Wimpy’s Diner is part of a chain of restaurants mostly found in the suburbs or exurbia. I’ve never come across one in downtown Toronto. The one that is being reviewed sits in that large strip mall at the northwest corner of Sheppard Ave. West and Bathurst.The restaurant is always hopping with patrons. For anyone who craves some good grub at 3am in the morning, this will be the place for you, because it’s opened 24 hours.The servers are always vivacious and have the joie de vivre. They always smile and always punctuate their pleasant greetings with a smattering of conversation, if you, yourself, are of the sociable ilk.The kitchen is exposed allowing you to marvel at the wonder of the cooks and sous chefs, who can whip up cuisine in a matter of minutes. Wimpy’s décor reminds one of Alice’s restaurant from the titular eighties comedy. But, rest assured, you won’t find a surly cook or Flo to tell him to “kiss my grits!”No, this Wimpy’s is always bursting with life! CP24 is on all day long on three overhead flat screen TVs. And that’s a good thing in case you’ve had a busy day and missed the news. The restaurant has many pictures celebrating iconic American celebrities from the days of yore, like Elvis, screen goddess Marilyn Monroe, and the quintessential American “rebel without a cause,” James Dean.Wimpy’s has a very eclectic menu. It offers an all-day breakfast menu, which would please those who are into hashbrowns, toast, and eggs. Sunny side up, anyone? If you have more of an affinity for Greek inspired food they offer three variations of souvlaki. Trust me, their Greek salads are, unequivocally, heavenly.Of course, there are pastas for those with an Italian bent. I would highly recommend the chicken parmigiana. The servings are so huge you can take home a care package for lunch the following day.For the health nuts, and those, who are more into seafood, there is wonderful haddock served with your choice of potatoes or fries (their mashed potatoes are out of this world!), and either a garden salad, or my favourite, Greek salad topped with olives, feta cheese, and Italian dressing.For more Canadian-inspired fare, you may want to opt for the club house sandwich with coleslaw, which was the choice of my dining companion. I did manage to taste a sampling of the coleslaw, and it was absolutely delish! Jamie Oliver, if you’re reading this, you don’t know what you’re missing!I’ve always found the wait staff very congenial at Wimpy’s. They always check in on you while you’re dining and can accommodate all requests. There is always music from the eighties streaming while you savour your meal. The miniature juke boxes by every booth are inoperable but add a nice aesthetic touch.For those wishing to place an order for pick-up, your wish can be granted. Make your next meal be one at Wimpy’s! Sorry, they don’t take reservations. First come, first served.
The Bucket List
A bucket list is a list of things that you just have to do before you leave this earth. I don’t have one but my wife, Gloria, does and she has been checking it off one by one throughout her life.A few bucket list items, like our trip to Israel, were easy but as you cross off the easy ones, and as you grow older they become progressively harder to do.I didn’t join her on her helicopter trip. Why take a risk when you don’t have to? For her 50th birthday I was able to arrange a birthday surprise through a contact of mine which crossed off hot air balloon ride. I don’t mind admitting I was scared to death and I marvel at the fact that Gloria was as calm as a kitten. After about an hour and a half ride we landed softly into the middle of a baseball game.Gloria has romanticised about tossing a message into the ocean ever since she was a little girl. It was one of the few things left on her bucket list. Last year we took a cruise around the Caribbean. On our second last night, somewhere between the mouth of the Panama Canal and Florida, she checked it off the list when we tossed a bottle from the stern of the ocean liner Oosterdam into the Atlantic Ocean.What do you say in a letter to anyone who happens to find it? I didn’t ask what she wrote but she told me afterwards that she had included the addresses of our children in case someone found it after she had kicked the bucket.We were stunned when in late May of this year we found a mysterious letter in our mailbox postmarked Itzehoe, Germany. It was written in German and read:“Hallo Gloria and Howard,Mein Name ist Ger Freiwald and ich vohen in Itzehoe bei Hamburg…[At the beginning of April, 2016 my wife and I enjoyed a week vacation in the vicinity of Lisbon where we took a long walk along the beach It is absolutely beautiful along the Portuguese coast. We were very happy to find a bottle on the beach. It doesn’t happen very often. We had a lot of difficulty trying to decipher the lettering because it had faded after being in the ocean for so long. It was even harder because it was hand written rather than printed. I hope you get this letter………]Gerd went on to talk about his family and ended with:We wrote back:“Hi Gabi and Gerd:We were thrilled to receive your letter. We were tempted to respond by e-mail but given the way you found our message we thought the regular mail might be more appropriate…Thank you for making an effort to decipher it and taking the time to write…”Beats throwing a bottle into the ocean, Doesn’t it!
The Latest on Electoral Reform
Since this paper last wrote an article on electoral reform there have been several developments on the issue.Firstly, Justin Trudeau apologized to the House of Commons for comments he made during Question Period alleging that the opposition was not cooperating on electoral reform. When questioned about the lack of progress, Trudeau said that his government has put forward several ways to address the issue, including a parliamentary committee, direct engagement by the Minister of Democratic Institutions, and a public consultation. Trudeau implied that the delays arose because the opposition Conservatives and NDP were imposing unreasonable conditions in exchange for taking part. Conservative MP Scott Reid challenged this statement, calling it “invented and patently false”, forcing the Prime Minister to issue a formal apology through the Speaker.In addition, the Prime Minister altered the structure of the parliamentary committee looking at electoral reform. Initially, the committee had a government majority but after the NDP put forward a motion for a a committee that gave a majority to the opposition parties the Liberals abandoned their plans and supported this motion. Prime Minister Trudeau said that he feared they were acting too much like the Conservatives under Stephen Harper and that his government is trying to work better with the opposition. The initial proposal would also have denied a vote to the Bloc and the Green Party but the NDP committee contains five Liberals, three Conservatives, two NDP, and one Bloc and one Green Party. The motion also called for all MPs to conduct town hall consultations with constituents and to file results by October 14th. There have not yet been many scheduled town hall meetings, in fact, only a handful have taken place so far. Local MP Judy Sgro has yet to set a date for consultations in her riding but this information will be added to the Downsview Advocate’s website event listing when it becomes available.The consultations will discuss what form electoral reform will take. There are two major proposals: Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) and Single Transferable Vote (STV). MMP involves making two votes: one for a local MP and one for a regional representative. The regional MP would be used to “top up” the votes to ensure that the number of MPs that the party receives is proportional to the number of votes it receives. The Law Commission of Canada recommended this system in 2004. STV involves larger ridings that would receive a number of MPs based on its population. Voters rank candidates on their order of preference. The number of votes needed to elect an MP would be calculated by dividing the number of voters by the number of seats. Candidates who receive more than this will have their surplus votes transferred to voters’ second choice. The BC Citizens Assembly recommended this system in 2004.Leadnow is an organization concerned with this issue and will be conducting a detailed presentation on proportional representation in the coming months. The time and location will also be posted on the Advocate’s website.Stay tuned for more information!
Preparing to Buy a Home
Buying a home is one biggest financial decisions you can make. It includes thinking about location, affordability, a mortgage term and rate and a few other things. You will also need to deal with a real estate agent, a lender, a lawyer and the seller, among other people. It can be both exciting and stressful. Fortunately, there are a number of tools that can make the process of buying a home a little more enjoyable, one of which includes a mortgage pre-approval.What is a pre-approved mortgage?When you plan to buy a home you want to secure a mortgage amount at a guaranteed rate (for fixed-rate mortgages). In order to do this you need to know your credit score, provide proof of down payment, assets and job details. Many banks will help you find out if you are allegeable for a mortgage (based on the information they have and you’ve provided). These terms are subject to change and nothing is set in stone until you make a purchase.What is your budget?Knowing your budget allows you to shop confidently and provides the security of negotiating a house price that falls comfortably within the budget. Having your mortgage financing arrangements in place indicates that you are a serious buyer.In order to purchase a home you will need the following items:
- Personal identification, for example: driver’s license
- Details of your job, in letter form, from your employer that includes confirmation of salary
- Any other sources of income
- Information and details on all bank accounts, loans and other debts
- Proof of all financial assets
- Source and amount of down payment and deposit
- Proof of source of funds for the closing costs (these are usually 1.5% of the purchase price)
- T1 General and Notice of Assessment for the last 2 years.
Knowing what you can afford makes buying a home less stressful and more enjoyable. Before shopping around and falling in love with a home, make sure you know how much you can afford, shop around for the best rate and enjoy the experience.For more information contact Anat Papp today!Anat Papp, Sales RepresentativeGreenfield Real Estate Inc, BrokerageIndependently Owned and Operatedmobile: 416-712-6807phone: 416-226-1020fax: 416-398-1021http://AnatPapp.com *Advertorial*
Your TTC Fare Will Go Up in Downsview
Metrolinx, the Provincial body in charge of building transit in the GTA, is considering a number of changes on how we pay for transit. This conversation will result in the average trip being more expensive for residents in Downsview.Metrolinx is doing this, because of budget pressures and because different modes of transit (buses vs. trains) and the distance of each trip (1km vs. 10km) need to be factors in calculating the price of each trip.Currently, a trip from Downsview to the downtown core, which normally requires a bus and a subway ride, costs the same as a trip from Bay St. and Queen St. to Bay St. and Bloor St. -one bus ride. This means that people in inner suburbs benefit from a system that understands that the distances traveled in the suburbs are greater than they are in the downtown core.Metrolinx is considering changing this. Their rationale for questioning the current system is that it is not fair to charge the same price for someone that rides a train versus a bus, or takes a short trip versus a long trip. What this misses is that the accountant's methodology to building transit will create a dysfunctional system.If we want more people riding transit, we need to figure out a transit system that caters to the needs of riders, not the other way around. Metrolinx seems to be coming to the decision that the riders need to meet the demands of the transit system -they've done this before.Leading up to the PanAm games, Metrolinx built the UP Express from Union Station to Pearson International Airport. Their business model assumed that there would be a wealthy market of transit riders that would pay a premium fee for the convenience of the service they created. What they missed, is that most of the transit trips to the airport were made by the 10,000 employees who are employed by the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA). Since the service was not practical, or affordable for most of the employees, the trains ride mostly empty -even a reduction in fares has not changed ridership.The UP Express experience should have taught Metrolinx that its focus on market based transit building is not a viable model. For Downsview, this could mean a more expensive transit fare in the next couple of years. Let us not forget where the decision are being made: the Province is not investing in the operating costs of transit, so Metrolinx is trying to come up with the money by raising the price of transit.
LRT Transit: A Modern Route for Public Transportation
In a growing community, such as Downsview, getting around can be a hurdle -to say the least. We have to account for traffic jams, congested highways, and public transit delays and an increase in cars on the road has contributed to our city’s growing pollution problems.A new transit model has been proposed and it is expected to eliminate a gigantic portion of the above mentioned issues. The Light Rail Transit (LRT) is an innovative model on route to take over public transit in Toronto. This environmentally friendly approach, high passenger capacity and cost efficient blueprint will give passengers a better experience.Metrolinx along with the Toronto Transit Commission have come together to build the Eglinton Crosstown, Finch West LRT and Sheppard East LRT. The LRT will tackle a very congested portion of the city making public transportation much more accessible without having to build expensive and outdated subways stations.The LRT is not only a luxurious mode of public transportation but it is also eco-friendly as it runs on wind and solar energy. Besides, LRT vehicles can carry 255 passengers per train which is triple the amount compared to buses that only have the capacity to carry 55 passengers on board. The average speed of LRT’s is 27 kilometers per hour; making it slower compared to subway train (39 km/hr) but much faster than a bus (17 km/hr). Another perk about this modern vehicle is that it has multiple door where it facilitates the entrance and exiting of passengers; including those with disabilities.Furthermore, many residents will benefit from using the LRT’s in a timely and efficient manner as several will run on existing streetcars lines without being affected by other traffic.Symone Walters, who is actively involved in the community through the Community Action Planning Group, has expressed other benefits for the betterment of the community that will surround these transit projects. Walters hopes “employment opportunities will be implemented through these transit lines as the demand for more transit grows.” She anticipates people in the community will be “enticed to use public transportation”, specifically because the LRT as an easier and faster form of transportation. Lastly she expressed that “having LRT vehicles above ground can attract passengers to discover our growing community.”Although the overall project is estimated to take 25 years, the first phase has already begun with construction along Eglington Ave. There will be 25 stops from Mount Dennis to Kennedy Ave., this portion is expected to be completed by 2021.The execution of Toronto’s new transit plan is expected to exceed everyone’s expectations. From its ability to transport more passengers at once to its eco-friendly technology and the thousands of job opportunities it will create. We are moving towards world class public transportation –something all transit takers in Toronto deserve!
On the Go? Grab Some Fresh Fruits and Vegetables during your Commute
If you regularly commute through Downsview Station you may have recently noticed a food market with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Grab Some Good TTC pop-up food market is an initiative by Toronto Public Health, the TTC, and FoodShare Toronto to make healthy and affordable food more accessible throughout the city.The produce sold at the pop-up market comes directly from the Ontario Food Terminal (which is the main food distribution centre for Toronto,) and from local farms who supply seasonal produce. This guarantees low-cost high-quality fresh produce that is never sitting on a shelf.The pop-up market has a variety of affordable and fresh produce including: oranges, cantaloupe, watermelons strawberries, blackberries, carrots, kiwis, peaches, pineapples, lettuce, kale, spinach, cilantro, bell peppers, eggplant, garlic, mushrooms, avocados, cauliflower, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and other produce. For commuters that needed a meal on the go there were fresh salads and fruit cups available.Barbara Emanuel, Manager of Healthy Living at Toronto Public Health explained that, “prices are as low as possible to enable access to fresh produce,” which encourages commuters to make healthier food choices without breaking their food budget.In addition to providing healthy food alternatives at affordable prices, FoodShare employs community members like Rickysha Jean-Baptiste, a lifetime resident of the Downsview neighbourhood, who works at the pop-up market. Rickysha began working with FoodShare Toronto after completing a placement through the University of Guelph-Humber, where she studies. Her passion for the Grab Some Good market is visible through the friendly customer service she provides to commuters. According to Rickysha, her and her colleagues usually serve over 100 customers in their 4 hours of operation, and consistently receive positive feedback from commuters who would love to see an earlier start time for the pop-up market.The Grab Some Good pop-up market is a pilot project that started in May 2016, and will hopefully become a permanent fixture at Downsview Station. You can purchase affordable, fresh, diverse, and healthy produce at Downsview Station on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
A Cleaner Downsview Community: One Mailed Letter at a Time
I recently had a letter to mail and the nearest mailbox, in my area, is one block away. Since the weather was lovely, I decided to take a walk to the mailbox and do an experiment along the way.When I left my house, I took a couple of plastic bags. My goal was simple: See how much garbage I could pick up during the short walk from my house to the mailbox. The results were fascinating.By the time I made it half way to the mailbox, I had already filled a full bag of garbage. Its contents included pop cans, chocolate bar wrappers, plastic containers, half-filled bottles of water, newspapers, bus transfers, chip bags, plastic utensils, and a box of organic chicken bouillon. Wow!Where did all this garbage come from? Did one of the garbage bins by the curb get knocked over by mistake? Did the local racoons host a feast for a furry family reunion in the neighbourhood? I continued my walk towards the mailbox and discovered more garbage along the sidewalk, grass, flower beds, and street.As I walked onward, past people waiting at the bus stop, I realised that some of them were looking at me with a confused expression. Perhaps it is unusual to see a man walking down the sidewalk, picking up garbage as he goes. I smiled politely at them and carried on -their faces suggested that they thought I might be out of my mind!Turning the corner, I saw a man and his two sons, about 8 and 10 years old, walking on the opposite side of the street. He noticed what I was doing, and pointed for his sons to look. “Great job!” he shouted across the street with a smile, gesturing to his kids to observe and learn. “Thanks!” I replied. “We have a lovely community. I’m just doing my part to keep it that way.” The man’s friendly words felt good. His children might remember how easy it is to use one of the many City of Toronto garbage and recycling bins. They might encourage others. A simple thing might grow.The walk to the mailbox and back took a total of 10 minutes. The letter was safely mailed. I filled two full bags of garbage from that single street block.Back at home, I thought about my experiment and what I had learned. When reading the news, I often find myself feeling helpless to make a difference. I cannot fix all of the problems. Picking up two bags of garbage means very little on the larger scale of the city, country, or planet. Yet, I did not feel that same helplessness. Instead, I felt closer to my community. I would wish that pleasant feeling upon you as well, because you too can do one small thing here and another small thing there to make our Downsview community a little prettier, a little more comfortable, a little more our home. You don’t need any special skills. You don’t need to be rich. You don’t need bountiful free time. You can help keep our community green and clean, one short walk at a time.
Your Child can Love Learning too!
After a summer of running around and generally driving you crazy, your kids are finally back in school. But now that they’re in school, you remember that they need some help with their learning habits, or maybe they need more stimulation than they’re getting from school. In either case, there is a business in Downsview geared towards helping your child achieve their very best, all while having a great time.Last October, Mathan Thava started teaching the UCMAS Mental Math Program at the Aizen Academy. UCMAS mental math is a program that teaches children to do high level calculations mentally.Learning mental math is a great skill that helps children develop better short term memory, focus and control. All this while boosting their general confidence as they continue to succeed and improve in the classroom and beyond.One of the greatest benefits of enrolling your children in UCMAS, is that you won’t need to fight to get your children there in the first place. When speaking to Thava he says the kids can see the benefits they are getting. “It’s not a program that they don’t want to go to, the kids really do love it. It’s so rare to have programs where the children love learning”. In classes at Aizen Academy, students can challenge each other and see their peers succeed. This is an important factor, as it allows kids to see that if their friends can accomplish these tasks, they can too.One example of the success that the Aizen Academy has had with the UCMAS Mental Math program comes from Vraj Patel, a 7-year-old student from Derrydown Public School who won a Merit Award at the 11th Canadian UCMAS Mental Math competition recently held in Mississauga. After being enrolled with Aizen Academy for just 8 short months, Vraj improved his mental math skills and was able to answer 82 questions correctly, in 8 minutes. Each question constitutes 7 rows of numbers that require functions of addition or subtraction.Thava emphasized the incredible accomplishment it takes for children even to compete at this level, but the work is worth it he says. “It helps them face a lot of challenges and fears going into it”. Going through this program allows children to use the more creative parts of their brain to help them solve more logical tasks. Practising mental math helps children efficiently deal with the problems in front of them.Enroll your child today for the September sessions!Call: (647) 990-0864, open 7 days a week.Or stop by for the Aizen Academy’s official UCMAS launch on:September 17th, 20161290 Finch Ave W Unit 2210AM-3PM*Receive a FREE UCMAS Student Kit (valued at $35 plus tax) by presenting a copy of this article before September 17, 2016.
Urgent Care Closed at Jane and Finch Hospital
July 2016 marked the end of urgent care at the Humber River Hospital site located at Jane and Finch. The location will continue to provide CT, MRI and general x-rays.The news may be bitter sweet for many residents who are watching the sun set on the community's old York Finch Hospital, while services are being redirected to the new hospital located near Keele and Wilson.Joe Astrella, President of the Grandravine Homeowners Assocation, says the old York Finch Hospital played a large role in his life.When Joe moved into the community in the late 1960's he immediately took up the call to help in fundraising for the York Finch Hospital that was under construction. In 1970, his daughter Grace was born there and over the years, his family would drop by when the need arose. In 1994, Joe credits the hospital for saving his life following a heart attack.When talk began of expanding the Humber River Hospital network a decade ago, Joe joined a coalition of local residents who favoured expansion of the Jane and Finch site rather than moving it to a new location.Joe learned of the urgent care closure through this interview and believed residents should have been better notified since the news came as a surprise to him.Without proper notification, some residents might seek medical assistance at the hospital only to find out through a sign that they will have to seek help elsewhere."I am disappointed." said Joe, "When I was active with the coalition, we were told that the Humber River Hospital site on Church Street would be closing, but that emergency services would still be provided at our Jane and Finch location."As services continue to be cut back at the Jane and Finch hospital location, the time may well come when the government decides to pull the plug on our local hospital once and for all. A disappointing outcome indeed.For more information on the new Humber River Hospital or the urgent care closure, residents can visit www.hrh.ca or call 416-242-1000.