New centre shines

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IT SEEMS AS though the prediction of a local councillor has come true in the case of a York Region landmark.

“Councillor Arnie Warner prophesied that the first word out of everybody’s mouth when they walk in the building [would be] ‘Wow,’” said Michael Grit, the theatre manager for the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. “I’ve heard ‘Wow’ mentioned so many times in the last few weeks.”

The centre played host to a star-studded party on June 8, to celebrate and unveil the lineup for the upcoming 2009–2010 season — which marks the centre’s first full season — beginning on Sept. 22.

Hosted by Chris Van Vliet, the entertainment television personality of SUN TV’s Inside Jam!, the event included performances by local musician Suzie McNeil, a stage combat demonstration by the Resurgence Theatre Company and performances from the upcoming season.

The response from those in attendance, Grit said, has been positive, if unexpected.

“I think there’s a bit of surprise, in a very positive sense,” Grit said. “I’m not sure people expected the calibre of artists that we have.”

The approaching season will blend together some very recognizable artists and acts, such as performer Art Garfunkel, with Canadian newcomers.

The theatre will also host several world premieres, such as the season’s opening performance, Hallaj, based on the life of a 10th-century Sufi mystic.

The choice to include such a diverse range of acts was a very conscious one, Grit said.

“We’re trying to encompass as many cultural groups as we can,” he said. “A lot of theatres are built and there’s a perception that it belongs to a certain demographic. What we’re trying to do is target all demographics. And we’ve been very successful, I would say.”

“He’s definitely got it right in terms of what council’s vision was for the building,” said Arnie Warner, the councillor for Ward 2 and the chair of the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts steering committee.

Warner, who has been involved in nearly every stage in the theatre’s brief history, from the decision on site location to selecting the architects, said the notion of inclusion extends not only to the variety of content that will be presented at the centre, but also to how the facility will be used by the surrounding neighbourhood.

“It is a performing arts centre, but it’s also a community centre,” he said, adding that the spot will host everything from high school graduation ceremonies to shows by dance troupes. There will also be programming for seniors and many more organizations that will utilize the space.

“We don’t want it to be an empty building that comes to life only for performances,” Warner said. “We want people there Saturday morning reading their paper or reading a book and having a coffee. We want it to be a people place throughout the day and throughout the night.

We’re going to transcend boundaries.”

Conservation board rules in favour of Dunlap activists

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THE CONSERVATION REVIEW Board has recommended to the Town of Richmond Hill that the majority of the David Dunlap Observatory be preserved as a heritage site.

“The local communities have always known and appreciated the cultural heritage worth of the Dunlap Observatory and Park,” said Karen Cilevitz of the David Dunlap Observatory Defenders group. “We now feel more confident it will indeed receive the protection and recognition it so richly deserves — that of a national site of great scientific, ecological and economic significance.”

The observatory and park was sold to Metrus Development by the University of Toronto last year. It will be up to the town as to whether the site will receive heritage designation or not.

No parade at Thornhill Village Fest this year

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AFTER MORE THAN three decades, the Thornhill Village Festival will become a different kind of celebration this year, spanning two weekends, from Sept. 19 to 26, instead of being the usual one-day event of years past.

There had been concern among community members that a scheduling conflict, which placed the festival on the same weekend as the Jewish celebration of Rosh Hashanah, would mean an end to a 30-year tradition. But, by dividing the fest’ up into two separate weekends they are able to keep many of the traditional elements intact.

“Markham has been extremely supportive of this festival and wants to see it be successful,” said Coun. Valerie Burke. “People really look forward to it, and it’s been a long-standing tradition.”

On Sept 19, a craft festival will hit the side streets in the historic Village of Thornhill. On Sept. 26, a music festival will be held in Thornhill Park in Vaughan.

Though efforts have been made to preserve elements of the traditional festival, this year there will be no parade.

More trouble for Vaughan

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THE CITY OF Vaughan has for the third time hired an independent prosecutor to begin legal proceedings relating to a compliance audit, this time against the city’s former mayor Michael Di Biase.

At a meeting on June 15, city council made the decision to retain Timothy J. Wilkin, the city’s independent prosecutor, following his receipt of the compliance audit of Di Biase’s 2006 municipal election campaign finances.

The report, prepared by Ken Froese of LECG Canada Ltd. and chartered accountant Glen R. Davison, detailed several apparent contraventions of the Municipal Elections Act, including ineligible contributions, recount-related expenses and exceeding the campaign spending limit of $120,419 by $2,712.

The announcement of potential contraventions of the Municipal Elections Act is not the first time for members — former or current — of Vaughan’s city council.

In April, Mayor Linda Jackson was served with 68 charges relating to violations of finance rules connected to her 90-vote win over Di Biase in 2006. Jackson’s husband Mario Campese, who served as her campaign manager, was served with five charges.

On June 12, Wilkin was hired to examine potential charges against Coun. Bernie DiVona.

“In all three candidate’s situations a compliance audit determined that there were issues around contributions, expenses and financial statements, and apparent contraventions of various provisions of the Act related to those,” Wilkins said. “As with the Linda Jackson matter, we will be reviewing the file and determining specifically what charges are to be laid.”

Vaughan’s commissioner of legal and administrative services and city solicitor said she is unable to add to what is public knowledge at this point in the legal proceedings.

“There is not much Iamina position to add to the media release at this point, particularly in light of the fact that council has retained external legal counsel to commence prosec ution against Mr. Di Biase,” Janice Atwood- Petovski wrote in an email.

“The matter will be before the court shortly, and it is not appropriate for me to comment.”

Coun. Alan Shefman said that he is upset with how the recent audits — and their subsequent media coverage — have been handled by some media outlets, who have used a “broad brush” to describe Vaughan council as a whole, rather than identifying specific individuals involved.

“ If the rule says you can spend X number of dollars, then you do everything possible to ensure that you don’t spend one cent more.”

“I am horrified that my name is being associated with unethical behaviour,” Shefman said. “I’m not saying that, ultimately in the courts that any of my colleagues will be found guilty of unethical conduct, but they may be. And I don’t want to be tarred with that.”

Shefman says that the matter of campaign finance is ultimately about personal responsibility. “If the rule says you can spend x number of dollars, then you do everything possible to ensure that you don’t spend one cent more,” he said.

“And if you at the end of the day discover that you have spent more money, then that’s your fault, and your problem, and you deal with it as a politician. It’s as simple as that.”

Growing together

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A NEW GARDENING initiative in Willowdale will feed mouths, educate the community and allow neighbours to get to know each other, say local residents.

Located in a vacant lot adjacent to the historic John McKenzie House near Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue, volunteers spent the day on May 23 planting Parkview Neighbourhood Garden.

“We’re taking a piece of city land that was not doing much, and we’re creating something interesting and beautiful there,” said Filion, who got the idea for the garden after reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan. The book is about how local food is beneficial to communities and the environment.

Rhubarb, lettuce, beets, corn, zucchini, tomatoes and a variety of fruit, such as raspberries, will grow in the garden, which is composed of four planting beds.

Filion said four gardening experts will work with 50 volunteers weeding, watering and harvesting the food.

Irene Relph, one of the volunteers on the project, said the garden will bring people together while feeding hungry mouths at the same time.

“Many people in this neighbourhood, in condos and apartments, do not have access to fresh produce,” she said. “And perhaps if they could get out there and grow things and give back to the community, if we can, it would create community purposeness and togetherness.”

Volunteers also plan to sell the fresh produce from the garden at a stand out front, with the proceeds going back into the project.

The city funded the garden as part of the Clean and Beautiful initiative.

Controversial strip club closes its doors

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A STRIP CLUB on Yonge Street, which has unravelled as much controversy as it has skimpy outfits, may be out of business. The doors at 2087 Yonge St. have apparently been shut since December.

Mystique strip club, formerly Cheaters, caused controversy because residents felt it was not appropriate for its location.

“I’m a father of two, and I’m glad my kids won’t have direct exposure to that and what it might bring,” said Jordan Applebaum of the Eglinton Park Residents Association.

Coun. Michael Walker said the club’s departure is not a loss to the neighbourhood and should be redeveloped.

“We’ll be waiting with apprehension to see if there’s other use proposed,” Walker said. “The best use is not a strip club, it is a condominium development.”

Historic North York building could get protection

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THE NORTH YORK Hydro Building on Yonge Street is poised to get its place in history. North York councillors voted May 14 to list the 80-year-old, two-storey building at 5151 Yonge St. as a heritage property.

“This was the first commercial building right in the heart of North York,” said Coun. David Shiner, who said he helped save the building 10 years ago. “There’s no need to tear it down.”

Built in 1929, the red-brick building is the only survivor of an enclave of early 20th-century municipal buildings that were placed on Yonge Empress Avenue. Both the township’s first purpose-built municipal building and the fire hall adjacent to the Hydro Building were demolished.

If council approves the decision on May 25, it will be entered into the city’s inventory of heritage properties. Listing a property on the inventory of heritage properties allows heritage preservation services to review development and building applications affecting those properties, said Barbara Holt of heritage preservation services.

However, heritage designation on does not permanently protect the building.

Street meat a thing of the past at Mel Lastman Square

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NORTH YORK RESIDENTS will be able to get more than a hot dog with the launch of a new city initiative.

Toronto a la Cart promises to take street food to a new level. North Yorkers were introduced to the program last month, with a new food cart offering Thai food at Mel Lastman Square last month. Vendors took part in a long, competitive application process to open one of eight carts across the city.

“It took us such a long process to complete the program, but I think it’s a good opportunity for a new immigrant like me to start up the business,” said Nancy Senowong, who will operate the North York cart.

Senowong offers pad Thai, mango salad and cashew nut chicken at her cart. She said her mom taught her how to cook.

“I was always happy with my cooking,” she said. “My mom never gives me the exact recipe or any measurement, but she said, ‘Just cook from your heart and add a dash of smile.’ And that’s my secret recipe.”

A tale of two towers

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CITY COUNCIL WILL likely approve a largely residential development that will replace Willowdale Plaza with two new towers near Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue, according to Coun. John Filion.

Hullmark Centre Inc., a subsidiary of Tridel, plans to build two largely residential towers, at 35 and 44 storeys each, with a connecting five-storey building in between. Filion said the development is one of the better planned in the area.

“Yes, Ithink it will be approved,” Filion said. “Apart from the usual concerns about the traffic, most people thought it was a fairly good development as far as developments go.”

But Willowdale schools are overcrowded, and school board Trustee Mari Rutka said this issue is often overlooked when developments are proposed.

“Every year, we get people who say, ‘Oh my God, I bought a condo so that we could be near Earl Haig, and I can’t send my child there even though it’s just across the street,’” she said. “And it’s true, they can’t.”

New condominium buyers in the area are warned in contracts that their children will likely have to be bussed out to other areas to attend school. But Rutka said often those buyers don’t read their contracts very carefully.

“It is most definitely a challenge, and we are acutely aware of it. We hope that we can cope with it all.”

Hullmark made an application to amend the zoning bylaw and official plan to develop the site three years ago.

The city demanded the application be revised to include commercial and office space within the development, and shorter towers, at 35 and 44 storeys, Filion said. Community council wanted to ensure that offices and retail space be included in the development.

Earlier this year, the applicant submitted an offer to settle. That offer was approved at community council last month and was scheduled to go to city council May 25.

The offer to settle stipulates that office space be included in the development, with a direct connection to the subway system below. And the developer will include a retail component that would run along the street level.

Hullmark’s settlement also included that they would give much-needed parkland on Finch Avenue over to the city.
Filion said that traffic concerns have also been addressed, with plans to install bicycle racks and short-term rental car outlets close by. He hopes traffic will be mitigated by the development’s location as well.

“It’s right on top of two subway lines,” he said. “I guess you have to be optimistic and hope that people will buy there because they plan to use public transportation.

“ It is most definitely a challenge, and we are acutely aware of it. We hope that we can cope with it all.”

Marion Lick, president of the Willowdale Central Ratepayers Association, said she will miss the Willowdale Plaza’s accessibility but that the development’s location and the promise of more retail is a small victory. Still, she said as each new tower is built she can’t help but notice.

“It’s been quite a change, it’s been quite a change,” Lick said. “Some of us have lost sun, but that’s neither here nor there. The sun goes down around three o’clock for me. That’s sort of too bad.”

Local club loses its Mystique

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IT’S THE LAST dance for Mystique Lounge. The strip club on Yonge Street, which has unravelled as much controversy as it has skimpy outfits, may be out of business. The black wooden doors at 2087 Yonge St. have apparently been permanently shut since December.

Have residents chased the club with the red kiss mark on its sign right out of their family-friendly neighbourhood?

“This isn’t the demographic we’re hoping to attract to our neighbourhood,” said Jordan Applebaum of the Eglinton Park Residents Association.

“I’m a father of two, and I’m glad my kids won’t have direct exposure to that and what it might bring.”

The club was previously known as Cheaters until the last owner took it over in 2004, said Tim Lambrinos, the executive director of the Adult Entertainment Association. The association includes 14 active strip clubs out of the 18 in Toronto. Mystique was not a member.

Lambrinos said it’s not for certain the club is shut down for good, but he has heard from employees that it closed. He said the club owner had “impeccable credentials,” when he applied for membership to the association, but that he had changed his mind about joining.

“It was the first time in the business of an adult entertainment club, but he was a respected and successful business entrepreneur,” said Lambrinos. “We never had any complaints about Mystique. They ran a good ship.”

Several factors could have caused the closure, including the recession, according to Lambrinos. But what might have sealed Mystique’s fate is the theme of the club itself.

Lambrinos said that unlike Cheaters Mystique had an art deco feel to it, which was supposed to attract an upscale, Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue clientele. But the idea never really took off, he said, and it was very different from any other club in the downtown core.

“He was very proud of how he developed high-backing chairs with velour,” Lambrinos said. “He felt this would be a market that would be reflective of Yonge- Eglinton. But the clientele he was targeting didn’t respond as reflectively to exotic dance adult entertainment as a mainstream industrial worker.”

The owner of Mystique Lounge did not return phone calls.

The club previously faced backlash from the community about parking issues, but Coun. Michael Walker said he hasn’t received complaints from
residents in some time.

“We had a relationship thatseemed to be working because I haven’t had any complaints recently,” he said. “It’s changed hands over the last several years. We had a lot of cabs on the side streets, but it worked itself out. We don’t seem to have a lot of cabs parking in the district any more.”

“ The clientele he was targeting didn’t respond as reflectively to exotic dance adult entertainment as a mainstream industrial worker.”

Still, Walker said the club’s departure is no big loss to the neighbourhood. He feels that retail and condominiums could be a better fit.

“This spot has been approved for redevelopment. Maybe its time has come,” he said. “We’ll be waiting with apprehension to see if there’s other use proposed. The best use is not a strip club; it is a condominium development.”

City’s first urban orchard coming to Ben Nobleman Park

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WHEN SUSAN POIZNER saw an urban orchard on a visit to Vancouver, she had the idea to bring the concept to Toronto.

“I just had these beautiful visions, of blossoming trees and people coming to harvest the fruit and share the fruit,” she said. “It would be a vibrant hub for the community.”

That vision is coming to life this spring. Coun. Joe Mihevc announced the city will plant 14 fruit trees, including pear, plum, cherry and apricot trees, in the northwest section of Ben Nobleman Park on Eglinton Avenue West near Bathurst Street. They will also plant nine flowering and shade trees such as hickory, serviceberry and pawpaw trees.

Neighbours have expressed concerns about the fruit creating a mess in the park or attracting bees, Poizner said, but she is confident that, with the help of dedicated volunteers, the project should run smoothly.

Her gardening group, Growing for Green, and another local group, Not Far From The Tree, have already acquired approximately 80 volunteers, from all over the city.

“We didn’t even really have to try that hard,” Poizner said. “A few people came from outside of the neighbourhood, too, saying, ‘We wish we had this kind of initiative in our community.’”

The volunteers will be responsible for pruning the trees and harvesting the fruit. The food collected, which will likely not grow for another two years or so after the trees are planted, will be distributed among volunteers and donated to local food agencies.

Hillcrest chosen for solar panel pilot project

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HILLCREST COMMUNITY SCHOOL was the first in the city selected to participate in a new solar initiative by the Toronto District School Board.

On May 20, the school board kicked off its Green Grid project at the school, near St. Clair Avenue West and Bathurst Street, by installing solar panels on the the rooftops of the school.

“Hillcrest was selected because more than two years ago we were approached by the community,” said Richard Christie, the program co- ordinator of ecological literacy and sustainable development with the TDSB.

A solar thermal system will provide 80 per cent of the heat for the school’s pool and the domestic hot water within the school. And a solar photovoltaic system — more commonly known as a solar PV system — will use sunlight to generate electricity.

The school board considered installing solar PV systems in 11 schools at a meeting on May 27. If the pilot project moves forward, Christie said the environmental impact would be significant.

“What I say to people is that if you take the 11 proposed projects what it means is that we’ll be generating 132,000 kilowatts — that’s enough to take a small school off the grid.”