The Bulldog

A week later, Overlea is still the street from Hell

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It was a week ago that thousands of motorists were bottled up inside Thorncliffe Park Drive because of the re-paving strategy of the contractor on Overlea Blvd. Saturday night (December 6, 2014) things seem to be just about the same as northbound traffic is still being funneled into one of the southbound lanes. This is the intersection of Overlea and Millwood Drive where four police officers are necessary to get traffic where it is supposed to go. Top, that TTC bus was westbound on Millwood. The driver made a wide turn to position the vehicle so he can get inside that line of traffic cones marking the temporary northbound lane. Looks like he still might miss it. Bottom, traffic off eastbound Millwood makes its way into the same pileup on Overlea. Signs warn drivers to be ready for long waits or just forget it. (Actually, that’s our advice). 

88 Leaside diverting because of work on Overlea

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The ominous tweets from the TTC suggest that the repaving of Overlea Blvd continues to cause chaos. Just before 3 p.m. the TTC flashed that the 88 South Leaside route was diverting both ways via Beth Neilson, Overlea due to construction at Overlea.

Stocking stuffer gifts for $59 at LIFT Fitness

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South Bayview merchant Bonnie Goldmacher has some inventive Christmas promotions. Her fitness studio, LIFT Fitness, is offering “Stocking Stuffer” fitness gifts at three sessions for $59. And there’s a Gift Special which is eight sessions for $149. (647) 748-8011

Pancake breakfast big hit at Manor Road United

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The Santa Pancake Breakfast was a big success at Manor Road United Church Saturday morning (December 6, 2014). Top we see the many pancake families in the great hall to the east of the church. Below left. a lad has some quality time with Santa and right, a couple give Santa (and themselves) a good laugh by muscling in on the “What would you like for Christmas?” fun. 

Skating party to celebrate newly-renovated Hodgson rink

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Josh Matlow (Ward 22) has invited residents to a skating party to celebrate the completion of the newly finished Hodgson Senior Public School outdoor ice rink. The gathering will take place Sunday, December 14 between noon and 2 p.m. behind the school at 282 Davisville Avenue. Below are some pictures of the year-long work at this venerable outdoor rink during its resurrection. The old rink was built in 1980. Both the old and the new rinks mark Hodgson as one of only a few open-air artificial rinks in the city. It would be a worthy local task to record the history of hockey and pleasure-skating at the Hodgson rink. The school itself was built in 1915. The old rink had suffered many break-downs and engineers were worried that an ammonia leak might poison kids or others. There was a further delay in re-building the rink when the City was unable to get the school board (TDSB) to agree to a lease for public use that would make the cost of the work worthwhile. Finally, a ten year agreement was reached. The South Bayview Bulldog is indebted to Twitter picture poster Matthew Pelligrino, who appears to have had a personal role in the work seen below and called The Big Pour. Beneath it are photos supplied by CIMCO refrigeration, which installed the mean-looking blue refrigeration unit that keeps the ice in diamond-like condition.

Vote on BIA taken, ballots await authentication

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Merchants and property owners in the South Bayview business district voted Thursday in the City’s process by which Business Improvement Areas are formed and approved. It was the most important step in seeking the creation of a BIA on the street. The results are now in the hands of the BIA office at City Hall which will authenticate the voting. The results of that process are expected next week. (Friday, December 5, 2014). 

He is wanted in four bank robberies in Toronto

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It should be easy to identify this man. He was photographed at a Royal Bank of Canada branch during one of four armed holdups this fall. They took place mostly in the west end with the last one being on Monday, November 10, 2014. If you know him, call police, If he is located, do not approach him. Call 9-1-1. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.

Man is a possible public safety risk say police

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Toronto police are searching for a man who they say may be “a serious public safety risk.” He is Ian young, 49, wanted for non-compliance with an Ontario Review Board Disposition Order. Mr. Young, was last seen on Monday, December 1, 2014, at approximately 11 a.m., in the area of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) at Queen Street West and Shaw Street. He was scheduled to return to CAMH on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, but failed to do so. He is described as white, 6’1″, 240 lbs., muscular build, dark-brown hair, with a pale complexion and brown eyes. Police are concerned for the safety of the public. This man may present a serious public safety risk. If he is located, do not approach him, call 9-1-1. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.

New beer store structure now up on Roehampton

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The Leaside thread at the online forum  Urban Toronto has a graphic photo from above of the new beer store framework now in place on Roehampton Ave. near Bayview Ave. The photographer, WislaHD, appears to be standing on the roof of one of the mixed use buildings on Eglinton Ave. just west of the Metro for this shot.  

Star explains how Wynne and Harper came apart

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The Toronto Star says it was right there on the ground floor of the current chilliness between Premier Wynne (Don Valley West) and the prime minister. It has been nearly a year since the PM met with the Premier and in the interim she has made two or three requests to see him. The last one, in November, had not been answered until today. That’s when a reporter asked Mr. Harper why he had not met with Ms. Wynne. The Star’s story suggests that it was that paper’s perceptive reporting of “an indiscretion” on the part of the Premier following her last meeting with Harper that has brought things to such a low state.  

In a front-page interview May 8 — at the height of what then appeared to be a tight election campaign — Wynne revealed Harper had “kind of smirked” and said people needed to save for their own retirement instead of banking on a public pension. Her apparent indiscretion about a private conversation in order to promote the Liberals’ campaign pledge of an Ontario pension plan enraged the Conservative prime minister’s office. Harper’s aides accused her last spring of “misrepresenting the meeting” in order “to distract from her mismanagement of the Ontario economy.” Her strategy did not hurt her electorally, as she won a majority government on June 12.

Today the PM said he meets with premiers from time to time and will no doubt have a meeting with Ms. Wynne “at some point in time.”  He then said he Premier should pay attention to Ontario’s “pretty significant challenges” rather presumably than demanding a meeting with him. Toronto Star 

Second Cup creates “coffee shop of the future”

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Could be. The new place is at King and John Streets and features what Second Cup calls a “slow bar” where you can plug in your device and watch the coffee makers work.  Among the new buzzwords is Steampunk coffee. (Is that like Espresso?) The Bulldog had to go to the dictionary to learn that Steampunk is a form of science fiction set amongst 19th century technology. Read the CTV story.

Ottawa approves Burger King takeover of Tim’s

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The Canadian government has approved Burger King Worldwide Inc.’s purchase of Tim Hortons Inc. on condition it maintains employment levels and list the company on the Toronto stock exchange. Bloomberg