Willowdale, Toronto
Encyclopedia
Willowdale is an established, affluent community in the city of Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
, located in the district of North York. It was originally called Lansing, which is now the name of a nearby neighbourhood.
Willowdale was originally a village centred at the intersection of Willowdale Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East
43°45′50"N 79°23′59"W, where a number of small business and commercial buildings still remain. The boundaries of the current neighbourhood extend as far east as Victoria Park Avenue
, west to Bathurst Street
, south to the 401 freeway, and north to Steeles Avenue
. The neighbourhood abuts Bayview Village
to the east and is considered to overlap Newtonbrook to the north. North York Centre
is centred at the intersection of
Yonge Street
and Empress Avenue and is commonly thought to be a part of Willowdale, though its high-rise residential and commercial development in recent years sets it apart from much of the rest of Willowdale.
The Willowdale neighbourhood consists of single family homes, condominium townhouses and high-rise condominium towers. High density development is restricted along Yonge Street. The single family homes range in age from the original 1910 to 1950s construction (one and two-storey pre-war houses and modest one-and-half storey postwar houses). After the 1990s, very large replacement two-storey luxury homes were constructed by tearing down the original houses. It is in this neighbourhood that the term "monster homes" was first applied by Torontonians.
, a proprietor of a tinsmith shop on Yonge Street
and a self trained doctor and veterinarian. Cummer was held in such high esteem by his neighbours that this area was originally known as Kummer's Settlement.
David Gibson, a distinguished land surveyor, was another leader in this community. Like most of his neighbours, Gibson participated in the ill-fated Upper Canada Rebellion
of 1837. He was thus charged with high treason and escaped to the United States were he found employment as the First Assistant Engineer on the building of the Erie Canal
.
Gibson returned to his Yonge Street
farm in 1851, after being pardoned for his role in the Rebellion. He then helped to establish the "'Willow Dale"' post office, named after the many willow trees that once graced this district. Members of the Gibson family were still living in Gibson House
in the 1920s when the residential subdivision of Willowdale began to take place.
The Gibson House, circa 1851, is still standing in its original location at 5172 Yonge Street and is now a historic museum.
23.7%, Korean: 9.6%, and Jewish:
5.8%.
While English
is the mother tongue for 43.7% of the population, other languages with large numbers of speakers include: Chinese:
16%, Korean:
5.4%, and Russian:
5.1%.
The Cummers, who were the first German loyalists and farmers from Pennsylvania, had Lutheran roots. However, they readily mixed in with and married people with Methodist and other roots. Thus the chapel was designated as non-denominational.
A large, yellow, brick and stucco church with a tall spire replaced the log building in 1856. It was called the Methodist Episcopal Church, and became part of the new United Church of Canada
in 1925. Between 1931 and 1932, Yonge Street was widened and the front end of the church, facing west, was removed. The front door was relocated to the south side of the building.
Following World War II
, many veterans and their families began to settle in Willowdale. In 1946, the Rev. Welburn Jones became the minister of Willowdale United Church and initiated a building program. In 1954 a substantial building was built on nearby Kenneth Avenue. In 1966, his successor, the Rev. Lindsay G. King, replaced him and completed the program. The Rev. King spent the rest of his ministry, twenty seven years, at WUC. After just over forty years of service, he retired—he prefers to say that he re-directed—to live in Thornhill to which he and his wife Jean (Turner) had moved in 1988.
While he was the minister of WUC, the Rev. King wrote a regular column for the community paper and he was frequently heard on radio and television, including the CTV and the CBC. Because of his life-long interest in bringing psychology, religion and health together, in 1973 he initiated the founding of the Family Life Foundation of Willowdale. It is a registered federal charity encouraging the development of healthy community and family life—including body, mind and spirit—regardless of race, creed or religion. Believing in re-directment and skilled in personal and family counseling, the Rev. King said that he would continue to volunteer his services to the FLF and the community—www.flfcanada.com—for the rest of his life on earth.
bus routes, Toronto Transit Commission
bus routes and subway lines, Viva (bus rapid transit)
, and York Region Transit
.
Toronto Transit Commission
Viva (bus rapid transit)
York Region Transit
Yonge–University–Spadina line
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located in the district of North York. It was originally called Lansing, which is now the name of a nearby neighbourhood.
Willowdale was originally a village centred at the intersection of Willowdale Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East
Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue is an east-west principal arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A small portion of a continuation of the road in Pickering, Ontario is also called Sheppard Avenue.-History:...
43°45′50"N 79°23′59"W, where a number of small business and commercial buildings still remain. The boundaries of the current neighbourhood extend as far east as Victoria Park Avenue
Victoria Park Avenue
Victoria Park Avenue is a major north-south route in eastern Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marks the border between the Old City of Toronto and Scarborough.-History:Victoria Park Avenue was originally a pioneer road for settlement of Scarborough...
, west to Bathurst Street
Bathurst Street (Toronto)
Bathurst Street is a main north-south thoroughfare in Toronto. It begins at the Lake Ontario shoreline and continues north to the Toronto boundary of Steeles Avenue...
, south to the 401 freeway, and north to Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western Greater Toronto Area from Milborough Townline in Halton Region east to the Scarborough-Pickering limit. It runs for within...
. The neighbourhood abuts Bayview Village
Bayview Village
Bayview Village is an affluent neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, formerly in North York before it was amalgamated into Toronto in 1998. It is part of the federal and provincial electoral district Willowdale, and Toronto electoral wards 24: Willowdale and 33: Don Valley North...
to the east and is considered to overlap Newtonbrook to the north. North York Centre
North York Centre
North York Centre is a town centre in North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Prior to the Amalgamation of Toronto in 1998, it was considered the central business district of the former city of North York...
is centred at the intersection of
Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and Empress Avenue and is commonly thought to be a part of Willowdale, though its high-rise residential and commercial development in recent years sets it apart from much of the rest of Willowdale.
The Willowdale neighbourhood consists of single family homes, condominium townhouses and high-rise condominium towers. High density development is restricted along Yonge Street. The single family homes range in age from the original 1910 to 1950s construction (one and two-storey pre-war houses and modest one-and-half storey postwar houses). After the 1990s, very large replacement two-storey luxury homes were constructed by tearing down the original houses. It is in this neighbourhood that the term "monster homes" was first applied by Torontonians.
History
Willowdale was originally settled by Jacob Cummer, who immigrated to Canada from the United States in 1797. Cummer was a mill owner on the nearby Don RiverDon River (Toronto)
The Don River is one of two rivers bounding the original settled area of Toronto, Ontario along the shore of Lake Ontario, the other being the Humber River to the west. The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into...
, a proprietor of a tinsmith shop on Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and a self trained doctor and veterinarian. Cummer was held in such high esteem by his neighbours that this area was originally known as Kummer's Settlement.
David Gibson, a distinguished land surveyor, was another leader in this community. Like most of his neighbours, Gibson participated in the ill-fated Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
of 1837. He was thus charged with high treason and escaped to the United States were he found employment as the First Assistant Engineer on the building of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
.
Gibson returned to his Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
farm in 1851, after being pardoned for his role in the Rebellion. He then helped to establish the "'Willow Dale"' post office, named after the many willow trees that once graced this district. Members of the Gibson family were still living in Gibson House
Gibson House
Gibson House is a museum in the North York Centre neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History:This historic property was built in 1851 by David Gibson, a Scottish immigrant, land surveyor and participant of the Rebellion of 1837...
in the 1920s when the residential subdivision of Willowdale began to take place.
The Gibson House, circa 1851, is still standing in its original location at 5172 Yonge Street and is now a historic museum.
Demographics
Population
Home to 79,440 people, Willowdale is an ethnically diverse community, with 59% of all Willowdale residents being immigrants as of 2006. Major ethnic groups in Willowdale include: Chinese:Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
23.7%, Korean: 9.6%, and Jewish:
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
5.8%.
While English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is the mother tongue for 43.7% of the population, other languages with large numbers of speakers include: Chinese:
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
16%, Korean:
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
5.4%, and Russian:
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
5.1%.
Willowdale United Church
The first "church" in Willowdale was called the Cummer Chapel, located at the northwest corner of what is now Yonge and Churchill. This log meeting house was built in 1816 by Jacob Cummer on part of his farm. He and other early members of the church are buried in the cemetery which remains on the site, now on the east side of Yonge Street.The Cummers, who were the first German loyalists and farmers from Pennsylvania, had Lutheran roots. However, they readily mixed in with and married people with Methodist and other roots. Thus the chapel was designated as non-denominational.
A large, yellow, brick and stucco church with a tall spire replaced the log building in 1856. It was called the Methodist Episcopal Church, and became part of the new United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
in 1925. Between 1931 and 1932, Yonge Street was widened and the front end of the church, facing west, was removed. The front door was relocated to the south side of the building.
Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, many veterans and their families began to settle in Willowdale. In 1946, the Rev. Welburn Jones became the minister of Willowdale United Church and initiated a building program. In 1954 a substantial building was built on nearby Kenneth Avenue. In 1966, his successor, the Rev. Lindsay G. King, replaced him and completed the program. The Rev. King spent the rest of his ministry, twenty seven years, at WUC. After just over forty years of service, he retired—he prefers to say that he re-directed—to live in Thornhill to which he and his wife Jean (Turner) had moved in 1988.
While he was the minister of WUC, the Rev. King wrote a regular column for the community paper and he was frequently heard on radio and television, including the CTV and the CBC. Because of his life-long interest in bringing psychology, religion and health together, in 1973 he initiated the founding of the Family Life Foundation of Willowdale. It is a registered federal charity encouraging the development of healthy community and family life—including body, mind and spirit—regardless of race, creed or religion. Believing in re-directment and skilled in personal and family counseling, the Rev. King said that he would continue to volunteer his services to the FLF and the community—www.flfcanada.com—for the rest of his life on earth.
Amenities
- Newtonbrook Secondary SchoolNewtonbrook Secondary SchoolNewtonbrook Secondary School is a high school for students in Grades 9 to 12 in the Newtonbrook neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was part of the North York Board of Education until the Toronto school boards were amalgamated in the late 1990s....
- Elkhorn Public School
- Pineway Public School
- Empress WalkEmpress WalkEmpress Walk is a large condominum and retail complex at the intersection of Yonge Street and Empress Avenue in the North York Centre area of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Developed by Menkes Development, Phase 1 was completed in 1997 and Phase 2 by 2000...
- Claude Watson School for the ArtsClaude Watson School for the ArtsClaude Watson School for the Arts is both an intermediate school and an arts school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The main campus of the school was originally known as Lansing Public School #4 , and then later changed to Duke of Kent Public School and also Spring Garden Public School . In...
- Earl Haig Secondary SchoolEarl Haig Secondary SchoolEarl Haig Secondary School is a public high school with a student body of about 2,300 students in Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school's principal is Renata Gonsalves.-History:...
- A. Y. Jackson Secondary SchoolA. Y. Jackson Secondary School (Toronto)A. Y. Jackson Secondary School is a secondary school for grades 10 to 12 located in North York, a suburb north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the North York community of Metropolitan Toronto. It was opened in 1970 by the North York Board of Education, and is now operated by its...
- St. John's Rehabilitation Hospital
- St. Joseph's Morrow Park High School
- Brebeuf College SchoolBrebeuf College SchoolBrebeuf College School is a Roman Catholic all-boys' high school in Toronto founded by the Jesuits in 1963 and associated with the Presentation Brothers since 1984...
- Tyndale University College and SeminaryTyndale University College and SeminaryTyndale University College and Seminary is an accredited Christian institution of higher education in the Protestant Evangelical tradition located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Tyndale students come from over 40 different Christian denominations and more than 30 different ethnic groups. Tyndale...
- Highland Junior High School
- Zion Heights Junior High SchoolZion Heights Junior High SchoolZion Heights Junior High School is an intermediate school for students in Grade 7 to Grade 9 in the north end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was opened in 1967 by the North York Board of Education, and is currently owned and operated by its successor, the Toronto District School...
- Canadian Memorial Chiropractic CollegeCanadian Memorial Chiropractic CollegeThe Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College is a fully accredited academic institution recognized as one of the most rigourous and innovative chiropractic programs in North America. With graduates now practising in 43 countries around the world, CMCC’s focus is the delivery of world class...
- St. Andrew's Junior High School
- Owen Blvd. Public School
- Georges Vanier Secondary SchoolGeorges Vanier Secondary SchoolGeorges Vanier Secondary School is a public high school located in Toronto, Ontario.The school was selected by the Canadian Education Association as one of 21 exemplary schools across Canada. There are many specialized courses offered in the school...
Transport
Willowdale is served by GO TransitGO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
bus routes, Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
bus routes and subway lines, Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva is a bus rapid transit service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region and connections to northern Toronto.Viva was...
, and York Region Transit
York Region Transit
York Region Transit is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road....
.
Buses
GO TransitGO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
- 19 Oakville Hwy 403 GO Bus
- 27 Milton Hwy 401 GO Bus
- 32 Brampton Trinity Common GO Bus
- 95 Oshawa Hwy 2 Express GO Bus
- 96 Oshawa Hwy 401 GO Bus
Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
- 7 Bathurst
- 11 Bayview
- 36 Finch West
- 39 Finch East
- 42 Cummer
- 53 Steeles East
- 60 Steeles West
- 84 Sheppard West
- 85 Sheppard East
- 97 Yonge
- 98 Willowdale-Senlac
- 125 Drewry
- 160 Bathurst North
- 196 York University Rocket
Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva is a bus rapid transit service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region and connections to northern Toronto.Viva was...
- Viva BlueViva BlueViva Blue, or the Finch/Richmond Hill/Newmarket line, is a line on the Viva bus rapid transit system in York Region, north of Toronto, Canada...
- Viva PinkViva PinkViva Pink, or the Finch-Richmond Hill-Unionville line, is a bus rapid transit line in York Region, north of Toronto, Canada.There are eighteen stations on the Viva Pink line, plus one proposed :...
York Region Transit
York Region Transit
York Region Transit is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road....
- 2 Milliken
- 5 Clark
- 23 Thornhill Woods
- 77 Highway 7
- 88/88A/88E Bathurst/Bathurst Express
- 91/91A/91B/91E Bayview South
- 99 Yonge
- 300 Business Express
- 301 Markham Express
- 302 Unionville Express
- 303 Bur Oak Express
Subway stations
Sheppard Line- Sheppard-YongeSheppard-Yonge (TTC)Sheppard-Yonge is a station on the Yonge-University-Spadina and Sheppard lines of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the third busiest subway station in the system, after Bloor-Yonge, and St...
- BayviewBayview (TTC)Bayview is a station on the Sheppard line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 550 Sheppard Avenue East, at Bayview Avenue. It opened in 2002.- Architecture and art :Stevens Group Architects designed the station...
- BessarionBessarion (TTC)Bessarion is a station on the Sheppard line of the subway/RT system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 701 Sheppard Avenue East at Bessarion Road and Burbank Drive, and was opened in 2002. The station is, , the second least-used in the TTC’s subway network...
Yonge–University–Spadina line
- FinchFinch (TTC)Finch is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 5714 Yonge Street between Finch Avenue East and West...
- North York CentreNorth York Centre (TTC)North York Centre is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at 5152 Yonge Street, where Yonge is intersected by Park Home Avenue and Empress Avenue. This is within North York Centre, a high density area of the Willowdale neighbourhood...
- Sheppard-YongeSheppard-Yonge (TTC)Sheppard-Yonge is a station on the Yonge-University-Spadina and Sheppard lines of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the third busiest subway station in the system, after Bloor-Yonge, and St...
Notable residents
Famous residents of Willowdale past and present include:- Seymour SchulichSeymour SchulichSeymour Schulich, CM is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. -Biography:Schulich graduated from McGill University with a B.Sc. in 1961 and an MBA in 1965. He earned a Chartered Financial Analyst designation through the University of Virginia in 1969.He is married to Tanna and they live in...
, Canadian businessman and philanthropist - Henry LauHenry LauHenry Lau , better known mononymously as Henry, is a Chinese Canadian singer songwriter. He is a member of the Mandopop boy band Super Junior-M....
of the MandopopMandopopMandopop is a colloquial abbreviation for "Mandarin popular music." It is categorized as a subgenre of commercial Chinese-language music within C-pop. Mandopop was the first variety of popular music in Chinese to establish itself as a viable industry. As the name implies, Mandopop features songs...
group Super Junior M - NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Winston Cup Series driver Frog FaganFrog FaganHarold "Frog" Fagan was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver from the Toronto subdivision of Willowdale, Ontario, Canada.-History:... - Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player Kirk McLeanKirk McLeanKirk Alan McLean is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League for the New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers... - Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player Mark Napier - Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player Steve ShuttSteve ShuttStephen John Shutt is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He was an integral part of the Montreal Canadiens team that won five Stanley Cups in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979.-Early years:... - BassistBassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
and lead singer Geddy LeeGeddy LeeGary Lee Weinrib, OC, better known as Geddy Lee , is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush...
of Progressive rockProgressive rockProgressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band RushRush (band)Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart... - Lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
player Alex LifesonAlex LifesonAleksandar Živojinović, OC, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey...
of Progressive rock band Rush - News anchor Ravi BaichwalRavi BaichwalRavi Baichwal is a news anchor and reporter at WLS-TV in Chicago. In 2008 he won the Chicago Emmy Award for best anchor from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He was a CTV News Channel Morning anchor weekdays from 6 AM to 10 AM from 2002 to 2006...
of ABC Television - AuthorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Joseph BoydenJoseph BoydenJoseph Boyden is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. His first novel, Three Day Road won the Amazon/Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize... - NBA Star Wigger Joseph
- Singer David Clayton-ThomasDavid Clayton-ThomasDavid Clayton-Thomas is a Canadian musician and singer best known as the lead vocalist for the American band; Blood, Sweat & Tears...
of the group Blood, Sweat & TearsBlood, Sweat & TearsBlood, Sweat & Tears is an American music group, originally formed in 1967 in New York City. Since its beginnings in 1967, the band has gone through numerous iterations with varying personnel and has encompassed a multitude of musical styles... - ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Corey HaimCorey HaimCorey Ian Haim was a Canadian actor, known for a 1980s Hollywood career as a teen idol. He starred in a number of films such as Lucas, Silver Bullet, Murphy's Romance, License to Drive and Dream a Little Dream...
who was a star in the eighties and was in The Lost BoysThe Lost BoysThe Lost Boys is a 1987 American teen comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Alex Winter, Jamison Newlander, and Barnard Hughes.... - Chief News Anchor and Senior Editor, Lloyd RobertsonLloyd RobertsonLloyd Robertson, OC is the currently the co-host of CTV's weekly magazine series, W5. Robertson previously served as the chief anchor and senior editor of CTV's national evening newscast, CTV News with Lloyd Robertson, until September, 2011, when he retired from the CTV National News...
, O.C. of CTVCTV television networkCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
television network's nightly newscast, CTV News with Lloyd Robertson - Howie MandelHowie MandelHoward Michael "Howie" Mandel is a Canadian stand-up comedian, television host, and actor. He is well known as host of the NBC game show Deal or No Deal, as well as the show's daytime and Canadian-English counterparts. Before his career as a game show host, Mandel was best known for his role on...
- Joshua RajJoshua RajDr. Joshua Raj is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and an ordained minister, who authored A Biblical Approach to Indian Traditions and Beliefs, and A Guide to the Prevention and Treatment of Back Pain that is grounded in evidence-based research. Dr. Raj is a graduate of Seminary Theology Malaysia...
, orthopaedic surgeon and author
In popular culture
- The opening line of the song "The Necromancer" by Rush is: "As gray traces of dawn tinge the eastern sky, the three travelers, men of Willowdale [or Willow Dale], emerge from the forest shadow."