Vol. 41 No. 1 January 2004 President's Update I trust you have had a good Christmas Season and enjoyed the break after
the stressful period leading up to it. Was it not all worth it to see the
faces of those we love open that gift or receive your greeting? Before we
forget it all, lets try to stretch this feeling out for a few more weeks this
year, through January. As we start this New Year, I am pleased to report that the finances of
the Markland Homes Association are in good shape, thanks to your continued
support. Just as important is the contact we, on the Board, have with each of
you during the collection of the membership fee. It is important for you to
see one of us and to be able to raise any question or concern you may have. It
is important for us to meet you, so we are in touch with any of those concerns
and to serve as a conduit to the rest of the Board. The overwhelming comment I
received was simply one of support and thanks, and that gives each of us the
energy to continue making sure the Markland community is being the best it can
be. One of the Markland community’s brightest days of the year is always
the Christmas Caravan, which was held on December 14th. According
to Martin Ross, Chair of the Caravan, it was the first in many years (maybe
ever) to have a snowstorm fall during it.
As it began to fall early on that Sunday morning, it really set the
mood for the day among the participants and made the appearance of our Caravan
picturesque. The snow made it a
slower haul in the morning segment as everyone slogged through the streets and
up to the houses in collecting the donations.
But spirits were high, we made good time in the afternoon and by the
end of the day the group had assembled close to 500 boxes of non-perishable
items. Between the snow, the
carrying of parcels and covering Markland by foot, it was a tiring but very
satisfactory day for all involved. It
was particularly gratifying to see the children waiting by their doors for
Santa to come by and to see many of our senior residents watching the Caravan
go by from their living room windows. I
strongly encourage you to take part in the next one or make it a family
outing. Thoughts of it will stay
with you for many days after.
Many of you have seen or heard that the Petro Canada service station at
Bloor and Mill is closing. Frank
Ingraldi, the franchisee of the station, informed me that the lease between
Petro Canada and the owner of the land is being terminated as of March 31st.
Apparently, Petro Canada decided it wanted out of the location.
It will use the time between January and the end of March to do a
clean-up of the property. For the
moment, the plans for the building on the site are not known.
We are in the process of contacting the owner of the land by way of a
letter to learn what plans there are for the future of the site.
As of this writing, there have been no plans or application filed with
the city. We will be keeping you
informed in the coming months as to what we learn.
We appreciate Frank’s support of the MHA over the years and we will
miss him and the service station. The MHA is working on several projects as we begin the new year among
which include a website and a community dialer. Anyone having some knowledge or interest in these areas is
invited to join those working on them. We
will be keeping you updated on these projects as they progress.
We look forward to the new year as it unfolds.
Wishing each of you the best for 2004 ! Patrick Clifford President, Markland Homes Association 2003-2004
Board of Directors EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT: Patrick Clifford, 8 The Green Pines 621-7695 VICE-PRESIDENT:
Tom Napier, 1 Markland Dr. 622-9630 SECRETARY:
Don Matheson, 30 Markwood Cr. 621-4291 TREASURER: Gerard Betsch, 14 Winsdale Road 620-4896 DIRECTORS Richard Boehnke, 67 Markland Dr. 621-5089 Brian Brennand, 2 Markland Dr.
622-8011 Bev Evans, 8 Winsdale Rd. 621-2153 Bo Lawrentiw, 110 Mill Rd, 622-9522 Graham Maguire, 2
Broadfield Dr. 620-4398 Diane
Mcleod, 15 Aymarn Crt. 622-2183 Associate Directors Stephen Blimkie, Helen Boehnke, Ian Sillars, Irene Sillars, Anne-Marie
Stoneburgh and Patti Thorne. Christmas
Caravan 2003 This had to have been the best Christmas Caravan in terms of weather.
We’ve had snow on the ground before, but never a small blizzard like we had
this year. This was going to be the best. Everyone eagerly arrived at the plaza enthusiastic and ready to go….
and on time, I might add. We left
promptly, ten minutes late, and turned on our new and improved sound system.
Traffic was stopped as we crossed Bloor St. and the collections began. People
flooded to the streets to enjoy the fresh snow as they heard our Caravan
nearby. Our Christmas carols were heralded loud and crystal clear as we came
down every street. The snow was getting heavier and heavier and the walking a
little bit harder. The Silverthorn C.I “Cara-Band” joined us again this
year. They would run ahead with their instruments to various street corners
and play for all to enjoy. However, it would become more and more difficult to
play with the freezing snow accumulating on their keys. The snow conditions put us an hour behind schedule, making our
mid-morning hot chocolate break closer to noon. It didn’t matter. This was a
day of days, full of cheer, rosy cheeks, wet clothes and warm hearts. We would
finish when the task was done and be better for it. Food donations were great this year, with close to 14,000 pounds of
food, a truckload of clothes and over $600 in cash. For 36 years our community
has shown remarkable generosity and support. Well done and thank you very
much. We would like to acknowledge the following for their contributions:
Every year, when the charities arrive to pick up their donations, they
are overwhelmed with the amount collected by our small community. Even if our
donations were half the size, we would still do it and be very proud, knowing
that we’ve helped a few. Thanks for your continued generosity and all the best for 2004. Martin Ross Christmas Caravan Chairman Important Contact Information: Councillor Doug Holyday, Ward 2 – Tel: 416-392-4002, Email: councillor_holyday@city.toronto.on.ca Donna Cansfield, MPP Etobicoke Centre – Tel: 416-695-1220,
Email: Donna_Cansfield-MPP-CO@ontla.ola.org Hon Allen Rock, MP Etobicoke Centre – Tel:
416-231 2301, Email: Rock.A@parl.gc.ca Parks - 416-394-8527 Street Lighting - 416-395-4448 Roads & Sidewalks - 416-394-8615 Traffic - 416-394-8453 Emergency Medical Services - 416-392-9833 Police - 416-808-2200 911 – For Real Emergencies! Toronto Department Web Site: http://www.toronto.ca/departments/ Down to Earth The 725 kilometre-long Niagara Escarpment began to take shape over
450 million years ago as the bed of a tropical sea. During the millions of years that followed, the sediments
were compressed into rock, mainly limestone and shale. The progressive action
of glaciers, water flows and the elements caused the more resilient limestone
to weather at different rates than the shale, resulting in the very dramatic
land forms that we see today: sea stacks, karst formation caves, deep valleys,
scenic waterfalls, rugged hills, and perhaps most remarkable, the spectacular
cliffs along the Niagara Escarpment itself. While at their icy peak, the surface of our area was at the bottom
of an ocean of ice with the land was pressed deep into the magma beneath us.
Ever so slowly, the western part of Ontario, from about Hamilton west to Lake
Huron and north to Georgian Bay in Ontario, returned close to its original
elevation, breaking free of its eastern section of earth and rising straight
up hundreds of feet ‑ like lifting a slice of cake up with a cake
server. This left the sediment
layers beneath the surface visible as cliffs hundreds of feet high in places.
This crack in the earth is called the Niagara Escarpment, and the
lowest point on it is the reason for the mighty falls at Niagara.
That's where all the water from the Great Lakes, other than Lake
Ontario, finds its way over the Escarpment.
About 12,000 years ago, the last of four grand glaciers which had
covered much of eastern North America, including southern Ontario, finally
melted, leaving the topography as we know it today. Today, the spectacular Niagara Escarpment encompasses farms,
recreation areas, sweeping scenic views, 1675 foot cliffs, clear streams,
wetlands, pebbled beaches, rolling hills, pristine waterfalls, wildlife
habitats, historic sites, villages, towns and cities. The Niagara Escarpment (www.escarpment.org)
is known as one of the world's most unique natural wonders ‑ a
masterpiece of living art that has been recognized as a UNESCO World (www.unesco.org/mab/wnbr.htm)
Biosphere Reserve, one of 12 in Canada. The Bruce Trail, Canada's oldest and longest footpath, runs along
the Niagara Escarpment from Niagara to Tobermory, spanning more than 800km of
main trail. It provides the only
free public access to the magnificent Niagara Escarpment. The Bruce Trail Association is a charitable, membership-based
volunteer organization, working to preserve public access to the Niagara
Escarpment, while restoring its natural habitat. A Board of Directors governs the BTA and volunteers from 9
Bruce Trail Clubs (www.brucetrail.org/aboutus.asp
are responsible for maintaining, stewarding and promoting the Trail.
The diverse natural landscape contains an incredible ecosystem
located in the heart of Canada's most densely populated region. In fact,
biologists have said that the Escarpment is the most diverse region in the
province. It is home to an outstanding assortment of flora and fauna
including: * 36 species of reptiles and amphibians * 53 species of mammals * 90 species of fish * more than 350 species of birds * Unusual plants abound, such as: the Walking Fern (this fern
spreads by way of above ground runners, giving the appearance that it is
walking). Despite the UNESCO designation and the Niagara Escarpment Plan,
currently 109 species are on the threatened or endangered list. The stature of the ancient Eastern White Cedars found along the
Escarpment bears little relationship to their age. A tree with circumference
of a few centimetres could be hundreds of years old. Fantastically, the 400 to
1000 year‑old trees can be found growing right out of the rock of the
Escarpment. These harsh living conditions dwarf the trees and limit their
growth and size. The stunted trees have uniquely adapted to their environment.
They survive the fierce cold that can occur along the edge of the Escarpment
and their tiny seeds can penetrate and grow even in the minute cracks in the
rock. Every year, 400,000 visits are made to the Trail as people walk,
cross country‑ski, snowshoe, watch wildlife, take photographs and admire
the glorious scenery of the Escarpment. By providing an opportunity to explore
the Escarpment, the Trail has helped increase awareness of the uniqueness and
rich diversity of this landform. The
Bruce Trail was instrumental in the Escarpment being named a UNESCO World
Biosphere Reserve in 1990 (www.unesco.org/mab/wnbr.htm). Today 47% of the Bruce Trail is secure and safe from development.
However, 53% of the Bruce Trail corridor is vulnerable. The Bruce Trail
Association is committed to securing the Trail in its entirety.
Deadline
for the February issue: Friday January 17th. Please note: All submissions for the Marklander should be sent to: Graham Maguire, 2 Broadfield Drive, 620-4398. If "lengthy", it helps if you send it as a Wordperfect or Word
document to my e-mail address: daffodil@pathcom.com. However, short notes
dropped in my post-box are fine! School News Millwood Junior School We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Our students and their
families most certainly did, considering all the excitement heard in the
halls, with “who got what” and “where I went”!
The Family Carol Sing was well attended the week before Christmas and
gave everyone the opportunity to share time with friends and family. The
school choir performed to everyone’s delight and the hot chocolate, provided
by the Home & School, was welcome on such a nippy night! Thanks to the
staff for serving hot chocolate to all those who attended! Another highlight of the season was the official visit of Santa Claus to
Millwood Junior School. The children from JK to Grade 3 had the opportunity to
visit and have their photo taken with Santa. Millwood Junior School has a history of generosity and helping those
less fortunate. Donations for the
food bank were collected at the Carol Sing and several classes adopted less
fortunate families for the holidays. They gathered food, clothing and made
purchases to make the families’ Christmas a bit cheerier! Operation
Christmas Child received just under 100 shoeboxes filled with gifts to be
distributed to children in underprivileged countries. The school continues to collect both postmarked stamps and used
eyeglasses. The stamps support the Seeing Eye Dog Program for the blind. We
thank Ms. Marian Henderson, a retired schoolteacher, for continuing to handle
this program beyond the walls of our school. The used eyeglasses are sent to
the Canadian Foundation for World Development, which helps underprivileged
people. We invite the community
to contribute to our efforts. These
items may be brought in and left with our terrific ladies in the front office,
Mrs. Marshall, Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Berketa. The students and staff of Millwood also celebrated our caretaking staff.
They let Mr. Colangelo and Mr. Kalinowski know that all their hard work does
not go unnoticed and that a clean school is very much appreciated. We welcomed back our principal, Keran McMullen, just before the
holidays, from sick leave. We were so happy to hear she was better. We are sad
to announce that as of Christmas, she has retired. Ms. McMullen had originally planned on retiring last June,
but with the vice-principal going on maternity leave, she chose to stay on
until Christmas to provide some continuity and stability at Millwood. As
parents, for this, we are very grateful. We thank her for her years of
dedication, service and for making our school such a great place!
We’d also like to wish her all the best in life beyond Millwood
Junior School. We welcome Theresa Caravetta as the new principal of Millwood Junior
School. Ms. Caravetta is an
experienced principal and is familiar with the Markland community.
She actually had a child attend Millwood years ago. Welcome back! On behalf of everyone at Millwood, we wish everyone a very happy,
healthy and prosperous New Year! Larissa Bayrachny Silverthorn Collegiate Institute
January is a time of stress Our homework pile is one big mess We’re trying so hard to get it all done But it’s hard to work, work, work and have no fun Exams are approaching very quickly There is no time to be sickly Too much food and not enough sleep And if we hear as much as a peep!!! When we’re trying to study There’s no time for buddies Because our final marks had better be high Otherwise our parents will hit the sky But soon the semester will come to an end A new beginning is around the bend Valerie
Foulkes Church
News
Bloordale United Church 4258 Bloor St. West. Etobicoke, Ontario, M9C 1Z7 621-1710 Morning
(10:30 a.m.) Services NEW
MINISTER FOR BLOORDALE UNITED CHURCH Rev. Stephen Iverson First Sunday - January 4 Who is the new kid on the block? Stephen Iverson, BA in History (Laurentian
University, Sudbury); M Div (Emmanuel College, U of T).
Most recently in the St. Thomas area, Reverend Iverson brings exciting skills in
preaching, youth work, music and much more to our community.
Stephen and his family have taken up residence in Markland. Come, meet and greet
your new neighbour. He'll be at Bloordale United Church on Sundays in the
new year! Junior/Youth
Choir The Junior/ Youth choir will be
taking a little hiatus for the months of January and February.
Keep looking here for details about rehearsals for the Spring
session" RENFORTH BAPTIST CHURCH 621-1990 PASTOR - Rev. Godfrey Green St.
James United Church
400 Burnhamthorpe Road, Etobicoke (Just west of 427 on the south side of Burnhamthorpe Road.)
622-4113 Celebration Service 9:00 a.m.(includes Sunday School) Traditional Service 10:30 a.m.(includes Sunday School, baby-sitting) Fellowship with tea or coffee after service The
Church of Christ the King 475 Rathburn Road, Etobicoke Just West of the 427 621-3630 M.M.P. 1st and 3rd Sunday Communion 2nd and 4th Sunday Gathering West: February 1: NEW TIME AT 4:00 p.m. February 2:
VESTRY at 7:30 p.m. Please plan to attend
Check out our website at: http://netcomsolutions-ont.com/Christ_King Rehoboth
Fellowship Christian Reformed Church 800 Burnhamthorpe Road (just east of Mill Rd.) Etobicoke
622-9647 Reverend John Tenyenhuis People and Places Volunteer Escorts
Required
WESBURN
MANOR, our new home for the aged at
Burnhamthorpe Road and West Mall requires Volunteer Escorts to assist
residents wishing to attend the Sunday Worship service at the home. If you are
able to help us from 2-4 p.m. please contact the Coordinator of Volunteer
Services at 416-394-3610. 401st
Scouts We would like to thank everyone for their support again as we sold out
of our Christmas trees in just two and a half weeks. Many of the same faces
have supported us over the years and we thank you for your continued support.
We were also very happy to see many new faces this year; we hope to see you
again next year. Our shipment of trees was fresh and full and all had no problems finding
homes. It was so enjoyable to see all the people come to the tree lot in cars,
wagons, by foot and sleighs. We will be back again next year and hope that you
will be too. Many thanks and Happy New Year! The Etobicoke Newcomers Club for Women
Are you new to the area?
Interested in making new friendships?
Join us on the first Tuesday of each month at Kingsway Lambton United
Church, 85 The Kingsway. The next meeting is on January
6th 2004 at 7:30 pm. The
club is a not for profit women’s social organization and is affiliated with
the National Newcomers’ Council of Canada.
Activities vary from bridge to book club, social gatherings and visits
to many Toronto exhibits. We have
several events for couples throughout the year. We are always open to new ideas and welcome the participation
of new members. For further information call Vi at (416) 237-0961. Parent and Tot Coffee Time
At Bloordale United Church, Room
13, on alternate Tuesday mornings between 9:15-11:15 a.m. Coffee is provided, but bring a snack for your little one (s). January 13
and 27. Make
a friend, bring a friend, be a friend. For more information, call Karen Miteff at 621-2293. CENTENNIAL
PARK SKATING CLUB This
is the 30th Anniversary of the Centennial Park Skating Club and we
will be hosting a 30th Anniversary Ice Show on May 1st.
Guest stars from our National team will be performing, as well as our own
members. Details to follow in future issues. Centennial Park Skating Club has
been in existence since 1974. We are a non-profit skating organization that
teaches various learn to skate programs for children ages 3 and up, teens and
adults. We have on staff 14 coaches, including freeskate and dance
specialists, as well as three adult male dance partners. Some of our coaches
have competed themselves at the national and international level, have been
part of Holiday on Ice around the world, have coached abroad or have been
Judges. Our programs fall under the auspices of Skate Canada. We offer Canskate
and Pre-Can classes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in the evenings and
Saturday afternoon. Our classes are designed so that siblings of different age
groups can be on the ice, learning at the same time, which makes life easier
for Moms and Dads. Junior/Intermediate/Senior skaters enjoy ice-time every day
of the week, except Sunday. We offer the Starskate test program for them.
Also, new this year, we have an off-ice program, in which our skaters learn to
jump, spin and strengthen their bodies for that all-important "artistic
presentation", when on the ice. We have an Adult and teen class on Wednesday, from 6:10 to 7:10 p.m. and
on Saturday, from 2:10 to 3:10 p.m. Our Saturday class has grown and has
become so popular, that we just had to add Wednesday to our repertoire.
Everyone learns to skate under FUN conditions, with apparatus, toys, music,
games and program assistants, who are children, 12 years of age or older, who
have gone through these programs themselves. We have many theme days and
socials during the year, such as Halloween, Christmas, Valentines and Easter.
We also have a recital at the end of the season. If you are interested in joining in the fun, while keeping fit, please
visit our office on the second floor of Centennial Arena, East Lounge, or
leave us a message at (416) 621-4439. Or
visit our website at www.centennialpark@homestead.com. Calling all high school students.
Need to build some community hours?
Do you know how to skate well? Why
not try our organization? We are
always looking for responsible persons to help out during our Pre-Can and
Canskate sessions. If you do not
skate there are other opportunities by which to help out.
Give us a call. 2004
Arts Etobicoke Benefit Concert for Arts Education
$15
from every ticket sold goes to arts education programs in your schools and
community. Give the Gift of Entertainment this Holiday Season! Mama Mia! It’s
Louise Pitre in Concert!
Silverthorn Auditorium 291 Mill Road Two Performances Only! February 29 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $45 and $35 Box Office: 416-622-8731 The celebrated, Tony-nominated star of the hit
musical comedy Mama Mia! is back from Broadway with a fresh new
repertoire, including selections from her latest CD, "All of my Life
Has Led to This”, guaranteed to bring audiences to their feet. This is
an exclusive engagement and will be Ms. Pitre's first concert in the Toronto
area, after returning from New York. She is delighted to be performing in
support of arts education programs in West Toronto. For more information visit: www.artsetobicoke.com |