What is believed to be approximately the site of the Laird (Don Avon) stop for the planned LRT is undergoing extensive soil testing similar to the work going on all along the route. These men are working on the south side of Eglinton Ave E just east of Laird in front of the (RIOCAN) Leaside Centre.

Margaret Atwood will be honoured by Bennington Heights Public School May 4, 2011 when the school library is named after the author at the bi-annual Best of Bennington fundraising event. Ms Atwood will be in attendance as will many alumni and members of the current Bennington PS community. The Committee is seeking support by way of donations or gifts for the Silent Auction which will be held. Questions may be addressed to Best of Bennington. Margaret Atwood grew up in Bennington Heights.

Michael, the genial keeper of Horticultural Design is showing some charming items for Easter. Upper left, he lifts the top from a Moss Garden. Right, a Robin’s egg blue wreath is nice. Lower left, fascinating driftwood fishes and right, marching Easter chicks. Horticultural Design is at 1610 South Bayview.

Good morning. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre Complex is for sale. The 1.95 million square foot universal meeting place has been put on the market by Canada Lands Company, a federal agency which will transfer the receipts from the sale to the government. The convention centre is home to auto shows, thousands of trade conventions and job fairs, political leadership conventions and banquets that raised money to run a city and a nation. Situated on the complex is the 586-room Intercontinental Toronto Centre Hotel, the north building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, a 265,000 square foot office tower and a 1,200 stall multi-level above-ground parking facility. Globe and Mail

Ah yes, the days when you could nip along to Aisle 43 and pick up a bottle or two of not half bad Canadian wine. Gone for quite a while now. Summer of 2010 actually and there’s the friendly Robert to remind you. Now the ghost of the little wine kiosk will be well and truly driven out of the old Bayview Playhouse as Shoppers Drug Mart seals up the doorway, perhaps for ever. Inside, the small room that held your wine is gone, opened up to become part of the new pharmacy with its many offerings (but not wine).

South Bayview was the scene of a touching appeal Sunday as these four young women were out seeking a life saving donor for the mother of one of their friends. 44-year-old Catherine Anagnostopoulos was recently diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The only cure for Cathy’s cancer is a successful Stem Cell Transplant. Everyone in her family has been tested but sadly none matches Cathy’s blood. Her only hope now is for an unrelated donor to be found. These four good friends were spreading the word in the hope of persuading people to join the Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Registry. Anyone between the ages of 17 and 50 may join by going to www.onematch.ca

It’s a scene played out daily on South Bayview and elsewhere every day. This one is courtesy of our sister blog, Yonge and Roxborough. Left, aggrieved driver demands re-consideration of his $30 ticket but the parking officer, seen right, through window of the Caffe Doria, says no dice.

With apologies to McDonald’s, we’re lovin a great Saturday on South Bayview. Upper left, Girl Guides were selling cookies plain and chocolate, Aldo Settimi giving out “the best Gelato in the world” at the Mad Italian. Lower left, it was also Daffodil Day for cancer research and lower right, just walking

Spring flowers herald a nice Saturday on South Bayview. These pleasing blooms are at Passion Fruit (and Flowers)