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Winter 2014

Inside

Guildwood News & Views

Please check the GVCA websitewww.guildwood.on.ca for information updates between newsletters.

News & Views is available incolour on our website

President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Paul Ainslie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

We’ve Got Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Guildwood Library . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Scarborough Bluffs United . . . . . 9Church Concert Series

Guildwood Jr. PS . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

The Hon. John McKay . . . . . . . . 13

Elizabeth Simcoe School . . . . . . 15

Guildwood Garden Tour . . . . . . . 15

Guildwood Community . . . . . . . . 15Presbyterian Church

All About Laurier . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Friends of Guild Park Photos . . . 18

Candy Cane Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Ice Storm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Community Police Liaison Ctee. 21

Guildwood Calendars . . . . . . . . 21

Living Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Guildwood 2014 Events . . . . . . . 21

St. Ursula School . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Friends of Guild Park Fundraiser 25

Church of the Holy Trinity . . . . . 25

4Life Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Mitzie Hunter MPP . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

What a Year for Guild Park . . . . 31

Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Rejuvenate, Reinvent, and . . . . . 33Rejoice in Winter

The Oeno Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Around Guildwood . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

GVCAAnnual General Meeting

Please join us for theGuildwood Village

Community Association’s Annual General Meeting

Tuesday, March 25, 7:00 p.m.at

Church of the Holy Trinity85 Livingston Road

nGuest Speaker ‒ Joseph Khargie,Program Director 4Life FoundationSee story on Page 27

nOther guests include our elected officials

Agenda items will includenPresident’s, Treasurer’s and other

Committee ReportsnElection of GVCA Officers

Please send nominations for officer positions to [email protected]

nCommunity Announcements

Please attend yourCommunity Association’s

Annual Meeting

2 – Winter 2014 Gui ldwood News & Views

Executive Committee

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Donna Milovanovic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 410 [email protected]

Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . .Dave Arnold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 410 2755Past President . . . . . . . . . . . .Timo Puhakka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 410 2755Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jim Whitney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 410 2755Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .James Gilchrist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 410 2755

Coordinators and Members at LargeAdvertising Coordinator . . . . .Reg Wolfe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 410 2755

[email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Audrea Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 410 2755News & Views . . . . . . . . . . . . .Judy Baribeau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 264 4527

[email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Macklin . . . . . [email protected] at Large

Shelley Angus Andy Douglas Audrea DouglasLeslie Hetherington Anne Marie Johnson John MasonBruce Villeneuve Kathleen Wolfe

Community Volunteers for Specific Activities Distribution Coordinator .Gerard Baribeau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .416 264 4527Clean-up Day . . . . . . . .Lutchman SinghGuildwood Day . . . . . . .Mary Ellen ChaterMembership List . . . . . .Dave Wilmot

GVCA Website www.guildwood.on.ca

GVCA Infoline . . . . . . . 416 410 2755

Guildwood News & Views is published

four times a year, with occasional

special editions. Articles and advertising

are welcome. Advertising must be

received and paid by the deadline

date. Advertising deadlines are

approximately one week earlier than

for articles. Deadline dates for 2014

articles are:

Winter Edition – January 10

Spring Edition – March 28Summer Edition – June 27

Fall Edition – September 26

Each article expresses the opinion of

the author and does not necessarily

reflect GVCA policy or practice.

Mail to:Guildwood News & ViewsBox 11001105 Guildwood ParkwayScarborough, Ontario M1E 5G5

Email to:

[email protected]

Did you know…that the

Guildwood Village Community

Association has its own infoline?

If you have any questions or any

issues you would like to bring to our

attention, please call the following

number and leave a message The

messages are checked regularly.

416 410 2755

Name

Address

Email Phone

Would anyone in your household be interested in volunteering in any of the following ways?

Canvassing for membership Distribution of News & Views Contributions to News & Views

Help on Guildwood Day Become involved in the Executive Other:

Memberships can be purchased at Maritime Travel, Guildwood Village Shopping Centre; Guildwood Physiotherapy, 84 Dearham Wood; from Shelley Angus at Chartwell Guildwood Retirement Residence, 65 Livingston Road; or return yourapplication along with payment of $15.00 to: Box 11001, 105 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough, ON M1E 5G5.

The GVCA reserves the right to refrain from printing unsigned letters and/or those that containdefamatory statements or contentthat would otherwise be consideredinappropriate in a communitynewsletter.

2014 Advertising Deadlines(Advertising may be cut off earlier thandeadline if advertising maximum isreached)Winter Edition – January 3Spring Edition – March 21Summer Edition – June 20Fall Edition – September 19

Advertising RatesHalf Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125Quarter Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $65Business Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35One Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $90Two Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $175

PLEASE PROVIDE CAMERA-READY COPY

2014 Guildwood Village Community Association Membership Application

Guildwood News & Views Winter 2014 – 3

President’s Message

Happy 2014! Well 2013 sure went

out with a snap, crackle and pop,

just like Rice Krispies. On

December 21 and 22 we could hear the

snap and crack of trees and limbs break-

ing and falling, the crackle and pop of

ice melting and utter silence in our

homes as the power shut down. It was

hard to reconcile the beauty of the sun

shining on trees, glittering with ice,

compared to the devastation to com-

munities and personal property from

downed power and service lines and

tree debris.

Scarborough, and in turn Guildwood,

was hit pretty hard and the power out-

ages ranged from a few days to over a

week. Hard to believe in 2013, in a

major metropolitan city, that we could

feel so isolated and out of touch and

have no electricity for such an extended

period. I started a list for supplies that I

wish I had during the outage including a

battery operated radio, more flashlights,

extra batteries and an old pot that I could

use on the gas barbecue to boil water for

a cup of tea.

I have since checked out a few web-

sites http://www.wikihow. com/Prepare-for-a-Power-Outage and http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/pwrtgs-wtd/pwrtgs-wtd-eng.pdfing that give

excellent information for power outage

preparedness. It might be a good idea to

review the information. Throughout this

ordeal I heard about and witnessed many

acts of kindness by Guildwood neigh-

bours in the days after the ice storm.

Guildwood truly is a caring community.

In this edition you will see some pic-

tures of the GVCA annual Candy Cane

Hunt. Many

families attend-

ed this event

over at the

Guild Park on

December 7.

Every time the

bell rang anoth-

er child had suc-

cessfully fin-

ished following

the trail of

candy canes

and was look-

ing forward to a

cup of hot

chocolate. Thanks again to the Macklin

family for organizing and running this

fun family activity.

At our last executive committee meet-

ing in 2013 I brought a bag of Christmas

themed hats which some of the execu-

tive were brave enough to don. Check

Khargie, program director 4Life

Foundation, to be our guest speaker. The

4Life Foundation is a Canadian charity

working to make a difference in troubled

neighbourhoods by providing opportuni-

ties for at-risk youths to have a better life

through sport, education, music and

dance. The foundation helps establish

and build positive relationships between

individuals and community groups to

help fulfill the needs of the community.

We will also be presenting Committee

reports and electing a new executive

committee. I hope to see a good turnout

from the Guildwood community.

As always, any questions and/or

concerns can be directed to the GVCA

hotline (416-410-2755) or email

[email protected]. Our web-

site www.guildwood.on.ca also is

updated regularly with any pertinent

notices for the community.

Donna Milovanovic President

out the pictures. Doesn’t Councillor

Ainslie look cute?

Our next big event is the GVCA

Annual General Meeting which will be

held on Tuesday, March 25, at Church of

the Holy Trinity. We have asked Joseph

Some GVCA Executive members show their Christmas spirit. (L-r) John Mason, Andy Douglas,Timo Puhakka, Anne-MarieJohnson, Donna Milovanovic, Bruce Villeneuve and Dave Arnold


In-store Deli

Hot take-out foods, fresh made salads

Fresh baked daily breads, rolls, croissants, muffins

Fresh meats and seafoods (custom cut meats)

Large assortment of fresh produce

Selection of gluten-free products

Fresh flowers and greeting cards

Ample parking

Open seven days a week

Friendly customer service

Many in-store specials

Guildwood Valu-mart

123 Guildwood Parkway

Scarborough, ON

M1E 4V2

416 261 6273

check on line at www.valumart.ca

Watch for…

ü Our Garden Centre

opening in early April

ü President’s Choice

Insider Report starting

mid-May

ü Many new exciting

items to come

In store Deli

Hot take-out foods, fresh made salads

Fresh baked daily breads, rolls, croissants, muffins

Fresh meats and seafoods (custom cut meats)

Large assortment of fresh produce

Selection of gluten-free products

Fresh flowers and greeting cards

Hot breakfast sandwiches now available

Gift Cards

check on line at www.valumart.ca

Hot take-out soups are

now available.

See us for:

Gift Cards

Greeting Cards

Movie Rentals

Follow us onTwitter@guildwoodvaluma

for specials

Guildwood Valu-mart

123 Guildwood Parkway

Scarborough, ON

M1E 4V2

416 261 6273


From Paul Ainslie, Councillor, Ward 43

Dear Friends,

I would like to wish

you and your fami-

lies All my Best for

a Happy New Year

with much happiness and good will in 2014.

I would also like to thank all of the resi-

dents of Guildwood for their endurance

and compassion towards neighbours dur-

ing the ice storm. A number of Ward 43

residents remained without power for up to

eight days, while some were fortunate to

have their power return before Christmas

Day. A number of questions arose from this

experience ‒ namely communication and

why certain areas remained without power

for so long.

Although I kept my website updated,

visited all my communities, utilized social

media to speak to residents and had my

staff work throughout the ice storm, it was

clear the city did not have a good enough

communication plan in place. How do we

reach residents who do not have power or

any means to call for help or for updates?

This question remained one of the high-

lighted issues as I asked Toronto Hydro if

they had any means to visit the sites hard-

est hit to announce updates. In our world of

ever-changing technology it is clear during

certain situations simple tools to reach

residents are needed as well.

We teach our children what to do in

cases of emergency at home and at school;

yet the City does not have an emergency

plan for adults to follow which is put in

place well before one is needed. It’s time

we employ a plan to advise residents what

to do and designate local sites for residents

to reach to obtain information and aid in

emergency situations.

On January 10 during a special Council

Meeting to discuss the ice storm, I put for-

ward a number of motions. You provided

some of the suggestions, thank you.

n That a full report on how the City of

Toronto and Toronto Hydro communicate

with residents during emergencies. A

review of the appropriateness of Reception

Centres and Warming Centres as well as a

review of utilizing the Toronto District

School Board sites which are located

within communities.

n That the City of Toronto direct Toronto

Hydro Corporation to include within their

emergency communication response

mechanisms to reach residents who are

without power.

n That Toronto Hydro Corporation

include manual methods for communica-

tion which may include an onsite vehicle

with speakers to drive through communi-

ties to update residents, that Toronto Hydro

Corporation report back to City Council

on all manual methods to be included

into their communications response in


n That the City of Toronto begin discus-

sions with the Province of Ontario, the

Toronto District School Board and the

Toronto Catholic District School Board to

determine how local community schools

can be utilized as sites in emergency situa-

tions as these public buildings are easily

accessible to residents.

n That the City of Toronto work with the

Province of Ontario and the Toronto

District School Board and the Toronto

Catholic District School Board to deter-

mine what services are to be made avail-

able at the local school sites during


n That the Toronto City Council work

with the Toronto Transit Commission to

explore the use of public transit buses to

drive through communities in need during

emergency situations to offer trans-

portation to those who require access

to a warming centre or a community

information centre.

After Storm Clean upTree debris removal is expected to take

approximately eight weeks, weather per-

mitting. The City will haul away all tree

branches from front yards and roadsides

and will include those that have fallen on

private property if they are less than 15 cm

(six inches) in diameter and have been

taken to the curb. Residents should neatly

stack limbs/branches at the front edge of

their properties without blocking either

sidewalks or roads and with the butt ends

of branches towards the road.

2014 BudgetOn January 16 Ward 43 residents will have

an opportunity to attend a Budget Town

Hall meeting and view a presentation on

the proposed 2014 budget and voice their

suggestions. Staff are proposing a residen-

tial property tax increase of 2.5% which

includes the special tax levy of 0.5% for

the Scarborough Subway for an estimated

increase of $64 per household (the subway

levy of 0.5% = $13). The Budget will be

before City Council on January 29 and 30.

Guildwood Parkway: DeerCrossing Warning Signs fromChancery to NavarreFurther to a request from a citizen, Deer

Crossing warning signs will be installed

along Guildwood Parkway as it has been

determined the travel patterns of the deer

warrant the posting of signs. Research of

the collision data from the Toronto Police

Services collision data did not reveal any

recent animal collisions along Guildwood

Parkway between Chancery Lane and

Navarre Crescent.

Community OfficeScarborough Civic Centre150 Borough Drive 2nd Fl.

416-396-7222www.paulainslie.com

E-mail: [email protected]: Councillor Paul Ainslie

Twitter: cllrainslie

Continued on Page 11


We’ve Got Mail

Porter’s proposal to fly to new destinations

I want to convey my support for Porter Airlines and their proposal to fly to new

destinations on the clean and green Bombardier CS100 from Billy Bishop Toronto

City Airport.

Porter has become Toronto’s airline… providing affordable fares and first-class

service from an amazing downtown airport. Toronto should be proud that Porter calls

our city home.

Unfortunately, there is a group that wants to quash Porter’s proposal – including

some who want to close the airport altogether. We can’t let that happen.

First they said jets would be too loud. We now know that isn’t true, but they

continue to employ an endless list of unproven scare tactics trying to turn people

against this plan. They are also telling the people of Scarborough that jets will be fly-

ing over our homes at all hours of the day and night. This isn’t true of flights today and

it won’t be if jets are allowed. Don’t be fooled.

What some people don’t tell you is that the island airport contributes over $2 billion

annually to Toronto’s economy. They don’t tell you that waterfront real estate value has

increased by 70% in the last ten years. They don’t tell you that Porter’s proposal will

help create 2,000 new jobs.

This is a group stuck in the past. They’re trotting out the same people and arguments

against the airport as they did 10 years ago. Their predictions simply didn’t happen.

We have to look to the future. Porter’s proposal will bring more jobs, increased

economic stimulus, and will shine a spotlight on downtown Toronto. It is important that

we come together to support a great Toronto asset.

Karl Popow, GVCA member and 36 year Guildwood resident

Thank you to CouncillorAinslie

I am hoping that we can give a shout

out to Paul Ainslie in the next News &Views for being the Councillor who put

his promise into action. My 92-year-old

mother-in-law moved into the building

by the lake last May and she is very

mobile but a bit wobbly. (Also very

proud because she does not want to use

a walker with a chair in it.) So I asked

Paul if there was any way we could get

some benches along Livingston Road ‒

from the building by the lake to the

Guildwood plaza ‒ since that corridor is

rife with senior citizens living in

different buildings ‒ many of whom still

enjoy very mobile lives. It would pro-

vide essential rest stops. And suddenly

last week they appeared. I sent him a pri-

vate email to thank him but thought it

would be nice to acknowledge him more

publicly given the recent hits he has

taken with the whole subway and Ford

fiasco.

Thanks so much,

Sheila McGovern

Christmas Caroling

Please thank the organizers of the

Christmas Caroling event for me, espe-

cially Tracey Goddard. It was a wonder-

ful event and was good to see Dorsey

James. I hope this will turn into an annu-

al event. It was one of the best parts of

Christmas.

Thank you.

Yvonne Garson

Lost Card

I am attempting to get a “thank you message” to the wonderful person who found

my lost card, addressed to my son and his wife in Georgina, Ontario, and so very kind-

ly put it in the mail for me. I had lost it in the Metro (Dominion) store at Markham and

Eglinton on Sunday, Dec.1. I had already advised my daughter-in-law that I had lost it

(and the $500.00 gift certificate enclosed which was to be their housewarming gift

combined with their Christmas gifts). I received an email reporting that it had been

received on Tuesday and on Wednesday a letter from the unknown angel who found it

and mailed it (I had put my return address on the card). Unfortunately, I have no way

of letting her (excellent cursive writing) know how grateful I am for her kindness. It

certainly confirms that there are still good people among us.

So, whoever you are I sincerely thank you and wish you an excellent holiday

season.

Verbena Smith


Scarborough Civic Centre2nd Floor150 Borough DriveScarborough Ontario M1P 4N7City Hall Tel: 416-392-4008Scarborough Office: 416-396-7222Fax: [email protected]

Paul AinslieCouncillor Ward 43

Scarborough East


What’s On – Guildwood Library Winter 2014

Guildwood Library 416 396 8872

Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-8:30

Wednesday and Friday 10-6Saturday 9-5

Closed Sunday and Monday

NewGuildwood will soon have a self check-

out terminal so that if you’re in a rush

or just like to do it yourself you’ll have

that option.

Children’s ProgramsReady for Reading - Babytime

Ages birth to 18 months

Babies and their parents/caregivers will

enjoy bouncing and tickling rhymes,

songs, and stories. No registration is

required, but attendance is limited to 12

babies.

Wednesdays, January 8 – February 26,

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Ready for Reading – Toddlertime

Stories, songs and rhymes for children

aged 19 months to 3 years

Fridays, January 10 – February 28,

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Black History Month – Calypso with Roger GibbsMusic and stories tracing the Caribbean

folk roots of calypso and how the music

spread to the world and to Canada.

Roger Gibbs sings, strums, drums,

dances and narrates an interactive jam

session presentation of traditional songs,

n April 4 ‒ The Bishop’s Man by

Linden MacIntyre

Local Art on Display n February – the paintings of Suzanne

Lychowyd

n March – the paintings of Clare

Bonnell.

Recommended reading fromGuildwood staffn Cori recommends The Ruins of Laceby Iris Anthony

n Kathy recommends Gone Girl by

Gillian Flynn

n Alice recommends The One HundredYear Old Man Who Climbed Out of theWindow and Disappeared by Jonas

Jonasson

n Frances recommends The Sisters FromHardscrabble Bay by Beverley Jensen

Frances Johnson

retro and contemporary calypsos for all

ages. No registration required. Every-

one welcome. February 19, 2:00 p.m.

March BreakThe Twisted Ones

Join Debbie and her balloons for a show

and workshop that is packed with

incredible balloon costumes, magic and

cool music. Watch Debbie as she trans-

forms a few volunteers into balloon but-

terflies, angels, monkeys and spiders.

The selection is endless. Everyone

learns how to make their very own

balloon dog and can take it home.

Friday, March 14, 2:00 p.m.

Limited to 40 children ages 3 and up.

Tickets will be handed out to the first 40

children starting at 1:30 p.m.

AdultsGuildwood Afternoon Book Club

This popular discussion program meets the

first Friday of each month from 2-3 p.m.

Please call the library to pre-register.

Our next meeting dates and the books

that will be discussed are:

n February 7‒ February by Lisa Moore

n March 7 ‒ Are you Somebody? by

Nuala O’Faolin

Scarborough Bluffs United Church Concert SeriesSaturday, February 22, 7:30 p.m.

The third concert in the SBUC Concert Series will

feature Six sparkling stars from Royal Conservatory

of Music Young Artists Performance Academy

Here’s your chance to see tomorrow’s stars before they

become famous.

Saturday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.

The final concert in the SBUC Concert Series 2013-2014

will feature Jean Stilwell, mezzo-soprano, Robert

Kortgaard, piano.

3739 Kingston Road (at Scarborough Golf Club Road)

Tickets are $15 each and may be reserved through the

church office (416 267 8265) or purchased at the door,

space permitting. Phone orders not claimed at least 15

minutes prior to performance will be released for door

sale. Wheelchair accessible, TTC routes Morningside

116 & Scarborough 86 stop at the door. Parking lot

access is 12 Crestwood.

scarboroughbluffs.org


l GRASS CUTTING / YARD CLEAN-UPl SODDING l TREE PRUNINGl SHRUB/HEDGE TRIMMINGl EAVESTROUGH CLEANINGl GARBAGE REMOVALl INTERLOCKINGl TOP SOIL/TRIPLE MIXl SNOW REMOVAL l INSURED


Guildwood Jr PS

Fall FestGuildwood Jr. P.S. held its Fall Fest in

October. Despite the hasty preparations

and rainy weather, Fall Fest was a great

success and raised considerable funds

for the school. Many thanks to the hard

work of our families and friends who

pulled it all together quickly. Thanks to

everyone who attended. It was a warm

and wonderful community event.

AthleticsThere has been lots going on athletically as

well. Guildwood’s cross country team

practiced every morning thanks to the

coaches, parent volunteers and a commit-

ted group of runners. We placed well at the

Brock Gordon Meet at Thompson Park,

and one of our students received a special

award for her dedication to running and

her outstanding sportsmanship. Two

runners made it to the city finals with

impressive finishes. Congratulations team!

We also had great success with the

junior girls slo-pitch and basketball

teams. Once again an army of volunteers,

dedicated coaches and great teamwork

contributed to the success of these teams,

both of which made it into the champ-

ionship round. Our junior boys are just

beginning their tryouts for the basketball

team. We wish them well and know the

team will represent Guildwood well. The

junior girls are also busy again with

volleyball. In addition to the many com-

petitive teams, Guildwood also offered a

floor hockey house league for all Grade

One to Six students at lunch time.

The co-ed league was very well

attended and had some exciting final

games. Thanks to the Guildwood staff

for continuing to offer such a range of

opportunities to our students. There are

certainly more teams and activities

planned for the rest of the year.

ECOIn addition to our teams, Guildwood has

some very active clubs. One of the most

important is our ECO club. Students from

grades 2 to 6 meet almost every week to

learn about important issues and to pro-

mote stewardship of the environment.

Guildwood is currently the only ECO

Platinum school in our Family of Schools.

We have achieved the highest status

awarded by the Toronto District School

Board for the past seven years thanks to

the hard work of our students, staff,

community and ECO club members.

We plant a Three Sisters garden (corn,

beans and squash) in our courtyard every

year along with other fruits and vegeta-

bles so students can see where some of

their food comes from. We are also

adding trees to our playground and are

nursing some evergreens in the court-

yard. Every year each student has the

opportunity to participate in some kind

of planting.

Guildwood has a “Litterless Lunch”

policy to ensure we produce as little

waste as possible. Our photocopier and

classrooms use GOOS paper (Good On

One Side) so that we use less paper,

which, by the way, is 100% recycled. We

monitor our electricity consumption,

adopt a Toronto Zoo animal every year

and host Community Gardening Days in

the spring and fall to try to maintain our

grounds. We also have a teaching gar-

den, a no mow area and encourage the

growth of milkweed to provide food

for Monarch butterflies. We know we

can still do more to help protect our

environment and promote awareness.

Science and TechnologyGuildwood uses some of the funds

raised by our dedicated School Council

to enhance technology at our school. All

of our grade 2 to 6 classrooms have a

Smartboard and we are getting an

“Elmo” (similar to, but better than

an overhead projector) for our

Kindergartens and our Grade 1/2.

Our Home School Program is part of

a pilot project using Read and Write

Gold, a TDSB licensed software that is

available at both home and school. Read

and Write Gold reads to students and

also has a word prediction tool for writ-

ing. We are excited that our students

have the chance to become experts in the

use of this extraordinary tool.

Kindergarten RegistrationKindergarten registration day is Thursday

February 27. Please call the school at

416 396-6295 for more information and

to make an appointment.

Wendy Sharpe, Principal

Guildwood Jr is a Busy School

Paul AinslieContinued from Page 5

Emerald Ash Borer in theCommunityForestry held a meeting on January 9 to

review the plans to remove ash trees from

Guildwood Park and South Marine Park in

the Guild community. After a site inspec-

tion following the ice storm, staff advised

many of the diseased trees remained stand-

ing. South Marine Park was identified as a

priority site for the creation of a manage-

ment plan to remove potential hazard trees.

A certified tree marker will use blue paint

to mark trees for removal. Additional

information may be found on the City of

Toronto website at www.toronto.ca/trees,

to report a tree for removal on public

property please call 311.

Please continue to contact me at

[email protected],

Tel: 416-396-7222 or visit my constitu-

ency office located in the Scarborough

Civic Centre, 150 Borough Boulevard

2nd Floor.

Your Councillor, Paul Ainslie


Community News from The Hon. John McKay, PC, MP

Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Guildwood

Dear Friends,

In August I was

appointed by

Justin Trudeau

to serve as the

Liberal Party of Canada’s Critic for the

Environment. I have greatly enjoyed this

new role, as the responsible stewardship

and protection of our environment is

one of the most critical issues facing all

Canadians.

In particular, I know that the people of

Scarborough-Guildwood truly appreci-

ate the value of our natural heritage. We

live in a beautiful area of tremendous

ecological value, where the Highland

Creek watershed meets Lake Ontario,

only a short distance from the Rouge

Park. Our community understands better

than most that climate change is not

some far-off issue that impacts only the

North or the West, but a very serious and

costly problem that has already begun to

affect our daily lives. We know the

importance of environmental preserva-

tion, because we can see its effects every

day in our own backyard.

As we begin a new year, I look

forward to working with you all to

develop pragmatic solutions that will

ensure both a prosperous economy and a

healthy environment.

• • •

On January 27 my new Private

Member’s Bill will come to a vote in the

House of Commons. The “Sunshine Bill”

(C-474) would require Canadian natural

resource companies to disclose all pay-

ments made to foreign governments in

annual transparency reports.

Mining projects abroad are often

extremely controversial for local popula-

tions, facing accusations of corruption,

human rights abuses and environmental

degradation. For years, a movement has

grown to develop worldwide standards

of accountability and transparency in the

natural resource extraction industry.

Since 2010, the U.S., U.K., Australia and

the E.U. have considered or passed laws

requiring companies to disclose all

payments made in return for foreign

mining concessions.

With head offices for 16 of the world’s

top 100 mining companies located in

Canada, we are the mining capital of the

world. Sadly, despite pressure from our

friends in the international community,

Canada has not joined the global push for

transparency. If we fail to take action,

Canada will become a haven for compa-

nies seeking to avoid regulatory oversight.

We must demand better, and passing

my “Sunshine Bill” would be a good

first step. As it helps to stamp out odious

business practices, disclosure is good for

investors, management, NGOs and

indigenous peoples. Transparency will

preserve the reputation of our own

mining industry, as well as Canada’s

international reputation and credibility

as a world leader in social responsibility

and human rights. After all, sunshine is

the best disinfectant.

• • •

On Friday, November 15, I was proud

to join the fine men and women of the

Toronto Police Service (43 Division) for

Family Skate Day at Heron Park Arena.

Thank you to the East Scarborough

Storefront and all those who volunteered

to make this event such a great success.

Of course, truly deserving of special

recognition are the members of the

Community Police Liaison Committee

(CPLC) for all of their hard work,

not only for Family Skate Day, but

throughout the entire year.

John McKay

Constituency Office: 3785 Kingston Road, Unit 10, Scarborough ON M1J 3H4Phone: (416) 283-1226 Fax: (416) 283-7935 Email: [email protected]


Aboriginal Month at Elizabeth SimcoeIn honour of TDSB’s November

Aboriginal Month, Elizabeth Simcoe has

done a

variety of

i n t e r -

a c t i v e

activities

with their

students

to raise

a w a r e -

n e s s

about the

history, culture, and views of First

N a t i o n ,

Métis and

Inuit peo-

ples. Over

the course

of last

November,

the students

i n v o l v e d

with the

E q u i t y

Committee,

have designed fun activities for all

classes from kindergarten to grade 6.

These activities were based on certain

Aboriginal picture books that were read

out loud, with each focusing on a certain

part of Aboriginal history and/or culture.

Prepared for appropriate grades, the

crafts included creating dreamcatchers,

writing up fables, and making ‘memory

bags’. Other than having students partic-

ipate in

f u n

activi-

t i e s ,

t h e

experi-

e n c e

h a s

b e e n

that of

a liter-

acy event. Teaching younger students on

the struggles for equality, the hardships

of residential schools, and the fascinat-

ing culture of the First Nation, Métis,

and Inuit people have been an amazing

educational opportunity.

Also, while going on with the incred-

ible picture book crafts, two students

from the Equity Committee presented

daily morning announcements on

Aboriginal facts. These would highlight

different aspects of aboriginal life, both

historical and modern life. Culture and

h e r -

itage,

differ-

e n t

tribes,

popu-

lation,

l i f e

today,

a n d

famous Aboriginal people were some

of the highlights of our learning. The

books we used to hook our students for

the activities were excellent and our

student inquiries were worthwhile

and meaningful for our Simcoe students

and staff.

The Equity Committee had a marvel-

lous time organizing this Aboriginal

literacy event. Simcoe Shines.

The Student Equity CommitteeArticle by Mimi Huynh, Gr. 6

A Day in the Gardens ofGuildwood ‒ Sunday, July 6

12th12th

AnnualAnnual

We’re all starting to think about Summer and our gardens while everything is

resting under the ice. We invite GVCA members to open their garden gates to

the many visitors we welcome to our gardens each year.

Please consider showing your garden, or recommend someone’s garden.

Each year we show new and popular re-visited gardens. This is a wonderful

opportunity to enjoy an afternoon of viewing some of Guildwood’s most

beautiful gardens and to get ideas for our own gardens.

For more information, contact

Gerard or Judy Baribeau

416 264 4527

[email protected]

World Day ofPrayer Service

atGuildwoodCommunity

Presbyterian ChurchMarch 7, 2:00 p.m.

This year’s service is writtenby the people of Egypt.


Louise MiskewBroker

RE/MAX Rouge River Realty Ltd.

6758 Kingston RoadToronto, Ontario M1B 1G8

Direct Cell: (416) 543-6544Office: (416) 286-3993Toll Free: 1-800-663-7119

Email: [email protected]: www.louisemiskew.com

www.guildwoodsouth-scarboroughvillage.com

Thinking of Buying or Selling?Call Louise Today.

Living and Working in OUR Community forOver 20 Years

Experience you can count on!


All About Laurier

The Laurier community is extreme-

ly proud of the results achieved

by Laurier’s 2013 graduates and

the glowing feedback received on their

first five-year review as a World

International Baccalaureate (IB) School.

One hundred ninety-two or 62% of

Laurier graduates are currently attending

an Ontario University. Ninety-three or

30% of are attending an Ontario College.

That means that 92% of Laurier’s 2013

graduates are continuing their studies at

the post-second-

ary level.

For the second

year in a row, the

p e r f o r m a n c e

demonstrated by

Laurier IB grad-

uates exceeded

the world average in English, Chemistry,

History, Economics, French, Math,

Physics and Biology.

In May 2013, of the 62 students who

completed the IB program at Sir Wilfrid

Laurier C.I., nine received scores of 40

or above, including the first perfect IB

score of 45/45 points achieved by Aaron

Clasky. This made Aaron one of only

0.2% of IB diploma holders in the world

to graduate with such a fantastic result.

What makes Aaron’s achievement

even more special is that, in addition to

excelling in academics, he was an out-

standing student

leader who was

e x t e n s i v e l y

involved in

many aspects of

Laurier life in

each of the four

years of his high

school career.

nOn the athlet-

ic front, Aaron

was part of the Laurier football, baseball

and badminton teams.

n Aaron participated in the Repertoire

Music class in each of his four years as an

accomplished double bass player and a

drummer. As a talented and dedicated

musician and spoken word performer,

Aaron was always ready to contribute his

personal time and share his talents with

others through such events as Remem-

brance Day Observances, Talent Shows,

Battles of the Bands, and the IB Done

Celebration Show. In Grade 12, Aaron

contributed his incredible drumming to

the success of the school play, Electra.

n Aaron demonstrated exceptional

leadership skills through his service on

the Laurier Student Council for four

years as a Grade 9 rep, Grade 10 rep,

Vice-President in Grade 11 and, finally,

the SAC President in Grade 12. In these

roles, Aaron inspired and led by example

through his involvement in a variety of

initiatives including African Heritage

Month assemblies, fundraising drives

for East Africa, Haiti, and the Canadian

Red Cross, Races for Dignity, and Me to

We and Unity Assemblies. Aaron was

also selected to go to the Laurier

Character Education Camp three times,

chosen on the strength of his leadership

skills. As the Grade 12 leader for Team

Respect, Aaron was responsible for

planning, organizing, and implementing

this character component at camp and

throughout the school year.

According to Aaron, “It definitely

wasn’t easy; and I didn’t think I’d be able

to do it. I put everything I possibly could

into being the best I could; and it sure

didn’t happen without its fair share of

stress and self-doubt. I owe so much to my

family and friends, and of course the

teachers and staff at Laurier, for always

supporting me and calming me down or

lifting me up whenever I needed it. To be

honest, this was just a great ending to an

amazing

h i g h

s c h o o l

e x p e r i -

ence and

I’m just

glad I got

to finish it

off this

way.”

Laurier is also celebrating the results

of their first IB Five-Year Review. The

evaluation report contains numerous

commendations on the outstanding job

done by the entire Laurier community in

every standard of the self-study process

‒ Philosophy, Leadership and Structure,

Resources and Support and Curriculum.

The review was a great opportunity for

everyone to reflect on their experiences

to ensure an ongoing commitment to

academic excellence in the future.u

Sir Wilfrid Laurier C.I. is Celebrating Outstanding Achievements

Class of 2013


Halloween HauntOctober 27

Friends of Guild Park & Gardens HostedRecent Events at the Guild Park

Christmas Tree LightingDecember 21

Thank you to Barry Scheffer for all the photos

I’m going to

catch that a

pple. A smiling witch.


We had a brisk, clear and cold perfect day for hunting candy canes

on December 7. With over 150 young hunters, this was our best

year yet. We collected 350 pounds of food and over $100 for the

West Hill food bank.

Thanks Guildwood and thanks to the GVCA, valu-mart for the

hot chocolate, and Councillor Ainslie. And a special thank you to

John Mitchell for once again documenting this event with his

wonderful photos.

See you next year.

Tammy Macklin


Th e I c e S t o rm — DDec emb e r 2 1

Thank You Good Friends and Neighbours

When the going gets tough, good people step forward to help.

When we moved to Guildwood Village over 30 years ago we knew it was a very

special community in which to live. Our first impression never changed over the

years. However, during the ice storm disaster we realized we lived in one of the best

communities in Toronto.

We weren’t surprised when those that were able, helped those in need. Neighbours

coming to our door with flasks of boiling water for us to make tea; Tim Horton’s

coffee delivered from friends; offers of generators from those who had power restored,

neighbours checking on people who lived alone; offers of a place to warm up and a

bowl of hot soup, the list of good deeds goes on.

Thank you good friends and neighbours for reminding us once again what a great

place Guildwood Village is to live.

From two grateful residents

P.S. A big thanks also to the Hydro workers who worked so hard, around the clock, to

restore our power.

Thank youThanks to eight or more young men, my

street was made much safer. They

removed a tree from the road.

Thanks to all of you.

Betty (Dearham Wood)

The Community that SharesIt was great to see neighbours on our

street working together to help those

who needed it ‒ sharing a generator so

more could have some heat; providing

boiling water for tea; sharing the use of

gas stoves; inviting others in to warm up

at gas fireplaces; offering the use

of their showers for those with no

hot water, use of a telephone, etc.

Guildwood is a great community.

Ed.


Community Police Liaison CommitteeDid you know that the GVCA now has

representation at the monthly 43

Division Community Police Liaison

Committee (CPLC)? The aim of this

committee is to enable police to share

issues with the greater community,

and it is a two-way street with commu-

nity associations and individuals able

to raise concerns with police. The

meetings are Co-chaired by the

Superintendent of 43 Division and

attended by his senior officers.

Some interesting things brought up in

CPLC meetings:

n Thefts from motor vehicles parked on

driveways: 70% of cars were unlocked.

nŸVandalism to a school bus at

St. Ursula’s school: two persons have

been charged.

nŸBeware of counterfeit $20 bills, even

the new polymer ones.

nŸIn crowded mall parking lots, do not

lock your car with the remote on your

key fob: thieves have found a way to

hack the signal and open up your car.

nŸMake sure you know the identity of

anyone you admit to your home. Bogus

water heater salesmen have been going

around casing homes for valuables and

returning later to break in.

nŸCurrently Honda vehicles are being

targeted for theft.

nŸReinforce front doors around the

lock. Special plates can be purchased

and when installed they act as a deterrent

as the door is then harder to kick in.

More information is available on the

43 Division website, on facebook under

Toronto Police Service 43 Division and

on twitter, hash tags #43CPLC and

#43Division.

GVCA Representative

LIVING GREENLIVING GREEN

Recycling is great but think about re-inventing recyclable materials. I

recently attended a home show and was introduced to recycled paint*, an

idea that I found very interesting. This product is made from unused por-

tions of recovered domestic paint that has been taken to recycling depots or com-

panies like Rona. They then blend, etc. to make more paint which is then sold.

This made me take step further and I looked into reinventing a product we

would normally recycle. I found a lot of great ideas that I plan to try.

For example:

n Purses and bags made with tetra packs

n Decorative bowls made from old vinyl records

n Tote bags made from old jeans or pop tabs

n Old tires made into wallets or chips for your garden instead of using wood

chips

These are only a few ideas I found on the web, there was also great ideas for

children’s projects to encourage them to think about the whole idea of recycling

or reusing materials.

Kathleen Wolfe* www.boomerangpaint.com

Guildwood CalendarsAll of the initial printing was sold out by

Christmas Eve. That was good news.

However, there were some inquiries

after that happened which could not be

relayed to me because our telephone was

not working. At that date there would

have been nothing I could have done to

produce additional copies until January.

Subsequently I have had a small number

of additional calendars printed which

are at Maritime Travel on the plaza

(telephone number 416-264-3211).

I wish to thank Amanda, Jennifer and

Sharon at Maritime Travel for their help

in selling the calendars and also the busi-

nesses who kindly displayed notices

announcing the availability of the calen-

dars, where they could be purchased and

the price.

John Mitchell

Guildwood Village2014 Events

The following events are planned for

the next few months. Please support

the community activities and

volunteer where you can.

Detailed information on activities

are included in individual articles.

n Tuesday, March 26, 7:00 p.m. ‒

Annual General Meeting at Church

of the Holy Trinity

n Saturday, April 26, 9:30-11:30

a.m. ‒ Community Clean-up Day

n April/May ‒ Annual Membership

Drive. Please renew your member-

ship and join the Association

n Saturday, May 31, Guildwood

Village Garage Sale

n Saturday, June 7, Guildwood

Day

n Sunday, July 6, A Day in the

Gardens of Guildwood

Other events may be scheduled

during the year.


St. Ursula Catholic School

‘Tis the season to be jolly and

December was clearly a very

exciting month at St. Ursula. We

prepared, with great anticipation, for the

birth of Christ with many Advent celebra-

tions. Our students participated in a

variety of activities in and out of their

classrooms to extend their learning and

broaden their interests. Special events

have taken place, reflecting the height-

ened spirit of giving we feel during this

season. A big thank you to all of our staff

and parents who make these opportunities

possible for our students. Their dedication

to our school community is incredible.

St. Ursula’s Catholic School Advisory

Council hosted our annual Santa’s

Goodies and Gifts Extravaganza held on

Friday, December 13, including Face

Painting, raffles, a Bake Sale, ice cream

cones, among many other fun activities.

Students were able to look for that perfect

gift for someone special. It also proved to

be very profitable again this year and will

enhance our CSAC’s ability to subsidize

a number of activities.

Guildwood celebrated a lovely

Christmas tree lighting celebration at the

Guild Inn on Saturday, December 21.

Members of the St. Ursula/St. Cecilia

Choir sang Little Drummer Boy and OhHoly Night at this event and we all enjoyed

the free hot cocoa and more carolling.

Student Leadership is strong here at

St. Ursula. Our Student Council visited

Livingston Lodge (Chartwell Guild-

wood) on December 16 and the students

presented each resident with a keepsake

that they created with love. Evelyn

expressed the wonderful atmosphere

with her words, “I always love visiting

our friends at the home. It is so reward-

ing.” Intermediate students continue to

attend monthly e-CSLIT (Elementary

Catholic Student Leadership Impact

Team) meetings at the Catholic

Education Centre and online Minga

meetings in our school library. This

month, our e-CSLIT project involved

providing toys and clothes for children

in families who are in need. We also

organized a fundraising campaign

involving the collection of toys to be

donated to Toy Mountain. We created

our own mountain of new toys prior to

the pick up. Many thanks to Tony, our

community neighbour, for organizing

the fundraiser and also for adopting and

manicuring our gardens.

St. Ursula also had our very own

annual mini We Day. Students enjoyed

many wonderful activities such as the

We Day dance, videos and hearing our

students speak about various causes

related to Me to We and Free the

Children. We also heard from a special

guest speaker from Canadian Jesuits

International and enjoyed the variety of

student singers and dancers. We learned

about many social justice issues and

were encouraged to follow Mahatma

Gandhi’s suggestion to “Be the change

that you wish to see in the world.”

Our students also travelled down to

the Rogers Centre because the Toronto

Argonauts Football Club organized a

School Flag Football Tournament.

Under the direction of their coaches,

Mr. Torresan, Mr. Beach and

Ms. McDowell, our co-ed Flag Football

team members practiced diligently in

order to participate in this exciting tourna-

ment. It was an amazing experience, as the

students had the opportunity to play on the

same field as the Argos and then watch the

pros play in a professional game.

At our last Tribes Assembly, the entire

school gathered in their tribes and our

grade eight students led their individual

groups in making angels and a

discussion of the story The ChristmasAngel of Care by Neil Franchulo. This

story demonstrated that if we follow the

Golden Rule, “Treat others as you would

like to be treated”, our lives will be bet-

ter and happier. Every student in the

school was able to take home their own

personally hand-crafted angel.

St. Ursula’s warm and welcoming

school community provides opportuni-

ties for students to express themselves,

build citizenship skills and enthusiasti-

cally get involved in school and

community activities.

We are always excited to see new

faces. Registration for the 2014/2015

school year has begun. The TCDSB is

proud to announce the launch of the

Student Online Registration Form. It

will be available for JK/SK registration

which begins on January 8. Parents will

be able to complete an application for

registration from the comfort of home,

the office, a public library, or anywhere

there is internet access. The online appli-

cation offers built-in help functions and

features. Parents are also able to sched-

ule their appointment for registration

with the elementary school online. Upon

completion of the online registration

form, parents will be informed of the

original documentation that will be

required by the elementary school at the

time of their registration appointment.

If you have children who are eligible

for JK/SK beginning September 2014,

we encourage you to visit the following

site and complete the application for reg-

istration online: http://soar.tcdsb.org.We invite you to explore our little

school with a big heart. Please contact our

administrative assistant, Ms. Crocco, for

an appointment today at 416-393-5306.

I. McEachen, Principal

Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season


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Friends of Guild Park & Gardens Hold theirFirst Fundraiser

On November 16, the “Friends” hosted their first fundraising event at Cedar Ridge. Our guest speaker was M. Jane Fairburn,

author of Along the Shore, a book about rediscovering Toronto’s Waterfront Heritage. The book contains wonderful stories and

great photos. The musicians were All Stars Band, a local group. Janet Heise and Anne-Marie Johnson served drinks at the event.

Barry Scheffer Photos


4Life Foundation’s Joseph Khargie TalksIntergenerational Music and Memory Project

Walking with 4Life Foundation’s

Program Director Joseph

Khargie down the halls of

Robert Borden BTI, you can sense how

immersed he is in the school’s culture.

The 4Life Foundation is a non-profit

organization empowering youth through

community partnerships. Among the

outreach programs is the Music and

Memory project, aimed at people with

dementia at Guildwood Extendicare and

Chartwell Guildwood Residence in

Scarborough.

The program is close to Khargie’s

heart. “My grandfather has Alz-

heimer’s”, he notes. “Two of the most

vulnerable people in society are youth

and seniors. If we take care of them, that’s

where the unity in community comes in.”

There’s an impressive energy that

flows from Khargie. He abides by the

old adage of ‘Talk the Talk, Walk the

Walk’. It’s not rhetoric. It’s in his nature.

When Extendicare’s Program Mana-

ger Sandy Griffin, whom Khargie calls

“someone with a lot of heart”, wanted to

introduce music to residents, she

reached out to 4Life. He calls the collab-

oration with Griffin an instant fit,

“There’s no formula for it.”

Extendicare to visit his wife daily. He

spends his time singing to her. Once,

during her iPod session, he sat behind

her. Khargie recounts how the husband

movingly told him, “I’ve never seen her

this responsive.”

Many residents get a kick out of the

visits. “Every single time, one particular

lady says, ‘I want to see how these head-

phones look on me.’”, Khargie says.

“One of the kids accompanies her to the

mirror. She loves it.”

Back in the school, Khargie’s interac-

tion with students extends beyond friend-

ly greetings. With ceaseless patience, he

spots a kid wandering the halls and

inquires why he’s not in class. A few

steps later, he’ll ask another if he’s given

a thought to joining the DJ program.

Talk turns to the mandate of 4Life:

‘Touching lives and building hope’.

“When we do that, we’re doing our job.”

says Khargie. “It’s not just a goal. If it

were a goal, we would have stopped

once we had it. It’s a bigger vision”.

At its core, the program instills a sense

of purpose in youth. It’s here where

Khargie’s pride beams, “The kids tell

me, ‘I love what you do and would love

to do it’.”

Khargie’s words hint at future actions,

“I want to change things from the top to

bottom. I worked my way from the bot-

tom to as far as I can go before someone

needs to start listening at the top.”

If political aspirations are in Khargie’s

future, what better candidate than some-

one whose priorities are deeply rooted in

the community he lives in?

Contact Joseph Khargie on Twitter

@JosephKhargie, at 647-338-5484, or

via email [email protected] Oliverio

From the onset, Khargie was insistent

on one thing. “I didn’t want to be there

just for the holidays or special occasions.

I wanted to demonstrate there’s a com-

mitment and dedication through thick

and thin,” Khargie explains. “That’s how

you show people you care.”

The DJ program counts on full support

from Toronto Police Services, in particu-

lar PC Randall Arsenault, whom the stu-

dents have

come to

know and

respect as a

mentor. No

small feat

for a police

officer in a

school envi-

r o n m e n t

where out-

siders would

consider a

relationship of this type improbable.

The program was recently featured on

the front page of the ScarboroughMirror. The article, which featured a

photo of one of Extendicare’s residents,

brought about a fateful encounter. At a

43 Division Community Police Liaison

Committee (CPLC), of which Khargie is

a member, he spoke of the Music and

Memory project. After he spoke, a

woman named Marilyn Brady, a fellow

member of CPLC, shared that the

woman in the photo is her sister. Brady

commented that her niece, the resident’s

daughter had, “never seen her mom so

happy and aware” as after listening to

her music.

There are many moments like this.

One of the residents at Chartwell

Guildwood crosses the street to

The following article was originally published on Alztunes.org as part of a feature series on the 4Life Foundation’s DJ Program.

Antonio Anand, Arshan Baheerathen, Sandy Griffin, Philemon Joseph,Ryan Abraham, and Joseph Khargie


Message from MPP Mitzie Hunter

A Strong Voice for Scarborough-

Guildwood at Queens Park

Dear Constituents:

As your Member of Provincial

Parliament I would like to wish you a

healthy and prosperous New Year. I am

committed to be your strong voice at

Queens Park.

Our riding of Scarborough-

Guildwood was severely affected during

the recent ice storm and the resulting

power outages. Our community was

tested, and it was a difficult time for the

people of Scarborough-Guildwood, but

our community is resilient. With many

of us left in the dark for several days, the

people of this riding came together and

looked out for one another.

The Ontario Government worked tire-

lessly with city officials and Toronto

Hydro to bring power back to our riding.

My focus had been to make sure

Scarborough-Guildwood streets and

neighborhoods were prioritized by

Toronto Hydro and the City of Toronto.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne visited

Scarborough-Guildwood to hear the

concerns of residents who had been

without power.

I am grateful to the crews from

Toronto and from all over the country

who gave up their holidays to put us all

back on the grid.

Community EventsOn January 5, I hosted my first Annual

New Year’s Levee at Cedarbrae

Library. It was a pleasure for me to

meet with over 200 Scarborough-

Guildwood residents who enjoyed the

entertainment along with delicious food

and refreshments. It was a delight for

me to see the children have fun in the

KidsStop Early Literacy Centre with

the Librarian reading and engaging

them in activities.

On November 29, I hosted a breakfast

forum for local businesses in the

Scarborough-Guildwood community. It

was an opportunity for local business

owners in our riding to speak to the

Ministry of Training, Colleges, and

Universities about how the Youth

Employment Fund can grow businesses

and create jobs in the community.

For more information on the fund,

please visit http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/employmentontario/youthfund/.

Upcoming Eventsn Seniors’ Tea with Mitzie Hunter,

MPP at Momiji Health Care Society,

3555 Kingston Road on January 27 from

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. If you would

like to attend, please contact my office

for more information and to RSVP.

n Youth Career Fair at the University of

Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail

on March 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

n Family Skating Party at Scarborough

Village Community Centre on March 12

from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Government of OntarioThe Ontario Government is committed

to investing in people, building modern

infrastructure, and supporting a dynamic

and innovative business climate.

The Government of Ontario and

the Ministry of Finance began

their Pre-Budget Consultations this

month. Please visit http://www.

fin.gov.on.ca/en/consultations/prebud/for more information and to have your

voice heard.

Making Drive-Clean RevenueNeutralThe province is reducing the test fee

from $35 to $30 to make sure the pro-

gram does not take in more money than

it costs to run. Ensuring fair prices for

government programs and services is

part of Ontario’s plan to invest in

people, build modern infrastructure

and support a dynamic and innovative

business climate.

If you require my assistance,

please contact my Constituency Office,

at 4117 Lawrence Ave. E., Unit 109,

Scarborough ON M1E 2S2,

by phone at 416-281-2787, fax

416-281-2360, or by e-mail at

[email protected] or

find me on facebook or follow me on

twitter @MitzieHunter.

Mitzie Hunter


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Christopher P. Gorrie BA

[email protected]

(416) 294-44941-800-387-2098

Investors Group Financial Services. Inc.


Book Review

Bill Bonnell is a Guildwood writer and a member of a Guildwood book club.

TatianaThis is the eighth of Martin Cruz

Smith’s Arkady Renko novels and in

my opinion it doesn’t disappoint. When

Tatiana Petrovna jumps six floors to her

death from her apartment balcony,

investigator Renko is suspicious.

Tatiana was a tenacious reporter who

frequently embarrassed Moscow’s mob

figures and their corrupt brethren in the

Defence department and other agencies

in the Russian government. Arkady

questions Svetlana, Tatiana’s apartment

neighbour. She finds his questions rep-

etitious and confusing. “It was like

walking all around a horse before buy-

ing it,” she thinks. Arkady examines

Tatiana’s rooms and is convinced that

she was murdered.

A journalist friend of Tatiana gives

Arkady a notebook which Tatiana

bought in Kaliningrad, a city on the

Baltic Sea. Two days later she was dead.

The notebook is full of strange symbols

and hieroglyphs which Arkady finds

largely opaque. Danger appears when

Alexi Grigorenko, son and heir of the

recently assassinated mob kingpin

Grisha Grigorenko, becomes interested

in the notebook. Alexi asks Arkady why

he never carries a gun.

“Well when did I carry one, I hardly

ever used it. And it makes you stupid.

You stop thinking of options. The gun

doesn’t want options.”

“But you’ve been shot.”

“There’s the downside.”

When Arkady finds that the notebook

belonged to a professional interpreter

who was working for an international

conference of defence contractors in

Kaliningrad he takes a plane to that city.

He finds Grisha Grigorenko along with

other mob figures are already there.

What ensues is as fascinating as it

is deadly.

Bill Bonnell

They came. They saw. They were

astounded.

In 2013, thousands of people visited

Guild Park – the historic hub of

Guildwood. Many were first-timers,

some coming from as far away as Japan,

Germany and the Middle East. They

were surprised and intrigued at how art

meets nature in Guild Park’s 88 acres.

Here are just some of the events that

brought so many local residents and

others to this public space:

n GVCA’s Guildwood Day Family

BBQ

n Guild Park walking tours organized

for Doors Open and Heritage Toronto

n The Guild Alive With Culture

Festival

n Guild Festival Theatre’s live stage

performances

n The Shoreline Cleanup for Guild

Park’s waterfront

n The Halloween Family Haunt

n GVCA’s Candy Cane Hunt

n The Christmas Tree Lighting

Celebration.

Last year also marked the launch of

Friends of Guild Park & Gardens, a vol-

unteer group working closely with the

GVCA and other supporters to revitalize

the park. In its first year, Friends of

Guild Park won a 2013 Community

Heritage Award from the City of Toronto

for building public awareness about

Guild Park’s past and its potential. The

group’s accomplishments were also

recognized at Queen’s Park.

Thanks go to the GVCA and everyone

who attended Guild Park events, spon-

sored activities and volunteered their

time, energy and resources. Together, we

made 2013 a special year for Guild Park.

It also shows the widespread support

that exists to have the park operate so it

keeps alive the legacy of the Guild Of

All Arts and its founders, Rosa and

Spencer Clark.

The good news is this is still possible,

despite the current state of the old

Guild Inn.

Hundreds of examples exist where

neglected cultural and historical sites

have become popular centres of activi-

ty. Guild Park is an ideal home for

many of the features found at such

sites: artist studios/galleries; sculpture

gardens; community library/meeting

space; outdoor recreation areas;

farmers’ market; food services; wed-

ding facilities; education programs;

family/seniors’ services.

For years, there’s been talk of bring-

ing such facilities to Guild Park. What

will turn this talk into action? One step is

recognizing that “the community is

What a year for Guild Park! the expert.” This phrase is now a best

practice summing up how to make pub-

lic spaces better. It means encouraging

people who use a park to speak up on

issues affecting park renewal. Those

who’ve done it say the process isn’t sim-

ple, but the rewards are worth the effort.

Guild Park is ready to benefit from

this approach. Watch for details about

the series of events happening at Guild

Park in 2014. In addition to helping

make these activities happen, Friends

of Guild Park is committed to bring the

public’s informed perspective to the

issues affecting the park’s future.

For more information on how you can

help, visit www.guildpark.ca or call

416-265-3693.

John P. Mason, Volunteer PresidentFriends of Guild Park & Gardens


Rejuvenate, Reinvent, and Rejoice in Winter

The holiday season is over. The

gifts have been opened, the

Christmas tree is starting to

droop, the candles adorning the minorah

or the kinara have been blown out, and

the Festivus pole has been put away.

Many people embrace this unique time

of year, venturing out for snowboarding

or tobogganing with the kids. On the

other hand, some of us struggle with the

special requirements that are part of a

Canadian winter and find themselves in

hibernation, so to speak. The snow, ice,

and extreme cold can make travel cum-

bersome and less comfortable. It is also

very common for the cold, combined

with the minimal hours of sunlight, and

subsequent isolation, to affect mood and

energy levels. However, there are many

things we can do to keep our energy lev-

els high and moods positive during this

darker and cooler season.

Staying active, both mentally and

physically, is crucial to keeping healthy

during the long winter months. This sea-

son is a great time to practice or learn a

new skill, such as painting or writing.

Journaling is a great way to decompress

and make sense of feelings that we do not

always take time to flesh apart. After all,

winter is a time to let go of those things

that do not serve us anymore while we

prepare ourselves for new growth and

adventures. I, personally, keep a journal

of the funny things my children say. It

encourages me to take time away from

my busy schedule to indulge in the sim-

ple beauty of my children’s growth and

personalities. Staying phyiscally active

can feel more challenging in the winter

but this may be a opportune time to sign

up for a class at your local community

centre, such as yoga, aquafit, or a team

sport. Why not challenge yourself to try a

new activity, such as snowshoeing or

cross country skiing? If strenuous activi-

ty is not appealing, a walk in the forest is

a great way to take in the magnificent

beauty that winter has to offer. Leaving

the house, even for a short time, can go a

long way towards clearing your mind

and reducing stress. This is also a great

time to organize or declutter storage

spaces in the house. Pulling out old boxes

and sorting old possessions, for charity or

recycling, can be physically stimulating

as well as therapeutic.

Eating healthy meals is especially

important when we experience lower

levels of fresh air and sunlight. Trying

new recipes and giving yourself the gift

of nutritious meals is a great way to

spend the increased hours at home.

Keeping nurtured with seasonal foods

also helps to abait cold and flu viruses

that are abundant this time of year.

Eating hearty stews and soups fuels the

body and helps it to build and maintain

heat. Winter does not offer the same

bounty of seasonal produce relative to

spring, summer, and even fall, but there

is still plenty to choose from. Foodland

Ontario’s website, www.ontario.ca/food-land, offers an ‘Availability Guide,’ that

lists which foods are being harvested

each month. Apple and rhubarb are

listed as January fruits, while the

January vegetable list is more extensive

including; cabbage, garlic, leeks, green-

house lettuce and cucumbers, sprouts,

and pretty much all root vegetables.

Eating seasonally means that these foods

are more likely to be available at your

local grocery store and as a result, more

economical. Challenge yourself to

experiment with seasonal fruits and veg-

etables that you rarely eat or transform

old recipes by subsitituting ingredients

with winter produce.

This recipe is inspired by the classic

Waldorf Salad with a few additions and

substitutions to make it more reflective

of the ontario winter season.

4-6 servings; 20 minutes preparation time

The Salad

2 large outer leaf of Savoy cabbage

1 large head belgian endive

1 medium Honeycrisp apple or a less

sweet Pink Lady.

1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Once all fruits and veggies are

washed, cut the central stem out of the

cabbage leaves. Stack the halves and cut

them into shreds. Trim the endive and

shred them into thin slivers.

Quarter the apple and remove the

cores. Finely dice each quarter.

Mix the all the ingredients into a bowl

including the chopped nuts.

The Dressing

4 tablespoons mayonnaise (light

mayonnaise also works well)

4 tablespoons buttermilk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground anise or fennel

seed (optional)

1/8 teaspoon ground celery seed

(optional)

Black pepper to taste

Whisk together the mayonnaise, but-

termilk and salt. Add the fennel/anise

seed, celery seed, and pepper, and whisk

them into the dressing. Pour over salad

and gently toss.

Valeria Danieli

Winter Waldorf Salad


The Oeno-FilesMixing it up…in the bottle

Cheers (and please drink responsibly)Harry Spindel

[email protected]

Whites

Cono Sur Bicicleta, Viognier 2012,

Colchagua Valley, Chile, $9.95

LCBO #64287

I’m very impressed with Cono Sur’s

whole line of “Bicycle” wines, great

value and taste. Viognier is the grape.

Makes for a very aromatic and fruity

wine. Citrus and tropical fruit flavors

and aromas abound. Add nice acidity to

make this Asian food friendly. 88 pts.

Red

Masi Serego, Alighieri Possessioni

Rosso 2010, Veneto, Italy, $15.00

LCBO #447326

Made of Corvina and Sangiovese

grapes, this red is an elegant addition to

any Italian meal. Black fruit and spices

with just enough tannin to deal with that

extra bit olive oil you love. 90 pts.

Batasiolo Bosc Dla Rei, Moscato

d’Asti 2011, DOCG Piedmont, Italy,

$14.95 LCBO #277194

I’ve been spreading the word about

Moscato d’Asti for many years. This is a

great dessert accompaniment or just for

sitting around and talking as you sip and

munch on fresh fruit. Low alcohol, aro-

mas of citrus, flowers, peach and a few

bubbles as the sweet taste permeates

each mouthful. Serve chilled. 89 pts.

Wine labels that say Bordeaux,

Chianti, GSM, Chateauneuf-

du-Pape, Meritage, and Cotes

du Rhone (to name few) all have one

thing in common. They are wines

mostly made through the blending of a

number of different grapes.

Blending of specific grapes types is

controlled by law in certain regions.

For example Chianti Classico must be

made from at least 80% Sangiovese

grapes, the rest may only come from

other locally grown types. Bordeaux

wines may include Cabernet

Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc

with small amounts of Petit Verdot and

Malbec. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is

known for allowing the use of 13 differ-

ent grapes, though for the most part,

these wines are made from Grenache,

Syrah and Mourvedre.

Regional laws in Europe (Old World)

have loosened over the years to allow

more creativity by winemakers. These

laws now essentially say “may use”

instead of “must use”.

On this side of the Atlantic, in 1988,

winemakers in California decided that

they needed a better way to market their

wines made with Bordeaux blends. Until

then, these wines were simply called

“reds” or given a unique winery name.

The term “Meritage” was coined that

year, referring to California wine made

of locally grown Bordeaux grapes vari-

etals. Similarly, in Australia, the term

GSM was created in the early 1990s.

You guessed it, GSM stands for

Grenache, Shiraz (Syrah) and

Mourvedre, the French blend of the

Rhone region.

Why blend? Different grapes have

different characteristics, in aromas, tan-

nins, textures, fruitiness, acidity, etc.

Over the centuries, winemakers have

found the best combinations and ratios

for making high quality, balanced and

pleasing wines from the grapes available

locally.

While some wine drinkers prefer sin-

gle grape wines, others prefer blends.

Some like them all.

Time to buy a few whites for the Spring thaw:


AArroouunndd GGuuii llddwwoooodd

A deer visits in John Mason’s back yardFriends meet at theCandy Cane Hunt

First winter snowat the Guild

Despite the rain, many people had a greattime playing games and eating corn on thecob at Fall Fest on October 19 at GuildwoodJunior Public School

winter 2014 gvca - guildwood · pdf file4 – winter 2014 guildwoodnews & views...

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