January 2012

VaughanToday.ca

January 2012

PLAY TIME Superheroes emporium and kids gaming facility have big openings

CAN WE WALK?The city’s next major transportation challenge

In this issue:

SPECIAL GUIDEto Education and Camps

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of the Wing”.

[email protected]@allstarwingsandribs.comwww.allstarwingsandribs.comwww.allstarwingsandribs.com

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January 5th join us for the AllStar Hockey Houseand a chance to win seats to the AllStar Game in Ottawa.

THE BEST WINGS I N V A U G H A N

THANK YOU TO ALL THAT VOTED USTHE BEST WINGS I N V A U G H A N

THANK YOU TO ALL THAT VOTED US

JANUARY 2012 VAUGHAN ToDAY �

ContentsLori Abittan Publisher

Joe Mastrogiacomo Vice President of

finance

Doreen Iannuzzi Vice President of

new Media

editorial

Eric McMillan editor-in-chief

Rodger Burnside ManaGinG editor

Shadi Raoufi editorial

art director

Gordon Cameron Karolyn Coorsh

Shawn Star associate editors

Production serVices

Tony Lomuto suPerVisor

adVertisinG & sales

Jennifer Gardiner director,

corPorate sales

Kathy Kerluke business ManaGer

101 wingold avenue, toronto, ontario,

M6b 1P8 tel: 416 785-4300 fax: 416 785-7350

MulticomMedia is a wholly owned

subsidiary of Multimedia noVa

corporation, an integrated communications company publicly traded on the tsX Venture exchange under

the symbol Mnc.a

Another MulticomMedia PublicationDiversity Publishers & Printers

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105 wingold avenue, toronto, on M6b 1P8

for all your printing and distribution needs call:416 785 4311 ext. 614

Tony Baron director of Print

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James Arscott PrePress ManaGer

Anna Maria Arcuri GrouP circulation

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16GENDER GAP AT SCHOOL

Education Guide: Should boys and girls be taught differntly?

4VAUGHAN HITTING ITS STRIDEWalkability beomes an issue for grownup city

13SEE A DIFFERENT FLORIDATravel: alligator hunting in the everglades

27POPULAR PERSIAN PLACEDINING: restaurant impresses food critic

29CAN YOU PAINT LIKE A MAN?HOMe: Macho names for new décor colours

33VOYAGE BACK TO THE TOPSPOrTS: Basketball team chases repeat

Plus lots more...

ON THE COVER: Manager Pat Presutti and the Joker introduce Heroes store

Photo by eric McMillan/vaughan Today

Back to the hard stuff —but not quite yet

Eric McMillanEditor-in-chief

The original Canadian constitution, the document we celebrate every July 1st, is lockedin an archive in England….

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A couple of months ago, Vaughan Today did a retrospective on vaughan city council’s first year in office. To the surprise of few, it was a relatively positive report. This followed several years of news stories about strife and controversy in our local politics. No one believes the current council is perfect or that all our problems have been solved, but a more constructive atmosphere has reigned among our political representatives.

Nonetheless, some folks were quite upset with our assessment, say-ing we let the current reps off too easily and pointing out several criti-cisms that could have been made.

at the same time, some surpris-ing subjects of our largely positive report expressed displeasure that we were, they thought, too critical. Ah, well, it’s a maxim among journal-ists that when both sides on an issue complain about a story, you must be dong something right.

This comes to mind because I noticed, in reviewing the stories in our December issue and in this one, recently we seem to have less

political news in our coverage. The biggest issue this month, vaughan’s walkability, has more to do about quality of life in our growing city — related to politics of course, but not the hard stuff.

I just wanted to let you know we are continuing to monitor the political scene and we’ll be back with hard-hitting news and features in future issues.

� VAUGHAN ToDAY JANUARY 2012

Growing up in vaughan, I lived five minutes away from the mall. and yet, even before I had a driver’s licence, walking to the mall was never an idea I seriously considered.

Spoiled? Maybe. However experts in suburban culture would argue walking is inspired by a well-built city that’s not only safe for pedestrians, but inviting and engag-ing to all commuters.

vaughan was built with the car in mind with wide roads, large blocks, vast parking lots and several high-ways. But the new City of Vaughan, as outlined in the city’s latest official plan, is taking into account all the things pedestrians need to feel like they truly live in a walkable neigh-bourhood.

Parts of vaughan are already a great example of settings where

pedestrians can thrive. Old Wood-bridge has narrow streets and a pedestrian-friendly shopping com-plex close to where people live — all important ingredients for a success-ful suburban recipe.

The official plan calls for increased intensification and a new subway line, all with the goal of get-ting people out of their cars and out for a stroll.

Intensification will be an impor-tant part to getting people walking, says Christopher Hume, a long-time urban affairs columnist with the Toronto Star.

“I don’t think it makes sense anymore not to intensify,” he said in a recent interview with Vaughan Today. “In an age of climate change and in an age of increasing gas prices, the need to intensify is pain-fully obvious.”

By intensifying a city’s popula-tion, the city starts to develop neigh-bourhoods in a way accommodating

to people’s needs. In Toronto, more condos along Yonge Street has meant more store fronts at the bases of the buildings, more walkways to public transit and more access to necessary services.

Hume said when there are a lot of people on the street, it’s an indica-tion the neighbourhood is lively. But it only becomes walkable when all developments are well integrated.

“It’s not just about if walking conditions are acceptable because they are, but people need reasons to walk,” he said. “We need to find a better way to make use of the land we have.”

If Toronto could do it...Walkable neighbourhoods have

made Toronto one of the most pedes-trian-friendly cities in Canada.

In fact, in 2010 Toronto was voted Up! Magazine’s most walkable city. In its May 2010 issue, the authors hailed the city’s accessibility as a key factor to its success.

“The series of interconnected neighbourhoods just west of the downtown core — the annex, Kensington Market, Chinatown and

Queen West — remain the pinna-cle achievement in Canadian urban walkability,” Chris Turner, a judge on the panel was quoted as saying.

“They are varied and endlessly fascinating to explore, densely popu-lated, with great shopping, world-class nightlife and entertainment commingling seamlessly with every-day family-friendly livability.”

vaughan, on the other hand, was not given the same favourable review by an online group called Walk Score, a website that ranks cit-ies based on how accessible services are to residents by foot.

vaughan was rated “somewhat walkable” with a 69 percent rating, based on a calculation on walking distances.

among the most accessible ammenities? Grocery stores and cof-fee shops. Restaurants, bars and other forms of entertainment ranked lowest on the list.

Will vaughan ever be a city of neighbourhoods like Toronto?

It’s no argument vaughan has several areas defined by culture and a commercial spirit, but the sizes of these neighbourhoods may impact how walkable they are.

The average block length in vaughan, according to Walk Score, is 214 meters. The number of inter-

Hitting our strideVaughan was built for driving, but to be a grownup

city it needs to become walkable(like Toronto)

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sections is listed as 71 per square mile. Both of those numbers fare poorly for what is considered desirably walk-able.

“It’s not just a question of short blocks, but also opportunities,” said Hume.

“Why do we walk somewhere? People go for a walk in the woods because they like to look at things. In a city, it’s to do something,” he added.

For those who like to hike in the woods, vaughan is indeed an ideal place. The city boasts several spots for nature lovers to enjoy yearround. The Boyd Conservation Area, located along the Humber river valley, has been a favourite spot for picnickers and hikers alike since 1957.

In Woodbridge, there’s the Kor-tright Centre for Conservation, which is made up of 325 hectares of lush forestry.

But even in the woods, Kortright and Boyd offer people things to do while walking along their paths. Hav-ing something to entertain you while walking is important for a city to be desirably walkable.

“an ideal neighbourhood would be one that would be a live-work situa-tion,” Hume said.

Coldwell Banker, a real estate company, wholeheartedly agrees. The company put out a newsletter talking about the importance of walkability to the value of a home, especially in cities like Vaughan where traffic is becoming a growing nightmare.

“Walkability can allow residents to spend less time worrying about traffic congestion and make regular outings, such as shopping trips, much more convenient,” the newsletter says.

Coldwell Banker insists those who are looking to buy a home take the

“walkability test” before they make an offer on a property.

“Buyers may sometimes focus so much on homes themselves that they forget to look hard enough at the neigh-borhood,” the newsletter continues to say. “Experts note this can mislead them, particularly since the neighbor-hood is beyond their control, whereas a home can always be renovated and altered after purchase if necessary. By taking the time to walk around a home’s exterior and surrounding area, as well as the interior, prospec-tive homebuyers can learn what their future neighbors would be like, how busy traffic is and whether common errands, such as grocery shopping, can be performed quickly or would require planning and scheduling.”

Traffic is scaryFiona Chapman, the Manager of

Pedestrian Projects at the City of Toronto, has studied cities across Ontario to discover what makes a city and a neighbourhood attractive to people who are looking to move somewhere new.

“We do a good job in the city, though it’s a bit of a challenge in the winter, but still we’re pretty darn good,” she said about Toronto. “In the suburbs and inner suburbs, it’s a lot different.”

Chapman echoed the sentiments of the Caldwell Banker report, saying the best neighbourhoods are ones that have a degree of independence.

“Best neighbourhoods to walk in are those that have the best uses. Grocery stores, banks retail. Where you can walk to get milk and there are places to work, live and shop,” she said.

But safety is also a key issue, she added. “Traffic makes it scary for people.”

Part of her work in Toronto includes making sure every street has a side-


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walk at least on one side to separate pedestrians from traffic.

vaughan, because the majority of its subdivisions have been built in the last 20 years, doesn’t share the same sidewalk shortage, but traffic has become a major issue for all commut-ers living in the city.

In 2010, vaughan established a task force to deal with the number of pedestrian deaths. It was sparked after

17-yea r-o ld Steven Seix-eiro was hit by a truck on his way to school in Vaughan. He was one of 14 pedes-trians struck and killed in the GTa in the month of Jan-uary alone.

Part of va u g h a n ’ s mission will

deal with road design. But the Ontar-io Safety league says human error is the most common factor in pedestrian deaths.

Chapman said one way Toronto has tried to resolve this problem is by looking at pedestrian demand and simple demographics. Coupled with feedback from the public, Toronto has been able to improve intersec-tions to help avoid human error.

For example, seniors have com-plained they are afraid to cross inter-sections because the signal might change too quickly.Therefore, many intersections in neighbourhoods with a high concentration of seniors have longer crossing times.

“Still seniors say that’s not enough and they still feel uncomfortable crossing the street,” Chapman said. “When we have an opportunity to redesign a road or build a new one, we need to think about it long and hard how we want street to look like in 50 years. Is there a pedestrian ref-uge like a median?”

Jane Farrow, founding executive director behind Jane’s Walk, a popu-lar walking tour based on the urban design philosophies of Jane Jacobs, co-authored a study on walkability.

Though the study was based on highrise neighbourhoods in Toronto, many of the philosophies still apply to any booming city in the GTa, includ-ing vaughan, widely recognized as Canada’s fastest growing city.

In the study, researchers found most people don’t consider walking as a solution to their mobility needs. Instead, the car was most revered as a transportation solution.

“Our data suggest income is the chief barrier to car ownership. When asked if they wanted a car, almost every person in the focus groups raised their hand. This was also reflected in the survey data; more

than half (52 percent) of respondents said that they were hoping or plan-ning to get a car in the future,” says the 2010 Walkability study.

The study also found parents and single parents were afraid to let their children walk to and from school. Only 24 percent of parents said they felt safe letting their child walk to school without an adult.

Commuting by footYoung people complained they

were reluctant to walk in some neigh-bourhoods because at certain times, the streets are empty and the situation seems less safe.

In vaughan’s residential neigh-bourhoods, though many are well lit, they often become ghost towns after dark. Walking home from the bus stop could be a harrowing experience for unaccompanied pedestrians.

The study found 56 percent of women and 73 percent of seniors avoided walking at night due to secu-rity concerns.

“There is no way I would walk home from school at night, especially in the winter,” said Mira Horow-itz, a York University student who takes the Steeles avenue West bus to Bathurst Street, just three blocks away from her home.

“There’s no one around and I just don’t feel safe,” she said. “It might just be three blocks but when it’s those kind of conditions, it feels like

it takes forever.”Horowitz said her father often

comes to pick her up and when he doesn’t she will try to flag down a taxi or speak on her cellphone with a girlfriend until she gets home.

vaughan’s pedestrian strategy rec-ognizes the need for people to feel safe and entertained while walking even short distances. As part of the official plan, Vaughan officials put together a study to determine the best way to develop a master plan for cyclists and pedestrians.

“Cycling and walking are cost effective, environmentally sensitive and healthy modes of transportation for both recreational and utilitarian purposes across North america,” says a City of Vaughan report titled Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan Study. “These travel modes are rec-ognized as an integral and necessary components of a balanced transporta-tion system that complement public transit and act as alternatives to the automobile.”

In the next 10 to 20 years, city officials hope Vaughan will be an example of prime planning for all commuters. We should start to see the effects of a network of paths being built to help pedestrians and cyclists travel across the city.

and once that is accomplished, Vaughan will finally move from being a busy Canadian suburb to a fine example of good planning.

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Time is running out as efforts to expand the Yonge subway line into York region continue to stag-nate.

Securing more funding for the 6.8-kilometre subway extension into vaughan, Markham and rich-mond Hill is at a critical juncture, says vaughan councillor alan Shefman, as roughly $200 to $400 million is needed to proceed into the next phase of the project.

“The key for us now, is the engineering money, that’s huge,” he said in mid-December.

Currently, a team from VIVA, the transit agency overseeing the project in the 905, is doing what they can to build momentum for the project.

“One of my great concerns is that if there isn’t at least the next round of funding available … than the actual team may not be able to be maintained anymore,” Shef-man says.

a joint partnership between York region and Toronto transit agencies, the Yonge subway extension would expand the Yonge subway line north from Finch station ending at the richmond Hill Centre Terminal. An environmental assessment was completed in 2009, but there hasn’t been significant movement on the project since.

“There are very small amounts of funding that have helped perpetuate the pre-design stages of the subways,” Shef-man said. “VIVA has been continuing to push forward at the smallest level to keep staff in place, to keep planning going.”

In an effort to breathe new life into the project, vaughan council recently established a taskforce looking at new funding strategies.

It will be made up of members from Toronto, Markham, and richmond Hill councils as well as business community stakeholders.

Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman says the extension project will likely wind up involving private sector funding, espe-cially because the federal and provincial governments “aren’t stepping up” thus far.

“This effort is going to have to be coupled with a number of other partici-pants who are equally eager,” he said.

Shurman said while he’d like to see the extension ultimately owned by a transit agency, he suggested the private sector could get involved in a pub-

lic-private partnership with diminishing ownership.

While Shurman applauded vaughan council for taking initiative, he said all levels of government must sit down at the table to hatch out a viable plan.

“There’s no question it’s going to be built,” he said. “The question is, when and by whom?”

Shurman and Shefman agree multiple transit sagas south of the 905 have effec-tively pushed plans for a subway exten-sion off the provincial funding radar.

“The reality is (David) Miller’s plan for Transit City appeared out of nowhere, and just became the priority project. Now (rob) Ford has a number of projects that he’s pushed forward … and we’re still waiting,” Shefman said referring to Toronto’s former and current mayors.

The councillor acknowledged the heavy demand for rapid transit in Toron-to, but he adds transit planners can’t “turn a blind eye” to intensification tak-ing place in the GTa, especially along the Yonge Street corridor.

“The speed of growth in our regions is just incredible.”

Shefman says the taskforce will explore a variety of funding mecha-nisms

Such as parking levies, to a transit sales tax and or special property sur-charge.

The taskforce’s funding strategy is to be presented to vaughan council for approval in 2012.

By KARoLyN CooRSH

Getting railedWhen will Yonge subway expand north?

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Hon. Peter Kent, MP - Thornhill7600 Yonge Street

Thornhill, ON L4J 1V9Telephone: 905-886-9911Email: [email protected]

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Feel free to write me or visit my office for:* passport applications* immigration questions* federal government

services assistance* communications with meI also welcome allqueries on the everyday issues that matter most to you

Q: I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time the other week. I was in a bar with some friends. There was an alterca-

tion at a nearby table involving other patrons and bar staff. People were smashing and throwing glasses and beer bottles. Unfortunately, I was struck in the face by some flying glass shards and I was cut quite badly. My right eye has been damaged although the specialist can’t say yet whether I will have permanent vision loss. I don’t know who threw the glass that hit me. Do I have any recourse?

A: If you can establish who was responsible for throwing the glass that caused your injury, you would certainly have a claim

against that person. However, you may also have a claim against the operators of the bar and the bar staff for their failure to properly con-trol or contain the situation. In fact, they may have even aggravated the problem by their actions. I assume that the police were eventu-ally involved and it would be important to access their records. You may be entitled to recover damages for your pain and suffering, loss of income and your expenses. Depending on the facts, you may also have a claim for punitive or aggravated damages.

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By oMAR MoSLEH

Heroes in VaughanOwner says new store is like 40 in one

This may be the only place in vaughan where you can hang out with lemurs, kangaroos and alliga-tors before hopping in a yellow Camaro from the Transformers movie.

If that does suit you, feel free to check out the Spider-Man or Captain America bikes at Wood-bridge Heroes Comics & Collectables, which is likely the city’s only educational indoor zoo, comic book store and museum all in one.

“It’s basically 40 stores in one location,” boasts owner Rob Mileto. “I’ve been a fanatic with toys and collectibles my whole life, so I combined the concepts together.”

The store offers two floors of everything relat-ed, however loosely, to superheroes: action fig-ures, illustrated novels, trading cards, vintage toys, clothing, posters, lifesize models, paperbacks — even sports memorabilia.

And those animals include flying squirrels, kan-

garoos and a seven-foot alligator named Butch.a self-described animal lover, vaughan resident

Mileto, who also ran for councillor in Ward 3, takes a different approach in regard to his animals.

“I’m not a store that sells animals,” Mileto said. “I’m trying to educate people not to buy these animals.”

In addition to monkeys and lemurs, Mileto has baby lions, cougars and camels stored north of King township, and said he has some parrots coming in.

They’re not for sale though. “If somebody wants to adopt them, I let them

adopt them for free, as long as they go to a good home,” he said.

Formerly located on Winges road, Heroes is now at 3901 Hwy 7. Mileto said he has big plans his business.

“On January 3, we’re going to open up a pawn shop,” he said. “Nobody has that in Vaughan.”

eric McMillan/VauGhan today

THREE MEN AND A KNIFE: Manager Pat Presutti, left, employee Marcello Didio and owner Rob Mileto threaten to show you a good time at Woodbirdge Heroes Comics & Collectables.

Please write to our experts:if you would like to take advantage of their years of experience, send your questions to “ask the experts” and they will be happy to reply to you in this space. by e-mail: [email protected], by fax: 416-488-3671 or write: ask the experts, c/o town crier, 101 wingold ave., toronto, on, M6b 1P8.

Ask the experts


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“Your Legal Alternative”

Welcome to Planet Play.That’s the name of vaughan’s newest family

entertainment facility, which boasts nearly 1,000 square metres of space.

The multi-purpose facility features a 464 square metre laser tag arena and a 185 square metre multi-level indoor playground.

Co-owner William Tarraran says this is the first facility of its kind in Vaughan.

“We found that vaughan needed something like this,” he said. “You go to a lot of these birthday places and you get either a playground and a room, or you have to go out of vaughan and you get a laser tag room and nothing else.”

He added that Planet Play caters to both parents

and kids. “It’s the full experience,” he said. “Now when

you have an older and younger child, you can accommodate them both at the same time.”

The laser tag arena, which features large props such as an alien spaceship, multi-dimensional sound and advanced laser vests with shields and rapid-fire capabilities, is aimed more toward the 12 and up range. It can accommodate up to 20 kids at once.

“We didn’t want to go higher than that because that actually takes away from the experience,” Tar-raran said.

The playground places an emphasis on physical activity, and even the video games feature motion-sensing technology so the kids keep moving.

“We believe in physical activity, it’s essential for

children nowadays,” Tarraran said. “All of our gam-ing systems have that component of activity, more so than just sitting on a couch and using a joystick to control your body.”

The establishment held their grand opening on Nov. 25. Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua was on hand to offer the new business owners praise for their business acumen and appreciation for choosing Vaughan.

“What you’re doing tonight is bringing a lot of joy and happiness to our city,” he said. “The people that play in this place, when they grow older, they will remember the experience they had in this place ... If you bring happiness and joy to people, there is nothing more anyone can expect from both of you.”

By oMAR MoSLEH

Play, and play some morePlanet Play combines laser tag,

indoor playground under one roofoMar Mosleh/VauGhan today

MAYOR Maurizio Bevilacqua was on hand for the grand opening of Planet Play.

10 VAUGHAN ToDAY JANUARY 2012

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Forget the knifeSome docs are using surgery as a last resort

There’s a new breed of cosmetic doctors these days. They’re trading their scalpels for needles and while they can’t change markedly wrinkled or sag-ging faces, they can achieve amazing results with virtually no down time.

Dr. Vera Madison of the Madison Clinic doesn’t believe in surgery except as a last resort. “You can do so much without cutting,” she explains. “And once you stretch the skin, it never goes back to the same resilience and elasticity it had before.” Instead, with the skill of an artist, Madison uses two products

to tighten sagging skin and fill in those creases that are inevitable with age.

Mary Johnson, now aged 51, is a regular client. “I lost 30 pounds but it seemed to come off my face first. I really started noticing the lines,” she recalls. “I was quite depressed. My body looked great but my face looked old. I was about to turn 49 and decided to give myself a birthday present of a younger face.”

Johnson did a great deal of research. She talked to people and visited a number of doc-

tors, before settling on Madison. Her first visit was “miraculous” and “dramatic” she says today. Her face looked younger, less wrinkled and fresher.

“But the best part is that no one has ever been able to tell I’ve had anything done,” she says. “They just think I look great.”

There are three steps to Madison’s technique. The first is the injection of Botox into the platysma, a sheet-like muscle in the neck extending from the lower jawbone all the way to the collarbone. Used for more than 60 years to help people with crossed

eyes and tics, Botox paralyses the muscle (a process not as serious as it sounds). In younger people, this muscle is already tight, but as we age, these bands become thick and cord-like, creating folds in the skin of the neck as they contract. Gravity does the rest. The result is stringiness and the turkey wattles typical of aging necks and jaws.

Madison explains what Botox does. “When you break a leg and it’s put in a cast for a

long time, the muscle becomes smaller through dis-use. Your leg looks thinner,” she said. “We’re doing the same thing to the muscles in the neck.”

The result is a smooth neck and reduction in the jowls. But the treatment doesn’t end there. Once the muscle is out of commission, small amounts of loose skin can be left behind. Madison uses an advanced ‘refirm’ technique (using equipment from Europe) which tightens and firms the skin, leaving a smoother jaw line.

The second step is the injection of restylane, a hyaluronic acid filler used in Europe since 1996.

“Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance which your own cells produce,” says Madison, who uses it to fill in the crease lines than run from nose to edge of lip. “As we age our skin loses volume so gravity pulls it down. I simply replace the lost volume.”

This is where the artistry comes in. We’ve all seen the chipmunk cheek effect — an attempt to enhance the cheekbones with pockets of filler that look artificial and even silly. The aim, says Madison, is to create a natural, fresh look that simply takes the face back 10 or 15 years to when the effects of grav-ity were less evident.

The last step is the use of laser. “I like it because it closes pores and tightens your

skin,” says Madison. “A special head on the laser penetrates into the skin and crunches the collagen ... It gives a nice firm neckline.”

But it’s important to note this isn’t a quick fix.

While some changes are immediate, it takes time, typically a few weeks, for the muscle to become smaller and for the full effects to be seen.

The good news is there is no down time. The cost for this procedure runs between $300

and $1,000, depending on the structure of the neck and the extent of the problem. Madison expects the effects to last for “a few years”.

“Some people might need a little addition of Botox on and off to keep the muscle from gaining volume,” she adds.

Johnson comes back every five months or so just for a touch-up.

“I didn’t want to look like a caricature. I just wanted to look like me, a little younger and fresher,” she says. “And that’s what I have.”

all this without a surgeon’s knife — and at a fraction of the cost.

BEFORE AND AFTER: Using a combination of products can help reduce the look of lines and sagging skin.

By LIz CAMpBELL

“As we age our skin loses volume so gravity pulls it down.”

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Art Hindle spent his afternoon blazing a trail for winter’s arrival, much like he did as Billy Duke for hockey in the film Face-Off.

Hindle lives in King City these days, with wife Brooke, on a horse farm. Though he loves where he is now “communing with nature”, he’ll admit his heart is still in the Beaches.

The actor of Canadian television shows E.N.G. and Paradise Falls, and of silver screen portrayals in Porky’s, Black Christmas and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, has been traveling back to the city to celebrate an anniversary.

His first film Face-Off, the love story of hockey player Billy Duke and folksinger Sherry Nelson, was released 40 years ago.

On the film’s anniversary, Nov. 3, Hindle, along with family attended a screening of the film at the Hockey Hall of Fame, as the sports movie has skated its way onto Blu-ray.

although he donned a blue Toronto Maple Leafs jersey in the film, skated with plenty of NHl legends like Bobby Orr, Jean Beliveau, Dar-

ryl Sittler and Derek Sanderson, Hindle admitted he was a little green in his premiere.

“When I watched it, it was painful for me to watch because I was a young actor and I could see a lot of warts and moles in my performance,” he says. “But now, 40 years later I can look back on it and I think I did a pretty good job.”

Still, the fact so many stars of hockey’s past had appearances in the flick is awe-inspiring to Hindle.

“You couldn’t do that film today because the NHl probably wouldn’t allow it and they only just barely allowed this Blu-ray to be issued,” he says. “Of course with the players association, for this calibre of players we had in this film, it would be prohibitively expensive to do this film.”

Hindle’s candid, admitting he always wanted to be a sports reporter, though the irony of him not playing hockey as a kid is not lost on him.

He grew up on Courcelette Road in the Beach and Eastwood Road in the Upper Beach. That life on shore led him to ashbridge’s Bay, where father

francis crescia/VauGhan today

WATCH LOCAL: Actor Art Hindle says he’d like to see an increase in hours of Canadian shows on the air.

Locally drivenBy BRIAN BAKER

Actor Art Hindle talks television and film

CONTINUED Page 12

12 VAUGHAN ToDAY JANUARY 2012 VAUGHAN TODAY

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The studio lights were hot.alinka angelova and her brother

Ryan Chambers were standing on the set of the CBC reality television show Drag-on’s Den, a show where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to five very wealthy Canadians in the hopes of receiving some funding in exchange for a percent-age of their business.

angelova and her brother were seek-ing $600,000 for a 30-percent share in her musical Mute, a story about bullying in school.

The segment went badly. The two left with little more than a tongue lash-ing from the five dragons for coming to them for money with little in the way of a business plan and chastised angelova for not having even phoned Mirvish Produc-tions to pitch her idea there.

“They are very good at editing,” Angelova says with a laugh. “We were actually there for quite some time and before we went on one of the producers coached us on how to present our pitch. I wanted to start right away with our busi-ness plan but they told me to leave it until the end ... that was a mistake.”

But angelova, 32, doesn’t get down on herself. In fact she can’t help but get inspired by everyday events.

The idea for Mute came while she was watching a talk show about bully-ing. She thought to herself, what if there was a way to uplift kids who are being bullied? So in just a matter of days she wrote most of the songs for Mute and her brother arranged the music.

However, there was a time when a career down the music path wasn’t so obvious. Angelova is the sixth of seven children and when she was five years old her brother told her she sang too nasally and shouldn’t sing in public.

“I’m the kind of person that when someone tells me I can’t do something I go after it even more,” she says. “So I would practise in my room.”

Five years later when she was 10, her brother heard her singing and called for the entire family to come hear her.

Angelova’s mother, Veronica Cham-bers says they started putting her in the choir at church and then later at school, but it was the directing even at a young age that made her stand out.

“When she was six years old she would get her brothers and sisters togeth-er and get them to perform plays com-plete with their own lines,” veronica says. “As she got older she would do

this. At church, at school and with her friends.”

recently angelova opened a studio and theatre space in Barrie, moving from vaughan where she and two of her broth-ers called home.

angelova says just like her entrance into music being a family affair, so has the opening of her studio. One brother does all the music, another teaches dance, her sister does makeup and teaches dance and another brother and her father helped with renovations of the studio space.

Not to leave out her husband. He’s currently on paternity leave because just after the Dragon’s Den appearance, Angelova gave birth to her second child.

The community has taken to the stu-dio. Along with parents, friends and fam-ily members who come to see the perfor-mances, community members have been buying tickets as well.

“I love it because I really feel what I’m supposed to do in life is get people together,” she says. “It’s what I do, I bring people together.”

Cont. from Page 11Ben Hindle was once commodore of the Ashbridge’s Bay Yacht Club.

“My summers were spent not really playing baseball, but he would put me in a sailboat or rowboat, put a little life jacket on me and launch me into ashbridge’s Bay,” Hindle says. “He wanted me to become an Olympic sailor, I think.”

Though he sailed into different waters as an actor, an adventure that eventu-ally led him to los angeles, Hindle developed another passion: the alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists.

During the 2011 federal election ACTRA was involved in keeping arts and culture in voters’ minds as they went to the polls. More than half a year later, Hindle says the message is still loud and strong.

“You can’t sort of mark time, or stand still,” he said. “You’ve got to keep these issues in front of the politicians because if you don’t they’ll just move on to whoever else is making the noise.”

When it comes to Toronto, where Hindle is active as an ACTRA councillor and as vice President of external affairs, the television and movie industry has nothing to fear in Mayor Rob Ford.

“As far as TV and film, he’s a businessman, he realizes that it brings big bucks to Toronto,” he said. “And so I don’t think he’ll touch that.

“As it is, it’s a $60 billion industry in the gross national product.”It was in Hogtown where Hindle spent five of the best years of his career on

the show E.N.G.“It was an ensemble cast with 12 or 13 actors with a lot of wonderful guest

stars and we just basically had a lot of fun doing it,” he says. “Literally, every day we were laughing on the set. Very rarely did we ever have a sour moment.”

That Canadian content on television sets countrywide is lost. Shows like Street Legal, Road to Avonlea, Jake and the Kid along with Neon Rider aren’t as commonplace as they once were, Hindle says.

“I hope and wish there would be more Canadian content on prime time pri-vate networks that rent our airwaves,” he admits. “I’d like to see them have a couple hours more Canadian content.”

Even more so, with economic uncertainty flipping through minds like a fin-ished film reel.

“You do need arts and culture,” he said. “When times are tough, that’s what keeps the people happy.”

After Dragons rejection she went ahead

with anti-bullying playBy MATHIEu yuILL

ALINKA ANGELOVA produced Mute, a musical that tackles bullying.


Trav

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Later, gator

By Liz CampBeLL

Taking a trip to Florida’s Everglades is no crock

As our little crew of four kayaks paddles along, the sun slowly sinks below tall trees and gnarled mangroves. Birds are returning to their nests for the night; a graceful egret flaps past, way up high, and a hawk effortlessly lands on a nearby stump. The lazy ahingas which sat a little while ago with wings spread to catch the sun, have disappeared from sight. Is it because their black feathers make excellent camou-flage, or have they too gone home elsewhere?

What have definitely gone home are the airboats which roar around the channels, taking visitors to see alligators. Blessed peace — punctuated by the sounds of water and nocturnal animals — descends upon the Everglades.

With descending darkness, we switch on our headlamps. They cast their light through the tangled branches, and we concentrate hard, searching for a pinpoint of orange in the darkness.

Suddenly, someone calls out, “Here’s one!” And we all sweep our lights around and paddle closer to the spot he has lit.

The eyes of an alligator glow orange in the light from our headlamps, but you have to catch them just right to see this. This proves easy as the huge alligator decides to come and investigate. The guide cautiously suggests we move back slightly, and we’re all privately in agreement! But our kayaks are large enough to intimidate the reptile and after coming several feet, he turns aside. He’s now less than 10 feet away so his dark length is clear in the paler water. Wow, he’s a big fellow!

We move off again and in the course of an hour, spot several more alligators lurking in the under-growth. We might never have seen them in daylight, so well do they blend into their environment.

It’s hard to describe the thrill this adventure affords. These are big beasts, primeval and danger-ous, and there’s nothing but a few feet of open water between us, water they can move through way more efficiently than we could. Still, in the pitch darkness of an Everglades night, with the only light coming

from a half moon, the guide has to bully us into finally paddling back. And, as none of us knows the way back to the spot from which we launched our kayaks, following him is a must.

Eventually, happily tired from our paddling and glad to get back, we stumble back to our room at the Ivey House in Everglades City to change for dinner. The Ivey House offers a whole range of expeditions — as well as a whole range of accommodations — for those who want to explore the Everglades.

To see alligators in broad daylight, we head to Shark Valley in the heart of the Everglades, the river of grass, that stretches 100 miles from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico. The creatures here share a freshwater ecosystem of saw grass marsh and tree islands, and the alligators have become so comfortable they simply lounge by the side of the road.

There’s a tram that takes you the 24-kilometre round trip through the park, with an observation tower halfway along its length. But I would recom-mend doing this on foot or on bicycle. We watch the tram whizzing past as we get a close look at huge alligators and gorgeous birds, sunning themselves side-by-side in the marsh. It’s quite awe-inspiring. Only half a mile or so from the visitor centre, the splash of water, the chatter and chirp of birds and the click of my shutter are the only sounds to be heard. But just once, we hear a distinct, deep mutter from an alligator nearby and depart the area hastily. I doubt we would have been in any danger, but tell that to my rapidly pounding heart!

There’s so much to see: beautiful plant life and flowers. Unhappily, I can’t identify these, but their spots of bright colour make a striking contrast in a world of swampy brown and green.

It’s hard to believe that this magnificent wetland encompassing a vast area of Southern Florida, was very nearly completely destroyed. In the late 1800s, the draining of the area was begun, in order to create more development. But for once, the state’s dreaded hurricanes actually helped, flooding the area and causing developers to give up in disgust.

In the 1970s, UNESCO designated the Everglades as one of only three wetland areas of global impor-tance. Since then, the government has been working hard to restore and preserve the area — a wise move since this is one of the few parts of the state that hasn’t fallen prey to Florida kitsch. It’s always amazing to me that a state with so much natural beauty should so eas-ily embrace plastic pelicans and tacky T-shirts.

With nature at its best and civilization often at its worst, Florida is definitely worthy of a visit. Buy the T-shirt, but don’t let the formidable natural world in Florida escape unnoticed.

If you go: The Ivey House, Everglades City: www.iveyhouse.

com.Shark Valley: www.Sharkvalleytramtours.com.Florida Tourism: www.visitflorida.com.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: An area almost destroyed by the intent to develop it, Florida’s Ever-glades are chock-full of interesting natural sights and sounds, our travel columnist finds.


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City of VaughanToy Drive 2011a Special thank you to the participating businesses, schools, City staff and residents for ensuring the overwhelming success of theCity of Vaughan CP24 ChuM Christmas Wish toy Drive 2011

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By Liz CampBeLL

Aside from being the month commonly associated with freezing cold temperatures and the beginning of soon-to-be-failed resolutions, January is also National Thank You Month. Since the holiday season just wiped you out for gift-giving ideas, we’ve taken the liberty (and justice) of giving you options with which you can say ‘thank you’ to someone.

Thanks for being active:When I fist lay down on a TheraMat, I wondered

if this is what Indian yogis experience. This acupres-sure mat has dozens of tiny spikes which require some getting used to. But after a couple of minutes, there is no discomfort at all, just relaxation. It’s a fascinating phenomenon and according to the mak-ers, the effect is the result of endorphins triggered by

the pain. These create a sense of well-being. A Swed-ish innovation, the TheraMat is constructed from memory foam covered with flax fabric – and then there are the spiky flowers. Recommended for back pain, migraine, stress, and believe it or not, sleep. It is remarkably relaxing so I could see it being sleep inducing. But don’t fall asleep on it. $69. Visit www.

theramat.com.

Thanks for caring:In 2006, Blake Mycoskie was shocked to find

children in Argentina had no shoes to protect their feet from cuts and soil-transmitted diseases. So he

‘Giving’ thanks4 ways to show

your appreciation

WHAT A WIKKI IDEA: One suggestion for a ‘thank you’ gift is the After School Fun Kit from Wikki Stix, which are wax-infused strips of yarn that can stick to almost anything and are easily removed.

CONTINUED Page 34


EDUCATION AND CAMPS

Gender gap Should girls and boys be taught differently?


B

Different strokes

Does gender matter?Experts divided on if there is an optimal way to teach boys and girls

oys and girls are different, so it makes sense that they learn differ-ently too, doesn’t it?

While there is no consensus on the matter, private and indepen-dent schools — be they single sex or coed — all have a different take on the topic, which informs how their students are taught.

Mary Gauthier, executive director of the Wernham West Centre for Learning at Upper Canada College, says her school is commit-ted to creating an atmosphere where boys feel a connection to their education and a sense of passion and purpose.

Although she’s cautious not to generalize or create any gender-based myths, she believes relationships and being able to relate to what they are learning to be key when it comes to teaching boys. Gauthier says boys tend to respond well to teachers who care about them as individuals and says they like to be included in lessons by being asked to share what they know. Boys also respond well to clear and consistent boundaries like having their shirts tucked in and wearing a tie to school.

She says it’s also important that lessons aren’t always structured the same way and that they incorporate a variety of lecture, group work and inquiry-based instruction where boys can investigate and develop their own questions.

“We work really hard to make sure our teachers know the boys in the room,” Gauthier says. “You take time when you’re teaching to know their interests, that you know what they care about in their world and then actually include that in your teaching.”

Gauthier says teachers who can adjust their teaching according to engagement levels also do really well with boys so they feel con-nected to the content, have a sense of independence and feel that their questions matter.

St. Michael’s College School principal, Terence Sheridan, who used to teach at a coed school, says he typically finds boys are more hands on when it comes to learning and can benefit from a structured environment.

• By ann Ruppenstein

photo courtesy bishop strachan school

LET’S TALK: Some educational experts say female students are more comfortable with conversational learning that allows them to ask questions as they go.

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While the school caters to boys, he says, they also address individual learning styles and use different mediums like computer labs to encourage boys to learn.

“There’s a variety of assess-ment too, whether it be presenta-tions or individual communica-tion, so it’s not all just writing a test,” he adds.

He says boys also respond well to initiatives and positive competitiveness, which is why they implement things like a com-petition for who racks up the most points in the school’s accelerative reading program.

Havergal College’s director of admissions Maggie Houston-White believes girls are more comfortable having conversation-al learning that allows them to ask questions and have a need to develop relationships with their teachers.

“It’s important for girls to feel that they are in an environment where they will be mentored and monitored,” she says. “Girls tend to need time to pause and think before answering questions and they like to have eye contact when they’re having dialogue and conversation.”

She says it’s important to have a curriculum that is both chal-lenging and interesting and takes into account what’s meaningful to the girls in order to engage them deeply into each subject matter.

But not all schools believe learning styles are gender-based.

“I think there are many audi-tory, visual, kinesthetic learners and I think that would account for boys and for girls,” says Bay-

view Glen’s head of school Eileen Daunt. “I think that’s across the gender divide — all different styles of learning.”

She says her school finds ways to personalize their students’ learning environment.

“I think what good schools

do, whether they be coed or not, is they teach the individual,” she says. “They look at ways to reach each child and make sure that they have the skills they can take with them once they leave school to be successful in the world.”

photo courtesy st. michael’s college school

WE CAN WORK IT OUT: Research suggests boys prefer to figure out a problem through trial and error whereas girls talk more about it before starting.

CONTINUED Page 18

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Psychologist Michael Leatch, who is also Crescent School’s director of student services, says it’s important to avoid generalizations when discussing how boys and girls learn best.

“Just as there are many ways to be a boy or girl there are many ways to teach boys and girls,” he says. “Individual student need should be the predominant factor that educators con-sider when determining the best way in which to teach students.”

While some boys are active and like to move while they learn, he says, others may learn better through contemplative reflection and debate.

He believes educators need to be skilled in assessing a full range of learning styles and have a repertoire of strategies they can draw from to educate boys or girls as unique indi-viduals.

However, Sterling Hall’s director of curricu-lum Nick Szymanis says brain science proves boys and girls are built differently mentally.

“Boys are operating from curiosity-driven, often kinesthetic intelligence and have better spatial memory,” he says.

In addition to having different colour and sense perception, he says they also have a dif-ferent threshold for attention.

“Boys also don’t hear as well as girls, their fine motor skills develop later and they can overestimate their abilities,” he says. “Boys in general, read later than girls by as much as 12 to 18 months.”

Since boys are kinesthetic by nature, he adds, learning often occurs with movement like

swinging feet, tapping and fidgeting. He says the school encourages boys’ natural curiosity through the use of educational props such as interactive games, dice and cubes. The majority of boys at the school also have daily physi-cal education classes so they can expend their energy and focus better in class.

“What the best research is showing us is that boys thrive when they can figure out their way around a problem, often in a small group,” he says. “The most impactful learning seems to be a combination of processes where information is unpacked by a combination of natural curios-ity and group interaction.”

Bishop Strachan School grade 12 student Carly Walter believes the different learning styles boys and girls have are innate and obvious.

“Girls and boys are both distracted by differ-ent things and have different natural abilities,” she says. “From my experience, girls seem to spend more time talking about a task or abstract principle before actually attempting it, whereas boys often execute tasks in a trial and error method.”

Among her classmates in the all-girls school, Walter says, she sees a lot of differences in study habits as some are visual learners and oth-ers excel with auditory instructions.

“A lot of my peers like to simplify abstract principles with concrete examples,” she says. “Other differences are as simple as enjoying listening to music while studying or preferring to work in silence.”

Bishop Strachan School’s head of school Deryn Lavell says the individual learner is most important, whether in an all girls, all boys or

coed environment.She does note a different kind of energy

among the girls and says they develop and mature at different times than boys, which needs to be taken into account.

“We talk about a culture of power of learn-ing and that’s really important for the girls,” she says. “For the girls it’s really important to find ‘where am I as an individual and how do I fit in with this group and where does that matter?’ ”

When it comes to competitiveness, Bish-op Strachan School’s senior school principal Angela Terpstra says rather than measuring girls against each other they perform better by striving for their personal best and not in the same cutthroat spirit that may motivate boys.

Another important dif-ference, she says, when it comes to the notion of learning is girls like narrative, particularly fic-tional narrative, where as boys gravitate more to real life.

Finally, just as courses are taught in different ways, Terpstra says, students are also assessed in a variety of ways.

“The evaluation is really important because for some people a paper pencil test might be the right thing to do whereas others they might actually need some pictures, they might need it read to them and some girls they actually need more time than others,” she says.

• “There are many ways to teach boys and girls.”

Cont. from Page 17

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ROYALCREST ACADEMY celebrates its 8th year in Vaughan with its Phase 1 expansion completed. The Academy boasts over 25,000 sq ft of classroom space, gymnasium, art and music room, library, outdoor soccer field, basket ball court and playgrounds for our preschoolers and kindergarten students.

ROYALCREST ACADEMY has a simple

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ROYALCREST students learn to “Think, Love and Create” in a school that offers a solid academic foundation, coupled with extensive programs in; Vocal and instrumental music; Computer Studies;

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For further information, please call to schedule a personal interview or visit an open house: Saturday January 21st, 10:00am - 12:00pm, Saturday February 4th, 10:00am - 12:00pm.

Tel: 905-303-7557 www.royalcrestacademy.com

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TMS School - A Flagship Montessori Progam and IB World School

TMS prepares our students to define and achieve success on their terms in a complex, competitive and ever chang-ing world. They are ready to realize their full potential as happy and fulfilled indi-viduals in university, career and life. Our unique educational experience integrates

challenge and inspiration in all areas: academics, arts, athletics and citizen-ship. It seamlessly combines two inter-nationally acclaimed approaches; a flag-ship Montessori program (18 months to grade 6) and a welcoming International Baccalaureate program (grade 7 to 12). To

learn more visit us at www.tmsschool.ca or call 905.889.6882 Ext. 230 to arrange for a tour.

The Bayview Campus and Elgin Mills Campus are located in Richmond Hill, ON. TMS School is accredited by IB, CAIS, CIS and CCMA.

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Central Montessori Schools: Help children reach their full potential

Central Montessori Schools

Central Montessori Schools (CMS) is a non-denominational, co-educational private school that offers a Montessori learning environment that enhances each child's unique learning style. The school operates in five convenient locations in Thornhill and Toronto.

Montessori education is internationally established as one of the most effective methods to help children "learn how to learn", thus gaining independence and self-confidence.

During various stages of our Casa program, emphasis gradually shifts from basic motor skills and languages to devel-

opment of concentration, coordination, independence and sense of order.

This leads the child to grasp writing, reading and mathematical concepts much more quickly. In our Elementary class-rooms, we introduce hands-on material to assist in understanding concepts before they are committed to memory. Physical education, arts, French and various extra curricular activities help our students to achieve a holistic higher standard of edu-cation.

The schools follow a high quality, accredited Montessori curriculum, which helps each child to reach their full poten-

tial. The daily activities promote the devel-opment of social skills, cognitive abili-ty, self-esteem, emotional and spiritual growth, and a love for learning.

Central Montessori Schools is pleased to add a new Casa French Program at our Willowdale Campus.

This program, for children 3-6 years of age is offered fully in French, taught by a certified Montessori teacher and follows the Montessori philosophy. The CMS Casa French class offers five half days (a.m./p.m.) of five full days.

For information please visit our website at www.cmschool.net.

Education With Balance

The Country Day School (JK-12) is a co-ed, non-denominational, university-preparatory school. It is situated on a beautiful 100-acre campus in the heart of King Township, just north of Toronto.

If you were to visit, you would find that the CDS community is dynamic, friendly, down-to-earth, and involved.

Our mandate is to equip students with

what they need to make their way in the world with success. We offer a superior, balanced education that challenges the student, develops the mind, and strengthens the character. The campus has outstanding athletic facilities, a modern performing arts centre, and leading-edge technology – all of which enhance our ability to educate in innovative ways.

Our passion is to ensure that every graduate leaves our school well prepared for university, confident, independent, intellectually curious, morally responsible, appreciative of the arts, physically fit and globally aware. Find out more about CDS and our open house schedule at our web site www.cds.on.ca or by calling 905.833.1220.

The Country Day School

Waldorf: Preparation for Lifelong Learning

For 90 years Waldorf graduates have gone into the world & made real, positive change. 94% attend university & an astounding 50% pursue post-graduate studies. Research shows Waldorf graduates then go on to rewarding careers, lasting friendships & remain confident, independent & ethical.

At Toronto Waldorf School students are

presented with educational experiences when they are physically, emotionally, socially & intellectually ready for them – the right thing at the right time.

Maths, sciences, arts, languages, humanities & movement are integrated, often into a single lesson, to fully engage the students.

This approach fosters a deeper

mastery of the material and a lifelong love of learning.

Despite ever-changing educational trends, Toronto Waldorf School continues its emphasis on a values oriented, child centred environment that teaches students how to think - not just what to think.

Please visitwww.torontowaldorfschool.com

Toronto Waldorf School


905.889.6882905.889.6882www.discovery.ca

DISCOVERY DAY CAMPCreating Over 40 Years Of WOnderful Camp memOries

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• All music, all the time Spend the summer playing a different tune

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KIDS CAMPS

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Rock out at music

camp

Programs give students a way to hone their skills and have fun• BY Shaheer ChoudhurY

photo courtesy guitar workshop plus

LEARNING TO SHRED: Students at Guitar Workshop Plus spend a week learning the finer points of both their chosen instrument and preferred style of music.

er first brush with music came at age three when Irene Harrett’s parents enrolled her in a music program at Humber College. Since then she’s become an avid musician who spends part of her summers at various music camps.

Harrett, who currently plays the double bass and bass guitar, has gone to about seven or eight music camps.

“I usually try different ones each year,” says the grade 11 student. “They all offer dif-ferent things and have different teachers.”

Harrett says unlike music lessons you get a more intense experience at music camp as well as an honest opinion from the instructors since it’s not coming from a private tutor.

She suggests looking into a few camps before choosing one as they all offer different things. But she also warns that music camps aren’t for everyone.

“Kids that don’t feel like they want to do music will not enjoy the programs because they are so music focused,” says Harrett. “And if kids aren’t used to that or they really

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don’t feel comfortable doing that, it doesn’t really work.”

For Harrett, Guitar Workshop Plus, which she attended last summer, provided the best experience. She said she learned more from their program than any camp she’s attended.

Guitar Workshop Plus holds two sessions at Appleby College in Oakville in the last two weeks of July. Followed by one more session in Vancouver in mid-August.

The camp’s founder and director Brian Murray says the program is for those who are serious about music. According to Murray, half of the campers are between the ages of 12–18 and the other half are anywhere from 20–70 years old.

“We do rock, blues, jazz, acoustic, classi-cal,” Murray says. “Basically every style of music and students choose their major.”

Students can also choose to major in the bass guitar, percussion, keyboard, vocals and song writing. They are free to attend special clinics centred on their own particular inter-ests throughout the week, in addition to their other work.

“You’re living, breathing, eating music, morning noon and night for a week,” says Murray.

He adds that you can’t help but get inspired when like-minded people who all hold the common interest of music surround you and are all trying to better themselves and their art.

However, as Harrett pointed out, a fully music-focused camp is not for everyone, but some programs, like that at the National Music Camp, offer music along with a more traditional camp experience.

The camp’s music director Michael Fergu-son says it’s important to have both music and

non-music activities.“For those serious students, those who

want to do more in-depth music at the camp can do so,” says Ferguson. “But also those who feel that the base courses we have is enough for them can choose to do other things.”

The camp offers a variety of musical dis-ciplines and styles mixed with waterskiing, kayaking, wall climbing, archery and sports.

“It is a great way to be introduced to music because you are in an environment that is totally focused on music education,” says camp director Bruce Nashman. “But you’re also having fun and a great time making friends, doing camp activities, so it’s an ideal

situation for anyone interested in music.”Like Harrett, Ferguson suggests parents

look at different music camps and see what each has to offer to find one best suited to their child.

“This is an over-night camp and there are music day camps that go on in bigger cities,” says Ferguson. “But I think in terms of a summer camp that has a focus, but still gives the kids a summer camp experience, really it can’t be beat.”

photo courtesy national music camp

COME BLOW YOUR HORN: National Music Camp mixes musical instruction with more traditional camp activities such as waterskiing, kayaking and archery.

• “You’re living, breathing (and) eating music.”


• BY ann ruppenStein

It may be winter but it’s not too early to start thinking about summer camp.

With a plethora of choices, Camp Kandalore’s director Dave Graham suggests parents call potential camps to find out more about their programming and philosophy in order to help figure out what would be a good fit for their kids.

Graham suggests parents gather and share infor-mation with their kids prior to any overnight excur-sions so they know what to expect and are excited and looking forward to the experience.

“Every child is unique and what I would encour-age families to do is be very honest in your appraisal of your child,” he says. “Don’t stop your child from going to camp because you as a parent aren’t ready for them to go. Look at your child and if they’re ready to go, then do it.”

When it comes to choosing a camp Power Soc-cer’s director Liam Power says parents should look into the camp’s schedule to find a breakdown of the

activities planned to see what kind of content their kids may learn and benefit from.

“I think it’s important for parents to consider the whole package of the camp, considering the price and stuff like the reputation of the camp and also just to talk to their friends because word of mouth is such an important method of communication as well,” he says.

Power says one of the benefits of choosing a spe-cialized camp is it engages kids with a subject they’re already interested in and allows them to develop their skills and knowledge in the process.

Though he runs a general camp Graham says campers get the chance to try out many activities and potentially discover a passion for something they never knew existed.

“We’ve produced world-class athletes in kayak-ing out of our program from kids who just came to try all kinds of activities so you get that in a general camp,” he says. “If your child already has a very

focused specialization that you want to take advan-tage of and progress even further, then you can look to a specialized camp.”

The Hollows Camp’s founder and co-director Stephen Fine believes picking a camp should be a family affair. He says parents can present poten-tial options to their kids and ask which they’d be interested in attending or simply ask for their input in the first place. When choosing between day and overnight camps he says a day camp often serves as a stepping-stone to the residential experience.

“I think that at a certain age kids can really ben-efit from time away from that which they are really familiar with,” says Fine. “It’s an adventure to go away to a residential camp and it doesn’t have to be very far just getting out of the house and having some new surroundings and some new friends other than the ones that you see all the time.”

It may be hard for parents to envision warm weather during this time of year but Graham says booking early guarantees more than just discounted rates.

“Camps that are popular and good quality and well known are going to fill quite quickly,” says Gra-ham. “The longer the delay you have in registering for camp, the less options you will have registering for camps. If you have a sense that’s something you want to do … get it out of the way and do it right now.”

Choosing well

Finding the right camp for your child

photo courtesy our kids media

FUN TIMES: Camp can be a great experience, if you and your kids pick the right one for them.

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Beyond memories

Benefits of campMany important life skills can be gained over the summer

• BY Christl DaBu

At first, the campers were only familiar with the digital realm of text messages, Facebook and video games. But by the end of camp, a new study found they experienced significant growth, connecting with the world beyond electronic screens and smartphones.

“The major changes on their growth speaks tremendously of the summer camp experience,” says Troy Glover, the director of the University of Waterloo’s Healthy Communities Research Network, who spearheaded the Canadian Summer Camp Research Project.

Camp counsellors had observed the positive change in children by the end of their ses-sions, according to researchers from the project.

“Sending kids to camp allows children to grow and learn good citizenship, social integration, personal development and social development, exploring his or her capabilities and being in a safe environment where they can grow, gain independence and take risks,” Glover says.

And in the age of overpro-tective parents wanting to shel-ter their children from all risks, camp can offer a safe place for kids to experience the kind of freedom their parents enjoyed when they were young.

“My parents were much more open to allowing me to play wherever I want … (as opposed to) today, despite our communities being statistically safer,” says Glover, a father of two. “Because we want to pro-tect kids from harm … we are less likely to give kids their free-dom.”

By allowing children to take risks, the study found camp helps children develop important skills and build their independence, resiliency and self-esteem in a safe, supervised and supportive environment.

“Camp does a really good job of teaching kids it’s okay to fail and helps them recognize their limitations and see these are things that are not fixed and can be improved upon,” Glover

says.Before making it big, Josh

Bailey, the 21-year-old New York Islanders player from Bow-manville, was just a kid playing the game he loved. At hockey camp in Aurora, his parents and grandparents would cheer from the stands as Bailey, his cous-in and brother teamed up and usually won the championship trophy at the end. While seven summers at hockey camp helped him develop the technical skills he needs today, for Bailey, camp was about the fun of the game.

“I was learning a lot, but I was a lot more focused on hav-ing fun,” he says. “We just went to have a good time, and it makes you love the game even more.”

Camps can also provide the bond with nature that is sorely missing in the lives of many children today, Richard Louv writes in his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.

“Children need nature for the healthy development of their senses, and therefore, for learn-ing and creativity,” Louv says.

Steve Paikin, Canadian jour-nalist, author and host of TVO’s The Agenda, fondly remembers jumping off a 12-foot mini-cliff, learning to build a fire, and fall-ing in love with one of the kitch-en girls while at camp.

“Getting outdoors, in the bush, particularly if you live in an inner city, is essential to becoming a better person,” he says. “It’s an essential building block in allowing children to become more independent. And let’s not forget the obvious: it’s good for parents as well to have some time on their own, know-ing their kids are thriving in a spectacular environment.”

Camp can also be a place where youth gradually build leadership skills.

“You’re often having to rely on your teammates or cabin mates to complete an activity,” says Moira MacDougall, who heads teen and young adult strat-egies for the YMCA of Greater Toronto, a charity providing community support programs.

For Trefor Munn-Venn’s fam-ily, camp is the most important event after Christmas and Easter. Since his first child was born seven years ago, the consultant has been taking his entire family each year to Cairn, a traditional overnight camp in Baysville.

The 42-year-old father says camp has helped his two boys, ages 7 and 5, become more con-fident and proud of themselves for doing things they didn’t think they could do such as wall-climbing, canoeing and living outdoors for a week.

“They’re encouraged to be themselves and the staff help them discover who they are,” he says. “We see them come back always more relaxed, confident and independent.”

- With files from Lisa Van de Ven and Caroline Maga

Christl Dabu is the edi-tor of camps.ca and Our Kids Canada’s Summer Camp Guide, produced by Our Kids Media (www.ourkids.net). Our Kids will be hosting a Camp Expo (www.ourkids.net/campexpo) on Feb. 26, 2012, at Roy Thomson Hall, featuring March break, year-round and summer camps from

across Ontario. For a handy camp search engine, camp alum-ni profiles and more tips, visit www.camps.ca/2012.


Camps and After school activitiesCamps and After-School Activities

Discovery Day Camp has been creating over 40 years of wonderful camp memories!Discovery Day Camp offers your child a

hero’s journey – a quest for self-discovery, with endless opportunities for exploration, in a world of creativity, culture and socializa-tion. Creating a sense of wonder and joy through activities that have meaning and

purpose and that will contribute to the devel-opment of child’s character, who will make a positive contribution to our global commu-nity. Digital Photography, Robotics, Science Exploration, Dance and Beach Volleyball! A few of the many programs!

Summer and March day camp program hours are from 9:00 am- 4:00 pm, with extended care hours available for an addi-tional fee from 7:30 am until 8:30 am and from 4:30 pm until 6:00 pm.

www.discoveryday.ca

Discovery Day Camp

It’s a camp wonderland in the middle of winter. The Our Kids Camp Expo, the largest

one of its kind in Canada, is a one-stop shop to help families find the best camp for their child.

“It’s very interesting and very informa-tive—we got a lot of information we never knew about,” says Nadia Carter, who attend-

ed the expo last February with her son, Di-bonte, 11, and her husband.

Our Kids is hosting its annual Camp Expo on Feb. 26, 2012, from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

The expo features over 50 different types of March break, year-round and summer

camps from across Ontario and Quebec. The free information seminars will help

you choose and prepare for summer camp. Register online for a 50 per cent off ad-

mission voucher: www.campexpo.ca. While families have to do a little re-

search, there is a right camp for every child.

Our Kids Camp Expo

Upper Canada Child CareUpper Canada Child Care Centres

Upper Canada Child Care is a growing family of 51 non-profit child care centres throughout North York, York Region and Simcoe County. Day care and summer camp programs are offered for children ages 3 months to 12 years. The centres are government licensed and combine education with quality care.

Upper Canada has established its reputation for quality.

Each daycare meets and surpasses the high standards set by the Ministry of Youth and

Children’s Services. Every child receives the best in terms of health, nutrition, education and a comfortable, safe, cheerful environment. All programs are led by qualified staff who provide nurturing, stimulation and learning opportunities that encourage success for each child.

Five of the centres offer specialized programs that combine Junior and Senior Kindergarten with a full-day child care component.

These programs run 5 days per week

for the full year. The curriculum emphasizes language, mathematics, science and technology, personal and social development and the arts.

Educators facilitate the child’s growth by providing a rich and stimulating program. Concrete experiences promote competency and encourage self-esteem.

C a l l ( 9 0 5 ) 9 4 6 - 1 1 1 3 f o r t h e centre nearest you, or v is i t us a t www.uppercanadachildcare.com.

Tap into Tapawingo…And tap into an 80 year tradition of

adventure and fun. For girls 6-15 years of age, the Y.W.C.A.’s Camp Tapawingo turns a summer exper ience into a summer of life-time memories. The relaxed atmosphere of an all-girl’s setting creates the perfect environment for embarking on a girl’s road to self-discovery, confidence, achievement

and FUN. Our Georgian Bay location provides for a broad range of activities-swimming, canoeing, sailing, kayaking as well as climb-ing, crafts, paddlemaking, dance, drama and woodworking.

Whether it is making friends, singing by a campfire, special events, games, or sports-every day is a new adventure. A range of

trips are offered from overnight canoe trips to a five day trip. Our sessions run 2 or 3 weeks with a one-week option for younger girls and a special 6 week leadership pro-gram for 16 year old girls.

For slide show information or a brochure call the Camping office at 416-652-9374. Please visit www.ywcatoronto.org.

YWCA Camp Tapawingo

CHELPCHELP offers Qualify and Affordable Tutor Programs for all Levels

CHELP

CHELP, founded in 1994, is an affordable Saturday tutoring program, which helps student to improve and advance in their school curriculum. The annual fee for the program is only $290/295 for 28 classes including homework material.

Entry test is given to ensure student is assigned to proper level. MATH/English/French program is available for all levels including G12.

Students are taught in a classroom

structure, with homework for additional practice, and Mini-tests/exams will be given. All work is checked by the teacher who monitors the progress of the student.

CHELP believes in teaching foundation material, which helps the student to expand and learn advance material more easily. CHELP offers an interactive environment, where the student can learn and benefit from a more personal teaching technique. With

the guidance of committed and experienced teachers, students will be able to enhance their academic performance.

The guideline of CHELP is to teach, improve, advance, and educate, to build confidence and character.

Thornhill location: Registration every Saturday from Jan.14, 9:30-11:00AM. At Vaughan Secondary school, 1401 Clark ave west, 2nd floor. 416-371-4178.

Upper Canada Day Camps

Upper Canada Child Care

At Upper Canada Day Camp, feild trips are our specialty. Twice per week we jump on a bus and take in all that the GTA has to offer. We travel to exciting places like African Lion Safari, Ontario Place, Toronto Zoo, Wild Water Kingdom and The Science Centre. Whether we are enjoying a theme park, sporting event, or nature trail, the objectives are the same: to

explore, discover and have fun among friends. Days when we are not on trips are equally busy.

Activities such as swimming, sports, arts, crafts and science keep bodies and minds active and entertained. Canoeing, archery and rock climbing at our Kettlby Valley Camp location, round out our dynamic program.

Friendship, safety and most of all fun are what our camp is all about.

Our camps run from Monday to Friday 7:00am to 6:00pm for children ages 6 to 12 years. We offer family discounts and provide a nutrious morning and afternoon snack.

Please call 905-946-1113 for regestration or visit us at www.uppercanadachildcare.com.

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Authentic dining at Persian resto

BY liz CampBell

I think I know why there are such long lineups at the door at North Restaurant. It took the waiter at least 20 minutes to bring the bill. And it was at least 20 minutes before that before he offered us dessert. On the other hand, the hot meal came fairly swiftly. And after all, that’s the most important part.

Just to confuse you, this spot has two names. It’s also called Shomal, which means North in Farsi. So my guests and I are prepared for an authentic Persian dining experience and, according to our waiter, it’s specifically the food of the North of Iran—hence the name.

It starts with an incomprehensible menu, but thankfully, each dish is care-fully explained in English. It rapidly becomes apparent that two ingredients predominate in this cuisine: pomegranate and walnuts. So it’s healthy!

While we study the menu, the waiter places on the table a plate of pars-ley, radishes and a peeled onion, cut in half, along with a basket of pita bread wedges. This is a first for me and strikes me as an odd way to start a meal—sending one’s palate into overdrive before you even start. However, this is traditional.

We begin with two appetizers. Badenjan Kebab ($9.99) proves to be two small eggplants stuffed with a blend of ground pomegranates, walnuts and onion. This is a small piece of heaven. It’s so good that my guests and I liter-ally say, “Mmmmm,” almost in unison.

The second appetizer, Kashke Badenjan ($8.99), is more eggplant, this time mashed and topped with fried mint, crispy fried onion and garlic, and whey. It comes with pita bread pieces. This too proves a hit—the varying tex-

liz campBell/vaughan today

WHERE’S THE BEEF? Our reviewer finds there is plenty of meat in the authentic Persian dishes at North Restaurant on Steeles Avenue West. So much so, in fact, it is not an easy place for a vegetarian to find a meal.

Continued Page 28


tures and flavours blend beautifully. Indeed, there’s a lot of it and one guest keeps eating this long after her main course arrives: “It’s so good!”

We select three different meats for our mains: lamb, chicken and veal. From the stew menu, one guest chooses Baghali Polo el Mahicheh, described as a traditional stew of lamb shank and beans served with herbed rice ($13.99). The broth is too mild and doesn’t offer much punch, but the lamb is tender and tasty. There are no beans. The rice has a mild herbiness we couldn’t identify—apparently it’s composed of dried dill and coriander.

Also from the stew menu, my second guest selects Fesenjan, chicken breast in a rich sauce of walnuts and pomegranate, served with rice ($14.99). Little effort has been expended on presentation—one large chicken breast sits unadorned in a bowl of dark sauce. A plate of plain rice accompanies this. Even a sprig of parsley would not go amiss. My guest isn’t enthusiastic about the sauce which is a little overpoweringly sweet.

I select from the Beef menu, which consists mainly of kebabs (chicken and lamb in this category as well). Following the waiter’s recommendation, I choose Kebab Torsh, char-broiled veal with—you guessed it!—pomegranate, walnuts and onion ($18.99). It comes with a plate of plain basmati rice and a lone grilled tomato which has the merit of adding some colour to the plate. The meat is tender and flavourful but the rice could use a little help.

For dessert, the waiter brings us a sample selection from which to choose. We opt for the plate of bamia and zulbia ($3.99). Both are really sugary but delicious, the bamia with a distinct rosewater essence. The second dessert we choose is unnamed by the waiter: “It’s just a cake,” he tells us. It’s an apt description, a plain pinwheel of cake and cream, though on the bill it has a grand name: Napoleon ($4.50).

Don’t let the menu befuddle you with names, the wait staff is very help-ful. But this cuisine apparently isn’t veggie conscious. To North Americans, stew indicates some sort of vegetable content so it can be misleading. There are vegetarian dishes on the menu but note that these often contain both eggs and “salty fish.” Perhaps the onion and radish are intended to serve as the vegetables?

North Restaurant, 100 Steeles Ave. W. 416-881-7704. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Ginger ale and ginger beer might be non-alcoholic today, but it began in the 19th century as a sprinkling of ground ginger root in the real thing. It was thought to help “settle” the stom-ach. In fact, it does. The Chinese have used ginger root for this purpose for centuries and it appears in the writing of Confucius. It can also be found in the Koran, where it is referred to as a spiritual and a heavenly herb. And you can actually buy a ginger anti-nauseant made by Gravol.

From the 9th Century, it was used widely in Europe as a spice and in the Middle Ages, it was thought to prevent the plague. Believe it or not, in England, it was actually applied to the backside of a lazy horse to ‘gee it up”.

Ginger is taken from the root of the ginger plant and its strength and flavour dissipate rapidly with age. You can buy the dry powder but fresh ginger is best. Buy a large root, cut it into one inch segments and freeze them in a bag for occasions when you haven’t any fresh on hand. When needed, remove a piece and scrape off the skin (you can scrape it easily with a spoon). You can also scrape and pre-serve ginger the Australian way — in jar of sherry.

Good supermarkets make sure the ginger is as fresh as the other produce, but many don’t. Asian supermarkets have the best fresh ginger, perhaps because it sells faster and doesn’t have time to dry out. Avoid wrinkled, dry ginger. Look for fat, tender knobs with a thin, almost translucent skin. A knob should break with a snap and have a lovely tangy fragrance.

Here are some interesting ways to incorporate delicious ginger into your menus.

Ginger TeaMy Chinese friend, Jeanne, taught

me to make ginger tea. It’s a wonder-ful soothing drink. Bring two cups of water to a boil in a covered saucepan, and add a one-inch piece of peeled ginger, finely sliced. Simmer for 15 minutes, strain and drink. Add honey to sweeten if you like.

Gingered Sweet PotatoesThese taste so good, you’ll never

go back to the bland version again. When your sweet potatoes are ready to mash, add your butter plus 2 tea-spoons honey and 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger for each pound of pota-toes. Mash and blend really well. You can garnish with some candied ginger, but be careful — this can make the flavour very strong.

Ginger Stir FriesChop a one or two-inch piece of

ginger finely and add to hot oil along with sliced onion and garlic when making stir fry. It will add real zing to chicken, beef or even a plain veg-etable stir fry.

Ginger Glaze for SalmonTry brushing salmon with this glaze

before baking or grilling. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons each of honey, Dijon mustard and grated ginger. Brush this on the salmon. If grilling, brush on only for the last three minutes as the honey will burn.

Ginger ShortbreadThis has become a family recipe

and no Christmas plate of goodies is complete without it. Simply add about 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger to your favourite shortbread recipe. Bake as usual.

Cont. from Page 27

Eat gingerlyBY liz CampBell

liz campBell/vaughan today

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So would you paint a room Dirty Socks? How about Zombie Apocalypse?

If you’re a guy, CIL Paints is apparently betting that you would.

Last fall, CIL decided to man up and change some of its paint names so they would be more appealing to the Y-gene crowd. A Facebook contest was held to draw out public creativity.

Thousands of names poured in. Some aren’t suit-able for a family newspaper, but examples include Mo Money (formerly Fairy Tale Green), Rust on My Truck (formerly Classic Liberty Red, a dark rusty-red) and Midlife Crisis (formerly Silver Lace Vine, a grey-white with a hint of green).

And, oh yeah, Dirty Socks booted out Acadia Gem (pale grey-beige), while Zombie Apocalypse tossed off Juliet’s Potion (acid yellow-green).

Painting the man caveGiven the often fanciful paint names that spat-

ter the industry, the down-to-earth, funny, guy-type names are kind of refreshing (unlike those Dirty Socks). And that was part of the whole idea behind the switch. Set the company apart from the rest of the wusses, and go for the belly laugh, rather than the dreamy heart.

Younger guys seem to be taking more of an inter-est in decorating choices, so now they won’t have to

discuss simpy colours like Plum Escape and Butter-scotch Tempest any more.

In truth, many of the names selected for use were entered by women. Though Facebook voters deter-mined the contest winners, not all those winning names will make it into stores. CIL marketing execs had the final say on which names to use, choosing from all those suggested in the contest. The new chips are appearing in a special brochure on “Ulti-mate Man Caves” available in Home Depot stores. Colour-coordinated paint schemes are shown for male hangouts like band practice rooms, workshops and bathrooms.

You can see the brochure and find out lots more about painting techniques and colour choices at www.cil.ca.

Colours of the Year 2012About this time of year, various paint and décor

companies trumpet their pronouncements for colour of the year. For 2012, I’ve turned to three top sources for their picks.

• Pantone, a long-time leader in colour standards for industry, has chosen Tangerine Tango as its banner colour for 2012. The company describes it as “dramatic and seductive,” and “a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.” (Less gushy folk might think of it as hunter orange, the colour worn for protec-tion during deer-hunting season.)

You’re not likely going to paint a room—or even a whole wall—this shade, but it’s a good pop of colour on cushions and accessories. Fashion designers have already produced some sketches for spring incorporat-ing the colour. Tommy Hilfiger combines it with dense beige and dashes of navy, and Adrienne Vittadini pairs it with saturated purple in a casual, flowing gown.

Pantone also boasts that cosmetics company Sepho-ra will be bringing out a limited-edition collection featuring Tangerine Tango. The collection—including eye shadow, lipstick, lip gloss, nail polish and acces-sories—is expected to debut in March.

• CIL, true to its Canadian roots, takes a more conservative approach in its annual colour choice. Tea Dance, a dusty pinky-red, is its pick for 2012. It’s a versatile, toned-down shade that’s soothing or stimulat-ing, depending on its colour partners. Lovely in a dining room with white wainscoting, Tea Dance would also work as an accent in a feminine powder room, bedroom or garden room.

• Benjamin Moore, another leading paint company, skips to another end of the spectrum for its 2012 choice. Wythe Blue, a delicate, pale blue with a touch of green, recalls historical interiors. Calling it “one of Mother Nature’s neutrals,” the company suggests combining it with creams and greys for a classic look. Alternatively, pair it with earthy greens for a warm, natural feel.

So make winter fly by: Pull out some paint chips and plan your spring colours now.

BY marY Fran mCQuaDe

Painting like a manIS IT MANLY IN HERE, OR IS IT JUST THE PAINT? CIL Paints decided to change the names of some of its paints in order to attract more men to their product. The names of the colours, like Zombie Apocalypse (formerly Juliette’s Potion), were chosen via a Facebook contest.


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Chrysler has been in the throwback game longer than any other thanks to the introduction of the PT Cruiser in 2000. That the likes of the Dodge Charger continues to be a prominent face in the lineup should come as no surprise.

Bo and Luke made the Charger famous driv-ing the General Lee on the early ’80s television show, The Dukes of Hazzard.

At the time, the Charger was a two-door coupe with a signature rear uni-light and aggressive front grill. In the modern reinvention, the two doors have become four, but lots of the original muscle car has remained.

Starting at just under $30,000 the Char-ger comes in nine different trim levels, with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options being the main difference in most of them. The five least expensive models come with an impressive eight-speed automatic transmission that delivers satisfactory performance without busting the fuel gauge. Both the all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive clock in around 11 litres/100km in the city and just less than 7 litres/100km on the highway.

Dodge treats the Charger with a modern dash and centre console. The instrument cluster is lit up with a red hue and an information screen

glows a pleasant blue. Gone are the horrible cen-tre consoles that included the HVAC and audio controls of yesteryear in Dodge products replaced by clean lines, and big, bright buttons with silver accents.

The front seats in some models are quite comfortable even for those of us with good child bearing hips, but the set that comes with the R/T and SRT8 models are incredibly narrow. They’re supposed to include side bolsters to keep you firmly in place but it feels like they actually include rolling pins in the seats to push into your hips and thighs. Opt out of them unless you’re slim like Gumby.

Room is surprisingly bountiful and it wouldn’t be a chore for five adults to head for a night out on the town and be comfortable. In fact, the trunk is large enough to accommodate luggage for the same five adults, making the two-hour trip toler-able — even in the middle back seat.

In a break from tradition, Dodge is offering its Uconnect systems in every trim level. This allows you to connect your phone via Bluetooth, and with smartphones you can even stream your media through the vehicle’s audio system. This hasn’t become a common feature yet in vehicles in the low to mid-$30,000 range so it’s a nice plus.

Charging ahead

Most people only think about their vehicle’s antifreeze/coolant during extreme weather condi-tions — or when it’s too late and their overheated vehicle is stranded on the side of the road. The truth is, antifreeze/coolant is a yearround concern.

“As the name implies, antifreeze/coolant per-forms two functions,” says Jay Buckley, ASE-certified master mechanic and training manager for Prestone. “It helps keep the engine’s cooling system from freezing up in cold weather and from boiling over in hot weather.”

To help lower exhaust emissions, modern engines run at very high operating temperatures. Cooling system temperatures of 110 degrees Cen-tigrade are common.

What’s more, many engines are constructed of dissimilar metals, which can lead to corrosion. All of this puts more stress on the antifreeze/coolant.

A high-quality antifreeze/coolant, which is designed for use with any antifreeze/coolant in any vehicle make or model, can have a long service life. However, it’s still important to monitor the coolant level and condition regularly. Virtually all modern vehicles have a pressurized cooling system with a plastic coolant expansion tank clearly vis-ible under the hood.

There are usually high and low marks on the tank to make things easier. For added convenience when topping up, and to ensure the correct water/coolant ratio is maintained, Prestone, for example, comes in a premixed formulation of 50 percent coolant and 50 percent demineralized water.

But it’s not enough simply to check the level. A professional technician should also test the condi-tion of the coolant and the coolant concentration to ensure that it doesn’t need to be changed. Because antifreeze/coolant service intervals can be two years or longer, it’s easy to forget about it.

— www.newscanada.com

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Voyage to the top of oFSAABY tristan Carter

Vaughan SS stays grounded in their pursuit for back-to-back championships

Vaughan Secondary’s senior boys bas-ketball team is continuing their voyage back to OFSAA gold despite losing a key member of their crew.

The Voyageurs lost their leading scorer from last season, Andrew Wig-gins, after he transferred to a prep school in the US. However, his former teammates are doing well without him, according to coach Gus Gymnopou-los.

“Andrew was so talented that he was able to bail us out of a lot messes last year,” he said. “This year we just have to be that much better.

“We got to play a little bit cleaner, a little bit tighter, a little bit more as a group,” he added. “As a result of that, I think we’re actually starting to play some better basketball.”

A hot start has propelled Vaughan Secondary to a championship at the Henry Carr Early Bird Invitation-

al and an undefeated regular season record as they head into the holiday break. Guard Cy Samuel-Richards won MVP at the Henry Carr tourna-ment where they defeated powerhouse teams such as Toronto’s Eastern Com-merce, Pickering and J. Clarke Rich-ardson of Ajax.

Vaughan Voyageurs hosted a tour-nament of their own, the Vaughan Clas-sic tournament, where guard Roshane Roberts was named MVP after wins against West Hill, Pine Ridge and Mar-tingrove, leading to another champion-ship.

But Gymnopoulos said he still sees room for improvement.

“We won the Henry Carr Early Bird but we didn’t play well and as a result we developed some bad habits and then they carried over,” he said. “I think they walked around with a little bit too much swagger being OFSAA champs and winning the first tourna-

ment of the year.”His squad’s only two losses came

during the Humber College Classic when they were defeated at the hands of D’Youville and Oakwood. Despite the Voyageurs’ strong play so far this season, both teams are ranked above eighth-place Vaughan in the Super 16 coaches’ poll rankings.

“I don’t take much out of the rankings in terms of where we are but I don’t think we’re an eight,” Gymnopoulos said. “I don’t mind it because ever since (Super 16) came out our kids are starting to focus much more.”

Gymnopoulos spoke to Vaughan Today just before boarding a bus with his team. For the fifth straight year they were headed to the Sun Youth tournament in Montreal where they were set to face colleges and Ameri-can high school prep teams. Last year, Vaughan made it to the finals

before falling to Algonquin College, the number one ranked Canadian col-lege at the time.

“We go there to play really solid competition,” Gymnopoulos said. “We want to get exposed to certain things and we get better as a result I find.”

Vaughan’s head coach reiterated although the team would like to defend their OFSAA title their main goal remains to improve with every game.

Gymnopoulos said he is confident the upcoming tournament will help them achieve that.

“A lot of the kids understand now that it’s not about ego it’s about hard work and being humble and they’re starting to buy in now,” he said. “I think we’re going to be very good in a little while.

“We’re going to hopefully play our best basketball in the second half (of the season).”

photo couRteSy demetRi manuel/noRthpolehoopS.com

LOOKING TO REPEAT: Last year’s Voyageurs squad won gold at the 2011 AAAA OFSAA playoffs, but without their top player Andrew Wiggins, coach Gus Gym-nopoulos admits the team will have to stay disciplined and make less mistakes. A bulk of the leadership will fall on Cy Samuel-Richards and Roshane Roberts.


The West Division for Tier 1 senior girls volleyball will see a feeding frenzy for top spot this season.

After claiming second place last season, Stephen Lewis Sharks look to dethrone Toronto District Chris-tian Falcons.

The Sharks, coached by Shawn Morris and Nicole Baxter, might lack club players but they make up for it with spunk.

“The team morale is good,” Morris said. “The girls seem to get along well together.

“It’s tough when you don’t have any club players on your team I guess,” he added. “So you’re pretty much doing the coaching yourself.”

Getting off to a 3-0 start doesn’t seem to hurt their drive for AAA provincials. Wins against St. Jean De Brebeuf 2-1 (25-19, 15-25, 15-7), and 2-0 versus Emily Carr (25-12, 25-9) have propelled them to their goal. Additionally, on Dec.

19, they were succesful against nemesis TDCH, 2-1 (22-25, 25-11, 16-14).

“We’re hoping to make a com-petitive run to see if we can get the AAA OFSAA bid,” he said. “We definitely cannot compete with some of the club teams up North but we try our best to be competi-tive in the West and see where the cards fall.”

In the swim of things are co-cap-tains middle Chanel McKenzie and power/setter Patricia Palcu. Palcu has been used as an off-size striker, which has allowed grade 11 Claudia Ho to move into the role of setter.

McKenzie is not afraid to over-kill the ball when presented with the opportunity by Ho.

“I love blocking and I love smashing,” she said, reinforcing Morris’ OFSAA intentions. “That’s our goal every single year and every year we hope to achieve that goal.”

The fact there are no club play-ers on the Sharks’ roster does not

sink McKenzie’s enthusiasm, as the coaching has been thorough and balanced.

“Morris is kind of the drill ser-geant and Ms. Baxter helps moti-vate us,” she said, with a laugh. “Morris will try to help us over-come our fears and the problems we’re having.

“He’ll make us keep practising on it, until we’re no longer afraid of it.”

Stephen Lewis SS has a full complement of feeder teams with a majority of grade 10s on the Tier 1 junior team and grade 9s on the Tier 2 junior squad. The seniors are a split of seven grade 12s, seven 11s and one grade 10.

“It’s not like a pipeline but there’s kids who know what they are doing, who can always men-tor the kids who follow,” Morris said. “We’re going to continue to develop the kids.

“Try to get as many wins as we can along the way, but just to con-tinue to develop the skills.”

BY Brian Baker

Hunting for a West titleStephen Lewis Sharks aim to sink TDC Falcons

FRanciS cReScia/vaughan today

SHARK ATTACK: Chanel McKenzie, Patricia Palcu and Claudia Ho will be Stephen Lewis’ dorsal fin as they keep swimming in club player-infested waters. Stephen Lewis SS have won their first three games of 2011.

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January 2012