Author: Stephanie Gomez

Rick Ball: ATU Marathon Man

Rick Ball, a TTC Subway Mechanic from Orillia, is a long-time member of ATU 113 who lost his left leg below the knee in a 1986 accident. He took up running in 2007 and quickly became a world-class amputee Marathoner with the dream of running in the world’s most prestigious Marathon in Boston.

On April 20, 2009, Rick not only ran in the 113th Boston Marathon but did so in record-breaking time. At 3:01:50, he finished in the top six percent of all runners in the Marathon and handily beat the previous 3:04:00 record for a single amputee set by Australian Amy Winters at the 2007 Chicago Marathon. Ball’s time is recognized as the new world record by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

“We are thrilled that Rick has achieved his dream of setting a world record in the world’s most famous marathon,” says Bob Kinnear, President of ATU 113, which represents 9,000 workers at the Toronto Transit Commission.

“Besides being a world class runner, he is also a world class human being, who gives much of his time to inspiring and helping children achieve their own dreams. We could not be prouder that he is a member of our union.”

One month after Boston, Rick set a new world record for the 10K distance at the Nordion Ottawa 10K Marathon. Shortly afterwards, he was invited to join Canada’s Paralympics Team and began the journey toward his next dream of representing Canada in the 2012 London Paralympics. On June 27, 2009, Rick ran the 10,000 meter event at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Toronto and finished an amazing 14th overall, winning the Gold Medal in the T44 category (single leg amputee).

For an up-to-date history of this amazing athlete, visit his Facebook page and become a fan.

Wed, 2009-09-23

ATU Local 113 is a proud supporter of Courage Canada, a Federally-registered non-profit organization founded in 2008 by Mark John DeMontis to give visually impaired children an opportunity to play hockey. Promoting awareness and fundraising for the unique program, the only one of its kind in the world, was the reason DeMontis began his “Quest to the West” on June 27. Starting in Toronto, Mark has been inline skating the 5000 kilometres to Vancouver, where he and his team expect to arrive in mid-October.

[image align=”alignleft” image_size_alias=”300*225″ image_alt=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” action=”none” image_action_link=”#” target=”_self” link_title=”” sc_id=”sc1336104121976″]http://atu113.server5.unionstrategiesinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1BK.jpg[/image] ATU Local 113 President Bob Kinnear gives Mark DeMontis a $5,000 cheque from the members of the union at a celebration prior to Mark’s “Quest to the West” inline skate marathon to Vancouver.

[image align=”alignleft” image_size_alias=”300*225″]http://atu113.server5.unionstrategiesinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/van.jpg[/image]Close-up of the Courage Canada Van.

[image align=”alignleft” image_size_alias=”300*225″]http://atu113.server5.unionstrategiesinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/van2.jpg[/image]The Courage Canada Van. The familiar Maple Leaf logo of Local 113 is on both sides of the van along with those of other sponsors, Tim Horton’s, Reebok and the Lions Club.

Thursday, Sep 24

Local 113 was on hand at C.W. Jefferys Collegiate in northwest Toronto to celebrate the launch of the “Level the Playing Field” program of The Argos Foundation, in partnership with the Toronto Argonauts Football Club, the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Foundation for Student Success. Local 113 has been a major supporter of the Argos Foundation since its inception.

Students at C.W. Jefferys Collegiate, gathered outside on their field to witness the return of their school’s football team for the first time in 19 years. Through The Level the Playing Field Program, The Argos Foundation has provided the funding for four Toronto high schools to resurrect their football teams, lost years ago to funding restraints. This year, C.W. Jefferys at Jane and Finch, North Albion Collegiate in Rexdale, Eastern Commerce in East York and Lester B. Pearson in Malvern, have welcomed students back to the gridiron.

Rocco Signorile, Local 113 Executive Board Member for Roncesvalles/Russell/Wheel-Trans, represented the Local.

Each school will have a designated Toronto Argonauts player as an ambassador to their team, attending practices, pep rallies and games at their designated schools. Toronto Argonauts Cheerleaders will work with the school’s cheerleading team, teaching them dance routines and sideline cheers. Even the Toronto Argonauts Coaching staff are getting involved, hosting an exclusive coach’s clinic for the new team coaches.

[image align=”alignleft” image_size_alias=”250*194″ image_alt=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” action=”none” image_action_link=”#” target=”_self” link_title=”” sc_id=”sc1336104121976″]http://atu113.server5.unionstrategiesinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Argos.jpg[/image]Rocco with CITY-TV newscaster Dwight Drummond, a member of the board of the Argos Foundation and a former C.W. Jefferys student. Drummond thanked ATU Local 113 for their support of the Argos Foundation and also for our generosity in helping fund The Children’s Breakfast Club, which provides a nutritious morning meal for hundreds of disadvantaged school children.

[image align=”alignleft” image_size_alias=”250*194″ image_alt=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” action=”none” image_action_link=”#” target=”_self” link_title=”” sc_id=”sc1336104121976″]http://atu113.server5.unionstrategiesinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Argos.jpg[/image]Rocco Signorile with the quarterbacks of two of the high school teams being supported by the Argos Foundation, along with Argos QB Kerry Joseph.

Wed, 2009-12-16

December 16, 2009

A public poll commissioned by Local 113 of the Amalgamated Transit Union found that four out of five City of Toronto residents approve the idea of giving free public transit service on the TTC to Canadian veterans of World War II and the Korean War.

“We’re not surprised but we’re gratified at the huge public support for our proposal,” said Local 113 President Bob Kinnear.

Kinnear had advocated the free service for vets at the November meeting of the Toronto Transit Commission. The Commissioners will consider the proposal at its January 2010 meeting.

The poll asked 497 Toronto residents if they supported free TTC service for the vets. 80.7 per cent indicated their agreement with this idea. 11.7 per cent disagreed and 7.7 per cent were not sure or had no opinion. The poll, conducted by Toronto-based Public Polling, an automated phone survey company, is accurate to within 4.4 per cent 19 times out of 20.

“We hope this poll assists the Commissioners in making a favourable decision for vets on this matter,” said Kinnear. “It is obviously not a permanent liability because all these vets are over 70 years old. It’s about time we gave this small gesture of thanks for their service to those who are still able to take the TTC.

“We were also pleased to learn from the poll that young people were as likely as older respondents to favour the free TTC service for vets. It speaks well of them that they recognize the value of the sacrifices made by their grandparents’ generation.”

In Ontario, the cities of Windsor, Guelph and Peterborough currently provide free transit for Canadian World War II and Korean War veterans. It is not known how many such veterans live in Toronto.

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Fri, 2012-05-25

[image align=”alignleft” image_size_alias=”400*327″ image_alt=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” action=”none” image_action_link=”#” target=”_self” link_title=”” sc_id=”sc1336104121976″]http://atu113.server5.unionstrategiesinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Kinnear-Ainslies-WMT-Site.jpg[/image] The members of ATU Local 113 donated $5,000 towards the Rouge Valley Health System Foundation in conjunction with a “bed race” at Scarborough Town Centre at which the union fielded a team. The money was enough to fund one state-of-the-art hospital bed for the Rouge Valley Centenary Hospital, the main facility of the eastern Toronto health system. The goal of the event was to raise enough for 100 new beds.

“This donation is consistent with Local 113’s longstanding commitment to give back to the community we serve, especially in the areas of health care and programs for the disadvantaged,” said Bob Kinnear, who presented the cheque to Fundraising Co-Chair Ward 43 Councillor Paul Ainslie.