Here are some of the pictures from Councillor Pasternak's Free Community Outdoor Skate on January 31st on the outdoor rink at Irving Chapling Park. Photo Credits: Tahoy James
North York Really Really Free Market
The North York Really Really Free Market at The Driftwood Community Center on January 30th Photo Credits: Tahoy James
City Council bans the use of Hookah’s in Toronto
Late last year, Toronto city council overwhelmingly voted to ban the use of hookah’s inside licensed hookah lounges.The new law is expected to come into effect April 2016 bringing associated amendments to the Municipal Code Chapter 545, Licensing. Hookahs or water pipes are used to smoke tobacco and another herbal product known as shisha. Shisha is tobacco combined with molasses or honey that is used for smoking. The tobacco in cigars and cigarettes contains industrial chemicals and artificial additives while shisha is made of only natural substances and comes in a wide variety of flavors.Currently, only non-tobacco shisha can legally be smoked at hookah businesses. Hookah smoking has been popular among people from Middle Eastern and North African countries but has become widespread in North America amongst youth and adults with many establishments in Toronto permitting entry to minors.Toronto Public Health has estimated that as of April 2015 there were at least 60 Toronto businesses offering the use of the hookah on their premises. Data from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care shows that Toronto has the highest number of hookah businesses in Ontario, with the majority of these businesses being licensed as eating establishments and some as entertainment or retail stores.In 2014, a study was conducted which determined that the hookah presents health dangers for users in addition to those exposed to second-hand smoke. Data obtained on indoor air quality at hookah establishments demonstrated that the use of any substance could result in negative health consequences. Furthermore, Toronto Public Health presented the results of an air monitoring study at 12 indoor and 5 outdoor hookah cafes in Toronto which found alarming levels of fine air pollutant particles and carbon monoxide. Researchers determined that employees and customers at indoor hookah cafes are exposed to air pollution at levels that are considered harmful to human health. Outdoor hookah cafes showed less harmful levels than indoors, but air quality levels were still poor. High levels of nicotine in the air in indoor locations alluded to the fact that tobacco shisha is smoked in contravention of the Smoke Free Ontario Act at hookah businesses, exposing staff and patrons to the health risks of tobacco use, nicotine and second-hand tobacco smoke. In Ontario, Peterborough, Orillia, Bradford West Gwillimbury and Barrie have already prohibited hookah use in indoor public places regardless of whether tobacco or herbal shisha is being used.Some Canadian cities have already banned the use of the hookah. In 2013, Alberta passed legislation barring the smoking of tobacco-like substances and excluding of smoking these products in hookahs in public places where smoking was already prohibited. Recently, Nova Scotia also passed similar legislation which took effect in May. Use of the hookah was challenged in British Columbia as being a violation of The Charter of Rights. It is worth noting that the Court did not uphold the same sentiment.More to the point is the fact that the use of the hookah weakens the hard fought accomplishments of the Smoke Free Ontario Act, enacted in 1994 and last amended in 2015, by making hookah use socially acceptable.A lawyer representing 14 owners of hookah establishments said his clients are willing to be regulated by the City as they want to stay in business. It appears City Council does not agree. Although I am not a smoker, I do wonder, what ban is next? What makes drinking or gambling safer than smoking?
Growing up in the Downsview in the late 50s early 60s
I lived on Regent Road in Downsview from 1954 when I was born until I moved away from home in 1973. Regent Road was south of the de Havilland Aircraft company facility and north of Wilson Avenue -- between Dufferin Street and the railway tracks. I wanted to write about some of the experiences and landmarks that were memorable to a kid growing up in that time and place.Our house on Regent was just up the road from Murray Street. Between Murray Street and the tracks were lumber yards and I would jump their fence late at night and gather up a big bag of sawdust to use in my hamster cage. This was before Teskey's set up their operation. We could bicycle up to de Havilland and ride around the parking lots. There was lots to look at, the big hangars sometimes with Beaver or Caribou planes on the tarmac, the memorial monument and a few plaques. There was one road into the plant area with a sign saying “Do not enter” that I always enjoyed entering. They had an airplane part junkyard at the end where they stored old containers for aircraft engines and such things.Behind Regent was Wilson Avenue and its shops and apartments. At Murray Street and Wilson was Avon Printing where they printed business cards using hand-placed lead type. A friend of mine lived in the apartment upstairs. Going east from there was an empty lot, the house of Mr. Lewis the lawyer, another lot, and then a small plaza. In the plaza was a fish and chips shop where they wrapped the food in old newspapers and then sold you a grape crush to go along with it. Beside it was a shop selling cigarettes, candies, pop, Archie comics, and some dry goods. I used to collect discarded cigar bands just outside. The plaza also had a small grocery store, a hairdresser, and a barber shop with the red and white barber pole. Behind the plaza was a long rickety wooden shed where they kept old pieces of pipe and other useless stuff that as an exploring kid you found so fascinating. Then there was undeveloped field with a large billboard with a heavy wooden structure we used to climb on. That led to the plaza this side of Garrett Street with its delicious Maestro Pizza and another cigarette store. Past Garret along Wilson was the Dominion store, the dentist (what was his name – he had a cord-driven drill and this big black x-ray machine), the doctor (Dr. Fine?), the Toronto Dominion Bank at Lady York, the rifle store, the vacuum cleaner store, …At the southwest corner of Wilson and Dufferin was the Diplomat Tavern. A friend of my father used to frequent there. Across the road, on the northwest corner, was an early McDonalds with its golden arches and its millions and millions served. We loved their fries and milkshakes and wouldn’t think much about healthy food until much later. Further up Wilson was the Mr. Donut with its W-shaped roof and the donut-making machine out front where the customers could watch the donuts popping out of the dough-bin and then float down a curved channel of heated oil. Past that was of Bathurst street.with its curious store-fronts of Jewish bookstores, prayer halls, bakeries, and grocery storesFor some photos from this period, see my early Downsview web site at http://www.michaeld.ca/downsview/
The beauty within Downsview’s history
Winding side streets are lined with sturdy brick bungalows, built during the suburban expansion after WWII. Major intersections anchor the plazas; the parking lots, strip malls and cavernous super markets that emerged as the fated corollary of suburbia. But there are also the concrete towers that rose from the ground to accommodate Canadian newcomers from around the world. And then there are cranes and sleek glass condominiums; the monuments of our present moment.But on Keele St., across from the imposing real-estate sales centre in Downsview Park, there is a red brick home with arched windows and sweeping gables. The “George Jackson House” represents another chapter in the history of Downsview.In 1827, newlywed Irish immigrants William and Jane Jackson purchased 200 acres of land for a £1 an acre. Immediately after their honeymoon, William and Jane packed their wooden carriage with tools, food and lumber. An oxen pulled them along a network of dirt trails that were woefully unsuited for their mode of travel. They got stuck in a ravine, just north of modern day Keele and Lawrence, and the newlyweds spent a restless night under the stars. The next morning a team of local farmers helped William and Jane complete their journey, launching them into their new lives.The land we now call Dowsnview was once a patchwork of enormous farms. The landscape was delineated not by concrete, glass and asphalt, but instead by potato, wheat and corn. The Jacksons’ diligently farmed their land. Despite setbacks – on one trek along the treacherous dirt trails, William toppled a wagon full of hay three times – the family prospered. For many years, William served as a Justice of the Peace and public school trustee.Near the end of the 19th century, William’s son George Jackson and his wife Sarah inherited the land, and they built the redbrick home with the sweeping gables. They parlayed the family fortunes and, like his father, George took up public service as both a school trustee and township Councillor.These are the biographical footnotes that invariably echo through time, but artifacts left behind by the Jackson family afford us a much more intimate glimpse into their lives. What is more, they leave us with impressions of family members who otherwise would have been lost in the fog of time.The daughters of the family, Alice and Bessie, kept a great deal of their school work. One essay, written during WW1, perhaps while they attended Weston High School, argues in favor of women’s’ right to vote. A passage reads “Woman’s property and person are protected by a man’s hand – but why is it necessary when she is able and willing to take her own share in the burden?” The essay continues, “[woman’s entitlement to vote] needs no further comment than the bravery, perseverance, enthusiasm and spirit shown in the present war”.The Jacksons’ lost control of the home in the 1960’s. It became a nursing home and then later an office building. In the 2000’s the flames of re-development threatened to engulf the red brick home, but in 2012 the structure was saved by a historic property designation. Today it still serves as office space, but the history of the Jackson family adorns the walls on the ground floor.Reading into this chapter of our community history raises more questions than answers. What was life like as a 19th century farmer in Downsview? What other chapters of our community history are missing, and how can we recover them? What will remain of our way of life in 120 years? There are no definitive answers to these questions, but one thing is certain. History is a lot like Downsview; the only certainty is change.
Toronto City Council approves traffic light at Sheppard Ave. and Bakersfield St.
When you are travelling north on the Allen Road and are headed for the Finch and Keele area most drivers avoid the journey around what I call the Sheppard Avenue hump by turning north on Bakersfield Street.Bakersfield Street is the first street just west of the railroad underpass on Sheppard Avenue. That route allows you to go due north and then cut across Toro Road in a straight line to Keele Street. It shaves your trip by about 3 kilometers. Unfortunately, the trip cannot be done in reverse because a concrete barrier across Sheppard Avenue prevents you from turning left. To return most drivers turn left at St. Regis Road and access Sheppard via Tuscan Gate.I am happy to report that Toronto Council at their December meeting approved a traffic signal for the intersection of Sheppard West and Bakersfield Street. A new street, called Viti Street will be created by extending Bakersfield Southward to establish the main vehicle entrance to the new subway Station. Bakersfield will be widened at the South End to accommodate the flow of Traffic. That’s good news for everyone except the used car dealership that parks cars for sale all over the street.Bakersfield Street. A new street, called Viti Street will be created by extending Bakersfield Southward to establish the main vehicle entrance to the new subway Station. Bakersfield will be widened at the South End to accommodate the flow of Traffic. That’s good news for everyone except the used car dealership that parks cars for sale all over the street. The new subway station will be an important hub because it will function as a dual TTC/Go transit crossover. The go station for the northwest commuter line from York Region is located just across the tracks on the east side. Now, Instead of having to travel all the way down to Union Station to access Toronto, commuters from the North will be able to disembark at the new Go Station and access the subway system in Downsview. This will take thousands of cars off Toronto streets when people who live north of the City discover that they can now more conveniently travel to work by TTC.For Downsview residents, it means less traffic congestion, better transit access and now they won’t have to travel to the Allen Road in order to drop someone at a subway kiss and ride.
This is called weeding with a wrench
Poetry:
This is called weeding with a wrench.
Bored between conflict here and diamond there,
I dug myself out of the trench;
This is my uprising, like the poor man’s revolt;
Against the hunger and these crooks, squeezing me in my right turns like bolts;
But I should slow down; Take a seat and relax my crown;
It seems-stress can sew fear and loathing;
Clothing for those who oppose;
I’ve been holding back, anger and tears that made my eyes glow;
In the dark I sat, with things on my mind like a hat;
I write it down to cure my frown;
One line at a time like a needle pulling thread;
Scribble scrabble;
Then the ink settles and they marvel;
Our trendy society, do you follow her singular thoughts that she breeds;
Swear to abide by them before I could proceed;
From truths to absolutes she had me crammed;
Sweet Plasma Jam!
I over flowed, grim to the brim;
So I write to take off some, like a trim;
On all five corners of my head;
Quietly hairs fall, and I don’t wait to drop my weight;
Not at all;
Spit it all out I say, it is bad what we ate;
Was it not my body’s need of bread, I would never bother with her dread;
Otherwise I would just be; and my words free;
Out on the sea, there; where no one censors or gets taxed;
But I am in on civilized land, where the majority is walked on like sand;
Careless steps repeated by only a few;
By morning dew and things look new;
This is my chance;
I’m open for a change to be;
Strange at first, the look of things in range;
Rover rolls over clover;
The envious greens;
All eyes on me, and mine on your money;
Rhymes in my sight are bright, all the time, not only when it is sunny;
Weeding through life’s humors, which are not always funny.
Discover the genius within your child
The UCMAS Mental Math Program is revolutionizing the way children are learning life skills through math. These days it isn’t easy to stimulate a child for a long period of time without them reaching for electronics. When children have fun learning while in an encouraging environment surrounded by peers, their brains are given the opportunity to grow and excel in a healthy way. If you are looking for an after school program that will stimulate or child and help them in school then keep reading.UCMAS is a unique program that was developed in Malaysia in 1993 and has been offered in Canada since 2004. It promotes whole brain development by stimulating both sides of the brain. Children are taught time management, memory, concentration, problem solving and how to multitask. Students range between the ages of four to 13 and they learn math with the use of an Abacus.“I grew up in the area so I know that such a program can improve scores in standardized testing, and will definitely have a massive impact on student success in this community,” said Mathan Thava who runs the only UCMAS program in North York (located right at Keele St.and Finch Ave.). “Programs fill up quickly and batches usually start around the beginning of a new school semester (September and January),” said Thava. Each level runs for four months, after completing a level there is a ceremony and children are presented with a certificate of completion and moved on to the next level. Children are encouraged to help one another which promotes self-confidence.“This mental math program teaches a child’s brain to problem solve at a high level using focus and concentration,” said Thava. UCMAS opens the door to a student’s proficiency and confidence in math while laying down the foundation for children to develop fundamental learning skills that will ensure success in school and in their daily lives. “We are teaching kids to utilize their full capacity and levels of concentration to become better at math and use those skills to lead a fulfilling life,” says Thava.Programs are developed by experts in child development as well as psychologists alongside carefully selected program specialists. UCMAS is an ISO 9001:2008 certified program.Contact the Aizen Academy to register for the UCMAS Program today!UCMAS North York @ Keele & FinchAizen Academy Inc. - Mathan Thava1290 Finch Ave West Unit 22Toronto , ON M3J 3K3Cell (647) 990-0864 - Office (416) 665-4756 Present this newspaper to receive a 35 Value Student Kit FREE.
Syrian refugees settling in Downsview at The Toronto Plaza Hotel
The lobby of the Toronto Plaza Hotel, located on Wilson Avenue near Downsview Arena, hums with laughter, conversation and the scampering of Syrian children running and exploring their temporary home. Women chat in groups, many of them holding their pregnant bellies, and the men converse separately; some smoke outside in clusters while five boys play soccer.The Toronto Plaza Hotel will be home to around 400 Syrian refugees until COSTI Immigrant Services can relocate them to permanent housing.As an active and passionate participant of NGO projects overseas, General Manager Rehan Chaudary welcomes the newly landed refugees and is happy to take part in his own NGO project right at home.The refugees arrived earlier this month over a four-day period, in accordance with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s promise to approve 25,000 refugees to live in Canada. The hotel has rented 100 rooms for its uncommon guests and expects 80 more by the end of this week.“It has really been affecting the business,” says Chaudary. “The tourists aren’t used to so many guests and local travelers are not always happy to see the Syrians. We still have walk-in traffic and our banquet halls are open, but right now we are fully catering to our Syrian guests.”The hotel is doing everything they can to accommodate the needs of the refugees.The hotel restaurant, Greenery Restaurant, has Muslim cooks who prepare halal meals for the Syrians three times a day, free of charge. The hotel also has a medical team on standby to assist the pregnant women –one who just gave birth –and tend to the children, which Chaudary describes some as “in pretty bad shape.”Chaudary has hired a few Arabic-speaking employees who communicate with the refugees and who have placed signs written in Arabic around the hotel. The language barrier has been extremely difficult for the staff as almost none of the Syrians currently residing in the hotel speak English.Recently, on January 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., The Clothing Drive [an initiative to collect winter clothes for Syrian refugees] and Let Them be Kids [an initiative to collect toys for Syrian refugee children] held a pop-up shop at the hotel. Volunteers gave the refugees donated winter clothes, toys and other necessities, while COSTI Immigrant Services works to fulfill the refugees’ necessities of permanent housing.COSTI has hired extra staff to speed up the housing process as they have never handled so many refugees in such a short period of time. The agency, however, strives to find the refugees homes, assist them in the employment process and offer them free English lessons.The Syrian refugees at Toronto Plaza Hotel have endured significant hardships these past few years, from losing their homes to watching bombs go off in front of them. It has been a difficult journey for them as they have fled their violence-stricken country to an unfamiliar place where they do not know the language or the culture. The Downsview community, however, has been displaying its generosity through donations, sponsorships and simply by welcoming the refugees into the community.
The separation is in the preparation
When the weather starts to turn and nights grow colder, you know it’s time to button down your coat and also time to button down the homestead. There are some very inexpensive and simple tasks that one can do to prepare for winter, and be better prepared for spring. Most people are under the impression that they need to spend large sums of money or devote several hours to their yard to achieve desired results, however this is not true.The first thing you do is get a rake and collect all leaves, sticks, and debris from your lawn and place all items in a bio-degradable yard bag. After placing said bag at the curb, and maybe taking a small break, start over by raking your entire lawn, don’t be afraid to pull up some of the grass. This process is called dethatching and its purpose is to let your lawn breathe by removing dead grass or weeds from your perennial ground cover. Rake all dead grass and whatever was uprooted into a pile and place in same or new yard bag. A 750 sq. ft. yard should not take more than 25 minutes to dethatch. The time it takes to rake leaves before dethatching will obviously vary based on the amount leaves or debris that has fallen onto your property.The next thing you’ll want to do is walk around your house to check your downspouts. Do this by examining the opening of the downspout and make sure there are no objects blocking where the water will come out. At around waist level, start to knock on the downspout and reaching upwards until you can’t reach any further. You are checking to see if there are any obstructions in the downspout. The other step of this involves ladder work so if you can afford to have your eaves trough cleaned professionally I would suggest that. It ranges in price averaging from $100-$200 which will include the cleaning of your eaves, and the clearing of any clogs your downspout may have. This part of fall/winter maintenance is very important because of the potential for flooding as well as icy walkways where water might freeze in the winter. Although the eaves are important to clean at least once a year (twice a year would be best) if you ensure your downspouts are clear and flowing you will not have any flooding issues and water will still be carried away from your house where you want it.Last is something I call basic practical planning. And all it entails when it comes to fall/winter maintenance is thinking about the worst case weather scenarios and how they may affect your home and property. What could you maybe do in order to prevent some or all of these things from happening? For example, if you have kids and those kids have lots of yard toys, basketball or hockey nets etc., on the property then those objects may present a problem if it gets really windy. Ask yourself if things I have outside get wet, or dirty, or covered in snow, will they survive? Are there any tripping hazards that will be made more dangerous if covered in snow? Basically you have a walk around your property and just look at what you have out there and weigh the pros and cons of bringing things inside or leaving them to brave the elements.There you have it! I’ve shown and explained a few basic things that you can do to prepare the outside of your home for winter, and the New Year. You’re ready to do some maintenance now, please remember to wear a pair of supportive shoes and gloves for protection while doing any work on your home. Be careful and enjoy your beautiful property.