In Our Hood – November, 2012

Had ghastly goblins running through your neighbourhood? It may not be your imagination. On Oct. 28, the annual Monster Dash ran through sections of North Leaside as well as Sunnybrook Park, finishing on the grounds of Holland Bloorview. Runners in costume (with lights) choose either a 5K or 10K run or a “spooky mile”. All proceeds support Holland Bloorview rehab hospital for children.

Leaside High School students once again made their way upwards in the annual CN Tower Climb this October, with money raised going to the United Way.

Speaking of LHS, the two long-time high school football rivals, Leaside and East York, faced off once again in the annual Friday Night Lights game. Now in its seventh year, the evening game is a favourite for alumnae and students of both schools. Temporary stadium lights were trucked in for the big night. Leaside Lancers won both games.

Hats off (or should we say helmets?) to Les Verbovscky and his son Jason, who completed the famous Route 66 this summer on their motorcycles. Owner of Aireon TV in Leaside, Les rode his Harley Davidson, his son a Yamaha Statoliner. The duo covered over 13,000 km in 3.5 weeks, Toronto to California, at times enduring temperatures over 50°C! “It was a trip of a lifetime”, says Verbovskcy, who’s been riding motorbikes since he was a kid.

Two local Leaside chiropractors, Dr. Tim Marshall and Dr. Dave O’Connor, are making a name for themselves as the “chiropractors of Olympians”. Both have accompanied various teams in the past. One (to be decided!) is preparing to travel with Canada’s national squash team for the 2012 World Team Championships in France this November. Both Tim and Dave live in Leaside, Tim describing himself as someone “born, raised and still leaving here”.

Toronto Leaside recently added a new women’s junior team to its hockey program. In celebration of World Women’s Hockey Day, the new Wildcats Junior team played at the site of the former Maple Leaf Gardens (at the Mattamy Athletic Centre)  Oct. 13.

Many will remember the fire a year ago that gutted Leaside Cleaners on Bayview and the Flower Nook next door. Renovations at the site began this past spring by Leaside Cleaners owners, Mimi and Phillip Rassias. The couple have now decided to retire from their family business, which they’ve run for over 22 years, and put the building up for lease.

Another awesome effort. Leaside United Church raised $24,000 at their fall’s Awesome Sale, making the grand total for the year over $51,000. That’s a lot of stuff sold!

Anyone passing by the corner of Millwood and Donegall on Sunday, Sept. 30 must have wondered what was going on.  About 50 people were gathered on the corner for the unveiling of the plaque co-ordinated by the East York Historical Society to honour Agnes Macphail, Canada’s first woman MP in 1921 and the first seated of two provincial MPPs representing this area in 1943.

Leaside Property Owners’  Association, AGM Thursday Nov. 29, 7:15 p.m., St. Anselm’s Church, 1 MacNaughton. Speakers include Scott Barrett, Heritage Preservation Services, City Planning Division. Others to be announced