Bruce Mackey

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted July, 2011

In Bruce Mackey Park, west of the railway tracks, on the east side of De Grassi Street, between Queen and Dundas streets, are these three plaques. The plaque information is courtesy of The Playing With Time Foundation. Here's what the large centre one says:

Plaque coordinates: 43.66120 -79.34595

Bruce Mackey was a long-time resident of Degrassi Street. In the 1970s he offered his encouragement and his home to a pair of young filmmakers, Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. They were making a short children's film and Bruce's home became the set for what would be the very first Degrassi television episode.

Bruce's enthusiasm for his diverse and lively neighbourhood was contagious and the early episodes of the Degrassi series prominently featured Degrassi Street homes, the grocery store, the local parks and schools. Linda and Kit embraced the essence of this east end neighbourhood and their work was lauded for its portrayal of real life in downtown Toronto. Bruce's observations of real school life were passed on to the producers and writers and were incorporated into storylines. Using local youngsters, many of Bruce's own students, as actors in the films, the multicultural flavour of the cast became a hallmark of the series.

Over the next twenty years, until his untimely death from cancer in 1997, Bruce was a mentor to the filmmaking team. He provided them with ideas for scripts and locales, and he appeared in several episodes as the stern but caring teacher who peered at the Degrassi students over the rims of his glasses. To many of the Degrassi television family, he's fondly remembered as "The Grandfather of Degrassi".

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted July, 2011

Here's what the one on the right says:

Bruce Mackey was a familiar figure on Degrassi Street. He had a brilliant smile and exuberant hello for everyone he met, and was usually seen with his lively dogs in tow. Born and raised in Toronto's east end, Bruce attended East York Collegiate and graduated from the University of Toronto. Bruce enjoyed a lengthy career with the Toronto Board of Education. He was a teacher at Earl Grey Senior Public School in the Pape and Danforth neighbourhood for 25 years. A generation of students remembers Mr. Mackey as a demanding and charismatic teacher who supervised many activities including the Student Parliament, east end community walkathons, the yearbook and school newspaper. He was a generous and fun-loving leader, and instilled the importance of civic responsibility and pride in his students.

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted July, 2011

Here's what the one on the left says:

"Ida Makes a Movie" was shot in Bruce Mackey's Degrassi Street brick house in 1979. This story of a young girl who makes a short film about garbage collection on her street would go on to become the inaugural episode in one of Canada's most beloved television series. The Kids of Degrassi Street told the stories of a diverse group of children growing up in an urban neighbourhood. Degrassi grew along with its performers, following them through Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High to graduation in School's Out and beyond. In its 12 year run, the series won two International Emmies, nine Gemini Awards, two Prix Jeunesse and countless other honours. Degrassi Street became a home to a generation of international viewers, many of whom travelled great distances to visit this world-renowned little street in east end Toronto.

Related websites
Bruce Mackey
The Kids of Degrassi Street

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Arts

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted August 28, 2011
I happened to stumble on this site and recognized the photo immediately! I still have respected rememories of Mr Mackey. I was in his math class in the Jones Street Public School extension when I attended Earl Grey Senior School about 30 years ago. He was kind, generous and inspirational. Few teachers have that special character to make a positive life-long positive impression. I had no idea of his contributions to the community - I'm truly impressed and blessed to have been taught by Mr Mackey.
Larry T.

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