The Bulldog

20 Leasiders attend 3.30 p.m. meeting on 27 Fleming

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The obligatory meeting of the Committee of Adjustment concerning 27 Fleming Crescent convened Thursday, May 7, 2015 at City Hall at 3 30.p.m. There was an  impressive turnout of 20 neighbors to hear the representative of the owner of the illegal building confirm that he does indeed intend to demolish it. It was a satisfying moment for Robert Ellis, the lawyer who lives next door to 27 Fleming. It was also confirmed that the owner is working on plans for a two storey home to replace the one that is there  The owner asked for a deferral of the meeting and Mr. Ellis agreed on the condition that there is a property assessment completed complete with plans and all proposed variances. The owner (through his representative) argued against the request but the Committee agreed with Mr. Ellis and the neighbors

Parking on Yonge in Rosedale/Summerhill is rescinded

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An attempt by store and restaurant owners of the Rosedale Main Street BIA to get some parking on Yonge between Crescent Rd. and Scrivener Square has been completely shot down. Earlier this year it appears that Ward 27’s Krystin Wong-Tam acceded to this measure. But the subsequent anger of motorists and local residents has brought it a crashing halt. Josh Matlow, whose Ward 22 drops down from Woodlawn Ave East of Yonge to the CP tracks westbound, did not  like the congestion complaints caused by the parking. It was thrown out at Council this week in an “urgent” vote. The short-lived idea permitted parking on Yonge on weekends. Now that is gone and so, apparently are others things like pay-and-display parking on both sides of Yonge between 7 p.m.and 12 a.m. One local voice called the traffic situation “totally bizarre”. Yonge is a provincial highway. Apparently the street was backed up badly and it was dangerous for cyclists.  One has to feel sorry for business along Yonge street. But the street is rather notorious for no parking. On South Bayview, it is very busy as well. Sometimes incredibly so and for various reasons. But few would countenance removal of street parking  It is something for the new BIA to take to heart about the forces of faster commuting. Proposed speeds of 30km/h on residential streets are only one part of safe driving. Rush hour traffic on South Bayview is frequently unsafe for motorists (both local and through) as well as pedestrians. .

Self-declared outsider Patrick Brown new Ontario PC leader

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Mr. Brown is interviewed by the CBC after his win at the Congress Centre. He is a self-declared outsider who seems to have won the leadership by collecting memberships from previously unsought or disaffected minorities. Thus he has limited support from the so-called old guard, members of the PC caucus. Just what kind of a party repair job this will represent is not clear. The Globe and Mail said Brown, 36, “thoroughly out-hustled” 60-year-old Christine Elliott. Mr. Brown won by a decisive margin, with 62 per cent of the vote. His made a pitch to what the Globe called non-traditional Tories. In the end, he sold some 40,000 memberships.  He got endorsements from Wayne Gretzky and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, certainly an out-of-the-box tactic. Of potential concern to moderate urban Progressive Conservatives is a vote Brown cast in Ottawa to re-open the abortion debate while in Ottawa. As is seen above, Mr. Brown is saying these things will not be part of a PC platform under his leadership.

 CBC

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Candidates hear the final result.

CTV

Couple tries to smuggle boy into Spain in suitcase

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Such is the desperation of people to get out of North Africa

A  border guard thought the young woman with the wheelie suitcase looked nervous and he was right. When the suitcase was placed in the luggage x-ray at the border crossing from Morocco into a Spanish enclave, a young boy was seen stuffed inside. The boy, 8, is from the  Ivory Coast. It is not clear how the 19-year-old woman is related to him. A few hours later, the boy’s father was arrested while passing through customs. A native of the Ivory Coast, he lives in the Spanish Canary Islands and wanted to smuggle in his son to join him Earlier this week, a 23-year-old Moroccan migrant was found dehydrated in a container in the port of Melilla, another Spanish enclave in Morocco. He had spent four days trapped without water and without food.

“Excuse me” shower starts what should be nice a day

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weatherThat “excuse me” shower about 8.30 today (Saturday, May 9, 2015) should be a one-off according to the forecasters. because there is so much to do today. Mayfair rolls out at Rosedale Park and Kid’s Fun Day takes over in Mt. Pleasant Village. The Royal LePage Garage Sale for Shelter has its annual stand at the corner of McRae Dr. and Bayview Ave. A nice smaller event is set for Charlotte Maher Park just off Roehampton where Josh Matlow (Ward 22) will open the new playground at 11 a.m. Enjoy

Medical building topped off at 418 Eglinton Ave. West

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New medical building started life as an A&P store

The re-built structure at 418 Eglinton Ave. W at Elmsthorpe Ave has been topped off and appears to be nearing completion. It will serve as a medical building in keeping with increased traffic and access flowing from the LRT, when it is built. The building dates from 1936 (same as the Eglinton Theatre building) and its first incarnation was as an A&P store. In recent memory it served notably as the home of Paul Slavens Real Estate in the 1990s and most recently as home of the upscale decor and clothing store Liv.

“Equipment failure” blamed for afternoon power outage

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A widespread power outage of varying length struck South Bayview Friday afternoon darkening parts of Davisville and Leaside. Depending on where you were, the blackout lasted between 90 minutes and 15 minutes. At its longest, it lasted from 2.30 to 4 p.m. Reports were heard from as far west as Mt. Pleasant and as far east as Laird Drive. Some said the power outage extended into the valley south of Moore Ave. In among all this, some people in Leaside and nearby neighborhoods like Moore Park  reported no outage. One merchant on Bayview near Millwood Rd said it was dark only about 15 minutes at most. But some on Laird and Eglinton East said they were without power for as much as 90 minutes. Andy Elder of Grilltime meats on Laird tweeted that Amsterdam Brewing on Esandar Rd. was online, a good break for the Date Knight event scheduled there tonight.  Valu mart was out as part of the Bayview darkness. Hydro was estimating a full restoration at about 5 p.m. and from the look of its outage map, that was accomplished.  Equipment failure is the handy  explanation offered for the blackout.