinary — not helped by the frenetic percussion from a sound system whose melody has long since given up the struggle to be heard. Then there’s the open kitchen: dishwasher, Rosa at the stove, etc. It’s all a little hectic. But the staff is incredibly friendly and full of fun. Despite the line-ups, there’s no pressure to get on with it and free the table. And if you want a little insight into the atmosphere — and Rosa’s penchant for throwing onions — just check out the website. It’s a hoot. Seven Numbers has two locations. We visited the Eglinton one which is newer: 516 Eglinton Ave. W. 416322-5183. There’s also one at 307 Danforth Ave. 416-469-5183. www. sevennumbers.com. Reservations are only taken for six or more, hence the line-ups at the door. TT

Food

Gimme some sugar Or, go with healthier, more versatile option — maple syrup

By Liz Campbell

ith the first signs of spring, the sap begins to flow in maple trees, and that means one thing: maple syrup! First collected and used by aboriginal people in North America, it didn’t take long for European settlers to recognize what a delicious treat came from the majestic trees all around them. They prized it for its flavour, but maple syrup is also good for you. Scientists have found maple syrup contains natural phenols, potentially beneficial antioxidants. In one study, 34 new compounds were discovered in pure maple syrup, five of which have never before been seen in nature. One ounce of maple syrup contains significant amounts of manganese and zinc, minerals that are good for your heart and immune system. Compared to honey, maple syrup has 15 times more calcium and 1/10 as much sodium. The quality of the syrup varies in characteristics such as colour, taste and consistency. In Ontario, maple syrups are labelled either Grade 1 or 2, and then given a colour grading from extra light to dark amber (the ambers are grade 2 only). In general, the lighter the colour, the more subtle the flavour, so if you’re like me and love that strong maple flavour, go for a darker syrup. Quebec is by far the largest producer of maple syrup, with about threequarters of the world’s production coming from

Maple Syrup Festivals

Kortright Centre for Conservation (Woodbridge) Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area (Stouffville) From Saturday March 5th until April 10th the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority runs maple syrup festivals at the Kortright Centre for Conservation in Woodbridge and at Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area in Stouffville. Kortright is open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bruce’s Mill opens every weekend, all March Break, and weekdays, except Mondays and Tuesdays, from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Website: http://www.maplesyrupfest.com/. Bronte Creek’s Annual Maple Syrup Festival Fresh Ontario maple syrup begins flowing at Bronte Creek Provincial Park each March when the park’s annual Maple Syrup Festival gets under way. The maple syrup festivities are open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every weekend in March and from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily through March Break. Enjoy a guided tour of the Maple Lane, where 1890s costumed interpreters demonstrate how to tap maple trees, make maple syrup and maple sugar. View artefacts in the maple museum or tour the 100-year-old Spruce Lane Farmhouse. Be sure to browse through the maple products and souvenirs available in the Maple Gift Shoppe and pick up a bottle of syrup to take home. Hop on a wagon that will take you to a heated pancake house where you can enjoy fresh, hot pancakes with pure maple syrup and sausages, served up throughout the festival hours.

this province alone. But Ontario has its share of maple trees and each spring many areas stage maple festivals. Check our list below for some local festivals where you can learn about tapping trees and taste some syrup. If you’re lucky, we’ll have some snow to make maple taffy! Maple syrup is good for much more than pancakes. Used instead of sugar as a sweetener, it gives coffee a special taste. Add some to mashed sweet potatoes or drizzle a teaspoon into cooked carrots and toss over heat for a minute before serving. Add maple syrup to your oatmeal for a delicious, nutritious flavour switch. And check out the recipe below from one of Quebec’s foremost cooks. Maple Meringue Benoit Madame Jehanne

Benoit was one of Quebec’s gifts to the culinary world. A lifelong promoter of French Canadian cuisine, cookbook author and broadcaster, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada for her contributions in 1973. She passed away in 1987, leaving a legacy of cookbooks and recipes that are still appreciated.

Directions: Boil 1 cup maple syrup until reduced to ¾ cup. Cool. Measure ½ cup maple syrup and 3 tbsp. brandy and place these at the bottom of a butter

soufflé dish. Dot with the butter pieces. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add ½ cup icing sugar and 2 tsp. baking powder to egg whites. Fold the cooled syrup into the beaten

egg whites. Pour this mixture into the soufflé dish. Place this over hot water in 300F oven for one hour. Serve immediately. This is a glorious, no-fail dessert! TT

This is her homage to Quebec maple syrup — though don’t worry about using Ontario syrup to make it. While it’s a fairly decadent recipe, it’s actually low fat and so incredibly tasty that a little goes a long way. Serve it to friends at your next dinner. I guarantee they’ll swoon. 1 ½ cups maple syrup 4 egg whites 3 tbsp. brandy 1 tbsp. butter cut into small dice 2 tsp. baking powder MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY 13

BE FLEXIBLE: Health advocate Barry H. Samuel says improving individual health starts with a lifestyle behaviour change and continues by finding a balance in your life.

Tips for improving individual health By BARRY H. SAMUEL

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Health

Your health is a balancing act e are a society that overworks, overeats, overspends, is sleep deprived and all too often neglects its individual health. As such, we are a society that would appear misguided. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an elementary case of living life to extremes and losing a sense of control. In western culture, we are habitually consumed with this â&#x20AC;&#x153;treadmill lifestyleâ&#x20AC;?. That is, chronically and even mindlessly at times, getting through each day just to try to keep up to survive. Most of us can relate to living this kind of survivalist experience â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that sense of doing those things that need to get done to cope. Some on the other hand are as yet not as aware of this pattern of living. Inherent with this lifestyle is the perceived need to live excessively and acquire things, including material wants we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really need. This validates and rationalizes our out-of-balance behaviour. Inwardly, we yearn for those rich experiences that provide joy and fulfillment beyond the daily grind of it all.Â Â On a socio-political level, most of us are willing to acknowledge the crude reality of our healthcare system being primarily about managing sicknesses and disease. This creates the need for us to act ahead. On this basis, it is clear we need to act in order to spare ourselves. As we collectively overstretch in our lives, the concept of life balance has come into view now more than ever. In my working practice of the past two decades, I have seen one universal trend to this end.

That is, classically, as a new season begins there is a re-awakening toward internal development and behavioural change. The appetite for healthy change is once again ignited with opportunity to gain self-awareness through personal introspection, planning and of course, action! Â Lifestyle Behaviour Change The responsible reality for sustainable life change is that it requires discipline in the form of consistency (time) and perseverance. The usual quick-fix is not good practice or habit and typically leads to a subsequent fall. In order to provide inspiration and leadership for others, we must begin intrinsically. The solution is to identify those small changes to everyday living that will help enrich our experiences and add this sense of vitality.Â Paramount is to recognize first that without basic health, using a more balanced approach it becomes difficult to provide for others, or, even for ourselves to the fullest. Once we begin to spiral downhill, the mere thought of getting back up seems too daunting to want to work toward individual empowerment.Â Societal norms have it that we are conditioned to living a path of career, family, taking vacation twice a year and to celebrating special moments with friends and loved ones. Yet, nowadays, even this notion is a struggle for most to fit in among a frenetic life that can seem overwhelming and multi-directional at times. The dilemma becomes, as parent, friend or co-worker: â&#x20AC;&#x153;how can I justify putting myself to focus on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;me firstâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; without seeming narcissistic?â&#x20AC;? And, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not forget the element of conscious guilt that pervades by manifesting barriers to carving out time for yourself. It would seem in our popular culture the notion of putting yourself first is considered to be selfish and not acceptable. Being Ready for Me First

A lifestyle behaviour change is needed to improve your personal health.

In those moments when energy is completely drained and things feel like they areÂ closing in around you, the notion of taking time for yourself seems nearly impossible. So, is it okay then to put ourselves ahead of family, friends and others? Lifestyle behaviour change can only begin with an awareness to being ready to accept that for oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental, physical and emotional health to thrive, we must attempt to make ourselves a priority and reap regeneration. The obligatory objections are predictable, starting with, â&#x20AC;&#x153;how can I possibly change myself with so many people, or, things to take care of first?â&#x20AC;? or, â&#x20AC;&#x153;where would I possibly find the time and energy even to begin?â&#x20AC;? The fact is we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a choice. We must look after ourselves to care better for others.Â Â How Do I Make Successful Change? As we strive to expand ourselves and life experience, we naturally seek out new challenges. The mere notion itself has both an exciting yet scary ring. So, how do we make changes to improveÂ life balance and behaviours?Â Recognizing there is both a need and value to begin establishing ourselves as a priority is a logical place to start. While it may become clear in time, and seem simple to many, this first step is in no way a challenge of small proportions. TT Barry H. Samuel is a coach and advocator toward improved education, and, for a healthcare system that places an emphasis on preventive programs.

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Home&Garden

The white stuff And we don’t mean snow By Mary Fran McQuade

hite has been pretty much missing from our colour palette this winter. No white Christmas, a soggy New Year’s, a damp Valentine’s Day, no glittering crystal tree limbs or icing-smooth snow fields. (Of course, by the time you read this, we may be buried in the stuff.) So it’s a good time to think about what white adds to our world, not only outdoors, but indoors. Really, who can resist white wicker furniture? Or soft white sheets? Or lacy white curtains? Classic and modern White is an essential in our homes. The right white background will show off collections of art, antiques, sculptures and textiles the way no other colour could. Wood furniture, in dark or mellow aged tones, begs for antique white accessories such as table settings, linens, candles or even tabletops. And crisp white exterior trim does for a house what white tie and tails did for Fred Astaire. Pure white walls, lighting fixtures, furniture, counters, cabinets, and even rugs are a hallmark of clean-lined 21st century design. We weren’t the first to think of it, though. Back in the ’20s and ’30s, legendary English designer Syrie Maugham introduced the all-white room. (Think of all those 1930s movies with glam white satin and snow-white fur costume design). Even earlier, King Gustav III of Sweden presided over a trend we still see today: graceful 18th century furniture painted white with perhaps the lightest of pastel tints. And, of course, don’t forget the U.S.’s White House, painted that colour to cover the damage done by British (and Canadian) forces during the War of 1812.

Mary Fran McQuade/VAughan Today

WHITE LANTERN: To add less colour to your home.

White magic White does, in fact, cover a multitude of sins. Try coating unmatched lamps, occasional tables, chairs or picture frames with white paint and see how well they blend. (Just don’t use all those items at once, please). Fusspot furniture, with lots of curlicues and carvings, becomes calm and soothing when soft white restrains the visual turmoil. The same magic works on aged-iron beds, plain weathered furniture and architectural accents like wooden pillars and arches. Slap some white paint on them and you have trendy, shabby chic pieces. I’ve even seen old wire gates given this treatment, and then sold for high prices as garden ornaments. If you like the mellow, aged look, add accessories like milk glass cake stands and crackle-glazed white pottery pitchers. They’ll stand up to the

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Fill in the blanks If all-white really, really appeals to your soul, consider warming things up a little with texture and spots of colour. Knitted or faux fur throws, boldly patterned cushions or table linens and art in clear, pure colours will take the frost out of the air — and lighten your heart. TT

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The many shades of white You’d think finding white paint would be the easiest thing in the world, but just take a look at the colour chips in a paint store. You’ll find milk white, cloud white, pale ivory, blue-whites (sometimes fancifully called bird’s egg), green-whites, pink- and peach-whites, grey-white (prettily named “dove”), Navajo white and goodness-knows-what-all white. They’re all different, and they all have their place. The cooler whites are great in bright rooms or smaller rooms. Warmer whites, like ivory, give a sun-kissed look to darker rooms. For a romantic look, try using a tinted white with accessories in a deeper shade of the same or a complementary colour. Some whites, in my view, don’t belong in a real home for real people. I’m thinking of plain white, featureless kitchens that always remind me of a doctor’s office. Not a pleasant environment. Then there’s the decorator’s darling: totally white interiors about as welcoming as an ice hotel. (They’re also a big joke if you have kids, dogs, messy spouses, newspapers and/or an adjacent yard).

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On the table, too For elegant dining rooms, there’s plenty of pricey white china and fine linens to choose from. But white also makes a splash at casual picnics and barbecues. Forget those boring, pasty-white paper plates and that strange, thin crackly plastic. Instead, scout hardware stores and the import shops for shiny white, enamelled metal plates, mugs and bowls. They bring a sweetly old-fashioned flavour to outdoor dining. If they chip a little, don’t worry — that adds to their character. Bonus points: they cost just a few bucks, last forever and can go in the dishwasher. And speaking of the outdoors, what looks better in a bright garden than wonderful white furniture? Benches, dining sets, chaises and plant stands in clean whites make fine outdoor décor. White picket fences are, of course, classic for traditional-style homes. And a white gazebo in the right spot is, quite simply, perfection.

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MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY 17

Travel

Tallahassee bound Endangered species, guided tours and rich history

By Liz Campbell

ur boat, the Limpkin, slowly putts out into the waters of the Wakulla River. Am I about to meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon? After all, this movie and Tarzan (the Johnny Weismuller version) were filmed here. To our delight, the creatures we actually see are two pale manatees, slowly swimming past the boat. Fed by one of the world’s largest and deepest fresh water springs, which keeps the water at a balmy 68F year round, this part of the Wakulla River is a favourite hangout for manatees. These endangered mammals are slow-moving, gentle giants and we’re delighted to be lucky enough to spot several, including what looks like a mother and her baby. Our slow progress further down the river brings us close to comatose alligators and enormous, lazy turtles, all enjoying the sun’s warming rays. We watch a small drama being enacted — a stand-off between alligator and vulture as the latter keeps a wary eye on the reptile as his fellows forage nearby. Each turn brings new birdlife: moorhens, wood ducks, heron, ibis, egrets, snake birds, and in a lucky find, a limpkin, the bird for which our boat has been named. These rare shore birds eat only apple snails and a few years ago, when the snail population declined, they left Wakulla. This year, one lone limpkin has returned and we’re delighted to be able to see it. As wonderful as the wildlife is, this stretch of the river is worth visiting just to see the magnificent southern pines and bald cypress, delicately draped with Spanish moss and perfectly mirrored in the still water. Too soon our boat ride is over and we’re back at the dock. At the Wakulla Springs Lodge, we lunch on fried green tomatoes and a Po’ boy sandwich of soft-shell crab — real southern cooking. The Lodge, in the heart of Wakulla Springs State Park, was once the home of financier Edward Ball, who built it in 1937 to entertain the political cognoscenti of the time. Its 28 bedrooms now welcome guests year round. A walk through this magnificent building with its Tennessee marble floors and handsomely decorated reclaimed cypress ceilings, perfectly showcases the conservational ethos of its builder. Wakulla Springs is one of the reasons to visit Tallahassee, Florida’s capital, but there are so many more. A pretty town whose two main activities seem to revolve around the state legislature and the local university, it also has several fine museums. The Museum of Florida History takes one on an exploration through time, from the earliest native settlers of the area to the pres-

18 TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

liz campbell/vaughan today

THEY’VE GOT SOME SWAMPLAND: Plenty of wildlife abounds in Tallahassee, including the alligator and vultures seen here, in a standoff while the birds forage for food.

ent day. And be prepared for a fascinating tour at the Capitol Museum. Ours was conducted by Governor Jennings ( 1901-1905), aptly portrayed by historian and curator, Andy Edel, who made Florida’s colourful political history very entertaining. One of my favourite spots is the Tallahassee Museum, an extraordinary living museum encompassing 52 acres including wooden walkways through natural cypress groves, populated with wildlife like the Florida panther, the bobcat, red wolves and more local animals. Several are being protected from extinction. It’s also home to the rather rare white squirrel, whose faint grey line along its back and tail is the only deviation from its otherwise albino appearance. It strikes me that it’s lucky to survive, standing out so starkly as it does against the bark of the trees. This museum also has a permanent exhibit of Jim Gary’s whimsical dinosaurs, constructed out of old automobile parts and spray painted bright pink, blue, green, etc. There’s a curious juxtaposition, as our guide points out, since the fuel to run the cars from whose parts these dinosaurs are made, comes from fossil fuel. A visit to the San Luis Mission is another must in Tallahassee. Originally built by the Spaniards in 1539, nearly a century before pilgrims from England set foot on Plymouth Rock, the synergy of Western and Apalache Indians was a good one

and the community thrived for many years. Today, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of the original structures and from extant accounts have recreated the community as it must once have been — a living history centre. I’m impressed by the clever design of the Council House of the Apalache. An enormous round building, its interior is lined with raised seating platforms, under which coal smudges provide mosquito protection. The central firepit is designed so as to create heat in winter, but to draw away warm air up and out the central ceiling hole, pulling in cooler breezes in summer. The doors are low; a grown man must bend down, so entering with a weapon is difficult. Crafty! This peaceful spot must once have been an earthly paradise with Spaniards and Apalache living in harmony. Today, it’s close to the centre of the city and beyond its walls, the busy road is filled with traffic. Tallahassee is easily missed by those heading for Florida’s beaches, but a visit to one of Florida’s oldest cities is definitely worth the detour. TT

This peaceful spot must once have been earthly paradise.

Cycle-friendly Montreal For a Canadian spring vacation, tour the town on two wheels By Liz Campbell

lower pots, horns, teddy bears, even small pairs of Crocs decorate the bicycle helmets around me. I seem to be one of the few without a distinctive adornment on my helmet but I’ve got my number on my shirt and I’m ready to go. I can’t wait for the signal to begin my first Tour de l’Île — part of the Montreal Bike Fest. More than 35,000 cyclists have arrived at the foot of Mont Royal just before 9:30 a.m. on a beautiful Sunday morning. Seeing this number of cyclists assembled in one place is impressive. We’re here to join in the 50km ride around the island of Montreal, though there is a shortcut that shaves off half the distance. The crowd includes teams from various companies, family groups, seniors, friends and neighbours, as well as the inevitable serious riders bent on being first across the finish line. What astounds me is the number of parents trailing toddler carts; it’s all I can do to haul myself around the course! The gathering is like a big party. One group of women has arrived from Vermont. They have come every year since 1997 to take part in this event. MaryClare Gagnon’s roots are French but the 65-year-old has lived in the U.S. all her life. She points to two other women, both from Quebec, sporting bright red shirts and curly ribbons on their helmets. “We met them last year and arranged to meet here today again.” We’re all raring to go, ready to tackle this year’s brand-new route, crisscrossing 11 boroughs and municipalities around the western part of the island — a wonderful way to get a little view of a lot of the city. The roads are closed to traffic and people line the route, cheering on the riders. As I start pedaling up from the bottom of a steep underpass, I’m tempted to hop off my bike and walk. But the voices of onlookers are shouting in both French and English, “Come on! You can do it. Just a little more! Encore un peu!” And I find new heart to keep pedaling. It’s actually a huge high! The Festival begins on Friday with the Tour la Nuit – a night ride that starts as the last rays of the sun set. Some 12,000 cyclists join in this shorter, 20 km ride. On the streets, lights illuminate the route, but through the parks, occasional temporary spotlights create long shadows as the cyclists pass through. I stop to watch the long trail of red taillights ahead, winding through the park like a neon snake. The snake is multi-hued on its back because many riders sport glowing bands, decorations and even colourful flashing lights. The atmosphere during both rides is festive and upbeat. Some people move to the beat, riding with a boom box and pedaling to the rhythms of the music. One woman has Celine Dion’s “I’m Alive” blaring from her speakers as she rides by. It could be the theme song for this ride. Montreal is a city reasonably well set up for cycling. Many of the bike lanes are separated from the other traffic by small, raised concrete barriers. Brilliant! Unlike the case in many other cities, cars cannot infringe on this space while driving or park on the bike lane. Rush hour in Montreal has almost as many bicycles as cars and, according to Vélo-Quebec, the move to this emissionfree mode of transport is growing 10 percent each year. Bixi, a system of public bicycles available for rent by the day, week or month, now has more than 10,000

subscribers. These are conveniently located (often near subway stations) all over the city for riders to pick up, then drop off. Bixi is also a useful way for visitors to see the city — all that magnificent architecture is easily missed zipping by in a car. In fact, Montreal is an architectural feast with a blend of modern and classic. Stop to look carefully as you ride. You’ll find spectacular structures like I.M. Pei’s cruciform Place Ville Marie (with fabulous shopping at its base) and Art Deco classics like Montreal’s own Empire State Building, the Aldred Building in Place d’Armes Square in Old Montreal. In the same Square, the gothic turrets of Notre Dame Basilica reach dramatically for the heavens, while on his monument, Sieur de Maisonneuve victoriously lifts his own banner skyward. Probably the most remarkable of Montreal’s buildings is another icon: St. Joseph’s Oratory. A church constructed on top of another church, a visit inside reveals dusty rows of crutches abandoned by those cured by Brother André, the tomb of the devout monk himself, and remarkable stained glass windows. While a less common sight than in former days, it’s not unusual to see pilgrims kneeling their way up the 233 steps to the entrance.

Grab a Bixi bike when you get to the subway stop at Côte des Neiges to ride to the Oratory. Indeed, hopping on and off bikes and public transport is probably the most convenient way to explore this busy city. The Tour slowly winds its way back to Mont Royal and as we return, the blare of live music greets us. The chatter around me is both French and English and there’s a shared camaraderie. After all, we’ve all arrived at the finish line and I, for one, am delighted to have made it. I don’t even mind that the lady pulling her toddler in a bike trailer got here before me. Now it’s party time. If you go: Velo-Quebec’s website is bilingual and offers lots of useful info including updates and registration for the Montreal Bike Fest: www.velo.qc.ca.

Bixi: You can subscribe for a day for $5 with unlimited 30 minute rides. www.montreal.bixi.com Montreal events: Check the Montreal Tourism website for a comprehensive list of events, gallery shows, music, etc.: www.tourisme-montreal.org. TT

MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY 19

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THE BEST MEDICINE: Though finding fame by touring Canada’s college campuses, being part of a sketch comedy group and being on Video on Trial, Keith Pedro is still surprised when people recognize him.

Hilarity ensues Comedian Keith Pedro on life, love and work

By Mathieu Yuill

eith Pedro had just spent the past few weeks killing it with his stand-up routine on a tour of Canadian college campuses. Now, he was back to his more familiar routine of hosting a sketch comedy night featuring his troupe. He started off the evening with the same material that had worked so well on tour only to receive a mixed reaction from the audience. From there, the troupe performed their first sketch, which Pedro admits was “a little bit dirty.” The audience’s reaction: crickets. “I didn’t read the audience,” Pedro says. “I had been working rooms with 18- to 22-year-olds but this was an older crowd. After the first scene nobody laughed and I looked at my crew and said ‘we’ve got 85 more minutes of this.’ “I’ve never sweat more in my life without doing some sort of physical activity.” Pedro has been working as a comedian since 2005, but that’s not how he describes what he does. “I’m not a comedian, I’m a guy who talks junk,” he says. “I’m an everyday dude. I’m a normal guy trying to live a normal life.” It’s an honest depiction. Pedro attended Humber College’s comedy writing and performance program as a result of having very few options. He actually wanted to go into advertising but thanks to a lackluster high school career the programs that would take him were few and far between.

20 TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

“For the first year I was doing a set every four months,” he says. “I mostly did them so my mom would think I’m actually doing something at school. But it was something that happened while in his second year that led Pedro to start taking comedy seriously as a career option: his girlfriend got pregnant. He says he felt a sense of responsibility and made the decision to “do it,” and make some money with comedy. Since then, Pedro has gone from a laissez faire college student to a popular Canadian comic — even if he doesn’t know it. “It’s still weird to me when people recognize me and come up to me in public,” Pedro says. Despite his success, the Canadian entertainment industry isn’t particularly lucrative so until recently, Pedro was still holding down a day job at Future Shop. “One day, all of a sudden all these people surrounded me at work and said ‘Hey, Keith Pedro,’ ” he says. “I wasn’t wearing my nametag and had no CONTINUED Page 21

“It’s still weird to me when people recognize me ... in public.”

MPPs push city to settle transit plans About $8.4 billion is resting on your shoulders, city hall, so get it together already. That’s the stern message midtown MPPs are sending from Queen’s Park as councillors continue to waffle over how to build transit across the city. Eglinton-Lawrence MPP Mike Colle says it’s “a miracle” provincial money dedicated to building the Eglinton Crosstown is still available, given the province’s $16ibillion debt load. “We’re talking ($8.4) billion — This is not like deciding what the cost of a cup of coffee is,” he said. “People have no idea how hard this money is to get a hold of, and the very fact that money’s still there is a miracle.” At a Feb. 6 special meeting of council, councillors voted to reaffirm funding for a Finch West light rail line, a new Scarborough RT line and an Eglinton linerunning underground in midtown only. Though Mayor Rob Ford dismissed it as “irrelevant,” the vote threw his plan for a fully buried line off track.

In March 2011, Ford had signed a memorandum of understanding with the province to build a fully underground light rail line. While council revisits sweeping transit plans, Colle says it’s been a struggle for midtown MPPs, including Kathleen Wynne and Eric Hoskins, to hold onto those Eglinton funds. “If we don’t watch our dollars here we could see the whole project jeopardized because there essentially isn’t going to be any more money from the province for transit,” he says. The province and city have been trying to build rapid transit along Eglinton for decades, Colle said. Transit for Eglinton was first pitched as a subway from Bathurst to Pearson airport in 1988. At the time, Colle says, the project had a price tag of just $800 million. In 1995, then-premier Mike Harris scrapped the subway project. Neighbouring MPP Kathleen Wynne, who was transportation minister in March 2011 when the province signed a memorandum of understanding with Mayor Ford to

build the rail fully underground, says there was always a clause in the memorandum ensuring any final plan be signed off by council and provincial cabinet. “There have been lots of conversations among our colleagues about what has happened, and we’re all in agreement that council needs to come to an agreement on what the final plan is,” she said adding when there’s a complete plan the province will again review it with Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency overseeing the construction of the project. Meanwhile, several transit projects are still in play at council. At the February special council meeting, councillors endorsed a plan to establish an expert panel to determine the best plan for transit along Sheppard Avenue. Also gaining traction is Ford’s plan to move ahead with a Sheppard subway. Ford’s team has requested the city manager report back to the committee with recommendations on process to develop the $3.7-billion Sheppard subway plan. TT - Karolyn Coorsh

Continued from Page 7

he did not do this to be antagonistic to the mayor, he did it because he felt it was the right thing to do.” TTC commissioner and Ford ally Peter Milczyn did not vote in favour with what became known as the Stintz plan, but said he’s not at odds with his dissenting council mates. “Some of us have simply agreed to disagree on some aspects of this, because we respect each other and like each other,” he said. “We’ve chosen to not hash it out among each other — Karen Stintz, John Parker and I are in that category.” Leaside community activist Geoff Kettel says constituents have generally been supportive of Parker’s choices, especially when it comes to surface rail. “Most people are glad he moved on that one. It’s common sense, it was just a poor business proposition,” Kettel said

of the plan to completely bury the Eglinton rail. But according to Kettel, Parker does not always have the full support of his constituency. Not everyone, he says, was in favour of Parker’s decision to stand behind the mayor on the city budget. “Certainly we’re in a relatively conservative area, but there’s more sort of liberal people as well,” Kettel said. “If

he’d voted against the mayor (on the budget) I think a lot of people would have supported him.” If it Parker is concerned about re-election in 2014, it would appear he should keep his ear to the ground for the next three years. During the 2010 election, Parker won with 31 percent of vote — a slim victory compared to some of his council mates.

Parker acknowledges he has received complaints from constituents displeased with his position on the transit file. “I try to get back to them and explain to them one by one, how I came to the conclusion that I’ve come to,” he said. He added later: “I may find there are some out who carry a grudge against me for voting against the mayor on this one.” TT

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Cont. from Page 20

clue how they knew my name. They said they knew me from Much Music’s Video on Trial program and they thought I was funny. “I was really flattered but I was on my lunch break and it was almost over so I was like ‘Hey, that’s great guys, can we wrap this up?’ ” Video on Trial has been one of Much Music’s highest rated shows and Pedro was one of the comedians featured on it but it doesn’t seem to faze him. Last Christmas, his cousin asked if he could take a picture with him. Pedro thought it was kind of an odd request but took the shot with him anyway. Later that year the two were out for a drink and Pedro’s cousin confessed to using the picture to impress a girl by saying he knew Pedro. “If I helped him get laid then I’m proud of that,” he says while shrugging as if to suggest he doesn’t quite understand how having a picture taken with him would do anyone any good. Pedro’s humbleness comes by way of his family. He is still with his girlfriend and their son, now six, provides new material for him all the time. “His teacher told me he had poor penmanship and was worried because she wondered what he would do later in life,” he said. “I said ‘probably like everyone else does and use a computer.’ ” The way Pedro explains it sounds light years away from what you’d expect to hear from a comedian’s mouth. “The biggest challenge for me is not the actual material or delivery, it’s the work life balance,” he says. “Being a father and a husband, that’s number one and comedy comes second. But everyone is very supportive, even my girlfriend’s family.” He says this is quite impressive because he can only imagine the conversation all those years ago between his girlfriend and her parents. “How did that go, did she say ‘Hey mom and dad, I’m pregnant, but don’t worry — he’s a comedian,’ ” he says. “They’ve always been great but the day I feel they really accepted that my comedy was real was at her mom’s birthday dinner at Red Lobster. The waiter was taking our order and when he got to me he stopped and said ‘I know you,’ and started to recite some of my jokes. The entire family looked at me and they were really impressed. “I tried to parlay that into some free biscuits. It didn’t work.” TT

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MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY 23

Automotive

No joke

Nissan Juke’s unusual design houses one beautiful speed machine

By Mathieu Yuill

here does one draw the line between beautiful design and atrocities to the naked eye? The people who originally put pen to paper at Nissan Design Europe probably have a better idea than most. They’re the arm of Nissan that came up with the Juke, the mini-crossover with the incredibly high waistline and bug-eyed headlights. When it was introduced as a concept at the 2009 Geneva auto show, critics were quick to pan it for its odd design. Most notably, the front headlights stick out like a fly’s eyes and, thanks to its aggressive arches and lines, they are quite prominent. Headlights aside, the Juke is a beautiful vehicle and its rear and side profiles scream speed — and those screams aren’t cries of wolf, either. Inside the engine bay is a turbocharged, direct-injection 1.6-litre

four-cylinder engine that propels the light body faster than you think it should. There are two models, the SL and SV, both of which come in either all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive. Unfortunately the CVT engine is standard on the all-wheel drive versions, which takes away a touch of the driving excitement the Juke puts out. Europeans are used to getting small vehicles with lots of options packed in, so it makes sense the Juke, designed in Europe, comes with features often not found in vehicles in the next price class up. Even at its base price of just under $20,000, the Juke includes iPod connectivity, Bluetooth and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. What’s missing from the Juke is space. Other small vehicles do a clever job of hiding storage in bins under seats and spaces inside the side of the trunk

to name a few spots. The Juke has none of this. And the cabin, second row of seats and cargo area are just plain small. If you were somehow able to put four adults in the Juke comfortably, there’s no way you’re going away for a weekend as the space for luggage would be taken up before persons three and four even debated whether or not to bring the extra shirt “just in case.” The Juke as a daily driver makes sense. Fuel economy sits at just under 10 L/100 km and it’s super comfy behind the wheel. Buttons on the centre stack are all within arm’s reach, but thanks to steering wheel-mounted controls, most of the common features you’d like to change are within thumb’s length. It’s quick and nimble on city streets and genuinely fun to drive. Even if everyone on the outside is giving you some strange looks. TT

Bullfrog to give Chevy Volt a clean charge

By Mathieu Yuill

eneral Motors and Bullfrog Power announced a partnership this month that will allow purchasers of the Volt electric car to reduce their carbon footprint even further. The Chevy Volt, introduced as a concept car in 2007, began appearing in dealerships this past summer. An electric motor drives the car but also has a 35-litre gas tank used to power a generator to recharge the battery when it runs out of juice. The Volt has an all-electric range of 40 to 80 kilometres, but it still requires electricity generated by traditionally dirtier technologies like hydro, nuclear and coal. Bullfrog Power supplies power to the grid that has been produced by wind and low-impact hydro 24 TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

facilities. For an extra $198, buyers can purchase the Chevy Volt Bullfrog Power edition. The $198 is used to put clean energy into the grid and the Volt is badged with a special emblem. “We don’t run an actual line to your house,” Tom Heintzman, president of Bullfrog Power said. “That wouldn’t be economical or very efficient. What happens here is when we put power into the grid it means tradition energy suppliers don’t have to supply that power. “Our customers then have a right to that zero-emissions energy.” Tracking where the actual electrons go could be challenging to say the least, so the Volt Bullfrog Power edition is more of a case of doing the right thing than actually powering your car with

energy garnered from a wind farm. The extra charge for the Bullfrog Power edition represents the estimated amount of energy use a Volt would require over a two-year period. Mike Brigham of Toronto is the

first person to purchase a Volt Bullfrog Power edition. His home’s roof is mostly covered by solar panels and light fixtures inside hold only the most power-efficient bulbs. “I was very frustrated before I found out about Bullfrog,” Brigham said. “I recycled, I used compact fluorescent lightbulbs, I bought a hybrid and drove it as little as possible and those things are great, but they’re not outstanding in the scope of what they achieve. “Here’s a way I can nullify the effect of powering my house without having to make a huge investment or take on a significant lifestyle change.” Brigham says 95 percent of his driving is less than 40 kilometres a day, so over the next two years, his Volt should produce little if any carbon footprint. TT

Sports

Brian Baker

Withrow’s on the ball

Insuring healthcare abroad PHOTO COURTESY MANNY DA LUZ

KNIGHTS OF THE RINK: Withrow Park’s masters-level ball hockey team will represent Canada at the World Ball Hockey Championships in September. They are one of two teams travelling to Pilzen, Czech Republic.

By Brian Baker

he World Ball Hockey Championships are seven months away. Three members of a masters-level community team, Withrow Park Knights, sit in plush chairs around a fireplace. There’s an orange glow from faux flames and from that there’s a sense of an après ski to their gathering at a Second Cup at Chester and Danforth. Lance Hornby, 52, Manny da Luz, toe-dragging on 44, and David Valenta, 45 are warming up their excitement about their journey to Pilzen, Czech Republic in September. “For me to be on the world stage with a maple leaf on my sweater, you’re not going to get that chance when you’re in your 50s,” Hornby said. “That’s big for me.” They’re not misty, but there’s a sense of kinship among the men who play within a community of 190 adults. There are six teams in the men’s league, all named after the first expansion teams in the NHL. Last season they were named after the Original Six. They play nearly all year round whether indoors or out. And Withrow Park is always full, with players swapped from team to team at season’s change. “We’re not a bunch of knuckleheads. We are guys who actually get along, respect each other and recognize the next day we have to go to work and we need our limbs intact,” Valenta said. “We’re not going to take liberties with each other.” The league’s members’ jobs include sports writer, lawyer, dentist, and even company CEOs. But what they do doesn’t mean as much as where they live. “This is a local group of not just guys who are ball hockey players. These are friends,” Valenta said. “Actually I call this group a family because we spend so much time together.” The Withrow Park Ball Hockey League was started in 1977 by James Plytas, though the first president has departed from the organization, several have picked up in his stead, forming a board in 1992. Now, that same community-based organization is sending 23 men and a full staff to a national championship. The process began in January 2011 and is ongoing as

the men up their endurance, and by April will be pushing their limits for speed. The trio is one of two Canadian teams vying for top spot at the international level. Their fellow team and former national ball hockey player George Gortsos is on Canada’s A-team, while Hornby, da Luz and Valenta play for the community squad that rounds out eight teams. Intriguingly, the team’s head coach, Chris Pellerin, is the first female to coach a men’s team on the national stage. “It’s an honour to be coached by someone whose impact on the ball hockey scene is pretty well known,” da Luz said. “She’s the Canadian women’s coach, and the fact that she’s chosen, if I can use that word, to be with a bunch of middle-aged hacks is an honour for us.” And she’s not taking any prisoners when it comes to their training for the big trip. “She’s very strict but the guys give her 100 percent respect.” Still, the squad has an average age of 47, so there’s work to be done as the sport is played on unforgiving concrete. “It is more taxing on your lower extremities,” da Luz said. “In terms of the conditioning and the stamina you do see more injuries at our age.” Representing their community at the international level is like getting the gold medal to these men. Valenta was a kid when he first put stick to orange ball. As he grew up on Riverdale Avenue, so did the league. He left but returned to Riverdale and has represented Canada at the international level before. For Hornby and da Luz it’s a new experience. “You’re not just representing your community but your country really, and being a 40-something-year-old man, how many 40-something-year-old men would get this experience?” da Luz said. At Withrow Park, recreation is the glue that keeps a team together. “The sports activities that go on — Withrow Park is a hub for sports,” da Luz said. “Forget about the ball hockey, there’s baseball, soccer, Frisbee football, skateboarding. “I wouldn’t trade this area for any other community.” TT

hen it was known freestyle skier Sarah Burke lost her fight for survival, there was a silence in the Toronto Today office. I let out a whimpering, “Oh”, and continued about my work with Canada’s passing doing the slalom in my head. The loss of an athlete in their prime always affects sports fans young and old. The stories of Pelle Lindbergh, Sean Taylor, Nodar Kumaritaschvili and the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team come to mind. But one detail surfaced in the wake of Burke’s Jan. 10 fall during a training exercise in Park City, Utah. While still in the process of grieving, her husband Rory Bushfield and family were slapped with a hefty bill from the hospital. That number was at first $550,000 but later dropped to $200,000. It’s enough to raise concern with parents of young alpine denizens aspiring to follow the same path as Burke. As sports editor, I’ve come across the hidden population that takes to the modest slopes of Ontario and Quebec with an unrivaled tenacity. Students from Lawrence Park CI compete annually in both slalom and more recently snowboarding. The Radvanyi sisters in Toronto’s west-end look up to snowboarders like Michael Lambert. Two skiers from Branksome Hall had been on the FIS circuit for two seasons before emphasizing schoolwork before packed powder. One, Jacquie Flannery, met her hero Nancy Greene on a trip to B.C. So the expenses of the worstcase scenarios are very visceral to those involved at the amateur level, both parents and kids. Peter Judge, CEO of the CanaContinued Page 26 MARCH 2012 TORONTO TODAY 25

Council’s getting pun-chy

Cont. from Page 25

dian Freestyle Skiing Association, says Burke’s case is a rarity. Because Burke was partaking in a non-sanctioned training event when she was injured, her insurance coverage did not fall under the purview of the CFSA. “There are lots of cases where athletes undertake activities that are outside the scope of what they would normally do and it’s up to their parties to ensure they have the coverage for that larger blanket,” Judge said. But he assuages the fears of FIS skiers. “Obviously if they are competing in those venues they’re covered because they’re in a sanctioned venue and they are covered under the blanket insurance policies,” he said. “But again, as is the case with anything outside of the purview of that, you make sure there has been due diligence to understand what is covered and what is not.” That’s not to say Burke did not have coverage outside of sanctioned avenues. Still, with such a hefty hospital bill, Burke’s agent Michael Spencer went to work to raise money to help the family cover their costs. A new foundation has been created from the 29year-old’s untimely departure and the family has raised over $300,000 from fans, friends and family. Spencer responded in a quick email due to his busy schedule. “(The family) ultimately wants to wait at least until we make announcements about the celebration for Sarah and the foundation,” he wrote. I spoke with Olympic snowboarder Michael Lambert about the loss of Burke to understand the effect it’s had at ground level. “It’s so sad to lose someone when they’re doing something that they love,” he said. “Just so many of us go out and do that every day and to see this happen to someone … is scary.” As for Judge, the overwhelming response from fans to Spencer’s work is a testament to Burke’s amiable personality. “The outpouring of support is really a barometer of the type of person she was,” Judge said. “She was very unassuming, broad-scoped in her reach and just an unbelievably likeable person.” TT

“Make sure there has been due diligence to understand what is covered.”

26 TORONTO TODAY MARCH 2012

By Shawn Star 5

20 23

27 33

38 41

49 53

52 57

ACROSS 1. Net fabric 5. Bridges between nostrils 10. ___ & Doe 14. Woodwind 15. Sayonara in Spain 16. Stargazing group? 17. Swedish pop group 18. Charlie Brown aide 19. Quickly now 20. Got the priest thing going? 23. Terminus 26. ___ Boot 27. Green pasta sauce 31. Bards 33. Bit of wind 36. Pay after taxes 37. Couch 38. Vin or engine 40. Devour 41. Mother of a newborn cub? 44. In the way of 45. Bookworm 46. “… ___ it just me?” 48. Understand 49. The day Caesar probably should have stayed in bed 50. European kitchenware company 51. 19th letters

39 43

53. ___ culpe 55. Alter colour 56. Extra large computer? 61. Boast 64. Prayer stance 65. Show frustration as a group 69. Philosopher Descartes 70. Norwegian lake 71. Thought 72. Finally 73. Energetic 74. Drug cop

DOWN 1. Extinct cousin of the emu 2. Recede 3. Wail 4. Pile 5. Dance with a dip? 6. Revises 7. Cone or tree 8. Guided walk 9. Grp. 10. Legless reptile 11. Prof. helpers 12. Cool ___ cucumber 13. Space 21. Revenue sources 22. Computer or pie

23. Albums 24. Pasta pieces 25. Beats the enemy 28. Mocked 29. With sadness 30. Baseball star Mel 32. Bill 33. Unwanted plants 34. “Woe ___!” 35. Cook, as a steak 38. Proof of ownership 39. Dies ___ 42. Get up 43. Pond fish 44. Grow old 47. Witness 50. Angry 52. Narrowly defeats 53. Rectory 54. Go in 57. Reluctant (var.) 58. Dismal 59. Grind 60. ___ Go Bragh 61. Bikini piece 62. Fam. member 63. Tennis star Ivanovic 66. Drug store chain 67. “… ___ the ramparts …” 68. Tic-___-toe

Check www.MyTorontoToday.ca for the answers.

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