Karen Fraser
The myth information at Leaside High
In September I will be a presenter at the Leaside High Class of ‘59 reunion. The time of Margaret Atwood, then known as Peggy. The cultural myth of that era told us that there was …more
Articles by Guest Contributor
Karen Fraser
When the last bell rang we were out of Leaside
When I was a child fathers worked 9-5 and read the Globe and Mail, mothers worked in the home making everything we needed appear like magic, and children spent summers at the cottage or at …more
John Parker
Make some noise to fight the airplane noise
It is not your imagination. Leaside’s airspace has gotten busier and our skies have gotten noisier. How come? Working with our local federal MP, John Carmichael, I have done some research and learned a bit …more
John Parker
Why we need a BIA in Leaside
It’s 1967. A young man named Alex Ling operated a successful small store on Bloor St. West, catering largely to the local community. Then his world changed. In that year the Bloor-Danforth subway opened. Former …more
Karen Fraser
Brooks, my charming, bright neighbour
Brooks was my neighbour. He was well known on Bayview for his Saturday visits to his favourite haunts while his owner, Susan, was busy shopping. His many friends were used to the dog with the …more
John Parker
I got passionate mail – re 262 Bessborough
The flow of passionate email messages into my office concerning the dwelling at 262 Bessborough Dr. – situated immediately to the south of the Leaside High School yard – is testament to the strong interest …more
Stories
Small business: A hot topic at my meeting
The Chai restaurant on Bayview Ave. recently ceased operations, marking the eighth business to close on the street in less than six months. This has led concerned shop owners to speculate that a recession could …more
John Parker
Chief planner will meet with us April 9
Development applications? Zoning requirements? Official Plan provisions? Traffic impacts? Building heights? Density? Intensification? Section 37 benefits? It seems that hardly a week goes by that residents in the Leaside area are not met with development …more
Karen Fraser
Neighbours who do more than say hello
Demanding lives often reduce relationships with neighbours to hello, how are you? One group gets even less attention than this, even when its proclivity for jaywalking ends in tragedy, and that is our squirrel neighbours. …more
John Parker
Leslie St. extension is back in discussion
I have recently begun a review of a 1990 Metro Toronto report on a proposal to extend Leslie St., widen the Bayview Extension and link the south end of the resulting roadway to Bloor St. …more