Flower power - The Toronto Observer

8 FEATURES TheEast York Observer /// Friday, April 20, 2012Nikki Pulsone /// ObserverBridal designer Lea-Anne Belter shows off some pieces of her springsummercollection. This East Yorker recently moved her flagship storeto Broadview and Dundas, a location closer to home.Entrepreneuris proud to callEast York homeBy REBECCA STECKHAMThe ObserverThe area around EastYork’s southwest corner recentlyreceived a breath offresh air when East YorkerLea-Ann Belter decided tomove the flagship store ofher chain of designer bridalsalons.Although the new outlet— at Broadview Avenueand Dundas Street — isa few blocks outside EastYork’s borders, Belter stillconsiders her shop to bepart of the East York community.She’s called East Yorkhome for over 25 years —which is part of the reasonshe wanted to relocate herstore from its previouslocation, in the Queen Eastarea.“I really like the eastend,” she said. “I like theSome councillors are infavour of reinstatingwaived fees next yearBy TEONA BAETUThe ObserverThe city’s decision to waive permitfees for usage of sport fields is apopular one.“We’re all ecstatic that the situationgot rectified because it put us in a badspot,” said Andrew Pace, president ofthe East York Baseball Association.The proposed fees caused an uproarin sports leagues because when theywere announced, many leagues alreadyregistered and charged players.neighbourhood. I’ve livedhere a long time. I reallylove it.”Belter, who studied fashionat Toronto’s InternationalAcademy of Merchandisingand Design, alwaysknew she had a knack forcreativity and design.When she designed andcreated her brother’s fiancée’swedding gown aftershe graduated, it becameclear where her passion lay.Today, 22 years later, shehas bridal stores on bothsides of the Atlantic Ocean,including six in Canada, 50in the U.S., five in the U.K.and one in Mexico.“I have to do a line twicea year and show it at BridalFashion Week in NewYork,” she said.Belter said it’s not onlyher romantic and naturalstyle that distinguishes heras a designer.But while Ward 26/Don ValleyWest councillor John Parker acknowledgesthat the timing may have beenoff, he thinks the fees are necessary.“I think we did the right thing,” Parkersaid. “We just did the right thing alittle later than we should have.”The decision to waive the fees for2012 was clear to city council onApril 9, when councillors unanimouslyvoted 41-0 in support. But theroad ahead is not as clear.Some councillors favour reinstatingthe fees in 2013 after consultationwith various sports leagues, whileothers think added costs are a badidea altogether. Parker maintains thatthe fees are necessary.“Right now we do not have theIt’s also the fact that allher gowns are designed andmanufactured in her ownstore.She chose the new flagshiplocation specifically inthe hope of giving back alittle to the community sheconsiders home.The designer said thattrends this spring and summerare moving towardlonger sleeves and awayfrom strapless, but lace isalways in style.Each design is meticulouslycreated and manufacturedover a long periodof time, with Belter spendingmonths with the gowns.Instead of calling gownsby their style code, designsare given names such asAllison and Kaitlin.“They’re all my creations.It’s almost like they’remy children,” Belter said.“They all get names.”Movie brings backmemories of earlierdays at high schoolrevenues to finance the expenses thatwe’ve got and we are doing the bestwe can to keep the expenses as low aspossible,” Parker said.But Ward 31/Beaches-East YorkEYCI remembers coachesthrough documentaryBy BRAYDON KEDDIEThe ObserverThe Canadian AutomobileAssociation (CAA) has againlaunched its “Worst Roads”campaign, set on finding the20 most abysmal thoroughfaresin the province.Ontarians are being askedto vote for the roads they findmost dangerous and in needof upgrades. After the mostrecent poll, two East Yorkroads made the list: Bayviewand Eglinton avenues,ranked 16th and 17th overall.Dan Petersen is an EastBraydon Keddie /// ObserverNorman Dyson, formerSuperior Court judge,hosts a documentaryscreening.The stories of three EastYork coaches and their schoolhave been captured in a documentarycalled Working ClassHeroes.The movie recounts the historyof East York CollegiateInstitute (EYCI) through thememories of former facultyand students from the 1950s.Former EYCI coaches MirkHager, Harry Hull and BruceMiller are the heroes of thefilm as they are rememberedfor shaping the school’s footballteam, the Goliaths.EYCI alumni Norman Dysonshowed the film at theMarch 27 meeting of the EastYork Historical Society.“(The documentary) enunciateshow people from aworking-class neighbourhoodcould come togetherand produce people that becomeleaders in their field,”Dyson said.“There are many doctors,lawyers and businessmenwho have come out of thesoil of East York and that’s astory that should be told.”Being under the wings ofthese coaches inspired DysonYork mechanic and believesthis year, not many localroads will make the list.“Nobody has come in fromthis area saying any of theroads are bad this year,” hesaid. “When the roads freezeand defrost, that’s whencracks and potholes happen.But there was no deep freezethis year, so I think we gotpretty lucky with no potholesthis year.”As for the CAA campaign,Petersen believes it is doing itsjob. Petersen said in his commute,he has noticed roads inpoor condition being mended.councillor Janet Davis is concernedthat fees may make sport leagues toocostly.“For many leagues, the new feeswill make their programs unaffordablefor families,” she said.Pace said he wouldn’t mind payingthe fee for 2013, even though itis more like a tax. The difference betweena fee and a tax is that a fee’sproceeds could be allocated to thefields, whereas taxes are for generalrevenues.“The funds were not going to gotoward hiring any additional staff orimproving the quality of the fieldswhatsoever,” Davis said. But Parkercompared the fees to TTC fares.“We all contribute to the overalland other former students toput together a scholarship intheir name.“We’re not selling the documentary,”Dyson said.“But to get a copy youcan make a donation of $50or more to the Hager-Hull-Miller Scholarship Fund Association.”The film, produced by Dyson’sson, includes archivalfootage and audio of studentsand faculty from the 1950s,as well as interviews withEYCI graduates and reunionswith their former classmates.It also goes into some ofdetail of how East York andits neighbourhoods werebuilt from the ground up.Margaret McRae of theEast York Historical Societysaid it was a good ideato have the film shown tomembers for its connectionto their past.“It’s about East Yorkand all of our members arepassionate East Yorkers,”McRae said.“Many of them did go tothe school. It brought backmemories for them.”Will Bayview, Eglintonrepeat as ‘worst roads’?By NICHOLAS PROSPEROThe Observer“Eglinton was really bad acouple years ago, but now thesection of it I travel is perfect,”he said.“I would have to say theroads are in fairly good conditionin this area.”Potholes can grow the longerthey are left unfixed, dueto continued abuse from theelements and vehicles.Potholes can also cause seriousdamage to cars, with themost common damage beingpunctured tires, crushed rimsand suspension issues. Someproblems can cost over $500to repair.City takes sport field fees off the table – for nowPhoto courtesy /// Andrew Pacecost of running the bus, but the particularperson who rides the bus paysthe ticket to get on,” he said.Pace said he would be unwilling topay the fee unless there is an actualbenefit to teams attached. He addedthat municipalities who charge feesalso keep them “immaculate,” whereashis team does a lot of maintenance.Parker said he is grateful for the extrawork leagues do to maintain fields,but the city can’t afford to maintainits fields at a professional level.“We have a number of leagues thatplay at a competitive level and theyrequire a field that is maintained to aprofessional standard,” Parker said.“Those organizations take responsibilityfor upgrading the fields.”