ww The East York HOCKEY HERO n Ian Shaw was East York’s OBSERVER own Mr. Hockey Page 4 Serving our community since 1972 Vol. 45, No. 12 www.torontoobserver.ca Friday, Dec. 9, 2016 Think traffic on local streets is bad now? East York councillor warns it will get a lot worse if proposed tolls get the nod By BIANCA QUIJANO The Observer Mayor John Tory’s endorsement of a toll for motorists on the Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner Express- way has garnered both applause and criticism. That being said, East York residents may have their own cause for concern. Councillor Janet Davis of Ward 31/ Beaches-East York thinks the tolls will result in a significant amount of traffic leaving the highways and entering East Melisha Ratnarajah /// The Observer York streets. “There will be a 12-per-cent diver- Getting ready for some wild weather sion into local streets from the DVP and nine per cent from the Gardiner Dash McGorman (bottom) and Leo O’Reilly put their all into hosting the Wild Weather Exhibition at the Ontario Expressway,” she said. Science Centre. The exhibit is open until Jan. 8. According to Davis, these estimates were presented in a report provided by Toronto city staff. It gave no further information about the impact of tolls on local roadways, she said. Councillor Jon Burnside of Ward 26/ Man shot to death on Donlands Don Valley West has his own mixed reaction to the toll proposal. He agreed Bystanders claim that traffic may be lessened on the Wednesday incident highways, but the tolls may well serve as an incentive for people to use local increasingly typical sidestreets. Overall, he said, there may be little improvement in traffic woes. By EVANGELO SIPSAS “Anyone who says this will lessen The Observer congestion is talking out of both sides of their mouth,” Burnside said. A man is dead after being shot in He added that the tolls will not neces- East York late Wednesday night. sarily encourage use of public transit. The shooting occurred at about The proposed tolls could raise $166 10 p.m. on Wednedsday, on Don- million per year in revenue and help pay lands Avenue north of Plains Road. for $33 billion of unfunded infrastruc- The victim, who has been iden- ture projects, including new transit like tified as 46-year-old Adrian Ka- Smart Track and the downtown relief loshi of York Region, was leav- line. They could also lessen highway ing a social club at 393 Donlands traffic — and therefore commuting Ave. Police and paramedics at the time, by two to eight minutes. scene said another man apparent- But the Canadian Taxpayers Federa- ly approached the victim outside tion said in a news release that the polls and shot him in the head. He was will cause “gridlock” in nearby streets. Evangelo Sipsas /// The Observer rushed to a nearby trauma cen- It has launched an online petition to tre, but succumbed to his injuries Paramedics and firefighters load a stretcher holding Adrian Kaloshi into an ambu- stop the motion. shortly after. lance, after he was shot on Donlands Avenue late Wednesday night. He later died. “There will be further reports on traf- Published reports say Kaloshi fic impact in the new year,” Davis says. was known to police. One who claimed to be a res- machete chased another down the neighbourhood. Two weeks ago, The tolls must be approved by the Witnesses at the scene told the ident of the neighbourhood but street. a nearby convenience store was province. The City of Toronto Act, Observer they saw the man falling, who didn’t want to be identified But police said the social club robbed at knifepoint. which prevents the municipality from but did not hear any gunshots. said “yelling and screaming” hap- where they were called on Wednes- The police are searching for vid- maintaining a toll highway, must be Concerned bystanders said this pen “all the time” nearby. A second day has never been an issue. eo footage from nearby stores and amended in order for the project to go was not the first time such an in- bystander described another occa- Still, the bystanders said they’re they’re encouraging anyone with through. cident has occurred in the vicinity. sion when one man armed with a familiar with street crime in the information to come forward. 2 NEWS The East York Observer /// Friday, Dec. 9, 2016 POLICE & Commuters want better service WHAT’S FIRE By KRYSTAL REYNOLDS UP IN E.Y. The Observer Subway assault East York community activist Jus- A Christmas A man is now tin Van Dette faced a challenge from a facing charges of neighbour last month. A fellow commuter Carol reading criminal harass- standing with him at a TTC bus stop won- Come by the Cos- ment, attempted dered when the next bus would arrive. burn Arts Centre sexual assault, car- “I can’t understand why it takes so long at 1108 Green- rying a concealed for the TTC to print out schedules that are wood Ave. to hear weapon and two online,” Van Dette said. “People are tired a dramatic reading counts of assault of paying more and seeing less in return.” of the Charles following a Nov. 9 Discontent among some East Yorkers Dickens Christmas incident around about TTC schedules and on-going traffic classic, which is the Victoria Park congestion seems to be growing. So on being presented subway station. A Saturday, a group of them, spearheaded by by The Community woman at the sta- Van Dette, congregated in the parking lot Krystal Reynolds /// The Observer Art Time Studio tion complained to of a local drugstore at Woodbine Avenue East York activist Justin Van Dette (centre) and other TTC riders and Capricorn 9 police that she was and O’Connor Drive to discuss bus sched- rallied on Saturday to express their discontent with local transit. Productions. The followed by a man ules and poor traffic light timing. readings are to- who then attempt- Among other issues, with the winter TTC bus stops,” countered Stuart Green, for specific days. night, Dec. 9, at 8 ed to kiss her. season arriving, Van Dette said he has a TTC spokesperson. “Instead, we are en- Van Dette said the TTC has been unre- p.m. and tomorrow When she resisted, concerns for commuters standing in bus couraging our customers to use ttc.ca or sponsive to his emails in recent months. at 1:30 and 8 p.m. she was further as- shelters in the cold weather. He couldn’t one of the numerous third-party mobile “As the past president of a communi- Afternoon tickets saulted. Charged is understand why the TTC has not made apps available.” ty association, (I) have (received writ- are $10. Evening Muhunthan Cham- bus schedules more available. He said the TTC is attempting to cut ten complains) several times in recent tickets are $15.For basivam, 32. “They are playing with people’s lives down on paper copy and clutter on street months,” he said. “That’s 150 pages worth more information, that rely on transit every day,” he said. poles. He suggested those customers with- of emails.” call 416-421-5711 “We are no longer updating Infopost out wireless technology could call TTC n See RESIDENT, page 8 or email online@ (schedules and route maps on posts) at the customer information for route schedules EventBrite.ca. Last call may soon be later in East York Connect with the hotspot By DANIEL McKENZIE The Observer The community is invited to the third n SIRBU The reaction among stalwarts of the annual Cultural Danforth’s late-night scene is mixed, as Hotspot Connect. Man missing a city committee looks into the potential Come to Commu- Toronto police benefits of extending bar hours beyond 2 nity Centre 55 at are searching for a.m. 97 Main St. on a man reported The Toronto Music Advisory Council, Thursday, Jan. 5 missing on Nov. which consists of city councillors, music from 6 to 8 p.m 27. Giuliano Sir- industry professionals and artists, recent- for information bu, 23, was last ly presented its case for the change to the about the 2017 seen in the Dawes Economic Development Committee. Cultural Hotspot. Road-Park Vista Norm Kelly, a city councillor and vice- From May to area at around chair of the development committee, said October 2017, 9 p.m. the day the focus revolves around studying what is the East York before. He was known as the “night economy” of Toronto. community will wearing a black “Frankly, I had never heard of the con- feature arts and T-shirt, blue jeans cept before… but it’s intriguing,” he said. culture activities and blue running “We are emerging as one of the premiere and events and shoes. He is de- cities of the world and the arts and cultur- Toronto Arts and scribed as 5’10”, al segment of the economy seems to be Culture wants to with brown eyes hear your ideas. growing very rapidly… so when a group Photo courtesy of David Goodfellow and short black appeared before committee to discuss the A light dinner will Julian Taylor performs regularly at local venues like Dora Keogh hair. Anyone with night economy, I thought it was worth tak- also be provided. information is ing a look at.” on Danforth Avenue. Those who plan asked to call po- Kelly mentioned New York City as an to attend are lice at 416-808- example of how a night economy can help doesn’t expect it to put any more money in “Some people cannot even compre- asked to RSVP at 5400.