The Bulldog

Reality sets in at City Hall about the lovely Toronto sign

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Mayor Tory took a moment out of events marking the 50th year of the Toronto clamshell City Hall today to announce that the popular light-up “Toronto” sign will stay put on Nathan Philips Square for the time being. Previously, in the immediate afterglow of the PanAm Games, he had talked of somehow moving the sign all over town. Not a good idea. Now his honour says the sign will stay where it is at least until the end of its natural life. More than that, the sign’s natural life is said to be until sometime in 2016. The matter becomes more manageable by the moment. Hey, the sign has been a pleasant source of amusement during the games but the City, like homeowners, must understand that people cannot keep absolutely everything.

CLAMSHELL 50 YEARS OLD

There are a number of excellent old photos at the Toronto Archives Twitter account. Inset is the picture of the little known Finnish architect,Viljo Revell, who won an international competition to design the new City Hall. He died in 1964 and barely saw the place finished.

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N. California wildfires race through homes as 6,000 flee

See later post

 

Church barbecue draws large crowd after Sunday service

BBQ St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church barbecue was well attended today (Sunday, September 13, 2015) with Lamb Hall full of parishioners and visitors. Activity spilled onto the green. A visitor was Josh Matlow (Ward 22)  with his daughter Molly. She built box castles to the delight of St. Cuthbert’s Family Ministry Co-ordinator Brenda O’Connor (centre).

Kate’s new hair style as she makes first outing in 2 months

Telegraph 

FLASH FROM THE PAST: Alleve commercial on Astor Ave.

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Take moment to whiz back to 2012 when this was the scene on Astor Avenue.  Soft Citizen Productions is at work in Leaside again doing a commercial for Alleve. This time they’re at 8 Astor Avenue. Actually, the trucks and props and barbecue (inset) are all over the place, so we guess the neighbors are onside. The snapshots above show No 8 with artificial light streaming through the hallway window. They were shooting inside. Outside, the suitably named fictitious delivery company called Overnight Express is standing by. Overnight Express — Overnight Relief, we’re sure you get it. All of this during rush hour Wednesday.

 “BESSBOROUGH STUDIO” TAKES AN ALLEVE

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And from 2011: Everyone was feeling pretty good Wednesday night at the Bessborough Drive location for an Alleve commercial. Left, the scene at a home on Bessborough at the corner of St. Cuthberts Rd. as a “real estate agent” (right in gray) is about to learn how to avoid annoying pain as she goes about work. It’s all good.

Firefighting foam fills hangar as system goes haywire

Toronto airport hangar fills with foam from malfunctioning fire system.

Recalling 1950 harness racing at Thorncliffe Raceway

Standardbred Canada has written an interesting little history of the revivial of harness racing at Thorncliffe Raceway beginning in 1950.

Chilly weekend but getting warmer for coming week

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Sandra Bullock, looking good at 51 draws crowd at TIFF

The entertaining and thoughtful Bullock fielded questions. Her film Our Brand is Crisis is at TIFF. Sun  Bullock and Clooney reunite

$10 million asking for secret place at foot of St. Clair E

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The agent, Leanne Weld, describes this home as a rare and extraordinary offering. It sits at 514 St.Clair Ave. E where the street ends at the Moore Park ravine. Locals remember its construction in the 1980s with the demolition of two homes. It sits on nearly acre in the heart of the city. It also has potential to sever a lot. The asking is $10,000,000.

Blue Jays paste Yankees 11-5 in New York series opener

Blue Jays are the potent 2015 league-leaders we can’t enough of as they paste the New York Yankees 11 to 5 in New York. Jays lead the American League East by 2.5 games.

Elementary talks “called off” as parents remain in the dark

Many people expected a bad end to the elementary school labour talks and that seems to be what they’re getting. Meetings have broken off and both sides are proclaiming a kind of wonderment that this has happened. The education minister, Liz Sandals, says the government and the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association have tabled a “comprehensive” proposal to the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) that she says is in line with the tentative agreements reached with other teacher unions in the province. The head of the teachers union, Sam Hammond seems staggered: “We’re shocked at this development,” he said. Hammond accused the Liberal government of “walking away” from talks and refusing to continue bargaining. He hinted at even tougher action in schools where labour strife has already cost 800,000 public elementary school kids field trips and parents chances to meet with teachers.

LITTLE CONCERN STATED FOR PUPILS

And so, the mothers and fathers who elected the government watch, without information, as the school system they own is held hostage by the union. Such circumstances would not be permitted except through the fear of electoral vengeance of a province-wide union of teachers ready to vote against the Liberals at the next election. There is no apparent capacity in the cabinet to face down the teachers with back-to-work legislation and little interest expressed among teachers for their professional duty.