In my March column I reported on Leaside’s recent important victory: our community remains undivided, within the single newly redrawn and renamed electoral riding of Don Valley SOUTH. Much like our current Don Valley West riding, Don Valley South includes Bennington Heights and the Don Valley ravine. But there are major changes to the eastern boundary, which used to be Leslie Street. Once officially ratified, Don Valley South will extend as far east as the Don Valley Parkway.
Thank you to all the Leasiders whose submissions made the difference, and thank you to the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario for listening to us.
Parts of our new riding look more suburban, as we absorb most of the Don Mills community. Interestingly, Don Valley South will include Canada’s two oldest-established planned communities – Leaside and Don Mills. But our riding will also include the definitely-not-suburban megaproject at the Celestica site on Don Mills Road and the Don Mills LRT station.
And there’s more: the area that used to be the Don Valley East electoral riding has been broken up and divided into several new districts. Parts of North York have been added to Don Valley South. These areas, like ours, have individual communities and identities, and many residents there are upset at the changes. But we will all be together in the same riding, at least until a new federal electoral boundaries commission for Ontario updates the map based on the 2031 census.
There may also be important traffic implications, as several of the ‘new’ areas of Don Valley South are the source of much of Leaside’s flow-through traffic. How will these divergent areas and interests be reflected politically, in the riding, and on the same Community Council?
We may expect that, as we move forward, the Leaside Residents Association will work to build relationships with our new neighbours in Don Valley South. It will be important for us all to work together.
Have you heard? We’re getting a new mayor
Speaking of political matters, are you tempted to join what looks (at this date) suspiciously like a cast of thousands running to be Mayor of Toronto? If so, you’ve got until May 12th to toss your hat into the ring. It’s not too early to give serious thought as to what kind of mayor, and what kinds of policies, you think Toronto in general – and Leaside in particular – needs. As the election gets closer, we will find out more details regarding all candidates’ debates and opportunities to get involved.
The next LRA Board meeting takes place on Wednesday, April 5 at 7:30pm on Zoom. Please contact us at www.leasideresidents.ca for Zoom access details. The following month, the LRA’s monthly meeting will be a hybrid one, now that the Trace Manes building has WiFi! On Wednesday, May 2, you will be able to attend EITHER in person, in the large Senior Citizens’ Room OR on Zoom.
