Highland Creek Condo Plan Gets a Closer Look

Festive treats to make during this lockdown – pages 10-11

December 2020 Vol. 05, No 10 www.ccranews.com

CentennialA publication of the Centennial Community and Recreation News Association Highland Creek condo plan gets a closer look By Rob Elbertsen Altree Developments submitted an application last fall for the construc- tion of two eight-storey residential buildings overlooking the Highland Creek ravine at Military Trail and Kingston Rd. The mandatory community consultation meeting origi- nally scheduled for April by Coun- cillor Jennifer McKelvie was held virtually on Nov. 3. Hosted by City Planning staff, the meeting was also attended by Coun- cillor McKelvie, TRCA, and representatives from Altree. The development applicant presented detailed information regarding their application, including possible building design and layout, road widening configurations, and greenspace. This development application dif- fered from the original plan. The number of residential units has de- creased from 620 to 558 (some one- Centennial News is delighted to have Derrick Liberty’s stunning watercolour “A Winter’s Day at Colonel Danforth Park” to highlight this issue. Der- bedroom units were replaced with rick has lived in the Centennial community since 1995. His painting is a good reminder that even in winter Centennial is a wonderful place to be, two- or three-bedroom units). Vehi- so continue to get outside to walk and hike as much as you can and try to embrace the season. cle parking spaces have been reduced from 577 to 518 (435 for residents By Kathryn Stocks takeout and delivery. Please make an effort to find out and 83 for visitors). It was also noted which ones are open and continue to support them, too. that on top of the eight-storey build- hat to say as 2020 painfully lurches to an And don’t forget charities. They are suffering as well. ings would be a “mechanical pent- end and we find ourselves in another lock- Many couldn’t hold their usual fundraising events this house,” about five metres in height. down? With the holiday season arriving year and are strapped for cash when it’s needed most. The plan maintains eight storeys even and COVID cases surging, we won’t be For your family members who don’t need more stuff, though the Highland Creek Second- able to gather in large groups at least until consider giving a charitable donation in their name. ary Plan and zoning bylaws for the December 21. No parties or festive events, In a front-page article last January, Centennial News area permit a maximum building just get-togethers with members of your household. welcomed the new year and the new decade with these height of six storeys. This has the potential to be bleak. words: “The last ’20s decade was a defining era… So Following the presentation, plan- You’re probably hearing a lot of people say “shop what will the 2020s bring? It will definitely be a time ning staff and the applicant answered local this year” and it’s so true if we want our neigh- of change…” questions and addressed comments bourhood businesses to keep going. Having to shut We were right on with that part. This, too, will be a from attendees. All presentation down during the holiday season is brutal for them. So defining era and we will always remember this time in slides and other documentation can even though their shops are closed, check online to see our lives. So do what you can to make this holiday sea- be found at: aic.to/1625MilitaryTrl if you can help them out. See page 6 for a list of ways son as special as possible for those around you. Deco- The next step will be for the ap- you can give them a boost. rate your home, put up outdoor lights and share your plicant to present their plan to Scar- During the lockdown, restaurants can no longer baking with your neighbours. Kindness and goodwill borough Community Council. If serve indoors or on patios but many are still open for go a long way in a difficult time. approved, it will proceed to Toronto City Council for further review. Anyone with comments or questions is encouraged to contact Sophie Knowles at City Planning at 416- 396-4157, Sophie.Knowles@toronto. ca and Councillor McKelvie’s office at 416-338-3771, Councillor_McKel- [email protected]. It’s important to make your views known.

See page 5 for more on the discussion. 2 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10

CCRA Centennial News CCRA Executive Team Publishing Policy Advertising Rates

President – Kathy Rowe 416-283-9987 CCRA Centennial News invites submissions of articles, Size Per Issue Prepaid Vice President - Gerry Divaris 416-540-9569 signed letters, art and photography from Centennial 10 issues Treasurer – Rob Elbertsen 416-282-2951 community members and all elected representatives. Business Card 50.00 475.00 Secretary – Laurie MacIsaac 416-287-0666 We will consider all submissions for publication that are Eighth 75.00 712.50 information-based and relevant to the community. Not- Membership – Denise Bacon 416-282-3561 Quarter 125.00 1,187.50 for-profit and community groups are also invited to sub- Distribution – Wanda Wierzbicki 416-282-2951 mit event listings to be published free of charge, space Three-eights 185.00 1,757.50 Advertising – Zinta Erdmanis 416-724-6893 permitting. CCRA Centennial News reserves the right to Half Page (horizontal only) 220.00 2,090.00 Community Events – Heather Lemieux 416-284-4751 decline material considered to be unpaid advertising, Half Page Inside Cover 250.00 2,375.00 Fundraising and Donations - Lori Gagnon . politically partisan or likely to offend. CCRA reserves Full Page 400.00 3,800.00 Communications – Julie Kish 416-284-4291 the right to edit all submitted material. The opinions Front Page Banner 200.00 N.A. expressed in CCRA Centennial News do not represent Community Police Liaison – Kazi Anwar Inside Page Banner 100.00 950.00 the views of the CCRA Executive. All submissions will be Conservation – Karthi Yogasegaran 647-458-5287 considered for both print and online publication unless Transportation – Mark Campbell 416-882-1762 otherwise instructed by the author. CCRA will notify all Notice to Advertisers Youth Representative – Varuhn Anandaraj, authors prior to publication. Advertising copy must reach the CCRA no later than Members at Large – Pam Collins, Jeff Forsyth, the 10th day of the preceding month for publication. Jake Forsyth, Kathy McGrath To be published in CCRA Centennial News, articles must Files should be in high resolution PDF, TIF, EPS or JPG reach the Communications team by the 15th day of format for best results. Please e-mail your advertise- Newspaper and Web Team the preceding month. To submit an article or suggest a ment to Kelsey Dorval at [email protected]. story, please contact any member of the Executive by Cheques in the correct amount are to be addressed phone, or by e-mail to [email protected]. to “CCRA” and deposited in the CCRA mailbox at 5450 Editor – Kathryn Stocks 416-738.4848 Lawrence Ave. East, in the Port Union Recreation [email protected] Mailing address: Centre. lt is the advertiser’s responsibility to advise Contributing Editor – Kathy McGrath 647-523.1637 Centennial Community & Recreation Association CCRA of any problems with an advertisement Design and Production – Don Lawrence 5450 Lawrence Ave. East, Scarborough ON M1C 3B2 before the 20th of the month in which the ad [email protected] appears. For more about advertising, visit www.ccranews.com/advertising.html

Letter to the editor Be part of the change

In the September issue, I read the following, eloquently expressed in an article by Wendell Gibbs: “Particularly, if you’re non-black, you cannot walk in a ‘black’ shoe, but you can walk beside it, to speak up, support, challenge and defend it against any attacks for its ‘colour’.” In October, an editorial shared community comments received on that article. The opinions were familiar – that racism is more of an American issue, it’s not as prevalent in Canada, and certainly not as much of a problem in mul- ticultural Toronto. That depends on who you ask. The mur- der of Black citizens and protests led by Black Lives Matter illuminate systemic problems felt by many people of colour, here in Canada and globally. I am Asian-Canadian, born and raised in Toronto. I have experienced racism throughout my life, and will be the first to say that it has greatly improved over time. That is a hope- ful sign, but it still exists. By denying the existence of anti-Black racism, we accept a system that has built huge inequities for Black and Indigenous communities here, not to mention barriers that exist for all persons of colour. We too often look away while others fight for justice, and there is so much to be gained, as Wendell Gibbs wrote, by challenging acts of racism, unintended or not. This is a welcoming and inclusive community but has room to be better. We need to listen respectfully to the ongoing dialogue about systemic racism and question our biases. By speaking up when we see inequality, we are a part of the real change happening now.

Janice Bennink www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 3

President’s Message Take care not to invite the coronavirus in By Kathy Rowe Thanigasalam and Councillor Jen- nifer McKelvie for their contribu- he holiday season is upon tions to the meeting. us and although it is usually A fond farewell was made to our a time when we want to in- advertising chair Kelsey Dorval. viteT friends and loved ones into our Kelsey has been on the executive homes, we must take good care not for more than 10 years. During her to invite the coronavirus in. This is tenure, Kelsey liaised with adver- going to be a very different Decem- tisers and built solid relationships ber, but it just can’t be helped. Ways with over 25 clients who continue to keep the joy of the holidays close to support our newspaper. to us can range from enjoying the Kelsey’s excellent communica- decorated homes during a neigh- tion skills were valuable to our bourhood stroll to participating in advertisers and to the CCRA. We CCRA’s first Zoom AGM went quite smoothly thanks to a good-sized audience and excellent guest a drive-thru holiday presentation. thank Kelsey for her dedication to speakers, Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, MP Gary Anandasangaree and MPP Vijay Thanigasalam. On page 4 you will find an array of the CCRA and we wish her all the ideas in my article, “Holidays from best! homes for the pumpkin video that Community Centre update I’d like to introduce four new a distance.” was posted on area association web- As expected, on November 23 members to our executive.The sites throughout the first week of the Port Union Community Cen- CCRA welcomes Julie Kish, Kaz AGM in a virtual way November. Submissions came from tre shut down the few drop-in pro- Anwar and Pam Collins. Return- Conducting our annual general the residents of Centennial, High- grams and registered programs that ing to our board for 2021 is Gerry meeting via Zoom was quite the land Creek and West Rouge. The it was running over the past few Divaris. Gerry left our board a year experience! To be honest, I’m still five-minute video was fun to watch weeks. The fitness centre and the ago due to work commitments and getting comfortable with virtual and the music that accompanied it library both remain closed. As I we are pleased to have him back in meetings and a meeting of this scale was terrific! Many thanks to West write this, there is hope that access the role of vice-president. was somewhat nerve-wracking. Rouge Community Association pres- to the building for washroom facili- Fortunately, with sound support, a ident Kathi Loughran for creating ties will remain. Directions of this good-sized audience and excellent Online Pumpkin Parade success the video. I’m sure it brought many kind change daily. guest speakers, things went quite I want to thank the Centennial smiles to many families. Enjoy the holidays and stay smoothly. I’d like to thank MP residents who submitted photos of healthy, everyone! Gary Anandasangaree, MPP Vijay their jack-o’-lantern and decorated 4 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10 Virtual Get-togethers Holidays from a distance – family fun on Zoom By Kathy Rowe

he holidays are coming fast and we need to make some lemonade from the lemons we were delivered Tin March. The lemons? COVID-19, of course. So let’s make the best of the situation and explore how we can make our virtual meetings and out- ings entertaining over this holiday season. Virtual holiday parties and celebra- tions will be all the rage this year and there are many platforms to choose from, including Zoom, Google Meet and WebEx. By now most of us have learned how to use at least one of these are plenty of online holiday BINGO suggestions could be: your favourite day sweater. People can get really cre- platforms for the purpose of keeping games that you can find by searching gift of all time, a special holiday deco- ative with this one! in touch with family and friends over “online holiday BINGO templates.” ration, a Christmas CD or DVD. The For the music lovers, your host the past few months. Download the template of your choice first person to share the requested ob- could play holiday music in the back- Let’s begin with a few ideas for and email it to your crew. ject wins a point. ground. Take it one step further and virtual gatherings. Interactive games A holiday scavenger hunt could Another idea is to let your group play “Name that tune” or stop the can be played virtually by using the also work with your virtual gathering. know in advance to wear their favou- song part way through and have peo- chat function on the platform. There The game host can name items for the rite ugly holiday sweater. If they don’t ple sing the next line. group to share to the camera. Item have one, they can decorate an every- Holiday trivia is another game that could easily be played on a virtual call. Have the host ask a question and the participants have to answer it in the chat. Food lovers may enjoy a recipe share. Recipes can be shared via email in advance of the virtual meet. Participants can create their recipe of choice and share it on screen with the group. Another idea is to have a cookie decorating contest on screen. Keep in mind that non-verbal communication like turning off your microphone if you know the answer, using the thumbs up icon or the chat function will work well on these platforms. This will avoid the participants from all talking at once. Here’s a final tip: those of us who are technically challenged may want to have a virtual trial run before the actual day of the planned online celebration. We all have different comfort levels when dealing with computers and a practice meet for some of the participants may help quell any uncertainties. I have noticed a couple of holiday drive-through events in the news lately. Close to home is the Bluffs Winter Wonderland Drive- Thru Experience, which will kick off on November 27. There will be over 50,000 lights decorating a one- kilometre path at the foot of Brimley Road. More information about the event and ticket sales can be found at bluffswinterwonderland.com. Oth- er locations further from home are: The Pickering Heritage Museum, Casa Loma, Blue Mountain, the Kortright Centre and Niagara Falls. Most of these drive-thru experiences will open toward the end of Novem- ber and an online search can get you all the information you need. www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 5 Community Meeting Residents voice concerns on Highland Creek condo plan By Robin Shonfield planners said could be handled by existing roads. Here are some of the issues brought up by the community at the virtual Impact on the Valley: Questions were meeting on November 3 for the con- raised about whether this building do plan proposed by Altree Develop- might impact the valley lands, includ- ments in Highland Creek at Military ing the possibility of increased ero- Trail and Kingston Road. sion. A number of studies have been done but the meeting did not discuss Building Height: The meeting out- these in detail. A Toronto Regional lined the proposal to widen Military Conservation Authority (TRCA) rep- Trail from the existing 20-metre road resentative was at the meeting. The allowance to 27 metres. The proposed main point emphasized by the devel- eight storeys of this building will be oper was the fact that a 10-metre strip 27 metres, equal to the road allow- of land along the valley edge is being purchase land to extend Mor- ance. City planning staff seemed to be conveyed to the TRCA. rish Parkette to Military Trail. in agreement with the developer’s staff The development has been that this height would be appropriate Environmental Details: The devel- split into two separate build- in this location. The original developer outlined environmental consid- ings. There would be a view of opment plan by city staff proposed erations such as electric vehicle charg- the valley lands from the new a 27-metre height limit for this area. ing stations, bird-friendly lighting park extension. City council had reduced planning and glazing, and a green or reflective guidelines to six storeys when the de- roof to minimize air conditioning re- Top: A diagram presented at the velopment plan was passed at council. quirements. meeting showed the plan for widening City staff felt that a sight line of 45 Military Trail. Right: The top two storeys degrees from the far side of Military More Parkland: The developer would are set back from the lower levels. Trail to the top of the building would not give passersby a feeling that the building was too high. The most recent diagrams from the developer show a three-metre set- back from the widened road. The top two storeys are set back from lower levels to be less imposing. The total height does not include utility rooms for HVAC on the roof but due to set- backs these aren’t expected to be vis- ible from the road. A study of the new shadows created by the buildings was presented at the meeting.

Unit Sizes: The developer announced a response to local neighbourhood concerns about too many studio and one-bedroom units. At the community meeting the developer said the number of units was being reduced from 620 to 558. The number of two- and three-bedroom units was being increased from 25% to 45% of the total units in the building. In response to a direct question, the developer said that he would not be mar- keting the units directly to students. City staff responded that guidelines for unit sizes are meant to include a diverse mix of residents.

Parking and Traffic: With 558 units planned, the number of resident parking spaces has been set at 435, with another 83 for visitors. This led to concerns about new residents parking on the street. City staff and the developer were not concerned. There are plans for a car-share program onsite. The developer felt that many buyers would not require a parking space, stating that the area was well served with public transit. A traffic study was done and it showed an increase of 145 to 180 rush-hour trips per day, which 6 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10 Book Reviews Reading suggestions for long winter evenings Ways to support By Julie Kish iously awaiting the ninth book’s publication. They are my go-to comfort books small businesses With hundreds of television channels and a and I’ve read each of the lengthy novels dozen subscription-based streaming servic- more than once. When the love story es, it’s tempting to park in front of a screen between fictional characters Jamie Fraser 1. Write a positive review. when it’s too cold and too scary to venture and Claire Randall arrived on television a 2. Tell your friends and family. outside the house. Why not break up the few years ago, I was an instant fan. 3. Follow them on social media. screen time and lose yourself in a good Clanlands follows two of the televi- 4. Engage with their posts. book? Research says reading reduces stress, sion series’ Scottish actors as they travel 5. Give them a shoutout. alleviates depression, helps you sleep and through the Scottish Highlands in a 6. Sign up for their newsletter keeps you mentally alert as you age. Read- camper van. Through skillful use of hu- ing is active; watching a screen is passive. mour and personal anecdotes, readers If finding the right book is challenging, I catch a glimpse into their personalities recommend goodreads.com. The website lists while learning about whisky and Scottish books by genre and has loads of reviews. history. It’s currently at the top of the I’ve recently finished a dystopian novel non-fiction best sellers lists for The New that follows a group of survivors after a vi- York Times and The Globe and Mail, so rus wipes out 99 percent of the population. I guess I’m not the only Outlander fan Written in 2014, long before the current out there. COVID situation, Station Eleven, by Cana- If you still haven’t had enough of sexy dian Emily St. John Mantel, paints a mural Scots and romance in the Highlands, of memorable characters living in extreme I suggest Finding Fraser, by Canadian circumstances. I couldn’t put it down. K.C. Dyer. It’s a charming, well-written, My next pick was something lighter. romantic-comedy-style novel about an Clanlands is a travel log written by Sam Outlander fan who travels to Scotland Heughan and Graham McTavish, two in search of her very own Jamie Fraser The West Rouge Local heartthrobs from the popular STARZ net- (Outlander’s red-headed Scottish protag- Business Directory is a good work series Outlander. I’m a huge fan of Di- onist, also known as The King of Men). I resource that lists small area ana Gabaldon’s Outlander book series, and loved this novel. businesses and their I highly recommend it. I devoured each of Choosing a book is very personal. products. Go to the eight books in the Scottish historical No matter what genre you like, there are ccranews.com/local. romance/time-travelling series and am anx- books just right for you. Happy reading! It’s worth your time. www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 7 Local Author Hockey fans will enjoy book on Pittsburgh Penguins

By Mark Campbell that other Montrealer by the name of even to the casual hockey Lemieux came to town. Success was fan. Greg spoke freely Do you remember Ken Schinkel? anything but overnight, even after the about the experience, even Dean Prentice? Jean Pronovost? Prob- arrival of the “Magnificent One” as it getting boyish at times ably not. How about Mario Lemieux? was a further seven years before he de- when discussing his inter- Yes, that one you know. Many people livered the Stanley Cup to Pittsburgh. views with his childhood – even hockey fans – believe the his- Greg decided to write the book be- heroes and the hours spent tory of the Pittsburgh Penguins began cause there is not a lot documented poring over periodicals with Mario Lemieux. That is some- on the history of the Pittsburgh Pen- and research materials. thing Greg Enright hopes to change guins. He describes the process as The book concludes with his book on the first 25 years of “the thrill of discovery as an adult af- after the Penguins’ sec- the Pittsburgh Penguins. ter viewing the story through the lens ond Stanley Cup in 1992. Born in Montreal, Greg currently of a 12-year-old.” When pressed about lives in the Centennial area, so it is The city of Pittsburgh has tradi- whether he will write only natural that he is a Penguins fan. tionally been a football town, with about the next 25 years, Right? Growing up in “la belle prov- most of the attention given to the Enright is coy. “Probably ince” it seemed as though everyone Steelers and their storied history. Next not,” he says with a smile. was a fan of the Montreal Canadiens. are baseball’s Pirates, and then come The Pittsburgh Penguins: Everyone except Greg who at 7 or 8 the Penguins. In fact, in the Pens The First 25 Years is avail- years of age was enamoured by the early years this was blatantly evident able now in paperback and team whose logo was a hockey play- when they could attract no more than e-book format online at Greg Enright wrote a book on the first 25 years of the Pittsburgh ing penguin. a few thousand fans at some games. Indigo and Amazon. Penguins NHL team. The book itself is a labour of love. The book is an interesting read, After a lifetime of dreaming about it, four years of effort were spent researching, interviewing and writ- ing. The story begins the year before the Penguins first hit the ice in 1967 as part of the modern NHL’s first expansion beyond six teams. Greg breaks down each season in a chapter of its own. The team spent many years in the basement of the standings until

Hashtag campaign #RealScarborough

Toronto.com has initiated a hashtag campaign, #RealScarborough, to get people thinking about what Scarbor- ough is to them, what its best features are, what makes it unique and what the area needs to develop and grow. Is it the people, places, culture, communities? What makes Scarbor- ough unique? What are its best quali- ties? Its best opportunities? Tag toronto.com in a post on Twitter or Facebook by using the #RealScarborough hashtag to join the conversation. Posts can include a photo and caption, or a sentence or short paragraph with or without an image. If you’re including a photo, make sure it’s one you own and include the photo credit. Toronto.com will share your con- tributions with readers and get re- sponses from people who may be in a position to act on some of your suggestions. 8 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10 Community Backyard wedding was icing on the cake for local couple

By Kathy McGrath dinner, do our speeches and dances,” Aneesha said. “We had so much fun It wasn’t the wedding they planned, and spent quality time with everyone. but in the end it was the perfect start It was so good. It was perfect.” to their life together. Delan, 29, and Aneesha, 28, both When Aneesha Sood and Delan grew up in the neighbourhood and D’Souza got engaged in August 2019, started dating as students at Mowat they envisioned a large ceremony at a Collegiate. They were together for banquet hall with a minimum of 500 three years, then separated shortly guests. “I have a big family so all the after Aneesha went out of town for weddings I attend are huge – like 600 university. After having no contact people,” said Delan. “When we set for four years, Aneesha started fol- our date for August 2020, family and “We had so much fun lowing Delan on Instagram. One friends immediately booked vacation evening their friends took matters time to attend. We had guests com- and spent quality time into their own hands by bringing the ing from all over the world – Dubai, with everyone.” two together for a surprise meeting at India, New Zealand.” a restaurant. Six months later, the couple’s plan “At first it was so awkward – we was in jeopardy. “As soon as COVID didn’t make eye contact or say one hit, everything changed,” Delan said. word to each other,” Aneesha recalled. “Aneesha and I changed our minds “Then we had a drink and started a hundred times about what to do. When Aneesha Sood and Delan D’Souza got engaged in 2019, they envisioned a large wedding with a talking to each other and it was like We were talking to our families and minimum of 500 guests. Instead, they were lucky to have 60 people this summer. no one else was there. From then on everyone was suggesting different op- we were inseparable.” tions. We were overwhelmed.” with 10 people in attendance. Then wedding party – nine bridesmaids Aneesha, a nurse at Sick Kids “We considered rescheduling the they got a break. “Somehow we got and nine groomsmen. Hospital, and Delan, who works for wedding for 2021, but even that be- lucky and squeezed it in when Toron- The guests were then invited to a TD, are currently living in Aneesha’s came unpredictable,” Aneesha said. “I to went into Stage 3,” said Aneesha. dinner in Delan’s family’s backyard childhood home with her sister and didn’t want to be kicking myself for “It was perfect timing.” with strict social distancing measures brother. They still plan to have a large putting things off for a year and then They were able to get married in a in place. Mother Nature co-operated party for those who could not come ending up in the same boat.” church with 60 people – which was by providing a sunny day, which was to the wedding, but for now they are Eventually, the couple decided to the mandated 30 percent capacity. important because there was no in- just grateful they were able to have an keep their original date of August 22, Guests were limited to close family door backup plan. unforgettable wedding day. 2020, and have a very small wedding members and friends in their large “In the end, we were able to have a www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 9 Sustainability Tips for making your holiday a little bit greener

By Lorelee A. Sankarlal at a fraction of the retail prices. A few local sites are: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” Now that I have put that All that yummy food In this West Rouge & Highland Creek song into your minds, you’re wel- fall’s issues of Centennial Recycled come! Seriously, though, there is an News, Kathryn McLean West Rouge Buy & Sell incredible season coming up with so shared some fabulous ideas West Hill Buy / Sell / Swap many events to celebrate – Hanuk- for how to create new cu- West Rouge Buy and Sell 2.0 kah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Winter linary masterpieces and West Rouge Shop Local Solstice, various New Years, just to how to freeze foods for name a few. With all that celebrating later use. I recommend Donating There are many people comes lots of presents, lots of food, reading those articles on who will be struggling this year. If and worries over money and spend- the CCRA website if you you can, consider donating grocer- ing. So how can we have a sustainable missed them. ies, gift cards for teens or other need- holiday this year? Here are a few ideas. ed items to shelters and initiatives Skip the wrapping paper Wrap gifts Sustainable purchasing around Scarborough and the GTA. in cloth and ribbon instead. It saves Our area has a fantastic Have a happy and sustainable hol- trees and the cloth can be used by the program for sustainable iday season from my family to yours! person receiving the gift. Or use cloth purchasing and recycling Mason jars with all the dry ingredients to make bags, which are completely reusable. on Facebook. Joining these a favourite cookie or cake are inexpensive, If the cloth doesn’t have a holiday FB groups, you can buy personalized gifts. print on it, don’t worry about it. That new and gently used items just makes it easier for the person to reuse. Mason Jar Cookies/Cakes Pack mason jars with all the dry ingredients to make a favourite cookie or cake. Wrap with a ribbon, tag and instruc- tions for baking. It makes a personalized gift that doesn’t cost much but has a big impact. Or bake the item, put it in a box tied with a ribbon and deliver it. Gift Boxes If you are a crafter or can make wooden toys or something else, put together a small box of supplies to make a creation and add simple in- structions along with a picture of the final item. If you are together when they open it, you can both create it. Heirlooms There is no better time than the holidays to give someone you love something that was special to you. On a card, write the story of how it came to be in your possession, what it meant to you and why you think they deserve it. Give them a little piece of your history to add to their own. Ah, the toys! Lego has a great recycling program called Lego Replay. If your kids have bricks they no longer use or would like to give them to a child in need, this is a great initiative. Go to lego.com/en-ca/aboutus/replay to donate. It’s super simple. Family Experiences Instead of toys, why not try an experience? Some- thing you do together as a family that all of you will remember. And they can cost almost nothing: 1. Run/hike/walk through a park, along the waterfront, at the zoo or in your neighbourhood. 2. Volunteer at a shelter or food bank to spend time together and help others. 3. Have an ugly holiday sweater contest on Zoom. We tried this last year and it was hilarious. 10 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10

FESTIVE BAKING LOCKDOWN HOLIDAY TREATS

By Kathryn McLean Over the past few years I’ve returned to making a variety of treats. And top of the list are the sugar ears ago, I would do a lot of baking for cookies with royal icing and sprinkles. The tra- the holidays. Once the calendar page was dition of rolling, cutting and decorating holiday turned to December, I’d start rolling out cookies has evolved for us to be more of a family sweet treats: gingersnaps, sugar cookies activity. The kids choose from our growing collec- withY royal icing, chocolate-dipped fingers, piped tion of cutters and we get set up at the table with meringue rosettes with sprinkles, brownies with tinted icings, sprinkles and small candies. crushed candy cane topping, chocolate-coffee Whether you already have a list of yearly favou- Kathryn McLean is the slices. And if I found a new recipe I really liked, rites, are looking to add to your recipe cards or food writer at Centen- it became part of the annual regulars. Like dried want to start out small, this recipe for cookie bars nial News. She has lived fruit crostini. is simple. Even with the help of little kids, it won’t take an entire afternoon with hands-on decorat- in the area for three But when my little kids were still quite young, I found I didn’t have as much time for those tra- ing. It’s a good start. And there’s still some fun in years with her family. ditional sweets. Until one year I realized these choosing your toppings and sprinkling them over You can follow her blog weren’t going to be the traditional cookies of my the chocolate layer. at allfoodthoughts.com children’s memories if I didn’t start making them I know this looks like a lot of steps, but read again. I worried I’d find myself saying “Let’s have through the recipe and you’ll see it is easy. All the those crostini that I make every year” and only my steps are just building the layers. oldest would know what I meant.

ANY-WAY-YOU-LIKE COOKIE BARS

INGREDIENTS amount will vary, depending on the In a medium-sized mixing bowl, to evenly coat the whole base. Return to topping chosen: you could expect to stir together the butter and sugar until the hot oven and bake for 7 minutes. Cookie Base use ½ cup of chopped nuts or can- creamy; add the vanilla; add the remain- ¼ cup soft butter dies, but not of coarse salt) ing cookie base ingredients and stir until Remove the pan from the oven to ¼ cup brown sugar Suggested toppings: chopped dough begins to stick in clumps. Tip into a cooling rack and immediately scatter 1 tsp vanilla nuts, crushed coffee beans, coarse salt, a lined baking pan and press evenly to ¾ cup of chocolate chips evenly over 1 cup flour sprinkles, crushed candy cane, coconut, fill the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 the hot toffee. Leave the chocolate ½ tsp baking powder pretzel pieces, dried fruit, crispy rice ce- minutes. untouched for 5 minutes, then gently ¼ tsp salt real, toffee bits, graham cookie crumbs, spread the now-soft chocolate with a 2 Tbsp water chopped candy-coated chocolate. Meanwhile, combine toffee ingre- knife, reaching to all the edges. Distrib- dients in a small pot and melt together ute the toppings over the melted choco- Toffee Layer DIRECTIONS over medium low heat. The butter will late and leave to set into the chocolate separate but stir well. Once everything as it cools, at least one hour. Cut into 24 ¼ cup butter Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8x8” is melted, it will become a thick cohesive or 36 pieces. ½ cup brown sugar baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving 1” or more overhang for lift- mix. ing the bars out later. I hope you do try these cookie bars, Chocolate and Toppings Once the cookie base is baked, pour whether they become part of your tradi- ¾ cup chocolate chips the hot toffee over top, and tip the pan tion or not! Toppings of your choice (the www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 11

SOFT GINGER CHOCOLATE CRACKLES LOVE IN LITTLE PIECES KULKULS MOLASSES COOKIES

Talia Kish, a social Margot Russell lives Rylan Mascarenhas Vasukie Asirwatham worker who grew up with her husband and is a university student lives in Centennial with in the Centennial area, three sons in Centen- living in Centennial her husband and three loves to cook her fam- nial. Besides baking, who fondly remem- daughters. Her kulkuls ily’s favourite recipes. she is an avid runner bers his Nana making are a traditional Goan These cookies are soft and works for the To- this treat at Christmas. Christmas sweet. and full of flavour. ronto Public Library. He tracked down the recipe and added his INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS own twists. INGREDIENTS 2¼ cups all-purpose flour 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely 1 kg semolina (rava) 2 tsp ground ginger chopped INGREDIENTS 1 kg all-purpose flour (maida) 1 tsp baking soda 1 1 cups all-purpose flour Pillsbury pie crust (2 sheets) I egg ¾ tsp ground cinnamon 1 cup unsweetened Dutch process Splash of milk ¼ tsp ground cloves cocoa powder Filling 3 Tbsp clarified butter (ghee) ¼ tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 2 x 14 oz cans of pineapple chunks 1/3 of a 400 ml can of coconut cream ¾ cup margarine 1 tsp coarse salt 1 x 300 ml can condensed milk Two pinches of salt, or to taste 1 cup white sugar 1 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, 170 grams shredded coconut Superfine or powdered sugar, to taste (start 1 egg room temp. 1/2 cup 2% milk with a couple of heaped tablespoons and add 1 Tbsp water 1 1 cups packed light brown sugar 500 grams sugar more as needed) ¼ cup molasses 2 large eggs Oil for deep frying 2 Tbsp white sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Glaze 1/3 cup whole milk 1/3 cup icing sugar DIRECTIONS DIRECTIONS 1 cup granulated sugar Simple syrup Knead all ingredients to a dough adding Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, 1 cup confectioners sugar milk as needed. If your dough is on the dry cloves and salt. Set aside. DIRECTIONS side, add a little ghee and knead again. If you DIRECTIONS Combine the filling ingredients in a sauce- want your kulkuls sweeter, add more sugar and In a large bowl, cream together margarine 1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set pan and cook over low heat stirring occasionally. knead into the dough. Cover the dough with a and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Once the filling starts to thicken, turn the damp cloth for half an hour. the egg and gently mix in water and molasses. Set aside and let cool. Sift together flour, heat down and stir constantly. This step is the Keep the unused portion covered with a Gradually add the dry ingredients. cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in most time consuming. When the filling starts damp cloth while you work with small portions. a bowl. to leave the sides of the saucepan, turn the heat Roll into a long sausage shape and cut into Shape dough into walnut sized balls and roll 2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and off and allow it to cool. small pieces. Working with one piece at a time, them in 2 Tbsp sugar. Place the balls 2 inches brown sugar on medium speed until pale Preheat the oven to 450 F. While the oven place it on the back of a fork. Using your thumb, apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flat- and fluffy—2-3 minutes. Mix in eggs and is preheating, lay one sheet of pastry in a glass flatten the dough into a rectangle. Gently lift ten each ball lightly with a wet fork. vanilla, then the melted chocolate. Reduce dish, and gently press it to the corners. Trim the the dough and roll it away from you, keeping Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F. Allow cookies speed to low and mix in flour mixture in edges if needed. it fairly tight. Lightly press the edges to seal it to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before two batches, alternating with milk. Divide Spread the cooled filling out inside the bot- up. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Keep the removing them. Store in an airtight container dough into four equal pieces. Wrap each tom crust and smooth the top. Lay the second shaped kulkuls on a flat tray. so cookies will remain soft. in plastic; refrigerate until firm—about 2 sheet of pastry over the filling. Fold the top When they are all done, heat oil for deep fry- hours. crust under the bottom crust around the edges ing. Test that the oil is hot enough by dropping a Makes 3 dozen cookies. 3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide each and crimp. Poke holes with a fork into the top bead of dough into it. If the oil bubbles and the piece into 16 1-inch balls, then roll them in crust to prevent bloating. Or use a lattice crust bead instantly comes to the top, the oil is ready. granulated sugar to coat, then in confec- to top the filling. Keep it on medium heat. Fry the kulkuls in small tioners sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the top batches and turn with a slotted spoon. on baking sheets lined with parchment starts to brown. Cover with foil and return to When golden, remove with a slotted spoon paper. the oven for another 25 minutes approximately and place on paper towels to drain off excess oil. 4. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 for a total of 45 minutes. Remove and allow to When they have completely cooled, store in an minutes, rotating sheets halfway cool on the counter before glazing. airtight container. through. Let sheets cool on wire racks. For the glaze, add syrup to the icing sugar Cookies can be stored between lay- slowly, until you reach a consistency like honey. ers of parchment in airtight contain- Drizzle over the pastry and cut into squares or ers at room temperature up to 3 days. use a cookie cutter.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies. 12 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10 Education

TDSB Trustee Anu Sriskandarajah allowing them to easily add notes, the year ahead by establishing the foun- ensure plans are effective and can also goals and details to each course. dations for a successful year. One of the identify any safety concerns. This year, Schools can also share announce- ways we know we can help students be since all cohorts need to participate, ments, updates, local calendars and successful is to create a safe environ- additional drills may be required. more to help students stay connected ment. Although no one ever wants to Communication is also critical in and informed. Subsequent phases see an emergency happen at a school, any emergency situation. Please en- include features such as the student it’s important for school staff to be sure the school office has accurate safety line, notifications and oppor- equipped to deal with those situations. emergency contact information and tunities to share your voice, and also The TDSB has taken steps to en- advise us of any changes during the TDSB Connects App a version for elementary students and sure your child’s safety while in school. school year. now available families. Each school has developed emergency The TDSB Connects App supports preparedness plans that include steps TDSB has launched a new online our commitment to be more digitally- staff will take in the event of an emer- TCDSB Trustee app to help high school students stay friendly, reduce paper and find new gency, how staff will get students away Garry Tanuan connected and organized. Phase 1 is and engaging ways to connect with from possible dangers, and how stu- designed with secondary students in students to support their success. dents’ families will be contacted. As we go mind, helping them stay organized Download the app now at the Google One aspect of emergency prepared- into the with school work, see their daily Play Store or the Apple App Store. ness is the lockdown and fire drill. All season of school calendar and stay in touch with schools are required to conduct a min- Advent, we their school community. By logging Lockdown and fire drills imum of two lockdown drills and six are remind- in with their TDSB school ID, their At the beginning of each school fire drills each school year. The drills ed that the timetable is automatically populated year, our students and staff prepare for last approximately five minutes and true spirit of Christmas is in giving. The giving of our time, patience and most importantly, displaying kindness and goodwill to others. Here at the TCDSB, we are honoured to be affiliated with The Angel Foundation of Learning. The AFL is the charitable organization that serves students in the TCDSB. They support students by nurturing their body, mind and soul through nutritional, educational and spiritual programs. Student Nutrition Programs by Angel Foundation In the TCDSB, 167 schools are currently running 184 student nutrition programs. Collectively, these programs serve the needs of over 60,000 students on a daily basis. Pro- grams offer breakfast, lunches and/or snacks. Remembrance Through an Afrocentric Lens During the month of November, the TCDSB staff and students ex- plored the historical significance of Black-Canadian soldiers and veterans in shaping our country’s history. All staff were invited to share in the Re- membrance Day celebration virtually. Transition to High School Guidelines As parents and students prepare for the transition to high school, we’ve prepared the following guidelines to help students in Grade 8 and their families become familiar with secondary schools in their expecta- tions. Read about the guidelines here: tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/SchoolPro- gramsK12/GuidanceCoopEd/Transi- tion to High School Secondary School Applications The online application process is ongoing. For more information, contact your local school or visit our website: tcdsb.org/forparents/admis- sionsandregistration www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 13 Councillor Jennifer McKelvie Merry Christmas, Centennial! It’s hard to believe December is already here. There’s no denying that 2020 has been a difficult year, but we’ve also seen tremendous goodwill from both residents and businesses in the Centennial community. As we look ahead to 2021, I know that whatever challenges we may face, our community is resilient and residents will continue to look out for one another. I wish you and your family all the best for a safe and happy holiday season.

Light Up the Christmas Spirit! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our community. After seeing all the fantastic decorations at Halloween, I can’t wait to see what great displays you have for the Christ- mas season. Whether you prefer a traditional wreath and subtle lighting, love 10-foot inflatables or take inspiration from the Griswold Fam- ily Christmas, all ideas help build the holiday spirit in our neighbourhood. Thanks to the fantastic feedback To celebrate the season, send the addresses of your favourite Christmas displays to [email protected]. on our Halloween home tour and contest, we’re doing it all again for Christmas. To celebrate the efforts pacts of the Coronation Drive Em- the program. new platform at www.betterhomesto. of our neighbours, send the address ployment Area on the surrounding BetterHomesTO offers an online ca. of your favourite Christmas displays neighbourhood. I look forward to resource where Toronto homeowners to [email protected]. To sharing the feedback from City staff can find information and tools to as- We’re Here to Work for You count down the 12 days to Christ- regarding this motion via my e-news- sist in undertaking home energy ret- If you have local issues you would mas, we will post a list of homes in letter in the new year. rofits. There are 31 retrofits detailed like addressed, any ideas for how we our e-newsletter and on social media and a holistic list of all the programs, can build a better City, or just want so you can enjoy a neighbourhood BetterHomesTO rebates and incentives offered by the to chat about the neighbourhood, tour. Closer to Christmas, you’ll be November 5th marked the one- City and its partners. please contact us at councillor_mck- able to select your favourite home. year anniversary of BetterHomesTO, A net zero home is more comfort- [email protected]. To stay up to date an initiative launched by our City to able, healthier and better for the envi- with local news, please sign up for our Reimagining Employment Areas make single-family detached homes ronment because all the efficient fea- e-newsletter at www.jennifermckelvie. At November’s Scarborough Com- more energy efficient. Scarborough– tures work together to lower energy ca, and follow me on Facebook, Ins- munity Council meeting, I tabled a Rouge Park has over 18,000 single consumption, reduce greenhouse gas tagram & Twitter via my handle, @ motion, “Imagining 21st Century family homes and is included as one emissions and shrink the home’s car- McKelvieWard25. Employment Areas – Request for a of the areas targeted to benefit from bon footprint. Learn more about this Planning and Transportation Study for the Coronation Drive Employ- ment Area.” I believe it is necessary for the City to fully examine the Employ- ment Area encompassing Coronation Drive, to determine what a designat- ed industrial area directly adjacent to a residential community looks like in the 21st century. This area was heav- ily supported by rail in the past and is now almost entirely supported by trucking. This increase in heavy vehicle traffic has the potential to clash with the residential makeup of the surrounding neighbourhood, creating conflicts related to noise and pol- lution concerns. It is important that we assess how the Coronation Drive Employment Area can support ideas, innovation and economic development, while balancing traffic and environmental concerns. I want to thank everyone who has relayed their concerns about the im- 14 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10 MPP Vijay Thanigasalam Health and safety of Ontarians is our highest priority

I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe and preparing for the festive holiday season ahead. As we live in the midst of this pandemic and in a time of profound un- certainty, it is important for everyone to know what their government is doing for them and how it is providing help for you. To show transparency and commitment to our highest priority, the health and safety of Ontar- ians, earlier this month we released our budget that outlines our frame- work to protect, support and recover Ontario. We know that the second wave is straining the resources of our health- care network, workers and hospitals. We must do everything we can to help them in the vital work that they perform, and to ensure that they have the capacity to provide the care that people rightfully deserve. I am incred- ibly proud that our government is in- MPP Vijay Thanigasalam was honoured to take part in Remembrance Day commemorations held at the Toronto Zoo. vesting an additional $761 million to build and renovate 74 long-term-care homes in Ontario. This investment why this funding will ensure that that many elders can and wish to commitment to invest $3.8 billion includes $25 million for Yee Hong nurses and personal support workers live in their own homes or with their over the next 10 years to develop and Centre for Geriatric Care to build a can provide four hours of care per day families. To support this and ease the implement a comprehensive and con- new facility to help our seniors. per patient. This will radically help increased financial strain they face, I nected mental health and addictions Additionally, the budget included improve the health and wellbeing of am delighted on the tax credit we in- strategy. By working together, we can $7.5 billion in new funding to our our seniors. We will always ensure cluded in the budget that allows for help break the stigma around mental long-term-care sector. We know that that no one is left behind. seniors to renovate their homes to in- health, and provide better care for all now more than ever, patients need While investing in long-term-care clude safety measures that help them those who need it in our communi- personal attention and care. That is is critical, we must also remember live in their homes, such as guard rail- ties. ings or stair lifts, worth 25 percent of I was honoured to take part in Re- up to $10,000 in expenses. membrance Day commemorations I also want to focus on an issue held at the Highland Creek Legion that is increasingly prevalent and Branch 258 and the Toronto Zoo. It which I believe needs more attention. gave us an opportunity to pause to While we have done much to nor- remember the sacrifices made by our malize and bring awareness to mental brave men and women in uniform, health, there is still much to be done. and all those who have made their Our government recognizes the strain final journey home, draped in our the pandemic has put on individu- maple flag. I was honoured to wear a als’ mental health across the province. poppy and to place a wreath. Isolation, loneliness and stress are all side effects of this pandemic that have I look forward to speaking to you had negative impacts on our mental again soon. My office and I are always health. Because of this, I am proud here to help. If you have any questions that our government is providing an or concerns, please reach out to my additional $176 million in annual office email at vijay.thanigasalam@ funding on mental health and addic- pc.ola.org or call 416-283-8448. tion, which is part of the province’s www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 15 MP Gary Anandasangaree Honoured to represent Canada on Remembrance Day

On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh steps we take to keep ourselves and day, of the eleventh month, Canada our loved ones safe. Sadly, more than remembers. Although many Canadi- 10,000 Canadians have lost their lives ans observed a moment of silence on to COVID-19, and recently, regions November 11 from their own homes, across the country have been setting I was honoured to represent the Gov- records for positive cases. ernment of Canada alongside a small Following public health advice contingent of Veterans and their fam- and avoiding the 3 C’s wherever pos- ilies during Remembrance Day cer- sible – closed spaces, crowded places emonies at the Toronto Zoo and the and close contact situations – is the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 258. best way to slow the spread of this vi- In times of war and times of rus. The small actions make some of peace, these brave men and women the biggest differences, so continue answered the call – travelling into to wear your mask, stay at least two harm’s way in service of their country. metres apart, limit your social circle, Although their voices can no longer wash your hands regularly, and down- be heard, we honour their courage, load the free COVID Alert App. MP Gary Anandasangaree represents the Government of Canada during a private Remembrance Day bravery and selflessness by showing Slowing the spread of COVID-19 ceremony at the Toronto Zoo. our gratitude to their families, shar- will require a complete Team Canada ing their stories, and ensuring their effort. In order for us to get through this together, we must all step up and do our part. legacies live on forever.

Legislative Updates from Ottawa In October and November, Par- liament moved forward at a blister- ing pace. In addition to passing our second confidence motion in as many weeks, our government introduced vital legislation to Ban Conversion Therapy, update our Medical Assis- tance in Dying laws, modernize our Broadcasting Act to ensure fairness for Canadian creators, proposed an inclusive Citizenship Oath that recognizes Indigenous peoples in Can- ada, and unveiled the details of our proposed ban on single-use plastics.

COVID Support Measures Since the start of the pandemic, our government has listened to families and business owners to ensure we re- spond effectively to their needs. That’s why we introduced new and targeted supports to help Canadians during this second wave. These measures include: The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS), the Canada Emer- gency Business Account (CEBA), the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRF), the Canada Recovery Care- giving Benefit (CRCB), the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP), and a one-time payment for Canadians with disabilities. While the road to recovery may not be easy, these supports will be critical to help individuals and entre- preneurs stay strong. As we continue to get through this difficult time, we will continue to take action to support Canadian families and businesses, and set the stage for a stronger and more resilient Canada once the pandemic is over.

The Holiday Season As we approach the holiday season, we need to remain vigilant about the 16 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10 Toronto Zoo Holiday Marketplace was forced to close, but Holiday Drive-Thru is taking its place

By Wanda Wierzbicki the Holiday Marketplace had to close after only three days. But rather than waste the gorgeous On Saturday, November 21, I had the pleasure decorations, the zoo made a quick turnaround of enjoying a stroll through the magical, family- and focused on creating a Holiday Drive-Thru friendly, outdoor Holiday Marketplace at the To- Experience, which will run from November 28 ronto Zoo. to December 21. Located in the front courtyard of the zoo were The Holiday Drive-Thru is a family-friendly large Christmas trees covered with lights and a and COVID-safe experience as visitors travel Christmas tree “forest.” There were vendors sell- in the warmth and safety of their own vehicles. ing cookies and treats, ornaments, jewelry, soaps The adventure will take them past a 35-foot-tall and candles, pet accessories, jams and preserves. Christmas Tree and the Holiday Marketplace on Further up the path, Santa was meeting with their way to see Santa Claus. Children are en- masked families in a socially distanced manner, couraged to bring their letters to Santa until De- while other families waited in line. cember 10 for a COVID-safe dropoff. Sounds wonderful, right? Unfortunately, After a drive-by visit with Santa, families will due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, continue on through the zoo to see Santa’s cot- tage, where some of his reindeer (and caribou) reside, and the En- richment Toy Workshop where To- ronto Zoo Elves can be seen making toys for the zoo’s animals. Families are encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable food items and toys for families in need. Perhaps helping those less fortunate than ourselves will be the best way to experience the joy of Christmas this year. The Toronto Zoo’s magical Holiday Marketplace was only open for three days. See torontozoo.com for more details. www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 17 Cadets Scouts Cadets still active despite pandemic Remembrance, Zoom meetings By Capt T. Foulds training in a wide variety of skill areas and neighbourhood fun that will prepare Cadets to get back QOR Cadets remains active in the outside. community, albeit virtually, provid- Cadets Canada has ramped up a ing useful and interesting knowledge March Break Cadet Activity Program and skills to participants while we (CAP) that will be delivered locally wait with anticipation to get our Ca- March 15-19, 2021. CAP consists dets from West Rouge/Centennial/ of day activities with no overnight Highland Creek communities back component while still following CO- outdoors. VID-19 measures. Programs are also The start of the pandemic resulted planned for next summer. in the cancellation of a long anticipat- QOR Cadets will commence a ed March Break trip to the Warplane new virtual program starting in Janu- The Remembrance Day service at Tony Stacey Centre was cancelled so the 2nd Highland Creek Scouts Heritage Museum in Hamilton, and ary, and participation in this program painted rocks for the residents. Fort George in Niagara. Leveraging will make you eligible for CAP. Halloween scavenger hunt with their the skills of the Canadian Forces who For more information, please By Tracy Forsyth families throughout their neighbour- support the Cadet program, Cadets check in at www.qorcadets.ca, check hood, finding 31 Halloween objects. pivoted and for summer 2020 ran a us out on social media, or email us at For over 20 years the 2nd Highland (See photos on our Facebook page.) virtual Cadet Training Centre with [email protected] Creek Cubs have attended the Re- The Cubs will be back out in the more than 6,000 participants. membrance Day service at the Tony neighbourhood with their families This fall, QOR Cadets com- Stacey Centre for Veterans Care. This looking for Christmas/holiday deco- menced their own virtual training year the service was cancelled, so the rations. They will also be painting using Microsoft Teams, providing Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Scout- ers painted rocks to give to the resi- ceramic tree decorations while having dents to let them know we care and a Zoom visit from Crock A Doodle remember even though we couldn’t staff (Pickering) to assist and give the be together to observe the day of Re- Cubs tips and hints on how to paint membrance. their item. We thank Crock A Doodle We continue to have virtual meet- for their support. ings through Zoom. Beavers painted While we continue the online vir- ceramic pumpkins and the pumpkins tual meetings, we will share pictures were included in the East Scarborough on our Facebook page – 2nd High- Virtual Pumpkin Parade. The Beavers land Creek Scouting Group – and are also learning and sharing about Su- hope to have in-person meetings QOR Cadets transit between two training sessions at CFB Borden, pre-COVID. Top: The Commanding per (Community) Heroes to receive soon. Officer presents local resident Warrant Officer Bridge with his new rank after completion of his Star their personal achievement badge. Season’s greetings from the 2nd Level prerequisites. The Cubs enjoyed a self-guided Highland Creek Scouting Group. 18 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10

Thank you to our advertisers

The CCRA Centennial News is extremely grateful to all our advertisers for keeping this paper going. We know it’s been a tough year for businesses and we wish you all the best in 2021!

The Heather Lemieux Group Husband for Hire Home Improvements Sophia Tan, RE/MAX Rouge The Singing Painter Jill’s Team, Royal LePage Lakeside Tree Service Jean Skapura Team, Royal LePage Gaile Is Here Now House Cleaning Team Deen, Century 21 416 282 4579 Lawn Wizard Kathi Cookston, Property Maintenance National Team Realty Flowers in West Hill Cameron’s Property Dr. George Trigilidas, 4518 Kingston Rd. Maintenance Scarborough, ON M1E 2N8 Port Union Dental Care Larry, General Maintenance 416 282 4579 By The Lake Dental [email protected] www.flowersinwesthill.com Flowers in West Hill Dr. Joseph Tabri, Dentist Crossley Aquatics Grandview Dental MPP Vijay Thanigasalam Tatham, Pearson LLP Barristers & Solicitors MP Gary Anandasangaree Hills, Salah LLP Councillor Jennifer McKelvie Barristers & Solicitors Alyson (Aly) Buckingham, Guildwood Physiotherapy Royal LePage Metro Optical Vincent Painting & Decorating Expedia Cruises West Hill Baseball League Agincourt Hyundai West Rouge Basketball In the Spirit Yoga Green Art Landscape Design The Clay Emporium Brenda Slichter, Classic Fireplace Personal Services JSC Home Improvements ADS The dealine for January 2021 advertising submissions is the 10th of December 2020.

Email Zinta Erdmanis at: [email protected] or ccranews.com/advertising.html. www.ccranews.com Voice of the Community since 1949 19 Membership Welcome to the CCRA family!

By Denise Bacon Thank you to the CCRA 2020 Membership Form hundreds of residents It’s easy to join or renew your membership. Complete this form, then mail or drop off with your annual household fee of $15. and neighbours who To join online, go to www.ccranews.com and select Join CCRA to pay with credit card or PayPal. joined CCRA in 2020! Many residents have Name______already paid their membership fees for Address______Postal Code______2021 and 2022 and a special thank you goes Phone______Email (for e-news only)______out to them, too. A number of residents joined CCRA for the first time ever in November and a Check all applicable boxes: warm welcome goes out to them. Welcome to I would like to join or renew my annual CCRA membership. I enclose payment for: o $15 (1 year) o $30 (2 years) the CCRA family! o I support the work of CCRA & have added my donation for $ ______. Total amount enclosed is $ ______Membership in CCRA is valuable. As a start, o I am interested in distributing newsletters in the Centennial community (10 issues per year). Please contact me. it gives members a real sense of belonging and o I am interested in volunteering at CCRA events. Please contact me. ownership in our beautiful community. We care o I would like my business listed in the Business Directory on ccranews.com. Please contact me with more information. for each other as can be seen through some of the stories published through the year in Mail with cheque payable to: OR Drop off at the main office in the this paper. We meet each other at community CCRA Port Union Community Centre. events, except for this crazy year, of course. We Port Union Community Centre 5450 Lawrence Ave. East sponsor worthwhile efforts and we advocate to Scarborough ON M1C 3B2 keep our community safe. CCRA will resume its membership appeal in the new year. Winners of the special random prize draws from among residents who purchased mem- berships in November will be made in the first week of December. Watch for the names of winners and their prizes in an upcoming CCRA email newsletter or in the January 2021 issue of Centennial News. Have a very happy and safe holiday season!

Denise Email: [email protected]

Distribution Thanks for going above and beyond! As I sit down to write this report, I am very conscious of the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect it has had on our community. We are all constantly juggling the health- related restrictions with trying to keep life as normal as possible. Many people have already put up their Christmas lights and some of the house decorations are truly spectacular. During these long dark winter nights, I love walking around the neighbourhood. The bright and beautiful Christmas lights lift my spirit. As the year 2020 draws to a close, I want to THANK the entire distribution team for going above and beyond during this difficult year. Together we have delivered the monthly CCRA Centennial News to over 4,800 individuals and businesses in our community. We couldn’t have done it without you. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year! Happy Holidays!

Stay Safe. Wanda Email: [email protected] 20 CCRA CENTENNIAL NEWS DECEMBER 2020 Vol 05, No. 10 Preparing for Winter

Two white-tailed deer gaze out over the Highland Creek Ravine. If you look closely, you’ll notice that both of them are bucks. Photo credit: Michael McCabe

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