News in Brief

A group of residents is banding together to bring the Beach and East Toronto Historical Society back to life. An inaugural meeting will be announced in the Sept. 25 issue of Beach Metro News. Those interested in getting involved early can phone local historian and Beach Metro columnist Gene Domagala at 416-691-5229 for more information.
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Realtor Thomas Neal has been named the 2012 Beach Citizen of the Year, and was featured in the Aug. 28 issue of Beach Metro News. A ceremony to celebrate Neal’s contributions to the community, including the unveiling of a memorial stone, will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15. The ceremony will be held at the Millennium Garden, at the southeast corner of Coxwell and Eastern Avenues, and is open to everyone.
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The third, and final, Queen Street East Visioning Study community workshop will be held Wednesday, Sept. 19. The aim of the study is to draft and complete a new set of design guidelines for Queen Street East from Coxwell Avenue to Neville Park Boulevard. The first meeting saw the formation of the Stakeholders Advisory Committee — 42 community members ranging from local professionals to neighbourhood historians and visionaries — who drafted key issues affecting the future of Queen Street, such as residential and business development, tourism and parking. The workshop gets underway at 6 p.m. at the Toronto Fire Academy, 895 Eastern Ave. For more information call Ward 32 Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon’s office at 416-392-1376.
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The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup kicks off locally at Woodbine Beach Park on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. The Cleanup began at a Vancouver beach in 1994 and now is a nation-wide event involving thousands of participants at beaches across the country, picking up debris that poses a threat to aquatic life. Participants should meet and register at the Woodbine Beach Park Gazebo. Cleaning materials will be supplied and a free lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. For more information, or to find additional cleanups taking place in the area, visit shorelinecleanup.ca.
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Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 at 9 Dawes Rd. celebrates Legion Week from Monday, Sept. 17 to Friday, Sept. 21. The annual homage to veterans, featuring displays and memorabilia along with posters, poems and paintings by local students, will be open to the public on Monday and Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. and Tuesday to Thursday from 1 to 7:30 p.m. Teachers are invited to bring their students to meet some of the veterans but are requested to make an appointment with Helen Pearce at 416-699-1353 or email her at youth-ed@rcl11.com. For more information visit the Branch website at www.rcl11.com.
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Toronto’s first ‘Smiling Blue Skies’ Walk to End Canine Cancer, to benefit the OVC Pet Trust, will be held Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Kew Beach Off-Leash Dog Park. The Pet Trust, at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, provides financial assistance for health care for companion animals and this particular walk is raising funds for the Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund. Registration will be held at 10:30 a.m. and the walk begins at noon. There will be prizes for top pledge collectors and gift bags for the first 50 participants. Register online, and get more information, at smilingblueskies.com.
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Car afficionados will want to stop by the Ted Reeve Arena parking lot on Sunday, Sept. 16 for a Car Show & Shine. All makes and models of vehicles, vintage and new, will be on display. Come and chat with the owners and drivers. The cars will be parked from 1 to 4 p.m. It’s free but there will be sales of food and all proceeds will support Community Centre 55’s year round programs. For more information call Evonne at 416-691-1113 ext. 222 or email evonne@centre55.com.
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Neighbourhood Link Support Services Employment Resource Centre, a local resource providing employment services and counselling to job seekers, will now offer extended hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. The office will be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Employment Resource Centre provides self-serve access to computers, internet, newspapers, photocopying, scanning, faxing, job postings and more. For more information visit neighbourhoodlink.org.
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Pull up a chair and have a chat with Ward 32 Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon. She will be at Community Centre 55, 97 Main St., on Monday, Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon and at Applegrove Community Centre, 60 Woodfield Rd., on Friday, Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact Laurie Smith at lsmithc@toronto.ca to book an appointment.

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