Month: June 2020

North Leaside homeowners on Thursfield Cres. are demanding that Metrolinx and its agent Crosslinx keep a promise to replace the huge swath of trees that was clear-cut to make way for the LRT. When work began, Metrolink promised that the original privacy of the ravine lots would be restored with new trees. But now it says that the use of polypropylene mesh to rebuild the sides of the ravine will not support the replacement of trees and that it plans to plant shrubs rather than trees. Leaside residents have started a petition calling for Metrolinx to keep its promise.

Brutal price paid by homeowners

The petition says the “ravine lot” status of homes on Thursfield Cres. has been compromised to the point they have lost all privacy at the rear of the properties. “The wholesale destruction of the greenspace has forever changed the habitat for birds and other wildlife. And the area is now exposed to traffic noise. The ravine view has been replaced with an unobstructed view of the Eglinton traffic,” says the petition. It’s a brutal price to pay for conscientious homeowners who chose this pleasant corner of the City in which to settle. The petition is targetting 1,500 signatures and is well on the way.

The Ontario Ministry of Health has found 160 new cases of COVID-19 in the province after a record-breaking 24-hours of testing ending at midnight. That’s up from 111 found the day before but continues the under-200 litmus test in a winning struggle to eliminate the infection here. Officials are heartened that it took a record 33,492 tests to find merely 160 cases. At least 91 of them are in the GTA with data for Toronto (56) and Peel (35) published. All daily summaries

The busy professionals up at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre are celebrating National Pollinator Week at their three beehives installed earlier this month on the hospital campus. They’re home to some 30,000 bees. What a buzz. Upper right in this South Bayview gallery is a flag to 88A riders that the bus will be diverted in Thorncliffe Park until September 30th because of construction. Down below we see Darren of NovoMasks. They’re over at Millwood Rd. and Bayview Ave. outside Wild Wing this weekend selling Leaside-made Canada Day masks. At right we see Sebastian’s birthday cake (LOL). He’s eight and counting. Lastly, a reminder from Access Storage about their tent outside Charmaine Sweets yummy pastries now that the shop has re-opened at the corner of Brentcliffe and Vanderhoof Ave.

Nature photographer Colin Mcconnell has posted another of his frequent Facebook galleries from walks in Leslieville. Always worth a look. FB

Air Canada and WestJet will start sitting passengers next to each and loading planes to the maximum following decisions by US airlines to do the same. The airline industry has been savaged by COVID-19 shutdowns and passenger fear of close contact with strangers.  Both airlines had blocked the sale of adjacent seats in economy class. But the carriers said Friday that starting July 1 they will revert to health recommendations from the United Nation’s aviation agency and the International International Air Transport Association (IATA) trade group.

The City has announced that automatic traffic cameras will begin issuing fines on Monday, July 6. It is an unforgiving system, sending you a fine for even a single kilometre over the limit infraction. See the City News report for all the levels and what it will cost offenders. As many will know, there is an ATC on Bessborough Dr. near the public school and not far from St. Anselm Catholic School. There is another on Brownlow Ave. near Eglinton Ave. as well as a location at Overlea Blvd at Thorncliffe Park Drive. Speeding traffic on Overlea beware. Here is an interactive map to help you stay alert.

The Ministry of Health reports 111 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, the lowest such number seen since mid-March. The five-day rolling average of daily cases now stands at 168. But a grim elephant-in-the-room is the United States where COVID-19 is spreading wildly. It’s said there are as many as 30,000 new cases a day. 

Three members of the Wilmington, North Carolina police department have been fired after a department audit of a video recording captured one of the officers saying a civil war was necessary to wipe Black people off the map and that he was ready. The Wilmington Police Department took the action on Tuesday against Cpl. Jessie Moore, and officers Kevin Piner and Brian Gilmore. Each was accused of violating standards of conduct, criticism and use of inappropriate jokes and slurs. After conferring with the city council, Wilmington City Manager Sterling Cheatham cleared Police Chief Donny Williams to release the details.

The prime minister Thursday rejected the idea of releasing Huawei CFO and technology heir Meng Wanzhou. Giving in to China will make Canada a target for even more of what many see as bully-boy tactics by Beijing. Then, welcome home nurse Amanda Mitchell. You may cry. Below that, Jerome Iginla enters the Hockey Hall of Fame to applause everywhere. Finally, a summary on how COVID-19 is ravaging the US.

A post complaining about noisy teenagers in Sandy Bruce Park on Moore Ave. has gathered 31 comments about park behaviour across the area. Many friends are offering advice. FB