Parkdalian

Designer Superstar Challenge

2007-01-30T19:45:00.000-05:00

HGTV's series Designer Superstar Challenge is set to begin airing its 4th season. What does this have to do with Parkdale, you might ask? Well, there's a Parkdalian among the contestants!

Mariela Campo tells me, "From hundreds of Canadian applicants, HGTV selected 10 finalists, and of those, I was the sole Interior Designer to represent the downtown core of Toronto (others being from the outskirts of the GTA and out of province)."

Well done Mariela, and good luck! Do the neighbourhood proud.

Happy New Year

2007-01-07T12:05:00.000-05:00

I have been a bad, bad, little Parkdalian, and have been neglecting this blog. I resolve to do better in this new year! I have just been busy with many other things, including the aforementioned United Way campaign, which ate up a lot of my time from October to December. I also managed to crank out another article for the Parkdale Liberty, which can be read here.

Parkdale's United Way Goodness

2006-10-20T13:13:00.000-04:00

I've been doing a lot of work as part of our United Way fundraising campaign at work, and am in the process of trying to encourage local businesses to donate prizes as incentives for our campaign. Our first donation has just rolled in! The good folks at The Spot have just agreed to donate a gift certificate. You know those funky "Parkdale is for Lovers" shirts that were all the rage? Well they make 'em there as well as lots of other nifty Parkdale Ts, so get yourself on down and check them out.

Prodigal Sundays at the Gladstone Hotel

2006-09-10T20:58:00.000-04:00

Well, it's always a fine day when you can wander just a few blocks from your house and hear some of the finest live music this city has on offer. The Backstabbers Country Stringband played the Melody Room at The Gladstone Hotel today, the first of their Prodigal Sundays shows. You can catch 'em every Sunday there from 5-8pm, and be sure to wear your dancing shoes.

Another dispatch from the past

2006-08-21T21:02:00.000-04:00

Here's another blurb from the archives for your enjoyment.

Toronto Daily Mail, April 21, 1879

Parkdale News

On Monday evening a fight took place between several rough characters from the city and a number of villagers. The former, it appears, had filled themselves full of whiskey procured in an unlicensed tavern here, and in this condition attacked, without cause, the residents. The rowdies, after being thoroughly pummelled with walking sticks in the hands of their opponents, were compelled to make a hasty retreat eastward.

The Floral Suburb

2006-08-20T08:48:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a good day, as I had a local history goldmine open up for me. I'll spare you the details, but this gem was one of the first things I came across. I copied this from a handwritten transcription, so there may be errors. I'll let the piece speak for itself, shall I?

Toronto Daily Mail, May 19, 1879

Parkdale's Progress: A Busy Day in the "Floral Suburb"
A tree-planting bee - a procession, music and speeches

Saturday was a gala day in Parkdale. For the information of the people of Canada who are not versed in topography, and who do not know the situation of Parkdale, it may be said that it is a village of very aristocratic pretensions, suburban to Toronto, on the western side. It writes the number of its population in four figures, rejoices in railway communication east, west and north, and steamboat communication on the south, calls all its streets avenues, and points proudly to the fact that land in that delightful locality has increased, within the past few years, from $75 to $800 and $1,000 an acre.

Parkdale, though young, lives for herself. Toronto sought, on diverse occasions, with entreaties and threats to become possessed of her, but she turned coldly from the blandishments of her too experienced lover, whose perfidy is proverbial, and, gathering her spotless skirts closer about her, drew further away from the proposed new housekeeping arrangements which would involve higher water rates, higher gas rates and an uncomfortable burden of taxes.

Adopting the maxim that "A virtuous mind in a fair body is like a fine picture in a good light," she became austere, proud and chaste. Ostracized the saloon keepers, frowned on negro minstrels, erected several churches, established a pound, built a school house, decorated her dead walls with placards of church meetings, tea-parties, temperance socials, sacred concerts and theological lectures, and became pious in good style. There is no lock-up, one not being required in such a moral community, and the only constable is employed to arrest dogs having no homes or visible means of support, vagabond geese or ducks, wayward cows or truant hogs that presume to desert their lairs in the unhallowed city and invade the sacred precincts of the village.

Parkdalians are proud of their village, and they have reason to be so. Prettily situated on the high land of the lake shore, a fine view of lake and island may be had, and on clear days the far-away blue hills of Niagara are plainly discernible. The principal avenues run down to the water, and in many of them, young as the place is, are charming residences, as stylish, as handsome, and as substantial as any in the city. The selectmen of the village in Council assembled decided to adopt the frontage tax system for local improvement purposes, and the streets, or rather avenues, are to be boulevarded and block paved. A company has offered to establish gas works and supply gas for street lighting and domestic purposes at $1.50 per thousand feet, which is $1 cheaper than in the city. A breakwater is being constructed on the lake shore front of the village to prevent the washing away of the banks, and a wharf is to be constructed for steamboats to stop at. A suburban train service has been established, four trains a day being run over the Northern and Great Western railways between the city and Parkdale and Mimico.

Some time ago, a village improvement society, having for its objective the beautifying of the village by the planting of trees and flowers, was formed, and on Saturday the first tree-planting bee was held. Work commenced early in the morning, and continued until two o'clock, when a procession of villagers took place through the principal avenues. By permission of Major Grey (Reeve of Parkdale), and the officers of the Toronto Field Battery, the band of the Battery was present, under the leadership of Mr. B. F> Cheesbro. When the procession arrived at the school house, the band played the 100th psalm, the audience singing, after which prayer was said by the Rev. J. F. Ockley, of the Parkdale Methodist Church. At the conclusion of the prayer, Madame Stuttaford planted the first tree in the school yard. A strong force of villagers, under the direction of Mr. J. M. Wingfield, Mr. J. Davis and Mr. William Fahey, then set to work "with vigour", as the programme said, and during the afternoon planted about six hundred trees. At half-past four the band gave a concert in the grounds of the late Rev. George Maynard. Speeches were made by Major Grey, Mayor Beaty, Mr. N. Dickey, Mr. W. T. Mackenzie and others, in the course of which Parkdale was alluded to as the "floral suburb". After an exciting day, the villagers sought their homes and rest about seven o'clock.

Calling all Parkdalians

2006-08-12T09:36:00.000-04:00

I've been mulling over trying to put together a little electronic directory of the ol' neighbourhood, and I need your help. If you have a blog or website with even the most tenuous connection to Parkdale (e.g. you blog about your work as a computer programmer but you live here and occasionally mention your 'hood)then please let me know in the comments.

Parkdale Festival 2006

2006-07-24T06:55:00.000-04:00

I received this from festival organizer Bryen Dunn, so I thought I'd share it with all you good folks.

S: (n) festival (a day or period of time set aside for feasting and celebration)
S: (n) festival, fete (an organized series of acts and performances usually in one place)

The second annual Parkdale Festival takes place on Saturday August 26th from 12:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Masaryk-Cowan Park, Queen and Cowan. It’s a day of music and art to raise awareness for various Parkdale youth service organizations.

There’s definitely a need for awareness of available service organizations within the Parkdale area, whether this be for help in finding a job, finding a place to stay, or getting the next meal. The goal of the Festival is to create awareness by providing a fun interactive community based event. The end result is to create an accessible reference database of services that are available to youth.

The Festival will be comprised of various components, including an "Interactive Art Zone" where individuals can contribute to a “mural of street art". At the end of the day these pieces will be offered to various community organizations in hopes that they are proudly displayed. Throughout the day there will also be a variety of performances, a children’s activity area and wading pool, a
Marketplace of local artisans and vendors, and a Community Information Fair with displays of materials from various youth organizations.

This is a free event that will go rain or shine as Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre has generously offered their gymnasium should the event need to be moved indoors. This is the last weekend before youth head back to school which makes it all that much more important to get this information out. Come out and support the leaders of tomorrow and enjoy a great day of entertainment for everyone.

This year there will be an after party featuring several performances as part of P-Fest. Details of the location and performers will be advised via the website.

Official sponsors include NOW Magazine, Woolfitt’s Art Supplies, XIX Studio, Crucial Pins, Parkdale Liberty Economic Development Corporation and Councillor Sylvia Watson.

With support from Parkdale Liberty Newspaper, Gleaner Publications,
Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre, Toronto Youth Ambassadors, 4-Unity Productions, and Triple-X Productions.

Visit www.parkdalefestival.com for an updated schedule of performances, participating organizations and activities.

You can contact Bryen at info@parkdalefestival.com, or check out the website.

Save the Revue

2006-06-26T16:41:00.000-04:00

Photo by Sean Rasmussen

I'm very sad that the Revue cinema is planning to close at the end of this month. I didn't use it as often as I wanted to, but I always loved that a great old theatre was just a short walk away. However, there is a glimmer of hope! Visit the site to find out what you might be able to do to help keep the theatre open.

Downyflake

2006-06-16T22:50:00.000-04:00

I was on Ebay recently when I spotted this glimpse of the Sunnyside of days gone by.

Palais letdown

2006-06-01T01:57:00.000-04:00

So we went to check out the much talked about renovated Palais Royale, as part of Doors Open Toronto last weekend. It was the first time I had ever crossed the threshold, and I have to say it was a bit of a let down. Don't get me wrong - they've done a lovely job of fixing the place up, but in some ways it was missing a lot of the character that I was hoping to find. I guess I expected that it would just be oozing these great vibes of days gone by, and instead it felt like any other big event hall - all tasteful neutral walls and carpeting. I suppose the important thing though is that it will be back in operation - it'll just take a few years to wear off the shiny newness. You can read my December 2002 ParkdaleLiberty article about the Palais here.

They did have some cool old photos and such on display, and I managed to snap a picture of this:

Canada's very own King of Swing.

Welcome back, dear Pally. We've missed you.

Speculative Strings

2006-06-01T01:52:00.000-04:00

Parkdale artist extraordinaire Iner Souster (the other ParkdAlien) is having a new show at the Cameron House for the month of June, with an opening party on the 7th. Check out his blog for more details and lots of photos.

Haircuts By Children

2006-05-05T22:29:00.000-04:00

Come on! How much fun would this be for a brave soul?! Go on. Do it. I dare you.

Parkdale Murder Mystery

2006-05-05T22:01:00.000-04:00

Author Patrick Brode will be visiting the Parkdale Library on Wednesday, May 17th at 7 pm. Mr. Brode will be discussing his recent book, Death in the Queen City: Clara Ford on Trial, 1895. Sharp Parkdalians might remember that yours truly wrote an article about the Frank Westwood murder for the Parkdale Liberty newspaper in September of 2004. I am always fascinated by local history, but this story is really something else. I strongly encourage you to drop by the library on the 17th for what is sure to be a very gripping presentation. And now, to whet your appetites, here is the aforementioned article. Oh, and if you have a library card you can place a hold on the book by clicking here . Okay, here we go...

Most Parkdalians will have never heard the name “Lakeside Hall”, a formidable residence located at 28 Jameson Ave, for it is but one of many ghosts in that long demolished portion of South Parkdale where the Gardiner Expressway now reigns. In October of 1894, it was the locale of one of the city’s most puzzling and riveting murder mysteries. Forget the concrete tangle that now exists south of Jameson and Springhurst, and imagine instead a street lined with stately mansions, grand trees, wooden sidewalks and gaslights, populated by upper-crusters who clamoured for lake views. It is in these environs that the mystery unfolds.

After returning home from a night out with friends, eighteen-year-old Frank Westwood answered the bell of a caller at the front door of his family’s home, and was shot once. He would later describe his assailant as a mid-sized man, clothed in a dark suit and fedora – a man he did not recognize. The young lad struggled for several days, questioned by police officers all the while, but finally succumbed to his wound on October 10.

All of Toronto was instantly obsessed with the case, particularly those who resided in Parkdale – a privileged neighbourhood where such things simply did not occur. A series of inquests was held at the Parkdale Town Hall (where 1313 Queen now stands) over the next five weeks, each drawing a full house of speculative minds. The Toronto World newspaper even solicited the assistance of visiting author Arthur Conan Doyle, who respectfully declined to help, on the grounds that he preferred to begin with the solution and work his way backwards.

W.H. Hornberry, a neighbour of the Westwood’s who fancied himself Parkdale’s very own Sherlock Holmes, came to his own conclusion. He had found some scraps of a note on the Westwood’s lawn, which he believed to be written in a woman’s hand. His theory was that Westwood had been shot not by a man, but by a woman dressed in men’s clothing. This version, as reported in the Empire, gained widespread publicity. It also caught the attention of one Gus Clarke. He knew a woman by the name of Clara Ford, who sometimes dressed as a man, carried a revolver, and was a former neighbour of Westwood. Clarke soon mentioned these facts to a reporter friend of his, and before long, officers went round to Ford’s to question her.

Clara Ford (described in some accounts as a
"notorious, pistol packing, male-impersonator") was a 33-year-old seamstress of mixed race who had, at one time, lived adjacent to the Westwood property. When questioned about the murder, she denied any connection, even though she willingly showed police her revolver and suit of men’s clothes. She then proceeded to confess to the crime – her revenge on Westwood, whom she claimed had once tried to take improper liberties with her. The preliminary trial was held, where she again pleaded her guilt, and a trial date was set for May of 1895. On the fourth day of the trial, a very composed Ford took the stand as the last witness, where she shocked the courtroom by retracting her confession! She explained that the officer’s questioning had confused her, and that she had been tricked into making her confession. After only an hour of deliberation, the twelve men returned with their unanimous verdict that Clara Ford was not guilty. This was met with wild applause from those in the crowded courthouse, as they all rushed to congratulate the freed woman. Celebrations continued until after midnight at a restaurant down the street, where Ford made a little speech thanking her admirers. Shortly after the case wrapped up however, Ford was encouraged to leave town, as she had been heard to brag about her actual guilt! Little was ever heard of her again.

My newest acquisition

2006-04-04T22:46:00.000-04:00

Oh, how I do love Parkdale ephemera. This is most most recent score on ebay, and I love it. It's very tiny, measuring about 6.5x3cm. I haven't figured out exactly what lives in that address now - all I can say with any certainty is that it's somewhere on the north side of Queen between Brock and Noble. I will let you know as soon as I do.

The Brown Cow

2006-03-26T20:56:00.001-05:00

Well, you know, I always love a new breakfast spot. The Brown Cow (5 Roncesvalles Ave., formerly La Luna by the Lake, and the Moonside before even that) just opened yesterday, and we ventured over this morning. I was surprised (and rather pleased) to find the place empty, especially since we had just passed all the suckers lined up to get into Easy. I love going for breakfast, but you'll never catch me lining up to get it! So, anyway...the Brown Cow was empty, as I said, but by the time we left there were four other tables in there. The food was pretty tasty, and the service friendly. Once they iron out the new restaurant jitters I think it'll be a great spot. The prices are fairly reasonable too, and as an added bonus they are offering 20% off until the end of the month.

Nifty Film

2006-01-29T09:31:00.000-05:00

Found this today. Very cool! It's been filmed very recently, and features one of my favorite local characters, Kevin Clarke, at the end. My only beef with it is that I generally think of Parkdale's eastern border as the train tracks (though I would include The Gladstone too), and this film includes things much farther east of that. People seem to have very different ideas about Parkdale's boundaries. What do you think?

warning not for the squeamish....

2006-01-17T20:42:00.000-05:00

I debated for a while about whether to post this, 'cause generally I like to talk about the shiny happy things in Parkdale, and not the kinds of things that would feed the negative image that some have about our beloved 'hood.

I decided (obviously) to post it in the end, because I want to present to you, dear reader, the most accurate, well rounded picture of Parkdale that I can. And that, sometimes, includes the gross. Like this IV tube. Which we found right smack dab in front of our door, replete with bloody bandaid.

New Cafe Alert!

2005-12-16T12:33:00.000-05:00

So the mister and I checked out the latest cafe to hit our stretch of Queen, Poor John's Cafe, at 1610 Queen St. West. We just stopped in for a couple of teas to go, but the room is deliciously warm and cozy. The menu looks like a tasty mix of sandwiches, soups and salads, and we'll definitely be making another visit soon to sample from it. They are currently open from 7 am(!) to 7 pm, and are waiting on a liquor license to boot. Check it out!

It's exciting!

2005-12-11T10:47:00.000-05:00

Ahhh...just finished the last assignment of the term. Now I have time to relax and enjoy Christmas in the 'hood. This is one of my favorite images found in the local history collection at the Parkdale Library; it's from a 1963 edition of The Shopping News. I'd like to wish a safe and happy holiday to all my fellow Parkdalians.

Spread the love (and use indelible paint)

2005-10-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

To whomever did this....thank you, thank you, thank you! I have no idea who did, or why it was done, but I love it. It's been there on our stretch of Queen (near Callendar) for about 6 weeks now, and the heart has been filled in with red since this photo was snapped (thanks to Iner for the pic). The lovely thing is that it's rained buckets since, and those lovely words aren't budging. Yay Parkdale!

Parkdale Author Alert!

2005-10-23T09:13:00.000-04:00

On October 13, Parkdale author Alayna Munce launched her first novel, When I Was Young & In My Prime to a packed house at Mitzi's Sister. I am pleased to announce that she will also be giving a reading at the Parkdale Library (1303 Queen St. West) on November 9, at 7pm. This is a free event and all are welcome. I strongly encourage you to attend, because this book is bloody amazing. A good deal of it is set in the Parkdale we all know and love, and what a treat it is to see the 'hood through Munce's eyes. Don't want to take my word for it? Read the review from the Globe and Mail here, and then go out there and get your hands on a copy of this book!

A real whodunnit...

2005-09-24T08:21:00.000-04:00

A Parkdale TV viewer reported to me this week that the beloved "Welcome to Parkdale" sign that used to live on Dufferin (just south of King) has disappeared! I always loved that that sign was there, and was never quite sure who was responsible for it, as it doesn't really look like a City-produced sign. And now it's gone, probably adorning a living room wall somewhere. Sigh.

My beloved "Pally"

2005-08-26T18:53:00.000-04:00

I dropped by here today, to see how the reno was coming along. Still not too much to jump and holler about, but they uncovered this neat window above the main entrance. I also love the next shot, which I got from the bridge. You can see through the broken window, right through the other side of the building to the lake. Beautiful.

Click here to read an article I wrote about the Palais for the Parkdale Liberty newspaper.

Ocean House...then and now

2005-08-26T18:41:00.000-04:00

Ahh, what a difference a Nikon billboard can make, eh?