Common sense for parking tickets

By

-

11:08 am

Last year, parking enforcement issued approximately 572,000 tickets for pay-and-display parking offences.

This caused many residents and local businesses to raise the issue of fairness as the time on their watch may have been a few minutes different than on the parking machine.

To address this situation, Toronto City Council supported my motion to ask police to implement a protocol for a 10-minute grace period for pay-and-display parking tickets. Simply put, parking tickets shouldn’t be used as a tax grab.

The Toronto Police Services Board refused city council’s request and the matter came to the government management committee. With the assistance of city staff and a lot of technical expertise, I was able to present committee and city council with a revised parking bylaw that provides a 10-minute grace period on street pay-and-display parking.

This change ensures fairness, and it will allow officers to focus on chronic parking offenders that stay long past their welcome and park illegally on our streets every day.

It is important that you do not park illegally in a no-stopping or no-parking area at any time as this grace period only applies to legal parking in a pay-and-display spot.

If you receive a ticket that you believe should not have been issued because of the 10-minute grace period, please contact [email protected] and include a copy of your receipt.

Neighbourhood festivals abound

By

-

11:08 am

0

After one of the worst winters in memory, Ward 10 is gearing up for an amazing summer of events in our parks and community centres.

We kick things off on June 1 at 2 p.m. with a community festival to officially reopen Champlain Park (Wilson and Allen) with its newly completed gazebo, upgraded trees, paths, benches and resurfaced tennis court.

Ward 10 celebrates the arts on July 6 at 11 a.m. with the second annual Earl Bales Park Arts and Music Festival. There will be free live music all afternoon featuring Toronto's incredibly talented musicians and bands. This event will also include children’s activities and entertainment, games, art displays and vendors as well as food booths from local restaurants.

July 9 will also see the start of another season of free outdoor movie nights in Earl Bales Park’s Barry Zukerman Amphitheatre. Grab some popcorn and enjoy movies on the big screen under the stars beginning with a screening of Disney’s Frozen at 9 p.m.

We reopen the Irv Chapley Community Centre following winter renovations on July 13. There will be free swimming at 1 p.m. with food and entertainment.

Earl Bales Park’s amphitheatre will once again host regular Tuesday evening music performances, and every other Thursday night, staff will be organizing family fun nights.

It wouldn’t be summer without the Antibes Multicultural Festival. Everyone is invited to come by on July 20 to the Antibes Community Centre for great free entertainment, food and fun as we celebrate the diversity of our neighbourhoods.

Markham gets smart

By

-

11:08 am

0

It is an exciting and busy time in the City of Markham. The number of items on my agenda is long but important.

In early April, I hosted Smart Markham — Building Our Smart City Together, a forum leading to a vital digital strategy and technology blueprint for our city. In Thornhill we are about to embark upon the much-needed construction work to replace and upgrade old storm sewers and reduce the risk of flooding.

In February, I had a council resolution that made the very crucial funding of the storm water system in Thornhill and throughout Markham a citywide investment rather than a Thornhill-only levy, saving taxpayers roughly $300 annually.

We have nearly completed all of the debris cleanup from December’s ice storm but now have to address the trees infected by the emerald ash borer. We are in the midst of a proposal to partner with York University to bring a satellite campus to Markham. This is very exciting and would be tremendous for our city. Work is also progressing on the Thornhill Revitalization Study examining the most suitable land uses in the Bayview and Green Lane neighbourhood to make this area an environmental showcase for the next 10 to 15 years and beyond.

I look forward to the discussions ahead on these and many other important issues to the residents of Thornhill. Thornhill needs strong, capable leadership that gets things done!

As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments. You can email me at [email protected], and you can find more information at www.howardshore.ca.

Taste Test: Toronto’s best lobster rolls

By

Andrew Mannsbach

-

11:53 am

0

Grant van Gameren is joined by Geoff Hopgood, of the Maritime-inspired Hopgood’s Foodliner, in sampling Toronto’s best lobster rolls. Which one claws its way to the top?

WINNER:
Smoked & Cracked, 516 Mt. Pleasant Rd., $20
“This one tastes really fresh,” says Hopgood, biting into the roll. “There’s a good amount of lobster in it,” says van Gameren. Both enjoy the tarragon, but Hopgood finds the bun a bit heavy. “This is the purest form of the lobster roll with the best, purest-tasting lobster,” says van Gameren. Hopgood agrees: “It’s unanimous.”

BANG-ON BUN
Museum Tavern, 208 Bloor St. W., $19
“This is a classic bun,” muses Hopgood. “I really like the bun — it’s got that nice smell to it,” says van Gameren. Hopgood suggests upping the acidity: “Lemon would be really nice.”

LOADS OF LOBSTER
Rock Lobster, 538 Queen St. W., $14
Hopgood notes the homemade chips that accompany the roll. “There’s a nice quantity of lobster in there,” says van Gameren. Both would prefer a touch less paprika seasoning to better showcase the lobster.

GREEN ONION GOODNESS
John & Sons Oyster House, 1 Balmoral Ave., $21
“The lobster’s gotta be moist and rich,” says van Gameren. This lobster filling is dotted with celery and green onion. “It’s nice as an accent,” he notes, though he advises reeling in the green onion a bit.

NON-TRADITIONAL TAKE
The Chase Fish & Oyster, 10 Temperance St., $21
“It’s like a Waldorf lobster sandwich,” says Hopgood. “I admire the ingenuity.” Van Gameren: “I like the fennel aspect of it, and it’s a nice, rich, buttery bun.” He does, however, find that the walnuts mask the lobster flavour.

SWEET FRESHNESS
Rodney’s Oyster House, 469 King St. W., $10
Hopgood: “The lobster’s kinda sweet, which works with the tarragon.” Van Gameren finds the lobster “pretty fresh” but it could use a tad more moisture.

CLUBBY CRUSTACEAN
The Shore Club,155 Wellington St. W., $20
“The avocado and lobster with the bacon — they’re nice together,” says Hopgood. This club sammy take on the lobster roll impresses van Gameren: “It’s definitely not for purists but … it’s pretty good!”

EASTERN AUTHENTICITY
Starfish, 100 Adelaide St. E., $17
“For a mayo-based one, it’s a little bit more traditional,” notes Hopgood. Both chefs would prefer if the lobster were served in chunks, rather than shredded.

Chefs Geoff Hopgood & Grant van Gameren: Hailing from the East Coast, Hopgood joins van Gameren as this month’s resident lobster roll aficionado. “I like classic, but I like the ones soaked in butter,” Hopgood says. “I don’t want too much extra jive.”

The woozy tunes of Timber Timbre on display at Massey Hall this Friday

By

-

2:35 pm

0

There are a few major events that impacted the direction of Timber Timbre’s new album, Hot Dreams. The Banff Centre where songwriter and vocalist Taylor Kirk worked with producer Graham Lessard, the Canadian Music Centre’s collection of vintage keyed instruments, and the hot and steamy surrounds of Laurel Canyon, Calif. What people are picking up on most is that hot and steamy part.

Hot Dreams, the follow-up to 2011’s Creep On Creepin’ On, has been described as everything from woozy to the sexiest album of the year. And, not surprisingly, Kirk gets what all the fuss is about.

“I think that sounds about right,” says Kirk.

“I mean, I dunno. I think the first time it really occurred to me was working on the title track “Hot Dreams,” and I thought, this is just a slow jam, you know? It’s the first time I’d intended a song to be highly charged and eroticized. But woozy? We’re always a bit woozy.”

The album is by turns dark, spooky and sexy, but always interesting.

Fans of David Lynch will be pleased. According to Kirk, there are references and subtle nods to the filmmaker throughout the album. The interest in the intersection of film and music isn’t by accident. Kirk studied film, and the band had designs on working in that industry, but it hasn’t quite panned out. “I studied film and was interested in making film music, but it never really happened,” he explains. “But I have a nostalgia for a certain era of filmmaking.”

In addition, Kirk has long had an interest in exploring darker themes in his music, famously sequestering himself in a lonesome cabin near Bobcaygeon to work on what would become Timber Timbre’s debut recording. “I mean, all along with each recording I’ve expressed and written about my curiosity about a certain part of America, although it has been a shifting focus,” he says. “‘Hot Dreams’ in particular has a gothic feel. It feels like western music.”

Something of a romantic, Kirk grappled with his growing success in the early years, indifferent about being front and centre. But he’s getting used to it.

“It’s been a pretty gentle incline,” he says. “It’s never been too shocking. But I feel more confident and comfortable with it now."

Timber Timbre plays at Massey Hall on May 23, with Cold Specks, as part of a new film series. For more information go to www.timbertimbre.com.

Rail safety relevant to Rosedale

By

-

9:37 am

0

Last summer Toronto’s heart went out to Lac Megantic when we learned of the devastating rail disaster that took so many lives. In the weeks and months that followed, we looked for answers. We wanted to know how this could have happened. It took longer still for other questions to be raised. What other communities are hazardous goods being shipped through? What say does the public have in these decisions? Residents along the CP Rail line running through Ward 27 have been upset to learn the answers are not positive.

New federal transportation legislation passed by minister Lisa Raitt provides the City of Toronto with retroactive information regarding the many train loads of toxic or explosive materials running through Toronto.

However, residents are not extended this same courtesy.

Even as a city councillor, I have depended upon media reports to learn that crude oil rail shipments have seen a dramatic increase and that these products are being moved through Summerhill and Rosedale and that hundreds of rail accidents go unreported.

Later this month, my office will be meeting with CP Rail representatives and councillor Josh Matlow to get more information.

I cannot accept that residents in a municipality as significant as Toronto have no say over what materials are moved through their community.

It may not be convenient, but our government in Ottawa must respond to the well-founded concerns of residents whose homes and businesses are adjacent to the line.

Volunteer nannies lend a hand

By

-

9:37 am

0

Thornhill resident Sabina Spataro may try to stay modest, but many families across the GTA consider her an angel.

Spataro is just one of the 32 trained volunteers who provided care last year to families affected by cancer. The network was founded by Audrey Guth, who drew on her experiences, not only as a cancer survivor, but as a child affected by a parent’s illness.

“When I was very young, I had a parent who had cancer, and we lived with that for three years until my father passed away,” she said. “I remember how haunting that was, going to treatment with him.”

Guth said that her idea sparked during her own treatments. “I was looking around the room. There were these young mothers with children. I remember thinking, ‘This isn’t a place for children.’”

Wanting to provide that care for mothers who could not afford it, she started the Nanny Angel Network in 2008. Nannies work varying hours, from occasional visits to long days, taking care of children and daily household tasks while the children’s mothers attend treatments, recuperate and rest.

Spataro has been involved for approximately five years. Having worked with children most of her life was a draw for her, but she felt a personal draw to the program as well. “My best friend’s mom had breast cancer a long time ago,” she explained. “I had just come out of university, and she had heard about the network and passed along the information to me.”

Spataro works full-time at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, as a child life specialist, but still volunteers her spare time to work with families in need. “Some families I’ve just seen once or twice, but others I’ve worked with over a longer period of weeks or months.”

It can be an emotionally heavy experience, she said, especially for the 48 per cent of mothers helped who are single parents. “When you’re stepping into someone’s house, you’re essentially stepping into their world,” she said. “It’s important to practice self-care and allow yourself to de-stress — you want to be able to be there for the families and be there 100 per cent.”

But Spataro said that it’s still one of the most rewarding experiences of her life thus far. “When you see people in hospitals, you don’t think about their home life and how illness and hospitalization affects life at home.”

Volunteers guide families through tough times

By

-

9:37 am

0

Forest Hiller Marla Buck is a dancer, artist and designer, but to some families, she is considered an angel.

Buck is just one of the 32 trained volunteers who provided care last year to families affected by cancer. The network was founded by Audrey Guth, who drew on her experiences, not only as a cancer survivor, but as a child affected by a parent’s illness.

“When I was very young I had a parent who had cancer, and we lived with that for three years until my father passed away,” Guth said. “I remember how haunting that was, going to treatment with him.”

Guth said that her idea sparked during her own cancer treatments. “I was looking around the room. There were these young mothers with children. I remember thinking, ‘This isn’t a place for children.’”

Wanting to provide that care for mothers who could not afford it, she started the Nanny Angel Network in 2008. Nannies work varying hours, from occasional visits to long days, taking care of children and daily household tasks while the children’s mothers attend treatments, recuperate and rest. Last year, 48 per cent of the mothers were single parents.

Marla Buck, a mother of two grown children, used her creative side to keep her own kids’ spirits high. “As a young mother, we didn’t have a lot, so we would make our own fun — we’d have holidays in the city,” said Buck.

She has assisted some of the children in her care with a large-scale painting project. “I was really fortunate, because the mother had a good result in the end, but obviously the hard parts are when that doesn’t happen.”

She hopes that over time the program will gain name recognition in the GTA.

“It’s not really on the tip of everybody’s lips right now,” said Buck. “But if you have a bad prognosis, go to Nanny Angel Network. They are amazing.”

From snow to sun in Thornhill

By

-

9:37 am

0

Most people will agree that this past winter was one of the worst we have ever experienced — the coldest in 20 years.

In the city, the numerous storms, the ongoing cold and of course the ice storm and power failure took a large toll.

The impact of the ice storm will be with us for years as we continue the cleanup and begin our tree replanting program to replace the more than 13,000 destroyed trees. Fortunately we will receive some funds from the Ontario government to assist in our cleanup costs. Because of good planning, our reserves will be used to deal with our extra snow clearing costs.

But let’s not dwell on the past when there are exciting improve-ments planned for Thornhill.

This will be a busy summer and fall for parks improvements. I have been working with a group of residents to redevelop the playground and tennis courts at York Hill District Park this summer. The work that I initiated with a group of residents two years ago to rehabilitate Glen Shields Park will continue with playground and walkway improvements. Our trail system, at Glen Shields Avenue and Dufferin Street, will see improve-ments including the replacement of the Marita Payne Pedestrian Bridge. King High and Beverly Glen parks will both have new pathway lighting installed this summer.

In response to increasing interest in biking, the Vaughan cycle path system will expand with a new path developed along Clark Avenue from Yonge to Dufferin. This will allow cyclists to move easily and connect with the trail system along the Don River just west of Dufferin.

Local dad and son take Boston

By

-

9:37 am

0

A 75-year-old Thornhill man and his son recently took the Boston Marathon by storm.

Keijo Taivassalo and his son Petja, a physical education teacher at Langstaff Secondary School, have just returned from an exhilarating run at the Boston Marathon. Keijo happened to place first in the 60 years and older category, a feat he had been working toward with much of the local community’s support.

“My dad also received support from [Toronto Suomi Lions Club] as they fundraised for his entrance fee,” said Petja. “He wore their logo on his running singlet to show his support.”

Keijo had previously run the Boston Marathon in 1982. After last year’s bombings, he vowed that running again would be on his bucket list.

“It was full of emotions, ranging from remembrance to resolve,” he said.

Master plan for a DDO Park

By

-

9:37 am

0

In the past several years, there has been much discussion about the future of the David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) lands along Bayview Avenue, north of 16th Avenue.

The Town of Richmond Hill and the community have worked hard to preserve and protect the cultural and natural heritage of the significant site that is unique in Richmond Hill and beyond the town’s borders.

As part of the five-party mediated settlement at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), the town will receive 99 acres of land from the owner of this private property in the future.

Although the appeal of the zoning and subdivision plan is scheduled for a hearing at the OMB this coming June, it is important to plan for the eventual transfer of land into public ownership and to also develop a master plan with visions to guide the future enhancement and manage-ment of this new public park on the DDO lands.

I strongly believe that public consultation is a critical part of the planning process for the DDO Park and am committed to engaging the community to seek their input and views on the future “destination park” for residents in Richmond Hill, York Region and beyond.

As such, I would to like thank our town council for adopting my motion to initiate the master plan process that includes public consultation and the commitment of funding to retain resources for such a process.

In the coming months, I will continue to notify the community about the progress of the master plan and the timelines for public consultation on this exciting new project.

A York U in York Region

By

-

9:37 am

0

The Government of Ontario recently issued a request for proposals from municipalities in York Region to play host to a satellite campus for York University. On April 25, Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan were the three communities shortlisted, beating out Aurora, Newmarket and East Gwillimbury (King withdrew its bid).

“The potential for a new York University campus in York Region is one more significant development in the university’s overall York Region strategy to forge strong connections between the university … and all of our surrounding municipalities,” said York U president and vice-chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri.

Although Town of Richmond Hill chief administrative officer Joan Anderton said the town would be marketing itself based on the infrastructure it already has, a press release issued by the town boasts some features that were not yet guaranteed — such as the long-anticipated Yonge Street subway.

“With the planned extension of the Yonge Street subway … the community is well-poised to meet the demands of students needing multi-modal transportation options,” it states.

Anderton doesn’t think this creates a problem. “The province has already invested tons of money in transit for Richmond Hill beyond the subway … the timing of the subway is a bonus.”

Mayor Dave Barrow agreed the campus would likely bring even more infrastructure and growth opportunities. “Having a university campus within our borders will stimulate growth and economic development,” said Barrow. The town has stayed mum on potential locations of the university, choosing to wait before revealing its choices to the public. “We’ve put forward two locations for their consideration, but all of that consideration was considered confidential,” said Anderton.

Regardless of who gets the bid, Anderton said the region will be grateful: “No matter where the campus is located in the region, it brings a vibrancy to the community.”