For many fitness enthusiasts, signing up for a marathon often marks their decision to push the limits. But Thornhill resident Steve Beker decided that just wasn’t enough. Not only did he participate in an ultra-marathon last December, he also convinced his entire family to join him — and raised $8,000 for charity along the way.
An ultra-marathon involves running any distance longer than a traditional 42-kilometre marathon, though there are several different types. For Beker, it was the “one day race” in Arizona that caught his eye, where participants ran as many kilometres as they could within a 24-hour period.
Beker also decided to voluntarily raise money for charity and didn’t hesitate to ask his 10-year-old twins for help.
“It was an important lesson for the kids to learn about fundraising and about those in need,” he said. “You can all help out, and that includes kids, too.”
Raising funds wasn’t their only goal; the family also set their mind on running 250 kilometres altogether, with the hope that the twins would cover about 25 kilometres each. The results were nothing less than spectacular: From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., the 10-year-olds each ran more than a marathon.
“I just was in amazement,” said Beker. “I was worried that after an hour they would be, ‘We’re bored, we’re going back to the hotel.’ So this just totally, totally blew me away… I think this is something that they’ll remember for the rest of their life.”
Chai Lifeline was the lucky recipient of the funds the family raised. The charity provides support to families dealing with the repercussions of serious pediatric illness, offering programs to help them retain a sense of normalcy and hope in their lives.
“It’s extremely refreshing to see somebody who’s that thoughtful and believes in us and our cause,” said Mordechai Rothman, regional director of Chai Lifeline. “It’s absolutely incredible.”
Gillian Uy and Shannon Phillips, parent volunteers at Allenby Junior Public School, were just two of many who were tired of seeing their kids play in a giant mud pit before and after school. So they took it upon themselves to come up with a solution and help revamp the schoolyard.
After only four months of fundraising, the parent body was able to round up over $100,000 to put toward a new playground with basketball hoops, lines for four square and hopscotch and other fun features, alongside funding from the Toronto District School Board to take care of the turf and the terrible mud problem.
The parents orchestrated a dance-a-thon called Dance Hard for Our Schoolyard, as well as a big culminating soiree, where they held live and silent auctions, as well as a charity casino, in support of the schoolyard.
“It’s a testament to how much people love the school and their community just how quickly this money was achieved, and in such a short period of time,” said Uy.
“The community wanted to show how much they love the school, because you look at that field right now, and you know, it needs a lot of love.”
With two little ones of her own, a nine- and a seven-year-old, Uy said her children are excited about the prospect of having a new and improved schoolyard to play on — one that isn’t dusty or muddy.
But this hasn’t been a one-person operation. Uy is part of the fifth committee that has come along and been a part of this particular undertaking.
“There have been committees upon committees, and all of a sudden, pieces started falling into place. But it’s been a community effort. If it hadn’t been for a lot of legwork from past parents and past committees, we might not have been as far as we are,” she said.
“And now finally we’re going to be getting the schoolyard we’ve been dreaming of, long before my kids even started at the school,” said Uy.
Construction is slated to commence in July or August of 2015, with a shiny new schoolyard geared up and ready to go at the start of the school year.
Two cars from a Canadian National Railway (CN) freight train derailed near Elgin Mills Road and Newkirk Road on Jan. 31 in Richmond Hill, calling into question the effectiveness of emergency communications in the town, according to a local councillor.
Two of the train’s cars derailed at 11:55 a.m — the first carrying steel plates and the second containing sulfuric acid, according to CN’s spokesperson Jim Feeny. Although the lack of leaks and injuries makes this a “minor derailment,” eyewitnesses, such as Richmond Hill’s Ward 2 councillor Tom Muench, have questioned such a description. With the train derailment occurring near a residential neighbourhood — and only a barrier dividing the houses and tracks — Muench said, “We’re very lucky.”
“If there had been an explosion … that barrier would have done nothing to prepare the residents for their safety,” said Muench.
He was also critical of CN’s communication processes, saying the “information flow reduced dramatically” after he left the scene.
“I’d like to have a conversation so [CN] can tell me the updates. Those updates stopped.”
“That barrier would have done nothing to prepare residents for their safety.”
But according to Feeny, his team did their part to keep the town informed. “At all times starting six minutes in, the people who needed to know had the information that they needed on what was derailed, what was in the cars and what was going on,” he said. “We sent an email to the mayor of Richmond Hill so he was aware.”
Residents, such as Michelle White, general manager of the nearby Delmanor seniors’ residence, echoed Feeny’s sentiments, stating that she felt well informed throughout the day.
Although Muench is thankful for CN’s services, he said he wants to see them act as more of a partner going forward.
“They basically said, ‘We cleaned it up, we’re moving on, here’s the story, have a nice life,’ ” he said. “I’m not saying they have a safety concern, but I certainly believe that improvement is always possible.”
Seven schools from areas surrounding the St. Paul’s and Eglinton-Lawrence wards were among the 70 recently listed by the media as under review by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) for closure — but officials say their concerns are centred around Vaughan Road Academy.
York Memorial, Oakwood, John Polanyi, George Harvey and Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (C.I.) are all included in a particular study to address low enrolment and underutilization at Vaughan Road Academy (currently operating at 30 per cent) — which could be shut down.
“Four or five schools are usually listed in a cluster,” said Shelley Laskin, TDSB trustee for St. Paul’s (ward 11), “and hypothetically one of those schools would be closed and the others would become ‘receiving schools.’”
This explains why Forest Hill C.I., which is currently over its Ontario Ministry of Education capacity at 115 per cent (due, in part, to optional attendance, which allows students to attend a school other than their assigned one), is mistakenly listed among the 70, when the Ministry has no intention of closing the school.
According to Jason Kunin, a teacher at Vaughan Road Academy, optional attendance is largely to blame for the uneven distribution of students. “It has destroyed the concept of the neighbourhood school,” said Kunin. “Forest Hill C.I. probably has 200 kids who should be ours.”
“We have this reputation … that we’re this sort of rough and tumble place, and that’s never been the reality.”
“The list was leaked without any context from the board.”
Which according to Kunin is why some in-area students often opt to attend Forest Hill C.I. instead.
In the event that Vaughan Road closes, Laskin said many of the self-contained programs offered at the school (like the elite athletes program and the international baccalaureate program) will likely be redirected to John Polanyi. The fate of the child day care centre, however, remains unknown.
Kunin said most of the staff at Vaughan Road aren’t terribly optimistic about their chances, but believes that a more appropriate solution to the problem would be to close John Polanyi.
While Laskin maintains that the study is the Ministry’s attempt to “right-size” the system; she worries that many residents do not have all the information. Peggy Aitchison, principal of Forest Hill C.I., said she has received calls from former teachers and parents who were concerned that Forest Hill C.I. would close.
“The list was leaked without any context from the board,” said Laskin. “People like to jump to the worst-case scenario.”
Talk of school closures has blown up in the media this past month, with the implication that 70 schools listed by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) are under review for closure, but officials say the information was taken completely out of context.
“A grouping of schools are studied for various purposes: there could be a grade reconfiguration, a boundary change, a program change or the potential for consolidation and closure,” said Shelley Laskin, Toronto District School Board trustee for Ward 11.
According to Ryan Bird, spokesperson for TDSB, trustees voted on Feb. 10 in favour of the 2015–2016 school year review of Charles H. Best Middle School and Wilmington Elementary School in North York to determine the most efficient distribution of the students and grades across the two sites, which are in close proximity to one another.
But there is a process the school board must follow before schools are closed or consolidated. It’s a process that involves a series of meetings with extensive community consultation. A pupil accommodation review committee (PARC) process involves staff, parents and community members who are directly involved, and it can result in a number of outcomes.
“The list was leaked without any context from the board.”
The Ontario Ministry of Education’s current calculation of Wilmington Elementary School’s utilization rate is 101 per cent (281 students enrolled, with a capacity to hold 277), whereas Charles H. Best is at 63 per cent (296 students, with a capacity for 469).
Although Bird did not want to speculate, he did state that there are schools way below 63 per cent, and that this particular case may just be a matter of a boundary change.
However, the outcome will ultimately be determined by the PARC process.
The demographic patterns surrounding certain schools, especially within the downtown core of the city, have changed dramatically since they were built in the early 1900s, and according to Laskin, this is the Ministry’s attempt to “right-size” the system.
Unfortunately reports in the media have caused a panic.
“The list was leaked without any context from the board,” said Laskin. “People like to jump to the worst-case scenario,” she said.
“A whole story here is being reported on, but for whatever reason, the media have focused two per cent of the attention on what should receive 90 per cent of the attention,” said Peggy Aitchison, principal of Forest Hill Collegiate Institute.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) recently served 18 residents in North York with notices of expropriation to accommodate the construction of St. Joseph Morrow Park, a three-storey, all-girls secondary school near Bayview Avenue and Cummer Avenue.
According to Angelo Sangiorgio, associate director, planning and facilities at TCDSB, the board has already purchased four of the 18 properties at fair market value, using the educational development charges allotted to them by the City of Toronto. They are currently negotiating for two more, with offers submitted Feb. 18.
The province’s Expropriation Act allows a public agency to take possession of a property “for a purpose deemed to be in the public interest,” regardless of whether or not the owner is willing to sell it.
However, on Nov. 26, 2014, the Committee of Adjustment denied the TCDSB application to allow for the three-storey school on the existing site, after residents expressed concerns about the intensified traffic the development would cause. So they submitted an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board, with a hearing set for May 6, 2015.
Councillor Shiner and residents have pointed to the TCDSB property on Ravel Road near Leslie Street and Finch Avenue East as a more appropriate site for the school, but Michael Del Grande, TCDSB Ward 7 trustee, insists the location is too far for students and would still require expansion, meaning they would be back at square one.
“They have to question if that is the best use of taxpayers’ dollars,” said Shiner, with regard to the Catholic school board’s decision to spend up to $30 million to expropriate the homeowners’ property.
“Personally, no, I don’t believe in expropriating, that would be my last choice,” said Del Grande. “[But] expropriation has occurred and will continue to occur for the public good. The school will be there for decades and decades. People will come and go out of those townhomes. They’re not there forever.”
Before the recent demolition, the site was home to an elementary school owned by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) with a capacity for 400 students. The new building is designed for approximately 850 students.
Giovanna Andrews, a retired TDSB principal lives across from the proposed development, and believes that TCDSB is “trying to fit a round peg in a square hole.”
“We’re not adverse to a school, but what they’ve proposed is simply too large for that particular site,” said Andrews, who said it will force people out of their homes, increase traffic and make safety a serious concern.
In 2010, Spencer Goodwin and Jon Skarsten considered themselves extremely fortunate. They were attending Queen’s University — Goodwin for international development and Skarsten in commerce — they had everything at their fingertips, yet still, something was missing.
“[We were] partying and studying and not much else,” said Goodwin. But the two wanted to do something more meaningful with their time outside of school.
Then, Skarsten met Aristide Burume, a Congolese refugee, at a church in Kingston. The father of six was sending any disposable income he received from driving cabs and waiting on tables to Nyantende, his village back home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Goodwin and Skarsten quickly became inspired to help, and the three of them formed the Nyantende Foundation, a registered non-profit corporation that helps send street kids in the Democratic Republic of the Congo go to school.
“Education was the best idea; get the kids who can’t afford to go, take them off the streets and put them in the classrooms,” said Goodwin.
With plans to check up on their operation over in Nyantende for a three-week trip on Feb. 25, Goodwin could hardly contain his excitement. He will scope out the schools and check up on their students — many of which he hasn’t seen since his visit in 2013.
Since its inception in 2010, the budding organization has raised over $50,000 for their cause. Currently, the Nyantende Foundation is providing 236 youth with school supplies and tuition — 114 elementary school students, 119 high school students and three in university.
But according to Goodwin, more can be done.
“All of the schools [in Nyantende] are in deplorable condition,” said Goodwin. “It really is unfathomable based on the standards we have here.”
The foundation’s latest goal is to set up a sponsorship program with other schools and churches to help pay for the students’ education, and help fund renovations for some of the dilapidated schools.
Toronto band The Plateaus — Somerset Pheasant, Morgan Freeman, Davian Freeman and Tryke Orphan — burst onto the music scene with a gorgeously wrought video directed by the city’s own Caitlin Cronenberg. But with very little lead up, people want to know: just who are the Plateaus? So, we asked, in this exclusive interview.
How did the band first get together?
TRYKE: Somerset’s actually a late addition.
SOMERSET: I had been living an intensely nomadic life for a decade or so, living hard, sleeping in different beds. I woke up in the middle of the night in Paris one night, and every bone in my body was telling me to go to this tiny bar in Montmartre.
MORGAN: Where I happened to be that night.…
SOMERSET: Yeah, she couldn’t speak French, so I translated for her. She had just been yelling, “DRINK” at the bartender.
MORGAN: That’s not true. I was yelling “DRANK!” Anyways, I ended up taking him home with me. All the way home. Across an ocean.
TRYKE: OK, anyway, now he’s our frontman.
What inspired “YNG LUV” and what are you hoping people feel when they hear it?
TRYKE: I think…
DAVIAN: Somerset did it all, all by himself. I don’t know what it’s about, and I don’t even know how to say it.
SOMERSET: I have a great fear, and a great love of death. And Morgan is just entirely scared of death, so the love and hate juxtaposition is constantly on my mind.
MORGAN: To answer the second part of your questions, I hope people feel the opposite of how I feel in crowded elevators when they hear the song.
The response to the song has been very positive. Has it met your expectations and where do you go from here?
DAVIAN: From here I will go to the bathroom.
MORGAN: That’s not what he meant.
SOMERSET: No, it’s not at all what I meant. Um, there’s no limit to how far YNG LUV will reach, because it’s about a universally powerful energy. It transcends all language, it transcends all sense.
TRYKE: I played it for some birds in the park and they stood around and then they took flight, so I think that speaks for itself.
I like the new wave edge to your song. It’s pop, sure, but it has some real depth to it. Can we expect more of the same on your debut album?
DAVIAN: Yes. If that’s what you want from me, sir.
SOMERSET: No, actually as soon as you label something it limits its potential. I don’t believe in putting walls around people or music. Claustrophobia is synonymous with death. Ours is a new genre, we’re Post-Genre.
TRYKE: Well, we’re still discussing how the album is going to be shaped. We haven’t mutually decided. There are going to be some huge riffs, for sure.
MORGAN: Maybe some deep, Post-Genre, poppy, huge riffs. Yeah, we’re not totally sure yet. Working on it.
How do you handle the writing duties for the band? Does Mr. Pheasant bring material to the band?
SOMERSET: I’ll let you guys field this one. I’m curious to see how this goes.
DAVIAN: Ha. You said duties!
TRYKE: Well, I mean, it’s pretty subjective. We spend a lot of time writing songs sometimes, and we work hard on them, but then Somerset has some good ideas, too, so yeah, subjective.
MORGAN: Yeah, I’d agree with that. We all bring a lot to the table. I know I inspire a lot of creativity in both myself and in other people, so it’s generally a win-win situation.
Where did you record the first single?
SOMERSET: My vision for YNG LUV’s sound was like garage-pop but from the garage of the Taj Mahal, if the Taj Mahal had a garage. Producers Gus Van Go and Nyles Miszczyk in Brooklyn and Toronto, respectively, were given the huge responsibility of polishing the song — brushing the fur of the beast that is YNG LUV. Making it shine more brilliantly than it already did.
MORGAN: But Somerset and I actually recorded the demo to this song in a hotel room in Paris, one very cold, snowy evening.
TRYKE: A tape of gross sexual intercourse is not a demo, I’ll have you know.
DAVIAN: I was in a room playing my drums when we recorded the single, sorry.
Do you feel any pressure to get the next song, or the debut album out in a hurry to capitalize on this momentum?
SOMERSET: I knew people would be anxious to hear the next single after YNG LUV came out, so this is what I did: YNG LUV is actually three singles. YNG LUV, YNG LUV sped up, and YNG LUV slowed down. Three different songs, three different textures, three different colours—
MORGAN: –tastes, journeys, animals, whatever. You name it. It literally blew my mind the first time I heard the three singles.
TRYKE: And also we’ve got a whole vault of songs, so there’s lots more coming soon.
DAVIAN: Yes, my head is like a pressure cooker right now. Albums need time to cook, like a slow cooker, and so things are just bubbling away in there right now.
MORGAN: A slow cooker and a pressure cooker are two different things. But yeah. Exactly.
And tell me about each of your roles in the band.
TRYKE: I’m the…
SOMERSET: Again, roles are like genres to me. I lead, and at some point, I will follow, so, it’s like anything.
MORGAN: Yeah. Umm.… I’m the kind of person who has a shitload of stories, and most of them are either not meant for grandma’s ears or are completely meant for your grandma’s ears. Depending on your grandma.
DAVIAN: I’m the drummer and dreamer.
People say you’re the Next Big Thing, but you haven’t really done anything yet.
DAVIAN: Everyone is the next big thing until you’re not. It’s a matter of positivity and self-worth.
MORGAN: That’s seriously well-put, Davi. Well done, dude. Yeah, and I would also argue that we’ve done a lot, or else why would be sitting here?
SOMERSET: That’s exactly right — who exactly would you be and what sad level of pride would you take in your career if you chose to interview the boring and unsuccessful?
TRYKE: …Yeah, true. He’s right.
A plateau is like a time where nothing really changes. Why choose that as a name?
SOMERSET: All the most inspiring neighborhoods are on plateaus: the Lasithi Plateau in Greece had 20,000 windmills; the Colorado Plateau has the Grand Canyon; and the Montreal Plateau is full of 20,000 people with 20,000 beautiful faces and 20,000 beautiful brains.
MORGAN: It’s also a really lovely word to say.
TRYKE: I wanted to name the band Tryke’s Band.
MORGAN: But for obvious reasons, that’s the worst. So we moved on.
DAVIAN: Sometimes I forget what our band name is because we’ve had so many over the years—I mean me, Morgan, and Tryke—but then Somerset came and named our band something permanent. So The Plateaus. Is what it is now.
There are some famous people in your video. Did you pay them?
SOMERSET: No need, it turns out. People were very eager to be a part of the visual incarnation of “YNG LUV.”
MORGAN: We actually had to turn down a few really eager people and bands — who I guess will remain nameless so nobody gets embarrassed. But you know who you are, so don’t worry! Next video, I promise!
TRYKE: Yeah, I’ve started writing a few songs based on the people we rejected, so definitely next single.
DAVIAN: Two of the famous people gave me $80 to be in the video, and I didn’t tell anybody until now.
MORGAN: Umm, what?
TRYKE: Yeah, share the wealth, guy. Not cool.
MORGAN: Somerset, Davian got — oh, he’s on a phone call. Sorry!
Jay Baruchel says he started a band because of your song. Why did you start a band?
TRYKE: I’ve heard his stuff. Jay is completely ripping off our sound.
MORGAN: Imitation and flattery, though. So it’s sweet — he’s a sweet guy.
DAVIAN: I saw The Imitation Game eight nights ago, and I forgot to tell you guys.
TRYKE: Oh yeah? I haven’t seen it yet. Any good?
MORGAN: Does it drive you guys crazy that Keira Knightly doesn’t move her bottom jaw when she talks, or am I just jealous of her?
TRYKE: You’re just seriously jealous. Probably incredibly jealous — she’s so hot.
Why does Sam Roberts appear with a fake nose, and then eat the fake nose?
SOMERSET: I’m getting a bit tired of this. If you don’t get the nose consumption scene, no amount of explanation will be able to make it penetrate your skull.
MORGAN: And it was actually a cheese nose, not a fake nose.
DAVIAN: It was real cheese, but it was a fake nose because it wasn’t Sam’s real nose.
TRYKE: I hated that scene, and thought it didn’t make sense. But the lizard scene was cool.
One of my favourite musicians once said, “It’s such a fine line between clever and stupid.” What do you think that means in relation to your music?
SOMERSET: Is your favourite musician clever or stupid?
MORGAN: Did that person say it, write it or sing it in lyrics? Because I would say, technically, if it was written, you should qualify that person as a poet.
TRYKE: What was that Morgan? Anyway, a magnified fine line or a fine line under a microscope is huge, so what are you saying?
DAVIAN: Well the grass is greener on the other side, so if you’re clever, you wish you were stupid, and if you’re stupid, you don’t even understand that you’re stupid, you think you’re clever.
A nostalgic start At Cluny, the Distillery’s grand ode to the cuisine of France, exec chef Paul Benallick serves up bistro favourites done with a modern twist. Meant to be shared, the baked La Sauvagine cheese — which has been on the menu since November — is Benallick’s play on a starter that would not be considered out of the ordinary in an ’80s dinner spread ($22). “It’s sort of a take on the baked brie from when we were kids,” he notes. “It’s a little bit of the idea that all that’s old is new.” Chef stuffs La Sauvagine cheese, which hails from Quebec, with ground Italian truffles — or whatever’s freshest — mushrooms, shallots and thyme. The subtle flavour of the cheese allows all elements to co-habitate with ease, prepping the palate for richer French fare. Cluny Bistro, 35 Tank House Ln., 416-203-2632
A handsome hen At downtown’s au courant new eatery Thoroughbred, chef Ariel Coplan’s well-named chicken soigne is, indeed, a rather well-groomed dinner pick ($79). “Basically, the idea was to take a simple thing and elevate it,” Coplan notes. The opulent affair begins with organic Mennonite chicken. Its skin is kept completely intact while all the bones are removed; the bird’s flesh is brined; the skin blanched before Coplan does an “old school” roulade, stuffing the meat with layers of foie gras terrine — done in-house — and shaved truffles. The entire chicken is cooked sous vide, rendering the foie gras from the centre into the actual bird and resulting in a decadent meal fit to share. Thoroughbred, 304 Richmond St. W., 416-551-9221
The perfect cut Those seeking out a place to share the perfect steak need look no further than Nao, the latest success story from the marriage between Charles Khabouth, Hanif Harji and exec chef Stuart Cameron. The 32-ounce rib-eye is “definitely a two-person kind of steak,” notes Cameron. Plucked from Nebraska, the USDA prime protein is dry-aged for 40 days by their butcher shop. The restaurant portions the beef itself and cooks it over a natural flame (explaining the scent of firewood in the space). Each steak is seasoned with natural sea salt, including pink-hued crystals from the Philippines, which get their colouration from shrimp in the waters. Diners can then salt the meat further and sauce it with the hand-pestled Bulldog sauce. Nothing like a little blood for your valentine. Nao Steakhouse, 90 Avenue Rd., 416-367-4141
Fondue pour deux On the menu since day one, MoRoCo’s chocolate fondue is the ultimate V-Day dessert ($24). It’s crafted from premium Valrhona chocolate, with chocolate aficionados able to choose their preferred type: 66 per cent Venezuelan dark chocolate, white chocolate or, for classicists, milk chocolate that will likely conjure up images of the French Alps. The silky-smooth pot is accompanied by a medley of signature dippers, ranging from fruit (rounds of banana, plump grapes and pineapple hunks) to pastel-hued macaron shells. Homemade marshmallows round out the dip picks and are done in flavours that include raspberry and classic vanilla. MoRoCo, 99 Yorkville Ave., 416-961-2202
South Park creator Trey Parker’s first project was a little-known and quite silly movie called Cannibal! The Musical. This was before Eric, Kenny and Kyle, before the biggest selling Broadway musical of all-time, The Book of Mormon. Heck, this was even before BASEketball.
This month, Toronto gets the first taste of the stage adaptation of Cannibal! The Musical, when it opens at the Panasonic Theatre on Feb. 10.
The show tells the story of Alferd Packer, the first and only man to be charged with cannibalism in the United States. So why is this sad case good fodder for a musical comedy?
“I mean, why not?” says Christopher Bond, who directs the show and co-wrote a number of new songs with Trevor Martin in addition to incorporating those from the original movie.
“First, I will say that Cannibal! The Musical is not a horror show or very bloody. It’s a comedy and a spirited send up of Oklahoma! It’s a big fun romp poking fun at old-timey musicals. And, yes, the theme of cannibalism is touched on. But there’s not much blood and guts.”
And Bond knows a thing or two about blood and guts.
The North Yorker’s first project after university was Evil Dead: The Musical, which started out at the tiny Tranzac Club in the Annex before moving on to better venues and much bigger crowds. It was unique for its incorporation of a “splatter zone” where people would sit who weren’t afraid of getting a bit, ahem, wet.
“We had a feeling at that point that we had this amazing audience of fans that love this sort of humour, so what could we do next?,” says Bond. “And the first show that came to mind was Cannibal! The Musical.”
He got the green light from Parker to work on the stage version, but then The Book of Mormon hysteria happened, and the project was put on the back burner.
“The Book of Mormon came back down to earth; they got in touch again,” says Bond.
“We dusted off the old script and wanted to take it further with new music, new fun, explore the adventure a bit more.”
Cannibal! The Musicalis set to run from Feb. 10 to Mar. 1 at the Panasonic Theatre, 651 Yonge St.
If you’re a fan of the business of property renovations, then you’ll no doubt recognize Scott McGillivray, the host and executive producer of HGTV’s Income Property. The show, which airs on HGTV and DIY Network, as well as on Netflix in the U.S., is entering its 10th season.
Income Property helped to create a name for McGillivray in the real estate and renovations game, which opened the door to appearances on additional home improvement shows. He was an expert judge on Canada’s Handyman Challenge, a guest judge of Flipping the Block and co-hosted the All American Handyman series with fellow home renovation guru Mike Holmes. But for those who aren’t so familiar with McGillivray, here’s a quick briefing: he has been flipping, renovating and providing investment advice on real estate properties for more than 10 years.
His first encounter with income properties was for a class project during his studies at the University of Guelph where he graduated with a degree in marketing management. The assignment involved developing a business plan, and, along with a few classmates, McGillivray decided to examine the housing dilemmas students were facing in Guelph. After interviewing a real estate agent, a broker and a lawyer, McGillivray decided to buy a house with a friend, renovate it and rent it out to fellow students.
He was then bitten by the income property bug and bought two additional homes the following year, landing him on the path to his future career as a television host, real estate investor and contractor.
The premise of his popular show Income Property is to guide Toronto-area homeowners through the process of buying, renovating and renting out a property or suite. In the upcoming 10th season, McGillivray hints that fans of the show, old and new, will be in for a treat.
“This year is going to be different. We’re going to move on to some new ideas, [and] you will see a very different version of Income Property, including cottage episodes, which is going to be awesome,” he says.
“What’s interesting about this season is that we did some vacation properties and started showing people different types of investment properties. And we had fun, too. I took the family out, and it was like the whole family was on vacation while I was doing vacation rentals.”
Expect to see the best of Ontario’s cottage country with properties in Kawartha Lakes and Prince Edward County. And they’re hoping to work on homes in the Muskoka and Georgian Bay areas next time.
“We moved to Richmond Hill when I was seven years old. There was nothing there.”
Apart from demolishing kitchens and building suites, McGillivray is also a family man. Along with his wife Sabrina, McGillivray is a father to two young daughters, Myah and Layla. He often shares photos of his family, like vacation snapshots at their family home in Fort Myers, Fla., with his fans on social media.
Due to the success of Income Property and other shows he’s appeared on in Canada and the U.S., McGillivray says he gets recognized and approached by fans, even when he’s down south.
“Everywhere you go you see fans and [it’s] awesome to see the support. We spend part of our winters in Florida, so it’s hilarious to see how many people down there are fans — especially since they don’t have basements in Florida! I’ve had people say, ‘Oh, I watch your show on Netflix!’ They are part of a younger demographic, but it’s interesting to see that there are people just everywhere watching the show,” he says.
And his family has learned to adjust to it.
“Has it changed things? Yes, but we just roll with it.”
Although he was born and now resides in Toronto, McGillivray grew up in Richmond Hill. He moved to the town before much of it was developed.
“It was pretty awesome. We moved to Richmond Hill when I was seven years old. There was nothing there. I remember 16th Avenue was just a dirt road. We lived just off 16th Avenue. Then we moved out to Oakbank Pond area on Centre Street where I lived until I left for university,” he says.
McGillivray has one busy schedule, but when he does visit Richmond Hill, it’s usually to spend time with family and friends. He also frequents a couple low-key spots in the town.
“I go to the Allencourt diner for breakfast with old friends. It’s this tiny little diner. Last time I went to Richmond Hill, I was hanging out at London Pub with a few friends,” he says.
And on the topic of friends, McGillivray shares that his relationships with other HGTV Canada hosts are close-knit outside of work.
“Mike Holmes, Bryan Baeumler, Paul Lafrance and I — the four of us have a pretty good relationship. We get together from time to time,” he says.
It makes sense. After all, the group of hosts has a lot in common through working on home renovations, DIY projects and even television shows together.
“Bryan and I have very similar family scenarios — both of us have young kids around the same age, so we get together and we’ll go for beers. We all go through the same things and deal with the same people, so it’s nice to hang out with people who understand your work situation,” says McGillivray.
Though he loves where his career has taken him, it’s no surprise that, after shooting the series for seven years and bringing up two young children, McGillivray has made a resolution to get healthier and re-evaluate where he wants to focus his efforts this year. His new projects include developing more digital content for Income Property, as well as a new show that he says is in the works.
But he doesn’t let more details spill, so the viewers will have to stay tuned to find out what he is cooking up. Though he will have a lot on his plate, he says he also plans to find time to focus on himself.
“I’m looking forward to getting healthier this year, that’s for sure. I’ve been working so hard, it’s been a crazy three years of non-stop,” says McGillivray.
“I’m going to get myself back into shape. I know it sounds like a cheesy new year’s resolution, but it’s definitely on my radar.”
One of Toronto’s most iconic venues, El Mocambo, was due to shutter for the final time on Nov. 6 of last year. The legendary ElMo had once played host to the Rolling Stones and U2 but had lost its lustre over time.
A charity concert had been planned as the last hurrah for the beloved, yet aged venue. Except it wasn’t the last hurrah. With just hours to go until El Mocambo was due to slide into history, a buyer suddenly emerged with a pitch to purchase the venue. The media went into a frenzy: the El Mocambo could be saved.
The buyer was Michael Wekerle, a millionaire investor whose flamboyant style has earned him a reputation as a wild child of Bay Street. The ElMo investment is typical of Wekerle — known as Wek to his friends — and his sense of flare.
The deal is slated to close on Jan. 30, according to Neil Warshafsky, the seller’s agent for the El Mocambo.
Sporting tattoos and a shock of wavy hair, leaning toward bright colours in his tailoring and with a love of rock music, Wekerle is anything but the investor who quietly makes his millions in the week before slipping off to his Muskoka cottage for the weekend.
Wekerle reportedly offered $3.8 million to buy the El Mocambo and says he had a letter of intent signed just 48 hours after hearing it was on the market.
His plans for the venue include giving the bar a thorough overhaul, and he talks about leveraging the El Mocambo brand to branch out further into the music business. But it’s clear that owning such an iconic venue appeals to his swashbuckling style.
Image: James Heaslip
“I’m 51 years old. I grew up with El Mocambo being the place to go to,” he says, adding, “every Canadian band has played at that venue.”
Whether it’s for making eye-catching investments — he is also a backer of Mark Wahlberg’s burger chain Wahlburgers, which recently opened in Toronto — or less fortunate events, like one last September where a rare $900,000 Porsche he owned caught fire at a gas station outside Toronto, Wekerle is a businessman who often finds himself in the spotlight.
Most recently a long-time business associate of Wekerle’s, Rohit Sehgal, alleges that Wekerle owes him US$1.38 million. “We have brought a bankruptcy application against him,” says Catherine Francis, a lawyer at Minden Gross LLP who is representing Sehgal.
Doubtless, his profile was among the factors that made him an appealing prospect to producers at CBC’s Dragons’ Den, searching for a replacement for Kevin O’Leary, who left the corporation to pursue other opportunities.
Wekerle jumped at the chance to, as he puts it, expand from Bay Street to main street. Already known as generous with his money, Wekerle says he’s hopeful his higher public profile will help him promote the charities he supports, which include SickKids and CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health). Wekerle made his debut on the show’s ninth season in the fall, although the season was actually filmed over 38 days back in the spring of last year.
As a born entrepreneur with a flair for spectacle, Wekerle is clearly in his element on the show and seems a natural in front of the camera. But he deferentially plays up his credentials as the rookie dragon.
“I grew up with the El Mocambo being the place to go to.”
“Arlene Dickinson is the quarterback of the show,” he says. “She’s a great role model.”
So what makes a firm a good investment? Wekerle says he looks for smallish companies that are in markets where there are barriers to entry (less competition) and have a business model that generates recurring revenue.
“You’ve got to have a product that makes life easier or more meaningful.”
The former point certainly has been borne out on Dragons’ Den. One of Wekerle’s first investments on the show was in a Sudbury-based firm that makes protective clothing for women, which comes with a special flap that makes life easier in the washroom.
Talk to Wekerle even briefly and you get a sense of his frenetic energy. He speaks quickly, propelling the conversation along in sentences crammed with different ideas. He is known for holding multiple conversations simultaneously. On the set of Dragons’ Den, however, Wekerle says he had to rein in his free-wheeling style.
With the budget-conscious CBC keen to avoid overruns on filming, Wekerle says he had to up his game on the punctuality front.
“My habit of moving in three different meetings at one time became difficult, and I had to really focus on the show,” he says.
Wekerle puts his fast pace down to his early days as a trader on Bay Street, where timing in the markets is everything.
Born in Toronto, he moved around a lot as a child, living at Yonge and Sheppard and Bayview and Steeles. He attended York University but dropped out in his first year, or as he puts it: “I went there for a cup of coffee.”
He landed himself a job on Bay Street where he found his niche. He started out on the trading floor for First Marathon, where he excelled and was quickly promoted.
Though entrepreneurial and competitive by nature, Wekerle is also gregarious and friendly, traits that helped him build up an enormous contacts book. By the mid-1990s he was the star trader at GMP Securities, a firm he helped found, and was involved in major deals like taking BlackBerry maker Research in Motion public (back when that was a stock people wanted to buy).
But the global downturn at the end of the 2000s heralded the arrival of a darker period in both his personal and professional lives. In 2010, his second wife died suddenly from a heart attack, and a year later he and GMP parted ways.
Wekerle lives in a large home in Forest Hill, the type that has an indoor pool, though he’s planning to sell the property.
He’s a big fan of rock music and chills out by playing the guitar. After leaving GMP he could easily have afforded to retire and spend his time strumming the guitar, but instead he got back in the game, in 2012, founding Difference Capital, a merchant bank.
Difference Capital focuses on tech, health and media firms and has investments in companies that include social media integrator Hootsuite and online shopping portal Shop.ca. It hasn’t been clear sailing, however, and Difference Capital has seen its share price slide dramatically in the last six months. But the company began an internal reorganization aimed at sharpening its investment strategy.
