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2013

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THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

2

Community

3

Bloor West couple pools skills for cancer fundraiser Family member’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis prompts duo to launch awareness campaign LISA RAINFORD lrainford@insidetoronto.com A family vacation to Greece this past summer came to a tragic end when matriarch Demetra Diles – affectionately known as Didi – was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Marianne Musi and her husband Steve Loutskou, Quebec Avenue residents, were horrified to learn that Musi’s mother, “a force to be reckoned with” and “a pillar of strength” was stricken with such a disease. Didi, 52, and otherwise healthy, had no idea her jaundiced skin she discovered in Europe was a symptom of what is known as a “silent killer.”

“It was truly a trip of a lifetime for her. She had great laughs and loved every bit of the trip, however on our last night over dinner in her hometown of Methoni, I noticed her eyes were yellow then noticed that her tan was covering up the yellow color of her skin as well,” said Loutskou, who is particularly close with his motherin-law. “Of course, she got worried and the next day when we were on our way to Athens, my in-laws stopped at a hospital for a check up where the scan revealed a cancer mass on her pancreas.”

Particularly hard to swallow was the fact that Didi had been 100 per cent healthy her entire life, said Loutskou, who is currently in Quebec with his wife where his mother-in-law is in hospital. The family has rallied around Didi since her diagnosis.

Not only are they caring for her, but they have launched a fundraising and awareness campaign, called ‘Accessorize for Awareness’ for the little-known disease with a survival rate of just six per cent.

Courtesy photo

Demetra (Didi) Diles and her husband George went on a famly trip to Greece with their daughter Marianne Musi and son-in-law Steve Loutskou. Didi was later diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and her family is currently raising funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer research.

‘This isn’t a campaign we plan to let go. It’s such a terrible disease for which we are slowly, but surely getting support.’

Steve Loutskou, Accessorize for Awareness

Before their trip, Didi had expressed her desire to do charity work, but agreed to wait until they returned. Loutskou, whose father died of lung cancer, had thought they could bring awareness to that illness.

Didi’s diagnosis abruptly and urgently altered their plans.

“We launched our first website two months ago,” Loutskou told The Villager Dec. 18. “We raised about $8,000 in the first month.”

Musi and her brother’s fiancé

are creating a variety of purple bracelets with a wide selection of charms, which can be customized.

The two toil away at the kitchen table at night making the bracelets. It was a natural fit for Musi, a

marketing maven and fashionista.

In fact, the family is pooling its collective resources to run the campaign.

Meanwhile, Bloor West Village and surrounding area businesses have donated items to a weekly auction through Facebook.

Loutskou has personally donated $20,000 in IT work.

The Accessorize for Awareness campaign’s first goal is to raise $25,000 in funding, which would surpass the largest single personal donation ever of $17,000.

“The donation (to Pancreatic Cancer Canada) will be made in my mother-in-law’s name to put her down in the record books and bring a smile to her face for our efforts,” said Loutskou.

“This isn’t a campaign we plan to let go. It’s such a terrible disease for which we are slowly, but surely getting support.”

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers and it receives only 0.01 per cent of research funding, Loutskou pointed out.

“When you start reading the stats, it’s actually ridiculous that there has been no progress in 30 to 40 years for this particular cancer,” he said.

Since her diagnosis in September, Didi has undergone chemotherapy and has had several blood infections, a heart attack and a stroke.

“So, it has been a battle,” said Loutskou. “She was in the ICU for two weeks where they didn’t think she would make it, however, she came through and is trying to hold strong to battle the cancer.”

For further details and to purchase a bracelet or make a donation, visit accessorizeforawareness.com

TTC, GO offer free rides, parking on New Year’s Eve Over the holidays, both the TTC and GO Transit are offering some free rides as we head into 2013.

From mid-December until the first couple weeks of January, both transit agencies will run on holiday schedules, and are offering some free rides, earlier trips and free parking over that time period.

On Christmas Eve, the TTC is allowing commuters to park for free at all of its station lots from 3 p.m. onward, while GO will run earlier homebound trips for both train and bus service.

On New Year’s Eve, the TTC is offering free rides from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. TTC is also offering free

parking on Dec. 31 at all of its station lots after 3 p.m.

The extended schedule means trains on both the Yonge University Spadina and Bloor-Danforth lines will depart shortly after 3:30 a.m. giving revellers nearly two hours extra than normal to ride the subway.

The last Sheppard line train will leave for Don Mills station at 3:58 a.m. while the Scarborough RT is scheduled to run its final ride of the night at 4:07 a.m.

Subway service resumes on New Year’s Day at 6 a.m. when new fare price increases take effect.

GO Transit, which is extending

NEWS IN BRIEF service on several of its routes as of the New Year, is also offering free service after 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 on all of its trains and buses.

The regional service is also running earlier and later trips on some of its routes. For a full list of schedules, visit www.gotransit.com For more information on the TTC’s fare structure in 2013, please visit www.ttc.ca

n Man suffers burns

An early-morning apartment fire in the Dufferin Street and Davenport Road area sent one man

to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and burns.

Firefighters were called to 1490 Dufferin St. just before 2:30 a.m. after a passerby saw black smoke coming from a third-floor apartment.

Forcing their way into the apartment, crews discovered the fire originated in the bathroom. Eleven trucks and 35 personnel responded to the blaze.

By 2:40 a.m., the fire was under control, said Toronto Fire Services Capt. David Eckerman.

The fire marshal has been called in.

“The cause is undetermined,

but we believe plastic was the first material ignited,” said Eckerman.

The fire caused approximately $30,000 in damage. The man was taken to Toronto Western Hospital.

n Donate blood next month

The Swansea Town Hall, 95 Lavinia Ave., will host a blood donor clinic Saturday, Jan. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Canadian Blood Services will be collecting blood in the Rousseau Room. Bring ID or donor card.

Call 416-974-9900 or visit www. bloodservices.ca for further information.

| THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

contactus@insidetoronto.com

THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

4

Opinion

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Make Bloor West your 2013 priority

T

here is an infinite number ways to improve and progress our communities.

The secret is to actually get out and do it.

Your actions don’t have to be big. They don’t have to be time consuming. They don’t need to command a spotlight – although some are very public. To borrow a phrase, just do it.

In today’s newspaper we’ve compiled a simple list of possibilities.

A few meetings. Some great phone conversations with community members – it wasn’t hard to find 50 ways to improve our community.

These thoughts of course are only a sample. If you visit our www.thevillager.ca website, you’ll see the 50 ways as expressed in each of our nine community newspaper neighbourhoods throughout Toronto.

We think the more information you have about your community the better.

Your Bloor West Villager reaches into nearly 35,000 Bloor West homes. Our www.the villager.ca website reaches many our view more community members. It’s been a year where our Facebook Resolve to be and Twitter feeds have had a a community more prominent role in our quest to provide you news and builder information about Bloor West in a format you desire.

We are dedicated to the betterment of Bloor West and we sponsor many community events.

It’s all meant to give you increased access to community information and to grow community involvement and commitment.

And by the way, Bloor West isn’t Etobicoke. It isn’t North York. It isn’t Parkdale. There is of course common interest of all communities that make up Toronto. But there’s also a deep richness of community life and spirit that is uniquely Bloor West in flavour. We encourage everyone to become deeply involved in your community. And share your stories, thoughts, projects and objectives with us. We love to share them with our readers.

The sheer act of being a resident means you are a community owner. That means you are responsible for the upkeep, the health and wellness and the profile of where you live. We are all community builders.

Thanks to all those community groups who participated in this project. We look forward to your feedback and future ideas on building a better Bloor West. As always, we encourage you to share our thoughts with us. And we wish you all a safe and festive weekend as we inch closer to 2013.

Together, let’s make 2013 The Year of the Bloor West Community. newsroom

New year brings unknown to city hall

F

or city hall columnists, the late-December spot in the paper is customarily reserved for a look forward at the coming year at council.

And if this were more ordinary times, it would be fairly easy to predict some things.

One might write about how council will make a decision on whether to invite a casino resort complex into the city’s downtown, or how the city will come to terms with the need to fund transit infrastructure at the expense of funding services to the community, or vice versa.

For 2013, though, much of what comes to pass will hinge on what happens in the days following Jan. 7, in the matter of Mayor Rob Ford’s appeal of a judicial order demanding he be removed from office. If the decision is upheld, the repercussions are seismic.

They are also unpredictable.

Council will have an immediate decision to make within two months of the decision: whether to hold a byelection for the office of mayor, or appoint a new mayor for the remainder of the term.

Should council appoint,

THE CITY

david nickle

it will have to decide what direction it actually intends to take. Mayor Ford has spent the past two years attempting to fulfill a rightwing agenda at city hall — and has had some success in doing so. But council has not consistently shared that view, frequently rebuffing Ford’s more controversial initiatives.

Usually when council considers appointing for a vacancy, there is some effort to make sure the appointee reflects the politics of the person they’re replacing.

Under this council, that rule of thumb may or may not apply. It is up in the air.

And that goes double for the public. Ford was elected as a clear leader of the pack, and in the past, voters have been notably forgiving of the mayor’s many personal foibles.

If there’s a byelection, Ford has every right to run in it and at least as of late this month, every intention of doing so, and given his-

tory — a very good possibility, all things considered, of being elected.

As does federal New Democrat MP and former city councillor Olivia Chow if she decides to run for mayor.

So once again: in 2013, anything goes.

One thing we can predict, or at least observe, about 2013: in the next year, Toronto council is going to have to finish the messy process of growing up and learning how to govern itself. It’s done well enough so far, coalescing around what its members deemed unacceptable cuts in the 2012 budget, and solidifying around a consensus in favour of light rail compared to the mayor’s vision of a Scarborough subway.

But next year, the challenges will be big: council will have the city of the future in its hands like it never has before.

Alternatively, if things go differently on Jan. 7, council will have to learn to work with this mayor again.

Either way — 2013 is a great big unknown. nDavid Nickle is The Villager’s city hall columnist.

His column appears every Thursday. Contact him at dnickle@insidetoronto.com

To the editor: How furious would you be if your employer came to you one day and told you that the benefits you negotiated at the time of your employment were no longer afforded to you and your colleagues? Better yet, imagine how much your blood would boil if they told you that your right to fight this decision was taken away as well.

Finally, think about the extra hours that you put in that are not appreciated, but you understand the importance of putting in the extra hours to make the company and/or your clients more successful.

If reading this has got you thinking that someone must have lost their mind if they tried to pull this at your job, then maybe we should collectively be more supportive of the teachers in Ontario.

Without teachers helping us all along the way, we might not have accomplished the successes we have been blessed to achieve.

Teachers are responsible for helping their students understand the material, protecting their students and truly attempting to make students succeed in whatever profession their hearts desire.

In order for teachers to make this happen they are always trying to find creative ways to help each student learn and become better throughout the year. This is accomplished by bringing work home to mark, countless hours making tests, quizzes and assignments that focus on the topics that are being taught at any given time.

Also, fielding questions from parents by email, requested meetings, interviews and of course the report card that needs to reflect the progress of each student.

Teachers are managers, social workers, nurses, police officers, consultants, engineers (science projects), artists, etc. Our teachers need to be truly appreciated and not treated like they are a second class profession.

Danion Beckford

416-493-4400 | distribution ph: 416-493-4400 fax: 416-675-3066 | display advertising ph: 416-493-4400 fax: 416-675-5665 | classifieds ph: 416-493-4660 fax: 416-495-6629 | administration ph: 416-493-4400 fax: 416-495-6629

n Friday, Dec. 28

Junction Seniors’ Gathering WHEN: 2 p.m. WHERE: Pascal’s Baguette and Bagels, 2904 Dundas St. W. CONTACT: Eleanor Batchelder, 647-235-0843, seniors@junctionra.ca, junctionra. ca/junction-seniors The group meets twice a week at a local coffee shop for conversation, as a social network of neighbours. Tuesday mornings 10 to 11 a.m. Agora Cafe, 3015 Dundas St. W. All welcome.

n Saturday, Dec. 29

Thrift Shop WHEN: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Emmanuel Howard Park United Church, 214 Wright Ave. CONTACT: Megan Kallin, 416-536-1755, www.ehpunitedchurch.ca, hwrdprk@bellnet.ca COST: Items $1 and up Great bargains from only $1. Items include gently used clothes, shoes, dishes, and household items. Stock replenished weekly. Donations welcome. All proceeds go to outreach meals.

n Sunday, Dec. 30

Sunday Outreach Program WHEN: 2 to 6 p.m. WHERE: Emmanuel Howard Park United Church, 214 Wright Ave. CONTACT: Megan Kallin, 416-5361755, www.ehpunitedchurch.ca, hwrdprk@bellnet.ca COST: Free All are welcome. Every Sunday in the church basement gym.

KEVIN

Features lunch, coffee, snacks, worship services and dinner. Last meal served at 6 p.m. Vegetarian meal available upon request.

n Monday, Dec. 31

Rennie Park Skate Night WHEN: 6 to 9:30 p.m. WHERE: Rennie Park, 1 Rennie Terrace CONTACT: 416-392-6796 COST: Free Start your New Year’s Eve celebrations early at Rennie Ice Rink for the annual Family New Year’s Eve Skate, hosted by The Swansea Community Recreation Centre Advisory Council. Enjoy music, hot chocolate, cookies, and a bonfire. There will be an early countdown at 9 p.m. Don’t forget your noisemakers and roasting sticks for marshmallows.

n Tuesday, Jan. 1

Toronto Polar Bear Club 2013 Dip WHEN: 10:30 a.m., registration, dip starts at noon WHERE: Sunnyside Park, 1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W. CONTACT: www. torontopolarbear.com COST: $30, minimum sponsorship or donation By participating in the Polar Bear Dip, you can help families in need through Habitat for Humanity Toronto. Since 2005 the Toronto Polar Bear Dip has raised in excess of $130,000 funds that have gone directly to build projects in Toronto.

insidetoronto.com n Thursday, Jan. 3

$ave MONEY on your energy bills

Roncesvalles Village Historical Society WHEN: 6:30 to 8 p.m. WHERE: High Park Library, 228 Roncesvalles Ave. CONTACT: 416-3937671 COST: Free The RVHS documents, preserves and promotes the history of the Roncesvalles area. New members welcome.

Is your upstairs: hot in the summer or cold in the winter?

Are your energy costs too high?

Is your air conditioning or furnace constantly running?

When was the last time you checked in your attic?

Rotary Meeting WHEN: 7:30 to 8 a.m. WHERE: Grenadier Cafe, High Park ,280 Colborne Lodge Rd.CONTACT: 416-710-4383 COST: Free Weekly meeting for existing and new members. Admission is free.

Guests can order food and drink from the menu at their expense.

Guest speakers every week.

FREE Attic Inspection

Call the experts for a

n Monday, Jan. 7

Scrabble Club WHEN: 6:45 to 8:15 p.m.

WHERE: Jane/Dundas Library, 620 Jane St. CONTACT: 416394-1014, jdstaff@torontopubliclibrary.ca COST: Free Have fun and meet new people while enhancing your Scrabble skills at this weekly club. Ages 18 and up.

Sign before Dec 30, 2012 and get a chance to win your insulation for free

n Submit Your Event

The Bloor West Villager wants your community listings. Sign up online at insidetoronto.com to submit your events (click the Sign Up link in the top right corner of the page).

2045 Dundas St. E. Unit 5 Mississauga, ON L4X 1M2 T: 905-361-9900 F: 905-366-0103 E: Office@smartroofing.ca

Carrierof the

Kevin has been working for the Bloor West Villager since November 2011. He is a very energetic and hard working carrier. In his spare time, Kevin likes to hang out with his friends and watch movies. His hobbies include reading and playing sports like soccer, hockey, ping pong, volleyball, badminton, track and snowboarding. Being a carrier gives Kevin an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Congratulations on a job well done!

Month

If you wish to be a carrier, please call

416-493-4400

PAY PA YN NO OT TAX AX FreshCo (2440 Dundas St.West) is committed to making the holidays a bit happier for those in need this season.On Monday,December 17,FreshCo operator Paul Johnson (second from left),Taylor Ludgate (second from righ) and Sally Johnson (right) were on site atToronto’s Daily Bread Foodbank to present a donation cheque for $800 to foodbank representative Linda Ciotolo.Daily Bread Food Bank is a non-profit,charitable organization that is fighting to end hunger in our communities.

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5 | THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

It’s Happening

THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

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Roncesvalles church educating youth on a wide range of faiths ERIN HATFIELD ehatfield@insidetoronto.com

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In a community as diverse as Parkdale-High Park, one church is making sure young people get an education in all manner of faiths.

“God Everywhere” is a new youth program initiated

by Emmanuel Howard Park United Church on Wright Avenue in Roncesvalles Village.

Beginning Jan. 6, 2013, Rev. Anne Hines, the minister at Emmanuel Howard Park, said the church will launch a series of guest speakers from a range of faith groups.

“The United Church has done a lot in terms of interfaith dialogue,” she said. “The more liberal of our United Churches, of which we are one, believe that God can be found in many places.”

But, instead of taking the children to a mosque, synagogue or temple for a lesson in other faiths, Hines said the church decided to invite people of other faiths into their church as a show of fellowship.

The series of talks is open to all children, between the ages of seven to 12, regardless of religious affiliation. It’s an important age for children to be learning about other faiths and traditions, Hines said.

“When they are in school and particularly in the middle elementary grades they start to really notice the difference in the kids around them and they will start to notice that there

Staff photo/ERIN HATFIELD

R e v. A n n e H i n e s a t Emmanuel Howard Park United Church will launch an interfaith program for children in January.

are kids of different faiths,” Hines said. “We thought that was an important time for kids to have exposure in a very positive, comfortable way.”

The series will feature guests from Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Baha’i and Native spirituality.

“We were very thoughtful about which of the faith groups we wanted to highlight in our community,” Hines said.

The guests are each very heavily involved in their respective faiths and come from all over the city.

Each guest will be invited to say a prayer in the sanctuary, in front of the entire congregation at the beginning of the Sunday service, before heading off with the young people to the Emmanuel Howard Park Church’s version of Sunday school, dubbed, ‘Definitely Not Your Parent’s Sunday School’.

“Our guests will not be just talking at the kids,” Hines said.

“We want it to be done in a way that the kids will actually be forming a relationship with this person.”

The guest will lead a fun and interactive introduction to their faith.

“Our native Canadian guest, for instance, has a chest full of interesting religiously significant artifacts, so she is going to do a treasure chest with the kids where they can take stuff out and hold it and talk about it,” Hines explained.

The series of talks will end with an event called Noah’s Pudding on Feb. 10, modelled after a project by the Canadian Intercultural Dialogue Centre, a Muslim organization, where a traditional Turkish desert called Noah’s Pudding is made and shared.

“They have started to make the making of this pudding into an opportunity for interfaith dialogue,” she said. “So they will come on a Friday night and make up the pudding with our youth group and as they do that there will be a sharing about the tradition of the pudding, the history and the culture of the pudding.”

The making of Noah’s Pudding is a common practice among Muslims and Christians in the Middle East.

“I hope the big take-away for the kids is that God can be found everywhere, in every person, in every faith tradition, on every rock and every stone,” Hines said.

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| THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

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THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

8

Strap on your skates and hit the ice this winter. Visit http://bit.ly/YliNHc to find a rink in your neighbourhood.

Join your local residents’ association to speak out as a community advocate.

Support pregnant women, seniors on very low incomes, immigrant families, homeless families and at-risk youth all at the same time by donating to Four Villages Community Health Centre. Log onto www.4villageschc.ca/donations.html

Help a senior to live independently. Volunteer for the Silver Circle West Toronto Services for Seniors. Visit www.silvercircle.ca/volunteer

Share your skills with women in support of Sistering’s life-enhancing programming. Visit www. sistering.org or call 416926-9762, ext. 222.

Join your local Community Police Liaison Committee to ensure good communication between police and neighbours.

Learn more about your community by joining a Heritage Toronto Walk (www.heritagetoronto.org).

Support your library.

Libraries in Toronto have a range of programming from movie nights to peer tutoring and live music nights. Visit www.torontopubliclibrary. ca for details on what your local library has in store for you and your family.

Support Scouts Canada through your time or donation. Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers meet at various times during the week at Humbercrest United Church (among other area locations). Contact David Gilmour through the church at 416-767-6122.

Give blood: visit www. blood.ca

Give one-on-one homework help to students in grades 7 to 12. To find out more about volunteering at your local branch, visit www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/support-us/ volunteering/

Help keep the High Park Zoo open. Join Friends of the High Park Zoo. Contact www.highparkzoo.ca

50

Get to know your neighbours by organizing a block party.

WE OFFER 50 WAYS

TO TAKE CHARGE IN YOUR CITY, YOUR

Support local businesses by shopping at independent merchants.

Consider volunteering at Colborne Lodge in High Park.

There are many roles both adult and youth volunteers can play, including helping at family events, becoming a tour guide or engaging with kids at museum day camps. Call 416392-6916.

Spend time with seniors in the community at various retirement residences, including The Grenadier. Call 416-769-2885.

Mentor a young girl or boy through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada. Visit www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca

Organize a community cleanup; make a point of cleaning litter in your area regularly.

Donate or get involved with the High Park Nature Centre, www.highparknaturecentre. com

Get involved in local not-forprofit agencies like The Revue Film Society. Check out http:// revuecinema.ca

COMMUNITY, YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

Get involved with ‘Ruth’s Daughters,’ a group that gathers to encourage women in their faith communities to discuss and implement strategies to prevent violence against women. Contact 416-767-6122 for meeting details.

Donate to the United Church of Canada’s Horn of Africa Drought Relief initiative. Call 416-231-5931 or toll-free 1-800-268-3781, ext. 2026.

Donate to an animal in need.

Toronto Animal Services is looking for items like dog biscuits, leashes and collars, cat treats, scratching posts and cat harnesses. Visit www.toronto. ca/animal_services/pet_donations.htm

Bring your community or workplace together to raise funds and awareness for Free the Children (www.freethechidlren.com), helping children around the world gain access to education, health care and medicine.

Visit remote corners of the globe as part of a ShelterBox disaster response team. Volunteers deliver on-the-ground aid to those hit by natural and man-made disasters. Call 647-352-1930.

Get involved with the High Park K9 (Canine) Committee to promote responsible dog walking in High Park’s offleash area. The committee meets on a monthly basis.

Contact k9@highpark.org

Donate canned goods to local food banks.

Donate to the Redwood Shelter, a safe haven for women and children escaping domestic abuse.

Donations go toward purchasing muchneeded practical items for families arriving at the emergency shelter. Call 416533-9372, ext.

227.

Volunteer for the Girl Guides of Canada. Sparks, Brownies, Guides and Venturers meet regularly at Humbercrest United Church. Call the church at 416-767-6122 for further details.

Join a residents’ association. There are several in the area, including the Junction, Bloor West Village and West Bend, among others.

Clear a senior’s driveway or mow their lawn.

Check out ways to green your community by volunteering or attending events hosted by organizations such as the Toronto Green Community (www.torontogreen.ca) or Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (www. yourleaf.org).

Honour Canada’s veterans at a Remembrance Day service in November. Visit www.toronto.ca/lestweforget/remembrance-city.htm for a service near you.

Get fit by starting a walking or running club.

Sponsor a kids’ sports team, such as the Toronto High Park FC, www.torontohighparkfc.com

9 | THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

Become a school crossing guard and help children get to school safely. For information about the school crossing locations available and the hours of work, contact Luisa Brown at 416-808-1235.

Carpool or promote car-sharing and ride-sharing.

Give up your seat on the transit system for someone who needs it.

Staff photo/LISA RAINFORD

Donate gently used toys and clothing to organizations like the Salvation Army.

Properly dispose of cigarette butts.

Advocate for access to safe cycling routes. Join Friends of the West Toronto Railpath, http://railpath.wordpress.com

Raise awareness and fundraise for valuable disaster relief.

ShelterBox, on Jane Street north of Bloor Street West, is recruiting for its ambassador program. More information can be found here: www.shelterboxcanada.org/involved. php

Help make your neighbourhood safer. Join the 11 Division Police Liaison Committee. Call 416-808-1119, or email 11division@torontopolice.on.ca

Join in your community’s Earth Day events.

Donate to local charities. Visit www.221Toronto.ca to find organizations to support.

Commit to improving the environment. Start locally by joining Green 13: www.green13toronto.org

Get involved in municipal, provincial or federal politics.

Contact your local representative.

Improve Toronto’s urban canopy by planting a free tree in your front yard. Visit www. toronto.ca/311 or call 311.

Start a Neighbourhood Watch in your community: contact the Crime Prevention Association of Toronto (CPAT) at www.cpatoronto.org

Donate to the SickKids Foundation by visiting www.sickkidsfoundation.com or calling 1-888-474-2554.

■ What are your ideas for making Bloor West Village a great place to live? Let us know at contactus@ insidetoronto.com

Alexa Gilmour, minister at Windermere United Church, poses in the sanctuary amid gifts she and her congregation bought for less fortunate families in the neighbourhood.

Many ways to improve life in your community Local pastor, former councillor offer advice for 2013

LISA RAINFORD lrainford@insidetoronto.com

A

uthor and theologian Frederick Buechner once said, “Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need.”

The New York Presbyterian minister’s words of wisdom are ones Alexa Gilmour chooses to live by. Herself a minister at Windermere United Church, she says she believes that where your greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need is where you’ll find your calling.

“I come from a religious tradition that believes that we were each made for a special purpose – I also believe we were made for happiness.

So, when choosing to do something to make this world better, I think we should also consider what energizes us and fulfills us.”

When contemplating the close of 2012 and the beginning of the new year and what it may bring, keep in mind Buechner’s words when making any resolutions, suggests Gilmour.

“If you love to paint, mentor a child who doesn’t have any artists in her family. If you love to be with people, visit the many lonely seniors in our community. If building is your

thing, volunteer your services to a local church or theatre group,” she said.

Fulfilling one’s own passion in turn spills over into one’s community.

“Have you ever witnessed someone who is passionate about something sharing it with others? The joy is contagious. You’re not only make the world a better place, but you radiate joy and give others something to be hopeful for,” Gilmour said. “It’s a double gift to our world when you choose to share the gifts and talents you are passionate about with the world. It also feeds your own soul so you can continue to give without burning out.”

Naturally, the program director of the LA (Loyola Arrupe) Centre for Active Living Melissa Scott’s advice for improving one’s community in 2013 includes being active. Be an active member of your neighbourhood, know your elected officials, get involved with your local Business Improvement Area (BIA).

“Give back by volunteering with local organizations like ours,” she said.

As former councillor of Parkdale-High Park, Bill Saundercook’s wise words had a political twist. Transit was key to improving our commu-

nity and the city in 2013.

“First, we all need to feel safe when travelling around our neighbourhoods, either on foot, bike or vehicle. If you can leave your car at home, then you reap the benefits of walking and you support your local retailers,” said Saundercook.

A regular transit rider, Saundercook said Torontonians would support the TTC if it stuck to a plan.

“Whether it’s a relief line to downtown or revive my support for a west link to Union station via the already dedicated line to the CNE,” he said.

“For approximately $300 million, this line could continue west over the rail lands and connect with the dedicated track on the Queensway, the Queen no.

501 (streetcar). Then, phase two, west onto the very wide Lake Shore Boulevard, west of the Humber River all the way to the 427. Then we’d have a wonderful west link for all those riders.”

The former local councillor advised area residents to keep their eye on key issues, such as the High Park Zoo, speed reductions on local roads, continued support for our BIAs, Bloor West, Junction, the new Baby Point Gates as well as Malta Village and preserving the area’s green spaces.

Real estate

THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

10

The Bloor West Villager is delivered to 32,650 homes. Call 416-493-4400 to advertise in the #1 read newspaper in Bloor.

Simple ways to maximize your investment property Those who have invested in real estate know how difficult it can be to maintain a property much less improve it, which should be high on an investor's priority list. But improving a property does not have to involve a complete overhaul or any other dramatic changes.

In fact, there are several simple ways investors can improve their real estate investments and improve their chances of turning a large profit when they decide to sell a property.

Hire a property management firm: Some real estate investors, especially those new to the business, shy away from hiring a property management firm. But such a company is worth the expense for investors with little time or knowhow with regard to fixing a home. A property management firm will ensure the building is kept in shape, and depending on your agreement

with the company, may even take care of cleaning vacant apartments, readying them for showing and renting them to new tenants.

Perhaps the biggest advantage to working with an effective property management firm is the likelihood that they will turn over the vacant apartment quickly, ensuring you don’t lose money when tenants move out.

Carefully vet prospective tenants: It's understandable that investors want to get a building occupied as quickly as possible so they can use tenants' rents to pay for the property. But bad tenants can cause damage to the property, and their behavior might encourage reliable fellow tenants to find a new living situation. When looking to fill a vacancy, establish a minimum income requirement for prospective tenants and ask applicants to produce proof

ANABELA SERRA Sales Representative

Royal LePage Supreme Realty Inc., Brokerage

416.535.8000 • 416.400.5825

May everyday of the New Year glow with good cheer & happiness for you & your family and friends!

of income and references from past landlords.

Work quickly: Few people want to rent forever, so expect significant turnover, especially if your investment property is a larger complex with multiple dwellings.

If you aren't working with a property management company, an easy way to maximize your profits on an investment property is to work quickly when turning apartments over after a tenant moves out. This includes painting and cleaning the apartment. A unit with minor wear and tear should take one week or less to get ready to show to prospective tenants, and the unit should be vacant for only one month before new tenants move in. Anything longer than a month, and you're losing money you don't have to lose.

Upgrade appliances: Renters are just as likely to fall in love with curb appeal as buyers are.

While there may not be a yard to entice renters if you purchased an apartment complex, curb appeal can apply to an apartment's interior. One of the more notable eyecatchers to prospective renters is updated appliances, especially since appliances may be the only items actually in the apartment when it is shown.

Stainless steel appliances provide an instant upgrade over older appliances that may appear dated and are certain to make a strong first impression on prospective renters, many of whom would be

willing to pay more in rent for a unit with update appliances. In addition, renters may feel that landlords who took the time and spent

the money to upgrade appliances are likely to make a greater effort maintaining the property.

Investors can maximize their

There are a number of advantages to hiring a professional property management firm for your rental properties, including the likelihood that they will turn over a vacant apartment quickly.

Happy New Year!

Jeanette Grant Sales Representative

Off: 416.236.1392 Dir: 416.737.9999 jeanette@myultimateplace.com

I’m excited to announce that I’ve joined the Keller Williams Neighbourhood Realty, Brokerage in the heart of the Junction.

Wishing you very happy holidays and all the best for the New Year from my new Brokerage!

MyUltimatePlace.com

Best wishes

for a healthy and prosperous New Year filled with happiness and joy!

TERRI WALSKI Sales Representative Office:

416 769-1616

Happy New Year to All My Wonderful Clients in Bloor West Village, Baby Point, Old Millside, High Park, Roncesvalles Village

Cell:

647 287-8374 twalski@trebnet.com www.terriwalski.com

*

*

* DIRECTOR'S PLATINUM AWARD

Sales Representative

* 2009 - 2011 Top 1% of the Royal LePage residential sales force on a national level based on earnings*

*2008 Top 3% of residential marketplace based on sales earnings

*2009 Director’s Platinum per Royal LePage Canada based on Sales Volume

*2006 President’s Gold Award per Royal LePage Canada based on Sales Volume

Wishing everyone BARBARA McNALLY Sales Representative

416

488-2875

Office: 416 233 6276 Direct: 416-606-1581 nutan@royallepage.ca • 5110 Dundas St. W.

www.nutanbrown.com

Royal LePage West Realty Group Ltd., Brokerage

ENERGY • COMMITMENT • RESULTS

Thanks!

Independently Owned and Operated

Enjoy time with Family and Friends in Your Home NATIONAL CHAIRMAN’S CLUB

I value your business and hope that all your dreams come true in 2013 and beyond!

Remax West Realty Inc.,Brokerage

National Chairman’s Club, Top 1%, 2008-2012

Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage 2320 Bloor St.W.

returns on investment properties in a variety of ways, many of which don't require significant effort.

– MS

Independently Owned and Operated

a wonderful & prosperous 2013!

11 | THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

#1 Agent 2007 through 2012 *Re/Max Central Corp. now known as Re/Max Ultimate Realty Inc.

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed 2013 Thank you for all your help and support in 2012!

Cintia De Souza THE NAME THE COMMUNITY TRUSTS AND RECOMMENDS!

416-654-7653

(SOLD)

RODRIGO DE SOUZA

Ultimate Realty Inc., Brokerage

Independently Owned and Operated 1272 Dundas Street West Toronto Ontario M6J 1X7

Sales Representative

STEPHANIE DE SOUZA

Sales Representative

Office 416-530-1080, Fax 416-530-4733

www.cintiadesouza.com

Stop paying rent. .

I can help turn your dream of homeownership into a reality, sooner.

Stephen Elliott Call today and let’s get started.

Home Financing Advisor

416-230-3724 ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia.

stephenm.elliott@scotiabank.com

LAWYERS 778 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M6G 1C6 Tel: (647) 350-0200 Fax: (647) 350-0800 Providing legal services since 1996

Maria De Sousa

mds@desousawoloshyn.ca

Peter D. Woloshyn

pdw@desousawoloshyn.ca

THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

12

PROVEN RESULTS!!!

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INCREDIBLE 82’ X 208’ ESTATE!!

Prestigious executive 5+2 bdrm 2 storey, gorgeous stone & brick exterior, professionally landscaped lot, backing onto Conservation lands, absolutely a must see, beautifully finished thru-out, Jatoba hardwood & granite flrs, custom kitchen inground pool, & much more for $1,990,000 Call to view!!

BROKER

PREMIUM RAVINE LOT!!

Gorgeous Property 90’ x 143’ lot backing onto the Humber River & situated on quiet dead end street. Custom built 2 storey with addition & walkout bsmnt. Fabulous layout, granite countertop & floors, 5+1 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, finished basement with second kitchen ideal for entertaining or nanny suite, w/o to professionally landscaped lot with inground salt water pool, patio, deck, & spectacular ravine views.

Meticulously well maintained property offered at only $1,699,900!!

HE R T O N A OLD S

Sponsor of

Children's Miracle Network & Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation ROYAL YORK/NORSEMAN!!

#1 in West and Central Toronto combined by units of listings sold for all Companies of all Brokers & Sales Representatives 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 according to a study of MLS data prepared by an independent auditor of real estate statistics.

FANTASTIC BUSINESS $249,000!!

Large restaurant with drive thru on a ¾ acres lot, in the heart of Bolton, zoned for fast food national chain, completely renovated (09) seats 75, 35 parking spaces, currently very successful business also included for $1,975,000!!

2 STOREY MASTERPIECE!

CUSTOM BUILT ALDERWOOD 2 STOREY!!

Custom built 4+2 bdrm 2 storey with addition, gorgeous renovated kitchen & baths, granite counter tops, gleaming hardwood floor, 4 full baths, main floor. Family room & den, 2nd floor laundry, finished basement with separate entrance, quality craftsmanship through-out, thousands spent must be seen for $1,100,000!!

Situated on a quiet court location. Mississauga/Etobicoke border. Backing onto ravine, totally renovated detached 2 storey 4+1 bedroom is simply amazing, gorgeous gourmet kitchen, s.s appliances, Granite countertop, main flr family room gas fireplace, formal living & dining room, prof finished basement. Backyard paradise, heated inground saltwater pool, jacuzzi, pattern concrete patio, solarium plus much more.

SOLD FAST FOR TOP $$$!!

Fabulous design, great curb appeal, Large 4 bdrm with 4 washrooms, finished basement.

Stunning classic combination of hardwood, marble & ceramic floors, high ceilings, skylight, Oak stairs, family size kitchen with breakfast area, granite countertop, centre island, stainless steel appliances & many extras for $888,800!!

BACKING ONTO GOLF COURSE!!!

Large detached 4 bdrm 2 storey, finished basement, huge 50’ x 199’ lot! Located close to all conveniences, quick access to Hwys, many upgrades thru-out, Well maintained home Must be seen for $799,900!!

KEELE & 401!!

Fabulous detached 4+1 bdrm 2 storey, double garage, interlock, large verandah, double door entry, centre hall plan, 4 washrooms, combined living and dining rm, cathedral ceiling, gas fireplace, gleaming hardwood floors in family rm, wonderful family size kitchen, w/o to large deck & heated inground pool, gorgeous prof. landscaped lot, finished bsmnt and many extras for only $799,000!!

Gorgeous 4+2 bdrm 2 storey, beautiful custom kitchen, granite countertops, s.s appliances, gleaming hardwood floors, 9’ ceilings, crown moulding, California shutters, gas fireplace, main flr. laundry, huge master with 5 pc ensuite and professionally finished basement, ideal for In-law suite, + much more for $785,900!!

FABULOUS VELLORE VILLAGE OPPORTUNITY!!

THE VICTORIAN! 2790 sq ft classic custom built 2 storey all brick semi detached luxury homes. Located in the Long Branch area, Newly built, select your luxurious finishes starting from $799,000

BURNHAMTHORPE/PONYTRAIL!!

Rare 5 bdrm 2 storey on a beautiful lot. Just steps to Gametwood Park along the Etobicoke boarder. Gorgeous family rm with w/o to private fenced lot 20’x40’, inground pool. Huge bedrooms and principal rooms, renovated baths, fabulous country kitchen with s.s appliances and breakfast area, large finished basement 2nd kitchen & 2 bedrooms, gleaming hardwood flrs. and much more. $739,000

SHERIDAN HOMELANDS!

Incredible totally renovated 4 bdrm, 2 storey, gleaming hardwood floors, spacious principle rms, gourmet kitchen, granite countertop s.s appliances, large family rm addition, walkout to amazing prof. landscaped lot, interlock, inground salt water heated pool, patio, stupendous perennial garden, plus finished basement. Simply must be seen only $649,900!!

80 X 150 FT LOT!

Detached 3 bedroom bungalow with gorgeous brick & stone exterior, on a huge premium lot in Royal York/Dixon area, long private double driveway with garage. Large open concept living and dining room, 2 renovated bathrooms, walk-out to spacious serene back yard, huge workshop, fabulous opportunity only $639,900.

FREE Confidential Home Evaluations WEST REALTY INC., Brokerage

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated

Call Today And Start Packing!!!

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• Your Home Advertised 24 Hours a Day Until Sold • Your Home Advertised to Millions on www.GetLeo.com • Learn the Secrets of Selling your Home, without ineffective Open Houses • Your Home Listed in Full Colour Print Ads Until It’s Sold • Our team of Professionals for the same price as hiring a single broker

• Get up to $10,000 no interest for 60 days* • Total service guarantee in writing • Your Home Sold in 90 Days, or I’ll Buy it* • Competitive Rates, Exceptional service

“The Name Friends Trust & Recommend” Experience and Service you can count on!!

HER T O N A SO LD

HER T O N A SO LD KINGSVIEW VILLAGE!!

THE BELLARIA RESIDENCE!!

Incredible luxury condo, great location close to Vaughan Mills shopping centre, Canada’s Wonderland, restaurants, and all conveniences.

Fabulous gated community, 24hr concierge, Fantastic facilities, spacious 2 bdrm condo, stainless steel appl. Granite countertop, gleaming ceramic & hardwood flrs thru-out. A must see for $619,900!!

Totally renovated Etobicoke beauty, gorgeous stone exterior finish & curb appeal. Custom kitchen, granite counter top, stainless steel appliances, skylight, gleaming hardwood flrs, prof. finished basement with separate in-law suite, garage, large back yard.

SOLD FAST FOR TOP $$$!!

TOMKEN/DUNDAS!!

SPECTACULAR TOWNHOME!!

In the heart of Woodbridge quiet enclave, steps to Market Lane. Totally renovated open concept living room, gleaming hardwood flr, walkout to patio, formal dining, amazing custom kitchen granite countertop, stainless steel appliances, California shutters, potlights, finished basement, truly a masterpiece, must be seen only $499,900!!

Wonderful detached 3 bdrm raised bungalow with pie shaped lot, quiet court location, in East Mississauga.Fabulous potential In-law suite, finished basement with separate entrance. Upgraded family size kitchen with s.s. appl., huge combined Living & dining rm with walk out to balcony, renovated bsmnt with fireplace and w/o to yard, gleaming hardwood flrs & much more.

SOLD FAST FOR TOP $$$!!

THE R O N A OL D S

ER ANOTLHD SO ROYAL YORK/EVANS!!

Wonderful detached brick 2 storey full of charm and character. This home has been totally renovated, new electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, nicely finished trim & hardwood thru-out! Finished basement with bar, new roof(2011), new windows(2011) furnace(2009) fully fenced yard with Gazebo, and many extras.

SOLD FAST FOR TOP $$$!!

THE JAMES CLUB!!

Prime Kingsway/Edenbridge neighbourhood.

Fabulous layout, 2+1 bedroom suite, open concept living and dining rm, w/o to private balcony/terrace, thousands spent on upgrades, granite countertop, breakfast bar, high ceilings, steps to transit, Humbertown Plaza, & amenities only $469,900

PRIME DEVELOPMENT LAND!!

Surrounded by Thistletown Plaza, 3+1 bedroom Semi-detached bungalow on a 35’x183’ lot (3 adjacent lots also) providing over 20,000 sq ft for all kinds of development potential, $449,900!!

YONGE & SHEPPARD CONDO!!

Rare huge 1,590 sq. ft. 2 + 1 bdrm corner unit in the exclusive Manhattan Place. Spacious open concept layout, gleaming parquet floors, Large master bedroom with gorgeous 5 piece ensuite & walk- in closet, modern family size kitchen, unobstructed South West view, voted North York Condo of the Year in 2009, a must see for $499,000!!

ER H T O N A LD SO JANE/WILSON!!

EGLINTON/WESTON!!

Totally renovated 4+1 bdrm 2 storey, gorgeous Cartier kitchen, s.s. appl., porcelain tile, gleaming hardwood flrs., finished basement with separate side entrance to In- law suite with second kitchen. Large California style deck, renovated bathrooms, & many upgrades, located close to all convenience.

Spacious 3 + 1 bedroom bungalow. Updated kitchen, Corian countertop, open concept living & dining room, updated bathroom, separate side entrance to finished basement ideal for entertaining or in-law suite with 2nd kitchen. Long driveway only

SOLD FAST FOR TOP $$$!!

SOLD FAST FOR TOP $$$!!

ER AN OTH SO LD WESTON/LAWRENCE!!

Spacious 3 bdrm detached 1 1/2 storey, on a large 40’ x 136’ lot, finished basement, separate entrance, hardwood floors, crown moulding, wainscoting, detached garage, long private drive and many extras, located close to all amenities.

SOLD FOR TOP $$$!!

OAKWOOD & VAUGHAN!!

Rare Investment opportunity, at affordable price. Store with a 2 bdrm apt, above.

Previously a convenience store, 4 car parking & lrg basement, high traffic area, great central location, close to all conveniences & transportation for $349,000!!

LIBERTY VILLAGE!!

Beautiful Dufferin/King 2+1 bdrm condo townhouse, open concept living & dining rm with fireplace, gleaming laminate floor, separate Den, w/o balcony from mstr bedroom, great view of the city. Fabulous location the best of city living, close to all conveniences for only $334,900!!

CALL

416

As Another year comes to a close, we hope that your home will be filled with Happiness, Good Health and Prosperity for the year 2013!

THE WESTWAY/MARTINGROVE

Totally renovated 3+1 bdrm 2 storey, Stucco & Stone exterior, Spacious open concept living & dining rm, gorgeous kitchen with granite countertop, s/s appl, ceramic & laminate floors thru-out finished basements, new 2 car garage, plus many extras, new roof, new washrooms, New oak staircase with steel rail, hi-eff. furnace & much more.

SOLD FAST FOR TOP $$$!!

NUVO 2!!

Luxurious Tridel built, immaculate 1 bedroom plus den, bright open concept layout, French doors, laminate floors, W/O to balcony, modern kitchen granite countertop, breakfast bar, 24 hr concierge, world class amenities, steps to Subway and Go Train, only $289,900!!

Happy New Year

HER T O N A SO LD DAVENPORT / SYMINGTON!!

WESTON RD/BUTTONWOOD!!

Spacious 3 bdrm townhouse, 4 bathrooms, large combined living and dining room, bright family size kitchen, finished basement w/ kitchenette & bath, w/o to backyard, garage access door, and many extras, located close to all conveniences for $329,900!!

Fabulous 2 bedroom suite over 1000 sq. ft, open concept living & dining room, walkout to large balcony. Updated kitchen ceramic floor, renovated bathroom, spacious bedrooms, includes parking & locker only $165,000!!

917

(L (L

I I

O O

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5 4 6 6

SEE MORE PHOTOS : www.GetLeo.com Not intended to solicit persons under contract. *Certain Conditions May Apply. ReMax West Realty Inc. does not guarantee the sale of your home. Exclusively offered by Frank Leo.

Copyright© 2009 Frank Leo

| THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

SELL Your Home FASTER and for MORE MONEY!

13

THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

14

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3031 BLOOR STREET WEST | TORONTO, ON | M8X 1C5

*

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2012 BY THE NUMBERS!

REFLECTIONS ON SOME NUMBERS THAT ���� MADE 2012 SUCH A MEMORABLE YEAR FOR ME..

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Opinion

15

I

t’s a time of year when we all want to believe. It’s not only children who were hoping that Santa and his reindeer paid a visit. And come New Year’s Eve, many of us will have perhaps an optimistic belief in our ability to change, leading us to make resolutions. In our private lives this delightful suspension of reality fades after a couple of weeks.

But when we consider our public institutions, wishful thinking seems to last all year round.

No fairy tale is more deeply ingrained than the belief in a pot of gold at city hall large enough to make wishes come true without any sacrifice. Whether this fantasy is called a gravy train, efficiencies or waste, the first two years of the Mayor Rob Ford administration ought to have put this belief to rest.

As a candidate, his “Taxpayer Protection Plan” promised more than $100 million in savings with no loss of services. Once elected, outside accountants, motivated politicians

Beyond the headlines

david soknacki

and city staff looked under every plant, only to recommend proposals so unpalatable that council either delayed or reversed most of the ideas.

To be fair, the administration’s opposition is equally responsible for the problem, happily living in a past of unsustainable services, unachievable expectations and unmet promises.

In the middle of this unreality is budget chief Mike Del Grande who, in the closing month of 2012, made significant strides in reconciling these two fantasy worlds.

No City of Toronto budget will ever be manageable unless a firm hand is taken to the city’s largest budgets: police, emergency services and transit.

For the first time in living

memory, our police budget does not have an increase.

And the Toronto Transit Commission presented a budget on target, thanks in part to a fare increase.

Just over $1 million was added for services to lubricate his budget’s passage, including funds for public health, student nutrition, the arts and, to reflect the reality on the floor of council, a small but unallocated sum. That this budget stands a good chance of clearing hurdles at council could be seen in the shorter deputation list and, compared to the last two years, muted public reaction. For the most part, outrage was limited to the usual activists and interest groups.

Sensibly, the budget committee steered a middle course. Should this budget be approved, Del Grande will have presented us with a package that will keep giving all year long. n David Soknacki is a former City of Toronto councillor and budget chief. Contact him at www.soknacki.com

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LISA QUEEN lqueen@insidetoronto.com Just days after a gunman killed 20 children and six staff members at a school in Connecticut, Premier Dalton McGuinty was at a Toronto school to announce a lockeddoor policy for elementary schools in Ontario.

“In the aftermath of that tragic event that unfolded in the U.S., I think there is am important question we have to ask ourselves. Are we taking all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of our kids at school?”

McGuinty told a press conference last Thursday in the library of St. Fidelis Catholic Elementary school in the area of Keele Street and Hwy. 401.

The province will spend $10 million for elementary schools to install security devices such as video cameras and buzzers to let visitors in.

All elementary schools in the province must have in place by next September a

locked-door policy that will mean doors to schools are locked while children are in class, McGuinty said.

“Now, we can’t, neither would we attempt to, turn our elementary schools into fortresses. We are not going to brick up these windows.

That would be unreasonable,” he said.

“I think it (the locked door policy) is an appropriate and reasonable response in keeping with what weighs heavily on the minds of parents.” In 2005, the province provided similar $3 million in funding for elementary schools to install security measures if the front doors could not be seen from the office. About 850 schools took advantage of the program.

There are about 4,000 elementar y schools in Ontario and McGuinty said he now wants all of them to be eligible for funding. He was clearly moved to beef up security measures following

the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on Dec. 14.

“What that event south of the border did was raise the question in our own minds as a government. Have we, in fact, taken all reasonable steps to protect the safety and wellbeing or our kids in school?”

McGuinty said.

Before the press conference, McGuinty visited teacher Luciana Di Nizio’s Grade 2 class, where he joined the children in making tinfoil Christmas tree ornaments.

He asked the youngsters what they do to be nice during the year.

“Help my sister get dressed,” one student said.

“Help my mom,” said another.

Student Mike Tesi then asked McGuinty if he has been naughty or nice this year.

“Mostly nice. Depends who you ask,” a smiling McGuinty answered.

17

| THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

18

Year in Review

Mayor Ford started to lose power over council in 2012 DAVID NICKLE dnickle@insidetoronto.co, There are some who say the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world in December of 2012. If you’re reading this, chances are that the

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world did not in fact come to an end as predicted. On the other hand, if you’d been paying attention to City of Toronto politics, you might not be so sure. It was a tumultuous year for Mayor Rob Ford and the 44 councillors who run this city.

To help readers sort it all out, here are some of the stories that helped define Toronto City Hall in the year that’s passed. n THE 2012 BUDGET Mayor Rob Ford’s second budget started 2012 in crisis. In 2011, budget chief Mike Del Grande and his budget committee delivered a budget that had communities across the city up in arms. There were cuts to libraries, arts grants, sidewalk snow-clearing in the suburbs, child care, and homeless shelters.

At the executive committee, Ford’s allies attempted to strike a compromise deal, reversing some of the more controversial cuts by dipping into $8 million in unanticipated revenue.

It wasn’t enough. Mayor Ford made a personal plea to councillors to leave the budget as it was recommended – putting $154 million in surplus all into capital debt reduction.

Council didn’t listen. In late January, council supported a motion by rookie councillor Josh Colle, that restored

nearly all the cuts that the mayor’s budget had proposed. n SUBWAYS In 2010, Mayor Rob Ford campaigned on a plan to scrap his predecessor David Miller’s light rail Transit City plan, and instead extend the Sheppard subway into Scarborough. Shortly after he was elected, he declared Transit City to be “dead” and began a process to find private sector investors as well as provincial and federal funding to make the subway a reality.

The mayor and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty had drafted a memorandum of understanding between the city and the provincial government, that the $8.4 billion in funding that was to have gone to build Transit City light rail lines on Eglinton, Sheppard and Finch Avenues would be diverted to building the Eglinton light rail line all underground.

But the memorandum of understanding needed to be ratified by Toronto Council. And when that finally came forward, council rejected both it and the plan. Council convened its own expert panel on what to do about the Sheppard corridor.

The expert panel advised, as expected, to go ahead with LRT on Sheppard and abandon the subway

plan. n PLASTIC BAGS In late 2011, Mayor Rob Ford told a radio station interviewer that he had been hearing from members of the public upset that the city was still forcing retailers to charge five cents a bag for plastic shopping bags. Ford agreed, and said he’d like to end that once and for all.

In July, the matter came before council, in the form of a report suggesting that the bag fee be targetted toward protecting Toronto’s tree canopy. Ford brought forward an amendment, to simply end the bag fee altogether.

That amendment succeeded. But it was not the only one to do so.

Willowdale Councillor David Shiner moved an amendment that would ban all plastic shopping bags from Toronto retailers by Jan. 1, 2013, and council approved it as well.

Council did vote to hold public consultations on its implementation.

In the course of that consultation, several industry associations brought forward legal challenges to the bylaw.

And in the late fall, council voted in a simple majority to kill it.

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Rob Ford started off the year on an optimistic note, taking part in a weight-loss challenge with his brother, Etobicoke North Councillor Doug Ford in the Cut the Waist Challenge.

But the weight-loss program didn’t click with Mayor Ford, and the challenge frittered away.

There were other incidents. The mayor was photographed reading while driving; he called TTC Chief executive officer Andy Byford to complain about a streetcar driver, who’d chided the mayor for driving past the open door of his streetcar.

And then there was football.

Ford started the year with what turned out to be a major blunder, when he spoke and voted on an integrity commissioner report asking council compel him to return $3,150 in money donated by lobbyists to his private football charity while he was a councillor. Prominent lawyer Clayton Ruby and client Paul Magder took Ford to court, charging that he’d breached the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and ought to be removed from office. Supreme Court Justice Charles Hackland agreed, and Ford’s future now rests in the hands of a Divisional Court of Appeal, set to convene Jan. 7.

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| THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

City

Budget committee to look at Gardiner options DAVID NICKLE dnickle@insidetoronto.com Toronto’s budget committee has asked for reports on the pros and cons of selling or leasing the Gardiner Expressway rather than trying to manage and repair the crumbling elevated highway using taxpayers’ money alone.

The city is looking at spending more than half a billion dollars to rehabilitate the

highway after engineering studies indicated it is nearing the end of its useful lifespan, and will only be safe to drive on for the next six years.

The motion to look at privatizing the highway came from an unlikely source: TrinitySpadina Councillor Adam Vaughan, a left-of-centre critic of Mayor Rob Ford who is contemplating a run for the mayoralty himself.

Vaughan brought the

motion to the committee with the idea of selling the highway to a private operator, who would set tolls and use that money to keep the road standing – and also provide money to the city.

Members of the budget committee were cautiously supportive of the idea, although not all keen to actually sell the highway.

“Creative ideas are good, but it’s a risky game when we

talk about selling the DVP or the Gardiner Expressway,” said York Centre Councillor James Pasternak.

“If those were offloaded to private hands, it could strangle decision-making for the city for decades. It would affect our ability to structure a regional transit system, it would strangle us in planning and building.”

Pasternak said leasing might be an option, some-

thing that others, including Etobicoke North Councillor Doug Ford, echoed.

“I’m not comfortable with selling off the Gardiner,” he said, suggesting the city look for foreign investors worldwide for a partnership arrangement.

“All over the world they’re getting the government involved with the private sector. I don’t see the harm in at least looking into it.”

Budget Chair Mike Del

Grande said any discussion on the future of the Gardiner shouldn’t pre-empt the necessary repair work going forward now.

“I want to assure Torontonians: we are going to fix whatever needs to be fixed on the Gardiner,” he said.

“I don’t view it as good money after bad money, because the Gardiner is the only structure we have. We have to do what we have to do.”

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With 2012 coming to an end, celebrate the new year with a bottle of Macedo’s signature chardonnay from Argentina or sip on an ice wine from the Niagara Region. The winery is also proud to offer four, eight and 16 litre boxes of wine. The revolutionary design ensures no air enters the wine making it last longer. Stock up on Merlot from Italy, Vidal from Canada, Cabernet Sauvignon and other signature wines.

Evolution Wines by Macedo Winery offers free wine tasting to ensure you take home the perfect wine to compliment your meals or serve at your next gathering. Take a tour of the facility to learn more about the bottling process and see the wine filled drums.

For more information call 416-537-0416 or visit the winery Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 am to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012 |

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| THE VILLAGER | Thursday, December 27, 2012

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Adjustments: Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of your ad. Please check your ad on the first insertion. For multiple insertions of the same ad, credit will be made only for the first insertion. Credit given for errors in connection with production on ads is limited to the printed space involved. Cancellations must be made by 2 p.m. one business day prior to publication date. Cancellations must be made by telephone. Do not fax or e-mail cancellations.

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If you believe this opportunity is the right one for you, please submit your resume and salary expectations by December 31 to, Payroll Manager, payrolldepartment@metroland.com.

Domestic Help Available GOLDEN BROOM Cleaning Service.

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THE VILLAGER |Thursday, December 27, 2012|

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