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www.northyorkmirror.com TRANSIT Rahul Gupta on the transit beat / 7

Our weekly calendar has the details you need to give the gift of life / 8 SPORTS The week ahead in the North York sports scene / 11

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HRH teams up with Queen’s

416-650-1100

tues july 23, 2013

Keele St. & Finch Ave.

®

CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL JUNIOR PARADE

Rastafest, Canada’s largest celebration of Rastafarian heritage and culture, will be held in North York over three dates in August.

The festival kicks off Aug. 8 at York Woods Library, at 1785 Finch Ave., east of Jane Street, with the Kuumba visual arts exhibition, featuring the works of Rastafarian artists.

On Aug. 15 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., the library will be the site of TweenFest, where children and youth performers will show off their talents in a number of areas including dub poetry/spoken word, African/Caribbean drumming, dance, music, theatre, visual arts and mar>>>SPOTLIGHT, page 12

Hospital provides learning experience for medical students Humber River Hospital has reached a formal affiliation partnership with Queen’s University that will see students, residents and clinical fellows rotate through all of the hospital’s acute care service disciplines, the organizations announced recently.

The first rotation will begin next month with the women and children’s program.

Hospital president Dr. Rueben Devlin praised the agreement.

“Humber River is uniquely positioned to be an institution of learning for medical students at all levels,” he said in a statement.

“The educational opportunities that present themselves at Humber River Hospital are varied and numerous. It’s a very challenging, yet very rewarding, rotation for our Queen’s >>>HOSPITAL, page 12

North York to host Rastafest

what’s on ◗ Aug. 8: Kuumba visual arts exhibition, featuring the works of Rastafarian artists, at York Woods Library, 1785 Finch Ave W.

Photo/PETER C. MCCUSKER

FUN FOR ALL AGES: Baby Micah Miller joins the fun with his mother Andrea during the Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival Junior Parade in Downsview Park Saturday. See page 3 for more photos.

◗ Aug. 15: TweenFest showcases the talents of children and youth performers, 6 to 8:30 p.m. at York Woods Library, 1785 Finch Ave W. Admission is free. ◗ Aug. 24: Rastafest wraps up at Downsview Park (Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue).

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community held in honour of Danzig shooting victim wTourney A York University basketball tournament held in honour of alumnus Joshua Yasay, an innocent victim killed last summer during a shoot out on Danzig Street, raised $4,000.

Funds raised at the Joshua Yasay first annual tournament are being donated to the Joshua Yasay Award for Excellence in Criminology and Community Service.

The July 1 tournament was held a couple of weeks before the first anniversary of Yasay’s death on July 16, 2012.

Seven teams competed in the tournament, which saw Yasay’s family, friends and fellow students play in a double elimination competition before taking on the Toronto Police Services’ recreational team in the final round.

The finals matched up players from the Goodfellas Barbershop, which Yasay had opened before his death,

and the police team, which notched a one-point win.

The award named in Yasay’s honour is given to fourth-year criminology students who have had a positive impact on their communities through civic engagement and stewardship.

To make a donation, contact York’s division of advancement at 416-650-8210 or online at www.forJoshua.ca For more information about how to help with the second annual basketball tournament, call Susan Barnes at 416-6508467. meal at Black Creek urban Farm wSustainable

Come eat a locally sourced, organic supper at Toronto’s newest and biggest urban farm where the food was grown.

Join Everdale for a free day of farm fun and a sustainable meal on Thursday, July 25, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Black Creek Community Farm.

The event will feature live music, dance, and a live and silent auction.

Tickets are limited and cost $75 plus HST.

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For more information, visit www. everdale.org

gathers input on health care wLHIN The Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) is conducting engagement sessions this week in North York to gain insight about residents’ experiences in the health care system.

The first sesWed. sion this week will be held Wednesday, July 24, at the Black Creek Community Health Centre’s Yorkgate Mall location, 1 Yorkgate Blvd., Unit 202 from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

The second session will be held Thursday, July 25, at the Black Creek Community Health Centre’s Sheridan Mall site, 2202 Jane St., Unit 5 from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

A third session will be held Saturday, July 27 at the North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge St. from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

For more information, contact the Central LHIN at 905-948-1872 or visit www. centrallhin.on.ca

july

North York in brief

NORTH YORK MIRROR | Tuesday, July 23, 2013 |

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get together local library watretirees Nifty Frum Friends is a group of retirees that meets informally at Barbara Frum library to exchange news and views on a monthly basis The next meeting is on Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the branch at 20 Covington Rd., in Room A on the third floor.

To learn more about the group, call 416-395-5440.

Registration is recommended.

on display at pioneer village wquilts Black Creek Pioneer Village will be swathed in cosy quilts during the Quilts at the Creek event next month.

Learn how quilts are made, enjoy a Quilter’s Marketplace, join in an advanced quilting workshop or get a quilt appraised.

This event is held in part-

nership with the York Heritage Quilters Guild.

Quilts at the Creek takes Place Aug. 10 and 11 at 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy., near Steeles Avenue and Jane Street.

For details, visit http:// www.blackcreek.ca/v2/events/ quilts.dot woman’s name released wmurdered

A woman who was found murdered in a North York building earlier this month has been identified as 72-year-old Janina Wrigglesworth.

Emergency crews were called to an apartment unit at 5754 Yonge St. (north of Finch Avenue) for a fire at 1:15 p.m.

July 13. Wrigglesworth’s body was found in the unit when the fire was extinguished.

The death was later deemed a homicide.

On July 15, police released security camera images of a person of interest in the case.

Police said Wrigglesworth lived in the unit where the fire occurred.

Anyone with information can call the homicide squad at 416-8087400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 (TIPS) or https://222tips.com

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in pictures

Colourful Carnival

pagentry on parade: Far left, Rebecca Martinez wears an elaborate bird costume as part of the Fantazia Int’l Legends mas band during the Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival Junior Parade in Downsview Park on Saturday. Above, Emma Lemieux joins the parade.

Left top, Aneasa Taylor and Taejaa Yearwood try to cool off. Left bottom, Destiny Shortte-Jarvis, left, Tyanna Shortte-Jarvis and Shalissa Williams dance with the Heaven Can Wait mas band.

Photos/PETER C. MCCUSKER

The Junior Parade is just one exciting part of the Caribbean Carnival. For dates and details on all the events, including the Grand Parade on Saturday, Aug. 3, visit www.torontocaribbeancarnival.com

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NORTH YORK MIRROR | Tuesday, July 23, 2013 |

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opinion

The North York Mirror is published every Tuesday and Thursday at 175 Gordon Baker Rd., Toronto, ON, M2H 0A2, by Metroland Media Toronto, a Division of Metroland Media Group Ltd.

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Residents’ input needed on subway

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f it wasn’t for the Scarborough subway debate, it would seem Toronto has nothing else to talk about.

Which brings us to the point of this editorial: talking. If transit is of such importance, then politicians should give Torontonians the chance to talk about it.

The debate hit a fevered pitch after Ford Fest, where Mayor Rob Ford said he was inundated with Scarborough residents telling him they wanted a subway.

To make it sound like all of Scarborough took transit to Thomson Park July 5 and filled the ear of the mayor with chants of ‘We want subways!’ is hard to believe.

The right approach would be to have more transit town halls – during the day and at night – so as many Torontonians as possible can have their say.

That this approach should have taken place more during the David Miller era when Transit City was being constructed is a given.

That these conversations our view should have continued when Ford wanted to axe Transit Hold transit Mayor City, expand subways, and now change the Scarborough RT meetings agreement with Metrolinx to a across city subway, is also obvious.

However, it seems residents are, once again, at the whim of politicians – at all three levels of government.

A shining example was the case with transportation minister Glen Murray’s announcement that $400 million has been removed from the Scarborough RT revitalization budget due to other construction issues at Kennedy station.

There should be transit debates across Toronto because everyone will be impacted by the end result.

Whether it’s the Eglinton or Finch LRT lines, the proposed Downtown Relief Line, or the currentlytrendy Scarborough subway debate, every kilometre of track laid down – LRT or subway – has a citywide impact, which cannot be ignored.

So why are citizens, en-masse, being ignored?

Why are they not being invited to town halls in various parts of the city to discuss transit in its entirety?

Why are councillors not concerned about this lack of openness?

Why, with so much money on the table to create a fluid transit solution – which includes cars – are Torontonians not being consulted?

It’s all the same people being taxed to pay for these solutions.

Why are we not being asked for our input on this issue?

Write us The North York Mirror welcomes letters of 400 words or less. All submissions must include name, address and a daytime telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Copyright in letters remains with the author but the publisher and affiliates may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms. Letters can be sent to letters@ insidetoronto.com, or mailed to The North York Mirror, 175 Gordon Baker Rd. Toronto, ON, M2H 0A2.

column

It’s time to put hockey talk on ice Back in the day, I didn’t have to rely on air conditioning to make it through hot spells.

Talking hockey was enough to do the trick. Not anymore.

Fact is, talking about today’s NHL makes me even hotter under the collar than I already am, especially when you’re conversing with one real tough cookie.

Cookie: “I keep hearing the reason the Leafs can’t make any more roster acquisitions is because of the impact of free agency on players’ salaries. I know nothing about the business of sports. Can you explain that relationship to me?”

Me: “No problemo. Let’s say Team ‘X’ is interested in signing Free Agent ‘X’ away from another club. What that means is...”

Cookie: “Uh, I hate to stop you right away, but wouldn’t Free Agent ‘X’ already be on Team ‘X’, given that they’re the same letters and all? It seems logical to me.”

Me: “Are you implying I’m not logical, Mr. Spock?”

Cookie: “Not at all. I just

jamie wayne BUT SERIOUSLY don’t think you comprehend the subtlety of employing variables. Why don’t you just make it Team ‘X’ and Free Agent ‘Y’ or Team ‘Y’ and Free Agent ‘X’? It’ll avoid confusion. Trust me.”

Me: “Noted. So Team ‘Y’ wants to sign Free Agent ‘X’ for ‘X’ dollars, Now...”

Cookie: “Uh, uh, uh. You’re using ‘X’ in two different contexts again. Tsk, tsk.”

Me: “Team ‘Y’ wants to sign Free Agent ‘X’ for ‘Z’ dollars.

You happy, now?”

Cookie: “Ecstatic. Carry on.”

Me: “What’s complicating this scenario is that Free Agent ‘Y’ is also making ‘Z’ dollars and he’s not as good as Free Agent ‘X’, so...”

Cookie: “Hang on. Do you mean Free Agent ‘Y’ from the previously mentioned Team ‘Y’ or do you mean a free agent on a different team?”

Me: “Who cares? He could be on any team.”

Cookie: “No, he couldn’t.

We’ve already established that all the free agents on Team ‘X’ would be named Free Agent ‘X’. Ditto, all the free agents on Team ‘Y’ would be named Free Agent ‘Y’. So why don’t you just call him Free Agent ‘A’?”

Me: “Why don’t I just call who Free Agent ‘A’?”

Cookie: “The guy you just referred to as Free Agent ‘Y’” Me: “If you say so.”

Cookie: “Excellent. So, just to recap, where you left off, Team ‘Y’ wants to sign Free Agent ‘X’ for ‘Z’ dollars. The problem is Free Agent ‘A’ is making ‘Z’ dollars and Free Agent ‘A’ is not as good as Free Agent ‘X’. Now, please proceed.”

Me: “Proceed? I don’t know what the heck you’re talking about. Look, I think we both need a break. Do you want to get some Chinese food? I could have sworn I saw a menu on the table in the kitchen.”

Cookie: “You did and it’s taken care of, pal. I ordered

before you came over to save time, in case we got into one of our typical, lengthy hot discussions. Here’s what I asked for, ‘X’ from Column ‘A’, ‘X’ from Column ‘B’, ‘X’ from...”

Me: “Uh, do you mean ‘X’ from Column ‘A’ and ‘Y’ from Column ‘B’, etc.?”

Cookie: “No. How on earth did you arrive at that conclusion?”

Me: “Your lecture on proper variable usage. How else?”

Cookie: “That was for hockey, doofus. There are no free agent egg rolls. A child of four knows you put an ‘X’ beside everything when ordering Chinese food.”

Me: “Whatever. I don’t have the strength left to argue. But since I’m going to end up paying for it no doubt, for your sake, the bill better fit under my salary cap.”

Jamie Wayne is a lifelong columnist, who takes writing very seriously. The topics?

Not so much. His column appears every Tuesday. Contact him at jamie.wayne@sympatico.ca

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Aeros, Seneca’s Heaney scores with Hockey Hall of Fame NORM NELSON nnelson@insidetoronto.com A graduate of North York’s Emery Collegiate will soon find herself in one of Canada’s most coveted halls – the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Geraldine Heaney, 46, who also graduated North York’s Seneca College and played for the North York-based Aeros hockey club for more than a quarter of a century, was among this year’s inductees, announced earlier this month.

Also voted in were three former National Hockey League (NHL) stars, including Mimico’s Brendan Shanahan along with Chris Chelios and Scott Niedermayer. NHL coach and general manager Fred Shero was voted in posthumously in the builder’s category.

This year’s official induction ceremony will be held on Monday, Nov. 11 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

“It hasn’t kind of sunk in yet, I don’t think it probably will until the induction,” said Heaney in a phone interview from her Ancaster home where she now lives with her husband and four-year-old son and Kanetix brand ads – CAR eight-year-old daughter.

One of five siblings (two brothers and two sisters), she was born in Belfast (along with two of her siblings), but moved to Canada with her family when she was about nine months old, moving into their longtime family home “at Weston Road/ Hwy. 401.”

Her parents, she added, “stayed there for quite a while” until moving up north into their cottage “about six years ago.”

Heaney’s road to the hall – from humble North York beginnings – was paved with gold with just an added dash of silver.

A defenceman, she helped Canada win the gold medal at the first seven world championships (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001) – the only Canadian to enjoy all seven of those titles. And in both the 1992 and 1994 world championships, she was named the best defenceman.

She also has Olympic gold from Salt Lake City in 2002.

The dash of silver came from the 1998 Olympics in Nagano with Canada losing to the U.S. in the championship game.

Another sizeable medal collection haul has come from her Aeros women’s club team who were peren-

(Metroland - TAB - Quarter PG V - 5.145” x 5.71”)

Courtesy photo

Geraldine Heaney a graduate of North York’s Emery Collegiate and Seneca College played for the Aeros hockey club for more than a quarter of a century.

nial challengers at both provincial and national levels, winning four national championships.

She retired from the national team after the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics.

The official line on her national team career, according to Hockey Canada – 93 points (27 goals and

66 assists) in 125 games.

And she retired from club hockey in 2004 in fitting style – her Aeros club winning the Esso nationals and Heaney scoring the winning goal in overtime.

“The last year I played with the Aeros we won the national championship; the last year I played with the national team, we won the Olympics – it worked out well,” she said with a laugh. “I was almost three months pregnant with my daughter at the nationals. And then I ended up scoring the overtime goal at the national championships.”

At the beginning of her career she also scored what has become one of the iconic goals in women’s hockey.

At the inaugural women’s world championships in 1990, not only did she score the eventual winning goal in Canada’s 5-2 win over the United States, but she did it in Bobby Orr fashion – flying through the air while the puck flew into the net.

It even made Hockey Night in Canada’s top 10 goals for the 1989-90 season. You can see it on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=cjfvKJqBc6Y Her club held a special ceremony at a mid-season game at Seneca

College arena on Feb. 21, 2006 to honour her 27-year career as an Aero by hoisting Sweater #91 into the rafters and retiring it.

She is only the third female player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame after fellow Toronto native Angela James and U.S. player Cammi Granato were both inducted in 2010.

And it’s Heaney’s fourth hall of fame. She was among the first female players (along with James and Granato) inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) hockey hall of fame in 2008.

And she has also been inducted into the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (along with James) and Ontario ball hockey halls of fame.

“I played (ball hockey) for a long time maybe starting in my early twenties,” she said.

“There was a pretty big league and we had provincials and nationals every year. I think we won maybe four national championships – I don’t even know – at ball hockey too.”

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For more local sports news visit The North York Mirror online at www. northyorkmirror.com

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| NORTH YORK MIRROR | Tuesday, July 23, 2013

community

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FANNIE SUNSHINE fsunshine@insidetoronto.com

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hen Paola Poletto moved to North York four years ago, she took note of the close proximity of cultural and historical buildings in the former city’s core.

“I was interested in the city centre kind of thing,” she said. “And how they related to each other, how they built a strong hub for North York. That was interesting for North York 20, 30 years ago and it still functions as a meeting place.”

Noting the juxtaposition of old and new buildings, the installation artist thought the area situated on Yonge Street, just north of Sheppard Avenue, would make an ideal spot for a multi-location art exhibit.

Launched at Cultura Festival but operating as a standalone exhibit, Oh Dear! will run until Aug. 26 in seven locations involving seven artists.

NORTH YORK ‘MODESTY’ The free exhibit, curated

by Poletto, will explore North York’s past, present and proposed future through art, unhinging the former city’s “sense of modesty”, she said.

The locations for Oh

OH DEAR!

Dear! are Toronto Centre for the Arts; Mel Lastman Square; North York Civic Centre; the atrium inside North York Centre, by the library; North York Central Library; Gibson House Museum and Ontario Historical Society, inside Mackenzie House.

“The artists all had a different and unique approach,” said Poletto, who along with acting as curator is also one of the featured artists. “We have sculpture, a metal piece in the pool (at Mel Lastman Square), photography, video, installations, paintings. Each artist took a different approach.”

Along with Poletto, the artists involved with the exhibit are Matthew Blackett; Ian Chodikoff; Otino Corsano; Joseph Muscat; Stephen Cruise and Bailey Govier.

And though the exhibit is centred on specific sites, the pieces on display might not be reflective of the location, she said.

“It’s all about North York in a very umbrella sense,” she said.

Noting garbage boxes that were scattered throughout the first subdivision of the area, Poletto’s piece at the Ontario Historical Society is a recycling box with a number of recyclable items inside, covered by rose

MULTI-SPOT ART EXHIBIT EXPLORES NORTH YORK’S PAST, PRESENT AND PROPOSED FUTURE

petals.

“All garbage accumulates at home, but the soil is nitrogen rich, which is good for roses,” she said.

Calling North York’s history “fascinating”, Poletto said she was interested in a city centre that was no longer, thanks to amalgamation.

“I wanted to critically look at this and do it with artists who either grew up, lived or worked in North York,” she said. “I really hope people take a chance to walk the neighbourhood and check it out.”

In a blog post about Oh Dear!, Poletto wrote: “The spine of North York is a strip of Yonge Street between Sheppard Avenue to the south and Finch Avenue to the north. It provides distinct aesthetic markers of the past six decades. The level of redevelopment and density moves at ever greater speed in this zone. A post-war suburban district

transformed into North York’s city centre, today the area surrounding Mel Lastman Square and the North York Civic Centre, serves as a central postamalgamation Toronto hub for many new Canadians from Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries, among others.

With its rapidly expanding and changing population,

“

I wanted to critically look at this and do it with artists who either grew up, lived or worked in North York.

– Paola Poletto

it offers a mix of built conditions: greater high rises and greater density; the preservation of the wide single dwelling lots that surround its main transportation artery/boulevard; one-of-a-kind architecturally designed homes east

Stephen Cruise’s ‘willow BOX’, currently outside the Gibson House Museum, is one of seven North York locations hosting a portion of the Oh Dear! exhibition, which runs until Aug. 26.

of Yonge, post-war housing west of Yonge, both sides mostly all replaced in favour of monster homes; and public art and other planning attempts to both create and dissolve a centralized civic centre created before the 1998 amalgamation of Toronto. This mix today offers a microcosm of frugality and excess, and of new and old urbanism, that progress outside the purviews of critical taste. Oh Dear! offers a self-reflective critique of this area, roughly twenty-five years after its major civic buildings have been built. The exhibition explores the collective forming of a suburban North York culture...along this spine.”

Lila Karim, managing director of North York Arts, said she was thrilled when Poletto approached her to see if the organization would be interested in partnering with the exhibit.

“We are here to support North York artists and organizations,” she said.

“This was the perfect way to announce the type of exhibits we will be partnering on. What’s great about this (exhibit) is they worked with the business community, the historical society, civic centre, Gibson House, Toronto Centre for the Arts. It’s coinciding with Cultura Festival, and

we are a partner with that festival. For me, public art is another form of expression. It’s wonderful to see a beautiful sculpture piece in the middle of a civic pool, and that’s something you don’t normally see at Mel Lastman Square.”

While the city is in the midst of holding consultation meetings in each ward looking into affordable and sustainable cultural spaces for not-for-profit and community groups, Karim believes artists should take advantage of existing space, such as walls.

“We’re always talking about new space, but we need to work with existing space,” she said. “Most of the (Oh Dear!) venues have great wall space, and it’s a great footprint to showcase public art. Work with the existing bricks and mortar and look at it differently. It’s putting a different lens on existing space.”

Oh Dear!

Friday walking tours with one of the artists was held during Cultura Festival, with the last tour to be held Friday, July 26 at 8 p.m. at Mel Lastman Square.

JULY

NORTH YORK MIRROR | Tuesday, July 23, 2013 |

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For more on the exhibit, visit ohdearnorthyork.blogspot.ca

7 | NORTH YORK MIRROR | Tuesday, July 23, 2013

community

Noon concerts at central library Blues duo Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley perform in a free, mid-day concert at North York Central Library tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m.

On Wednesday, July 31, also at noon, catch a performance of Appalachian Mountain music with Sheesham & Lotus, playing on the fiddle, banjo and all sorts of found objects.

They pass on methods for music making when instruments were scarce, and families entertained themselves with dance, and simple songs.

The branch is at 5120 Yonge St. Call 416-395-5639 to register for either concert. Visit www. torontopubliclibrary.ca out a free movie in the park wCheck

A free family movie will be shown in Earl Bales Park tomorrow evening at 8:30 p.m.

Wreck-it Ralph will be screened at the park’s Barry Zukerman Amphitheatre, 4169 Bathurst St., in the north end of the park near the com-

julie caspersen arts in brief munity centre. The movie is about a video game villain who wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the arcade where he lives.

Despicable Me will be shown on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 8:30 p.m.

The free movies are presented by Councillor James Pasternak. Visit www.jamespasternak.ca Four concerts left in Sunday Serenades There are four more weeks left in the Sunday Serenades series at Mel Lastman Square.

July 28: Lenny Graf and his Platinum Orchestra, a 10-piece big band Aug. 4: The York Jazz Ensemble performs a tribute to Duke Ellington Aug. 11: The Wyndham Regency Orchestra entertains with Broadway show tunes Aug. 18: Luis Mario Ochoa and the Humber College Latin

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Big Band is a 22-member, allstudent band playing Mambo, Cha-Cha and Boleros from the 1950s.

Mel Lastman Square is at 5100 Yonge St. Concerts run from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Visit www.toronto.ca/special_events/serenades Solar Stage presents Little Mermaid’ w‘The

Solar Stage is presenting The Little Mermaid as their summer show.

This musical version of the Hans Christian Anderson tale will enchant and entertain children aged three to 10.

Dates are Wednesday, Aug. 1 at 10:15 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 2 at 1 p.m., Friday, Aug. 3 at 11 a.m., and Friday, Aug. 10 at 10:15 a.m.

Tickets must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance of the show date by calling the box office at 416-368-8031.

Solar Stage is at 100 Upper Madison Ave., near Sheppard Avenue and Yonge Street. Visit www.solarstage.on.ca

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Arts in Brief appears every two weeks. Email jcaspersen@ insidetoronto.com

Passenger assistance alarms explained The latest TTC web video instructs subway riders how to properly use the passenger assistance alarm (PAA).

The yellow strip is found on all trains and is intended to quickly summon emergency services personnel to attend to someone in urgent need of aid.

But as is pointed out in the five-minute YouTube clip, 70 per cent of the 6,000 PAA activations in 2012 were for nonemergencies resulting in more than 50 hours in delays.

The video is the latest in a series intended to educate ridership about TTC issues.

To see the video, go to www. youtube.com/embed/sPrypYcw0mw announces improvements wPresto

Presto now allows transit users to load the equivalent of a monthly pass onto their prepay electronic fare cards.

The passes are also automatically renewable and are one of several improvements to Presto announced

by Metrolinx last week.

For more on the features,

rahul gupta TO in TRANSIT visit www.prestocard.ca changes colour scheme wGO

Commuters may be forgiven if they do a double-take the next time they board a GO Transit vehicle: the regional transit agency has decided after nearly 50 years to revamp its traditional GO Green colour scheme.

A photo was posted online last week of a GO train locomotive and passenger car at GO’s Willowbrook Yard maintenance facility in Mimico sporting the new look, which now features two contrasting shades of green. The GO logo is also a darker green.

Wi-Fi subway access expands It will be some time yet before all TTC commuters can surf the Internet while standing on a subway platform, but two stations at least will offer free Wi-Fi access by the end

w

of the year.

The TTC announced it is ready to proceed with a pilot Wi-Fi program at St. George and Bloor stations starting in December. BAI Canada Inc., which is building a wireless network for 61 subway stations, has presented its installation and design plans for the project, which will be completed by the end of 2017. action on suicide barriers wNo

City council will take no further action on installing “suicide barriers” along subway platforms to prevent people from jumping or falling onto the tracks.

Presented at last week’s four-day council meeting, the motion called on the TTC to install the barriers at new stations planned for the Spadina extension and retroactively at existing stations.

But council balked at the idea due to construction and maintenance costs.

Rahul Gupta is the Mirror’s transit reporter. His column runs every Tuesday. Reach him on Twitter: @TOinTRANSIT

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community calendar

bit.ly/northyork_events

happening in

North YOrk

NORTH YORK MIRROR w | Tuesday, July 23, 2013 |

8

it's happening w Tuesday, July 23

Concert Under the Stars WHEN: 7 to 8 p.m. WHERE: Barry Zukerman Amphitheatre in Earl Bales Park, 4169 Bathurst St. CONTACT: Dorothy Rubinoff, 416-730-9721, drubinoff@rogers.com COST: Free The North York Concert Band presents a free evening concert, featuring music from jazz to show tunes, band tunes and more.

w Wednesday, July 24

Free Family Movie Night in Earl Bales Park WHEN: 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. WHERE: Barry Zukerman Amphitheatre in Earl Bales Park, 4169 Bathurst St. CONTACT: Jacob Katz, 416-392-1371, jkatz@toronto.ca COST: Free Bring the family, grab some free kosher popcorn and enjoy a movie outside on the big screen. ‘Wreck-It Ralph’: A video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives.

Rated PG.

w Thursday, July 25

Complimentary Chair Exercise Class WHEN: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. WHERE: St. Bonaventure Church, 1300 Leslie St. CONTACT: Eric, 416-450-0892, theomnifitt@gmail.com COST: Free Chair exercise at St. Bonaventure Church, class focuses on balance, co-ordination, strength, flexibility and posture. Facilitated by a qualified instructor.

w Friday, July 26

Cultura Festival WHEN: 6 to 11 p.m. WHERE: Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St. CONTACT: Brian Liberty, http://culturafestival.ca, blibert@toronto.ca COST: Free The fourth and final show of the 2013 season. Mainstage performer (8 to 9 p.m.) Amanda Martinez. Other performers include the Magnolia Brass Band (6 to 8 p.m.) Film at 9:30 is ‘Invictus’.

w Thursday, Aug. 8

looking ahead

Can City Farming Save the World?

WHEN: 1 to 2 p.m. WHERE: Downsview Library, 2793 Keele St. CONTACT: Diana, 416-395-0700, doprograms@torontopubliclibrary.ca COST: Free Learn about city farms, their role in our community and how it can address issues with our current food system. The two-acre farm and 3,000-square-foot greenhouse at Downsview Park is the home base of Fresh City Farms. Founder Ran Goel will talk about the benefits of city farming and how it can change the world. Registration required.

w Saturday, Aug. 3 and Sunday, Aug. 4

Rogers Cup Free Family Weekend WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. WHERE: Rexall Centre, 1 Shoreham Dr. CONTACT: Free Family Weekend Hotline, 416-665-9777, ext. 4570, www.rogerscup. com/women/english/familyDay.php COST: Free Enjoy a weekend filled with fun activities and a chance to get out and play tennis. Everyone can participate in interactive games, free on-court tennis clinics, a fun scavenger hunt, contests, entertainment and more. Complimentary tickets will be provided, they cannot be reserved and there are no presales. Tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Check out our complete online community calendar by visiting www.northyorkmirror.com. Read weeks of listings from your North York neighbourhoods as well as events from across Toronto.

w Wednesday, July 31

EISA: The Rhythm of OKINAWA WHEN: 5 to 9 p.m. WHERE: Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, 6 Garamond Ct. CONTACT: 416-4412345, jccc@jccc.on.ca COST: $13.27 + HST for JCCC members, $17.70 + HST for non-members The main event will feature the Okinawan Dance and Music show ‘Eisa’ at 7:30 p.m. by the performing group, Karakoro, from Japan, in the Kobayashi Hall.

w Thursday, Aug. 1

Movie: ‘Blue Hawaii’ (1961) WHEN: 2 to 4 p.m. WHERE: Barbara Frum Library, 20 Covington Rd. CONTACT: 416-395-5440 COST: Free Chad Gates (Elvis Presley) has just gotten out of the Army, and is happy to be back in Hawaii with his surf-board, his beach buddies and his girlfriend.

Girls Night Out WHEN: 4 to 9 p.m. WHERE: Shops at Don Mills, 1090 Don Mills Rd. CONTACT: 416-384-1858, www. shopsatdonmills.ca COST: $20 Join Murale for Girls Night Out, a

w Saturday, Aug. 10

celebration on the first Thursday of every month to help raise funds for Look Good Feel Better (http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org), an organization that works closely with victims of cancer, and have a great time with just the ladies. Book an appointment for a mini facial or mini makeover.

w Monday, Aug. 5

Lawrence Square Blood Donor Clinic WHEN: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. WHERE: Lawrence Square, 700 Lawrence Ave. W. CONTACT: 647-220-5895, clara. angumba@blood.ca, www.blood.ca COST: Free Holiday heroes needed. Canadian Blood Services is asking eligible people to give blood before, during and after long weekends.

Summer long weekends are already a challenging time to collect blood with fewer appointment bookings, more cancellations and an increase of ‘no shows’. Donate on the second floor by the Medix School. To find out if you are eligible to donate, call or visit the website. When donating, ID is required. Be sure to eat and drink plenty of water before donating.

Linda’s Walk 2013 WHEN: 8 a.m. to noon WHERE: St. Bonaventure Church, 1300 Leslie St. CONTACT: Friar Tom Purcell, 416690-0330, www.stclareinn.org, info@ stclareinn.org COST: Free Fourth annual five-kilometre fundraising walk in support of St. Clare Inn, a transitional housing program for homeless women who are struggling with mental health challenges.

ongoing

Open Dialogue: An Educational and Support Group About Community Resources WHEN: Tuesdays, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Bathurst-Finch Hub, 540 Finch Ave. W. CONTACT: Marisa DiNardo, 416-635-2900 COST: Free This group will provide information about various topics and resources, including community services and supports, home and community safety, financial planning, legal matters, mental and physical well-being.

Downsview Library: Babytime WHEN: Wednesdays 11 to 11:30 a.m. WHERE: Downsview Library, 2793 Keele St. CONTACT: Downsview Children’s Librarian, 416-3955720 COST: Free Join us with your baby for bouncing and tickling rhymes, songs and stories. Parental or caregiver participation required. For ages 0 to 18 months. Registration required.

Fairview Mall Farmers’ Market WHEN: Fridays until Oct. 11, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. WHERE: 1800 Sheppard Ave. E., South Parking Lot CONTACT: William Blyleven, 905-317-3010, www.Facebook.com/FairviewMallFarmersMarket, maplegreenhouses@ bellnet.ca COST: Free Market-goers can find Ontario-grown produce and Ontarioproduced food products including honey, cheese, fresh-baked goods, farm-fresh eggs, Ontarioraised pork and beef as well as smoked and cured deli meats.

Games Tournament WHEN: Wednesdays, 2 to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Downsview Library, 2793 Keele St. CONTACT: Children’s Librarian, 416-395-5720 COST: Free Every week we will be having a single day tournament or competition. It will span many genres from video games to science challenges to construction contests. Ages seven to 12. Registration required.

Couples Support Group WHEN: Wednesdays, 1 to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Wagman Centre-Baycrest, 55 Ameer Ave. CONTACT: Patricia Wendy, 416-635-2900, ext. 499 COST: Free For people caring for a spouse who has dementia or cognitive impairment. Socialize with other couples, share common experiences and develop new friendships. Explore a range of activities for both the caregiver and the care recipient.

get listed!

The North York Mirror wants your community listings. Sign up online at northyorkmirror. com to submit your events (click the Sign Up link in the top right corner of the page).

We run non-profit, local events in print twice a week in The Mirror.

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city news

Gawker money to boost Popularity of electric vehicles harm-reduction programs has Toronto Hydro concerned Unison Health and Community Services to receive portion of money raised TAMARA SHEPHARD tshephard@insidetoronto.com Unison Health and Community Services will use its more than $45,000 share of U.S.-based website Gawker crowd-sourced money from its online ‘Crackstarter’ campaign to enhance and extend its harm reduction outreach to more people with substance abuse issues.

Six weeks ago, Gawker editor-in-chief John Cook announced the campaign had successfully raised $200,000 to buy the alleged video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

appearing to smoke crack cocaine. He said if the money did not buy the video, Gawker would donate it to a Canadian charity.

Cook wrote Thursday the money would be split among North York-based Unison, the Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke, The South Riverdale Community Health Centre and the Ontario Regional Addictions Partnership Committee.

Two of the other organizations will also use the funds toward its drug programs. The Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke is using the funds to mentor Somali teens to keep them from drugs, violence and killings.

Cook reported the total amount raised during the campaign was $201,199, but between the fees for the service that hosted the campaign, and PayPal, which processed the fees, the remaining

total was $184,782.61.

The money will be divided equally, with each organization receiving $46,195.65.

Ontario’s largest community health centre, Unison offers a harm reduction drop-in three days a week, a harm reduction peer program Mondays and Fridays, and a harm reduction kit for drug users.

“We plan to use the money to add enhancements to our harm reduction programs, including our outreach and educational programs to include a greater number of people,” Unison CEO Michelle Joseph said.

“In some programs, we have limited ability to offer workshops and outreach.

There are not a lot of resources for harm reduction.”

Joseph said Unison did not apply for Gawker funding.

Cook’s call came out of the blue.

Pilot program showing strain on transformers RAHUL GUPTA rgupta@insidetoronto.com

The increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) is resulting in more strain on Toronto’s overworked power grid, says a Toronto Hydro spokesperson.

While fewer than 100 vehicles were in operation in Ontario as little as three years ago, the number has ballooned to 1,450 as EVs are proving ever more attractive to consumers due to cheap energy costs – $2,000 less per year than gas powered cars, according to fuel efficiency estimates – and the availability of provincial rebates. However, according to Tom Odell, the popularity is coming at an increased load to existing power utilities due to the exorbitant amount of power EVs can take up for charging.

“EV usage represents three to five times more than the power requirement of the average house,” said Odell, Toronto Hydro’s Capital Projects manager, last week. “It’s like throwing the energy usage of three households onto a neighbourhood utility.”

Odell was at the recent EV Day showcase at Yonge-

Dundas Square where members of the public could check out and even test-drive various EV models from manufacturers such as Chevrolet, Nissan and Tesla Motors out of California, which is the world’s first car company devoted only to the manufacturing of EVs. According to sales figures, Tesla’s Model S sedan is the second-highest-selling EV in Canada, second to the Chevy Volt.

Michelle Lee-Gracey from Ford said the Focus model on display at Yonge-Dundas Square was one of five EVs manufactured by the car giant and can travel around 120 kilometres on a single charge, with a top speed of around 135 kilometres.

As car manufacturers continue to improve battery strength, EV owners lose their “range anxiety” and are confident to travel greater distances. Odell said Toronto Hydro’s challenge was to determine how increased usage will impact the grid.

“Charge control is a very important issue for us,” he said. “We have to make prudent infrastructure choices to accommodate electric vehicles.”

A Toronto Hydro pilot program monitoring of electric vehicle usage shows a “significant cluster” in Etobicoke and Bloor West as well as North York. While the results of

the pilot are limited to those electric car owners who volunteer to share their usage with Toronto Hydro, Odell said the information gleaned from the study shows energy usage spikes in the nighttime hours when home vehicle charging is strongest.

“People are charging for a long period of time when they get at home at 6 p.m. right until two or three in the morning,” he said. “We’re seeing more strain on local distribution transformers and that’s when we see the EV usage landing.”

Plug’ n Drive president Cara Clairman said EVs should be considered an attractive purchase because they are far less harmful to the environment than traditional automobiles.

“You can reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90 per cent,” said Clairman whose group educates about the environmental and cost benefits of EV use.

Clairman said a central objective of her group was to increase the number of public power charging stations available in the city, which currently stands at less than 10 according to the City of Toronto website, although stations are available at some car dealerships.

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For more community news from North York, visit www. northyorkmirror.com

CONSUMER FEATURE

SHOPPERS DRUG MART CELEBRATES GRAND REOPENING Get your coupon at www.save.ca/drfresh facebook.com/savedotca

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Staff and friends of the Shoppers Drug Mart at 3975 Jane Street celebrated its grand reopening on July 13, welcoming customers back to the newly redesigned store. The location has not only increased in size, but it now offers an expanded selection of products, including a brand new food section, a new, larger post office, and an expanded cosmetic department, adding convenience for customers. Manager Nelson Leung encourages area residents to stop by and check out the changes!