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Recent Stories
  • [ February 1, 2023 ] GTHL Top Prospects Game boasts three talented Leasiders Sports
  • [ February 1, 2023 ] Leaside Events February 2023 Events
  • [ February 1, 2023 ] Editor’s Welcome February 2023 Stories
  • [ February 1, 2023 ] Leasider Ava Gilbart putts above her weight Sports
  • [ February 1, 2023 ] Mi Casetta, Su Casetta in Leaside’s little corner of Italy Business
  • [ February 1, 2023 ] Leaside Gardens turns 70! Terry Fallis
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] SOL reflects on Leaside’s legislative “annus horribilis” Development
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Our very own Trustee Rachel Chernos Lin is the new chair of the TDSB Schools
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Getting pickled in Leaside Sports
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Celebrating Dr. Erin Boynton’s life in motion Community
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Bread, baby, bread Community
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Get fit, be fit, stay fit with Leaside trainer Tom Toth Sports
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Leaside Events January 2023 Events
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Editor’s Welcome – January 2023 Editor's Welcome
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] The Curious Idler – January 2023 Curious Idler
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Considering a laneway home or garden suite? Business
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] The Video-ettes: Leaside’s husband-and-wife novelty musical team History
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Different Ford, similar issues Leaside Residents Association
  • [ January 1, 2023 ] Bessborough School turns 100 this year Terry Fallis
  • [ December 1, 2022 ] Vroom! Leaside brothers have the drive to win Sports
HomeAuthorsGeoff Kettel

Articles by Geoff Kettel

About Geoff Kettel
Geoff Kettel is a community connector and advocate for “making places better”. He is currently Co-President of the Leaside Residents Association, Co-Chair of the Federation of North Toronto Residents‘ Associations (FoNTRA), member of the Toronto Preservation Board and Past Chair of the North York Community Preservation Panel. He writes a monthly column on heritage and planning in Leaside Life.
Carols by Candlelight, December 2022. Photo Murray Fenner.
Development

SOL reflects on Leaside’s legislative “annus horribilis”

January 1, 2023 Geoff Kettel

Recall that last month’s column began with “By the time you read this piece, Bill 23 – More Homes Built Faster Act – may well have been passed into law.” Regrettably I was not wrong. …more

A construction crane in Leaside.
Development

Decoding Bill 23 from a Leaside perspective

December 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

By the time you read this piece, Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, may well already have been passed into law – less than a month after being introduced in the Legislature on …more

Leaside’s former Canadian Pacific Railway Station. Photo Geoff Kettel.
Development

Leaside Railway Station demolished for Ontario Line “Early Works”

November 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

The demolition in late September of Leaside’s former Canadian Pacific Railway Station has evoked a mixed response. Some were concerned about loss of heritage, but others were skeptical – “the most ugly cladding from the …more

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History

Commemorating the Dieppe Raid

November 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

Since November includes Remembrance Day (November 11th) I always like to see some commemorative content in the November issue of Leaside Life. This year I have chosen to highlight the 80th anniversary commemorative events on …more

Toronto City Hall. Photo iStock.
Local Politics

Sleeping through the municipal election? Bill 3 is a wakeup call

October 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

It was shaping up to be a sleepy election with an incumbent Mayor and several incumbent councillors including ours, Jaye Robinson, looking to return. But that changed for me on September 8th, when the Ford …more

Riding redistribution – Is this the end of Leaside as we know it?
Local Politics

Riding redistribution – Is this the end of Leaside as we know it?

October 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

One day in mid-August, bundled with my morning newspapers (yes, I still have home delivery!) was a 40-page insert entitled “Proposal of the Federal Boundaries Commission for Ontario.” Who knew (apart from those still receiving …more

A rendering of the buildings at 134 Laird.
Development

A tale of two mid-rises: how did we make a difference?

September 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

Two recent projects whose appeals were recently settled at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) demonstrate the benefits of active resident involvement in development planning. The two mid-rise projects, at 1710-1736 Bayview (Gairloch) and 126-132 and …more

The Bayview Broadway Group (BBG) is a residents’ group formed in opposition to the 25-storey tower proposal at the southeast corner of Bayview and Broadway.
Development

Gearing up for a big fight at Bayview and Broadway

August 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

If you want to win, you need to be prepared, and that takes both a plan and resources. “We are working on a plan and now we need people to state their opposition, and invest …more

158 Randolph laneway suite.
Development

Drive to “open up” neighbourhoods like Leaside slows

July 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) is a set of City Planning-led initiatives intended to intensify the lands designated as neighbourhoods – the so-called “Yellow Belt” – in Toronto. It is driven by the twin …more

Community

Leaside 110 – how do we celebrate?

July 1, 2022 Geoff Kettel

Did you know that May 7, 2023 will be the 110th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Leaside? The Leaside 100 Gala on April 27 2013 was a really great party, and remains …more

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Digital Edition

Trace Manes Park on a snowy day
Agnes Macphail.
In the Spotlight

Agnes Macphail Award 
seeking nominations

by Staff in Community

Agnes Campbell Macphail was once described as “the most important woman in public life that Canada has produced in the 20th century.”  In 1921 she blazed a trail for women with her election to the ...more
Recent Posts
  • GTHL Top Prospects Game boasts three talented Leasiders
  • Leaside Events February 2023
  • Editor’s Welcome February 2023
  • Leasider Ava Gilbart putts above her weight
  • Mi Casetta, Su Casetta in Leaside’s little corner of Italy
  • Leaside Gardens turns 70!
  • SOL reflects on Leaside’s legislative “annus horribilis”
  • Our very own Trustee Rachel Chernos Lin is the new chair of the TDSB
  • Getting pickled in Leaside
  • Celebrating Dr. Erin Boynton’s life in motion
  • Bread, baby, bread
  • Get fit, be fit, stay fit with Leaside trainer Tom Toth
  • Leaside Events January 2023
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