With the sad announcement that House Of Lords will be closing its doors permanently this October, it makes one wonder about the future of retail on our beloved Bayview Avenue. House Of Lords hair salon is a Toronto landmark, sitting at the corner of Yonge and Isabella for the last 51 years. Owner, Paul Burford, declared on Facebook that he was closing his hair studio due to increasing property taxes. (See his tax bill, posted below)

A CBC article published in June 2017, documented stories of other business owners who are facing property tax increases of as much as 100%.  “Sanjoy Kundu, the owner of costume shop Theatrics Plus, is also thinking about calling it quits after nearly 50 years on the block.”  “Anderson owns Morningstar Trading, a furniture store between Isabella Street and Gloucester Street. He says he used to pay $5,600 a month for taxes, maintenance and insurance as a tenant in the building, but that’s expected to go up to as much as $9,000 a month.” The Downtown Yonge BIA says the soaring tax bills could result in more vacant storefronts.

Retail tenants are usually responsible for paying rent, utilities, insurance PLUS the property tax on their portion of the building. So, if the taxes are increasing as much as 100%, year over year, then how can small business owners be expected to survive?  High commercial rents stripping Queen Street West of its ‘heart,’ merchants warn, published by the CBC in May 2017, outlines the plight of Queen Street West merchants, blaming high rents and high property taxes for increased vacancies.

Every retail strip in the City has been affected. “Neighbourhoods from Ossington to the Danforth are struggling too, said John Kiru, the executive director of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas. He said 2017 is shaping up to be among the worst for shuttered storefronts.”  The Yonge Street Small Business Association met Wednesday night to voice their concerns about property tax increases.  What will the solution be?  Is it property taxes, ambitious landlords or companies like Amazon creating the retail crisis on our streets?

On a happy note, we’ve heard that the vacant space at 1588 Bayview, formerly home to the Elegant Garage Sale, has been leased. Keep checking back with The Bulldog for more details!

In their weekly press release, City of Toronto has announced the following road closures in effect for weekend events:

Toronto Caribbean Carnival
From 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, August 5 until Sunday, August 6 at 6 a.m., Lake Shore Boulevard West will be closed in both directions from Colborne Lodge Drive to Strachan Avenue. There will be no access to the Gardiner Expressway’s Jameson/Dunn on-ramps and the off-ramp exits will be closed.

The following TTC routes are the best public transit options for getting to Exhibition Place for the Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grande Parade on Saturday, August 5:

• 29 Dufferin/29E Dufferin Express buses southbound from Dufferin Station to Dufferin Gate will have extra service from Bloor to the Exhibition Loop.
• 511 Bathurst streetcar southbound from Bathurst Station to the Exhibition Loop will have extra service.
• 504 King streetcar westbound from King or St. Andrew stations to the intersection of King Street and Strachan Avenue and walk south for five to 10 minutes.
• 509 Harbourfront streetcar westbound from Union Station to the Exhibition Loop. Extra service will be provided.
• 63 Ossington from Ossington Station to Liberty Village. Extra service will be provided.
• 193 Exhibition Rocket will operate express from Dundas West Station.

Senhor da Pedra Festival
Grace Street will be closed from Mansfield Avenue to Dundas Street West on Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6 from 1 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. each day for the Senhor da Pedra Festival.

Courtesy of a City of Toronto Press release, here are some ideas to stay busy over the long weekend.

The City of Toronto encourages residents and visitors to take advantage of the City’s attractions and recreational sites open to enjoy during Simcoe Day on Monday, August 7.

Outdoor pools, wading pools and splash pads
Beat the heat and drop by your local outdoor pool, splash pad or wading pool on Simcoe Day. Indoor pools and community centres will be closed. All City outdoor pools, wading pools and splash pads will be open. More information about locations and hours of operation is available at http://www.toronto.ca/swim.

Golf
All five City-run golf courses will be open for the holiday weekend. More information about hours and locations is available at http://www.toronto.ca/golf.

Tennis courts
All public tennis court sites will have nets up and will be available for use throughout the weekend. Public sites are free and available to the general public. Tennis players are asked to share the courts by limiting their play time to half-hour intervals if others are waiting to use the courts. More information about tennis is available at http://www.toronto.ca/tennis.

Riverdale Farm
Riverdale Farm is home to a variety of domestic farm animals, including Tamworth pigs, baby goats and Cotswold lambs. The breeds represent animals commonly found on a turn-of-the-century Ontario farm. Riverdale Farm is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free. More information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/riverdalefarm.

High Park Zoo
Visit new faces in Toronto’s oldest zoo. High Park Zoo houses domestic and exotic animals such as bison, llamas, Highland cattle and the infamous capybaras and their new babies. Visit the new arrivals, including the baby yak, reindeer and bison. The zoo is open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk. Admission is free. More information about High Park Zoo is available at http://www.toronto.ca/parks/zoo/.

Toronto Island Park (ferry docks located at the foot of Bay Street)
Toronto’s largest downtown park reopened on July 31. The park offers a variety of fun – a great place to walk, cycle, explore and view the city skyline. More information is available at http://www.bit.ly/2tzD0fC and http://www.toronto.ca/islands.

Getting to the Islands by ferry is half the fun. Toronto’s ferries can carry more than 4,000 passengers an hour to and from the Islands. Arrive early to avoid lineups. Ferry tickets, schedules and information about peak hours and wait times is available at http://www.toronto.ca/ferry.

Conservatories
A wide variety of flowers are in full bloom at Allan Gardens Conservatory and Centennial Park Conservatory. Both conservatories are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. More information is available by calling Allan Gardens Conservatory at 416-392-7288 or Centennial Park Conservatory at 416-394-8543 or online at http://www.toronto.ca/conservatories.

Arts and Theatre in Toronto parks
Enjoy fun, free and family-friendly performances such as movies, music and theatre in your local park over the long weekend. On Simcoe Day, the finale of the BLOWOUT festival at Earl Bales Park and amphitheatre, produced by Nia Centre for the Arts, will feature performances by JUNO award winners and nominees Saukrates, Korexion, Ammoye and Blessed alongside hip-hop legends Pete Rock & CL Smooth. The acclaimed Dusk Dances will also begin its annual week of performances at Withrow Park. Arts in the Parks is a new initiative of the Toronto Arts Foundation and Toronto Arts Council presented in partnership with the City of Toronto and Park People. More information is available at https://www.artsintheparksto.org/.

Simcoe Day at Toronto’s Historic Sites
Two of the City’s 10 historic sites will offer events, activities and tours on Simcoe Day. Programming highlights for the open sites are listed below. All of the City’s historic sites will be open with many activities over the long weekend. Times and activity details will vary by location. More information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/museum-events.

Fort York National Historic Site (250 Fort York Blvd.)
Fort York celebrates Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe, who founded the town of York (Toronto) in 1793 and was the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada (Ontario). Simcoe also lived at Fort York. Experience Toronto’s history with musketry, artillery and music demonstrations by the Fort York Guard and Guards from Fort George National Historic Park from Niagara-on-the-Lake and Old Fort Erie. Visitors can also see exhibitions at the Fort York Visitor Centre and the working kitchen in the 1815 Officers’ Brick Barracks. Admission is free. These events are funded in part by the Government of Canada. Fort York is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 7.

Spadina Museum (285 Spadina Rd.)
The museum will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on Simcoe Day and will be offering tours. Regular admission will apply. Visitors can also see the exhibit Settling in Toronto: The Quest for Freedom, Opportunity and Identity, which explores how immigration and the experiences of new Canadians transformed the city from the 1700s to the present. Visitors can also contribute to the collaborative art project Our Journey – An Art Map of Canadian Identity. The museum now offers a self-guided audio-visual landscape tour of Spadina’s 5.7 acre grounds, including historical facts and images relating to the local history, geology, archeology and family history. The device for the landscape tour can be rented for $5 plus tax or add an additional $2 to the price of admission to rent the device and enjoy a tour of the house interiors as well.

Public transit
TTC service will operate on a holiday schedule on August 7, with the exception of the 192 Airport Rocket which will have increased service. The TTC website at http://ttc.ca provides information for planning transit trips.

Other municipal facilities and services
City of Toronto emergency and 24-hour services will operate throughout the long weekend. City administrative offices and service counters, City-operated child care centres and Children’s Services district offices will be closed on August 7. The City of Toronto Archives, located at 255 Spadina Rd., will also be closed on August 7. More information about the archives is available at http://www.toronto.ca/archives.

This news release is also available on the City’s website: http://ow.ly/xvjw30e6Yr4.

And don’t forget CARIBANA TORONTO 2017
Thursday, August 3rd – Monday, August 7th 2017 – Over a million tourists are expected in Toronto during the August long weekend to experience everything Caribana has to offer. The beauty of Caribana in Toronto is the varied audience it attracts: everyone from families across Canada and the U.S, young singles looking for a good time, to celebrities throwing Caribana themed parties in clubs across Toronto. https://www.caribanatoronto.com/

Environment Canada has issued the following:

Severe thunderstorm watch in effect for: City of Toronto
4:20 PM EDT Wednesday 02 August 2017

Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing heavy rain. Another day of strong to severe thunderstorms on tap. Scattered thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening across Southern Ontario. Conditions will be favourable for some of the thunderstorms to produce torrential downpours. Local rainfall amounts of 50 mm in an hour or less are possible in localities that are affected by a very slow moving thunderstorm or two. Damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning, and hail are also possible. Hail is also possible. Strong wind gusts are also possible. Intense lightning is likely with any thunderstorm that develops. Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors! The Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches. Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ec.cpio-tempetes-ospc-storms.ec@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

At 5:31 p.m. EDT, Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a cluster of severe thunderstorms capable of producing very strong wind gusts, up to nickel size hail and heavy rain. The cluster is located from Brampton and Caledon across Vaughan and into Toronto and Ajax. The cluster is moving slowly southeastward. Torrential downpours and quarter sized hail have been reported with some of these thunderstorms. Rainfall amounts of 50 to 100 mm are possible. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors! Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall. The Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches. Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ec.cpio-tempetes-ospc-storms.ec@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.

Radio show host Bill Carroll has tweeted a photo of a T-shirt, available for sale at a shop in Reykjavík, Iceland.  It features a topless Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with his apparently fearless, moose-riding wife, Sophie by his side.  Also shown, some Canadian geese, the rocky mountains and of course, a polar bear.  What do you think?  CFRB 1010 did a Facebook live video asking people on the streets of Toronto what they thought of this Canadian fashion statement. Would you wear it?  Mashable

Friend in Iceland saw this. Are you proud of how others view our country! I'm not! pic.twitter.com/KKAg0HB8Fe

— Bill Carroll (@billcarrolltalk) August 2, 2017

Urban Toronto has published information about major redevelopment plans in the works up at Bayview Village Shopping Centre. futureofbvshops.com outlines the development plans’ vision: “to modernize and activate the southwest portion of Bayview Village. This will include bringing Bayview Village out to Sheppard, with a multi-level storefront becoming our new front door to the city. An integrated podium incorporating both residential and retail elements will support the city’s key planning and urban design objectives for this part of Sheppard Avenue.” We’ve seen something similar at the Shops at Don Mills.

More: Urban Toronto, futureofbvshops.com

Jennifer Keesmaat‏ has tweeted this morning that Toronto’s Bike Share program has expanded by 70 stations, and added 700 new bikes.  We notice by looking at the map that 2 of the new stations appear to be at the Evergreen Brick Works at 550 Bayview Avenue.  A wonderful addition to a location with access to Toronto’s beautiful trail system as well as the Bayview Extension’s brand new bike lane.  But, with a potential of 700 new bicycles on the roads, has our City done enough to provide safe passage to and fro for the cyclists.  Do you trust the bike lanes?  Do the drivers understand the protocols around cyclists?  Are cyclists following the rules of the road?  The conversation continues.

With this expansion, @BikeShareTO will now have 270 stations, 2,750 bikes and 4,700 docks for Toronto residents across the city to enjoy. pic.twitter.com/5QiRi6RS0C

— John Tory (@JohnTory) August 2, 2017

I’ve met with city staff to advocate extending @BikeShareTO stations up Yonge St to St. Clair, Davisville & Eglinton. We’re willing & ready.

— Josh Matlow (@JoshMatlow) August 2, 2017

Through archival photographs and copies of original art works from the City of Toronto collections, Todmorden Mills: Then and Now explores Todmorden from its beginnings as an industrial community in the late 1790s to its establishment as a heritage site. Todmorden Mills Heritage Site was created for Canada’s Centennial in 1967, and celebrates its golden anniversary in 2017, along with the 150th birthday of our country. This exhibit is presented as part of TO Canada with Love, the City of Toronto’s year-long program of celebrations, commemorations and exhibitions honouring Canada’s 150th birthday. FREE admission to the Papermill Gallery, regular admission applies to the rest of the museum.

Todmorden Mills: Then and Now at the Papermill Gallery, Todmorden Mills Heritage Site, 67 Pottery Road, Toronto. Exhibition Dates: June 28 to August 6, 2017. Hours: Tuesdays to Fridays, 10am-4:30pm; Saturdays & Sundays, 12-5pm

Andy Elder of Grilltime on Laird Drive has announced the return of the ever popular Leaside Smokedown, Thursday, September 21st, 2017. This rendition will feature BBQ Dinner (of course!), drinks and friends enjoying the smooth jazz of Denise Leslie and the Denise Leslie Jazz Quartet. As always, it will be held at Amsterdam Brewery. This event will be supporting New Circles Community Services.

New Circles is a not-for-profit, grass-roots agency that provides much needed clothing, social programs, and skill building opportunities to individuals living on a low-income, with a focus on residents of Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, Victoria Village, and Taylor-Massey (including Crescent Town), many of whom are newcomers to Canada.

Not Your Granddad’s Weed: The Forensic Science of Cannabis, Wed Aug 02, 2017, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in the Leaside Community Room. Learn about the differences between cannabis and alcohol, the history of cannabis use, the various types of marijuana and its effects and risks. A lecture by Jim Wigmore, an internationally recognized forensic toxicologist. www.wigmoreonalcohol.com No registration required. Everyone welcome.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement:

Issued at 16:20 Tuesday 01 August 2017

Scattered robust thunderstorms across portions of Southern Ontario late this afternoon.

They may be accompanied by localized heavy downpours giving up to 40 mm of rain, wind gusts to 70 km/h and 1 centimetre hail. The thunderstorms should weaken early this evening.

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Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ec.cpio-tempetes-ospc-storms.ec@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.