The Beach-Riverdale Mirror

The vest is pretty well a thing of the past in men's clothing stores now, but anybody with a boss who, weather permitting, spends every workday afternoon on the golf course then gets a hefty performance bonus and a fat raise at year's end will catch my drift.

We have a similar situation right here involving a sweeping boulevard strategically located in Canada's greatest city.

It is Queen Street East and sometimes its many attributes are overshadowed by our marvelous waterfront beach. That stretch is an unequalled asset for the entire region, but hey, how often does Lake Ontario have back-to-school sales and how often do these shimmering sands contribute to local fund drives?

There are some who may think that statement is a little far-fetched, but I believe it is time to give credit where credit is due. Water is water and sand is always just sand, but the truth of the matter is that Queen Street East is many things to many people.

Fruit and flowers can be found at many locations, there is a first-rate cheese shop, a busy library, clothing and hardware stores and even financial institutions where one can replenish one's wallet after a hard day's shopping.

For single young people of frolicsome nature, it is a sort of off-leash park while others gather nightly at places such as Spiaggia or Whitlock's or Balsam to partake of fine food and drink while engaging in spirited conversation.

On warm evenings the sounds of music can be heard all up the down the thoroughfare, which is only fitting seeing as how it is the locale for the wildly popular Beaches Jazz Festival.

And for sports fans it is worthy of note that on the east side of Lee Avenue, a few doors south of Queen, stands a home where the immortal Hooley Smith lived for several years.

The late Mr. Smith was a professional hockey player who starred for the Ottawa Senators team that captured the Stanley Cup in 1927. Now, before all you Maple Leaf loyalists get upset and start accusing me of making some kind of sneaky reference to your heroes and their 40-year drought when it comes to Stanley Cup triumphs, I hasten to point out that King Clancy also played on that Ottawa team. Then Leaf owner Conn Smythe purchased the skilled defenceman, slapped a Maple Leaf uniform on him and quicker than you can say Eddie Shack, championship banners started waving in the rafters at the old Maple Leaf Gardens of hallowed memory.

Hmm, maybe the Leafs could make an offer for that nice Alfredsson fella.