The Jewish Folk Choir Photographed in 1927

Palmerston Area Residentsʼ Association Serving the Palmerston/Little Italy Neighbourhood

Celebrating the Unveiling of 8 NEW Laneway Names

June 23, 2019 m 3 to 5 p.m. LANE 1 I T ’S TIME TO C ELEBRATE ! Our lane names have been approved We are delighted to welcome family Morley Safer Lane by the City and we are ready for a members of some of those being neighbourhood celebration! honoured and that are present to share orley Safer (1931-2016), one of North America’s best known and most widely M admired television journalists, grew up on Manning Avenue between College Thank you for joining us to learn more their memories. There is music, too, and Harbord. His father, Max, was an upholsterer by trade who, like so many others including a ﬁ nale with members of the in the PARA community at the time, had immigrated to Toronto from central Europe about the stories behind the names in the early years of the 20th century. The family settled on Manning Avenue, living as we conduct a walk-around on Jewish Folk Choir reuniting to sing there throughout the Depression and World War II. Together with his siblings Leon Sunday, June 23, 2019. some of their beloved songs. and Esther, Morley attended Clinton Street Public School, graduating from Grade 8 in 1946. From there he went on to Harbord Collegiate and, brie y, University of Western Ontario, before getting his rst job as a journalist and then travelling the world as a Morley Safer (right) with actor foreign correspondent. Later, he moved to New York where for 46 years he was an on- Jack Lemmon air correspondent and anchor on the famous CBS Newsmagazine 60 Minutes: www. Congratulations are in order to the members of PARA’s cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-morley-safer-a-reporters-life/. laneway naming committee and volunteers: Katherine Childs, During all those years he preserved a strong connection to Toronto, remained a Canadian citizen, and visited reg- Frumie Diamond, Jennifer Deyell, Ronen Kleiman, Mary ularly. He had fond memories of his life growing up in the PARA neighbourhood and as a student at Clinton Street McKee, Fernanda Pisani, Anne Vellone, and Robert Vipond. School. In a reminiscence produced for Clinton’s 125th anniversary in 2013, Safer said: “Clinton served an ethnic With diligence and perseverance, this committee has seen the patchwork quilt of children of working class immigrants – Jewish, Ukrainian, Scots, Irish, English, Italian. Virtually all process through from name judging, developing submissions of the kids were rst generation Canadians. The teachers were, for the most part, severe but fair and even then we for approval by the City, and collecting the required petition had the feeling that their main priority was to give us a push up the social ladder, to give us the tools to succeed.” signatures. We are now unveiling eight laneway signs, It seems tting for the neighbourhood in which Morley Safer grew up to name the laneway in the block where adding depth and richness to our community’s history while he lived Morley Safer Lane. — Robert Vipond contributing to a safer neighbourhood;PARA LANEWAYS rst responders WALK will be able to pinpoint and respond to emergenciesJune 23 more2019 e ciently.

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6. Via Dei Giardini n ©Katherine Childs ©Katherine the island of St. Kitts, where he was a Police 7. Wayne and Shuster O cer. Posted to the neighbouring island of in those public spaces like recess and going home for lunch and after school. Those were the times I was confronted with 8. Jewish Folk Choir College St Antigua, he met Wyvonie (known as Yvonne, who then left to study nursing in England). racism. It was hard. There was a lot of name calling on the We have two laneways awaiting approval from the Toronto Seeking greater economic opportunity, they schoolyard.“ Through it all, though, the Huggins children and East York Community Council (TEYCC). These are laneways immigrated to Toronto and married here in found the strength (stoutly supported by their parents) to named for Eliza Balmer and Sam Richardson who were pro led 1957, and after several years as renters above a build lifelong friendships with the neighbouring kids and in the Spring 2019 newsletter. hardware store on Dundas near Spadina, they make their mark on the community as adults—as lmmakers, purchased their home on Clinton St. in 1966. lawyers, educators, and social activists. More information will be posted on the PARA website. Like many racialized people at the time, Naming Laneway no. 2 the Huggins Family Lane honours Huggins Family outing: Adonis, Arleen, Alison and Adonica, this remarkable family and their contribution to the John was prevented by racial discrimination (front row); and Wyvonie and John Huggins, (back row). Taken in from being hired as a Police O cer in Toronto, June 1969 in front of the Church of St. Stephen-in-the-Fields at College Palmerston area. Mrs. Huggins died November 26, 2015. She so (again like many of his fellow Caribbean & Bellevue, where the parents were married, all the children were lived in the house on Clinton up to three months before her Canadians) he ended up working as a porter baptized and con rmed, and John and Adonica (and her son Atiba) death, almost 50 years. — Robert Vipond continue to worship. on CN and then as a Service Manager on VIA

P age 2 • PARA LANE NAMING CELEBRATION JUNE 23 • 2019 PARA LANE NAMING CELEBRATION • P age 3 LANE 3 LANE 5

and canning a year’s worth of delicious Joe Bertucci Lane homemade tomato sauce. He kept an eye Beatrice Minden Lane out on that alley, keeping the teenagers in eatrice Minden, born Rifka Spiegel, is a Clinton School alumna who became a noted oe Bertucci moved from Italy to line and chatting with friends. philanthropist with a particular interest in the arts and education. On Clinton’s 100th anniversary, Little Italy in 1957, and lived rst Sadly, Joe died in May of 2015, and he B J she made a signi cant (initially anonymous) donation to the school art program, a donation that has on Jersey Avenue and then on Clinton is greatly missed by all. He epitomized to given thousands of children access to an enhanced visual-arts education. — Katherine Childs Street, where he and his wife raised three me all that I love about our community. daughters. (One of his daughters as well Although his life was what some might call as a grandson and his wife still live on “ordinary,” he was generous and kind, and the street). He was an employee of Oliva his spirit is still felt despite his absence. LANE 6 Shoe Store at College and Joe was friendly and helpful, and everyone Grace Streets. knew him to say hello. He helped forge Joe could always be found on his friendships between the new young porch in the warmer months. He always families and the long-time residents of the Via dei Giardini Lane: a Classic Toronto Immigrant Story delighted little children with cookies and street. He reminded us all what it was to be jokes and was always lending a hand, even before a good neighbour, and part of his legacy resides in all he Vellone, Decaria, Riz- families would gather together he was asked. Joe’s presence extended to the back those who knew him: we sit on our porches, help each T zuto, D’Addetta and Soldano in one of their garages and alley behind our houses. Every August, he and his other shovel the snow, and look out for each other. families emigrated to Canada in make homemade tomato family could be found boiling and mashing tomatoes, — Judith Librach the early 1960's from Southern sauce or roasted peppers to Italy and somehow miraculously preserve for the long Canadian ended up living next door to winters ahead. And, if you each other in the middle of Euclid were fortunate to befriend LANE 4 Avenue on the east side north of these families, they would College Street. Among them they invite you over to relax under had 18 children. They came here the grapevines to enjoy a Alan Borovoy Lane with very little, worked really hard glass of homemade wine or an and raised their families in their espresso. If you happened to new-found home. For carrying The Via dei Giardini women (above), peeling roast peppers see them making their sauce lan Borovoy’s name is synonymous with civil liberties on their Italian traditions, their in the garden; Mrs. Vittoria Vellone (centre). or preserves and you wanted Ain Canada. A erce advocate of the fundamental right backyards, (i loro giardini) and No. to learn, they welcomed you to free speech in a liberal society, Borovoy served as the 6 laneway, (la lena) was the closest thing they had to the as one of the family — as long as you got involved and general counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association villages and farmland they had left behind. Their gar- helped out — in turn creating lifelong friendships. (CCLA) for 40 years and led the CCLA through many of dens gave them the ability to carry out their small-town I have proposed that No. 6 Laneway be named Via dei the most important issues and events of the latter half customs right at their back doors. They continued this Giardini (Way of the Gardens) in honour of the ve wom- of the Twentieth Century – racism, the Cold War, and the tradition for over 45 years. en, their families, and the neighbours who gathered in wars on terrorism, hate speech, and pornography. As the Over the years there was much activity on No. 6 the No. 4 laneway: their garages, and backyards, to share back cover of his 2014 autobiography At the Barricades laneway — it was a private escape from the Canadian a slice of life…. Italian style! Let us honour them for the puts it: “This book recounts the life of an activist; always lifestyle that they had to learn to adapt to. In their back- love of their gardens and No. 6 laneway that over the principled and compassionate, usually controversial, often very funny, and never dull.” yards and laneway they could speak to each other in years bonded their families and neighbours for life and As Borovoy himself understood, much of his way of viewing the world came from his their native tongue and carry on as they did in their left an everlasting impact on this community. experience growing up as “a scrappy Jewish kid” on the east side of Grace Street, south hometowns. In a way, they re-created where they came International Canadian architect Jack Diamond says: of Harbord. That is where he encountered anti-Semitism, where he learned to question from. No. 6 laneway and “i nostri giardini” (our gardens) “Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods.” authority, and where he came to appreciate the importance of respect for diversity in its have a very special place in all our hearts. For us children, These 5 families made an impact in this community. I many forms. Borovoy was a true PARA resident. He attended Clinton Street Public School, it was the centre of our world. It was our playground, our hope that we can honour these ne women in a touch- Harbord Collegiate, and the University of Toronto, and in later years returned to the refuge, our centre of discovery and learning, and “our ing and beautiful way, so that their children, grandchil- neighbourhood to live so that he could be near the CCLA o ces at Spadina and Bloor. own little village” within this pocket of the city. dren and neighbours can always remember the special In recognition of his enormous contributions to the neighbourhood, to Toronto, and to From early May to October, the ve women would times we had in our “giardini,” and on this precious lane Canada, we propose naming the laneway behind Grace Street (Lane 4) after Alan Borovoy. spend their days tending their vegetable gardens and in Little Italy Toronto, behind Euclid Avenue, (east side, — Robert Vipond sharing their stories while keeping an eye on their north of College to Ulster St.) behind Palmerston Blvd. children playing in the laneways safe from the stream And best of all it’s still here, and so are “i giardini.”

ANNA VELLONE ANNA of cars along Euclid Avenue. Each September the ve — Anna Vellone (Mrs. Vittoria Vellone’s daughter)

P age 4 • PARA LANE NAMING CELEBRATION JUNE 23 • 2019 PARA LANE NAMING CELEBRATION • P age 5 LANE 7 LANE 8

Wayne and Shuster Lane Jewish Folk Choir Lane

ayne and Shuster are known as Canada’s most to Toronto in 1939, eeing Nazi Austria. It is here that Wfamous and beloved comedy duo. But before he met Feygl Freeman, an accomplished pianist who Johnny Wayne was Johnny Wayne he was Louis became the choir's accompanist. After marrying, Weingarten, the eldest of seven children in a family they moved to 388 Palmerston Avenue where that lived at 351 Palmerston Boulevard. (The house they resided for several decades. Their home on itself, midway between College and Ulster on the Palmerston became a vibrant hub for choir-related east side, has a storied history. Its previous owner activities. Tragically, Emil passed away in 1960, but before the Weingartens was Sam McBride, mayor of Feygl and their daughter Esther continued to live in Toronto.) Like so many other members of the Jewish the apartment. Esther later became a cellist with the community, Lou’s father had emigrated from Poland with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. in the early years of the 20th Century. He did well in Inspired by Gartner, the choir's challenging the textile business and moved to tony Palmerston repertoire included Yiddish folk songs and cantatas, Boulevard (from McCaul Street, closer to the Ward) just international songs (pioneering world music), as the Depression began. There classical works and newly commissioned choral the family remained through works from Canadian composers. They often the Depression and World War performed with the Toronto Symphony at Massey II. All the children, beginning Hall. Guest artists included singers from New York’s with Lou, went to Clinton Street Members of the Jewish Folk Choir photographed in 1927. Metropolitan Opera, the great Afro American singer, Public School, and most of them Paul Robeson, as well as Jan Pierce. Membership in (like Lou) went on to Harbord the choir came to include people of many di erent Collegiate. It was at Harbord he Jewish Folk Choir began in 1925 as the backgrounds. Collegiate that Lou met, and TFrayhayt Gezangs Fareyn (the Freedom Singing Feygl also organized the United Jewish People's began to do comedy with, Frank League.) For working-class choir members, many Order Folk Singers. In 1952 they, along with Shuster. The two continued on to of whom could not read music, the choir was the members of the New Dance Theatre, toured the the University of Toronto together, equivalent of a university, with equal access to country for 5 weeks, performing in union halls in and from there they developed education for women and men. Choir members small cities like Sudbury and in community halls in the literate, slapstick comedy became part of a strong community, living on remote prairie farm towns. routines we associate with Wayne these very streets in the PARA and surrounding For those people who lived on these streets and and Shuster. neighbourhoods. As part of the choir, one did not who sang with Emil and Feygl, active participation It is high time we celebrated just go to rehearsals — there were dances, concerts, in cultural life was not only personally rewarding the connection between Wayne Johnny Wayne (left) with Frank Shuster life long friends and comics dinners, lectures, romances — the works. but also inseparable from their activism to create a and Shuster and the PARA The choir became one of Toronto's foremost choirs better world. How inspiring to name a lane after this neighbourhood. Naming the laneway that runs behind during the 1940’s and 1950’s under the leadership of choir and keep their memory alive. — Ester Reiter Johnny Wayne’s childhood home on Palmerston its inspirational conductor, Emil Gartner. Emil came Boulevard Wayne and Shuster Lane is a tting way to mark their connection to our community. — Robert Vipond

P age 6 • PARA LANE NAMING CELEBRATION JUNE 23 • 2019 PARA LANE NAMING CELEBRATION • P age 7 PARA Palmerston Area Residentsʼ Association Serving the Palmerston/Little Italy Neighbourhood

ABOUT PARA (Palmerston Area Residents’ Association): PARA is a volunteer organization of residents committed to strengthening and preserving the stability, distinctive character and quality of life in the Toronto neighbourhood bounded by Bloor and College, Grace and Bathurst Streets.

PARA MISSION • To inform, educate and support our community on local issues • • To help develop a sense of belonging and enjoyment in a safe community • • To promote community betterment through active participation of residents • • To support the growth of PARA membership •

P age 8 • PARA LANE NAMING CELEBRATION PROGRAM DESIGN: FERNANDA PISANI; PHOTOS L. TO R.: ANNA VELLONE, KATHERINE CHILDS, ANNA VELLONE