Leaside hero
Leasider Cam Whiddon and his friend Jadin Brown, both students at the Royal Military College, recently sprang into action to rescue a driver trapped inside a car about to burst into flames. They put out the fire until EMTs could arrive and free the man from the car. They received a commendation from the City and are pictured here with Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin. Way to go!
Vote, vote, vote!
Yes, it’s that time again. We live in a democracy and Leasiders are being asked to vote, vote, and vote.
Following a snap call by Ontario Premier Ford for an election on February 27th, Leasiders are heading to the polls to elect an MPP for Don Valley West Ward 15. The incumbent, Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman, has been challenged by Conservative Sam Moina and the Green Party’s Sheena Sharp, who has run for MPP and Councillor before. Also on the ballot are Linnea Lofstrom-Abary representing the NDP, Laurel Hobbs for the New Blue Party, and Bahira Abdulsalam running as an independent.
In this month’s issue, you can read a piece from our newest contributor, Jake Ross, a recent University of Toronto graduate and up-and-coming journalist. Jake has profiled the candidates for the TDSB school trustee by-election to be held on March 3rd to fill the position vacated by Rachel Chernos Lin following her recent election to City Council.
Nationally, following the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we will also likely face a federal election soon after the Liberal Party of Canada selects it new leader and our new Prime Minister. Incumbent Liberal MP Rob Oliphant is expected to run for re-election, while the Conservatives and NDP are lining up their respective candidates.
Granny basketball – what?
In Zach Edey, Leaside has produced one of the NBA’s most promising rising stars. Selected ninth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2024 draft, Edey recently made his first professional appearance in his hometown with 13 points and 14 rebounds. But basketball is not just for 7’4” phenoms. Our very own writer Suzanne Park is working to establish a Leaside Granny basketball team.
The Granny basketball league, founded in 2005, has more than 600 grannies, playing on 52 teams in 10 U.S. states and one team here in Toronto. The Toronto Chill Granny Basketball team, founded in 2024, plays out of Eastminster Church (310 Danforth Ave.). On Sat., March 22nd at 1 p.m., the Toronto Chill will face off against the Out of the Cold Volunteers team in a 1920s-inspired game. A donation gets you into the game, and all funds raised support the Out of The Cold and Nourish Food Bank of the East End United Regional Ministry. Suzanne Park will be at the game, which will be a wonderful opportunity to watch the fast-paced action, help raise funds for an important cause and learn more about getting a team established here in Leaside. www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/toronto-chill-granny-basketball-team-rematch-again.
Doggie, doggie-doo-not
The waste bin at the entrance of the Serena Gundy Park is a favourite depository for people who walk their dogs in the park. As reported by a vigilant local resident, the bin appears to be under-serviced and is often overlooked and overflowing. From the City’s Anthony Butera: “Thanks for bringing the concerns regarding Serena Gundy Park to our attention. The servicing of the Astral Media litter bins and any waste bins within the Parks system City-wide fall within Solid Waste Management’s purview. We have submitted a secondary request to have the Astral Media litter bin … upgraded to a newer larger bin. We are hopeful this gets done sooner rather than later. In the meantime, we have flagged this location with our supervisors to ensure the appropriate level of service is provided.” Let us hope.