South Bayview Bulldog Admin

Some things don’t change at Eglinton and Petman

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Oh sure, 82 years can change a lot of things in a  City like Toronto, but much can remain the same. And so it is at the corner of Eglinton Ave. E. and Petman Ave. where, looking south south east, we find the original building (left) still there and still doing business similar to Mac’s.  Mr. Button’s place was a 1930s sort of convenience store. The sign reads “Candy, Ice Cream, Cigarettes, Tobacco”.  The vacant lot of then is a parking lot of today and down Petman on the east side can be seen the well cared for home known as 81 Petman. The barn behind it is gone however. What a surprise.  

Rain, wind for South Bayview on Mon and Tues

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South Bayview and all of Toronto stand to see a lot of rain this coming week as the so-called Tropical Mega Storm  Sandy makes its way inland.  The Weather Channel is forecasting 15-20 mm of rain Sunday and another 40-50 mm on Monday. Altogether, Monday and Tuesday will be days to take care. Sandy is  expected to bring gusty winds which might hit 45 km/h. In addition to which, it’s going to be pretty damp for the rest of the week. 

Bulls to run on Bay Street to mark 90th Royal

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You would have to say The Royal  (as it’s known) has come a long way from milking contests and show jumping. That’s because planners intend to mark the 90th version of The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair by turning six 2000-pounds bulls loose on Bay Street next Tuesday. The release came out Friday with a straight-faced explanation of how the bulls will be un-penned and sent off from Wellington Street and run northbound up Bay Street to King Street. It goes on the say: “While spectators will be able to marvel at these magnificent animals, the streets will be closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic during the running of the bulls. Cowboys on horseback will help guide the bulls to ensure they stay on course. Spectators are invited to come down and watch the bulls on Bay Street, and then celebrate The Royal’s 90th Anniversary kick-off along Bay Street and at the forecourt of Commerce Court with various food and promotional sponsors.”  But it has all been denied

Why are Toronto skyscrapers on steroids?

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Thought-provoking story written by reporter Wendy Gillis which seems to reveal a frenzy to build sky-high that is swamping the City Planning Department. Toronto Star

Reader says local bus ads denigrate Toronto

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South Bayview Bulldog reader David DeMelo has a complaint about the rather in-your-face cosmetic surgery ads featured on the rear of local TTC buses.  Mr. DeMelo wrote to say that the ad for  the Toronto Cosmetic Clinic highlights procedures like Dermal Fillers, Breast Enhancements and (he warns) Vaginoplasty. Mr. DeMelo says that “women already deal with enough body image issues. There’s no need to promote cosmetic surgery of one’s privates as a mainstream procedure. As a Father of two little girls, I dread the evolving world of the perfect woman’s body that mainstream media and advertising continuously promote. I sent a note to Councillors Stintz and Matlow via Twitter but was met with crickets. I’d much rather see a dating website advertisement for cheating married couples on the TTC. Oh wait, that already happened and didn’t go over so well.” Mr DeMelo says the cosmetology ad denigrates Toronto and “sends the wrong message.” He notes that ads are carried on the 88, 28 and 11 route buses. 

Dressy looks from Tzatz — love the spider ring

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Tzatz at 1609 Bayview Avenue is showing some dressy styles in its current windows. We love the spidery bit of costumery (inset). 

Now here’s your Rob Ford news in a minute

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There’s no need to plough through the many leads produced by everyone else.  Here’s what he’s been doing. Mr Ford and his brother, Doug, say the so-called accountability offices at City Hall are “tripping over each other to keep busy” and ought to be abolished. These offices are relatively recent creations overseen by Toronto ombudsman Fiona Crean, Toronto lobbyist registrar Linda Gehrke, and integrity commissioner Janet Leiper. Give their jobs to a lawyer for a fee, the Mayor says.  This after some over the top criticisms of City Medical Officer Dr David McKeown.  He called the doctor an embarrassment for recommending that speed limits be reduced to protect pedestrians. The Mayor retracted that but still thinks the idea is loopy and that the doctor is overpaid at $294,000 a year.. Then it was revealed that he and his brother had a meeting with 20 councillors of similar sympathies to plan their strategy for the remainder of the municipal term which expires with the general election in November 2014.  

Is it war? Beck and Halo taxis trade complaints

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According to the Toronto Star there is something of a taxi war going on between Beck Taxi and a newly  formed company which uses smartphone applications to get customers. The dispute is out in the open because the new firm, Halo, with its business based solely on a smartphone application, says Beck is breaking city bylaws by  threatening to discipline drivers that use the upstart Halo’s app to find fares. Toronto Star. 

You have 70 seconds to unlock the 007 in you

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This one may be old news for some. It’s been viewed five million times at least. But’ it’s fun. Coca Cola sets up a Coke machine in Antwerp Central Station in Belgium and attempts to unlock the 007 inside each of its users. The machine asks its users ‘Want the chance to win exclusive tickets to Skyfall?’, after entering their name the machine gives the user 70 seconds to win movie tickets at another machine on platform 6. Little do they know they have to unlock the James Bond inside them to reach the machine and win the tickets. Skyfall releases in theaters October 26th, 2012 in the UK, and November 9th in the US and Canada.

Now Energy Minister says he will quit politics

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The McGuinty cabinet ministers are fleeing government. Energy Minister Chris Bentley, long seen as an heir apparent to Premier Dalton McGuinty, will not seek the Liberal helm and is quitting politics after the next election. Yesterday, Finance Minister Dwight duncan said he is retiring from  life.as an MPP. Toronto Star

LRT deal with Metrolinx a disaster says Councillor

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One City Councillor is raising the spectre of an Eglinton LRT that has its stations so far apart the TTC will still have to run buses on the street to move the people who live there. Gord Perks sees that possibility because the master agreement between the TTC and Metrolinx, the Ontario planning arm, gives the final say in the location and number of stations to Metrolinx. Perks calls the agreement “a disaster for Torontonians”. He predicted a move at Council to order the City Manager not to sign the agreement between the City and Metrolinx if it gives the provincial transit agency the final say over how the transit lines are built in the City. Parks told the Toronto Sun that the agreement  gives Metrolinx sole authority to remove stations, remove stops, change the distance between stations and stops and decide what goes above and below ground,  It will mean we have a line (on Eglinton) with very few stops, that is more oriented towards regional transit and that we will still have to run a bus every 30 seconds on Eglinton to pick people up that actually live in these neighbourhoods, Perks is said to have told the Sun. “We will wind up in a circumstance where we will have to operate a regional rail line and a local collector line — one on top of the other — and pay for both.”  Perks he is quoted by the Sun.  Metrolinx has responded that it is  the owner, the builder and the funder of the projects. Toronto Sun

Davisville artist exhibiting at Autism Symposium

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The Geneva Centre for Autism is holding its International Symposium at the Toronto Convention Centre tonight and tomorrow (Friday, October 26, 2012) . It’s a wonderful opportunity to support Richard, a Davisville Village artist whose work has been shown as the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). His exhibit is on the lower level of of the Convention Centre. Please give him a visit. Richard was born in Burlington Ontario in October 1973. Shortly after turning four Richard received a diagnosis of autism. During his early years Richard was the recipient of enriched programming from many different sources. These interventions greatly enhanced the development of both his verbal communication and social skills. Richard took instruction in art with a group under the tutelage of Isabel Page. Later he took private lessons with her. For several years before Christmas with Isabel’s guidance Richard would produce many personal hand-painted cards which he delighted in sending to family and friends. Richard’s new original paintings, new greeting cards and seasonal cards are on exhibit.