Committed to our community
May 31st marked the first community education session under the auspices of the Leaside Gardens Safety Committee. The free CPR, AED and Choking response clinic was attended by a full house of 80 participants. Made possible through a donation from the Dr. Tom Pashby Sport Safety Fund, the session saw Panno Medical’s front line paramedics put the enthusiastic group through the paces of these critical life-saving techniques.
The gathering also gave the Gardens board the opportunity to publicly thank The Mikey Network (dedicated to placing defibrillators in locations across the province), Executive Director Morty Henkle, and the Daiter family for their donation of four defibrillators to the facility.
The Mikey Network is also committed to teaching people how to use defibrillators, so cardiac arrest victims may have a second chance at life. This gives Leaside Gardens an unprecedented six defibrillators strategically located around the facility and all marked with highly visible red signs and the Mikey logo.
The safety committee will be following up this successful clinic with another no-cost seminar on September 27th focusing on concussions. Our guest speaker that evening will be noted concussion expert Dr. Michael Hutchison, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Hutchison holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Science and is a registered kinesiologist who specializes in sport-related concussion research in various populations, including adolescent students, university level students, and professional athletes. He has published widely and presented internationally in the area of sport concussion. Pre-registration is required; details will be available soon.
New electronic sign
The new electronic sign became operational in May. We are particularly excited about the community notice portion of this sign that faces north up Laird Drive and is visible to traffic coming south to the Gardens. We are making this screen available at no charge to not-for-profit community groups in Leaside, Thorncliffe and surrounding neighbourhoods. Schools, libraries, youth organizations, religious organizations, and local sports groups are encouraged to use this modern means of communicating their news and events to the community. Leaside Gardens user groups and the Leaside Gardens Arena board will also use the sign for community outreach. Commercial entities and political messaging are not allowed. The sign will not be illuminated from dusk to dawn. Again, the sign’s use is free of charge to groups who qualify. Call the office for information on how to get your message out to our community: 416-421-4944.
What’s in a name? The Dr. Tom Pashby Play Safely Rink
When the Leaside Gardens board named the new ice surface the Dr. Tom Pashby Play Safely Rink, it wasn’t just a way to honour a well-known pioneer in sports safety and revered member of the Leaside community. While that in itself is a wonderful reason, the heart of the decision behind the donation made by the Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund was to make Leaside Gardens one of the safest facilities in Canada.
The Gardens board established a safety committee charged with the responsibility of making recommendations to the board for improved safety measures. Members were drawn from the major user groups, swimming pool users, Pashby Fund and Gardens board.
Since first sitting down in October last year, the group has made some good progress focusing on unsafe conditions that presented themselves at the facility. To date the board has adopted many recommendations of this committee, including:
- More defibrillators accessible to users on the ice, main lobby, swimming pool change rooms, time-keepers’ benches.
- Signage regarding emergency action plan protocols to be posted at strategic places around the facility, letting patrons know where ambulances should go, having someone meet the ambulance, and ways to get on the ice.
- Implementing a system of locating and calling the arena staff for assistance.
- System of notification to arena management for accident reporting.
- Helmet policy for all recreational skaters.
- Annual or semi-annual educational sessions i.e. CPR/first aid or concussion clinics both for user groups and community at large.
- “No ball playing” signs posted in the facility dressing room areas and corridors.
- Consideration of a deterrent on the ramp leading to and from the rink and dressing rooms in Pashby Rink to reduce running, horseplay and use of wheelies.
- New exterior ramp beside the stairway at the flag stand to alleviate dangerous traversing of the muddy and snowy hill to the front entrance.
- Regular safety messages electronically displayed in the lobby.
In conjunction with the Mikey Network, a donation of four defibrillators has brought the total number installed at Leaside Gardens to six; this in itself is unprecedented. Following this will be a community CPR, Choking and Defibrillator clinic on May 31st, offered at no cost, in the William Lea room. Working with Panno Medical, we will have Toronto and area paramedics provide critical life-saving information. Space is limited, so be sure to register today.
So, the next time someone asks, “Why The Dr. Tom Pashby Play Safely Rink?” you’ll be able to tell them.
SAVE THE DATE – SAVE A LIFE
FREE CPR, Choking and Defibrillator clinic
May 31, 2018 | 7:00-9:00pm
On May 31st Leaside Gardens will offer a FREE CPR, Choking and Defibrillator clinic in the William Lea room. Working with Panno Medical we will have Toronto and area Paramedics providing critical life saving information.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
- CPR and AED for adults
- How to help a choking adult
- CPR and AED for children
- How to help a choking child
LMCG event celebrates its 65 anniversary and kicks-off Food Drive
Leaside Memorial Community Gardens was the scene of ceremonies to mark its 65 anniversary as well as the tenth anniversary of the neighborhood food drive started by Sarah and Claire Jordan. The event was opened with a ceremonial cake cutting, and speeches by political and civilian figures, and Ray White, Chairman of the arena. Sarah and Claire co-founders of the annual food drive also spoke.
There were refreshments – breakfast pastries, and cake served by LMC, and delicious peameal bacon sandwiches supplied by Andy Elder of Grilltime. Additionally there were displays by the facilities user groups, a collection of memorabilia from LMCG, and commemorative crested pucks for sale.
The focal point was a clever “canstruction” in the Lea Room consisting of a wall of canned chickpeas donated by Tufts Valu-Mart on Bayview Ave. The structure spelled the word HUNGER. The cans could be purchased for a contribution to the drive, thus “eliminating hunger”.
It was a wonderful event celebrating the expansiveness of the community spirit the exists in Leaside.
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
“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.
Public Skating Cancelled December 25th, 30th & January 1, 2017
Public Skating Cancelled December 25th, 30th & January 1, 2017
Leaside Gardens Pylon Sign
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
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
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.”
Leaside Memorial Community Gardens is an Agency of the City of Toronto.