A large turnout of residents attended the Fifth Annual Induction Ceremony and Reception of the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame in the Lea Room at Leaside arena Friday. Among those present was Shawn O’Sullivan, former Leaside resident and Canada’s Athlete of the Year in 1984. Among many other distinctions, O’Sullivan won the gold medal as a light heavyweight in the World Amateur Championships. He was accompanied to the induction by his twin sister Maureen. The inductees were former Canadien Dave Gardner, long-distance runner Robert Moore, the late Phil Stein as a builder and O’Sullivan. Leaside Athlete of the Year was Mariah Hinds, a three-year defensive star with the Leaside Jr. Wildcats. She was unable to be present because she is attending classes at Lindenwood University in Missouri. The guest speaker was Charles (Spider) Jones, journalist, author and former boxer. Some of those present in the early evening of this event were Rob Oliphant MP, Jon Burnside (Ward 26) Ray White, Chair of the Board of Leaside Memorial Community Gardens, Alan Redway, former mayor of East York, Ann Brown, Chair of Community Relations at Leaside arena, Kim McCullough, head coach of the Junior Wildcats, realtor Patrick Rocca and Andy Elder of Grilltime. Mariah Hinds chosen Leaside’s 2017 Athlete of the Year
