New rink at Leaside Gardens to be named for Doc Pashby as part of a ground-breaking Safety Partnership with the Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund

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“Rink A” at Leaside Gardens will be renamed the “Dr. Tom Pashby Play Safely Rink,” arena board chair Ray White has announced, “and the Safety Partnership will be funded by a generous gift from the Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund”. An agreement between the arena board, the East York Foundation and the Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund was signed on December 21 st.

“We are grateful to the Pashby Fund Board of Directors for making this extraordinary gift possible,” said White; “it will be a lasting legacy to Doc Pashby, his community spirit and important work in sports safety.”

Bill Pashby, Pashby Fund Chair and son of Doc Pashby said: “Doc was passionate about head and neck injuries in hockey and he hated seeing young athletes cut down in their prime and confined to wheelchairs. He wanted to prevent these paralyzing injuries that had crept into the sport he loved
so much.”

The $500,000 gift and naming of “Rink A” as the “Dr. Tom Pashby Play Safely Rink” will set the stage for the Leaside Gardens to be a leader in the promotion of safe play and best practices for the prevention of catastrophic injuries in sports and recreation. A safety committee will be established with representatives from the Pashby Fund, the Arena Board and user groups to ensure that the Arena is a showcase for best safety practices, equipment and programs, and a constant reminder to Have Fun – Be Safe.

Dr. Pashby (1915 – 2005) was a lifelong Leaside resident and an advocate for mandatory helmets and face guards for minor hockey players; and for penalties for cross-checking. For his pioneering efforts he was awarded the Order of Canada, inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, and was an inaugural inductee into the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

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Public Skating Cancelled December 25th, 30th & January 1, 2017

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Public Skating Cancelled December 25th, 30th & January 1, 2017

Leaside Gardens Pylon Sign

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The pylon sign is available to rent. All inquiries should be directed to the Leaside Memorial Gardens office at 416 421-4944.

Leaside Donor Wall

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Our Donor Wall is a testament to the generosity of many people who donated over $500. At present, we have raised $3.1 million. There are still opportunities to donate to the facility so we can reach our goal of $3.5 million.

The Donor Wall has five levels:
Platinum – $250,000 – $1,000,000
Gold – $50,000 – $249,999
Silver – $10,000 – $49,999
Bronze – $1,000 – $9,999
Wood – $500 – $999

In June, 2014 the Donor Wall will be changed to reflect the following:

  • donors who wish to increase their donation to a different level
  • donors who wish to have their name added to the wall by donating $500 or more
  • donors who wish to alter a name that is currently on the wall

Donations can be completed online here or by sending a cheque to The East York Foundation, 50 Merritt Road, Toronto, ON M4B 3K6. Charity receipts will be issued.

If you wish to alter a name that is currently on the Donor Wall, please email elainesnider@rogers.com.

The couple who gave birth to the new ice rink

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THEY KICK STARTED IT ALL: Peter and Cathy Clark donated $1 million in 2010 to help build a second ice rink at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. On hand for the cake cutting are Don Valley West MP John Carmichael, left, and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Councillor John Parker, at right.
The Leaside couple whose anonymous $1 million donation in 2010 kick started the fundraising campaign for the Leaside Memorial Community Gardens’ second rink has come forward for the first time.Peter and Cathy Clark were on-hand Oct. 5 with about 500 other people when they were thanked by Arena Expansion Committee chair Paul Mercer during the opening ceremonies for the new rink.

“They took a risk when none of this was guaranteed,” said Mercer, “because they believe that sport plays a key role in the health and well-being of young people.”

New Leaside Arena Ready To Open

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After years of planning and private fundraising, the much needed ice surface in Toronto will be available for hockey and figure skating as of this weekend. Mark McAllister reports. Global Toronto

One of few ice pads making money

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by LORNA KRAWCHUK, PUBLISHER, LEASIDE LIFE on FEBRUARY 1, 2013
Did you know that of the 52 ice pads in Toronto, only four of them recently have broken even or made money – and Leaside Memorial Community Gardens is one of those four? Quite an achievement!

As you know, Leaside Gardens has a board of management who hire a general manager – in this case, Henry Stachelbeck, who has been with the Gardens for 25 years. Under him are Anna Donadio, the banquet hall coordinator/staff support assistant (18 years) and three arena pool operators – Jim Swartz (30 years), Ed Newell (26 years) and Mario Zinga (23 years), along with 17 part-timers who are everything from rink guards to bartenders.

Click here to read the full article.

Old rink, new name

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by ALLAN WILLIAMS on FEBRUARY 1, 2013
When the expanded Leaside Gardens opens this fall, the original ice surface will be known thereafter as the Bert F. Grant Rink in recognition of the $250,000 legacy gift made by his three children in his honour.

Who was Bert F. Grant?

He was president and later chairman of what is today known as the Crestview Group of Companies. In the early 1950s, as Lawrence Construction, this company built the Crestview apartments and the homes on both sides of Leacrest Rd., the long parcel of land in South Leaside on the brow of the Don Valley, south of Moore between Pottery Rd. and backing on to the Leaside Gardens arena property.

Click here to read the full article.

Leaside Breaks Ground on First New City Rink in Over 40 Years

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On Saturday morning the Leaside Arena Expansion Committee officially broke ground to begin construction of the second rink at Leaside Gardens. The ceremony was hosted by AM640 Radio host John Oakley — a local Leaside resident — and included members of the expansion committee, local politicians from all levels, and representatives from the construction company and the City of Toronto. The presidents and a current player from each of the Leaside Hockey Association, the Leaside Skating Club and the Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association also participated.

Expansion Committee Chair Paul Mercer thanked all the donors and volunteers who have worked on this project for so long and who helped get to this point of breaking ground. Arena Board Chair Brooke Biscoe said that the original Leaside Gardens was built through the volunteer financial contributions of Leaside Residents more than sixty years ago and also thanked the city officials who have worked on the project. Charlene Kalia thanked the family of Bert F. Grant which has just made a major donation of $250,000 and announced that the existing rink will be named in his memory when the new facility opens. MPP Kathleen Wynne said that infrastructure is more than just roads and bridges, it’s also community facilities like the arenas and said she was pleased that the province was able to be involved by loaning money to the project. Local Toronto Councillor John Parker said this was a great model for future community projects and thanked all those City officials who worked so hard. MP John Carmichael said he was pleased to have been personally involved with the fundraising committee and focused on the volunteer effort needed to complete a project like this — he presented Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals for volunteer service to Paul Mercer, Brooke Biscoe and Charlene Kalia.

The City of Toronto has awarded the contract to build the second rink to Aquicon Construction and it is expected that construction will begin in July with the new rink being ready for use beginning in September 2013.

Description of the attached photo:
“Participating in the Ground-Breaking Ceremony for the second rink at Leaside Gardens were from left: Kathleen Wynne, MPP for Don Valley West, Paul Mercer, Chair of the Leaside Arena Expansion Committee, Brooke Biscoe, Chair of the Arena Board, John Parker, Councillor for Ward 26, and John Carmichael, MP for Don Valley West.” Credit for the photo goes to Hiep Vu.

Quick Facts:

– The Arena Board and user groups at Leaside Gardens have been talking about building a second rink at least as far back as 1999.

– The City of Toronto purchased the property of the former Ontario Film Review Board in 2010 on which the new rink will be built.

– The Expansion Committee committed to raising $2.5 million from the local community in order to get City Council approval.

– The rest of the funding for the project comes from a $7.5 million loan from the City to be paid back from future operating revenue, and a $1.5 million loan from Infrastructure Ontario.

– Community fundraising will continue through the construction phase of the project to reduce financing costs and keep ice rates down into the future.

For further information, or to arrange an opportunity to speak with spokesperson Paul Mercer, contact:

Allan Williams, Chair, Community Relations Committee of the Arena Board:
allan@proximuscanada.com or 416-467-6335 (mobile), or

Contact Paul Mercer directly:

Paul Mercer, Chair of the Leaside Arena Expansion Committee:
paul.mercer@graniteclaims.com or 416-464-2156 (mobile)

Push for Second Leaside Icepad

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Supporters raising funds through spring and summer.

As the past couple of months have shown, nothing brings Canadians closer together than hockey.

That goes double for Leaside.

Last year, a fundraising campaign was started to help raise money for a second ice pad at the constantly booked Leaside Gardens Arena. In addition to the fundraising efforts of the arena’s three main user groups, the Leaside Hockey Association, the Leaside Skating Club and Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey, several other members of the community have launched their own fundraising initiatives.

Local real estate broker Patrick Rocca organized a barbecue in the late spring with the help of area merchants.

“We had a jumping castle, face painting, it was more a family thing,” said Rocca. “The purpose was to raise some funds.

“We were hoping to raise $4,000–5,000, which we did.”

For Rocca, the event served to help raise awareness of the expansion project and its financial needs. He knows as well as anyone how badly the community wants a new rink. Rocca’s son played hockey at Leaside but has since joined another league.
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“When he did play for Leaside I don’t think he played a home game in Leaside,” he said. “So there’s need for that second ice pad.”

This summer, the Fox and Fiddle at 190 Laird Dr. will be donating 10 percent of all proceeds toward the arena expansion. Owner and manager Param Ratna said his goal is to raise a minimum of $25,000 for the project.

“I told them even if I don’t reach ($25,000) still I’m going to give ($25,000),” he said. “Before Aug. 1, I’m trying to get $15,000.”

Ratna, who also lends his hand in fundraisers for Bessborough Public School, local baseball teams and the Rotary Club, said that if anyone else wanted to use his restaurant to host a fundraiser for the Gardens, they are welcome to do so.

“I’ve been here seven years,” Ratna said. “All Leaside people look after me so I have to look after them. I’m so happy to do that.”

Area councillor John Parker said he is happy to see how involved the neighbourhood has become in this project but said he is not the least bit surprised.

“It’s very encouraging and inspiring in many ways,” he said. “I’m very impressed by the response we’ve had from the community, the enthusiasm we’ve had from the community.

“This isn’t the first time. Leaside has shown this kind of spirit for generations.”
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Parker has even rolled up his sleeves and gotten involved in the fundraising efforts himself. On June 11, he hit the streets with about 40 volunteers to raise money and awareness for the project.

Through cash and cheques the group gathered nearly $10,000 on that day alone, according to Allan Williams of the project’s fundraising committee. That figure could potentially climb higher once the numbers from both online and paper donation forms handed out on that day are factored in to the calculation.

Chair of the expansion committee, Paul Mercer, said that a professional fundraising company had been hired as a consultant to help the project reach its goal of raising $2.5 million by the end of this summer.

So far, just over $1.9 million has been raised, but thanks to some creative strategies Mercer said the project is on schedule to hit its goal. Individuals and corporations are now able to purchase the naming rights to various areas of the Gardens.

“There are a number of different areas within the arena that we have highlighted and have put a price tag on it,” Mercer said.

“We do have the large ones that are available such as the naming of the existing arena, the naming of the new arena, the concession stand and the zamboni.”

As previously reported in the Town Crier, the naming rights to dressing room number 5 are sought after by the family of the late John Creighton, a local businessman and hockey fan. A fundraiser for that purpose was held at Originals Restaurant at 1660 Bayview Ave. and raised about $12,000 of the $25,000 needed to ensure that there will be a Creighton dressing room.

If it is built, the second ice pad at the Leaside Gardens arena will be the first new rink the city has built in 38 years. So far, Mercer said everything seems to be going according to plan.
“We’re still on target to be able to put a shovel in the ground in September of this year and then open in September of 2012,” Mercer said.

Source: myTownCrier.ca