Back, Brick Works

THE EAST TORONTO INSIDEINSIDE Powerful Election Polaroids Preview PAGE 8 OBSERVER PAGES 3, 4, 5 Friday • October 1 • 2010 PUBLISHED BY CENTENNIAL COLLEGE JOURNALISM STUDENTS AND SERVING EAST YORK Volume 40 • No. 7 Mixed reviews as Kennedy rejoins school board fray By CHRIS HIGGINS guilty of conflict of interest is The race to represent Ward not a small matter.... This is just 11 on Toronto’s Catholic school outrageous that she would think board has heated up with the that she deserves a vote and to last-minute entry of former say she’s not running and to run trustee Angela Kennedy. again and then to put in the ap- In a dramatic reversal of her peal.” previous decision not to run, One of Kennedy’s rivals for Kennedy filed her candidacy pa- the Ward 11 trustee seat agrees. pers on deadline day, Sept. 10. Kevin Morrison says this is a Kennedy had been a trustee critical election for the TCDSB with the Toronto Catholic Dis- and Kennedy’s decision to run trict School Board for 10 years, could further erode public per- but was found to be in violation ceptions of the board’s credibil- of conflict-of-interest rules and ity. was removed as trustee by a “People are so incredibly an- court order in August. gry,” he said. “I have been can- Kennedy has children work- vassing in parishes that have Observer, Reinisa MacLeod ing for the TCDSB and the judge traditionally been strongholds FLAMBOYANT FEATHERS: Miranda Allen, a performer with Clay & Paper Theatre, dances on found she voted on budget mat- of Angela’s.... The tide of pub- stilts during the grand opening of the Evergreen Brick Works. Members of the troupe danced their ters that could affect them. lic opinion has turned against way around the refurbished facility — the old Don Valley Brick Works site on Bayview Avenue near But Kennedy is appealing the us. The single school advocates Pottery Road. court’s decisions, including the don’t need any more ammuni- order to vacate her seat. And the tion, and that’s what she’s giv- judge didn’t prohibit Kennedy ing them.” from running again. Ryan Ward, another Ward 11 Welcome back, Brick Works “I had a couple of weeks to candidate, intends to make Ken- think about the judge’s deci- nedy’s candidacy a factor in the By REINISA MACLEOD and community events such as “That really wonderful pro- sion,” she said in an interview. campaign leading up to the Oct. The air buzzed with excite- yoga and a skating rink in the cess of exploration that a few “She said I wasn’t prohibited 25 election. ment as Toronto’s Brick Works winter. Innovation is the theme. people who are quite bold were from running.” “This will absolutely be an is- re-opened in a celebration last “That’s what it’s supposed to able to do, now anybody can do,” “I have nothing to be ashamed sue,” he said. “It is critical that weekend. be about... for people to come he said. “We have not touched, about so I’m going to let the vot- the person who serves Ward 11 The opening, featuring a rib- and innovate, no matter how literally, not touched the vast ers decide what my future will exhibits the conduct that stu- bon cutting Saturday and a mul- they think innovation should be majority of the inside, so you can be.” dents, parents, teachers, school ticultural festival Sunday, left a done,” Dark said. still see the brick kilns, still see The TCDSB has had a trou- workers and Catholics from the feeling of optimism and excite- Hilary Inwood has been com- all the bits and pieces.” bled last few years. It remains ward expect.” ment for those in attendance. ing to the site with her family for Although revitalization of the under provincial supervision Kennedy has a long record George Dark, chairman of the five years. Travelling from High buildings isn’t finished, Ever- because of budget mismanage- of service to the Catholic com- board for the Evergreen Brick Park, Inwood eagerly anticipat- green has moved in and started ment; trustees have been in- munity — a point the judge ac- Works for seven years, hopes to ed the opening. working on implementing a vari- volved in expense account scan- knowledged in her final report. showcase the age and history of “I think it’s a really excit- ety of different programs. dals and, most recently, conflict- In spite of the trust issues the buildings as well as newer ing event and I’m thrilled that Al Yoshiki has volunteered of-interest convictions against surrounding the board and her aspects of the project. Toronto is welcoming a new with the Evergreen Brick Works Kennedy and fellow trustee candidacy, Kennedy rejects the “We have new roofs, we have environmental community cen- for four years and is looking for- Barbara Poplawski. criticisms of her tenure and in- stabilized pieces of wall. We’re tre,” she said. “It’s a great way ward to the new programs. Kennedy’s choice to run disap- sists voters will appreciate her trying to get the juxtaposition of to maintain the heritage of the “I’m really excited for the win- points Murielle Boudreau of the past work as a trustee when old and new very apparent be- site, but also bring something ter because most times, the build- Greater Toronto Catholic Par- they go to the polls. cause we want people to see both new to it.” ings were pretty much hands off, ent Network. “I’ve always been there for my simultaneously,” he said. Dark hopes to make the build- but now there is just so much ac- “We are just appalled by this,” schools, my students, my princi- The project also includes en- ings accessible to all age groups tivity,” he said. Boudreau said. “Being found pals and my parents,” she said. vironmentally friendly aspects for exploration. See GREEN, page 2 Suitcase packed for Ootes: Ward 29 councillor retires By LAURA GRANDE municipalities into the new City of Case Ootes can remember the exact Toronto in 1998 as the toughest moment moment when his career trajectory of his career. changed from business to politics. “There were problems... with the union “In 1988, I was sitting on the sidewalk, contracts, between pensions, between watching the Canada Day parade and all the other benefits that had to be then-mayor Dave Johnson drove by in harmonized,” he said, “and the end result his open convertible and yelled out that was that we were in constant conflict with he wanted to see me,” Ootes recalled. “He the province.” asked me to run for council because there Ootes’ personal career highlight, was a vacancy coming up.” however, was the six years he spent as With an MBA from York University, deputy mayor. Ootes was employed in a management “(When) we had the SARS crisis and the position with Imperial Oil, Canada’s blackout, I took a leading role in terms of largest petroleum company. That summer working with (then-mayor Mel Lastman),” day in 1988, however, set in motion a 22- he explained. “The mayor wasn’t very good year career in the political forum. at dealing with the media, so that role fell Ootes, 68, announced back in January to me which was... very satisfying to be Observer, Nastasha Alli that he would be retiring from politics. able to play a leading role in dealing with COMRADES-IN-ARMS: Former Ontario Conservative premier Mike Harris Like any politician, the former councillor it in a way that was positive.” (left) and former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman (centre) joined outgoing East for Ward 29/Toronto-Danforth admits Overall, Ootes felt he and Lastman York councillor Case Ootes at his retirement dinner on Monday night at the that he ran into difficulties time and balanced one another well in a delicate York Reception Centre on Millwood Road. The three worked together on the again. He cites the locally unpopular situation. implementation of the “megacity” — overcoming its unpopularity in East York. amalgamation of East York and other See RELATIONSHIP, page 7 Page 2 — East York’s Observer, October 1, 2010 Police briefs Houses burglarized A Toronto man was charged with 41 offences on Sept. 16, following a three- month investigation by Toronto police into a spate of break and enters in the East York area. Police at 54 Division think a persistent burglar specifically targeted single-family homes and entered the residences during daytime hours. The charges against Drew John Kerr, 40, include 17 counts of break and enter, causing mischief under $5,000, three counts of possession of stolen property and 17 counts of failing to comply with probation terms. Stained glass stolen Four large stained-glass windows have been stolen from a home that once belonged to a prominent 19th-century East York businessman. Toronto police Const. Dave Besco, the lead investigator, says the six-foot-tall Renaissance-style windows were in the front room of the John F. Taylor House, at the corner of Broadview Avenue and O’Connor Drive. Taylor, who built the house in 1890, also founded the Don Valley Brick Works with his brothers. —Laura Grande and Tamara Baluja Observer, Leticia Rodriguez HISTORY IN GRAFFITI: Evergreen plans to keep graffiti done by ravers and merge it with new paintings of former employees of the Don Valley Brick Works. What’s On Green future for Brick Works Junior citizen award Nominations are open for the 2010 By LETICIA RODRIGUEZ her hand.

Load more