October 1, 2012 was a day that no child or family wants to experience. It’s the day 5-year-old Sarah Watkin was told she had cancer. The AML (acute myelegenous leukemia) diagnosis brought worries about the treatment, painful bone marrow transplants and transfusions, and a fear that the cancer could destroy the vibrant young girl’s life. But instead of devastating a family, it was the start of an amazing and inspirational journey for Sarah, her family, friends and complete strangers. The spark was Sarah herself, who remained undaunted, energetic and positive. Leukemia begins in the blood stem cells which are produced in the bone marrow. These mutated cells can eventually crowd out healthy red and white blood cells and platelets, that bring oxygen to the rest of the body, fight infections and prevent bleeding. As there appeared to be no bone marrow donor match available, Sarah started aggressive chemotherapy at Sick Kids Hospital where she has spent the last 6 months. Her parents Mark and Leah, faced with the reality that there was a huge need for the identification of potential marrow and stem cell donors, embarked on a campaign that they hoped might save Sarah but also thousands of others who needed a donor. Realizing that a donor could be identified by taking a simple mouth swab – a Q-tip rolled in the back of the mouth – they began a campaign to enlist potential donors at schools and other community sites. Partnering with One Match, a stem and marrow network, and working with Canadian Blood services and aided by a friend who taught at Bur Oak Secondary School, Aileen MacInnes, they began the campaign there with senior students (only ages 17-50 are considered suitable donors). Milliken Mills, where Mark is a teacher, quickly organized a donor drive as did seven other secondary schools, with two more set for the future – Stephen Lewis S.S. on May 10th and Bayview S.S on May 21nd. When asked if there is a particular message he would want to convey to Markham Review readers, Mark Watkin responds quickly that getting on the donor list is “super easy!” “Most people think it’s painful, with needles and blood, but it’s just a mouth swab”. He adds that he is eager to talk to any organization or school who wish to organize an event. “They can contact me on Sarah’s Facebook page. At the end of all of this, it is NOT about Sarah, but about all those waiting for a match including over 900 Canadian families.” Luckily, Sarah has responded well to the treatment, is in remission and has just arrived back home. Her hair is growing in but she will return for another round of chemo this month. Mark says, “We are now learning how to become a family again. After all, we haven’t had a dinner together, gone to a movie together, or even spent some quality time together since this all started...we are thankful for each and every day”. In addition to donor registration events, potential donors can register at www.onematch.ca and a swabbing kit will be sent to your home free of charge. Financial donations can be made to Chai Lifeline Canada (www.chailifelinecanada.org), an organization that supports families who have a child who is diagnosed with a serious illness.

April 21 marked an important day for Markham citizens of Macedonian ancestry as the President of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, along with First Lady Maja Ivanov, came to Markham for a series of special events that highlighted some of the intensive community building efforts the local Macedonian community has been involved in. The day included a special flag-raising ceremony at City Hall, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Markham. A “friendship tree” planting ceremony followed that will eventually see a locally grown Bur Oak tree to a place of prominence at the end of Bitola Drive in Markham – a street named after a city in the southwestern part of Macedonia that has long been a cultural, commercial and educational centre in that country. The street is one of three that recognize the Macedonian contribution to Markham. But prior to the formal procedures at City Civic Centre, Ivanov, along with Ambassador Ljuben Tevovski and other officials from the Macedonian delegation and local dignitaries also visited Markham Stouffville Hospital where they unveiled a plaque that honoured the Markham Macedonian community’s pledge of a $100,000 donation. Local residents and co–chairs of the fundraising efforts from St. Dimitrija Solunski Orthodox Church on Main St., George Markou, Jim Dimovski and Chris Stanwyck, are modest about their input. Markou notes that, “while proud of their Macedonian heritage, our fathers are proud Canadians and community minded residents of Markham, and as such they wanted to answer the MSH’s call for support. So, they drafted their sons to lead the community’s fundraising efforts,” he said. This sizeable donation is fruit of a number of initiatives the community undertakes annually, which included a gala fundraiser this past November, and include their annual Macedonian Cultural Festival in September. This three-day undertaking, which runs this year from September 6-8, features music, dance, cultural lessons and, or course, lots of food and fun.

What’s it like to walk on water? Or for that matter, have you ever tried to break an unbreakable bubble? You can do all of that, as well as watch robots race, at the Science Rendezvous, Sat. May 11 - an annual cross-country science festival, which now has a sector in Markham. York University scientists and researchers – including biologists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, even a bee keeper will be on site to answer all things scientific, and exhibit engrossing hands-on science experiments. There will be a range of demonstrations, everything from walking on water, to creating unbreakable bubbles, making bio-batteries, racing solar powered cars, and touching real comets from outer space, said Kelsey Miller, who is executive director of the Science Rendezvous in Markham. “The very young will enjoy making and trying to pop unbreakable bubbles, but there is actually some really interesting chemistry going on there that our scientists can explain, and that would fascinate even the very old. Plus, I have yet to meet any one, at any age who thinks walking on water, and making a cloud out of thin air is not for them,” Miller said, adding that the stand out part is that these presentations employ all of our senses. “For me the most exciting part is bringing science out of the lab, and off the pages of text books, and taking it to the streets where the public can actually get their hands on it and explore. Science isn’t just memorizing equations. We often forget that, especially in elementary and high school. It’s doing, creating, innovating. And that’s what you get to do at Science Rendezvous.” This free science fair will be combined with the opening day of Markham’s 14th Annual Farmers’ Market, and take place Saturday, May 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Main St. The market -replete with old fashioned signs and canopies- features many fresh organically grown fruits and vegetables, as well as baked goods, gluten free items, preserves, berries, frozen meat, beauty products and flowers. Organizers have created a way that some science experiments work in tandem with the farmer’s market. “This year we’re making batteries out of fruit. You can get an electrical charge out of some fruit,” said Christine Matthews, of the Markham Business Improvement Area, as marketing manager and community liaison. “It gets kids interested in science in careers. If you get them young, you get them forever.”
Matthews, who has also coordinated volunteers and organizes the vendors, added that the market and science fair caters to every age group.
“The parents absolutely adore this, and this is for everybody. It’s quite fascinating. I’ve often told several of the scientists if I had come across this when I was younger I might have been in the scientific field.” As well as cool science visuals, there are aural treats with live performances at the market each Saturday from 10am to 1pm. They include: On May 11, 40 Something; May 18, Andrea Kuzmich and May 25, Jan Hanko.

We don’t always see them, but we know they’re there, and we are thankful that they are. There’s no denying that policemen and women are any community’s heroes. But how much do we really know about the work that they do?
Next week, police forces across the province are opening their doors to answer that question by showing members of their communities first-hand the tools and tactics employed by local law enforcers to carry out their work. From May 11 to May 16, the York Regional police department is hosting an open house and four days of station tours in observance of Police Week. Police Week is a coordinated annual campaign across the province of Ontario that also coincides with National Police Week in the United States. Its purpose is to increase awareness about the work police do, and uncovering ways in which the community can become more involved and acquainted with its best protectors and advocates. For police officers, this event gives them a venue to build a more direct relationship with members of the community that they have vowed to serve and protect. “People have a pretty good understanding of what police do, but [Police Week] gives them an opportunity to see more precisely how we do it, and know that it’s not exactly like they see on TV,” said Sergeant Chris Palmer, who oversees community partnerships for York Regional Police. “We generally don’t solve crimes in 30 minutes or less—a lot goes into it.” Though police are often the subject of much criticism in the media and public discourse, events like last month’s terrorist attack in Boston often bring about a more sympathetic tone by society towards police. To one Ontario Provincial Police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, the tides of public opinion don’t hinder most police officers from fulfilling their duties. “It’s disappointing sometimes when I see my colleagues accused of incompetence and even malice,” he said, “It doesn’t matter, though. We do this because it’s our calling.” Police Week will kick off on Saturday May 11 from 10am to 3pm with an open house at the Community Safety Village in Stouffville, an interactive, scaled-down city experience that teaches children about road safety as they drive around in small motorized vehicles. As well, officers will be on site to host motorcycle and service dog demonstrations, as well as lesser-known law enforcement tasks like barbequing and face painting. Organizers expect to welcome 1,500 visitors to the open house, which will take place whether the day brings rain or shine. One of the demonstrations will be as enticing to parents as it is to children. “[The Real C.S.I.] is a set-up that our forensics people do,” said Sgt. Palmer. “They’ll bring down their command vehicle and set up different demonstration areas to show how they lift fingerprints… how we conduct grid searches for various items we might be looking for, and they’ll have something with lasers too. Everyone loves lasers.” From May 13 to May 16, station tours will be provided between 6pm and 9pm at York Regional Police’s district stations in Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Sutton, Vaughan, and at 8700 McCowan Road in Markham. Police will also be hosting community outreach programs on crime prevention and fraud awareness, targeting adults and seniors. For more information about attending Police Week events, www.yrp.ca/policeweek.aspx.

Plenty of mothers appreciate the flowers, candy and handmade cards they get for Mother’s Day, but what better way to spend the day itself than with some quality time? Local Markham businesses are offering plenty to do on Sunday, May 12, so that your family can make memories together.
Brunch and confections
A popular option for Mother’s Day is the traditional Sunday brunch. Many local restaurants and hotels will be offering Mother’s Day specials with options designed to please Mom – and the whole family. Johnny Bistro on Washington St. will be offering a special Mother’s Day menu. Portobello or butternut squash ravioli and Ahi tuna are among the choices, though diners interested in theatrics with their meal can order shrimp and scallops Grand Marina flambéed tableside. Entrees are $17.95-$24.95. Call 905-201-1433 for more information or to make reservations. The Hilton Toronto-Markham Suites Conference Center and Spa’s attached restaurant, Essence of Unionville, will host two seatings on Mother’s Day, at a cost of $48 per person for adults and $24 per child between the ages of 4 and 12. Diners will be treated to an all-you-can-eat buffet with a full complement of traditional brunch options, as well as some special entrees that include lobster ravioli and a prime rib carving station. Reservations can be made in person or by phone to 905-470-8500 ex. 2067. While local brunch options abound, if you have a favorite eatery in mind, reserve early to avoid disappointment. If you’re not full from brunch, take mom out for ice cream or a treat at Old Firehall Confectionery (www.oldfirehallconfectionery.com, 170 Main Street in Unionville). If the weather’s nice, you can sit in their outdoor seating and enjoy their handmade truffles, caramel corn, beer nuts and other treats. If you’re planning in advance, you can order a chocolate plaque with a personalized message or take out a cake to celebrate mom. In conjunction with the Unionville BIA’s Women’s Style Days in May, the Old Firehall Confectionery is offering a promotion where you get a free chocolate rose if you spend $20, from May 9-20.
Spending time together
Getting dressed up and posing for photos together is a way to spend family time, with the photos becoming a lasting keepsake. Markham photographer Don Burrell (http://www.degreyimages.com/Family) suggests a Mother’s Day photo shoot as an alternative to the more traditional gifts of flowers. Burrell photographs families at his Markham and Steeles studio but will also photograph clients at their home or a local park. Those who reserve in advance can get a package that includes a photo session, an edited DVD of the photos, and private online access to the photos, plus discounts on prints.
If you don’t want to get dressed up, consider getting messy instead at Paintlounge on Highway 7. Why make mom a gift in advance when you can create something together? Paintlounge is offering a workshop where you can make your own mixed media art on a 16 x 20 canvas for $30. Reserve a spot online at www.paintlounge.ca. If your family enjoys spending time outdoors, consider one of the many local parks listed at www.markham.ca. Browse lists of tennis courts, download the city’s cycling map or just scroll through the list of local parks. Take a picnic, some lawn chairs and a Frisbee and enjoy the hopefully-beautiful weather. To find local Mother’s Day deals of your own, the internet is your best resource. Groupon and other daily deal sites connect you to discounts at local businesses. Kijiji.ca has searchable listings to find events and services. Whatever you plan to do on Mother’s Day, you’ll find plenty on offer here in Markham.

Spring is the perfect time to improve your health with walking, running and playing sports. However, it’s important to be mindful of times when sport injuries can occur. Plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the bottom of the foot), metatarsalgia and Achilles tendonitis are common conditions that can develop with increased activity.  With the right precautions and preventive measures, much harm can be avoided. In situations where individuals participate in intense activities, experience foot trauma, have certain foot deformities (such as bunions), suffer from arthritis, or simply wear the wrong type of footwear, metatarsalgia may occur. Symptoms include discomfort and or a burning sensation located at the ball of the foot. This condition is also not limited to one area, and often also results in sharp pain or numbness in the toe area. Plantar fasciitis is debilitating and an annoyingly persistent injury that can happen to anyone, but it is most common amongst runners. The plantar tendon runs the length of the bottom of the foot, spanning the area from the base of the toes to the front of the heel. The two ends of the tendon attach at the base of the toes and at the front of the heel bone by means of fascia (a strong fibrous membrane). Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia caused by any motion of the legs that creates a pull on the plantar tendon. When the plantar tendon is consistently over-stretched, the body begins to add calcium where the attachment between the tendon and the heel bone takes place. Over time, enough calcium is added to build more bone mass in that particular spot, creating a heel spur that can be even more painful than plantar fasciitis. Achilles tendinitis is a common condition that causes pain along the back of the leg near the heel. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It connects your calf muscles to your heel bone and is used when you walk, run, and jump.  Achilles tendonitis typically starts off as a dull stiffness in the tendon, which gradually goes away as the area gets warmed up. It may get worse with faster running, uphill running, or when wearing spikes and other low-heeled running shoes. If you continue to train on it, the tendon will hurt more sharply and more often, eventually impeding your ability even to jog lightly. About two-thirds of Achilles tendonitis cases occur at the “midpoint” of the tendon, a few inches above the heel. Other common causes of the above conditions include: wearing inflexible or worn out shoes, very low or high arches, being overweight, spending long hours on your feet, having tight calf muscles or tight/stiff ankle muscles and walking barefoot in soft sand for long distances. Metatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis can be both prevented and treated with the use of custom made orthotics. These are corrective devices that are produced as a means of correcting a foot that is not functioning biomechanically. With the use of orthotics, individuals are able to regulate irregular foot function, re-establish proper weight distribution and improve the overall function of the foot. Appropriate footwear also plays a key role in keeping your foot healthy. To book an appointment with a chiropodist for an assessment or a pedorthist for a complimentary evaluation or consultation on how to prevent sports related injuries, call 905-787-9255 or visit www.walkncomfort.com for more information.

Markville Secondary School held its Annual Hoops for Heart Tournament on April 25th. The Athletic Council (led by Raphaela So, Jessica Luc and Elissa Kong-pictured L-R) coordinated the event this year with support from Ms. Coleman and the Health and Physical Education Department and members of the Senior Boys Basketball Team (Shayan Jaffer, Sharu Ahilan) This is the 11th year that Ms. Coleman has been in charge of this event. In that time, Markville students have raised over $10,000 that has been donated to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Every year, between 25 - 30 teams (all from Markville) sign up to participate in this event.

If you happened to think that more people than usual were wearing pick around April 10, you weren’t imagining it and it wasn’t just people in the Easter spirit. Staff and students across York Region were participating in International Day of Pink, a day first begun in Nova Scotia when two high school students saw a gay student being bullied and decided to make a statement of support and encouraging fellow-students to join in. The idea caught on and school boards across the country have responded including here in Markham where 33 public and Catholic secondary schools participate in the Empowered Student Partnership (ESP) program which, with support from York police and school administration, strive to create a positive, supportive atmosphere in schools.

The Stiver Mill and Grain Elevator has long been a recognizable feature in the heart of historic Unionville. But recently it hasn’t been recognized so much for its use or beauty as it has been for its state of disrepair. Built in 1910, the mill was a part of the area’s agricultural industry until economic realities forced its shutdown in 1968. Recognizing its unique heritage qualities, the Town of Markham purchased the property with the intent of having it developed, but plans fell by the wayside. Over the last year and a half, new preparations for its revitalization have begun to solidify. In October of 2012, a detailed report drafted by the Unionville Stiver Mill Preservation Advisory Committee was submitted, that outlined a comprehensive restoration endeavour with a projected cost of approximately $1.9 million for the first and biggest phase of the restoration.
The project received a huge boost on April 5th as Oakridges-Markham M.P. Paul Calandra announced federal funding of over $622,000 as part of the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan that allocates funds from the Canada Community Infrastructure Fund (CIIF). “I am proud to see my community benefit from the Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund,” said MP Calandra. “This investment will help create jobs and growth, and will support the prosperity of the City of Markham for years to come.” Mayor Frank Scarpitti, along with members of council and Stiver Preservation members, welcomed the infusion of funds. “Stiver Mill is an important heritage treasure and landmark in the historic village of Unionville .... With this support from the Federal Government, the Stiver Mill, in conjunction with the Unionville Train Station, will serve as a campus for community use with seating and spaces for outdoor events.” The first phase involves restoration of the building exterior, renovation of over 1100 ft of ground floor leasable space, and landscaping complete with a boardwalk that would connect the Mill to the Unionville Train Station and continue to Main Street Unionville. No word yet on a potential start date, but fingers are crossed that the Mill can quickly regain it stature and add to the Unionville heritage district’s charm.

The Gala for Giving, a unique event initiated by
Regional Councillor Gord Landon provides small local organizations the opportunity to fundraise in a large gala event. Through this type of event, the organizations can benefit from a more diverse audience while experiencing and developing a sense of comradeship with other organizations in the community. The inaugural event was held April 25 at the Crystal Fountain Banquet Hall. The City of Markham has chosen to assist seven local organizations in raising funds to improve their services to the community including Centre for Dreams, Cherish Integrated Services, Free The Children, Kindred Spirits Orchestra, Markham Arts Council, Markham Symphony Orchestra, and Markhaven Foundation.
About 900 guests attended the event.

York Regional Police, in partnership with the community, recently hosted its 11th annual community commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. An overflow crowd came out to the Markham Event Centre on Duffield Drive to watch events hosted by Master of Ceremonies Farley Flex, artist manager and former host of Candian Idol. In addition to guest speakers, a number of artists performed including members of Laya Bhava Dance Academy (pictured).
The United Nations established International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The declaration was intended to increase awareness around the issues of racism and discrimination. Canada became one of the first countries to formally recognize the declaration when it proclaimed the day in 1989. “York Regional Police is very proud to host this special cultural event for the 11th year in a row,” said Chief Eric Jolliffe. “The celebration of this important day has become a tradition in York Region.”

Regional Councillor Joe Li for the second year hosted Canada’s Diversity Celebration: A Musical Evening Showcasing Our Rich Culture during the Easter long weekend at the Flato Markham Theatre, aiming to bring communities together and celebrate cultural diversity. This annual concert is a Chinese and Indian-themed cultural event spearheaded by Councillor Li to celebrate the richness of Chinese and Indian cultures through singing and music. This year’s show featured a mix of over 20 talented amateur singers of Chinese and Indian backgrounds who sang a variety of popular and classic hits in Hindi and Chinese. Mayor Mr. Frank Scarpitti made a special guest appearance debuting his Cantonese and Mandarin singing accompanied by a violinist and an erhuist and was well received by the capacity crowd of 500.

Ange Friesen, community librarian, teaches local kids about the joy of growing your own food. A pilot project of the City of Markham’s Sustainability Office and Markham Public Library, the Markham Grows Seed Library provides organic, heritage seeds to the public – free of charge. Library members then return seeds from the plants they grow, completing the cycle and ensuring the library’s sustainability. Given Markham’s status as the most diverse municipality in Canada, the seed library includes seeds for plants both native to Southern Ontario and from around the world. The seed library’s collection will include easy to grow and save seeds such as beans and peas as well as more challenging seeds to save, such as lettuces and carrots. By growing their own food, Markham’s families become more connected to the environment and their communities; they save money, reduce their ecological footprints, and – most important – have the satisfaction of eating delicious, healthy food that came from their own garden.
The Seed Library is located inside the Milliken Mills library, and will be accessible during regular library hours. The library will present a series of workshops on gardening throughout the spring, summer and fall. For updates and information, please check out www.markhampubliclibrary.com or email seeds@markham.ca.

Parade? Check. Fireworks? Check. Live music? Check. Everything else? Check that off the list, too. The Unionville Festival committee is getting ready to take over Main Street for what members of the committee promise to be a weekend of non-stop fun. The 43rd installment of the Unionville Festival will be taking place during the weekend of May 31 to June 2.
Organizers of the event are expecting upwards of 50,000 visitors from Markham and other parts of York Region to visit Main Street Unionville and Crosby Park during this year’s festival. The event started off as a rally by concerned citizens to urge officials to preserve Main Street, which was at the risk of being widened to four lanes. Since this successful effort in 1970, the festival has grown to be a celebration of Unionville’s vibrant business and cultural scenes. Year-round, Main Street Unionville is the second-most visited area in the 905 region, next only to Canada’s Wonderland. At the helm of the festival this year is 30-year Markham resident Mona Babin, whose involvement is driven by a desire to give back to the community that she claims has given her so much. “If you’re in Unionville, you have to come because all of your friends are going to be there,” advised Babin, who is serving as committee member and chair of the festival for the first time this year. “If you’re outside of Unionville, this is the best way to discover Main Street and see it in full action—not just what we’re bringing to the street that weekend, but a showcase of what we offer year round.” Much like in previous years, the 2013 Unionville Festival will have musical entertainment, the Festival Parade down Main Street—which boasts the honour of being York Region’s largest parade—as well as a family fun day in Crosby Park, complete with a bouncy castle, and activities for the family pets. The beer tent has been rebranded this year to become the Booze and Tunes area. Also, a wider variety of vendors are expected for this year, according to Babin. “In the past, we’ve had craft and food vendors, but this year we’re also going to have community organizations and several local business,” she said. Headlining on the Friday night will be pop/rock cover band The Staff, with a catalogue of songs ranging categorically—and alphabetically—from Adele to ZZ Top. Among the most enthusiastic for the festival are members of the Unionville Business Improvement Area, an association of local business that stand to benefit from the influx of people on Main Street during the festival. “The Unionville BIA is happy to have the Unionville Festival on the street each year,” said Judi McIntyre, Executive Director of the Unionville BIA. “The hard working committee that organizes the Saturday events and Sunday in Crosby Park do a terrific job and the businesses of Main Street are appreciative.” Unionville’s merchants are responsible for hosting Friday evening’s events, as well as some of Sunday’s festivities.
“This has become the way to launch the summer in Unionville,” said Babin. “The streets come alive as soon as the sun shines.”
A full schedule of events for the Unionville Festival is available at www.UnionvilleFestival.com

The faculty and students of St. Brother Andre Catholic High School lost a great friend last month, with the sudden passing of guidance counsellor, teacher and basketball coach Rick Maloney. Maloney had taught at the school since it opened, more than 25 years ago. Earlier this year he lead his senior boys basketball team to a York Region championship and then tragically died last month while playing basketball, suffering a heart attack on court. He is survived by his two kids Breanna and Ryan and his wife Jackie, who also taught at Brother Andre. Along with his family, Maloney is survived by the many lives he touched throughout Markham and the legacy and memories he has left behind at Brother Andre. These are memories cherished by the school’s physical education head, Dave Turner. Turner worked with Maloney for more than 25 years and remembers his colleague and friend as a “jokester”, who always did the right thing. Laughing over the phone, Turner remembers just how much Maloney loved Halloween as he would regularly come to school dressed up for the event. Turner’s laughs grew as he recalled one Halloween when Maloney, who had a physically imposing build and used to play in the Canadian Football League, arrived to school dressed as a skeleton, but ran into some trouble when he went to do some banking during his lunch break. “He was in his costume, waiting in line at the bank and evidently it really scared someone, because they called the police – next thing you know, the SWAT team shows up and they are there for Rick,” said Turner. “I’ve heard and told that story so many times over the years and it makes me laugh really hard, still.” While many at the school share happy stories remembering Maloney, the mood in the halls remains a little sombre said Turner. “Since his passing, the kids have been quiet. He knew all the kids – I think the kids could tell that he really cared,” he explained.
“Walking into the gym is different for me now that he’s gone. He was always down there sharing a laugh or staying late or coming in early so kids could shoot hoops.” Kelsie Josephs graduated from Brother Andre last year. Now attending Brock University she remembers that when walking into her former school’s guidance office, Maloney’s smiling face would be the first she saw. “He was the type of man that would stop you in the hallway just to find out how your day was going, even if he didn’t know you very well,” she said, adding that he was able to touch the lives of so many in many different ways.
“Although some people didn’t know him as well as others, I am completely certain that everyone that did have the pleasure of meeting this man has been impacted by his huge heart and always positive demeanour.”

Markham residents can make a huge difference in the community without even leaving bed, thanks to a fun summer fundraiser in the works by the city’s hospital. On June 23, the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation is hosting its second annual Great Markham Stouffville Hospital Bed Race down Main Street Unionville. The Bed Race is part of the hospital’s long-term Buy a Bed campaign to equip the hospital with much needed patient beds. The concept is a simple one: A team of five representing a community group or local business will push one of their own—the ‘patient’—down a 150-metre stretch of Main Street on a retired—and heavy—hospital bed. In the lead-up to the race, teams will secure pledges from anyone they can, with pledges going toward the acquisition of new beds by the hospital. Winners will have their names engraved on the official Bed Race Trophy Award, as well as a nifty prize by one of the event’s sponsors. Last year, each member of the winning team was given a watch from Timex. “We are looking forward to holding the Second Annual Great Markham Stouffville Hospital Bed Race and raising funds for the Buy-A-Bed campaign,” said Jane Burchell, Bed Race Chair for the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation. “It was a great success last year and a lot of fun for the participants and the spectators alike. It’s great fun watching the teams race down the street with their ‘patients.’” Organizers have set a fundraising goal of $100,000 for the race. While the cause of buying beds is not necessarily the most glamorous of fundraising initiatives, it is an important one. “All the money being raised will help us purchase needed beds. We’re trying to raise as much as we can to buy as many as we can,” said Madeline Cuadra, Manager of Corporate Sponsorship and Special Events for the foundation. Cuadra added that a standard patient bed costs $10,000, while specialized beds for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) cost more than $70,000. The event’s uniqueness, however, has engaged the community for the cause. “Involvement from local businesses and the banks has been very positive,” said Cuadra. “It’s a very unique event because everyone has different walks and runs, but not many people race beds.” The idea has been executed by a small group of other hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area towards their own Buy a Bed programs, most notably by the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington and the Whitby Hospital.

At 31 years old, Jamie had a degree, a career in financial services, and a fiancé. Unfortunately, he was also struggling with an illness that gradually became debilitating. It prevented him from attending work every day, from seeing his fiancé on a regular basis, and even from spending time with his family. His illness wasn’t visible to anyone, but it was very real for him. Like 2.72 million Canadians, Jamie was suffering from a form of depression. Despite a multitude of medications, therapies and programs available to him, thoughts of fear that his fiancé would leave him or his job would be in jeopardy if anyone found out he was, in his view, “mentally unstable” prevented him from seeking any of these. Silent misery was easier than facing judgment from those he cared about. Depression is only one form of mental illness, but it is indiscriminate of sex, race, age or class. In severe cases, it can lead to suicide. Though 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a form of mental illness, the issue still remains an elephant in the room in most corners of the country. The stigma surrounding this very real epidemic is a sometimes impenetrable barrier between available help and those who need it most. In May, the Canadian Mental Health Association will be celebrating Mental Health Week to raise awareness for this cause. In Markham, one service group has made it its mission to improve access to services and the community’s awareness of the issue. On May 5, the Boxgrove Lions are hosting the Lions Walk for Mental Health at the Markham Civic Centre to raise funds for mental health programs at Markham StouffvilleHospital. According to the Markham Stouffville Hospital, the Lions are one of numerous community organizations that have stepped up in the fight against mental illness. “In Markham, we have tremendous support from community agencies and private families who support the mental health program,” said Sandy Marangos, Director of Mental Health for Markham Stouffville Hospital. She added that the Lions Club has contributed financially to support their programs. Also, the Angus Glen holds a run once a year and the proceeds have historically been going to mental health and emergency services. These funds have helped purchase testing materials, as well as computer programs that allow patients to get more self-directed help within their treatment. This supplements the inpatient and outpatient programs the hospital offers for children, adolescents and adults experiencing psychological issues. The hospital is currently planning to implement a day program for children and youth in September. The key is creating an environment where individuals are not ashamed to seek help. “We help patients under our care cope with the impact of stigma for them. [Such as] how to handle returning back to the workplace, people’s questions about where they’ve been, as well as family support and education,” said Marangos. “We have also developed an anti-stigma training program geared towards emergency room staff.”
The program was created and implemented at Markham Stouffville Hospital, but the Commission on Mental Health has picked it up and is encouraging its use provincewide. The hospital also frequently goes into schools in the region for professional development days to educate teachers and guidance counsellors on how to identify and assist students affected by mental illness. “We’re real advocates for mental health,” said Marangos. As for Jamie, through ongoing therapy, he is battling his illness and not allowing it to take over his life.

When construction kicks up again for the long-awaited Main Street Markham beautification and revitalization this summer, business owners will be turning lemons into lemonade. The overhaul of Markham Road between Highway 407 and Major Mackenzie Drive will include a much-needed repaving of the roads, as well as improvements to sidewalk fixtures, greenery and lighting. Last year, the street was torn up while the sewer and watermains were repaired. Though traffic was heavily disrupted during last year’s construction, a spokesperson for the City of Markham said that all contractors bidding on the contract are required to present a traffic plan. “The bidders are to submit their proposal as to how to manage traffic, pedestrians and access to businesses for our review and evaluation,” said Alan Brown, Director of Engineering for the City of Markham. “Those contractors that submit a satisfactory mitigation plan will then proceed to review of their tender prices.” He added that the tender recently went out to a “pre-selected number” of contractors. The City hopes to have selected a contractor by the end of April. For Markham businesses, it’s a minor inconvenience in the big picture. “It can’t be any worse than what we experienced last year,” said Diane Kobelansky, Chair of the Markham Village Business Improvement Area and owner of Tangerine Gecko Art Gallery. “We took every opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade. It would be wonderful if we had a magic wand and it could all be done tomorrow, but ultimately the end will be astounding and everyone agrees with that.” “No pain, no gain,” she added. Among the changes taking place on Main Street is the construction of 143 new condominiums by Sierra Homes, which is spearheading 68 Main Street, a high-end condo building that will incorporate a courtyard, retail shops, and even an on-site car share service. Sierra condos will run anywhere from the mid $200,000s to over $1 million. Just down the road, the Ravina condominium at 46 Main Street is still in the process of selling units. Having that many new residents in the area is good news for the BIA. “Sierra Homes is a large part of our renewal,” said Kobelansky. “The new condos and retail stores will be a welcomed addition to the original, historic downtown, the place to live, work and play in Markham.” The BIA has received some concerns that these changes will result in Main Street being bottlenecked, but that is not the case. “The street functions as two lanes and it’s going to function as two lanes after the construction as well. We have parking on the street and there will be parking on the street when this is done,” said Christine Matthews, Community Liaison for the BIA. “It’s going to be functioning the same as it was before, except hopefully a lot prettier looking.” The City of Markham is contributing over $5.5 million to this project, on which construction will start in early July. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.

It was in October 2007, that Robert Davidson found out the test results trying to identify the cause of his breathlessness. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), he was told, but he knew nothing about what it was. What he did know was that his quality of life rapidly deteriorated. Within a couple of years, it got so bad that he was in a wheelchair --he could not walk more than a few paces without pausing for breath, even with supplemental oxygen. A friend wheeled him around Markville Mall to do his Christmas shopping. Talking and shaving at the same time was not possible. The 66-year-old needed his wife’s support to dress himself. He spent days in a chair watching TV. “Going up stairs to bed, even using the oxygen, was a monumental task requiring a rest halfway up,” he remembered. His weight dropped 70lbs and his appetite had disappeared so that he was living on chocolate high protein drinks. Unfortunately, he found little information about what he was going through; and, sadly, American contacts he made were unhelpful. In response to his dilemma, Davidson decided to start his own organization, to help other Canadians. From his own Markham home, supported by volunteers, he created the charity Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. The first thing to know is that IPF is a lung disease characterized by scarring of the air sacs in the lungs. As the scarring becomes thicker and more widespread, the lungs lose their ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. The disease is more common in men than women and is usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 80 years. Studies suggest that 5,000 to 8,000 Canadians suffer from IPF, with an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 having mild to moderate disease. There are an estimated 3,000 deaths each year in Canada associated with the disease. The only treatment for mild to moderate IPF in adults is recently available in Canada, called Esbriet. There is no known cause and no known cure - except a lung transplant. Life expectancy after diagnosis is 3 to 5 years. Robert was lucky enough to receive a double lung transplant, Jan. 30, 2010. “When you wake up and you can suddenly breathe, it is mind-blowing. Within no time, I forgot I was breathing,” he remembers, along with furious walking around that he was not able to do before.
“I ate everything they gave, even mac and cheese, which I dislike. Food at last… I was perpetually smiling and I loved my donor whoever he or she was. I had gone from near death to very active and happy.” The very month he received his new lungs, his organization’s fundraising began in January 2010, and to date they have raised more than $300,000. In 2014 they will be supporting a gathering of international researchers studying IPF. Today, he says, “my new lungs are magnificent” but he is required to take immuno-suppressing drugs for the rest of his life. “Some of these drugs have some pretty heavy side effects. I am very susceptible to infections which have slowed down my ability to return to my previous level of fitness. Before the transplant I was a Class 1 soccer referee,” he laments. “I still think of how different I am to the rest of the world, mostly, having someone else’s generous gift keeping me alive. It is a feeling and mindset that cannot be described.” In the past few years he has counselled, educated or supported about 200 IPF patients and their families across the country -- and met about 80 of them. He receives, on average, 25 to 35 e-mails or phone calls a month. He has also written a downloadable patient guide handbook. “My greatest task is finding these patients so that they can use my support and be linked with others in the same position.” About 80 per cent of his e-mails and telephone conversations cover patient advocacy and “what they must do to push their doctors to get them to the proper place with the best chance of survival.” In a continued effort to raise money and awareness, the organization on Apr. 27 will be hosting its annual Spring Gala at LeParc Banquet Hall, an evening touted as dinner, dancing, silent auction, with a raffle and door prizes. Also, Wednesday July 31, 2013 they will be hosting their 4th annual Golf Open, held again at the Angus Glen Golf Course in Markham, on the South Course. For more information www.cpff.ca or Robert@cpff.ca

More than three years have passed since Unionville’s Lindsay Bolger succumbed to her 4 ½ year battle with cancer at the age of 26. Despite this, Lindsay’s spirit and legacy live on as her family, friends and community promotes the message that Lindsay used her final years to share: Be Strong. On April 21, one day shy of what would have been Lindsay’s 30th birthday, her family is hosting the second annual B-Strong Walk, a five kilometer walk taking place at the Markham Museum. In 2011, the City of Markham declared April 22 B-Strong Day in honour of Lindsay. After her diagnosis with brain cancer in 2005, Lindsay, then 22, made a decision to fight back. Despite her doctors trying to convince her to take the year off of school, she had a different idea. “You can take away my hair. You can take away my energy. But you will not take away my graduating year,” she remarked, according to a tribute video for Lindsay. While completing her studies, she also founded the B-Strong Fund, an avenue to raise money and awareness for brain tumour research. The work that Lindsay set in motion is still thriving, with B-Strong having now raised over $630,000 towards its cause. The money has been distributed to four hospitals that Lindsay selected based on where she received treatments or advice: Princess Margaret, Sick Kids, and Sunnybrook hospitals in Toronto, as well as the Montreal Neurological Institute. “Lindsay was so incredibly positive. She was always up to checking anything out and she was quite shocked by what impact this had on her—the treatments, the surgery. She wanted to help others get through similar situations,” said John Bolger, Lindsay’s father. “If we weren’t doing something, we’d truly feel guilty because Lindsay did an incredible job at kicking this off when she was facing much more challenging circumstances than most of us.” The committee that organizes B-Strong’s events is made up of Lindsay’s friends and family members, who volunteer their efforts for the cause. The first walk, which took place last year, brought out 500 people and raised $57,000, a number her family hopes to exceed this year. “We are very appreciative of the long-term support that we’ve been given by people and organizations in Markham, like Hockey with Heart teaming with Village Grocer and Kylemore Homes who have been major supporters from the beginning and we welcome the recent support of Whole Foods and others,” said Bolger. “We are deeply committed to this.” The 2nd Annual B-Strong Walk takes place again at the Markham Museum on April 21, at noon. For more information or to register, visit www.BStrong.ca.

York Regional Police is seeking volunteers to support the 2013 Special Olympics Summer Games. The event, scheduled from July 11 to 14 will be the largest provincial summer games ever held. More than a thousand athletes, coaches and staff from across Ontario will come to York Region to compete in soccer, softball, golf, rhythmic gymnastics and track and field. Competitions and special events will be held in each of our nine regional municipalities. Volunteers are needed to fill positions including team ambassadors for each sport, marshals for opening and closing ceremonies, time keepers, golf caddies and track and field timers. Volunteers are asked to commit at least 16 hours of their time to this worthwhile cause. You must be a minimum of 14-years-old to apply and a police background check is required. Also, York Regional Police is organizing a Paint the Region Red Day on May 16 to raise funds for the Special Olympics Summer Games. There are two programs - one for schools and one for the public. For schools, the Police will make available a Special Olympics red wrist band for every student in the Region. Every school will have the opportunity to participate. But there are limited quantities so register soon! As for the public and businesses,your employees and/or associates can wear red Special Olympics laces on May 16. It’s a fun way to show your support and funds raised will support the Special Olympics. Visit www.yrp.ca for more information.

Students will be praised and awarded for their integrity and moral fiber on Apr. 24, at the Character Community Awards. The seventh annual event, at the Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre, recognizes individuals, schools, groups and businesses for demonstrating exemplary character. “Like every year it’s the showcasing the number of people actively out there doing a number of great things,” said Karen Addison, Executive Director, Character Community Foundation of York Region. ”Often we’ll hear only about the negative things that people do, but here we see some of the good, which is nice. We have a thirty per cent jump in participants from all across the region since last year, and that shows either people are willing to take the time to recognize their friends or there’s more people out there doing good stuff.” Led by volunteers and layleaders from the community, government, education and business sectors, the Character Community Foundation of York Region’s mandate is to raise awareness in the public about character development. They encourage what they refer to as “Character Attributes”: compassion, courage, fairness, honesty, inclusiveness, initiative, integrity, optimism, perseverance, respect, responsibility. The idea of Character Community Foundation of York Region was initially conceived at a symposium hosted in April, 2001, by the York Region District School Board. Today, Board of Governors include Chief (Retired) York Regional Police Armand La Barge, former MP Belinda Stronach, and Chief York Regional Police Eric Jolliffe, among dozens of other involved leaders. Liyan ChrisB Liu of Markham won one of the awards last year, in the category of Character Through the Arts. Liu, a trained visual artist in graphic design, publication and hand-crafting, used her skills to inspire youth. In 2007, she conducted a creativity training workshop for over 200 youths at Across U-hub’s Youth Leadership Training Camp.
She also led a team of Canadian youth to connect to the Sichuan earthquake victims. She initiated a series of hand-made paper projects, including letters of blessings to comfort, and befriend, earthquake survivors. She brought the letters to Sichuan and gave them to the survivors. She conducted a photography workshop in Beichuan High school, in Sichuan, where over 1,000 students lost their lives in the earthquake. The workshop helped over 800 surviving students express their grief. “It was an unforgettable moment for me when the emcee announced I was the winner of Character Through the Arts category at the award night. It also is a great encouragement for me to pursue my dream,” she said. Currently she is studying MSc Art Psychotherapy in Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, U.K., a two-year program which she says will help her achieve her goals “to serve people in need in our community after my training,” she said. “It is stressful and heavy loaded to study Art Psychotherapy, but it is never an easy path when we are chasing our dreams, and I am lucky that I got this opportunity.” Later this year, the Foundation will promote Annual Character Community Week, Oct. 21-26.
Among other initiatives from Character Community Foundation of York Region is Slap Shot - an after school hockey program running since 2009. Partnering with the York Region District School Board, the program provides 200 newcomer children in grades 4-6 with the opportunity to learn hockey, who may have not been able to due to financial or cultural barriers. The biggest hurdles of the Foundation, Addison said, are limited resources. But she hopes that will change in coming years. “It’s not being able to do everything we want to do – because it does integrate into every part of our lives. What we do plays into the sports community, music community and even in family life,” she said. “We’d like to fulfill requests and the needs, and touch more people’s lives.” For more: www.Charactercommunity.com

Canadians of Pakistani Origin (COPO) stepped into the fundraising spotlight again recently hosting their 11th annual fundraising gala in support of the Markham-Stouffville Hospital Foundation. The $100,000 dollars raised at this year’s event March 22 at the Crystal Fountain Banquet Hall brings the total funds for the 11 years to over $1.25 million. Khalid Usman, Chair of COPO shares “we know that a strong hospital is the cornerstone of any vibrant, growing community, so giving to our community hospital is easy”.  Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation named the Emergency Department Orange Zone and a radiology suite in honour of COPO’s ongoing support as well. Foundation CEO Suzette Strong is appreciative of the collaboration noting, “without the support of Canadians of Pakistani Origin and all our generous donors, the very recent opening of our new building could not have happened.”

Stouffville Hyundai is one of five Hyundai dealers in their category across Canada to win the 2012 Hyundai Canada President’s Award of Merit. This recognition of excellence is awarded to the top 10 percent of Hyundai dealers in Canada based on customer service, market share and vehicle sales. Dealer Principal Pieter van der Griend, said “I am honoured to receive this award, it confirms that we are achieving our number one objective of customer service. I thank my team and customers for their continued support”. Stouffville Hyundai has been in business since August 2010.

Before William Berczy, founder of Markham, was William Berczy, he was lesser known by the name of Johan Albrecht Ulrich Moll, born inNordlingen, Bavaria, Germany in 1744. And though his contributions as Berczy to what is now Markham and Toronto are well documented, City officials along with a group of private citizens led by Markham’s Official Historian Lorne Smith are taking a pilgrimage to Nordlingen this September to help recognize the historical connection between the two areas that many are not aware of. It is not the first effort to connect, however. In 2001 the two cities signed an agreement recognizing their unique connection and in 2004 the Markham Men of Note choir performed concerts in Germany. In 2008 a delegation of 118 from Nordlingen associated with their Youth Band visited and performed for Markham. But the visit to Nordlingen this year by Smith along with Markham Town Crier John Webster and more than a dozen other private citizens who are paying their own way will not only take part in some official activities with City officials, but will for 15 days be immersing themselves in the cultural history of the place from where our founding families came, including the renowned Stadtmaurerfest (Ring Wall Festival) which is staged every three years. While the slots for the citizens’ tour are almost full, a few openings remained at press time and interested parties can find out more about the costs and itinerary at alohah@idirect.com or by calling 905-852-0707

The newest addition to Markham Stouffville Hospital is the  four-storey, 385,000-square-foot building that includes new emergency, mental health, diagnostic imaging and maternal child units. It opened its doors to patients  March 10. Work will soon commence on the second phase of the project, which involves renovating the original building. Celebrating the completion of this new wing were several government representatives including: Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care;Markham-Unionville MPP Michael Chan; and Oak Ridges-Markham MPP Dr. Helena Jaczek. At the peak of construction activity, approximately 300 workers were on site daily, with 25 to 40 per cent of the workforce coming from the Region of York. When the project is finished in August 2014 the expanded hospital is expected to employ an additional 875 staff and attract 60 new physicians to the area. Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with Markham Stouffville Hospital to manage the redevelopment project, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable.
Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca or www.msh.on.ca for more information.

Earth Day Canada is issuing an action-based challenge during April urging all Canadians (kids, classrooms, groups, businesses, individuals and families) to make positive changes to their daily habits. Called Act for the Planet, the challenge runs from April 1 to April 30, 2013 and encourages people to take up activities that will demonstrate just how easy it is to make daily routines greener (and healthier).
Canada’s EcoKids program, with prizing from Sony Canada, is offering kids a chance to get involved on their own terms. Kids will have all month long to do something good for the planet (and remind their parents to do their part, too!) Fun and easy actions include:
• Build a Bug House 
• Grow and Eat Sprouts
• Reconnect with Nature 
• Swap Stuff
• Start an Anti-idling Campaign.
For the rest of us, lifestyle choices are typically based on convenience, complacency and habit, but these come with a price. Take the 30-challenge to help you make better decisions about what you do, eat, drink and what resources you use. Try something new each day that’s good for you and the planet!
“We know that beyond air, food and water quality, the types of products we use on a daily basis, as well as the amount of activity we get, can have substantial effects on our health and the environment,” says Jed Goldberg, President of Earth Day Canada. “These campaigns help inform people about the environmental and health impacts of the decisions they make on a daily basis, while encouraging them to adopt behaviours that will improve the health of their families and communities.”
Visit www.earthday.ca for more information and step-by-step help with the kid’s activities.

David Tsubouchi’s story begins in 1941, when his family, along with tens of thousands of Japanese Canadians were imprisoned by Canada’s Liberal Mackenzie King government. In his memoir, Gambatte, to be released in June 2013, Tsubouchi describes a journey from nightmare to redemption. His mother was incarcerated in British Columbia’s Lemon Creek Internment Camp; his father and uncles were in POW Camp 101 near Marathon, Ontario; his grandfather had the inauspicious distinction of being the first Japanese Canadian to die as a result of being transported to a camp. Indefinitely confiscating their property and finances, Canada’s government left the Tsubouchi family with nothing save their hope and courage. Gambatte, Japanese for never give up, is hard to believe, but is typical of the experience of most Japanese Canadians. “My history isn’t unique,” the author tells the Markham Review. “Canadians of Japanese descent had to learn determination early on. Our parents and grandparents taught us how to cope, move on and take responsibility for our own lives.” His parents left the camps with only the clothes on their backs, and the realities of prejudice meant that no one would hire them. “You couldn’t be poorer than us,” the Markham local says, “but we had nothing to complain about. A great family overcomes hardship.” His father ultimately landed a dry cleaning job, his tenacity enabling him to eventually buy the business. And Tsubouchi worked hard to become the first member of his family to graduate with a university degree (followed by his brother and sister). He studied English literature, fell in love with poetry and went to law school. He opened his own practice on Main Street and got involved with the community, coaching hockey and softball, and volunteering at the Optimist Club of Markham and the Markham Festival Committee. In 1988, Tsubouchi was elected to Markham council, the first Japanese Canadian to be elected to office in Canada. In 1995, he was elected to the Ontario Legislature, the first Japanese Canadian to be elected to a provincial legislature. “It’s the government’s responsibility to ensure that people aren’t discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity,” he tells the Markham Review. “It’s all about the public good.” As Minister of Culture, he championed libraries, successfully acquiring funding for small northern communities. When he was growing up, he couldn’t afford to buy books. Today, he owns more than 4,000 signed first-editions. “Libraries are the one place where people with money and without money have the same rights,” he says. “Education is the biggest cure for poverty. It’s the greatest equalizer.” He has devoted his life to education, raising more than $10 million for Seneca College, serving in the Advisory Council for York University and chairing the fundraising effort for the George Brown College School of Fine Arts. “Books give you possibilities in life,” Tsubouchi says. “They open your eyes to potential.” And so he wrote his own — a book that defines actualizing potential.

For those still waffling over what to do during March Break, immerse yourself in the sweet and sticky world of maple syrup at Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area in Stouffville this month, as the Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival is underway. Now in its 45th year, the festival, also observed by the Kortright Centre for Conversation in Woodbridge, runs until April 7 and is intended to celebrate all things maple. This year’s festival at Bruce’s Mill includes guided tours of the sugarbush and demonstrations of the old method of creating syrup using pot stills, as well as the newer, more mechanical process. There will also be family activities such as carriage and pony rides and a petting zoo. And, of course, lots and lots of sampling.This week, because of March Break, Bruce’s Mill will be open daily until 5 p.m. For the remainder of the festival, it will be open on weekends. According to the coordinator of the event, the festival is a great opportunity for kids to learn about one of Canada’s most delicious industries in a fun and very visual way. “The general reaction is great,” says Andrew Morin, Supervisor of Bruce’s Mill Conservative Area. “The kids love it. They’re very happy and they love the petting zoo, magic show and pony rides. It’s a nice atmosphere and it really feels like a festival.” Morin says that the festival is made with children in mind, but there’s something for everyone. One thing that he says always surprises both children and adult visitors alike is the sap to syrup ratio in making maple syrup. “It takes 40 litres of sap to make one litre of syrup,” he says. In other words, at the risk of sounding sappy, that pure, delicious maple syrup is a labour of love and a profound exercise in patience. During the hour-long sugarbush tour, people will have the opportunity to see the different types of maple trees, and learn about the different types of syrup that can be made from them. And did we mention sampling? Inevitably, such an event comes with a warning. “The kids tend to get a little hyper,” Morin says. “A lot of the products we have are pretty well pure sugar. You definitely don’t want to give them any extra sugar before they come.” Fortunately, the site comes with some open space where kids (and possibly parents) can burn off the extra energy before heading home. As for Morin’s favorite part of the festival—“Maple fudge,” he says. “It’s absolutely fantastic.”

Cookies and juice tend to be the biggest treats to blood donors after the needle gets pulled out, but soon, two companies could be bucking the norm and offering payment. If all of the regulatory checks pass, Canadian Plasma Resources in Toronto and CanGene Plasma in Winnipeg could start business this summer or fall. Though common south of the border to pay those who donate, Canadians have always rolled up their arms on a volunteer basis. As of press time, it’s still unknown how much compensation these companies will offer – but Canadian Plasma Resources say actual cash will not be exchanged. On their website they note that monies will be transferred to bank accounts and Visa cards. Dr. Henry Solow, Markham hematology expert, believes that changing the status quo would not be a good idea. “I know that the United States pays people to give blood but it’s not what we should be doing here in Canada. I think one of the essentials is that the Canadian system is highly regulated, a very well managed entity. To fracture that, is not in the advantage of the Canadian public,” said Dr. Solow, who has been providing oncology and hematology services at Markham Stouffville Hospital since the hospital opened in 1990. Most recently he was the Chief of Medicine for the Hospital and he continues as Director of the Blood Bank. He frowns upon the idea of these companies setting up, also worrying about whether they can do as good a job as existing establishments. “Quality may be variable. Not that they’re not going to do good job, but remember that the Red Cross was raked over the coals 30 years ago (with the HIV scandal). I think our national program (CBS) does a good job with good products and serves the public very well,” said Dr. Solow.
“These new companies need to be reviewed … it’s not something that should be treated lightly if at all. It’s changing the format of how we do things.”
One official from the Canadian Blood Services- a national charitable organization that manages the blood supply- reportedly came out against the move. Reports say that Canadian Blood Services is taking a pass on purchasing plasma from Canadian Plasma Resources. The official had said that it might spur people to lie about their health on screening applications just to be able to get the cash. Any potential – however remote – of tainted blood getting through the system could mean a repeat of what happened some twenty years ago, when thousands of Canadians contracted HIV and hepatitis C from tainted blood that came from the U.S. It was believed that the scandal and infections stemmed from the idea of paying for blood. Ruling on the subsequent inquiry, Justice Horace Krever in 1997 concurred, ruling on the imperative that “significant efforts be made to ensure that blood components and blood products used in Canada are made from the blood and plasma collected from unpaid donors.” Toronto’s Canadian Plasma Resources says it plans to open near a university and homeless shelter. But it’s only once Health Canada – a regulatory body - approves the facility’s safety to handle blood. Meanwhile, demand is increasing vastly for blood plasma, reports say, which can be developed into drug products to treat cancer and other diseases.

Busy mom Angela Chhin was pleasantly surprised when she heard that more Markham services could be accessed online. The active entrepreneur and mother of two – aged five and seven – registered her marriage license at the Markham Civic Centre nearly ten years ago. But physically walking into the Centre might not even be necessary for some things anymore.
As of recently, you can not only file a marriage certificate application on Markham.ca, residents can also find forms to request services like overnight street parking exemptions, heritage permit applications, building investigation requests, pet licenses, and applications for family fireworks. Working under the brand All Access Markham, the City of Markham has taken these various new steps to make city services easier to access with new hours, and new options.These new initiatives are being touted as increasing the convenience for both residents and businesses in Markham. Also online, residents can report missed curbside waste collection, litter in a park or on the sidewalk, damaged or burned out streetlights, street pavement damage, and damaged trees. Chhin lamented the fact that previously “it wasn’t convenient to sit on the phone, especially when you’re busy watching the kids…. Just for a complaint about garbage pick up.” Residents can request maintenance of a play structure in a park or maintenance of a sports field, and report graffiti on public property. In fact, in another complaint with the city, she used the phone to let them know about “a playground equipment issue” when some equipment fell on a child. “I’m glad that they took it seriously,” said Chhin, the owner of Thanks-a-loot gifts, who creates what she calls “no candy themed loot bags”.
Now, however, such a report can be done quicker with a click of the mouse. Still, for those who need to visit the Centre in these days of busy schedules and the need to serve people in a more efficient manner, Markham’s Civic Centre is now open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours for the Cash Counter and Contact Centre on Thursdays until 7 p.m. For tax inquiries, and payments for Property Tax, PowerStream, York Region Transit Tickets, Parking Infraction Tickets, among others, go to the Cash Counter (Thornhill doors). The Contact Centre Counter at the Unionville doors is for marriage licences, wedding reservations and permits, Commissioner of Oath and other inquiries. Requests receive a reference number to track progress after you have submitted your claim. The multicultural mosaic of Markham is served with information available in more than 180 languages, through the Language Line at 905-477-5530, says Angela Vink, a city official. The Contact Centre supports 10 languages (Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Tamil, Spanish, Italian, Macedonian, Hindi, Gujarati, and Urdu), she added. The City uses Google Translator on their website to provides translations for 65 languages, including English. Services are also available by phone, at 905-477-5530 or by email at customerservice@markham.ca, and for emergencies after hours call 905-477-7000. “It all sounds convenient for a busy mom and businesswoman,” added Chhin. Soon, the city hopes to roll out mobile apps so that services and information will be available on smartphones.

Apart from the stereotypical duties of the police – speeding tickets, drug busts and the like - the York Regional Police also do a lot in terms of giving back to the community. The police service board recently launched a campaign - called Cops with Hearts - in an effort to deepen relationships between the York Regional Police and the community, officials say. The Cops With Hearts campaign was announced by Inspector Maria Ahrens, Superintendent Graeme Turl, Inspector Shelley Rogers, human resources staffer Allison Bergin as well as Karen Richards, the 2013 Special Olympic Games Manager. And it seems these cops have great big hearts, given their charitable involvement. Members of the York Regional Police volunteer for organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of York, Cops for Cancer, various food drives, Special Olympics, and The United Way of York Region. They have assisted in countries in need of aid like Haiti, Japan, and Jamaica, and have fundraised for the United Way. One pet project is the Special Olympics Ontario 2013 Summer Games, which the police will host. These games, say organizers, promote opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities to, “develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and develop skills and friendships with their families, other Special Olympic athletes, and the community.” The York Police Services Board has also announced its support for the 16th Annual Children’s Champion Gala, April 13. This event will fundraise for the York Region Abuse Program, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of abuse as well as eliminating abuse. This event will be held at Madsen’s Garden in Newmarket. More information can be found on 2013yrapgala.eventbrite.com.

The Regional Municipality of York has just released a Travel Alert application for smart phone devices.
The York Region Travel Alert is a hands-free, personalized real-time traffic reporting system which alerts motorists through voice prompts and a colour-coded map to unexpected traffic delays on their route. York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch said that this is among several initiatives York Region is employing to help manage traffic congestion. York Region has partnered with Markham-based GreenOwl Mobile, which develops traffic management mobile applications. Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Mayor Wayne Emmerson, Chair of the Region’s Transportation Services Committee said, “We encourage residents to download this locally developed traffic management tool.” The York Region Travel Alert, which is available for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android, can be downloaded for free by visiting york.ca/travelalert The York Region Travel Alert will also notify motorists when they are entering Community Safety Zones and speed limit reductions. It also comes with a list of popular shopping destinations and tourist attractions. York Region’s initiatives for helping to manage congestion include:

• Smart Commute, which encourages people to carpool, cycle and take transit
  
• Traffic signal timing through a centralized traffic control system
  
• High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes
  
• Future YRT/Viva Bus Rapid Lanes along Highway 7, Yonge Street and Davis Drive
  

Running red lights has become such an issue in the Region to the extent that York Region staff have given the greenlight to cameras on streetlights. After studying where the highest needs are, 20 of these cameras are to be installed this year. The criteria for installation included locations where a high number of collisions have occurred, notably right-angle collisions. It is hoped red light cameras should reduce the volume of traffic accidents. Also in the plans are what the Region calls “geographic dispersion” of installation, to ensure cameras cover a wide area. However, cameras will not be installed where construction is expected in the foreseeable future. Among the sites, Markham will see cameras at

• Kennedy Rd & Major Mackenzie Drive E
  
• Major Mackenzie Dr E & McCowan Rd
  
• Highway 7 & Bullock Dr
  
• Ninth Line & 16th Ave
  

This summer, installations are expected to begin. Throughout the fall and winter, the contracts will have been completed, an update will be presented to Council on the “Red Light Camera Enforcement Program,” and a plan in place to inform the public of this new initiative.

In an effort to stop bullying in its tracks, schools in our neighbourhood have been tackling the issue head on with various initiatives.
St. Augustine Catholic High School in Markham lately initiated activities to promote the message that bullying isn’t cool.
The school’s Bullying Prevention Committee runs two major events a year and also promotes the core idea of speaking up to fight bullying. The Committee created a video to the song “Some Nights” by Fun, to reinforce the message that no student is alone and that things will get better.
“The best way to stop bullying is to speak up,” said Ray Lefaive, Vice Principal of St. Augustine Catholic High School.
“We try to do the educational piece – show how hurtful bullying can be.”
The school recently invited YouTube stars YTF – Yesterday, Today, Forever - to perform and speak about their own experiences of being bullied.
What programs like these do is ensure that not only students are safer, but that their wellbeing in the future is better.
A recent study found that the effects of childhood bullying could lead to greater impacts on mental health later in adulthood. As published in the journal called JAMA Psychiatry, children that have been bullied are 4.3 times more likely to develop anxiety during adulthood than those who have not been bullied. Another area school taking on the issue is Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School in Markham. “We are working on educating students; what is right from wrong and how to appropriately use social media,” said Debbie Linkewich, principal of the school. The school has student groups aimed to promote bullying awareness. “They work to support anti-bullying initiatives,” she added. Their events include an anti-bullying week, which aims to reinforce the district school board’s anti-bullying pledge. The York Catholic District School Board, moreover, has recently partnered with CTV Two to produce a public service announcement aimed to raise awareness on the ever-growing issue. Meanwhile, in an effort to lower the incidence of bullying, the government of Ontario mandated that, “each school must have a code of conduct and a bullying prevention plan.” The recent Bill 14 proposed by Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod of Nepean-Carleton is aimed to, “designate Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week in schools and to provide for bullying prevention curricula, policies and administrative accountability in schools.”

Barely out of his teens, Jack Bendahan ran a million-dollar company, having purchased a private label bankruptcy account from Citibank. “Earning 500k a year was a pretty crazy experience, especially at such a young age when I really didn’t understand the value of money,” he writes in his new book: “Everyone Loves a Comeback: 20 steps to getting back on top”, the story of his corporate fall, and his success in climbing back as an insurance salesman. For various reasons the business bottomed out, a lawsuit had cost $400,000 in legal fees, and then came corporate bankruptcy – which resulted in a two million dollar loss. “For a long time I struggled with doubt and belief in myself,” he says. “I can remember to this day the pain I felt knowing that the business I had built from scratch disappeared overnight... especially when I hear about job loss, bankruptcy and financial struggle that many are going through. I know the effects it can have on someone, and how sometimes a great book, words of wisdom or a motivational speech can gently guide you back on the path to success.” Through an acquaintance he landed in the insurance business. “Needless to say the importance of life insurance really hit home when I saw how all members of our family could have benefited from financial relief.” Both of his parents were struck with a critical illness, his father with a quadruple bypass surgery, his mother suffering from cancer, and his father in law died of cancer. To add insult, it wasn’t an easy road in the beginning of his new career choice. Many of the leads he pursued fell flat. “After two years of being on the road, working long and late hours chasing my own tail, I started to identify some key problems,” writes the Markham-based entrepreneur. Some of them included diet, and energy levels. He solved that by creating a regimen of a 40-minute daily walk and drinking water, staying away from soda and coffee. In the book he busts myths about why people keep themselves from succeeding. One problem is that “they don’t have an experienced mentor,” he says, adding that he hopes his book is a good jumping off point to mentor someone in success. An often heard excuse, he says, is when people rationalize there’s too much competition. There are, he says, ways to stand out. Learning how to optimize web sites and using props is another example of how to reach out to future clients. “I am pretty outrageous although a lot of these tactics may not work for everyone,” he says, adding that he has more than 60 YouTube videos. He put his face on a 30-foot jumbotron with a neon pink background that played for a year on a busy intersection, he hands out bright pink neon magnets, and his car is neon green and pink. The culmination of determination, marketing savvy, and taking chances resulted in tripling his income in just two years, and today he boasts a thousand clients. He has been seen on CBC, Rogers TV and written about in the Globe and Mail. “The biggest hurdles were developing the confidence and belief that I could make it on top again. When you are hit so hard, believing in yourself is almost impossible. It still takes work today,” he says. “If you believe you will succeed, and I mean really believe it, feel it, visualize it. Things will change and sometimes it’s really shocking.” For information visit www.everyonelovesacomeback.com or lifeman.ca

Locally based Chef Sergio Shidomi won the South American World Chocolate Masters on Feb 22nd at Sao Paulo, Brazil.
During the competition which lasted all day, participants had to submit molded chocolates, a gastronomic dessert, plus a dessert classic “reinvented” an entremets chocolate and finally a chocolate sculpture. Sergio  stood out in all areas and presented a sculpture representing the cycle of processing cocoa until the final product, chocolate. Sergio Shidomi will go on to compete at the world final competition in October which takes place in the Chocolate Salon of Paris, France. The Brazilian chef is currently the head chocolatier and pastry chef at the Old Firehall Confectionery, where he has worked since 2009. You can drop by the store at 170 Main Street in Unionville to purchase one of his fine truffles, chocolates, pastries, fudge and candy apples and more.

The Regional Municipality of York has released its first State of Infrastructure Report Card. York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch has explained it as a means for taxpayers to better understand how roads, transit and traffic are managed. The report is to be produced annually. The report card outlines the following:

1. What transportation assets York Region owns – including roads, YRT/Viva vehicles and traffic signals
   
2. Their physical condition and life span
   
3. Whether they meet current transportation needs
   
4. Their reliability
   
5. Their worth
   
6. What we will need to spend in the future for current and future needs
   

According to Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Mayor Wayne Emmerson, York Region operates and maintains approximately $2.1 billion worth of Region-owned transportation infrastructure assets. “The report card provides an excellent way of identifying where we need to concentrate our efforts and priorities,” said Emmerson, also the Chair of the Region’s Transportation Services Committee. The topmost grade is an “A”, down to a “D.”
Roads were rated as: their condition received a B, reliability A, capacity C, for an overall rating of B. According to the Region, the road network is very reliable, relatively new and in good condition. Capacity is a concern, they added, especially in more urbanized areas which are experiencing population growth. For transit, their condition was rated a B, reliability a C and capacity a B, for an overall rating of a B/C. Says the Region, the transit system is in good condition with vehicles on average a third of the way through their lifespan. Reliability of vehicles is steadily improving, they added, with investments in proactive maintenance. For traffic, their condition received a B/C, reliability a B and capacity a D, for an overall rating of C.
York Region, according to reports, is implementing programs to improve the mobility of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians across the region and manage traffic congestion. To view the report card, visit  www.york.ca

Markham-area synagogues are gearing up for Passover, also known as Pesach, the Jewish holiday that celebrates the historical exodus of Jews from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. This year, the first day of the eight-day Passover holiday falls on Tuesday, March 26, with the ritual Passover seder (dinner and service) being held on the evening prior. Rabbi Avraham Plotkin of Chabad Lubavitch of Markham, at 83 Green Lane, near Bayview and John, explains that Passover is a festival of freedom, since the Jews are one of the earliest recorded groups of slaves. “Their redemption, which came through great miracles, has great significance because it’s one of the great mass liberations,” he says, noting that a Biblical proclamation of freedom is inscribed on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “Everyone has a divine right to live a free life,” he says, noting that Chabad Lubavitch of Markham, an Orthodox synagogue, usually sees 400-500 people attend services on the first two days and nights of Passover. He welcomes all to attend, noting that his synagogue has “an open-door policy.” Rabbi Martin Berman of Shaar Shalom Synagogue, a traditional Conservative synagogue, also stresses the theme of freedom as it relates to Passover’s historical significance. “All people should have freedom to live in peace and security.” He notes that every Jewish holiday has historical as well as seasonal components. “Normally, [Passover] comes at the beginning of the spring harvest season. It recognizes God’s bounty to us,” Rabbi Berman says, adding that the Passover liturgy reflects the changing agricultural cycle of the land of Israel, which is different than the agricultural cycle in Canada. Though Passover falls early this year, it is still at its centre a spring holiday, explains Rabbi Berman. “We maintain that idea of the connection with the land of Israel along with the idea that God will bless us wherever we live.” Local residents wishing to attend a community Passover seder have two local options. Rabbi Plotkin invites people to sign up on the synagogue’s website (http://www.chabadmarkham.org) for Chabad Lubavitch of Markham’s community Passover seder on the first night of Passover, which he says emphasizes family togetherness and getting children learning directly from their parents. Temple Har Zion, a Reform synagogue at Bayview and Laureleaf, will also be hosting a community Passover seder. Theirs will take place on March 26 at 6:30 pm, and interested participants can register through the synagogue office. A central part of the Passover seder has children asking the question “Why is this night different?” and quizzing parents about the many unique features of the Passover seder, including the special unleaved bread called matzo, the bitter herbs, dipping foods into salt water and haroseth, a paste of wine and nuts, and ritual leaning. A major feature of the observance of Passover is that those who observe it refrain from eating bread products of any kind for the duration of the holiday and even go so far as to remove all bread, wheat,cereal and legume products from their homes for the eight-day span. These substantial changes should naturally cause the children to ask the questions featured in the Seder. “It’s a brilliant educational scheme to get the children involved,” says Rabbi Plotkin. The answers to the questions posed at the seder stem from the idea that the Jews were slaves in Egypt and then became free. “The greatest teacher of children is the parents,” says Rabbi Plotkin, who stresses that all parents need to personally teach their children “morals, ethics and how to be decent human beings.” “Pass on your message to your children, whatever your message is.”

Motherhood has been the source lately of many negative buzzwords on the ‘net – Mommyjacking, Mompetition, and the backlash against attachment parenting, to name a few. Maria Locker has with her Mompreneur groups helped create a positive place not just for moms, but those who are at the same time budding entrepreneurs. A former teacher, Locker stayed home with her kids (now ages 6 and 4.5) for several years, and in the little spare time she had she helped with PR for her parents’ business, selling Pampered Chef products. The 30-year-old had a hard time booking parties to demo and sell cooking tools, which helped spur her to start her own business networking group. That was three years ago. As she found that she was missing the aspect of building contacts when she was home with her kids, she sought to create the Mompreneur affiliated groups as a place for like-minded women to meet. It first took connecting with Alberta-based owners of the copyright, after which Locker won the rights to start it in Ontario in 2011. As of last fall, Locker has the full trademark rights to the term Mompreneur in Canada, and her organization includes MOMpreneur Magazine. The goal of the Mompreneur group is to help business women network and connect with each other, promote and improve their businesses, and provide events and trade shows specifically for this demographic. The Mompreneur online portal and associated get-togethers includes members who work out of a store or office, as well as those who work online or through direct marketing. “We truly feel that any woman who juggles her own business and family at the same time is a mompreneur at heart,” says the Mompreneur website. The networking kickoff began in Milton, where she was living at the time. The first event there had 85 people, with 11,000 now attending at events across Canada. Last summer there were some 100 members meeting in Markham, and Locker counts the York Region members as being close to 1,000. The Markham group now includes a vast mix of businesspeople, including dentists, lawyers, accountants, chiropractors, artists, and clothing designers, and people who work in senior care, graphic design, media relations and crafts, she says. The major hurdle she and others have had to face has been, “time and money. And guilt. Time to be able to dedicate to family and business, and not having a lot of start up to do it. A lot of time it’s a hobby to start…. They need money to make money.” Her advice to women in business is to remember to focus on advertising, and be prepared to spend money on it. “There’s Facebook and Twitter, and do them right from the start…. One of the biggest things I tell them to do is to get on social networking and get out to networking meetings, they’re monthly and free. It’s huge. Word of mouth is huge in our little bubble of Mompreneurs,” says Locker, who is acting as the interim-leader of the Markham group. Another area where she has found budding businesses are too timid in is, “getting business cards and getting a good logo…when they don’t have a card to give me, I won’t remember them when they go home. Invest, set aside a couple hundred dollars. If not, people don’t know who you are and what you’re doing.” The local chapter isn’t just making money; they’re also helping others. The women of Markham Mompreneurs have raised over $20,000 in money and food donations for local charities, through showcases and events. For information http://www.markhammompreneurs.com/

There’s a new way for young entrepreneurs to earn some start-up capital for prospective businesses and it doesn’t involve going head to head with Dragon financier Kevin O’Leary. The City of Markham is now accepting applications for Summer Company 2013, a program that gives student entrepreneurs access to training, mentoring and $3,000 cash for their winning summer business ideas. The Summer Company program is funded by the Province of Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation and administered by numerous municipality and NGO program providers across the province. The Markham Small Business Centre offers the program for high school and post-secondary students in Markham.
The program is restricted to students between the ages of 15 and 29 years old who will be attending school in autumn of 2013. Applicants who are accepted into the program will receive a $1,500 start-up grant, ongoing training and mentoring. They will receive an additional $1,500 upon completion. The City is expecting to have between six and 10 participants this summer. According to Don De Los Santos, manager of the Markham Small Business Centre, one of the program’s greatest assets is the balance of practical and theoretical knowledge that it provides students.
“This is intended to be a very realistic program,” he says. “We teach not just what the theory is, but actually how to implement it. We focus on developing [the students’] skills, but also encourage them to hit the sales targets they set for themselves at the beginning of the summer.”
De Los Santos says that while the program has entertained a wide variety of businesses since it started in 2001—from swimming lessons to jewelry makers and everything in between—typical summer businesses like landscaping companies have a favourable track record in the program. Specifically, he cited a student in 2010 who turned his $3,000 Summer Company grant into over $10,000 in revenue through lawn aeration and maintenance.
Some students in the program have earned in excess of $20,000 during the three-month contract, according to the Ontario government’s website.
The initial cash injection can go towards anything from business cards to equipment. For Summer Company alumnus and Markham native Britney Foerter, the money went to ingredients for her packaged foods company, Sauce Creations. “Summer Company really helped me a lot because I’m not a business student, so I needed those tools—accounting, bookkeeping—that I would not have learned otherwise,” says Foerter, 21, in a promotional video for the program. “I was supported a lot by my program providers. They helped me put together my business plan…and negotiate the red tape in the food industry.” The program may offer free money, but it doesn’t come without strings. Students are required to work a minimum average of 35 hours per week and must log their hours and activity daily. They must also deliver biweekly cash flow summaries at sessions with the program’s mentor committee, a group of established business leaders in various sectors. Students are only permitted to participate in Summer Company once. “If a student has been awarded a Summer Company award in the past, they would be ineligible to get funding again,” De Los Santos says. “However, it is encouraging to see that students start business with us one summer, see how successful they can be and continue on alone during the next summer.” Summer Company 2013 guidelines and application information is available at http://www.Ontario.ca/SummerCompany

Akib Malik and his business partner wanted to open up a “multidisciplinary one stop shop” where people “can get all of their services under one roof.” He wasn’t dreaming of an all-in-one beauty salon or car repair shop, but of a place that would allow medical patients to more easily receive life-improving care. Opened in July, 2011 – with a ribbon cutting by Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti - PhysioFit Health & Rehab offers physiotherapy, massage therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, dietetics, orthotics, acupuncture, and fitness training. Malik asserts that all of the staff have appropriate and complete training background and certification. Their Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) are licensed with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. They address such ailments as back pain, neck pain, muscle tension, headaches, and injuries. Common conditions encountered by their physiotherapists include: back and neck pain, sports injuries, whiplash, arthritis, work-related injuries, fractures and everyday sprains. Malik graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in kinesiology and life sciences at York University, with a focus on the implications of exercise on chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Later he completed a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto. A member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and Ontario Physiotherapy Association, he has experience in working with post-cardiac surgery patients, stroke patients, post-orthopedic surgery patients and a wide variety of other conditions. Opening his own practice has meant that Malik can provide for the community in the way that he wants. “When you have your own clinic you can service seniors, and many of those who do not have coverage, and we give them a quality service that you might not get anywhere else in the GTA. We have an independent practice [because we] can offer whatever you want.” His staff work to help each client access all of the services that would benefit them. “If you’re limited in insurance coverage, for example, you might not get as much treatment as you need [elsewhere]. Here at the clinic, we … work within their coverage to get them better and not always look at the dollar signs.” The clinic can see up to 20 patients a day or three an hour, and has regularly been adding new staff. As of last September, the facility boasts a new “MR4 Super Pulse Laser.” Athletes are known to use the laser for healing treatment, and what the facility claims as “state of the art pain relief”. “It’s a new type of laser introduced in the market,” says Malik, “Basically the beam is used to accelerate healing, promote blood flow to tendons, ligaments, and those places that do not heal on their own, and stimulates places that would make the healing faster.” Malik tries to prevent ill health as much as he treats it. “Basically any conditions that we treat, we always try to give as much education as we can, to increase the benefits of the therapy, such as exercise,” he says. “Physical fitness is a big one. We provide as much knowledge as we can and involve them in the therapy, to take an active role in getting better and not just depending on us completely.” Many of the clinic’s patients come in with similar ailments. “A lot of lower back and neck [problems], postural issues come up. That’s about being hunched over computers all day, and people get stiffness. That could also be someone who stands at a factory all day, or sits at a desk all day. We’re changing the norm of what our body is into that specific posture.” His advice: “Listen to your body. When you feel something’s wrong, do something about it and seek out professional help,” he says. Get about a half hour exercise daily; keep moving, don’t remain in one posture, take breaks, “for better overall health,” he adds.

We all know Markham has some of the best educators in the province, but now it’s official. Both St. Augustine C.S.H. principal Bernie Smith and Henderson Avenue P.S. principal Dina Fabian were recognized as being among Canada’s Outstanding Principals by The Learning Partnership, a charitable organization that promotes public education.
Fabian didn’t even know she was nominated until staff members who had secretly put together the information told her in October.m“I’m really honoured by this but it’s really because of the support I’ve gotten from the board,” Fabian says. An educator for 22 years, Fabian has been running the show at Henderson for the past four years and has found her home in a place that she says is not just a school but community unto itself. “It’s ultimately the community that makes such a big difference,” she says of the 360 students and 25 staff that make the school what it is. “There’s such a community feel right when you walk in the doors … there is that feeling of welcomeness and inclusivity,” she says. Having that kind of climate at the school is a big thing for Fabian, as is emphasizing critical thinking skills and seeing students respond favourably. Smith has found success through technology and e-learning at his school and, like Fabian, credits the larger community for his success. “Principal Smith’s compelling vision has helped make St. Augustine an exceptional institution of twenty-first century learning,” board director education Patricia Preston said in a press release. Smith began teaching with the Catholic board in 1984 and has been the principal at St. Augustine since 2008. The two principals will join 49 others from across the country at a gala dinner later this month. They will also attend a five-day management seminar at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Beyond the expertise and opportunities it will mean for her, Fabian is mostly looking forward to bringing new knowledge and skills back to the community. When she started teaching, Fabian didn’t know she wanted to become and administrator but now loves being able to have an impact on shaping young minds on a broader scale than just being in a classroom. Speaking at the end of a long day that saw school administration scrambling to respond to a massive snowstorm, Fabian admits the job comes with challenges but she still enjoys the day-to-day work and getting her vision across. “Being a principal is the best job in the world,” she says.

Five years ago, Helen Pepin walked into the Markham Food Bank. But it was not to receive food. It was to give of her time. The retired teacher of Markham Gateway Public School had been involved in their breakfast program and was eager to make a difference in her community. Now, she is one of several directors. “We help the ‘working poor’, who are just making ends meet,” says Pepin of the food bank, which has been assisting Markham citizens since 1984. “It’s often about an unexpected problem, like a new pair of glasses. A little bit of extra food frees up a little bit of money for them. We have people who come each month,” she says. All of their funds for upkeep and food come from donations within the community. However, she is puzzled as to why they receive no financial aid from any level of government. With more donations, she hopes that the Bank can provide more nutritionally-rich items. For the time being, however, they make do with carbohydrate-heavy dry goods and canned products. One key volunteer has been in talks lately with local councillors, and had a meeting with a nutritionist to try to solve this issue, she added. The hurdles are many, particularly from Thanksgiving to Christmas, when their services are most in demand. No one at the bank receives a salary; they rely upon volunteers – including many students, who use it as an opportunity to perform mandatory community service. The summer months see the biggest lull in donations. Some local churches have agreed to help out with food drives to fill in the gaps. Being a member of the Ontario Association of Food Banks relieves some of the burden, where the umbrella organization taps into corporate donations to distribute amongst its members. According to Pepin, other than the food bank she volunteers at – which is nondenominational – people can also go to Unionville Alliance Church who supply food for the needy. It’s been a long road for the Markham Food Bank, who haven’t always needed these resources to draw from. Nearly thirty years ago, concerned individuals as Jean Lee, Sheila Spinks, Phylis Tyrie, and Gladys Keeble came together to start a food bank in a portable on Church Street, aided by Markham’s then-mayor Alma Walker. At that time, about eight to ten families a month were supported. As the Bank’s website records, all the food was stored in one large Tupperware container. About two years ago, the Bank aided some 600 people a month. Now, it’s closer to 700, according to Pepin. “It’s been steadily growing, and half are children.” Their long term goal is to obtain enough donations to finally have a place to buy and call their own. “They’re putting up a condo at our old home, and we were very fortunate to find this current location. And we know we will be growing… there’s just no jobs for people.” Meanwhile, in recent news, premier-designate Kathleen Wynne highlighted welfare reform as one of her top priorities. Reports say that Frances Lankin was one of the first people Wynne phoned once she secured the premiership. Lankin, a former United Way president and co-chair of the province’s social assistance reform commission, had spearheaded an anti-poverty report with 108 recommendations. One of which is a $100 monthly rate increase for single people on Ontario Works, who receive the lowest monthly rate of $606. Still, Pepin laments, the problem of poverty is a long way away from being solved. “The government gives a ridiculously low amount of money to support people. I don’t know how in the world anyone expects them to live off that.”

Residential and small business customers receive reductions effective January 1, 2013. The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has approved an application by PowerStream to lower its distribution rates for residential and small business customers in York Region. Effective January 1, a typical PowerStream residential customer who uses 800 kilowatt hours per month will see a 3.5 per cent or $0.85 per month decrease in distribution charges. A typical small business customer who consumes, on average, 2,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month in York Region will see a distribution charge reduction of 4.7 per cent or approximately $2.62 per month. Since its creation in June 2004 following the amalgamation of three York Region municipally-owned utilities, PowerStream’s continued growth through mergers and acquisitions has enabled the company to reduce the upward pressure on electricity distribution rates, largely due to the company gaining efficiencies and realizing economies of scale as a larger entity. PowerStream monthly distribution rates are now nearly 12 per cent lower than the average of eight other Greater Toronto Area electricity distribution companies. Distribution rates, which are reviewed and approved by the OEB through a detailed application process, are a component of the “Delivery” charges found on an electricity bill. It is the only area of the bill that PowerStream and other electricity distribution companies have direct control over. “Electricity” and other charges found on customer bills are collected by electricity distribution companies on behalf of other electricity market participants including generators, transmitters, retailers and regulators. “By continually working to find ways to reduce costs, PowerStream has been able to either lower distribution rates or at least reduce the upward pressure for this area on customer bills.” said Frank Scarpitti, PowerStream Board Chair and the Mayor of the City of Markham. “It is through innovation, strong project management and streamlining our core business processes that PowerStream has been able to provide optimal service to all of its customers.”

The San Francisco 49ers may have lost the Super Bowl to the Baltimore Ravens earlier this month, but the big losers on Super Bowl Sunday were the six men arrested at a gaming bust in Markham. The Feb. 3 raid at Markham’s Le Parc Banquet Hall near Leslie Street and Highway 7 was one of ten police busts in Ontario on Super Bowl Sunday. 2,300 people were gathered at Le Parc for an invite-only Super Bowl party hosted by Platinum SB, an online gambling site that police say has ties to organized crime. At the 10 raids, police confiscated $2.5 million in cash. At Le Parc, police seized computers, cell phones, business records and hundreds of thousands of dollars in raffle prizes being showcased at the event.
Platinum SB is allegedly run by organized crime associates in the GTA, where many of the site’s users reside. It is hosted on a web server in Costa Rica to avoid Canadian authorities. Regardless, police succeeded in shutting down the website after the raid, replacing it with an RCMP police notice. Offshore betting is illegal in Canada. Police arrested Martin Spruce, William Miller, Arno Thomsen, Shlomo Buchler, David Hair and Andrew Bicelli on charges related to conspiracy, participating in the activity of a criminal organization and keeping a common betting house.
William “Billy” Miller is a member of Toronto’s Hells Angels chapter and previously ran London, Ont.’s Hells Angels chapter. According to a York Regional police officer, the raid culminated a long-running investigation into illegal gambling in Ontario. “This is the result of the investigation that has been years in the making,” Constable Blair McQuillan told reporters. “There was a very small window of opportunity to execute the warrant and make the arrests.”
All individuals in attendance but the six in custody were released without charges, but York Regional Police’s superintendent implied that all those present had a prior relationship with Platinum SB. “I want to be clear that this event last night was not open to the public. Only those invited by the organizers of this criminal enterprise could attend,” Supt. Paul Pederson said at a press conference. “The focus of this investigation is on those principals that are profiting, not those using the gaming site.” A representative of Le Parc Dining and Banquet Hall declined to identify herself by name and referenced a statement released by the hall on the raid. “Le Parc takes great pride in their unparalleled level of service and client satisfaction,” it read. “Le Parc has no further comment on the events of February 2, 2013, except to express that they were not affiliated or responsible for any alleged activities undertaken by Platinum SB and such events will not interfere with its ongoing business.” The raid was coordinated and executed by the Combined Forces Special Enfocement Unit, who was leading the two-year investigation on Platinum SB. The CFSEU is a partnership of local, regional and national authorities spearheaded by the RCMP. The six suspects will appear in court in Toronto on March 21.

Former Markham Mayor Don Cousens wanted to provide more for young people in his town. In 1994 he began working toward that goal by creating the Mayor’s Youth Task Force, a project that is continuing and growing today. The MYTF is aimed at learning what concerns youth have, whether related to school, employment or recreation, and to help them connect with and give to their communities. In 2012 the group reached about 3,000 people through all events and initiatives, according to Co-Chair Kevin Jen. Last year’s Markham Expo, which drew a crowd of 2,000 people, was the largest event the group had organized. It served to “entertain youths as well as expose them to many initiatives going on in their community”, according to Jen. “However, I think one of the biggest impacts of the MYTF is to provide a space where leaders can develop. Many alumni of the MYTF and even some members themselves have moved on to establish community organizations addressing issues they feel the most passionate about.” Last year’s events included the annual Youth Week in May, a Remembrance Day Poetry Contest, a Battle of the Bands, Stomp the Yard dance competition, and Markham Amazing Race with a cash prize of $500. Last year the teens played a city-wide game of “Manhunt at the Markham Museum”, in which they were challenged to sneak around the museum without getting caught. In December they created a new group, Participation House Markham Youth Council (PHMYC), to raise awareness among young people about people with mental disabilities. Jen notes that one of the most important initiatives is the annual Mayor’s Youth Award, to honour “youth within the town who are actively involved in the community events and affairs”. The group also works to encourage other organizations that serve young people, including the Youth Volunteer Network, and the Youth Environmental Network of York Region. n 2013, MYTF’s plans include drawing crowds from different groups in Markham for monthly events. January’s event was an evening of ice skating at the Markham Civic Centre, with participants bringing donations for the Daily Bread Food Bank in exchange for hot chocolate. MYTF’s largest annual event, the Markham Expo, will be held on May 4. The expo includes youth performances, food vendors, and displays from non-profit organizations. According to Jen, the Expo is a “festival run by youth, for youth”. Another way to involve new members in elementary school is the Get Involved Conference, which shows youth “the various opportunities there are to get involved”. Jen notes that for 2013 the Task Force is visiting elementary schools so that those who cannot attend the conference are still given a chance to learn about the available opportunities for volunteering in their neighbourhoods. Markham students and residents between grades 6 and 12 can apply to join the MYTF. The website, at www.markhamyouth.com, notes that the traits of “creativity and innovation, perseverance, responsibility, and problem solving” are sought in applicants, as well as those who have “a passion for community service”. Starting this year, the MYTF will have a junior division – the Mayor’s Junior Task Force, a subcommittee comprised of elementary school students from grades 6-8. The MJTF will focus on encouraging younger students to give of themselves to others.

Many of Katharine Harvey’s pieces have begun, quite literally, with piles of trash. Since the age of 15, she has had an unrelenting passion for art. Her hobby-turned-career has taken her all around the world and pushed her to constantly create things in innovative ways. The Markham artist recently presented her piece, Chandelier, at the World Financial Center in New York City, a 20-feet-by-15-feet, hanging sculpture made entirely of recycled materials. Those same materials were shipped to Los Angeles last month, where Harvey then rearranged them to make Waterfall, which is on display at L.A.’s Bank of America building until March. One might assume that Harvey’s use of recycled materials in her work is to make a statement, but that’s not necessarily the case. “I started using recycled plastic because it was free,” Harvey says in an interview. “I could collect it myself at home from the things that I consume.” When corporate clients commission work from Harvey, she utilizes those companies’ recycling programs to boost her reserves of what has now become one of her most fascinating mediums. While Harvey’s use of plastics started off as an economic decision, it has morphed into something else. “As my projects got bigger, this environmental message started making itself more apparent,” she says. “It wasn’t there at the start, but now there’s a strong environmental message…to educate the public about the amount of plastic in the world.” That message particularly took form in Harvey’s Fragile Seas, a permanent exhibit she designed and installed for the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. The piece teaches the public about the dangers of plastic materials interacting with marine life. Harvey isn’t the only artist to use recycled materials as a medium. “It’s a trend,” she says. However, she has been able to share her work with a much broader audience than many with her affinity for public art, work that is displayed outdoors or in large public spaces rather than simply galleries and private collections. Harvey’s passion started through a community art program in Toronto, where she was born. “My inspiration was the city program,” she says. “It lit the flame.” After doing window displays and various smaller projects in the Greater Toronto Area, Harvey’s career bounded forward in 2008 after being asked by the City of Toronto’s Nuit Blanche Festival to do a large outdoor piece. Waterfall was made from 6000 pounds of recycled water bottles, hockey arena netting and aircraft cable. From there, Harvey says, her career progressed. “I kept being asked to do bigger and bigger things,” she says. “One thing leads to another.” Harvey’s work has taken her to Africa and Europe, and all over North America. She has also been the recipient of numerous grants from the Province of Ontario, but it is the work itself that motivates her, not the accolades. “Making work is my primary focus,” she says. “I like having a work that makes an impact in the general public…that people react to. It doesn’t matter [if it is] positive or negative, just that it gets them thinking.” Harvey sees her biggest reward as watching people view her pieces on display. “I love hearing the reaction of someone just walking off the street and faced with this thing,” she says. “They may just say one sentence, but it impressed them in some different way than what they usually see day to day.” This month, Harvey will lead and mentor a group of artists to develop and create a series of panels to decorate the walls supporting the CN Bridge at Henderson Avenue. This project is being backed by Markham’s Varley Art Gallery in cooperation with the City of Markham.  Gallery Director Francine Perinet sees this as a great local opportunity noting that “ in collaboration with Katharine Harvey, artists in York Region will have the opportunity to gain professional and development and experience by working with a mentor.” The display will be completed by the summer. Harvey lives in Markham with her partner. For more information on Katharine Harvey, visit www.KatharineHarvey.com.

The Cathedral of the Transfiguration was built on a property that at the time was little more than farmland and is now surrounded by 1,200 homes and 3,000 residents. Since construction started, the Pope has blessed it and it has even been featured in a Hollywood blockbuster. But despite its rich history, the lavish structure remains unfinished, nearly 30 years after construction commenced. When mining magnate Stephen Roman of Denison Mines and the Roman Corporation initiated construction of the Cathedral in Markham in 1984, what is now known as Cathedraltown was merely 300 acres of farmland. Presently, a vision for a live/work community that combines timeless European elements with new urban design is coming to fruition. The Cathedral of the Transfiguration—Cathedraltown’s symbolic and geographic centre—has an unknown fate.
Roman planned for the Cathedral to not only be home for Canada’s Slovak Catholic population, but also to serve as a beacon of religious freedom for Slovak and other Central and Eastern European Christians who were then under communist rule. Roman never got the chance to see his project completed, however, dying suddenly of a heart attack in 1988. His company and his vision were left in the hands of his daughter, Helen Roman-Barber, whose non-profit Slovak Greek Catholic Church Foundation owns the property that the Cathedral is being built upon. Much of the $30 million invested in the Cathedral thus far came from the Roman family fortune, of which Roman-Barber is an heiress. The ornate 20-story building boasts the world’s largest three-bell carillon using 18-tonne bronze bells imported from the Paccard Foundry in France. Inside, a 20-metre-by-22-metre mosaic adorns the Cathedral’s main dome. The cost of this mosaic alone was $1.2 million. Legendary British architect Donald Buttress, who was heavily involved in the restoration of Britain’s famed Westminster Abbey, designed much of the Cathedral and Cathedraltown as a whole. The towering Cathedral was created for celebrating the Slovak Byzantine Rite Catholic mass and had its own bishop. Bishop John Pazak, head of the Rite’s eparchy in Canada (the Eastern Catholic equivalent of a diocese), moved the eparchy out of the Cathedral in 2006 after an ownership dispute over the property. Previous comments by Pazak and Roman-Barber indicate that both agree that the plan has always been for the Slovak Greek Catholic Church Foundation to turn over ownership of the building and property to the Catholic Church, but a lack of clarity on when this will happen and how much of the surrounding land will be transferred is the basis of the dispute. In an interview, Roman-Barber said the issues between her foundation and the Catholic Church are not important. “There are no political issues in my mind. Because being a construction site inside, people would not be able to access it at all anyway,” she said. “I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, which is finishing the interior of the Cathedral.” To the Catholic Church, a Cathedral without a bishop is simply a building. For that reason, all priests, including those of Roman Catholic Rite, have been banned from performing mass at the Cathedral. The church has opened to the public for concerts, but no mass has been observed at the church in almost seven years because of Canon Law. “I’m not worrying about any of that at the moment,” Roman-Barber said. “When we open up the Cathedral again, the people will come. God will take care of that. We’re going to complete to a certain level and we’re going to open it when we can.” Legally, there is nothing to stop Roman-Barber from calling the building a Cathedral, which she does adamantly.
This is quite the fall from grace for a church that remains the only North American church to ever be consecrated by the Pope. During a 1984 pastoral visit to Canada, Pope John Paul II blessed the Cathedral. When the eparchy left the Cathedral, it even removed the building’s two sacraments—the tabernacle and the altar stoned blessed by His Holiness. The Cathedral remains somewhat of a paradox. It is both surrounded and isolated, only accessible by crossing a path of mud and weeds. Unless opened for a special event or a private tour is arranged, the public is not allowed entry. The church has an outdoor sign advertising service times, despite the absence of a Vatican-recognized mass since 2006. As for the great expense and attention to detail by the construction team, Roman-Barber said, “Exactly what my father wanted.”

Markham taxes are going up by 1.5 per cent since last year, to support day-to-day operations, and a 0.5 per cent tax rate increase to address an extraordinary environmental item, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation.  Like many municipalities, the Emerald Ash Borer has become a serious problem in the area. Budget Chief and Regional Councillor Gordon Landon said: “[the tax money] will allow us to begin to implement our multi-year plan to manage this invasive pest and protect our tree canopy going forward. “The tax rate increase, which council says is in line with the rate of inflation, represents a total average annual increase of $16.60 – or about $1.39 a month - for Markham’s portion of property taxes. Mayor Frank Scarpitti says that the new monies should buoy regular expenses, and provide funding to construct the Markham Pan Am Centre and the Southeast Markham Community Centre and Library. Markham collects taxes on behalf of the Region of York and the province. Overall, the City receives about 25 cents of every dollar of residential property taxes collected. The remainder is divided between the province for education (25 cents) and the Region of York (50 cents). Markham’s 2013 budget (excluding waterworks) is about $375 million. The operating and capital budget is about $350 million, building services $9 million, planning and design $8.4 million and engineering at $6.5 million.

Declaring that “the safety of all our road users is a Council priority”, York Region Chairman Bill Fisch stated his support for red light cameras to be introduced in York Region. While the idea of red-light cameras may bring back the spectre of cash-grabbing photo-radar banished by the Harris government, Council members insist that the goal is quite simply, safety and that stats from other jurisdictions including Toronto have shown that knowing there are red light cameras at intersections has been an effective tool to help reduce injury- especially side-impact collisions. No word yet on dates for activation as the process to install and operate the cameras has just begun. Initially a slate of 20 intersections will receive the cameras.
The move to red light cameras is one of many road safety initiatives that are underway which also includes revising speed limits, adding community safety zones, completing more high visibility “zebra” crosswalk markings, increased pedestrian crossing times at traffic signals along with audible signals for pedestrians with low vision.

Plans by municipalities and the Region to increase public transit use by working together seem to be working as the annual number of paid rides showed an increase of 11.6% over 2011 stats to 22,156,781. That bodes well for 2013 ridership where estimates have been set at 23.5 million. These numbers stand in stark contrast to the paltry numbers of 2001 which pegged the combined ridership of five local transit services at only 6 million. The biggest gains were in the fourth quarter of 2012 and were seen on the Yonge St corridor (Viva) and on express routes. 2013 holds more changes and efficiencies in store for riders as the 2013 Annual Service Plan calls for the re-aligning and restructuring a number of routes. Work on Highway #7 VivaNext transit rapidways is also well underway as many commuters who have been snared in lane restriction bottlenecks can attest.

It may not be as enigmatic as the Mona Lisa or as splashy as a Jackson Pollock canvas but Markham can still be the subject of an impressive piece of art. Land/Slide: Possible Futures is a unique project, bringing together 20 artists, both from the community and around the world. Even the locations, most prominently including the Markham Museum, are integral to the project which explores the physical and cultural changes in the community “It has that interdisciplinary, multi-dimensional angle in that we’re engaging with peoples’ individual identities but we’re connecting that with ecological forms,” explains curator Janine Marchessault of Land/Slide’s far-reaching goals. Things are changing fast outside the downtown core and the combination of regional growth with issues as diverse as multiculturalism, sustainability, food production and agriculture made Markham a perfect place to explore, she says. “Personally, I do think we’re in a crisis and everybody needs to engage without it becoming catastrophic,” Marchessault says. The York University Faculty of Fine Arts professor also enjoyed the contradiction of presenting an exhibition that’s so much about the city’s future amidst the historical spirit of the museum. The exhibition, consisting of various projects, launches on Sept. 21. There are students from Unionville High School involved, and Chinese artist Xu Tan has already hosted one of several workshops at the Varley Art Gallery..
Jennie Suddick, who grew up in Unionville, is exploring the many meanings of the places we think we know. She recalls playing on a path near her parents’ home, for example, that serves as a dog walk for some and a hangout for others (“a place of whimsy,” she says), but which originally served as a windbreak on a long-gone farm. “People are still drawn to these places, but in different ways,” she says. “We’re really hoping to draw attention to these sites and revel in the experience of awe.” Suddick is in the midst of interviewing subjects who want to share a favourite space or place in Markham. She hopes to document many of the stories on video and will eventually produce a multi-media presentation including trail maps for a smartphone app. (If you want to contribute, you can contact her at jenniesuddick@gmail.com.) Like Marchessault, Suddick is fascinated by the changes Markham is undergoing, even in her lifetime, and how Canadian art, so often associated with Group of Seven-style landscapes, can portray the increasingly important suburbs.
For more information about Land/Slide, visit 
www.landslide-possiblefutures.com.

The Markham Civic Centre was at the centre of a heat wave amidst the stormy winter weather on January 29, 2013. Up to 600 people were in attendance as Markham city councillors voted 7 to 6 against a motion to rescind the financial framework proposed for the new GTA Sports, Entertainment and Cultural Centre. The Centre is to be a 700,000sq ft. arena, which will be owned by the City of Markham and operated by the Remington Group. This arena is expected to play host to 130 events serving a total of 780,000 people a year. This arena is proposed to create 600 construction jobs as well as 886 post-construction jobs. This proposed framework would see a $325 million dollar project funded by both the City of Markham as well as the Private Sector. The private sector will be funding half of the project as well as covering any exceeding construction costs. Markham will also be funding half of the project borrowing $162.5 million dollars but will not contribute to any exceeding construction costs that may incur. Markham City Council claims that the current financial framework will not impact property taxes in Markham. Paul Kelly, previous executive director of the NHL Players Association was one of the 68 deputants who spoke at the meeting. Kelly sees the potential of the City of Markham to be a world-class city. He believes that, “it’s [Markham’s] best shot at landing a NHL franchise.” NHL Deputy commissioner Tom Daly refuted Kelly’s statements as he told ESPN recently, “there has never been a plan to expand to 32 teams.” There were also Markham residents who attended the meeting and were against this financial framework. Karen Rea, President of the Markham Village City Ratepayers Association was one of the residents that expressed her concern with regards to the financial framework of the arena and does not want the municipal government to take any part in the project. She emphasizes the point that this decision does not carry any significant impact. “We are no closer today than three months ago, nothing has changed.” She vows to continue fighting by opening up other ratepayer associations and urges other Markham residents to join the cause by speaking up at council meetings. “Residents can make a difference and should let council know what they want.” In response to the decision, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti vows to continue the pursuit of this opportunity. He assures residents that, “Markham Council will lead our vision for the arena with prudence and fiscal responsibility.” The end is not near. Markham residents either in support or in opposition of this arena can still make their voices heard. The next council meeting will take place at 7pm on February 12, 2013 at the Markham Civic Centre.

Citizens who happened by the Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) January 21st at about 10 a.m. might be forgiven if they thought they had stumbled into a real life emergency, because the scene looked like a crisis in process. But oddly there were no hysterics, no dramatic tears, the “patients” didn’t look that sick and everything looked quite orderly – which was exactly the point as hospital staff enbarked on a mock move to prepare for a actual transition to new facilities to commence on March 10, 2013. The mock move was as multi-dimensional as the actual move is expected to be and gave staff the chance to cover the same routes and measure the distances they will have to cover in the March event. Patients making the move to the new building will include basic inpatient cases as well as patients with more complex conditions including ICU and neonatal ICU. Children and Childbirth Centre, the Emergency, diagnostic imaging and main operating rooms will all move too, so the mock move involved components that addressed the individual needs of those groups.

The best business ideas often start from a personal place close to our hearts. For Diane Lai, the seed idea for her home business developed from her desire to care for her son in the best way possible. Lai’s older son was born in 2007, and although he was initially healthy he began developing a rash that spread over his body. Internet resources and even their pediatrician were unhelpful, especially when the rash became bleeding, open sores. She suspected eczema, and began using over-the-counter moisturizers to help his sensitive skin. “I was very disappointed in the medical profession when their solution was to give me cortisone (steroids) and tell me, ‘it’s horrible for a baby so use it sparingly’. I went to multiple specialists and they all provided the same response.” Lai spoke with other parents and a naturopath, and discovered that the skin problems were an allergic reaction to his environment or food sensitivities. The two most helpful products Lai found were olive oil and grape seed oil, found in the grocery store, but no prepared moisturizing creams. “I had hoped to find something on the market with those two ingredients that was natural, and eventually decided to make it.” Lai found that other moisturizers tend to have low percentages of active ingredients, as these tend to be more expensive. “Many personal care products are mostly neutral filler. Common fillers are petroleum jelly, lanolin, and glycerine... The other crucial factor is most products are artificially scented with chemicals.... Lastly, parabens are commonly used as a preservative and they are found to be harmful hormone disrupters.” The most important thing she tells people is that they should read product labels. The Markham-based entrepreneur’s skincare products are organic, natural and made in Canada specifically for people and infants affected by dry skin, eczema and inflammation. She uses a large percentage of healthy active ingredients, including organic grape seed, olive, coconut and wheat germ oil. Her collection includes moisturizers, treatment for irritation, body wash and lip balm. Her products are free of artificial colours and fragrances, and free of chemicals like phthalates and petro chemicals.
Lai worked in computer software product development and marketing for over 20 years, and did not have a background in chemistry. While searching for a natural alternative for cortisone cream she was introduced to a chemist with over two decades of experience in the cosmetics industry. Dr. L. Fernandez helped her creating the formulations for her creams, and advised her to start a company. The business was self funded, and Lai and her husband decided that they did not want investors, a decision that may change in the future. “We made a conscious effort to grow slowly so we could manage things more easily.” One of the ways that Lai has advertised her products has been by getting them into the hands of celebrities. Her Rejuvenate lavender-scented all natural skin cream was in the Toronto International Film Festival loot bags in 2010; her daily moisturizer and “soothe” spot treatment were in the nominee and presenter gift bags at the 2011 Golden Globes, and her products also made an appearance in the bags at the Oscars in 2011. Celebrities who got a sampling included actors William Shatner, Jeff Bridges, Fred Willard, Teri Hatcher, and Tony Shalhoub. Her products and advice for preventing and treating skin problems have also appeared on TV’s Breakfast Television, and in the pages of Flare Magazine (Top Brands On Our Radar) and Today’s Parent. Lai works to run her business with ethics and integrity, as evidenced by her One for One program. For every product sold she donates one product to an organization to help those in need access natural products. She has donated to the Red Door Shelter, the Yellow Brick House Womens’ Center, and Sick Kids Hospital, among others. Lai, her husband and two children live in Unionville. She hopes to be “the next Burt’s Bees with ethical sourcing, natural low allergen ingredients and made in Canada.” For information www.dianelai.com.

Not content with playing with model trains and taking cross-country trips on VIA, Jason Shron has taken his obsession with trains one station further – he’s built a life-size train in his basement. Shron is founder and president of Markham-based Rapido Trains, which grosses $1 million only a few years after being established in 2004. They are Canada’s largest manufacturer of model trains and access­ories. His personal website, KingstonSub.com, details his adventures in train-building. The train car was four and a half years in the making. He faced, “lots of big hurdles, had to redo lots of things.” He looked for original parts from decommissioned trains to use for his project, and was discouraged to find that replicating parts would cost, ”thousands of dollars, and that wasn’t going to happen.... [to replicate] basic parts, like a ceiling. You cannot just replicate with plywood.” His dreams came true in 2010 when he was able to find an entire car that was destined for the scrap heap. VIA coach 5647 was built in 1954 by Canadian Car & Foundry. It had electro-mechanical air conditioning rather than using large blocks of ice, and was heated by steam pipes under the car. The original colour scheme was black, green and yellow, changed in 1961 to red, black and grey, and in 1976 to deep blue with yellow stripes. The car ran on the Montreal-Deux Montagnes line then was used by Rocky Mountaineer for tourists. It was slated to be rebuilt in Moncton, but instead sat outside for almost 15 years. It would have cost over $200,000 to ship it to Shron’s Thornhill basement, so instead he and a group of friends took it apart. Shron personally completed “95 per cent” of the rebuilding, other than hiring a contractor for electrical work. “You learn every possible mistake and you learn from those. I had to free up one wall – it was wobbly, the concrete was strained behind it, and the ceiling started to sag... it was one thing after another. I had to refinish the exterior wall and I hadn’t braced it properly and it warped from the humidity. I had to rip out the wall and do it again.” The completed train car in his basement is an office and lounge. “The kids love it down here. Our guests come and the kids come and play. They pretend to be the passengers, the (three) kids pretended to serve food while the adults drank Scotch... My wife is extremely supportive. But does she want to spend time down here? Not particularly.” Shron, 37, joins a small community of train enthusiasts who own their own trains. “A lot of train cars are owned by people with a lot of property, it becomes a guest cottage. There is someone in the U.S. who had done something similar; he had pros do it. His models are phenomenal. He was an inspiration. Before they built his house, he dropped a train cab into the foundation to make sure it’d fit.” His next project has been in the making since he was five years old and is even grander than a full-size replica. He wants to create a model railroad that he admits will take over 30 years to build. “Scale model trains, small ones, representing the run from downtown Toronto to eastern Ontario. Every building has to be built from scratch in what existed in 1980. I’m building every building from photographs. It took me 2,500 hours to build the train; it’ll take that times seven to build the model railroad.” Shron has advice for entrepreneurs and hobbyists in any field. “I’m so dedicated and obsessed with these trains and made a dream come true with building it. Anyone can build; if someone has a dream to restore a car. With perseverance, time, determination; key is not giving up. A lot of people talk about what they want to do, and they should just go find the time and do it.” His YouTube video, announcing completion of the train can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjMnWdIWjWs

After 35 years of helping women and children affected by domestic abuse, the Yellow Brick House is now making its non-profit services available in Markham. Initially established in Newmarket, the Yellow Brick House offers counseling, support, a 24-hour crisis line, shelter services, as well as transitional housing apartment units. Last year, the Yellow Brick House assisted 5,500 women and children affected by domestic violence.
In 2006, the Yellow Brick house completed a needs assessment which showed that Markham did not have sufficient counselling services or shelters for victims of abuse, so plans began for a new shelter. The shelter in Markham is equipped with 12 beds and four cribs. It is estimated that the facility will help 300 women and children a year. At the facility, women and children are able to, “receive crisis intervention, safety planning, assistance with legal issues, immigration issues, housing support, and any other aspects that they need assistance with,” said Lorris Herenda, Executive Director of the Yellow Brick House. The shelter was already operating at capacity when it opened last year. Many of the victims are happy that they “do not need to leave the region to get assistance.” The Yellow Brick House receives 75 per cent of its funding from the government, five per cent from the United Way, five per cent from York Region, as well as 15 per cent from grants and fundraising. 95 cents of every dollar received is spent on direct services. Only 40 per cent of the Markham shelter is funded so “we need to do a great deal of more fundraising to sustain our Markham shelter operation.” Herenda is deeply grateful for the support that the community has given and hopes, “the caring people and corporations continue to be so supportive of our efforts.” Although there has been an expansion in the operations of the Yellow Brick house, not all can be accommodated. Through increasing outreach services and public education, Herenda hopes to change the attitudes towards violence against women and children. “Violence of any kind is unacceptable and we should all strive to have a community that women and children can live violence free lives.”

As it heads into its first full year as a city, Markham is looking ahead to a lot of big things in 2013. Speaking by email from India, where he launched the new year on a trade mission, Mayor Frank Scarpitti says that an international outlook gives a good sense of where things are headed in the coming year. “We’re working to enhance and intensify opportunities for local businesses which follow from our trade delegations in China at the end of last year and India this month. We’re enhancing our city’s cultural components with more programming and infrastructure,” he says. Driving the local economy forward is a key priority and a new business plan is on the works, built upon the shoulders of VentureLAB, an incubator for high-tech business, and the Markham Convergence Centre, the larger network that hosts both VentureLAB and a series of other research and business organizations. Scarpitti and the rest of council are now halfway through their term, with the next election set for late 2014. Several other long-term projects will also come to a head this year. The Cornell Community Centre & Library officially opens next month and the Markham Stouffville Hospital’s new wing opens soon after. Planning is underway for another new community centre, library and park in southeast Markham Centre, and construction is moving forward on the Pan Am Centre and continues in the new downtown in Markham Centre. One project likely to remain in the headlines is the NHL-size arena set for the area. The mayor has stood strongly behind it even as other councilors and residents have raised questions about everything from how it will be funded to whether landing an NHL team is the underlying goal. Larger efforts around the province and GTA are also going to come home to roost in Markham. The province is looking at rolling out mini-LCBO outlets at grocery stores and in the spring Metrolinx will release an investment strategy with ideas for generating the funds needed to meet the region’s transit needs. Without local residents agreeing to some sort of new funding – through fees for parking, roads or perhaps a dedicated sales tax – crucial projects, like the Yonge subway extension, will remain in limbo. If there’s anything that remains the same as last year, it’s the sheer volume of change coming down the pipe for 2013. “In just a few words, we’re preserving our heritage, celebrating our residents’ diversity, and embracing a truly vibrant and sustainable community,” Scarpitti says. “We’re committed to being a leader in innovative and best practices in municipal services. Infrastructure, sustainability, services and programs. We’re working on it all.”

With over 700,000 people within shopping distance of Markham and projections for that number to double within the next five years, Markham is a prime destination for shopping in York Region. For developers, that means the city and its surrounding area is one big arena.
Presently, Markham’s own Markville Shopping Centre is undergoing an $111 million redevelopment project to expand and improve the booming facility. Canadian developer Rudy Bratty and his company, the Remington Group, are executing their own plan of reinventing Markham’s Chinese mall district with a hotel, condominium and shopping centre project to the tune of $1 billion. After over a year of construction, Markville Shopping Centre recently unveiled the first phase of its facelift: the mall’s new food court called Express Eatery. The facility’s new food court is a harbinger of things to come as Markville undergoes its largest and most dramatic transformation yet. Featuring new retailers such as: Sephora, Aritzia, Browns, Forever 21, J.Crew, Coach, Pandora, Swarovski and The Loft. When Markville opened in 1982 to service residents of York Region, it launched as the largest mall in the Region, an honour it held for over 20 years before the Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre entered the fray. The name ‘Markville’ itself is a portmanteau of “Markham” and “Unionville,” the two communities it was designed to serve. “We are committed to creating an outstanding shopping and dining experience at Markville,” saysKevin Gray, General Manager, Markville Shopping Centre. “The mix of merchants we have assembled includes some of the world’s best brands and the new south-facing restaurant, called Joey’s Restaurant will literally turn the shopping centre inside out.” The project, aptly entitled “Transforming Markville” doesn’t just aim to change the shopping centre’s look, but also to present “a bold new vision of a world-class retail environment,” according to an announcement from Cadillac Fairview. Its new design will allow for a refreshed shopping experience for its patrons, with special attention paid to improving pedestrian flow inside the mall. The plan includes 250,000 square feet of re-merchandised space, a new full-service restaurants, a completely redesigned food court and updated mallscape throughout the centre. Cadillac Fairview aims to finish Markville’s transformation by the end of this Fall. Markville’s $111 million investment is a drop in the bucket, however, compared to the $1 billion being put forward by the Remington Group to knock down the Market Village Mall at the intersection of Kennedy Rd. and Steeles Ave. to make room for a luxurious shopping and condominium complex with an Asian focus.
Rudy Bratty announced plans for the Remington Centre at a press conference. “We looked at other malls across Canada and we learned from them and we wanted to do better,” says Bratty, adding, “I’m confident that this will work.” The 800,000 square foot Remington Centre will more than double in size to the existing mall on the lot, also owned by Bratty’s company. Despite an economic downturn for many businesses, investors and developers evidently see a positive outlook for the city, with numerous developments and redevelopments underway and forthcoming. King Square, the brainchild of Global Link Realty Group named after a centre of the same name in Beijing is planned for completion within the next two years at the corner of Woodbine Ave. and Markland St. It will boast a shopping centre, conference and convention facilities, restaurants and residences.

In 2009, the Sifton family, owners of Toronto Airways Limited and its parent company, The Armadale Group, announced plans to redevelop the 170-acre property that currently houses the Buttonville Municipal Airport. The seven-year development plan aimed to convert the property into a multipurpose complex that would house retail, residential and commercial tenants.
Completion of the project’s first phase is expected by 2016. Phase 1 would offer “partially available” office, residential, retail, hotel and convention facilities on the property that runs alongside Highway 404 at 16th Avenue. It is still operating as an airport, pending a rezoning vote by Markham’s city council.
Overseeing the development is Cadillac Fairview, the property management and development company that operates Markham’s Markville Shopping Centre within its $19 billion North American portfolio. It is owned by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Fund. Developers are already promoting Buttonville 2.0 as being “Markham’s next economic engine.” A spokesperson from a public relations firm representing Cadillac Fairview confirmed that the proposal is awaiting Secondary Plan approval and is waiting on a vote by Markham council in March to rezone the property. The plan also requires Richmond Hill, York Region and the Province of Ontario to not object to the project. “The Town of Markham has been very cooperative,” the spokesperson said. This echoes sentiments expressed by one of Cadillac Fairview’s top executives on the Buttonville project. “We are excited about this next step and look forward to working with the Town of Markham, the Region of York and others having jurisdiction to move this world class project ahead,” said Finley McEwen, Senior Vice President of Development for Cadillac Fairview. “With Buttonville, we are proud to put people, economic growth and sustainability at the forefront of urban planning.” When rezoning is approved and major construction commences, it is unclear what fate will befall the burgeoning airport. What started off as a grass airstrip in 1953 is now Canada’s busiest municipal airport, with 170,000 planes arriving and departing each year. As the airport is privately owned, economics have not been favourable in recent years. Because of Buttonville’s size and location, it has historically been an ideal partner to handle overflow from Toronto’s Pearson Airport. In 2009, the Greater Toronto Airport Association, which operates Pearson, cancelled its $1.5 million annual contract with Toronto Airways, Ltd. over lack of need. Because Buttonville Airport operates without government funds, this meant a huge dent in the company’s revenue. At the time, Derek Sifton, president of the airport, spoke of “the eventual demise and close of Buttonville,” according to files from the Toronto Star. The majority of Buttonville’s planes are corporate jets and other privately owned crafts, which will have to rely on Toronto Island’s Billy Bishop Airport or a contentious proposal by the Sifton family and Armadale Properties to relocate their airport to Pickering. The new Buttonville will occupy up to 9.4 million square feet of “mixed use space,” with 1.2 million of that being devoted to retail, service and entertainment space. Cadillac Fairview estimates that Buttonville Town Centre will accommodate 22,000-24,000 jobs and carry a residential capacity of 7,000 truly making this urban wonderland a town of its own.

The York Regional Police Drugs and Vice Unit has uncovered a chemical drug-production lab inside a house in Markham. On Friday, Jan. 11, police attended a house on Amarillo Avenue in regards to a burst water pipe. While investigating, officers discovered what was believed to be a clandestine drug lab within the residence. Investigators from the Drugs and Vice Unit confirmed the house was a being used as a lab. Nearby residents were evacuated from their homes as a safety precaution, but were later allowed to return after police rendered the residence safe. Investigators, Markham Fire Department and Emergency Services, York Region Emergency Medical Services, and chemists from Health Canada removed chemicals, equipment and evidence from the house. York police are asking for the public’s help in identifying any similar operations and to be on the lookout for suspicious odours, stock-piling of chemicals or disposal of hazardous materials. Illegal drug labs pose a severe risk to the surrounding community due to the dangerous chemicals used during production of illegal substances. But they stress that citizens should simply call police or 9-1-1 rather than confront a suspect or investigate on their own. Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police Drugs and Vice Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7066, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-tips, leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com, or text your tip to CRIMES (274637) starting with the word YORK.

Markham motorists are going to have to get up a little earlier in the morning and have a little more patience if they are going westbound for their morning commute. One of the two westbound lanes on 16th Avenue between Warden Avenue and Kennedy Rd. will be out of bounds to accommodate watermain upgrades and repairs beneath the road. The first stage was completed in January over five days but the brief reprieve will give way to a second and longer round of daily restrictions, from Feb. 6 through 22. One westbound lane will remain open to traffic during this time. York Regional Police will be onsite directing traffic during peak periods, and electronic message signs have been installed to direct motorists. Motorists are asked to reduce speed through the construction area and consider using alternate routes during their daily commute.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 7th Annual York Region Character Community Awards Celebration. The event, on April 24 at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, serves to honour people and groups who display exemplary character and help make York Region a desirable place to live, learn, work and play. The event is organized by the Character Community Foundation, a group of volunteers and leaders from the community, government, education and business sectors. They recognize individuals, schools, groups and businesses that demonstrate character attributes including compassion, courage, integrity and responsibility. Nominations will be accepted on or before Feb. 6 in 9 categories. The Businessperson of Character honours character in the workplace, the Organization of Character recognizes an organization that embodies character in its culture and climate. The Educator of Character is presented to an someone who teaches and models the character attributes and has impacted children, youth and peers. There are also awards for an outstanding school, character development in the arts and sports, and for a person or group that makes positive community changes. Nomination packages and information can be found at www.charactercommunity.com.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti and a 34-member business delegation returned from China in December 2012 with new investment opportunities and new alliances in hand. The largest China trade and investment mission to date was organized by the Confederation of Greater Toronto Chinese Business Association (CGTBA). The 16-day mission, led by Mayor Scarpitti, further strengthened and promoted economic, business and cultural ties between Markham and key cities in China, a country with one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The Markham delegation included Regional Councillors Gord Landon and Joe Li, Councillors Alex Chiu and Alan Ho, and Markham businesses and institutions representing the high-tech, real estate, medical/health care and financial services sectors. Markham delegates travelled to nine cities in China – Qingdao, Zibo, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Huadu, Foshan, Zhongshan and Shenzhen; each of which represent important strategic alliances. This mission built on successful visits to China in 2008 and 2010, when a number of international relationships were first initiated. The delegation visited 12 hi-tech/industrial parks, toured over 20 businesses, made over 800 business contacts and participated in 21 business meetings, conferences and seminars.
“This China business mission has been hailed by business delegates as one of the best for its promising business opportunities, the agreements we finalized and the strategic alliances we developed”, said Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “Markham’s diverse international business sector has served us well in fostering strategic alliances and agreements on this and other international trade missions.”
Highlights of the trade mission included business meetings and visits to:

• Four China-Canada Trade and Investment Conferences
  
• Ministry of Commerce, China and local Foreign Affairs offices
  
• High–level meeting with the Canadian Embassy in Beijing
  
• Bank of China
  
• World headquarters of Huawei Technologies
  
• ZTE Corp headquarters
  
• Tour of China’s largest hi-tech industrial parks - TUSPark, Wuhan East Lake Hi-Tec Development Zone, Zhongguancun Science Park and Huadu International Automobile Industry Base
  
• Commemorative at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall
  
• Friendship tree-planting and dedication ceremony in Huadu
  

Markham signed four important agreements during the mission to strength economic and cultural links. Two significant memorandums of understandings (MOU) were renewed with Markham’s sister Wuhan, and with Huadu. New relationships were developed and formalized through an MOU with the cities of Zibo, and Foshan. An agreement was also signed between a Markham company - Merit Education and Wuhan Huazhong Univeristy of Science and Technology.

A business delegation from Markham travelled to Chennai, India to join the world’s largest Tamil-populated city in large-scale festivals Jan. 13, 14 and 15. Markham is the first city in North America to proclaim Tamil Heritage Days. Mayor Frank Scarpitti and the City’s delegation’s stop in Chennai is part of a two-week trade mission to India to promote Markham as an investment opportunity for Indian high-tech industries. With a population of over nine million, Chennai is India’s fifth-largest city and considered a popular destination for Tamils worldwide. Markham’s delegation, including Regional Councillor Joe Li and Ward 7 Councillor Logan Kanapathi, marks the first official visit from the Greater Toronto Area to Chennai.
The delegation met with the Mayor of Chennai, Saidai Samiyappan Duraisamy, and Member of Parliament of Chennai North, Honourable Shri T.K.S. Elangovan, two well-known figures in the Tamil diaspora. In two ceremonies in which the cities exchanged gifts, Mayor Scarpitti presented Mayor Duraisamy and Hon. MP Elangovan with Markham’s proclamation of Tamil Heritage Days known worldwide as Thai Pongal – a thanksgiving harvest festival dedicated to the sun god Surya that marks the beginning of the traditional Tamil calendar at the winter solstice. “The City of Markham is thrilled to be ringing in Thai Pongal and this important occasion with the City of Chennai,” remarked Mayor Scarpitti. “This is a great time to reflect on the tremendous benefits both Markham and India have gained as a result of our past and current trade missions. The strong partnerships and alliances we have built with Chennai and other cities during our visit reinforce the significant mutual value these joint initiatives provide to our cities.” Markham Stouffville Hospital’s official representative and Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. George Arnold, also took part in a tour of the world-renowned Apollo Hospital. The Markham delegation is taking part in a number of tours and meetings in six cities over the two week period in collaboration with the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC)

In the summer of 1873, a group of concerned Ontarians saw a need for an organization to stand up for the rights and welfare of animals and banded together to create one. This drive led to the formation of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Almost 140 years later, the OSPCA has grown to be a well known advocate for animals and a successful lobbyist that influences provincial government policy. The group is planning to celebrate the anniversary with, “many celebrations throughout the year within our communities,” according to OSPCA spokeswoman Alison Cross. With a presence in over 50 communities province-wide, the OSPCA’s York Region branch has a particularly prominent role in upholding the Society’s mandate. The OSPCA’s Newmarket branch has housed the Provincial Education & Animal Centre since 2010. PEAC’s primary focus is community education, and it offers free education and training to other animal welfare and rescue organizations with similar mandates. According to Cross, education has been a primary focus of the OSPCA since the start. “It’s always been a huge priority. We’re for the prevention of cruelty to animals, so we’re working to education people so that we don’t always have to bring in new legislation,” she said. “Our first approach is always how we can use education as a first step.” That attitude has carried the organization through numerous milestones since it was founded a mere five years after Confederation. In 1887, the group’s lobbying efforts were rewarded by a full-time police officer to deal with animal cruelty issues for the province. This was the first time in Ontario that animals were granted legal protection from abuse. In 1919, the Ontario SPCA Act gave the Ontario SPCA the power to investigate crimes against animals. In 1955, this power was expanded when the Government of Ontario gave SPCA inspectors and agents the power to seize endangered animals and actively enforce the law when cruelty to animals was occurring. Such unprecedented responsibility for a non-governmental organization was as a result of the charity’s proven track record on upholding animal welfare above its own interests as an organization. In moving forward, Cross says the OSPCA will continue to expand its educational and community-based outreach. “We’re going to expand our community education program to offer more training services,” she said. “There will be more school programs for kids, more training programs to help people take care of their animals and more education for the community at large.” The Ontario SPCA is a member of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. In addition to enforcing animal cruelty laws and offering community-based educational programs, the Society also coordinates sheltering and adoptions for pets, conducts emergency rescues and lobbies the government and businesses for better animal welfare policies. More information about the Society’s mandate and celebration events for its 140th anniversary can be found at http://OntarioSPCA.ca.

Family day in Ontario occurs on Monday, Feb. 18. One of the ways to celebrate the extra family time is with Winterfest at the Markham Museum. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., try skating, snowshoeing, snowman-building, creating ice blocks, and snowball target practice. Food will also be available. For more information, call 905-294-4576. On the Sunday before family day, enjoy Family Sundays at the Markham Museum from noon to 4 p.m., for some hands-on activities. Feb. 17 is all about snowshoeing, from learning the basics to playing games in the snow. People are advised to bring their own warm outdoor clothing and winter boots.
On the Saturday of family day weekend, go to Markham’s Flato theatre for French Canadian pianist Maxim Bernard, performing Schumann’s piano concerto, the overture to Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, and Mendelssohn’s “Scottish” symphony. For more information visit www.KSOrchestra.ca The Pacific Mall, Markham’s indoor Asian market, with hundreds of vendors and shops, will be open on family day. Recreational skating is available at Markham’s outdoor rink at Markham Civic Centre. It is open for free skating, weather permitting, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. A natural ice facility can be found at Toogood Pond. Call Community Services Markham for more information, at 905-415-7535. You can also skate outdoors at Cedarena, an old-fashioned outdoor rink along the Rouge River in Markham operated by the Cedar Grove Community Club. There has been pond skating in the area since the 1890s, with a small building and stove added for warmth over the decades. Skaters in 1926 raised money for a permanent rink that was expanded to Olympic size years later. Cedarena is open Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons. For more information call 905-294-0038.

From 35 members in 1994 to over 300 people now, Markham’s Cornerstone Christian Community Church has outgrown Markville Secondary School and now is moving to a new, permanent home. The third move for the intercultual church community will hopefully be to a place that has space for worship, athletics programs, seniors’ activities and a youth lounge.
After a decade of residence at the school, the Cornerstone church hopes to go beyond its traditional role and provide events and services for the community at large, regardless of religion. With a food bank, support and recovery groups, blood donor clinics, a cafe, gymnasium, meeting rooms, an art exhibition hall and space for outdoor events, the church will be open daily. The first phase of the over 30,000 square foot facility will reside on a six and a half acre property at Donald Cousens Parkway and Ninth Line, with construction beginning early this year. This will include space for over 650 worshipers and almost 250 parking spaces. The Cornerstone Centre, as it’s been dubbed, wants to be not just a great community centre, but one that is financially secure as well. The mortgage for the land was paid off by congregants’ fundraising ahead of schedule, and continues as the building commences. Fundraising efforts include a concert by internationally acclaimed tenor Michael Burgess, made famous for his portrayal of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. The concert will take place Feb. 8th at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, with opening performances from three local artists.
Information and tickets are available at http://cornerstonechurch.celect.org/concert.

Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, and Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, recently announced that Canadians will have more contribution room to invest in their Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) as of this month. “Our Government remains committed to its low-tax plan for jobs and growth, and we are very pleased to offer Canadians this important way to save on taxes and keep more of their hard-earned money,” said Flaherty. Since the Harper Government made TFSAs available in 2009, Canadians have been able to earn tax-free investment income on contributions of up to $5,000 per year—a limit that increased to $5,500 at the beginning of this month. All Canadians—from students to young families to seniors—can earn tax-free income through a range of investment products. TFSAs have become increasingly popular, with approximately 8.2 million Canadians having opened an account and roughly 2.5 million Canadians contributing the maximum amount in 2011. The TFSA is a flexible, registered, general-purpose savings vehicle that allows Canadians to earn tax-free investment income. A TFSA can contain a range of investments, similar to those in a Registered Retirement Savings Plan, such as mutual funds, listed securities and guaranteed investment certificates.
Key features of the TFSA to keep in mind:

• A TFSA is available to all Canadians, 18 years and older;
  
• Any interest, dividends and capital gains earned in a TSFA are not subject to tax;
  
• Unused TFSA contribution room is carried forward and accumulates for future years;
  
• Funds available in your TFSA can be withdrawn tax-free at any time for any purpose. You can re-contribute withdrawn amounts in the same year only if you have unused TFSA contribution room. Otherwise, you have to wait until the following year;
  
• Income earned in a TFSA and withdrawals do not affect your eligibility for federal income-tested benefits and credits;
  
• Funds can be given to a spouse or common-law partner for them to invest in their TFSA; and
  
• TFSA assets can generally be transferred to a spouse or common-law partner upon death.
  

When the TFSA was introduced, the Government announced that the $5,000 annual contribution limit would be indexed to inflation in $500 increments. 2013 is the year in which the first $500 increment takes effect, which means more room for Canadians to put funds aside for their financial goals.
For more information on TFSAs, please visit the Canada Revenue Agency website at www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tfsa or contact your financial institution.

Car rental giant Avis Budget Group has signed a half a billion dollar deal to buy car-sharing company Zipcar. If you’ve never seen a Zipcar lot, you may soon enough. When the deal closes this spring, Avis Markham Unionville at Warden and Highway 7 might be offering Zipcars along with their rentals. But it’s premature to know for sure, says John Barrows, VP of Communications at Avis. “I’ll be excited when the acquisition is complete,” he told the Markham Review in January. “Zipcar is a great brand with great people. But we’re not there yet.” Zipcar’s brand has never been typical of a car-rental company. When its founders brought the European car-sharing idea to North America more than 10 years ago, they had one goal: To significantly reduce the number of cars, congestion and pollution on the road. It has touted itself as a green alternative to the costs and hassles of owning or renting a car.
And that strategy has been working. The company has nearly 1 million members in Canada, the US, the UK, Spain and Austria who benefit from its cars-on-demand system. With 24/7 access to thousands of vehicles in their neighbourhoods, Zipcar is all about sharing and community. Members can rent cool cars, like Mini Coopers and Toyota Priuses, at cheap hourly rates, unlock them with their iPhones and abandon them in convenient lots. Even the gas is included. All of this is particularly appealing to young, hip urbanites who walk, bike and use public transportation. A perfect fit for Markham.
Zipcar culture is chic, no doubt about it. But Avis, on the other hand, is the definition of a colourless car rental company. With almost 30,000 employees and 10,000 locations in 175 countries, Avis is a traditional mega-corporation. So some Zipcar customers, or Zipsters, as they like to be called, aren’t pleased with the news. Experts say that the two operations will merge into one Avis-like company, calling this the end of the sharing economy. But Zipcar’s co-founder Steve Case couldn’t disagree more. “This merger signals that the sharing economy has come of age,” he says.
And for Avis, the deal represents a new direction in a fiercely competitive car rental market. The company bought Zipcar for almost 50% more than its closing price, paying $12.25 per share when the market only valued it at $8.24. But Avis executives say it was worth it, especially considering that Hertz, their biggest competitor, spent $2.6 billion to acquire Dollar Thrifty last year. Although “somewhat dismissive of car sharing in the past,” Avis Chief Executive Ron Nelson had a change of heart when he realized the potential of working with “younger, more wired consumers.”
“We see car sharing as highly complementary to traditional car rental, with rapid growth potential and representing a scalable opportunity for us as a combined company,” Nelson says. Back in Markham, Avis manager Jiron Ahmed is tight-lipped about the deal. Ahmed has been with the company for about five years, but he refused comment. Come spring, perhaps Avis will dismiss its corporate culture and take a page from Zipcar’s ebook.

Markham Stouffville Hospital’s makeover makes a major step forward this week taking possession of its new building. The hospital will receive the keys to the 365,000-square-foot building from PCL Constructors Canada on Jan. 17. The new, four-storey wing doubles the size of the existing building that opened in 1990. Staff will spend the coming weeks equipping and getting used to the new facilities and it will officially open for business on March 10th. “The building will go from empty to totally full in one day, as we prepare to renovate the existing building,” hospital spokesperson Lisa Joyce said. That means a new emergency room, maternal child department, mental health facilities and new operating rooms, for starters. The new design aims to achieve environmentally friendly LEED Silver certification and should also provide greater health care efficiency as well. The hospital will not enjoy increased capacity immediately, however, as renovations on the existing building will begin within weeks and the entire project continues until August 2014. At that point there will be a lot more staff, physicians and 100 new patient beds to meet the community’s needs. The ER is triple the size of the old one, the critical care centre is three times the size of its predecessor and the hospital should be able to handle 4,000 births a year, up from about 3,000 today. Designed to serve a community of about 100,000, the hospital fell behind over the years as the population exploded in Markham. Today the population has soared past 340,000. Comparing the new, compact, multi-storey design with the old stretched layout is a reminder of how things are changing in and around the hospital, no longer an outpost at the corner of Ninth Line and Hwy. 7. The community of Cornell has been growing rapidly just to the north and the hospital is increasingly part of a larger health-and-wellness complex. There’s a fire hall on site, and the Cornell Community Centre and Library opened just a few weeks ago and will soon be connected to the hospital via an internal link, giving patients and visitors somewhere to go during their stay.
”It does feel like the hospital is much more a part of the community,” Joyce said. After years of waiting, shovels finally broke ground in December 2010. So far the $400-million project is on budget and on time, Joyce noted. The province covers 90 percent of construction costs but that doesn’t stretch quite as far as it sounds. That brick-and-mortar funding doesn’t include all the beds, computers and other equipment necessary to make the hospital operational. The Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation is more than 80 per cent of the way towards raising $50 million from the community towards that end. Major donations have come in from local corporations including The Remington Group, Powerstream, Mattamy Homes and Liberty Development.
With the expansion one of many underway or imminent in the region, York Region has also been collecting $12 million a year in property taxes for local health care, of which Markham Stouffville is earmarked for more than $50 million over the coming years. If you don’t want to wait until you’re sick to see the expansion, there will be a community open house on the afternoon of Feb. 16.

All fares for using YRT/Viva services increased as of Jan. 1. The fare increase will offset rising operating costs, say officials, as well as support the cost of delivering service to the growing customer base, expected to reach 22.5 million riders in 2013. The approved 6.38 per cent increase will impact all YRT/Viva fares, except for the GTA Weekly Pass. For example, for one-zone prices the previous cash fare was $3.50, and was raised to $3.75. A book of 10 adult tickets went from $28 to $30, and an adult monthly pass went from $115 to $120. The fare change will help cover almost 40 per cent of the cost to operate the transit system. Over 60 per cent of transit costs are currently subsidized by York Region taxpayers, higher than the ideal 50/50 cost sharing. As a relatively young system which services an unusually large geographical area, significant investment is required to support growing ridership in one of the most rapidly-growing regions in the province. YRT/Viva offers local and rapid transit services throughout all nine municipalities in York Region, with over 120 routes and connections to transit in the City of Toronto and the Regions of Peel and Durham. YRT/Viva ridership was expected to exceed 21 million riders in 2012. For more information about YRT/Viva services, visit the YRT/Viva website at www.yrt.ca or call the Customer Service Centre at 1-866-MOVE-YRT (668-3978).

This year’s Festive Season Enhanced R.I.D.E. program caught 70 impaired drivers, and 12 charges were made during spot checks. The program began on Nov. 28. Drivers who made 911 calls to report erratic driving resulted in an added 29 impaired driving arrests, as part of the “Safe Roads... Your Call campaign”. York Regional Police advises people to call if they suspect a driver is impaired by drugs or alcohol, as these are considered crimes in progress.
Patrolling uniformed officers arrested another 29 motorists for impaired driving. York Regional Police works with the South Simcoe Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police and Peel Regional Police to combat impaired driving. The York Regional Police R.I.D.E. program continues all year, with enhanced numbers during the holidays. In 2011, over 29,000 vehicles were stopped at random checks in the R.I.D.E. program. 25 motorists received three day suspensions, and there were 11 impaired driving-related arrests. In 2012 there were over 40,000 cars stopped, 25 three day suspensions were given, and 12 arrests made for impaired driving. The police advise citizens who plan to drink to arrange to sleep over, use a designated driver, take a cab or use public transit. Do not drink or use drugs and drive. For more information on the program, contact Sergeant Sarah Riddell at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7706, or email traffic@yrp.ca.

Toronto, Mississauga, Richmond Hill and Markham are all potential homes for Ontario’s new five-star resort, an entertainment centre that will include a mall, convention space, theatre, hotel and casino. The stakes are high, but so far Markham is on top. Here’s the story in a nutshell: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. wants the complex in the GTA. Onex Corp., a private equity firm with holdings in Las Vegas and Alberta casinos, wants to build it in Markham. While lobbyists for Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts have been touting a Toronto casino as a potential bonanza for tourism, job creation and city coffers, Onex is lobbying against it. The company hired Kyle Rae, a former Toronto city councillor, to convince Toronto council to vote against the plan. A downtown entertainment complex would worsen Toronto’s gridlock and negatively impact the local economy, Rae says. This, despite two separate reports that suggest huge potentials for revenue, tourism and job creation. But Toronto’s loss is Markham’s gain. Onex believes that the best business case is for a major casino complex elsewhere in the GTA, Rae is quoted as saying that the resort belongs in the suburbs, and several sources familiar with the company’s intentions say that a piece of land in Markham is its number one pick. Rod Phillips, OLG’s President and CEO, agrees. “A facility outside of Toronto could drive more profit directly to the province,” he said at a Canadian Club of Toronto meeting, pointing to lower capital costs associated with land and up to $1 billion in bricks and mortar savings. And according to OLG Chair Paul Godfrey, the complex would create 6,000 construction jobs over three years as well as 12,000 good paying, permanent jobs. Nevertheless, does Markham want a casino in its backyard? Back in June, Markham council voted 7-6 against hosting the casino. However, because the issue was not on the agenda, a full discussion on the matter was not had. The result prompted Mayor Frank Scarpitti to ask councillors to re-examine the issue. An entertainment complex could bring Markham $20 million in annual revenue, he told them. Over the past few months, two separate developers have been privately canvassing Markham’s council members on the issue. And sources say there will be a re-vote in January. Regional councillor Joe Li is one who will support the casino project for a second time. And he says other councillors who voted against it may reconsider their position this time around. “Markham needs the revenue,” he says. Comparing Markham to Macau, Li says that the Chinese city was deserted until it started building casinos. Christened the Las Vegas of Asia, Macau has since been revitalized. Still, some warn of a potential spike in problem gambling. Li says the pros outweigh the cons. “If people want to gamble, they’re going to gamble. And if we don’t build a casino, they’ll just go to Niagara or Rama instead,” he says. “I’d rather keep the money here. So unless my constituents tell me they’re against it, I’mall for it.”

The Markham Board of Trade (MBT), which represents over 800 businesses from large corporations to small entrepreneurs, recently awarded the 22nd Annual Business Excellence Awards at a gala on November 29th. The Markham campus of Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology was awarded the Community Relations and Cultural Enrichment award, in recognition of its contribution to building the Markham community and enriching the culture and liveability of the area. The award was accepted by Seneca President David Agnew. Business Excellence Awards Committee Chair, Eamonn J. Flaherty, noted that decisions about award recipients were unanimous. The Committee, which includes various professionals and business owners, was “very impressed with Seneca’s outstanding leadership in the community, and its contribution to Markham’s culturally rich and dynamic reputation. Since Seneca’s move to Markham several years ago, the College has built solid relationships with local businesses and has been a key player in many community and cultural events.” Seneca opened a campus in Markham seven years ago, and since then they have hosted community events including an All Candidate Debates, the National Ethnic Press and Media Council Training Development Seminar and the Impact of Family Violence: A South Asian Perspective Conference. The other award recipients are: Monte Carlo Inns (Accessibility), Ontario Property Management Group Inc. (Business Employer of Excellence), Honda Canada Inc. (Donald Cousens Conservation & Environmental Leadership), Myplanet Digital (Entrepreneurship), SMTC Corporation (Global Business Excellence), Chapel Ridge Funeral Home & Cremation Centre (High Quality & Service Award), and Silverpoint Media Inc. (Innovation). The Anthony Roman Award was presented posthumously to Gordon Stollery, in recognition of his commitment to the community. Educated as a mining engineer and geologist, Mr. Stollery was involved on the boards of numerous energy companies, and continued running Angus Glen Farm in Marham, which breeds champion thoroughbred horses. He also developed the Angus Glen Golf Club and the Angus Glen residential community.

As United Way York Region prepares for its Celebration 2012 event to close last year’s fundraising campaign, the City of Markham celebrates its contribution to United Way’s efforts with a record-setting fundraising total of $110,000 for 2012. This marks a 50 per cent increase in donations over the City’s efforts from the year prior. According to Markham’s 2012 campaign chair, Dennis Flaherty, $50,000 was raised through the City of Markham’s first annual Employee Charity Fundraising Golf Tournament, and over $60,000 was raised through staff donations during the fall campaign. “This speaks to the continued positive impact of United Way agencies in York Region and how these dollars make a difference in the lives of so many in our community,” said Flaherty. City of Markham CAO Andy Taylor echoed this sentiment, adding, “We’re very grateful to be able [to] help with this important work.” The $110,000 raised adds to the running total of $1.4 million that City of Markham employees have contributed to United Way since partnering with the charity in 1994. This year, United Way created the Robert Kidd Community Leadership Challenge, an initiative started to encourage leadership and new donors. The program matched donations of over $1000 from first-time donors, made possible by a $100,000 contribution to United Way from the estate of Robert Kidd earlier this year. Daniele Zanotti, CEO of United Way York Region, addressed the City of Markham’s contribution in a statement. “The City of Markham has always been a strong supporter of United Way. Thanks to their staff’s commitment to our work, United Way will continue to fund a strong network of member agencies providing critical, frontline services to people all across the region,” said Zanotti. “Whether it’s a youth receiving much-needed counseling from Pathways for Children, Youth & Families, a newcomer finding their way thanks to job training at Job Skills, these agencies based right here in Markham are helping people where they live and work.” United Way York Region services nine municipalities, including Markham, Aurora, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and Whitchurch-Souffville. The 2012 United Way York Region campaign officially closes at a Celebration 2012 event on Jan. 17 at 4pm at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. More details are available at york.unitedway.ca.

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the small Connecticut community of Newtown has devastated local residents and sparked international mourning. There have been other unfortunate incidents in the United States similar in nature but this time the victims were young children, and this makes this particular event very different. The fact that this horrible crime took place in an elementary schools separates it from other events that took place in high schools, colleges and public places. The Sandy Hook shooting has triggered a heated debate over the treatment of mental health, safety in schools, and perhaps most notably, gun control. However, despite the disagreement over these issues, all parties ultimately agree that schools need to be safer. The shooting has forced educators, administrators, parents, and students to reflect on the safety practices of their own schools and communities. And this is not just happening in the United States. In Canada and much of the Western world where our societies are politically and culturally quite similar, this tragedy as struck very close to home. Our children grow up watching the same television, listening to the same music and exposed to all of the same things growing up. Education systems are fundamentally very similar as well, and even here in York Region, our school security systems are reasonably comparable to any other schools in North America. In essence, what happened in Sandy Hook could in theory happen just as easily anywhere else. So, how are York Region schools ensuring the safety of students and faculty? The York Region District School Board ensures that schools are safe and students should feel secure in receiving their education. Protocols are in place in case of any emergencies and each year schools must run drills to familiarize and prepare staff and students with the procedures. The Board is constantly “working with experts in the field of school safety to make sure our school is safe”, says Christina Choo-Hum of YRDSB. She also acknowledges what steps are being made moving forward, and the board plans to apply for government funding to improve school safety. As part of a provincial government initiative there will be funding available for secure school entries and YRDSB will be applying for some of that funding in order to implement secure entries. Late last month, Premier McGuinty announced the “Safe Welcome Program” would be accepting applications for funding across the province. According to McGuinty’s office, the program “provides funding to schools that need support to install devices that give staff more control over who enters the school.” The Sandy Hook Shooting impacted not only elementary schools but the entire education system including high schools where students are even greater in number. Much like the YRDSB itself, high schools are always looking for ways in which to make schools safer and events like this only reinforce the value of self reflection. Unionville High School Principal Maureen Weaver feels as though self reflection “is an ongoing process, regardless of incidents like this one, and we are always looking for ways to increase safety”. At UHS, as students generated questions, staff members, including the guidance department, make themselves readily available. Markham District Principal Kim Garner made clear that student safety remains top priority at all times. He affirms, “Student safety is always our number one concern and we feel like we have the protocols in place to react appropriately to any type of situation involving our school.”

January brings cold weather, the marking of another year’s passing, and soon-to-be-forgotten New Year’s fitness and health resolutions. Even with a sincere desire to make this the year of lasting change, most resolutions don’t make it to Valentine’s Day. Almost one million people in North America die annually from cardiovascular disease, and three-quarters directly relate to lifestyle factors like overeating, smoking, stress, and poor fitness levels. There are no quick fixes for health, and no lasting results from diet potions. People often set their goals as “all or nothing” propositions, so they feel that they failed after one misstep. A few guidelines can help keep you on the path to health, and keep you motivated to make new lifestyle habits stick:

• Write goals down in a visible location. Make a contract with yourself and keep it in a spot where you can read it each day. The bathroom mirror is an excellent location, and it’s a good idea to keep a copy in your wallet or purse.
  
• Share your resolutions with family and friends. The support of your loved ones who support your endeavour will help keep you motivated.
  
• Celebrate the small victories. Set mini-goals and weekly check-ins with a trainer or nutritionist, and document progress with a scale or tape measure. Give yourself small, meaningful rewards that do not sway you from your resolve.
  
• Schedule a physical. Have your family doctor measure cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, blood pressure, resting pulse and body weight. Baseline information can often be quite an eye-opener, and it can be easy to ignore the early warning signs of illness.
  
• Consult with a personal trainer. Try resistance training and weight training in addition to aerobic conditioning. People who exercise regularly with moderate to high intensity are 50 – 60 per cent less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
  
• Hydrate! Water is important for digestion, and even lower back pain has been related to dehydration. Dehydration also has negative effects on cognition and on muscle strength. One general method is to take your weight in pounds and divide it by two. This number is the amount of water in ounces you need to drink for optimum health.
  
• Use the 80/20 rule when making your food choices. Many diets fail when people try for 100 per cent abstinence and end up gorging on fast food. Make healthy food choices 80 per cent of the time and enjoy the occasional indulgence the other 20%.
  
• Create fitness friendships. Spending time with people who enjoy exercise can inspire even the most reluctant couch potato. Nurture relationships with people who enjoy physical activity.
  
• Schedule a follow-up physical after six months. The follow-up allows you to see tangible improvements of the new lifestyle habits you have implemented. Knowing that you have improved specific health markers will help maintain your motivation.
  

Right now, you can make an appointment with your doctor for a physical, drink an additional glass of water, and invite one of your active friends for an evening walk. Unionville-based Uche, an international wellness lecturer and trainer, and wife Kary -a former physical education teacher and a professional athlete- are the authors of The Miracle of Health. www.FitSpeakers.com

Markham’s E.T. Crowle Public School is almost 30 years old, serves over 300 students from JK to Grade 8, and has a decaying library that no longer meets the needs of the community. The solution? An award from the Aviva Community Fund. Aviva plans to donate $1 million to projects Canada, and Crowle’s READy, Set, Read library revitalization project was just one of over 550 projects competing for $50,000. With an application from the parent council and the school librarian, and support from parents, staff and the community, the school’s library project is now a finalist for the prize, with an automatic award of $5,000 even if they do not win. The co-chairs of the parent council, Karen Hicks and Tania Jenkins, wanted to ensure that the library would function for all kinds of learning. Along with fellow council member Kerry McRorie and school librarian Rose White, they applied for the award with many goals for the library, including increasing its inventory of fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, and teacher and parent resources. In addition, the library needs more shelving and materials for repairing books. Hicks noted that they heard about the Aviva Fund, “through a friend who’s children’s school had also entered a project. We immediately looked into it and thought it would be a great opportunity for our school community to band together and work toward a collective and inclusive goal.” They aim to revitalize the library for the school’s current crop of students, and those who will enjoy it in the future as well, emphasizing the importance of literacy skills. Books in the school library are in many cases outdated or damaged, and do not reflect a sufficiently diverse variety of cultures, beliefs and interests. Crowle’s proposal has lasted through two rounds of online voting, with the help of the “entire school community, along with their family, friends, and co workers” who voted for them, according to Jenkins. Crowle’s project is in the “small” category, with a budget under $50,000. Other categories are $50,000 to $100,000, and $100,000 to $150,000. Winners will be announced on January 29. According to McRorie, the judges are examining the sustainability and the impact that the project will have on the school community. “Literacy -an integral component of each and every child’s education and one of the main areas of focus for the York Region District School Board- holds true to both of these points.” The contest is sponsored by Aviva Canada Inc., a property and casualty insurance groups with over three million customers in Canada. The parent council was sure to include the input of the school’s students. Hicks notes that, “Many students have made contributions to our portfolio through their pictures, poems, drawings, and also to the promotional video... This initiative was truly felt community wide with school alumni, community members, and even political figures getting involved by voting and sending out daily updates and reminders... Neighbouring schools even set up voting stations in a spirit of unity and camaraderie.” Other Markham ideas proposed for the Aviva prize included education for teenagers about the risks of drinking and driving, drug use, texting, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt, starting an annual walk with to support a mental health expansion at Markham-Stouffville Hospital, and expanding volunteer opportunities and career development for teens in south Markham.

The region is responsible for winter maintenance of more than 3,400 lane-kilometres of roads York Region maintains about 1,100 kilometres (or more than 3,400 lane-kilometres) of main roadways across all nine municipalities. This includes snow removal, sanding, salting and use of salt-brine to help prevent build-up of ice on road surfaces. Despite last winter’s unseasonably mild winter, York Region responded to 75 winter weather events.
Weather conditions can often vary in one part of the Region to the next and conditions can change rapidly. During severe winter storms, York Region plows and applies sand/salt to major arterial roads (those most heavily travelled) first and all other regional roads soon after. York Region uses a road weather information system to track rain, snow and ice and GPS tracking to maximize the effectiveness of the winter maintenance fleet before, during and after winter storms. Motorists are reminded to give snow plows plenty of room:

• Drive a safe distance behind the plow; you may see them, but they may not see you if you are following too closely.
  
• Only pass snow removal vehicles when a safe passing area is available and the lane is clear of snow or treated with salt and sand. Do not pass on the right.
  
• Before passing a snow plow, check the direction of snow discharge to avoid snow and debris thrown from the equipment; plows are wider than most vehicles and portions of the plow and blade may be obscured by blowing snow.
  
• Don’t travel beside a snow plow; they can shift sideways after hitting snow packs or drifts.
  

York Region has a salt management program to reduce the amount of salt used in favour of alternatives, such as salt-brine, which are equally effective, help reduce the effects on the environment and reduce costs.

While most of Markham’s students are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Christmas, 10-year old Mercedes Cheung has her sights set on another date: December 28th. That is when the grade six student at Sir Wilfred Laurier Public School will perform Niccolò Paganini’s “24 Caprices for Solo Violin” at New York City’s famous Carnegie Hall in a concert celebrating the composer’s 230th birthday. Cheung’s performance was originally scheduled for early November, but was postponed due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Despite the delay, the young virtuoso is still eager to get on stage and share her gift.
“I’m really excited and looking forward to the concert,” Cheung said. “I have a great feeling about it, because Carnegie Hall is the place where all the big artists have performed.” She is not wrong. Among the Manhattan theatre’s performance alumni are musical legends like Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Tina Turner, and even the Beatles. To Cheung, however, that is nowhere near as exciting as performing on the stage once graced by violinists like Itzhak Perlman, Alexander Markov and James Ehnes. Carnegie Hall is the Holy Grail of performance venues for classical musicians. Lithuanian violinist Jascha Heifetz was once stopped by a lost pedestrian on the streets of New York, who asked, “Could you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” “Yes,” said Heifetz. “Practice.” Heeding Heifetz’s advice, Cheung practices up to three hours each day… but not before completing her homework. “I do my homework fast and my teacher at school gives me time to work on it during recess so I have more time to practice at home,” she said. “She’s really supportive.” Cheung has been taking formal violin lessons since just before her fifth birthday, but she got a taste for the instrument at two and a half years old listening to her father play in her family’s Markham home. He is still her teacher to this day. “My dad helps me a lot,” she said. “He is very disciplined and detailed. He is a great violinist and the best teacher.” “As Mercedes’ father, violin teacher and her best friend, I feel very honoured and happy for her,” said her father, Ephraim Cheung. “I wish her all the best and luck for her concert and her artistic career. I’m very proud to have a daughter like her.” Through working with her father, Cheung’s musical prowess evolved from practicing at home to her first performance, where she soloed at the Markham Theatre at age six. Four years later, she finds herself preparing to perform Paganini’s “24 Caprices,” one of the most challenging pieces of violin music by one of the world’s most influential composers. In May, she became the youngest violinist in the world to record this repertoire, now available on CD and DVD. Her performance at Carnegie Hall will be her first live rendition of the program. “I like the caprices because they are really virtuosic,” she said of her song choice. “Every caprice has its own character and musicality. Paganini put a lot of imagination and creativity into them. It’s all unique.” What she did not mention is that “24 Caprices for Solo Violin” is considered one of the most difficult feats of the violin. Each of the suite’s 24 sections has a unique tempo, key, style and chord progression that make memorization alone a challenge, let alone a continuous solo performance. With the stage presence of Michael Flatley and the instrumental talent of Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton, Paganini was widely known as 19th century Italy’s preeminent pop sensation. The level of difficulty in his music reflects “My dream is to be a really famous violinist and become wealthy to work with poor people and young musicians,” she said, also noting that she would love to play with the legendary Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Mercedes Cheung will be making her solo violin debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall on December 28th. More information about the artist and her concerts is available at MercedesCheung.com.

Juno Award winning and platinum selling recording artist Robert Michaels launches his newest CD Via Italia, January 25, in a concert at the Markham Theatre. Via Italia is a sentimental and personal musical journey to the heart and soul of Italy, and stands as a tribute to Michael’s family’s heritage. The disc contains fresh arrangements of some of the most memorable Italian vocal and instrumental standards, along with several new original compositions inspired by the music and culture of Italy. A guitarist who the Ottawa Sun described as an “axe-god” , Michaels has released six albums to date, all of which have sold in excess of gold and platinum status in Canada. His debut CD, Paradiso, released independently in 1994, launched his career. Initially selling the records from the stage as well as through a select number of record stores and coffee shops, Paradiso ultimately sold over 100,000 copies in Canada, an extraordinary achievement for an instrumental artist. His impressive sales figures and a Juno Award nomination for Instrumental Artist of the Year following the release of his sophomore album, Arizona, caught the attention of Warner Music in Canada. Warner signed him for the release of his third album, Utopia, in 1998. His fourth CD, Allegro, released in 2003, won him the Juno Award for Best Instrumental Album. Michaels also received nominations for best vocalist, instrumentalist and album for his self-titled fifth album, a 2-CD set. Besides his own vocal performances, the album featured contributions from acclaimed vocalist Jennifer Warnes (Famous Blue Raincoat); three-time Juno Award winner Luba; Tony Award-nominated Broadway star, Louis Pitre (Mamma Mia!); and multi-talented jazz singer/songwriter, Coral Egan. This was followed by The Spanish Guitar Collection, a compilation of instrumental compositions from his previous six CDs. Tickets for Michaels’ show can be purchased by calling the Markham Theatre box office at 905-305-SHOW (7469) or online www.markhamtheatre.ca

‘Tis the season of giving and goodwill towards our fellow, a time to seize the spirit of the holidays and give to others. Several faith institutions in our neighbourhood are doing just that - working tirelessly to extend a helping hand to those who need it most. A Markham staple since the 1960s, Unionville Alliance Church draws more than 300 people to its weekly Sunday morning service. With a culturally diverse membership that includes 30 different nationalities, 100 young people, and a large group of what they call the young at heart, Unionville Alliance’s members come in all shapes and sizes. But they all have one thing in common: They love to help the needy. Unionville Alliance will hold its annual Hampers of Hope program this month, aiming to fill 150 hampers with Christmas dinner essentials like turkeys, stuffing, produce and gifts for Markham’s less fortunate families. Those families also drop by the church every other Saturday year-round for the Master’s Pantry. You’ll get a hot breakfast, take part in valuable discussions like household budgeting and basic car care, and fill out a shopping list. “Our programs wouldn’t exist without the great people in our community,” says Pastor Chad, who has been leading the church for the past six years. “Members drop off food, clothing and household items like dishes, books and toys while our volunteers sort it all out.” Down the street, outreach is a huge part of life at St. Andrew’s United Church. Servicing hundreds of Markham families since 1834, St. Andrew’s is known as the church that makes a difference. This year, the congregation has partnered with York Region’s Mrs. Claus program to buy every item on the wish lists of 10 underprivileged families. Meanwhile, the Bridge sponsored 30 Markham families by giving them practical and emotional care while St. Patrick’s Parish worked with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to collect donations, provide gift cards and make personal visits to local families in need. But the Olive Branch Community Church wants to get all of Markham’s churches to join forces. Their initiative, called Restore Canada, builds a community of individuals and organizations that care for Markham’s poor and marginalized. Its goal: To provide practical and financial support that will help the distressed restore their blessed lives. Struggling as a single parent? Restore Canada will do your grocery shopping, fix your car and hire a babysitter. Looking for a job? Restore Canada will get you the right clothes, pay for a dentist appointment and offer up interview techniques. Drinking out of control? Restore Canada will get you into rehab, support your family while you’re away and set you up with a marriage counselor when you’re back. “You’re not stuck,” says Owen Alton, the program’s Executive Director. “We’re here to open up your options so you can get back on your feet.” The Olive Branch has already partnered up with several Markham churches including Heise Hill, St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church, Markham Chinese Baptist Church, Logos Baptist Church, Flow Ministries and Living Water Christian Fellowship. To add your church to the support list, visit the Olive Branch on January 8th for a lunchtime information session. “There’s no theological debate here,” Alton says. “When there’s a person in need, everyone agrees that those needs must be met.”

The red kettles, the clanging bells and the militaristic uniforms seem to be everywhere this time of year. But what is the Salvation Army, anyway? Can you enlist? How do soldiers save souls? And how has it woven its way into North America’s cultural fabric? The “Sally Ann,” in the parlance of popular culture and headline writers, was in the news last month, when more than $2 million worth of donated Christmas toys and high-end goods were stolen from Salvation Army distribution centres in North York and Brampton, destined to be sold for profit. Police have recovered the items and made two arrests. The suspects each face 40 criminal charges. First and foremost, the Salvation Army is a church, one of myriad Christian denominations. “A lot of people don’t realize that,” says Andrew Burditt, the organization’s National Director of Marketing and Communications. What makes it different from other Christian movements is its strong social service tradition and the quasi-military ranks of its ministers. Probably the greatest public misconception of the Salvation Army “is that we operate thrift stores and that’s all we do,” Burditt says. “That the one I hear the most.” In fact, he points out, the Salvation Army is the largest non-government direct provider of social services in Canada, serving nearly two million people a year in 400 communities. This year marks 130 years of operations in this country. Working on the front lines of poverty, homelessness and despair, the Sally Ann has a long history of helping people through food and clothing banks, soup kitchens, Christmas assistance (including new toys for children) and help with rent. And, yes, it operates thrift stores. That doesn’t come cheap, but last year, Canadians stuffed $21 million into those bubbles, kettles and buckets. Church membership in Canada is just over 18,000, while “adherents,” or associate members, number about 40,000. There are more than 300 “corps” churches, which also provide social services, and some 130 “institutions,” which offer anything from a shelter to a food back. All this is spread out across eight Canadian “Divisions.” Bermuda is considered part of the Canadian church because work there was begun by Canadians, and the island was considered too small to act on its own, Burditt explained. Worldwide, the Salvation Army tallies more than one million members in 126 countries. Last year, Linda Bond, 66, a Canadian (born in Glace Bay) was chosen as General, or the global head of the Church. Can you save souls if the body suffers? Not according to William Booth, a Methodist minister who founded the Salvation Army in London in 1865. Appalled by the British capital’s wretched conditions, he knew that redeeming the world meant facing its challenges: Poverty, unemployment, alcoholism and prostitution. Booth “really was frustrated by the fact the church had become the province of the wealthy,” says Burditt, “so he wanted to make it available to the down-and-out of the City of London. “But what he very quickly realized was that if someone is cold or hungry or lacking shelter or proper health care, they wouldn’t really care about church. So he said, ‘We have to feed them and clothe them before we can even talk about church.’ “As for the military ranks of its ministers, “Britain at the time was quite militaristic,” Burditt says. “That’s why you have the uniforms and military terminology.” The Salvation Army arrived in Canada in 1882, and immediately embraced Booth’s philosophy of “soup, soap and salvation,” notes the Church’s website.
Locally, the Salvation Army Markham Community Church at 9329 McCowan Rd. was sold to developers earlier this year. The congregation has moved to a temporary location at 190 Bullock Dr., next door to the Markham Food Bank. Terry Harney, the Salvation Army’s Community and Family Services Coordinator in Markham/Stouffville, says the congregation is in the social services business, offering food hampers, gift cards to No Frills and donated toys. Harney says demand for these services increases every year by “at least” 25 families. Last year, the church helped 230 area families. Burditt neatly sums up the church’s mission: “People helping each other as a matter of course, not just as a religious thing.”

The York Region District School Board and York Catholic District School Board have released their budgets for 2012-2013. According to their numbers, both budgets are balanced with a total of over $1.2 billion for the public board and $580 million for the Catholic. The public school board runs 201 schools, including 170 elementary and 31 secondary while the catholic board operates 88 elementary and 16 secondary schools. The majority of the York Region District School Board’s budget, over 78 per cent, is for classroom and school administration, followed by plant operations and maintenance at almost nine  per cent. Smaller expenses include transportation, business administration, IT and human resources. Almost 95 per cent of the budget is allocated for classroom instruction and school operation related expenses, with the remaining five and a half percent allocated for governance, administration and school transportation. Governance and administration includes trustees, Director and Supervisory Officers and Board administration. Highlights of the York Region District School Board’s budget include:

• Improved mental health supports with the addition of one psychologist and one school social worker
  
• Additional secretarial support for single secretary, single administrator schools
  
• Additional secondary teachers to expand high school programming
  

The York Catholic District School Board’s expenses differ somewhat, with over 73 per cent spent on salaries and wages, over 10 per cent on employee benefits, and smaller amounts spent on supplies, staff development and non-operating expenditures. Operating expenditures include utilities, computers, maintenance projects, and caretaking supplies. Budget revenues come from a combination of transfers from the Province of Ontario and from the municipalities, and from tuition fees, rental fees and other revenues (including cafeterias and interest revenue). For more on the York Region District School Board’s budget http://www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/. For information on the York Catholic District School Board budget
http://www.ycdsb.ca/.

Of the many recent changes to Markham, including infrastructure improvements and the official shift from town to city, the development project in Upper Unionville promises to improve the region and make it an even more attractive place to work and live. The 205 acre site, at the northeast corner of 16th Avenue and Kennedy Rd, is a $1.2 billion project that will include about 600 new homes in its first phase. Over the next five years, Upper Unionville will gradually add 1,700 new homes by five different builders and bring in 5000 new residents, completing the greater Berczy community. The area was previously known as the Beckett Farm, and the developers plan to maintain the historical value of the site. The 1917 Beckett farmhouse is a preserved historical site and has been evaluated as a Group 2 Heritage building, meaning that it is significant and worthy of protection. As part of the heritage conservation effort, the historic Phillip Eckardt log house which is also on the site will be preserved in its existing location. It is estimated to be the oldest surviving house in Markham. Silvio DeGasperis, owner of TACC Developments which is in charge of the development site, announced that his company is, “honoured to participate in the growth of this flourishing city through various new communities such as the Upper Unionville Community. We look forward to continue working with the City of Markham to build healthy communities for all those who live, work and play here.” Approximately 16 acres will be developed as an area to both live and work, with pedestrian walkways, a piazza meeting place with clock tower and statue of William Berczy. The project also has plans for an elementary school opening in 2014, bicycle routes along roadways, 5 parkettes and one larger community park. There are no plans for high rise condominiums, but instead the site will feature singles, townhouses, and semis to keep in line with most other Unionville communities. Additionally, TACC has stated the project will benefit the Markham community economically and hopes to create 5000 jobs through the development.

Autism affects one in every 100 children born in Canada.
Knowing – and acting upon – the warning signs for autism are a parent’s best shot at helping a child with autism achieve his or her potential. The Regional Municipality of York is advising parents to recognize the early indicators for autism and take action quickly. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a range of complex neurological disorders that affect brain function and can result in difficulties communicating and interacting, and limited interest in activities. It may also involve unusual fears, learning problems, repetitive behaviours, self-injury, peculiar sensory responses and difficulties eating and sleeping. Autism affects individuals differently and is a lifelong disability with no clear cause. Autism has a wide range of signs and symptoms. As a result, parents are encouraged to:
• Monitor your child’s developmental milestones regularly. While developmental delays do not automatically point to autism, they may indicate a heightened risk. If you suspect a problem with your child’s development, share concerns with your family doctor immediately. Not accept a wait and see approach. By doing so, you risk losing valuable time at an age when the child has the best chance for improvement.
• Early warning signs before the age of two include limitations in language development, social interaction or eye contact. Recognizing these early signs and seeking help may reduce chances of long-term social, emotional and educational problems, in addition to other developmental disabilities.
• For children diagnosed with autism and other developmental delays, York Region Community and Health Services offers Early Intervention Services at no cost for eligible York Region residents. The Early Intervention program may help screen and assess the child, help parents understand child growth and development and provide connections with community resources. Doctor referrals are not required.
• For more information or to make an appointment with Early Intervention Services, call the KIDS LINE at 1-888-703-KIDS (5437)

The Regional Municipality of York and York Regional Police celebrated the completion of the 2012 United Way Staff Campaign by raising $422,072, exceeding its campaign goal by more than $20,000. Said York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch, “Our goal of $400,000 seemed like a daunting challenge, but staff recognized the importance of their contribution to those in need throughout York Region.” Daniele Zanotti, Chief Executive Officer, United Way York Region, noted that, ”each year, York Region and York Regional Police employees look for ways to organize an energetic and inspiring campaign, one that truly impacts the lives of many individuals.” United Way York Region assists more than 270,000 people annually by supporting more than 100 community programs. “We know our efforts are stronger when they are combined,” said Erin Mahoney, the Region’s Commissioner of Environmental Services and campaign Co-Chair. “Through the campaign, employees have been able to provide a helping hand in many areas where additional social supports are needed.” In 2011, York Region surpassed its campaign goal and raised $381,000. Since 1994, the Region has raised more than $2.5 million for United Way York Region. The United Way York Region continues to press towards its campaign goal of $8.26 million, which will be announced in January. For information: www.york.unitedway.ca