I am disappointed that Norway lost to England last Saturday, bringing an end to the charm of the Viking rowing chants and the constant stream of Haaland memes that were dominating my various algorithms. (Although I have a sneaking suspicion that more reels of the Norwegian striker are sure to continue coming my way via social media.) It may not be entirely accurate to call Norway an underdog team. Nevertheless, it was fun to root for the team that hadn’t been in serious FIFA World Cup contention for close to three decades. Watching them, and teams like Cabo Verde giving Argentina a literal run for their money, has been part of the thrill of the tournament. 

The opportunity to watch the games with other Willowdale fans has been even more thrilling. I was part of the viewing parties at North York Centre and Mel Lastman Square. When the planned screening of the match between Mexico and South Korea got cancelled due to weather, I found out that St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church was showing the group stage bout. I felt awkward walking into the church, not knowing anyone in the congregation. However, the group gathered there was welcoming, and we all cheered for both sides. 

Meanwhile my mother had been going to the Yonge Sheppard Centre on a daily basis, watching the World Cup in the viewing lounge. She would come back after each outing, full of tales of wins and losses, as well as the new friendships she formed at the gatherings. I went to the viewing lounge to catch the face-off between Brazil and Norway, and ended up talking to two soccer fans, Stephen Vogt and Ramy Zakhari, two long-time Willowdale residents. Although the duo felt that the World Cup vibes hadn’t taken over Toronto like previous tournaments, despite Canada being one of the host nations, they appreciate the opportunity to watch the games in a communal setting. You can read more about my conversation with them on our website.

While the World Cup has been the talk of the town, it’s not the only event to bring us out as a collective. The Edithvale Pollinator Garden celebrated its second anniversary on June 27. I had a chance to meet some of the volunteers who have been working hard to get the garden blooming, and was delighted to walk through the green space featuring a range of native plants that were attracting bees and butterflies. You can see a short video on the garden here. Meanwhile, our colleague Vicky Sanderson is working on a profile of the garden that’s taken several years to take root.

We are also working on several other stories, in between all the summer festivities in the neighbourhood. From farmers markets and movies in the park to weekend festivals at Mel Lastman Square, there is plenty to keep us busy. We will keep you posted on our coverage. And as always, we welcome suggestions about stories we should be digging into.

Fans come together despite limited free local public watch party opportunities

In case you missed it: Catch up and read Aparita’s June newsletter

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The Willowdale Wire