Fundraiser in honour of Bailey Zaveda set for Dec. 13

Print

E-mail

Text

The Duke is gone but he won't be forgotten, assured George Politis, co-owner of Leslieville's Duke of York tavern.

"It was getting kind of old. The neighbourhood is changing. I knew that some people are kind of upset but we'll see what happens," said Politis, talking about the painted-over mural of a gun-toting John Wayne that used to grace an exterior wall of his establishment.

"After what happened, the pictures showed the gun and it was just too much," he said.

Politis is referring to the shocking murder of 23-year-old Bailey Zaveda, a Leslieville resident who was fatally shot outside the local watering hole on Saturday, Oct. 25.

Five other people were also shot during what people believe was an altercation between two men.

Kyle Weese, 24, of no fixed address, turned himself in to 55 Division on Tuesday, Oct. 28. He faces a second-degree murder charge.

"It's terrible. My heart goes out to her family, of course," said Politis, a father of two.

Ward 30 (Toronto-Danforth) Councillor Paula Fletcher said she's happy that the bar's owners decided to remove the mural.

"I asked them to consider just painting over the gun or painting over the whole mural," said Fletcher, adding that a new one would likely be painted by the spring.

"I was very pleased that they reacted so quickly. People in the neighbourhood don't really want a big, swaggering John Wayne mural with a gun when there's a (fatal) gun shootout in the community."

Fletcher said that people can sign petitions at the local tavern calling on the federal government to ban handguns.

She also said that it's a shame that such a terrible incident happened at The Duke, which she said has been working to improve its image for some time.

But Politis and his business partner, Gus Papadopoulos, want to do more than just paint over the mural.

They're planning on hosting a fundraiser in honour of Bailey Zaveda on Saturday, Dec. 13 at The Duke of York, 1225 Queen Street East.

"It's our karaoke day and it always draws a decent crowd. We'll have a collection box and some prizes," said Politis, who said that any funds raised would be given to the young woman's family who can decide on how to direct them.

"We all need to help these people out."