Read these temperatures and smile. See you on South Bayview.

Students Weadee, Lauryn, Grace, Victoria and Weajue. Not present James and Harley

At Nine Elms Military Cemetery in Thelus.

Weadee Mombo at Nine Elms Military Cemetery in Thelus.

Victoria Whalen at Nine Elms Military Cemetery in Thelus.

Seven students from Leaside High School under the guidance of teacher Caralin Fleet have made the pilgrimage to Vimy Ridge and stood where nearly 4,000 Canadian soldiers died. The students are Weadee Mombo, Victoria Whalen, James Le Noury, Harley Smyth, Grace Landry, Lauryn Watters and Weajue Mombo. Their thrilling opportunity to join 25,000 other Canadians at this sacred place in the nation’s history was part of a Canada-wide excursion planned by EF Tours and sanctioned by LHS. The trip has been the kind of mind-broadening and no doubt dizzying experience that young people feel when they travel so far from home

EACH STUDENT RESEARCHED A SOLDIER

It began with the LHS group touching down in Paris and traveling to Vimy for three days. From there Ms. Fleet’s tour heads to Amsterdam and Berlin. “In each city, we’ve been seeing various sites of historical significance, primarily relating to both World Wars (and some other history in Paris as well)” the LHS teacher told The South Bayview Bulldog by email. “To increase the personal connection, each school was paired with a cemetery in France. Ours was the Nine Elms Military Cemetery in Thelus. Each of my students chose a soldier to research, and then they brought Canadian flags to place at their graves. Yesterday, of course, was the big event at Vimy with 25,000 in attendance, including about 12,000 Canadian students. The kids really found it moving.” said the teacher. See Leaside Vimy Ridge Facebook

STUDENT REFLECTIONS

Weadee Mombo
Since there are no remaining soldiers from the First World War, it so important that Canadian youth remember what took place at Vimy. The men that fought that day; both anglophone and francophone alike came together with pride and united a nation. If we could all come together as they did 100 years ago, we would accomplish things we never could divided.

Victoria Whalen
Even the thought of being at Vimy was special in and of itself, however the actual experience I can’t really put into words! Just being there as a Canadian remembering our fallen soldiers on the 100th anniversary was once in a lifetime It’s so important that kids travel and get out there to be more aware of their surroundings, as that’s definitely what’s happened to us during our trip to Vimy Ridge!

James Le Noury
What an experience, to be there with my 25000 fellow Canadians there to witness the 100th anniversary of Canada’s coming of age. What a patriotic feeling it was to hear everyone shouting out the lyrics to Oh Canada and to hear the roar of our jets over the crowd. Overall yesterday was a very moving and inspirational experience.

Harley Smyth
My experience at Vimy yesterday was incredible and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. My favourite moment was when the Canadian national anthem was playing and all 25 000 Canadians were singing. It was an incredible experience. I felt very lucky to be able to attend and very proud to be Canadian. It was unforgettable.

Grace Landry
When we’re learning about the events in WW1 and specifically at Vimy Ridge in class, it never felt real; it was just a bunch of words on pages. Actually being there and standing in the same spot thousands of Canadian soldiers previously stood was life changing. There are no living soldiers who fought at Vimy Ridge remaining. It is so important that future generations continue to remember their sacrifice to ensure no events like the ones that took place during WW1 ever happen again. Just being there with thousands of Canadians made me realize how lucky we are that we’re here and if it wasn’t for those soldiers Canada wouldn’t be the same. It was an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget.

Lauryn Watters
Vimy Ridge was an experience like I’ve never had before. Being there with Canadians from all over the country celebrating different elements of our culture at such an important and proud moment in our history made me feel so proud to be Canadian. It also made the history so much more real. Seeing the names of all the fallen soldiers on the monument and all the cemeteries in the surrounding area really helped show how devastating this event was. I think it’s important that youth see this to help better understand the consequences of war so that we can work to prevent similar events in the future.

Weajue Mombo
Living in Canada, we tend to feel distant from the horrors of war, but that is definitely not the case in France. Being here, especially in the Vimy region, the war continues to be present everywhere. We can see the craters left from the bombs, walk through the trenches, and visit the graves of Canadian soldiers. Standing at the Vimy memorial service along with thousands of Canadians made me remember how proud we should all be of the history we have.

Michael Rusek posted pictures of solemn observances marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at East York Civic Centre on Coxwell Ave.

Last June

Welcome home

Signs to be installed

Residence of A&W

The long-standing arrangement between A&W Canada and Suncor Energy, owners of Petro Canada, has produced a marvel of fast-food accommodation at the northeast corner of Jarvis and Wellesley Sts. soon to open. The full line of A&W burgers and including no doubt the all-day breakfast will be dished up in a new red brick “residence” (our word) complete with cornices no less. It now sits nearly finished on half the Petro Canada lot at the busy corner. It’s a location where a typical A&W plastic and glass one-counter pop-stand apparently would not do. No sir. For the hordes of kids with available cash across the street at Jarvis Collegiate Institute to all-day traffic from business abounding and the late-night drive-by crowd, it will be like eating at home (more or less).

Bombs tore through two Egyptian churches in different cities as worshipers were marking Palm Sunday, killing at least 43 people and wounding around 100. The Euronews report on the left is dated but reveals the moment of the blast in one of the churches in the Nile Delta City of Tanta. On the right, the CNN video shows the bomber trying to get into a second church and being turned away. He then detonates the bomb just off screen.

On a February Saturday about 4 p.m. a man and a woman stole a bank deposit bag containing a large quantity of cash from a vendor at the St. Lawrence Market at Jarvis Street and Front Street East. Police are now releasing surveillance pictures which they hope will lead to arrests. The man is described as 40-50, 180 lbs., black short receding hair, wearing light blue or grey denim jeans, and a black jacket with a fur-trimmed hood. The woman is described as 35-45, brown hair, wearing a black jacket or vest, black shirt or sweater with a white stripe across the chest, pants with a white stripe on the legs, and black boots or shoes.

Police have issued a public safety alert and are looking for two suspects after two attempted carjackings Sunday morning. The first was at Wilson Avenue and Allen Road area where the two showed a gun to a woman motorist before fleeing in a white van. Soon after, the same two tried to carjack another woman at Victoria Park and Ellesmere area by showing a gun and threatening her. But they were scared off and fled in the white van. Police say both incidents happened near coffee shops. The perpetrators have dark complexions, slim builds and are between 20 and 30 years old. One was wearing a grey jacket. The second was wearing a black jacket and red shirt.

STOLEN OXYCODONE

On Friday morning three containers of Oxycodone codeine medication were stolen in the Queen Street East and Carlaw Avenue area. The pills could be harmful/fatal if ingested, especially to children.

WHAT SHOULD WE MAKE OF VIMY?

What should we make of Vimy Ridge a hundred years later? It was a staggeringly costly battle far from home in which more than 3,500 Canadians died and 7.500 were wounded. The sense of duty and raw courage required by those who were there might well make us marvel. Today some 25,000 Canadians will be on the ground to honour the sacrifice and perhaps, try to make sense of it all. Some will visit the graves of great, great relatives.

VIMY AT HOME

Here at home, the history of Vimy is a story all its own. In the early days, widows, orphans and those left alone came to grips with the terrifying bloodshed and loss by finding solace in victory. Empire and the reputed forging of a new identity for Canada were the focus. But the succeeding chasm over conscription divided Canada for decades. Robert Borden, a Toronto lawyer was prime minister. His government imposed mandatory duty on Quebecers. It inspired rioting and resentment that lasted for decades. In the sixties, the father of the current prime minister made it his business to submerge memories of military victories. For years no one, certainly not cabinet ministers, spoke of Vimy.

Connor Brown scored the go-ahead goal with less than three minutes left in regulation as the Leafs clinched their first playoff berth since 2013 with a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. CBC

Former BSS Head Judith Carlisle

In happier times (l-r) Head of School Deryn Lavell, Judith Carlisle and Board of Governors Chair Cindy Tripp ’82

The summer of 2017 will be one of change for Bishop Strachan School as school head Deryn Lavell resigns after eight years and the new head, Judith Carlisle, comes on board. Ms. Carlisle has a distinguished record in the United Kingdom where she has had leadership roles at a number of schools. She is now head of Oxford High School, part of the Girl’s Day School Trust alliance, the largest grouping of private schools for girls in the UK. The news release issued by BSS earlier this year noted Carlisle’s initiative known as “Goodbye Little Miss Perfect,” the goal of which is to teach students to make the distinction between high standards and “unhelpful perfectionism.’’ The Search is Over!  Girl’s Day School Trust 

Friends and fellow members of the Leaside Curling Club will meet Monday, April 10, 2017 to celebrate the life of Mildred (Millie) McConnell who died March 8, 2017. Millie was a founding member of the club. Members of her family will attend the reception in the lounge of the club at 1075 Millwood Rd. from 1 to 3 p.m. The club has posted an invitation to “one and all” to share memories of Millie and extend condolences to her family.