Building the bridge over Mt. Pleasant extension/Toronto archives

Old Rosedale Public School/OldTO

Mt. Pleasant and Jarvis/OldTO

Next time you whiz down Mt. Pleasant Rd. you may recall the picture at the left of the Bloor St. overpass under construction in 1949. The extension from St. Clair to Jarvis was built in the late 40s. The TTC bitterly resisted having to build this monstrous streetcar detour. The shot looks west. Upper right is the old Rosedale Public School that stood at Crescent Rd. and Mt. Pleasant. The rather forbidding old school, built in 1891, is seen in 1952 after the Mt. Pleasant extension was finished. It was demolished and a new Rosedale Public built on South Dr. later in the decade. Lower right is the wide-open intersection at Jarvis St. and Mt. Pleasant looking northeast in 1952. The billboard on the right says Globe and Mail, First in the Day, First in Results. The other billboard advertises Regent gasoline. Here’s an interesting history of Mt. Pleasant Rd.

There will be added interest in the Rogers Cup finals at Aviva Centre Sunday after Mississauga’s Bianca Andresscu, 19, qualified. Must watch. Then, a City News report on spiralling commercial rents in Kensington Market. A vegan place, Cosmic Treats on Augusta Ave., says the new landlord is hiking the monthly payment from $3,000 to $9,000. Wow. Below that, a chilling report from the CBC about two well-dressed young people sneaking into a BC dairy barn and torturing a calf to death. Finally, the Toronto Human Society continues to raise the alarm after a dog was stolen from its shelter.

Kevin Newman

Ellen Roseman

Andrew MacLeod

Kevin Newman will step down after three years as host of CTV’s W5 when the series returns for its 54^th season on September 21. Mr. Newman leaves for personal reasons. Before joining CTV, he had a distinguished career with Global News. Sources say that CTV will return W-5 to a format with no anchor. It is a long-ago form not seen since 1990 when the late Eric Malling was made anchor.

Ellen Roseman

The Star’s long-running consumer columnist, Ellen Roseman, will end her career with the paper, she has announced in a tweet. Roseman has been a champion of ordinary people navigating the transactions of daily life.  “I’ve had a great run, aided enormously by readers’ support and sharing of experiences,” said Ms Roseman. She did not say what is next for her. She is an active author and lecturer.

Andrew MacLeod

Andrew MacLeod, President and CEO of Postmedia Network Canada Corporation. said Friday that the company has reached a refinancing deal that will effectively give it an additional two years before it has to repay its first lien notes. Mr. MacLeod said that the deal gives the company more time and flexibility to execute management’s strategy to grow digital revenues. It appears to be doing that. In 2016, Postmedia issued $225 million in first lien notes with a maturity of July 2021. Since then, Postmedia has paid down around 58% of that debt, leaving $94.8 million outstanding.

Life really is too complicated when you can’t board a flight from Ottawa to Toronto without proving your gender. This story is a candidate for the Can We Go Back To 1999 Award. Then, lights out in much of England Friday. ITV reports. Below that, the awful knowledge that bulletproof backpacks are must-have back-to-school wear this year in the US. Lastly, John McNabb, great uncle of teen killer Bryer Schmegelsky speaks with kindness about his late relative.

The police chief, Mark Saunders, has held a Friday morning news conference in response to summer gun violence in Toronto.

Boarded up since 2016

Old door covered and blocked

Thick bush in former junk yard obscures Quonset hut

Since its sale in the summer of 2016 for some $10.5 million, the former Ricci brothers’ property on the northwest corner of Laird Drive and Wicksteed Ave. has been boarded up. The graffiti and summer growth has turned the corner into an abandoned eyesore. Many might wish for the return of the wrecked cars that used to line Wicksteed when the brothers ran Four Seasons Auto Body at the site. The corner, at 199 Laird Drive, is owned by Otis Properties, 3338 Dufferin St., opposite Yorkdale. The South Bayview Bulldog has made an inquiry about the plans for the land. But a reasonable guess is that the owner is merely waiting to see who might wish to develop it, or perhaps buy it. It might take decades. The property is said to offer a potential 65,000 square feet of space. It stretches from Parkhurst Blvd to Wicksteed on Laird and east on Wicksteed to the property line at the SmartCentrtes land now known as Lake Leaside.

“Definitely not SmartCentres”

One of the most intriguing unanswered questions about the Otis Property is why it was not purchased by SmartCentres to complete its development of the north side of Wicksteed. At the time of the sale to Otis, sources at Four Seasons were coy about the new owner but made it clear that their property had not been sold to Mitch Goldhar, owner of SmartCentres. “Definitely not SmartCentres,” said the Four Seasons source. Just what this emphasis might mean is for anyone to guess but it is certainly widely believed that there were marathon efforts by SmartCentres to buy Four Seasons. And why might not Otis wish to sell it to SmartCentre at some hefty price? But then there’s the chilling effect on retail development caused by Amazon. Yes, it might take decades. Unless the land is turned to an alternative use. All just speculation in the public interest.

Tracks at on Eglinton at Leslie/Michael Szego Facebook

Photos posted to Facebook Friday show considerable progress in the laying of tracks for the LRT on Eglinton Ave. at Leslie St. Hundreds attend Crosslinx town hall on closing of Leslie St.

Intersection closed until at least the end of August/Michael Szego Facebook

Police say the Bloor viaduct is now open after an operation to secure a person in crisis. This has been safely done, they say.  He is being taken to a medical facility to receive treatment.

City Hall  phone spoofed

The City is alerting Mandarin speakers to robocalls from an ad firm that are announced with a spoof of the City of Toronto’s phone number.

Canadian Tire purchase

CTC diversifies

Canadian Tire Corporation will purchase the 65-store Canadian chain known as Party City for $174.4 million cash. It is said to be a move to strengthen its connection with young buyers. CTC operates many retail banners including Canadian Tire, SportChek, Mark’s and Helly Hansen. It called the party goods business a “high-margin retail category”. Canadian Tire estimates that it will be able to double Party City’s annual sales in Canada to $280 million by 2021.

The sentencing hearing for Christopher Husbands, the Eaton Centre killer, has seen the defense complain that the accused was kept in solitary for his own protection. Yup. Then, a Brampton man says his Samsung blew up in flames and he has the burns to prove it. Below that, the Democratic Socialists in the US are out to “defeat capitalism”. They call each other Comrade in their meetings. Different for sure. Finally, it is 50 years since the Beatles whimsically strolled across Abbey Road during a break in a recording session. Note that Paul left his shoes behind.