South Bayview Bulldog Admin

$300,000 approved by city to finish Cody field

City Council has approved $300,000 to help finance the Maurice Cody School’ Dirt-to-Turf project. The approval came on a motion last week from Josh Matlow (Ward 22).  In his current newsletter Mr. Matlow says he will attend the April 9, 2013 Family and School Association to take questions  on a proposed a community-use program for the turf field when finished, apparently broadening its use and value to area. 

Bucharest Cat Show loves the hairless feline

This pair of Sphynx cats exhibit what some might say is the unlovely quality of most of the cats strutting through the Bucharest Cat Show this weekend. As the Mailonline complains: “Their beauty must be on the inside! Some of the world’s most miserable looking cats enter competition to find most attractive feline” All sorts of  hairless cats with enormous ears made their owners proud at the  Romanian cat show however.  Of all the hopefuls at the international feline beauty competition the Mailonline says the most unfortunate-looking breed were the Canadian Sphynx cats (not those shown) but their owners still thought they were in with a winning chance. More than 200 cats of varying breeds sharpened their claws for the competition, but it was a distinctly mixed bag of cuddliness and ugliness. Mailonline pictures

It’s love, even though we think he got a free pass

Click to see video

There was love in the air Saturday as Justin Trudeau addressed Liberal Party delegates in Toronto a week before they pick their new leader. Trudeau spoke of “change” and pledged to be the servant of Canada. The Liberals, he said, were the “irresistible alternative” to the present government. As he spoke, a new national poll showed that fully 73 percent of Canadians think Mr. Trudeau has not had to “prove himself” in a Liberal leadership race that has turned into a “coronation,” and that he wouldn’t even be seriously considered were it not for his deceased father. But at the same time. the poll found many voters apparently don’t care about their own judgment on this topic. Those who want change say he is the one who has the “best chance”” to win . See  speech here.

Edward Leung raises Pharmasave sign at 491 Eglinton W

Pharmacist Lawrence Leung has opened a new drugstore under the Pharmasave brand at 491 Eglinton Ave. West in the Forest Hill Medical and Professional Building at the corner of Tarlton Road. Pharmasave is an association of 450 stores across Canada by which independent druggists gain some brand recognition for their practices and the advantage of group buying. The website says the brand was founded in 1981 but it seems to be a relatively recent spurt of growth that has seen the Pharmasave sign popping up around town. Among the services offered by Mr. Leung is free delivery. He is joined at the Eglinton location by pharmacists Laura Shapiro and To Ha. There’s a Pharmasave on Yonge between Rosehill and Jackes as well as one in the East General Hospital. Map of Toronto locations

Trudeau to cast himself as the anti-Harper

Justin Trudeau will cast himself as the only alternative to Stephen Harper as prime minister when he speaks to Liberal delegates in Toronto Saturday. Globe and Mail 

Gripping video of Toronto doctor’s rescue

“How lucky is this woman?” say the anchors of CBS 5 in Phoenix as Dr. Elise Heon is flown to safety at the end of a helicopter tether over a distance of many miles. All the  way, her adventure is seen on a live feed from the stasion’s chopper. Dr. Heon is seen to be in high spirits after an overnight stranding, waving to people on the ground as she flies 500 feet above them. Some of the most remarkable video seen of a helicopter rescue. As reported below, Dr. Heon is a prominent ophthamolgist and professor at the U of T. CBS 5 – KPHO

Riverdale doctor rescued from canyon in Arizona

Dr. Elise Heon
A Toronto physician and Riverdale resident has been rescued from  a ledge in a canyon in Sedona Arizona after she had not been heard from for about 24 hours. Elise Heon, 50, is an ophthalmologist at the Hospital for Sick Children and an ophthalmology science professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Heon was lifted by rescuers from the isolated perch and flown to safety by helicopter on Friday. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said a rescue chopper was dispatched when Dr. Heon was heard yelling for help around 8 a.m. Friday.  She was stranded on a narrow ledge about 800 feet from the bottom of the canyon. Fourteen rescuers were stationed 180 feet above Dr. Heon before she was pulled out of the canyon by helicopter around 5 p.m. She could be seen waving at people as she was flown out of the canyon by a mechanical rope and harness. Although her condition is unknown is it clear the doctor is mobile and making decisions.

Can these women and their sisters change things?

Is this a committee that can really accomplish anything or is it just going to make us feel good? We know that there are disproportionately many less women on Canada’s corporate boards and we would like it to change. As usual when this subject comes up, criticism is directed at the “old boys club”  — guys in charge who just want to deal with males like them. We will see in due course whether that’s the conclusion of the 23 prominent business people appointed to a new committee that will offer advice on how to get more women on corporate boards. The new committee includes 16 women and seven men. Four of these well-known women are (left to right) Beverley Briscoe of Briscoe Management, Janet Ecker,  President of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance, Senator Linda Frum, and Catherine Swift, head of the Canadian Federation of  Independent Business. Below is a list of the appointments. Bloomberg

Sports themed hair cutting on Bayview Ave.

The choice space at 1538 Bayview Ave just north of Millwod Rd. has been leased by Sport Clips Haircuts, a  U.S. hair care franchise which boasts some 1,000 locations throughout the U.S. This address is the former NIMA money exchange premises. Sports Clips has just opened its first location in Canada in Burlington and it says it has plans to open at least three more in Toronto.  “After a year and a half of market research and planning, we’re very excited to open the first store in Canada!” said Peter Kowal.  “We look forward to demonstrating to the community that a sports-themed hair salon for men and boys is what the city has been missing.” It’s nice to have a new business on the street of course but no doubt the long-time hair-cutting places will be keeping an eye on their new potential competition. We could not help noticing that part of Sports Clips promotion (inset) shows guys watching sports on big screens and getting their hair cut by happy ladies. Welcome Sports Clips. 

Funds allocated to repair Bayview Ave. footbridge

The Bayview Pedestrian Bridge which crosses Bayview at the CNIB just north of Kilgour rd is scheduled for re-built. A sum of $822,000 has been allocated by the federal department of economic development for the job.. In December 2011, the old and deteriorated bridge was deemed unsafe for users and was closed. The decision has affected thousands of community members, including people with impaired vision.

Hackers put pig-like Kim on official website

This ia what you get when you are the hopelessly undeserving third-generation product of nepotism. North Korea’s Uriminzokkiri Twitter and Flickr accounts stopped sending out content typical of that posted by the regime in Pyongyang, such as photos of  Kim Jong Un meeting with military officials. Instead, a picture posted today showed Kim’s face with a pig-like snout and a drawing of Mickey Mouse on his chest. Underneath, text read: ‘Threatening world peace with ICBMs and Nuclear weapons/Wasting money while his people starve to death.’ The mocked-up Wanted poster included a $1million ‘bounty’ placed on Kim and accusations of ‘human rights violations’.

Tim Hortons checks out Sunnybrook Plaza

Vacant stores

Word has whizzed through the stores at Sunnybrook Plaza that Tim Hortons has taken a look at the little shopping strip at Eglinton Ave. E and Bayview Ave. Sunnybrook has two vacancies. One of them is a smaller space at the east end of the mall still bearing the signage of Mountain Bean Coffee. That tenant was locked out last year because of unpaid rent. And many will know about the large vacant space next to the CIBC branch until recently occupied by Wrap-it-up, the gift shop and Canada Post franchise. There are a number of sources who say Tim’s agents have looked at the former Mountain Bean location and found it unsuitable.  One source says the coffee leader is looking at the Wrap-it-up space. It is a better location in the mall and large enough to house a restaurant type operation such as Hortons. Nothing has been announced and behind the scenes there might be issues. Rio.Can, Sunnybrook’s owner, must weigh the balance between food outlets and important specialized retail companies. It’s retail that attracts grown up shoppers with money. Time will tell.