South Etobicoke History and Culture Committee

08/03/2026

Happy Simcoe Day!

This day provides an opportunity to reflect on Ontario’s history and the many people, places and communities that have shaped the province over the years.

It also reminds us of the legacy of John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, whose vision helped lay the foundations for our province’s growth.

On this public holiday, I hope you will have the chance to spend time with your loved ones and make the most of the summer season.

If you find yourself at Queen’s Park, I invite you to take part in a guided tour, where you can, amongst other things, see the portrait of John Graves Simcoe...
Joyeuse Fête de Simcoe!

Cette journée est l’occasion de réfléchir à l’histoire de l’Ontario et aux nombreuses personnes, lieux et collectivités qui ont façonné la province au fil du temps.

Elle nous rappelle également l’héritage de John Graves Simcoe, premier lieutenant-gouverneur du Haut-Canada, dont la vision a contribué à jeter les bases du développement de notre province.

À l’occasion de ce congé civique, j’espère que vous aurez l’occasion de passer du temps avec vos proches et de profiter pleinement de la saison estivale.

Si vos pas vous mènent à Queen’s Park, je vous invite à participer à une visite guidée, où vous pourrez notamment découvrir le portrait de John Graves Simcoe.

08/03/2026

Air Traveling in the 50s

Passengers departing in aviation's golden age at Pearson Airport

07/25/2026

Feds put the Airbreaks on

Good work everyone! Don't stop using your voice, if you have any issue, speak up it works!
Now, what does he really want to develop on those lands he's expropriated?

The federal government has rejected Ontario's controversial plan to allow commercial jets at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, citing overwhelming public opposition.
Background and Consultation Public Feedback: A Transport Canada public consultation closed on July 24, 2026, revealing that an overwhelming majority of Torontonians strongly opposed expanding the island airport for jets.
Community Concerns: Respondents and local advocates heavily cited negative impacts regarding increased noise, air pollution, health risks, and the protection of waterfront public spaces like Little Norway Park.
The Decision Project Grounded: Senior federal officials confirmed that Ottawa will not move forward with lifting the binding agreement that bans commercial jets at the downtown waterfront airport.
Provincial Pushback: The federal rejection deals a major blow to Premier Doug Ford's recent legislative efforts to take control of the city-owned airport lands and designate the zone for expedited infrastructure changes.

07/24/2026

Public consultation on the future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport https://share.google/6o8OwD2vcnrL0Cp54
JULY 24, 2026 last day to submit your survey to the Federal Government, on Billy Bishop Airport

07/23/2026

The Colonel lived in Mississauga for a few months a year ( his wife hated hotels) to help promote Canadian locations

Colonel Sanders at the 1968 Grey Cup Parade in Toronto. Sanders lived in Mississauga from 1965-1980.

07/23/2026

Simpler Days

Bloor Street West, looking northeast over Mimico Creek Bridge to the Humberview Chevrolet dealership, July 21, 1957.

📸: James Victor Salmon
Photo credit: Toronto Public Library

07/20/2026

Conn Smythe built Maple Leaf Gardens in five months during the depths of the Depression, which tells you everything about his personality and his belief that Toronto needed a world-class hockey arena regardless of the economic circumstances. The arena on Carlton Street opened on November 12, 1931, with the Toronto Maple Leafs defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1. The building was an art deco masterpiece: the curved facade, the distinctive brickwork, the interior that managed to feel both grand and intimate at 12,500 seats. Workers had taken partial payment in Maple Leaf Sports stock when cash ran short during construction. The project got done. For the next 68 years, Maple Leaf Gardens was the centre of hockey in Toronto and one of the most famous arenas in North America. The Leafs won 11 Stanley Cups while playing there. The building was also a civic venue that hosted events no one had anticipated when it was designed as a sports arena. The Beatles played Maple Leaf Gardens in September 1964, the first night of their first North American tour. Muhammad Ali fought there twice in the 1960s. Billy Graham held evangelical revivals in the building. Soviet hockey teams played there in exhibition series. Prime ministers addressed crowds from its ice. By the 1990s, the building was aging and the NHL required modern amenities that the 1931 structure couldn't economically provide. The Air Canada Centre opened in February 1999 and the Leafs moved. Maple Leaf Gardens played its last hockey game that February. The building sat in uncertain limbo for years. Ryerson University and Loblaws eventually partnered on a redevelopment that opened in 2012: the main floor became a large-format Loblaws grocery store, with Ryerson's athletic centre and academic facilities above and around it. The arena bowl was reconfigured as an athletic facility.