An enthusiastic crowd of as many 250 people was on hand at the Amsterdam Brewery at 45 Esander Drive to hear Jon Burnside lay out his vision of change for Ward 26 if he wins the next municipal election in October. Mr. Burnside, seen at right with his friend Charlene Kew, is a former police officer. He is now a well-known businessman, owner of Homestyle Meals Delivered in Leaside. Among those present Sunday was Toronto actor Wilbert Headley (pictured lower right) who recalled for the South Bayview Bulldog how he met Mr. Burnside. “I like to cycle up Bayview Ave and around the grounds of the park,” he said. “Jon was on duty up there and one day he said I looked tired. He said throw your bike in the trunk of the car and I’ll drive you home.” It was an act of kindness Headley has not forgotten. Also present were Conservative MP Patrick Brown from Barrie, John Walker, owner of Global Pet Food, well-known Leasiders Charlene Kalia, Patrick Rocca, Vanessa Rose and Andy Elder. One of Burnside’s former school-mates, Michael Tutton of the Ontario Lottery Corporation, was in the crowd with Marcy Gerstein. In his opening remarks, Burnside acknowledged his mother, who is 88 and recalled her recent decision to celebrate the day by heading off to Casino Rama. Mr. Burnside recalled how he had grown up on Airdrie Road and “played ball hockey during rush hour.” His more serious remarks however were designed to illustrate the meaning of his slogan — Burnside, On Your Side. He noted how when he was a police officer the department was plagued by the “Flemingdon Park gun tree.” Young men would hide a community gun in a local tree, ready for anyone who wanted it for a crime but untraceable to the last user. The police removed the gun, but there was always another one there,” said the candidate. “Finally police decided to cut down the tree. But there was another tree.” Burnside recounted how he was moved by the lack of things for young men to do in Flemingdon. He decided to start a local hockey program, scrounging for equipment, money and other necessities. He was stung, he said, because “the local councillor wouldn’t help to get ice time” for the teams. So Burnside did it himself. Today the Flemingdon program thrives and is copied elsewhere, he said. To make such change happen, said Burnside, “you need to vote for a better councillor.” He was offering himself, he said, as an alternative to the status quo. The context of the battle for Ward 26 is not complete. The election is more than four months away. The incumbent councillor is John Parker, first elected in 2006. He is challenged by Mr Burnside, who came within a few hundred votes of Mr. Parker in 2010, by David Sparrow and other candidates who will be covered in the weeks to come. Jon Burnside draws large crowd to Leaside event
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An enthusiastic crowd of as many 250 people was on hand at the Amsterdam Brewery at 45 Esander Drive to hear Jon Burnside lay out his vision of change for Ward 26 if he wins the next municipal election in October. Mr. Burnside, seen at right with his friend Charlene Kew, is a former police officer. He is now a well-known businessman, owner of Homestyle Meals Delivered in Leaside. Among those present Sunday was Toronto actor Wilbert Headley (pictured lower right) who recalled for the South Bayview Bulldog how he met Mr. Burnside. “I like to cycle up Bayview Ave and around the grounds of the park,” he said. “Jon was on duty up there and one day he said I looked tired. He said throw your bike in the trunk of the car and I’ll drive you home.” It was an act of kindness Headley has not forgotten. Also present were Conservative MP Patrick Brown from Barrie, John Walker, owner of Global Pet Food, well-known Leasiders Charlene Kalia, Patrick Rocca, Vanessa Rose and Andy Elder. One of Burnside’s former school-mates, Michael Tutton of the Ontario Lottery Corporation, was in the crowd with Marcy Gerstein. In his opening remarks, Burnside acknowledged his mother, who is 88 and recalled her recent decision to celebrate the day by heading off to Casino Rama. Mr. Burnside recalled how he had grown up on Airdrie Road and “played ball hockey during rush hour.” His more serious remarks however were designed to illustrate the meaning of his slogan — Burnside, On Your Side. He noted how when he was a police officer the department was plagued by the “Flemingdon Park gun tree.” Young men would hide a community gun in a local tree, ready for anyone who wanted it for a crime but untraceable to the last user. The police removed the gun, but there was always another one there,” said the candidate. “Finally police decided to cut down the tree. But there was another tree.” Burnside recounted how he was moved by the lack of things for young men to do in Flemingdon. He decided to start a local hockey program, scrounging for equipment, money and other necessities. He was stung, he said, because “the local councillor wouldn’t help to get ice time” for the teams. So Burnside did it himself. Today the Flemingdon program thrives and is copied elsewhere, he said. To make such change happen, said Burnside, “you need to vote for a better councillor.” He was offering himself, he said, as an alternative to the status quo. The context of the battle for Ward 26 is not complete. The election is more than four months away. The incumbent councillor is John Parker, first elected in 2006. He is challenged by Mr Burnside, who came within a few hundred votes of Mr. Parker in 2010, by David Sparrow and other candidates who will be covered in the weeks to come.