J.P. Kovak and Stephen Kelleher

The Grand Opening of Gyro Hyundai on Laird Drive was a gala and well-attended event Thursday evening. The opening of the ultra-modern dealership at the corner of Industrial Street is a proud accomplishment for the Gyro Auto Group of companies and partners J.P. Kovak, Paul Kmet and Jim Krigos. Among the guests was Hyundai Auto Canada President and CEO Stephen Kelleher (inset right with Mr. Kovak). Guests came from across the South Bayview area and Toronto as well. Many of the firm’s over 80 employees attended at the beautiful showroom and service facilities. A magnificent gray Genesis sedan sat in the dealership’s new owner’s bay. This is Gyro’s unique launching pad where owners meet their new Hyundai. A lively band soft-rocked the showroom while guests socialized and snacked on an excellent buffet and offerings from servers all prepared by Andy Elder’s Grilltime specialty shop just down Laird.  Gyro likes to remember its 40 years of business in Leaside and the thousands of referral customers who have made it possible. And indeed, Gyro is rightly proud of the transformation it has created on the east side of Laird. As recently as two years ago it was an undistinguished part of old Leaside. Now the new dealership boasts a building full of the latest green technologies.  The green roof uses sedum to cool the building and purify air. Permeable pavers prevent excess water runoff and work in tandem with a rainwater runoff capture system which includes a cistern and infiltration bed designed to absorb the first 40 millimeters of rainfall over the entire site. And there is much more. It is worth a visit to Gyro Hyundai to hear about the remarkable building as much as it is to see the sleek Hyundai vehicles.

CP24’s Stephen LeDrew

Stephen Harper came under fierce and repeated questioning by NDP leader Thomas Mulcair Thursday and just as fiercely rebuffed accusations linking him to the Senate expenses scandal. Harper stood and forcefully answered multiple questions. Whether he convinced everyone watching will remain an open matter perhaps. CP24 pundit Stephen LeDrew concluded that the combined opposition “didn’t lay a glove on the prime minister.” Mr. Mulcair had many questions that suggested some type of dishonesty. They constructed apparent contradictions between what is alleged to have been said at different times. It was not especially easy to follow. Mr. Mulcair wanted to know how many people knew about the plan for Nigel Wright, the PM’s assistant, to give Senator Duffy the $90,000 to repay the expenses. Interesting perhaps, but another pundit, Geoffrey Simpson of the Globe and Mail, seems to feel that Harper has what might be called deniability when he says he did not know Mr. Wright planned this course of action. Time will tell but it is clear that Harper is “fixing to fight” if Duffy and others continue to accuse him of somehow being dishonest. Liberal leader Trudeau was not in the Commons because of a speaking engagement in Washington.

The Trace Manes Centennial Recreation Centre is definitely not dressed up for Halloween this year and Ray, the scary looking worker in the hazmat outfit is for real, not a trickster. Ray and his buddies will however have a real treat for users of this handy Leaside field house when they’re finished on or near Monday, November 25, 2013. And here’s the really good news. As the South Bayview Bulldog pleaded earlier this Fall, the centre will have all new washroom facilities when the work is done. Ray is dressed as he is because he and fellow workers are blasting paint off the concrete floor. When that’s done, the floors will be fitted with nice new tiling. It will be the first time in the nearly 47 year history of the centre that users will walk on tiles and not concrete. Ceiling tiles and windows will be replaced as well.  Looking forward to it.