Bruce Melanson, Second World War veteran

Colleen O’Marra writes: I’ve just read the obit of a great Canadian and a local hero as well. Bruce Melanson, World War II veteran ,honoured his fellow soldiers with the planning and financing of the Juno Beach memorial in France. Also very active at The Legion and of course proud to have served in Remembrance […]

Humber Bay Shores Residents are sponsoring a town hall meeting (e.g. regarding Mr. Christie’s Bakery) on Oct. 24, 2013

Donna Magee reports: Humber Bay Shores Residents are sponsoring a town hall meeting on Oct. 24, 2013 addressing these topics: Issues related to the Christie site at Park Lawn and Lake Shore. A key issue is a GO station. also infrastructure plus more forwarding to people I think may want to keep up to date […]

How to use the Toronto District School Board’s virtual library – Oct. 22, 2013

David Juliusson has let me know about this Ward Forum. “Talk is on how to use the TDSB virtual library,” he comments.  “It is a vast little used resource.” I agree. I’m looking forward to learning my way around many such resources including online historical maps. The following notice is from TDSB Trustee Pamela Gough’s […]

Comment regarding Wesley Mimico redevelopment project (EYCC meeting, Oct. 17, 2013)

By way of offering comment regarding the Wesley Mimico redevelopment project at 2 Station Road, in connection with the Oct. 17, 2013 Etobicoke York Community Council meeting, I’ve sent the following email (see below) to the following councillors: councillor_grimes@toronto.ca councillor_digiorgio@toronto.ca councillor_doucette@toronto.ca councillor_palacio@toronto.ca councillor_dford@toronto.ca councillor_lindsay_luby@toronto.ca councillor_milczyn@toronto.ca councillor_mammoliti@toronto.ca councillor_leon@toronto.ca Comment regarding 2 Station Road I support efforts to […]

Recent newsletter from The New Quarterly: Canadian Writers and Writing

You can access the newsletter here. The New Quarterly a great publication, a wonderful resource. I recommend it highly.  

Resources related to lost rivers and streams in Toronto

I’ve recently been in touch with a walker from the ROM who’s keen to expand the walkers’ knowledge about the lost rivers and streams of Toronto. Where can a person or group find information about resources in this area? A contact at the Etobicoke Historical Society has noted that good resources include Lost Rivers http://www.lostrivers.ca/ and Toronto Field […]

Along with landline telephones, fax machines were the social media of their time

As a volunteer, I’ve been involved with community organizing since before the days of fax machines. Fax machines were a form of social media. When they involved long-distance phone charges, they were also an expensive form of communication. In time, email distribution lists took the place of faxes to a large extent. Email lists are still around […]

Lost Cat Whiskers is back at home

“I was just making a poster to take around this afternoon,” Roxanne, at Fortieth and Villa Road, reported. “When Mike called to tell me that Rebecca found Whiskers hiding in the bushes in her backyard!” Rebecca lives across the street on Villa Road. “So we have a happy ending to the drama,” Roxanne added. “I just […]

1905 survey map shows buildings at Colonel Samuel Smith homestead site

I recently spoke with two former Long Branch residents, Jim Bray and his daughter Sandy Bray, who have filled me in on details, that I was not aware of, related to the barns at the Colonel Samuel Smith homestead site. Jim Bray has also shared some comments at a couple of recent blog posts related […]

Our Lost Cat Whiskers (Message from Villa Road & Fortieth in Long Branch)

The following message is from Roxanne at Villa Road & Fortieth: This is a picture of Whiskers. I will try to find some others, but this is the most recent. She is a long haired black, spayed, 2.5 year old female. She has a white patch on her chest and a white back paw. Whiskers […]