Tenants Worry About Post-Fire Waivers' Intent
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TargetingTargeting THE EAST TORONTO dropoutsdropouts INSIDEINSIDE Campaign PAGE 8 crazy OBSERVER PAGES 4, 5, 6 Friday • April 22 • 2011 PUBLISHEDPUBLISHED FOR THE BY COMMUNITY CENTENNIAL OF COLLEGE EAST YORK JOURNALISM BY THE JOURNALISM STUDENTS STUDENTSAND SERVING OF CENTENNIALEAST YORK COLLEGE Volume 41 • No. 6 Tenants worry about post-fire waivers’ intent By SCOTT REID Two months after a fire at 80 Cosburn Ave. damaged the apartment building’s electrical system and forced about 200 tenants out, several remain homeless. And there’s a debate between some of them and the building managers about whether man- agement is trying to get them to surrender their rights in the wake of the fire by signing waivers. Observer, Alexandra Ward Janis Miller Dininio, who AFTER THE FIRE: Some resi- lived in the building along with dents of 80 Cosburn are still her husband, said the waiver homeless. that they and others have been presented with does not have to do so,” Roth said. “In that their best interests in mind. case, we’re asking that tenants “We spoke to a lawyer to get sign a release since they are es- some legal advice,” and she said sentially breaking a contract. their counsel questioned the Otherwise, nobody is under any waivers’ propriety. obligation to do so.” “The waivers essentially say But Dininio said she and her that the building management husband had to get their insur- isn’t responsible for the fire and ance company to go to bat for forces people who live here to them with building manage- sacrifice their tenant rights.” ment just to retrieve their be- But Dan Roth, a spokesper- longings from the apartment. son for the building managers, She suggested that other ten- Brown Management Services, ants — some of them recent im- argues that the criticism repre- migrants without renters’ insur- sents a misinterpretation of the ance — have been led to believe waivers. He said they’re stan- they have to sign waivers mere- Observer, Matilda Miranda dard forms and tenant rights ly to get their possessions out. TINY DANCER: Shammi Panvin and her six-year-old daughter, Rayna Rakib, take a breather are not being violated. “From what we’ve seen, it’s after Rayna performed a Bengali dance for their new year’s celebrations. See story on page 8. “The tenants are in no way mostly people who are new to being forced to sign waivers,” he the country without insurance, said. “The only people that are who maybe don’t have a good Silent auction serves E.Y. tennis being asked to sign any paper- understanding of the law, that work, and it’s only a small mi- are signing,” she said. By NICK PESCOD his uncle is a longstanding sup- stage where they can’t compete nority of the tenants, are those But Roth denied that anyone Ontario Tennis Association porter of junior tennis. anymore because of financial who are attempting to get out of had been misled. supporter and local business- “Gus is a very selfless man,” problems.” their tenant leases.” “It’s their property,” he said of man Gus Morhart has donated he said. “He gives everything he He often drives kids to practic- Roth explained that under the tenants and any belongings over 200 pieces of artwork from has.” es and tournaments across the their leases, tenants are obligat- they still have in their apart- his personal collection to a silent Morhart has been involved city, province and country. ed to give 60 days notice prior ments. “They can get in when- auction benefiting junior tennis with the Ontario Tennis Associ- Canadian professional ten- to stopping rent payments and ever they want.” in the province. ation for over 30 years and was nis player Frank Dancevic re- leaving. He said that, follow- The Observer reporter working The silent auction runs until once a junior tennis developer at calls how tough it was to get ing the fire, some want to break this story was asked to leave 80 the end of April at Studio 51 De- Thorncliffe Park. around to tournaments and said their leases with shorter notice. Cosburn by building staff, who sign Art Gallery, 51 Laird Dr. “There are lots of kids who Morhart’s support is huge. “In this instance, the landlord said only tenants and individuals Morhart’s nephew and founder are really great tennis players,” “He tries to help out any way has agreed to allow tenants who approved by the building man- of Studio 51, Rob Blaskovic, said Morhart said. “But they get to a he can,” Dancevic said. want to break their lease early agement are permitted access. Church’s centennial year marks progress and change By ALIMA HOTAKIE To celebrate its centennial last mission (the church), you had A framed sheet of music with weekend, the church organized to conform to their dress code, notes created from leaves and an open house, a singing event which was very conservative,” maple keys rests against a and a potluck. he said. “If they (women) put a large, round window inside the This summer, church mem- coat on and were going down- Danforth Mennonite Church, at bers can also take part in activi- town, they would have to wear a 2174 Danforth Ave. The song O ties involving the number 100. bonnet over their head.” God, Our Help in Ages Past sym- Activities include planting 100 But he said men had the op- bolically parallels the church’s trees and cycling 100 kilome- tion of wearing more liberal at- 100-year anniversary. ters. tire that included no tie and a For Pastor Tim Reimer, trees In the last 10 decades, the relaxed or open collar. symbolize longevity and contin- church has seen many changes. Besides the changes in dress, uation. Member Bill Bryson has been more pertinent evolutions in- “It’s a song of how God helped exploring its history for the past clude the changing role of us over 100 years, but the inter- 25 years. He has collected and women and the church’s ethnic esting thing is that the song is scanned archival material from makeup. created with seeds of trees,” he Toronto’s Mennonite commu- “One hundred years ago, the said. “You know trees can grow nity, as well as the Mennonite Mennonites would never have to live another 100 years.” College at Waterloo University. had a woman leading a church, Observer, Alima Hotakie The church has been an inte- One change Bryson observed is but today we don’t have a hier- SISTER ACT: Sisters Elizabeth Groh Rudy and Cora Groh gral and active part of the East the dress code. archy,” Reimer said. proudly hold the farewell gift their father, Harold Groh, received York community since 1911. “If you wanted to join the See CENTURY, page 7 as an early pastor of the Danforth Mennonite Church. Page 2 — East York’s Observer, April 22, 2011 Police briefs East Yorker badly beaten Police have identified a suspect in connection with a kidnapping that took place on Feb. 17 in East York. According to police, six men abducted a man from a building in the Thorncliffe Park Drive area. The man’s hands were tied behind his back and he was severely beaten. The suspects took the victim’s cell phone and cash and then took him to the Flemingdon Park area, where he was assaulted further, police said. The victim managed to escape and was taken to a hospital with Observer, Janet Piercey serious but non-life-threatening injuries. HOSPITAL IN BLOOM: The reception room at Toronto East General Hospital now displays a mural dedicated Last month, the police charged a man in connection with the to former East York Mayor Willis Blair. incident. Police are currently searching for a second suspect, Hamsa Ibrahim. He is described as a 26-year-old black male, six feet tall Hospital mural pays tribute and weighing 170 pounds. Phone call leads to arrest to former East York mayor Police credit an anonymous caller for assistance in a massive drug bust. By FARHANA UDDIN “Willis has a 50-year history staunch supporter of the hospital The call initially led police to a parking lot and later to a home Patients and visitors will now of working on behalf of Toronto and gave his own financial sup- in the East York area, where over $500,000 in cash and drugs were have something other than old, East General,” Werry said. “He port.” seized. dog-eared magazines to look at served for many years on the “He’s not a young man any- The caller notified police about “suspicious activity” in a parking as they wait in the reception area board of the TEGH Foundation.” more,” Redway said. “He could lot in the Woodbine Avenue and Hwy. 7 area. of Toronto East General Hospital Doctors and representatives get on his feet, but at times he There, police say, they observed a man for several hours while he (TEGH). from the hospital gathered re- needed help getting around the made transactions with different people. The man was arrested on The TEGH Foundation has cently for the unveiling of Blair’s ceremony. Still, he managed to March 25. dedicated the waiting room to plaque and mural. give a nice speech. His closing The following day, police raided a home on West Lynn Avenue Willis Blair, who served as East Blair himself made an appear- comment was, ‘I always think in the Danforth-Woodbine neighbourhood and seized $120,000 York’s mayor from 1973 to 1975. ance, and he wasn’t the only for- about what the hospital needs and drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, Oxycontin, The hospital’s reception area for mer East York mayor in atten- and I believe we should give marijuana and steroids, with a total street value of over $310,000.