Month: May 2012

Meeting at Original’s to pursue Bayview BIA

by  • 

There will, apparently, be a meeting at Original’s Santa Fe Saloon on Wednesday night to seek a positive vote for a Business Improvement Association for South Bayview. It is said to begin at 6.30 pm.  So far as is known, this will be the first meeting regarding a proposed BIA since the rancorous meeting of last year. At that event, those in favour of a BIA and those opposed passed cross words. Details of this meeting have been slow to trickle through to many. Until late today, some did not even known the location. The sentiment with regard to a BIA has been divided among those who feel that South Bayview can be made sufficiently active to generate materially more business, and those who find the BIA to be an unnecessary and expensive structure unsuited to a neighbourhood like South Bayview. Original’s is at 1660 South Bayview. Taste-of-the-Danforth Fever.

Dramatic spike in numbers of babies, toddlers

by  • 

South Bayview moms and dads are among those to thank. The many families with infants and toddlers in our neighborhoods are part of  a rather amazing 11 per cent spurt in the number of children aged four and under in Canada’s population. The increase is recorded today in figures from the 2011 Census, just released. The jump is measured from the previous Census in 2006. This the highest growth rate for the young age group since the five years between 1956 and 1961, the trailing edge of the baby boom. And though the increase is not nearly as large as the spike in births that followed the end of the Second World War, Canada’s baby bump is definitely showing: it’s the first time in 50 years that Statistics Canada has recorded an increase for that age group in every province and territory.   In addition, Canada is aging

OMB decision on 140 Dinnick this week

by  • 

The Ontario Municipal Board will hand down its decision this week on North York Council’s proposal to make 140 Dinnick Crescent a heritage building. The OMB heard an appeal from Amber Stewart, lawyer for a couple who who purchased the run down 1930 house in Lawrence Park in the belief that they would be able to demolish it and build a new family home. As posted earlier, they were issued a demolition permit which was immediately withdrawn because of a claim that the building had historic qualities. Subsequently, North York Council voted to approve heritage status. At a meeting Wednesday, OMB first heard a motion by the City to adjourn the hearing until full City Council makes a final decision. The Board refused that motion and the hearing proceeded. The OMB’s decision is expected this week. A reader has said that a number of heritage nominations for local homes has been made by one “crusading preservationist.”

Police make arrest in inheritance scam

by  • 

One of the most persistent of frauds has resulted in the arrest of a man for pretending to have a huge inheritance for an Ontaro person. In this case, a woman from the Peterborough area lost some $217,000 and was subject, police say, to losing more. The accused, who has the alias of Andrew Morgan, had a suitcase full of blank paper disguised on the outside as real American money (right). The inheritance scam is a difficult to control fraud in the day of the Internet. In fact, there will hardly be a person with a  computer who has not received mail from a person saying that there is a large sum of money waiting for him if only he will pay some up front cost.

Forest Hill kids have their Prom

by  • 

Thursday May 24, 2012 was a day of excitement for the kids from Forest Hill  Collegiate Institute as their Prom was held at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex at .Exhibition Place  More than 200 graduates, including Matt Kruger and Erin Silver (inset) made this great scene. It was a day of celebrating with pre-Prom  dance parties held beginning at 4 pm.  Nice because parents can go to these. There were also post Prom parties after the dance with hotel rooms booked and monitored by parents.  For safety, llimousines were used as transportation, as they usually are.

$1 Gelato brings hundreds to Mad Italian

by  • 

There’s nothing to beat a deal on a summer favorite like Gelato. Sunday afternoon the Mad Italian ran a promotion party featuring Gelato for $1 a cup or cone. A radio station from Hamilton, Vinyl 95.3 played favorites from the 70s and 80s and 90s. That’s their thing. Altogether it was a quite a mob scene and children (inset) were in heaven. 

Sears boss McDonald out front at new stores

by  • 

It’s become a cliche to say that Sears Canada has lost its way as a department store. It has a reputation as unfocused and generally uninteresting. The new CEO Calvin McDonald must be under tremendous pressure as he rolls out his answer to those criticisms with a bold LOOK! theme. McDonald is upfront these days, his picture everywhere, the new face of the store as it opens a series of new, smaller stores in places like Newmarket and Hamilton’s Limeridge Mall.  The company feels it can be relevant to suburban and rural consumers in a way that it cannot for downtown shoppers. The Sears release on its new stores notes: Changes in the stores include: wider aisles, less clutter and streamlined merchandise offerings with exciting new brands at everyday low prices. In all the stores, expanded sections include: KidsRoom and BabyRoom, Jessica women’s suit shops, Men’s suit shops with easier by-size shopping and additional fitting services, a new assortment and look for Craftsman outdoor power equipment and a market-leading assortment of major appliances and mattresses.

Heading to 371 Eglinton Ave West this week

by  • 

Homefront at 1579 Bayview will close at the end of business on Sunday, May 27, 2012. All business will be consolidated at the headquarters store at 371 Eglinton Ave West right across the street from the Eglinton Grand event centre (inset). The owners of Homefront, Trish and Ted Stuebing, have expressed their most sincere thanks to all the many customers and friends who have patronized Homefront over the past 12 years. As residents of this area Trish and Ted consider South Bayview to be their street. They aren’t going away because they will continue to patronize businesses here. Those who would like to visit the Eglinton store will find it directly opposite the Eglinton Grand. There is a Green P Parking on Castle Knock just around the corner, Come in or call us. (416) 488-3189 and toll free Canada/U.S. 1-800-641-4555.   

Alessandro Settimi opens pop-up store

by  • 

South Bayviewites who remember Alessandro Settimi and his mom and dad will be pleased to see the family back on the street. It’s only for a short time as the Settimis open a pop-up (temporary) store downstairs next door to Verdi restaurant just north of Belsize Dr.  This is the location used by another entrepreneur this winter to operate a pop up store.  This time the Settimis will be selling Italian fashions, evidently of the casual type. It’s worth a look and a chance to say hello again to these charming people. Alessandro, it will be recalled, is the founder of The Mad Italian Gelato bar at 1581 South Bayview. He sold the business last year.