Scarborough Walk of Fame inductees unveil stars

Scarborough Walk of Fame inductees unveil stars. Scarborough Walk of Fame inductees Jay Hope, Vicki Bismilla, Dr. Harold Stein, Ron Watson, Dr. Dhun Noria, Peter Appleyard and Lawrence Gowan pose for photos during Thursday's ceremony at Scarborough Town Centre. Staff photo/DAN PEARCE

At a ceremony Thursday, May 12, Lawrence Gowan, Peter Appleyard, Ron Watson, Jay Hope, Vicki Bismilla, Dr. Nhun Noria and Dr. Harold Stein unveiled their stars in the new SWOF court at the Scarborough Town Centre.

Gowan's ties to Scarborough run deep. The 1980s rocker was born in Scotland, but moved here at a young age. He grew up in the Markham Road and Lawrence Avenue area and choose to raise his own children in Scarborough. He still maintains a home here and enjoys spending time there when he's not touring with Styx.

He made sure to speak to his manager to ensure May 12 was free on his schedule so he could attend the ceremony.

"It's something I did not expect, but was kind of hoping would happen," he said with a smile. "To be honoured alongside these people is a great thing."

Before being called up to the stage he was treated to a performance with his own music by the choir from the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts. The group sang his hits A Criminal Mind and Strange Animal. He had never heard his music performed by a choir and it left him speechless - almost.

"When I reflect upon growing up here, this is where I was inspired to want to be in music," he said and in an interview later shared he wrote A Criminal Mind in the basement of his parents' home. The song came to him suddenly and he realized he probably had something to which people could relate.

Music was a big part of the ceremony. Before the Gowan finale, Canadian jazz great Appleyard was also serenaded by pianist John Sherwood and Dinah Christie.

"Well, I can't follow that," Appleyard said as he made his way to the stage. And so instead he joined Sherwood at the piano and entertained the crowd with an impromptu duet.

At 81, Appleyard is still much the entertainer.

"You might wonder how I got into music, It was because of illicit sex," he said and then went on to recount the story of how as a young man in England he was in a record store listening to Benny Goodman and banging along as though playing the drums when a man asked if he was a drummer and then invited him to try out for Felix Mendlessohn's Hawaiian Serenaders. The drummer in the band had been caught by his wife in bed with another woman and she promptly destroyed his drum kit with an axe.

That first job led him overseas where he would play with the greats he admired.

"I never dreamt I'd find my way to North America and be asked to play with Benny Goodman," he said. "It's awfully nice to get a star for something you love to do."

In Toronto, he settled in a home perched atop the Scarborough Bluffs and stayed there until erosion caused the home to be condemned and it was only then he moved away. In 1992, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, but he is still honoured with every award.

"It's a great honour, absolutely," he said. "Especially to be alongside such talented people."

He was nominated for the star by previous recipient Cindy Nicholas.

Philanthropist and physician Dr. Dhun Noria was nominated for her star by colleagues at The Scarborough Hospital Birchmount Campus.

"I'm truly honoured to be working in this great city of Scarborough," she said.

Fellow physician Dr. Harold Stein also joined the ranks of the Walk of Fame. The eye surgeon first moved to Scarborough in 1958 and started his practice. He is an integral part of Scarborough's health care history as he was there when the Scarborough General Hospital was first being planned and he was elected its first chief of staff.

Former Scarborough councillor Ron Watson was humble about the honour. He served on council from 1966 to 1997 and was used to being behind the scenes at events such as these.

"Today they have a star for Ron Watson, but really it's Ron Watson representing the community of Scarborough," he said.

The star joins a park being named in his honour as part of the recognition for his years of service.

Jay Hope, former deputy chief of the Ontario Provincial Police, was honoured at the shopping centre where he got his first job 35 years ago.

Hope has broken many barriers becoming the highest-ranking black police officer in Canada and is only the second black deputy minister of correctional services, a position he still holds.

"I look forward to spending more of my years in Scarborough," he said.

Educator Vicki Bismilla was honoured for her many decades dedicated to public education in Ontario. She is a former teacher, principal, and superintendent of education. Today she serves as vice president, academic and chief learning officer of Centennial College.

"This is a very humbling experience, but I have to look at this as a recognition of the tens of thousands of teachers and support staff all across Scarborough...I am just one of these thousands," she said.

Following the afternoon ceremony, the recipients were honoured at a gala dinner Thursday night at the Delta Toronto East Hotel at Kennedy Road and Hwy. 401.