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Lakeshore Villages
Gems of the Lakeshore PDF  | Print |  E-mail
Written by Alex Gregory   
Friday, 11 June 2010 00:00

Small businesses, service groups and community organizations in South Etobicoke were honored for their contributions to the community on May 10 during the fourth annual Gems of the Lakeshore recognition ceremony, held at the Assembly Hall on Colonel Sam Smith Park Drive.

The event, hosted by Laurel Broten (MPP Etobicoke-Lakeshore) and presented by the Lakeshore Community Partnership and Lakeshore Joint BIA, highlighted businesses/organizations that have been made a difference through their involvement in local events and their efforts to build the community.
Gems of the Lakeshore is an important event because it supports local business, said Broten, and highlights the people and organizations that have made the community special.

"This is about community recognition," Broten said. "It's important that each of us talk about our neighbour's businesses with each other,...this is how we help our community grow."

The winners were recognized in six categories, including Restaurants, Other Food Services, Retail Business, Service Organizations, Community Services and Cultural/Recreation. A special award was also presented this year in honor of former Lakeshore Joint BIA Committee chair Mike Thompson, who passed away last year.

Local business is incredibly important to the success of any community, said judging panel member Jerry Smith, who is active with Lakeshore Arts and the Assembly Hall. The money spent at these local businesses helps support development of the Lakeshore and the local community, he said.
"Every penny spent at a Gems nominee makes our Lakeshore a better place to live, work and play in," said Smith.

Judges at the ceremony thanked local patrons for filling out nomination forms and sending them in to recognize their favorite businesses and community organizations. "Every year, the community speaks louder and louder about the their favorite Gems of the Lakeshore," said Laurel Broten (MPP Etobicoke-Lakeshore)..

The inaugural Michael O'Connor Thompson Award was presented to Liz and Carl Porritt of H.G. Porritt Real Estate for their tireless contributions to the community. Thompson's family was on hand at the ceremony to present the award.

The winners are:

Al Lago Ristorante
Al Lago makes you feel special by giving you the best chef, best menu and spectacular food. It feels like being at a family gathering, but better. You are able to choose your own food. Mike's hospitality and wonderful dishes are always a special treat for your family. Mike always has a warm welcome and remembers his customers well. Each meal is unique and something to look forward to.

Birds and Beans
The owners, David and Madeleine, serve consistently good products with a "conscience" – coffee beans are purchased "fair trade". They show local artists' works and support bird walks, local BIA and community events and local jazz musicians by giving them a place to perform. Birds and Beans is a truly positive influence on our community.

Lakeshore Valu-Mart
Robert and Darlene Della Rocco's Valu-Mart on the Lakehore is always kept clean, and is nice and bright. The staff is very friendly, as well as knowledgeable about products and where to locate them. The organic products are great. The owner is also very gracious when donating supplies for local schools and events.

H.G. Porritt Real Estate
Porritt Real Estate has been in operation for over 45 years on the Lakeshore, offering professional and knowledgeable service. The Porritts are very, very community minded – they take leadership with the BIAs, the Santa Claus parade and many local organizations and causes. They support local charities and community events and sponsor local childrens' sports teams. Liz and Carl are always available to drop in and find out what's happening in the community.

Angelic Touch Salon
Angelic Touch Salon is a hidden gem on the Lakeshore where Kim treats her customers with true kindness and respect. Her gentle approach makes all her customers feel special. Her professional attitude and service makes her customers continue to come back time and time again.The salon is beautifully decorated and maintained.

Lakeshore LINC Centre
This high quality English language instruction centre serves individuals from as far away as Scarborough, who are prepared to travel 1 ½ hours each way to attend classes there. These classes are professionally organized, and the cleanliness of the classroom and the environment far exceeds other similar schools. The centre displays a high ethical standard, and instructors are always prepared for their classes.

New Toronto Billiards
New Toronto Billiards is a great place to socialize and have fun; a place to meet people and to make life-long friends. This is a safe and enjoyable place to go out to on the Lakeshore, where you can bring your family. The owners are great people who took over this spot and set a new standard for excellence on the Lakeshore, with a beautiful blend of class and elegance in a laid back setting. New Toronto Billiards is perfect for a night out, or a quiet night close to home.
Last Updated on Friday, 11 June 2010 21:08
 
Upcoming Events With The Waterfront Trail Artists PDF  | Print |  E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 15:23

June/July

The Waterfront Trail Artists Community Art Centre will hold Life Drawing classes for adults and seniors every Tuesday from 7:30 – 10 p.m. Admission is $10 per session (pay-as-you-go). For more information, call Walt Ruston at 416-255-7165.

Saturday, June 5 from noon – 5 p.m.

The Waterfront Trail Artists will host free creative activities at the Village of Islington's Paint the Street event at Michael Power Park, located at the southeast corner of Dundas Street West and Michael Power Place. Make a plaster mask, have your caricature drawn, get a temporary Henna tattoo, have your face painted, or have your hair done in corn rows.

June 23 – 30

View an exhibition of life drawings from the Tuesday night Life Drawing sessions during the Nude Lakeshore exhibition. An official opening will be held on Friday, June 25th from 7 – 9 p.m.

The Waterfront Trail Artists Community Art Centre is located at 2979 Lake Shore Boulevard. For more information, call 416-834-3107.
 
A Square to Call Their Own – South Etobicoke celebrates new square opening in Mimico by the Lake PDF  | Print |  E-mail
Written by Riva Finkelstein   
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 15:22

Over 200 lanterns and glow sticks lit up the sky on June 5 as South Etobicoke residents proudly celebrate the opening of Mimico Square, a new open space surrounded by park and trail that extends from Lake Shore down to the waterfront.

"You can stand on Lake Shore and actually see the lake," says South Etobicoke resident and Lakeshore Arts Executive Director Susan Nagy, a partner in the square's opening event. "The square encapsulates everything that's good about the neighborhood, the waterfront and its people."

Bringing direct access to the waterfront for South Etobicoke, Mimico Square will also become a community hub and a venue to host art and cultural events. "It's not just Lakeshore Arts that's going to be able to host cultural events," says Nagy. "All artists in the community will be able to submit proposals to Toronto Parks and Recreation to host events."

Other community partners for the square's opening event include the Toronto West and Mimico Business Improvement Associations (BIA), Humber-Bay Condo Association, The Rotary Club of Toronto, and Davies Smith Developments. They all share a similar vision for the space.

"We finally have a place that can be the centre for activities for Mimico by the Lake," says David Pritchard, Director of the Mimico BIA and the owner of Birds and Beans Cafe, a boutique coffee shop on Lake Shore beside the new square."We now have something that's unique in Toronto: retail by the lake. We are building towards a place where people are going to want to spend their time."

Davies Smith Developments (DSD) who has been working with the community since 2000, took the initiative to revitalize the area. "We wanted to give something to the community that they needed," says Ian Smith of Davies Smith Developments.

DSD, along with city staff and South Etobicoke councilor Mark Grimes, organized the construction and design of the new waterfront park. The redesign included an environmental clean-up, extensive landscaping and the removal of three buildings to open up access from the street down to the lake.

The opening ceremonies for Mimico Square on June 5 will start with drumming beats led by Utu Scott of Dragon Ritual Drummers, who spent many of his childhood summers swimming by Mimico's waterfront. Other musical performances by local artists will follow including Brigham Phillips, Virgil Scott and True North Brass with sounds ranging from classical to rock and jazz. The celebrations will end at sundown with a lantern parade from the square down to the water and back.

"We want the community to feel that the opening belongs to them," says Nagy. "We will bring light into the square as a community."

The festivities will take place on Saturday, June 5th in Mimico Square (located at the bottom of Mimico Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West in Amos Waites Park). The opening drum roll will start at 2:30 p.m., and the festivities will continue throughout the day until sundown.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 June 2010 21:06
 
Celebrate the history of lacrosse in Mimico... PDF  | Print |  E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 15:20

This year, one of Mimico's longest-running sports institutions turns 120 years old.

With a club that has a rich history of many former players and builders in the Ontario and Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Mimico Lacrosse will kick off its 120th season with a special Anniversary Dinner and Dance Celebration on June 12 at the Oasis Convention Centre in Lakeview.

The upcoming season will truly be a special one for the team, as Mimico will play host to the 2010 Founders Cup, hosted by the Mimico Mountaineers. The gala will be a chance to reflect on the significance of our club and its tagline, "Established in 1890".

While the township of Mimico developed into a bustling suburb of Toronto, the Mimico Lacrosse Club grew in size and number of players. Field lacrosse was played in the early years on pitches bordering Wesley and Portland Streets, as well as at Memorial Park on Hillside Avenue.

The Mimico Mountaineers brought local recognition to the sport in their early years with Mann Cup wins in 1932 and 1942 and Eastern Canadian Senior titles in 1943 and 1947. In WWII, Conn Smythe's 30th Light Anti-aircraft Battery, dubbed "The Sportsmen's Battery" included every member of the Mimico Mountaineers who won the 1942 Mann Cup. Mimico minor lacrosse teams also shared in the success with provincial titles earned as well.

Participation in lacrosse dwindled in the late 70's and 80's. The Junior A Mountaineers' last season was in 1978. A short list of dedicated volunteers kept the club afloat, putting in long hours at the arena. They held various fundraising activities and drove kids to games and tournaments, keeping the pride and history of Mimico Lacrosse alive.

With the advent of professional box lacrosse in the early 90's, there was a renewed interest in the game and membership was on the rise. In 1993, the Mimico Junior B Mountaineers returned to the ranks of junior competition when a group of former players decided that it was time for our players to stay at home to play the game. The new team embraced the history of Mimico Lacrosse and honoured past greats from the club.

The Canadian Junior B Championship, the Founders Cup, established in 1964, was first hosted by the Junior Mountaineers in 1997. The tournament was a huge success, with the final game played between Six Nations and Orillia at Mimico Arena and watched by a crowd of 1,500 spectators.

The 2010 Founders' Cup will be hosted by the Mountaineers on August 16 – 22 at the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence, with 8 – 12 teams and 300 players from Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Maritimes, Iroquois Lacrosse Association and Ontario participating..

Mimico Lacrosse owes so much to those that came before and laid the foundation for 120 years of memories. There are many great players, coaches, volunteers and builders of the game from the community who contributed at the provincial and national level, and each of them has their own story. Some of these greats have been recognized with inclusion into the Canadian and Ontario Lacrosse Halls of Fame. Their contributions are being honored with the Mimico Lacrosse Club as it stands today.

The Anniversary Dinner and Dance will feature live music by Fiddlestix, a silent auction and more.

Tickets are $65 each, or $600 for a table of ten. A limited number will be available.

For more information, call 647-962-8205 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

To find out more about lacrosse in Mimico and the 2010 Founders Cup, visit www.mimicolacrosse.com.
 
Bringing Positive Change to the Lakeshore PDF  | Print |  E-mail
Written by Mark Grimes   
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 15:19

Recently, Iinvited local residents to complete a survey on my website and provide their input on issues in our ward. I will be publishing the complete results on our website (www.markgrimes.ca) shortly.

Residents in the community have indicated that they are pleased with many of the changes going on in the community. These demonstrate that businesses, resident's groups and myself are working together to bring about positive change. This includes increased pedestrian activity on Lake Shore Boulevard and other commercial areas, improvements to the streetscape, many improvements to facilities and parks, new facilities such as the Ken Cox Community Centre and the Ice Skating Trail, off leash dog areas and more. All are testimony of positive changes and rejuvenation.

Residents have also stated that they appreciate the communication pieces coming from our office. I have increased your e-news to a weekly issue; to respond to the increased number of requests we are receiving from community groups to publish their activities. If you are not yet receiving this information, please send your email address to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and ask to be placed on the mailing list.

For the most part, people in our community have indicated they feel adequately served by public transit. One concern that has been frequently raised is the unreliable service of the streetcars. Over the last few years, the TTC has attempted several fixes to the problem – with limited or no success. I have been fighting for changes to this route to better serve our transit users, and allow for increased riders in our area.

On May 6, I appeared before the Toronto Transit Commission and requested the committee reconsider options for the streetcar line. I am pleased to say the Commissioners responded favourably by directing staff to report back at the June meeting with further analysis of the Long Branch streetcar route, with an option for service to the Dundas Street West station. I will continue to press for improvements to service in our community.

I am looking for your input to help set priorities and paths for our neighbourhoods. If you are still interested in completing the survey, please visit www.markgrimes.ca and click on the link provided.

If you have any questions or comments, please call my office at 416-397-9273 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .