Well Known People from Regal Heights

From the Regal Heights Review Fall 2019, Vol I

Over the years, Regal Heights has had its share of residents who went on to become famous. Others made their mark after coming to the neighbourhood to attend school, often at Oakwood Collegiate Institute.

Here’s a look at just a few of the accomplished individuals who have at some point lived or studied in Regal Heights. You can read more about notables from the neighbourhood in the About section of the Oakwood Collegiate website.

Marilyn Bell

Bell used to live on Springmount Avenue. In September 1954, at the age of 16, she became the first person to swim Lake Ontario. A year later, she became the youngest person to swim the English Channel and in 1956, she swam the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Al Waxman

Waxman became a Canadian icon as an actor and director in radio, television, film and stage. He was best known as the star of the TV series King of Kensington on CBC and Cagney & Lacey on CBS.  He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1997. He died in 2001.

Jane Bunnett

Bunnett is a saxophone and flute player best known for forming the all-female Afro-Cuban/jazz group, Maqueque. The group has won five Juno Awards and two Grammy nominations.

Stephen Lewis 

Lewis was leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party for most of the 1970s. He became Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations in the 1980s and in the 2000s he served as the UN’s special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. He is a Member of the Order of Canada. 

Jully Black 

Black is an R&B singer-songwriter, producer and actress.  CBC Music named her one of The 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever. She has collaborated with many other artists and won the Juno Award for her 2017 single hit, “Seven Day Fool”.