Ward boundaries reviewed at public meeting

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Public meetings will be held next week to discuss the possible size of populations and boundaries of City electoral wards, such as Ward 26 (Leaside) and Ward 22 (Davisville). The meeting closest to South Bayview in general will be at S. Walter Stewart Library, 170 Memorial Park Ave on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 beginning at 6 p.m. A news release today (Friday, January 2, 2015) suggests that populations of wards may be as much as 30 to 50 percent above the targeted average of 60,958.  City boundaries are of course numbered but they are also fitted inside the boundaries of federal constituencies, two to a constituency. The federal boundaries have names and thus Ward 26 has inherited the name Don Valley West. The federal lines have just been re-drawn and will form the basis on which voters elect the new Parliament in a general election expected this year. Other municipal boundary meetings will be held Thursday, January 8 and Saturday, January 10 at Parkdale Library, 1303 Queen St. W., and  Trinity St. Paul’s Church, 427 Bloor St. W. respectively. These three meetings are part of a two-stage public consultation process. Additional information, including meeting times, locations and the full calendar of the review’s public consultation meetings, is available at http://www.drawthelines.ca.

Rescuers expect to find man in debris in basement

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Fire and rescue officials have brought heavy lifting equipment into play at the residential fire scene in Don Mills. They expect to find the body of a 68-year-old man in the basement of  28 Camwood Cres., the home he apparently owned and lived in by himself. His car is in the driveway following the New Year’s day fire. Neighbors said if the car is there, the man is in the house. At its height, 65 firefighters were battling the blaze. The fire was brought under control just after 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. They are uncertain about the cause.  Postscript: The man’s body was found in the basement as expected. 

No “beat down” as shoplifter restrained say police

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A suspected shoplifter resisting arrest had his case reviewed by the public on YouTube over the Christmas holiday. Peel Regional police have also reviewed the video and concluded that security guards from Bramalea City Centre did not use too much force to finally take the man into custody. The video, shot on a phone with comments of the photographer on the tape, was published on Dec 24, 2014 on YouTube. The written description on YouTube was that a “suspected shoplifter gets a beat down from wa-na-be cops (security) at Bramalea City Centre Mall.” Nonetheless, it is clear the man is resisting and according to police he is uninjured from the incident. He has also apologized for his behavior, they say.  When officers arrived, the suspect was already under arrest by Paragon Security guards. “He (the suspect) was co-operative upon our arrival and he was apologetic to everybody involved in this occurrence,” said a police spokesperson.

Local Public Eatery at 180 Laird Drive update

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Front door bricked in

The Local Public Eatery restaurant in the old bank building at 180 Laird Drive has hung a sign saying the business will open early in 2015. Looks like there’s a couple of months work left there at least. There appears to be a permanent or convertible roof going in on the extension at the rear of the building. The original front door to the bank featuring the crest of the Imperial Bank of Canada has been bricked in, but the crest has been saved. The new entrance to the restaurant will be on the northeast corner of the building on Laird at the corner of McRae Drive. As we reported in September, the Local Eatery franchise is a western Canadian chain with five trendy dining and drinking establishments in B.C., Alberta and Toronto’s Liberty Village. The Toronto Local says on its website that its “kind of like your living room, with better food and people to serve you beer, fanatical about craft beer and rotating new selections, passionate about great food and the best ingredients.” It is owned by Vancouver businessman Jeffery Fuller who also owns the Joey chain.  

Edith Dr. fire damage a glistening spectacle

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Workers placed metal blue mesh security fences around 82 and 84 Edith Drive New Year’s Day. The two homes were destroyed by a chimney fire which started in No 82 and leaped next door shortly after 7 p.m. New Year’s Eve. The homes sit on the quiet older street east of Eglinton Park at the three-way corner with Helendale Ave. Icy evidence of the bitterly cold evening endured by firefighters was caked on everything at the modest semi-detached homes. Morning sunshine created a glistening spectacle for nearby people and their iPhone and for kids who gathered in Eglinton Park behind the homes. Firefighters tried to contain it but had to get off the roof as flames broke through. As many as 22 trucks and more than 90 firefighters were on scene, trying to keep the fire from spreading to the closely-located neighboring semis. Photo: The South Bayview Bulldog 

New Year’s polar bears face frigid morning

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The annual polar bear custom has been honoured in some cities but cancelled in others this morning. Events were scheduled in Vancouver and Toronto, but the plunge was cancelled in Hamilton where ice along the shore made any approach to the water dangerous for semi-naked humans pretending to be polar bears.
COUNTDOWN VIDEOS
Below are videos of the countdown to 2015 — one from Toronto and one from New York. 

TPS OPS 2015: “One in custody for impaired”

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Overnight tweets from the Toronto Police Operations Centre have ranged across fires, accidents and quite a few impaired drivers this New Year’s morning. OPS TPS, as it is known, let’s the public know via Twitter about breaking news, and serves as communication for the cops too, Fortunately, the fire reported at River St and Shuter Street turned out to be a pot left on the stove that was easily handled by the fire service. As recently as sun-up the dispatches reporting “impaired driver” or “suspected impaired driver” were frequent. Drunk driving it seems is a daylight thing on New Year’s Day morning. The public was asked to watch for a silver Toyta. Then there was the suspected drunk driver in a Ford SUV headed southbound on the DVP at the Bloor ramp. A house fire near the Don Valley Parkway and York Mills road caused concern for drifting smoke., Someone rear-ended a police car at Finch Ave. and Neilsen Rd. There was a probably a breathalyzer administered there. And many reports of  “one in custody for impaired.” 

Tory to hold skating party plus meet-and-greet

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It is New Year’s Day 2015 and in South Bayview, Leaside arena will be closed today. But both rinks will be open Friday, January 2, 2015. If you have kids and care to skate today, Mayor John Tory will hold a family skating party at the City rink in Nathan Phillips Square. It will substitute for the long-standing tradition of a levee, or reception by the mayor. Mr. Tory’s skating event will run from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nathan Phillips Square. There will be a “family-friendly DJ,” hot chocolate, apple cider, coffee and tea. The mayor will  move between the outdoor skating rink and the city hall lobby, where he will mingle with people who don’t feel like braving the ice. He has eliminated the traditional levee receiving line. “That’s the only distinction, other than adding the more family-friendly event. Which we really wanted to do and the mayor wanted to do, personally,” said Tory staffer Amanda Galbraith. “He’s a grandfather. He wanted to make it more of a family event. Happy New Year and a prosperous 2015 to everyone from the South Bayview Bulldog.

Families out in cold after fire on Edith Drive

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Firefighters fought a 4-alarm blaze New Year’s Eve in bitterly cold weather on Edith Drive  near Montgomery St. Edith Drive is the north-south street that sits east of Eglinton Park north of Eglinton Ave E.  The fire got started just before seven in the semi-detached home. The heavy damage has left two families homeless. No one appears to have been injured.  The fire started in the chimney and spread to the attic. Firefighters tried to contain the fire, but had to get off the building’s roof as the flames started to break through. As many as  22 units and 90 firefighters were on scene, trying to keep the fire from spreading to neighbouring homes. An aerial unit was called in to fight the fire from above. Officials cut power to the area, and had to close down several nearby streets Damage is estimated to be at least $ 1 million.

Will Chief Bill Blair decide to run for Parliament?

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Toronto Police Chief William Blair has said in a year-end interview with the Globe and Mail that he has not ruled out running for political office and that he has started making unspecified plans for his future after leading the largest municipal department in the country for nine years. Blair retires this Spring around the time of his birthday. It is said to be common political wisdom that a vigorous 61-year-old former police chief would be a very hard man to beat should he decide to run for Parliament in the general election scheduled for 2015. The Globe and Mail story, written by Ann Hui, says that a Liberal Party source told the paper that party strategists have discussed recruiting Blair. Other sources are said to have concluded that “everyone wants Chief Blair.”  Globe and Mail 

Struggle for lawn club plays out in the shadows

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The future of the Glebe Manor Lawn Bowling Club property on Manor Rd. is playing out largely in the shadows. Among the most recent unusual moves was a closed meeting for shareholders of the defunct club held in the William Lea Room at the Leaside Arena. Security guards refused entry to the media and even turned away Josh Matlow (Ward 22) who is intent, as are many others, on having the land as a park. The property is now said to be essentially in the process of changing hands from a controlling group of shareholders led by Phil Foubert and a developer, Michael Volpenstesta. The deal has not closed because the city has not approved plans to build.  The linked account in the Star quotes Mr. Matlow as saying there is something “fishy” about the deal. All in all, the parties to the sale seem to be treating the matter as an entirely private transaction. Katrina Clarke, Toronto Star