Vol. 39 No. 9
November 2002
LEST
WE FORGET All
War is Hell All
war is hell, so one great General said, There
is no glory in a heap of dead; There
is no soul in war’s destructive game, There
is but loss of life and human shame; The
maimed and bruised may wear a Victor’s Cross, But
to each nation all the gain is loss. Brave
men are called to battle-and obey- Their
children weep, their wives and mothers pray; Courageous
men leave home and country fair And
help to lay another Country bare; God’s
greatest gifts-full life is cast away- And
thousands die on battlefields each day. Oh!
Sacred life, is there no other plan To
end the feuds man makes with fellow-man; Was
man not given reason-that great gem of mind- To
help to live, and not destroy his kind. Oh!
Wisdom from thy throne come down And
bid this warfare cease; Make
rulers reason out a way And
lead us back to peace. By
Ben Turner Deadline for the December issue of the Marklander: Monday, November 18th. Airport Noise complaints (416) 247-7682 President's Update Greetings! The winds of November and the beautiful colours of the fall are here, due to a late turning of the leaves this year. Markland Wood is blessed with an abundance of trees, which are beautiful to look at from late spring to now. The price we pay is having to pick up the leaves when they fall to the ground. Be sure to do your share gathering your leaves, which includes putting them in the proper containers to be picked up weekly at this time of the year. I am getting some calls with respect to confusion over the new garbage disposal schedule, which the city has instituted since the beginning of September. Our pick-up day has moved to Wednesday and now includes a further separation/sorting of garbage with the advent of the “green bin”. This is the newest in a line, which started in 1988 with the issuance of the “blue box”, and was subsequently followed by the “grey box”. A good outline and instructions came with the green bin in August. If you have misplaced it or still have questions concerning the process, you should contact the City directly for another copy or for answers to any concerns or questions you may have. On a broader scale, we, as directors, typically get calls during the year on any number of topics, from residents seeking help to solve some problem they are experiencing. In some cases the Markland Homes Association (MHA) is able to assist and in others it is not, because it may be a private matter, which needs to be taken up with the proper authority. The MHA may be in a position to assist with concerns, which involve a number of residents with a common concern. In such a case, it would be expected that the affected residents would organize an action plan and seek the support of the MHA to lend a voice. Often times, we are able to assist by writing a formal letter or by helping to organize a plan for action. Examples of this could be concerns over the airport, with a local shopping plaza or with the speed of traffic on residential streets. In cases where the matter may involve an issue between neighbors, or where the matter is personal and the City has primary responsibility over the program, it is best to pursue this matter yourself, initially, because it is you who has the standing to bring the complaint. If it is something, which affects a number of residents and the MHA can help, we will, as discussed above. Before calling one of us about a matter, ask yourself if the MHA is primarily responsible for this area. If it is not, we can determine when it might be appropriate to get the MHA involved. In any event, one of us will attempt to direct you in the proper direction, as well as consider what the MHA might be able to do on your behalf. I promised that, over the next few months, I would cover different aspects of matters relating to house fires in this column and so, for this month, I would like to start with fire prevention. Like most of us, I never thought it would happen to me. But in the days and weeks, which followed our house fire, I could only shake my head at how easily it could start and how quickly it could spread. Most fires start in the kitchen, furnace room or in the attic, where there may be wiring. Our fire started in the attic, apparently in an area where there were lots of wires running through. Over the years, wires can crack, deteriorate, be chewed on by mice and thus become exposed. A power surge going through the exposed wires can then ignite things around them. We don’t know whether our fire started shortly before we discovered it or whether it had been smoldering for hours, nor may we ever know. The lesson is to take the time to review your house functions. Repair things like faulty light switches and be sure that the new pot lights, which you recently had put in, were installed by a professional. Of course, there are the many common sense fire prevention guidelines we have heard before. Don’t leave matches or lighters around children; don’t put on an electrical machine and leave the house with it on; have your furnace and clothes dryer checked regularly; don’t put something on in the kitchen and then leave, etc. Also, investigate any flickering lights and check with your neighbors, if your power goes out at any time. If your neighbors’ power went out around the same time, you know it was a common problem. If your house was the only one experiencing a temporary power outage, you should investigate further to determine the cause. Finally, have smoke detectors strategically placed throughout the house. Instead of a smoke detector in the kitchen or furnace room, you can put in a heat detector, which would be less likely to go off if you overcook something. Next Month: Protecting your personal property Best regards, Patrick J. Clifford President, Markland Homes Association 2002-2003 Board of Directors EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT: Patrick Clifford, 8 The Green Pines VICE-PRESIDENT: Tom Napier, 1 Markland Dr. SECRETARY: Don Matheson, 30 Markwood Cr. TREASURER: Gerard Betsch, 14 Winsdale Road DIRECTORS Stephen Blimkie, 197 Markland Drive Richard Boehnke, 67 Markland Dr. Brian Brennand, 2 Markland Dr. Bev Evans, 8 Winsdale Rd. Graham Maguire, 2 Broadfield Dr. Diane Mcleod, 15 Aymarn Crt. Associate Directors Helen Boehnke, Bo Lawrentiw, Ian Sillars, Irene Sillars and Patti Thorne, From Tom’s Desk
It has been another busy month in Markland Wood;
rumour of an arcade, the traffic situation, Cosway Court light installation
and the Annual Markland dues collection. I have had correspondence with
Councillor Holyday’s office, Mr. Dominic Gulli, Manager, Traffic Operations
West District and with Mr. John Fulton, Regional Manager West District, Parks
& Recreation. The rumour regarding an arcade moving into the
property adjacent to the West Mall Donuts shop on Bloor St. is not true. I was
informed by Councillor Holyday’s office that the owner/manager of the
property is canvassing the neighbours to determine the businesses, which
people would like to have at this location. To date, no one from the MHA has
been contacted. You may want to forward suggestions for the type(s) of
businesses you would like to see at this location. Please send your
suggestions to Councillor Holyday’s office or to me, to pass along. I asked Mr. Fulton if lights could be placed on the
path between Cosway Court and the Bloordale United Church. The concerns I
stated to Mr. Fulton were addressed in this letter. Mr. Fulton sent the letter
that is transcribed below. Dear Mr. Napier: I am in receipt of your e-mail dated October 7, 2002.
Let me review again our position as it pertains to our division’s handling
of teen parties or individuals, who are constantly loitering in our parks. The
Parks & Recreation division has a full-time person, whose sole
responsibility is the handling of similar situations, such as yours, as they
arise in our parks. As a resident, if you are concerned about activity
occurring in a park, simply call me at (416) 394-8527 and arrangements will be
made to have the Parks’ patrol visit the park in question. As I have stated,
he is usually available within one or two days. Many neighbourhoods have been
extremely pleased with his approach and, to date, he rarely has had to make
repeat visits. Because this staff person is responsible for the entire West District, scheduling is essential, and we cannot
provide his phone number to the public. We will try our best to make our staff
available any time of the day to assist your community, but please note that
an emergency situation can be handled by the police. Lighting in remote areas such as the walkway in
Bloordale Park will be a target for vandalism. This is true of any park
walkway system in the West District. We certainly want our parks to be safe,
but as you can imagine, the cost of lighting each pathway in the West District
would be prohibitive. I hope this answers your questions. Yours truly, John Fulton Regional Manager Cc: Councillor Doug Holyday Mario Zanetti, Director, West District Parks &
Recreation. The MHA will be setting up a traffic committee this
month. Mr. Stephen Blimkie, Director, MHA and I will head this committee. If
you share these traffic concerns, we are looking for volunteers to participate
in the committee. We want to have a general discussion meeting and then meet
with Mr. Dominic Gulli to resolve some of the traffic issues in Markland Wood.
Eventually, we will be petitioning some residents of Markland Wood to try to
calm and eventually reduce or eliminate the traffic problems we are having in
Markland Wood. We need your help, so please share some of your time. One last note, if you haven’t seen anyone from the
MHA collecting the annual membership dues, we will be visiting soon. This
year, as was last year, the annual fee is $7.00. Please keep your payment
handy for us, braving the cold to collect for the MHA. If you haven’t had
anyone visit you, please send your payment to any of the MHA directors, listed
in the Marklander. Your payment goes a long way to help out your community. Thanks, Tom Napier VP-MHA One Markland Drive P.S. The next MHA meeting will be held on November
4th at the Etobicoke Civic Centre. Please join us there. The
2002 Markland Wood Champagne Social – SOLD OUT For
the second year in a row!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On September 20, 170 of Markland Wood’s best partygoers gathered at the Markland Golf and Country Club for a great evening of dancing, great food and good company. Markland Wood Country Club provided us with great food, great music and a location close to home, with great facilities. The dancing carried on until 1 a.m., with the dance floor full for most of the evening. Those that wanted to chat were able to do so in the anteroom, close to the dance floor. The local business community was very generous with their sponsorship of this event donating many fabulous door prizes. Many thanks to the following local merchants: Bloor Mill Veterinary Clinic Bruno’s Cadet Cleaners Capucci Caravetta Divine Décor Elford Florists Frank’s Cut ‘n Curl Guardian Drugs I.D.A. Glen Cade Pharmacy Ken’s Clean Services Exterior Windows Lenore Brett Eng Design Markland Wood Barber Shop Milano’s Pizza McCabe, Wallace, Laurent & Cord McDonald’s Pastry by Manuel Petro Canada Pizzaville RBC Securities – Bev Evans RE/MAX PROFESSIONALS-Cathie Graham & Pat Hunt RE/MAX PROFESSIONALS- Diane McLeod RE/MAX
PROFESSIONALS-Marti Philp & Greg Loates Richview Restaurant Rutherford Massage Clinic Sand and Sea Aesthetics Stuart Graphics Suburban Drug Mart Top Notch Cleaners Trent Howard We’ll Light up Your Life Comments from a Marklander. A warning notice about a vicious German Shepard was
placed recently on the STOP sign post at the corner of Arbroath and Toledo. The notice read something like this; "Beware of
a German shepherd walking in this area. The
dog will attack without provocation and the owner takes no responsibility for
its actions. Instead the owner expects you to be aware of their approach and
expects you to apologize that you invaded the space of their psychologically
deranged animal as it sinks its teeth into your arm." This notice was placed on this signpost on or about
October 19th and was removed around October 22. If the person who wrote this
warning lives in Markland Wood and has been bitten by this dog, please do this
community a service and call any of the MHA directors and help us to solve
this problem. We do not need anyone else being hurt by this dog. If the person who owns this dog lives in Markland
Wood, do your community a service and get help for your dog. As a community,
all Marklanders be aware of this dog and any dog for that matter. Teach you
children not to run up to any dog, as it may become spooked and bite. It’s a
natural reaction. Finally, all dog owners are reminded that Markland
Wood is a poop and scoop-friendly community. Deadline for the December issue: Monday, November 18th. 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! Down to Earth In response to the many neighbours, who have stopped
by to complement me on my newly designed front garden and/or to ask what my
secret is, I herein offer my “secrets” to all who are interested. I have
learned a lot from the gardening tips in the Marklander and so I am pleased to
share my own experience this time.
When Bill and I moved down the street to 205
Mill Road, in Markland Wood, ten years ago, I had to learn to garden all over
again in order to cope with the heavy shade in my back yard and the filtered
shade in the front. I have to admit that I am still learning as one spot
remains in my back yard in which I have not yet succeeded in growing anything
I like.
I rebuilt my front yard using the “ground up method” last fall.
This method is both easy and environmentally conscious. I shaped the garden
using my electrical hose, moving it around until I liked the effect and
fine-tuning it as I actually dug the edging. Once you have a nice shape, place
a thick layer of newspapers (no coloured pages) right on top of the grass and
soak the paper well. Then use your mulching lawnmower to pick up the fall
leaves and add a thick layer to the newspapers. Finally, top the beds with a
layer of good topsoil. Be sure to create mounded beds for the best
effect. I varied the height of my beds and tucked a gravel path behind the
alyssum for the mailman.
I used my neighbour’s leaves as well as my own and then put the late
Falling leaves into a leaf-mold bin, which I had built on the north side of my
house. By the time you read this, I will have put my last year’s leaves, in
the form of lovely leaf-mold, on my “problem spot” in my back yard, thus,
leaving the bin empty for this year’s leaves.
My gardens are absolutely low-maintenance and this is where my sources
are so important. Here are my favourites: Soil: Toemar
Soil and Firewood - 905-826-3821. It is on the north side of Eglinton, just
west of Mavis Road. Ask for their “veggie mix”. Their soil comes from the
Holland Landing area and is practically weed-free. I rarely spent more than
five minutes per week weeding my front garden this year. Impatiens and other annuals: Springbank Nurseries, on
the North Service Road in Mississauga, between Mississauga Road and Erin Mills
Parkway (only a five minute drive on the highway). Perennials: Plant World, on Eglinton east of Royal
York; Weall and Cullen and Sheridan Nurseries. Fertilizer: Plant Prod 20-20-20 water-soluble
fertilizer. I usually fertilize my annuals once a week and also only water the
grounds once a week, as is recommended, except for the hanging baskets and
bags, which must be watered up to three times a day, depending on the heat.
Note: I did not fertilize my huge bed of impatiens at the front this year.
They had rich soil and that was all they needed. Bulbs: Vesey’s Bulbs in P.E.I.
Toll-free 1-800-363-7333 or shop on-line at www.veseys.com
For the first time, I successfully planted bulbs in my beds last fall
and kept the squirrels from eating them with a regular application of blood
meal and a protective green mesh covering, which I got from Weall and Cullen.
Take the covering off when the shoots begin and return to using the blood
meal. You have to reapply it after a rain.
If you haven’t yet installed rain barrels on your downspouts, I urge
you to do so. This was
recommended in the Marklander a few years ago. I checked into it at the local
Environmental Day and qualified for the city program. They replaced my front
eavestrough and discreetly installed rain barrels at both the front and the
back of the house. The rain barrels have been a great source of water for the
plants, especially during this very dry summer.
Thank you for all of your interest and your compliments. I hope this
helps you beautify your own gardens next year. Rosemary
Drinna - The Impatiens Lady (621
–2897) School News Millwood Junior School While the children at Millwood Junior School are settling into their daily routines, the adults are busy making plans for an eventful year. This includes the teachers, who organized the Terry Fox Run. The run took place a few days after the originally planned date of September 27, due to the inclement weather the hurricanes from down south brought up north. This year’s route was lengthened, as the children are most probably building up their stamina through gym classes. All funds raised go directly to support cancer research. The Millwood Home & School Association has provided financial support for field trips, the Scientist in the School Program and funding for the criminal background checks required for volunteers in the school as per the new TDSB volunteer policy. They, too, have been busy planning upcoming school events. Without our strong group of parent volunteers, many of the events that make Millwood stand out amongst schools would not be possible. The School Council, comprised of both school staff and parents, has been working on implementing the Parent Safety Program. This is a volunteer-based program that evolved from increased traffic near schools and the daily problems faced by students and drivers. Supported by the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Police, Toronto Works and Environment, and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, its goal is to eliminate traffic hazards near the school by promoting a safe environment for children through education and volunteer visibility. Drivers along Mill Road can help by following the speed limit, following all other traffic and parking regulations, and most importantly, paying close attention to the crosswalk across Mill Road in front of the school. Many of you who use Mill Road may have noticed the presence of police officers occasionally to help enforce our mandate, which is to keep our children safe from vehicular traffic. The annual Halloween Parade and Seniors’ Tea will take place on October 31. Look for students out in full costume parading the immediate residential area around the school. Grandparents in the community are invited to the gym for 1 p.m., to get a first row view of the children and for tea. The parade always proves to be a lively affair, and costumes prove to be interesting and fun to view. As in previous years, children are not allowed to carry any type of weapon as part of their costume. The children are very much looking forward to Halloween activities in the classroom, including pumpkin math. Choir rehearsals have begun once again at Millwood under the direction of Ms. McWilliam and Mlle. Ranier. Rehearsals take place every Wednesday after lunch. It is encouraging to see so many children forfeiting their lunch recess once a week to participate in the choir. We are looking forward to hearing them perform during the holiday season. Larissa
Bayrachny Millwood School is still collecting used stamps to aid the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. Christmas is coming and all those stamps from cards and parcels would be much appreciated. Bring them to school or I’ll pick them up personally, whichever is most convenient for you. Please call Mrs. Henderson at 621-3910. Silverthorn Collegiate Institute The school year started off with an incredible bang…the Freaky Friday Grade 9 Dance. Held in September on Friday the 13th, the dance was anything but unlucky! This annual event was hosted by the Prefects, and is a highlight of the year for many at SCI. The 250 Grade 9s had the chance to meet new people, win some prizes, party with their friends and dance to their favourite songs. Prefects is a student organization that runs events in SCI. Prospective members must be in Grade 10 or older, complete an application form and pass an interview in order to join. The leadership class organized the much-anticipated Spirit Rally, which showcased hilarious skits from every club at SCI. This event offered all the Grade 9s and 10s the chance to learn about SCI’s organizations, and among the groups represented were the Student Athletic Association, the Silverthorn Environmental Protection Agency, Prefects, the Newspaper Committee, Unity (our multi-cultural club), Student Activity Council, and many more. As for sports, students have a wide selection to choose from. The volleyball and basketball teams have been practicing hard, and SCI did well in both golf and tennis tournaments. Our senior & junior football teams have endured weeks of two-hour practices, but sadly, football is finally coming to an end. SCI students placed well at the cross-country meets that took place at Centennial Park. Some of the races involved running up the hill, so we are very proud of our participants. The Commencement was held on October 10th for all of the 2002 graduates. Our auditorium was packed full to bursting with over 900 graduates, friends and families. This incredible turnout shows the support that Silverthorn students receive on their road to academic success. On October 18th we had our
Awards Assembly, which was exclusively for students who had made the honour
roll the previous year. This means that they had to have marks of 80% or
higher in the majority of their courses, and about 250 students met this
academic criterion. Awards for the highest averages, leadership and school
involvement were given out to rounds of applause. Heather Foulkes Church News St. James United Church 400 Burnhamthorpe Rd., Etobicoke (Just west of 427 on south side of Burnhamthorpe Rd.) 416-622-4113 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 Special
Events: Wednesday October 30: 7:30 p.m. Introduction to Reconnective Healing and Healing Touch Saturday November 9: 9:30 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Annual Craft Sale Sunday November 10: 10:30 a.m. Remembrance Day Service Sunday December 15: 7:30 p.m. Candlelight Service (more details to follow) The Church of Christ the
King 475 Rathburn Road, Etobicoke Just West of the 427 416-621-3630 November
9th: Christmas Bazaar 9:00
a.m. till 12 noon November
17th: A.C.W.
Sunday Guest Speaker: June Dyer, Dioceian President of A.C.W PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND
Also CHECK US OUT ON OUR WEB SITE http://netcomsolutions-ont.com/Christ_King Bloordale United Church 4258 Bloor St. West. Etobicoke, Ontario, M9C 1Z7 416-621-1710 All worship services are at 10:30 a.m. Rehoboth Fellowship
Christian Reformed Church
800 Burnhamthorpe Road, Etobicoke 416-622-9647 Rehoboth Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, a
community church in Markland Wood, invites you to its worship every Sunday at
10:00 a.m., to its program for people of all ages and to its fellowship! As its pastor for 15 years and a resident of Markland
Wood, I consider it a privilege to serve you and to welcome you among us! Reverend John Tenyenhuis. People and Places Parent and Tot Coffee Time On alternate Tuesday mornings at Bloordale United
Church. Rm 13. Coffee is provided, but bring a snack for your little one. Make
a friend, bring a friend, be a friend. For more information, call Sylvia
at 626-2424. New
at Bloordale United Church Come join the Junior/Youth Choir Practices on Sundays from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. in
room 13. Led by Ms. Margie Dulude, church organist. No experience required Invite a friend Bring
your band instrument Everyone
welcome For
more information, call Margie at 626-0431 First
practice. Sunday October 27th. Hope to see you there!! The Etobicoke Newcomers Club for Women Are
you new to the area? Interested in meeting other newcomers? Join us every
first Tuesday of the month at the Kingsway Lambton United Church, 85 The
Kingsway. Next meeting is Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Police
Constable Courtney, talking on women’s safety. Call Maureen, 416-622-5671,
for more information. Centennial Park Skating
Club Our Learn to Skate programs, for ages 3 to adult, are
off and are running without a hitch. As a matter of fact, we have 8 brave
adults (7 mothers and one father), who have joined our Adult program under the
tutelage of Nora Hollands (aka Mrs. Potatoehead in skating recital circles).
Bravo to these parents, some of whom are Marklanders. Due to the overwhelming
popularity of our programs, we are opening up a new day for Tiny Tots (age 3
to 5) and Canskate (age 5 and up), which is Tuesdays from 5:10 p.m. to 6:15
p.m.. Our Tiny Tot and Canskate classes are Mondays from
5:30 to 6:30, Wednesdays from 6:10 to 7:10 and Saturdays from 3:10 to 4:00,
plus our new Tuesday from 5:10 to 6:30. All
of our Tiny Tot classes are a fully supervised, with one coach to 8 students,
and are 30 minutes long. There is a minimum of 2 helpers. Canskate is fully supervised programme and is 50
minutes on Saturday, 60 minutes on Monday and Wednesday and 65 minutes on
Tuesday. All of our coaches are certified by Skate Canada. Our mid-fall season
registration is on November 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. and on November 7, from 5 to 7
p.m. Fees are prorated, to reflect the sessions remaining for fall. You may
also purchase lessons until the end of the season, which is mid-April 2003. Winter registration, for classes starting in January
2003, is on December 9 and 11, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.. Winter classes start
January 4, 2003. Come and have fun and get fit, while you learn to
skate. We are a non-profit organization, sanctioned by Skate Canada. Arts Etobicoke The Neilson Park Creative Centre 56 Neilson Drive, Etobicoke ON M9C 1V7 Humber
Valley Art Club “Members’
Choice Exhibition” November 5 to 24 An exhibition of oils, watercolours, and mixed media. Gallery hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday evening: 7-9 p.m. Sunday: noon to 4 p.m. “WINTER
ARTFEST” ART
AND CRAFT SHOW AND SALE Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 For adults, teens, children. Music, Draws, Silent Auction Gallery Shows, Tearoom. $2 for 2-day pass. Children free Free parking. For information call: Tel: 622-5294 Fax: 622-0892 E-mail: npcc@idirect.com Http://webhome.idirect.com/~npcc/ BRIDGE
Markland Wood Marathon Bridge Club We are starting up again in the fall. New members are always welcome. For more information call: Hugh & Iris Van Melle at 626-3249. MARKLANDER STAFF
President: Patrick Clifford Editor: Graham Maguire Advertising: Brian Brennand Distribution: Richard Boehnke |