New Costco employs many from the Thorncliffe/Flemingdon area

Figures recently compiled by The Thorncliffe Office (TNO) indicate that as many as 240 residents of the Thorncliffe and Flemingdon neighborhoods have obtained jobs at the new Costco store on Overlea Blvd. These include some 120 “sampler” employees engaged by Club Demonstration Services to work offering samples at Costco. A similar number of area residents were hired directly by Costco for warehouse work. The TNO information notes that all these jobs are “permanent temporary”  like all Costco employment. Some employees were hired for the summer (students) and employment ended at the end of August. Costco will hire again for the Christmas rush. The onus is on the temporary employees to connect with Costco to provide their availability. These particular jobs will also be seasonal employment.  The jobs are described as “good” paying minimum wage plus full benefits for employees. Costco policy is to promote from within so enterprising staffers have a chance. TNO also calls the simple opportunity for “a live/work experience” to be a huge benefit. Employees save on transit, travel time and family/child care is easier to manage.

No winning ticket was sold for Friday night’s $60 million Lotto Max jackpot. There were 40 Maxmillion prizes of $1 million each possible and 14 of them were won. The jackpot for the next Lotto Max draw on October 12 will remain at approximately $60 million, but the number of Maxmillion prizes will increase to 42

A motorcyclist has died in a collision with a car late Friday on Scarlett Rd near Lawrence Ave. W. The photo above taken by Peter Muskat (@peter_muskat) shows the Lexus vehicle involved as well as the wrecked bike. The collision appears to of the head-on type. Sharing of the road will be an issue.

Banksy, the mysterious darling of street art, has performed a disconcerting elaborate prank on auction goers by having a successfully auctioned work shredded before the eyes of those present. The work was in an ornate frame which contained a shredder in the bottom. At the conclusion of the bidding, with the work having sold for more than a million pounds, a signal of some type sent the painting into the shredder to emerge in strips below. Banksy posted the moment on Instagram with a sneer: “Going, going, gone.”  Presumably the  gulled purchaser will not be paying. The identity of Banksy continues to befuddle the media in spite of what must be extensive business dealings in which real names would be required.

Stunned onlookers watch as Banksy work shredded by device in hidden in the frame/Banksy Instagram

Two Waterloo Police officers have been cleared of responsibility for the death of Nathan Wehrle, 15, and his girlfriend, Taryn Hewitt, 16, of London. The two died in October last year when they struck a transport truck as they fled police on Highway 6 near Hamilton. It was a case of a reported abduction gone wrong when a bystander saw Wehrle arguing with the girl outside a pizza shop. Police responded. This week the Special Investigations Unit said it concluded the two were fleeing because Wehrle was in a stolen car. Tony Loparco, the director of the SIU, noted in his report that “I am unable to establish that there was a causal connection between the actions of both subject officers and the catastrophic collision that caused the tragic deaths. There is no evidence that the driving of either of the two subject officers put any of the members of the public at risk throughout any part of the pursuit.”

• Daughter’s last text: ‘I’m sorry, we stole a car and we’re in a high-speed chase’
• Disastrous chase in “abduction” leads to death of 2 teens

A study by the C.D. Howe Institute, a conservative think tank, suggests that the legal supply of cannabis will fall far short of demand. It notes that Canada’s likely supply of legal marijuana may be about 210 tonnes compared to the current demand of 610 tonnes. The author says: “The important policy conclusion is that there will not be enough legal supply, especially during the first half of the year following legalization, primarily because of the slow rate of licensing producers.” There has been much speculation about the continuing bonanza in the sale of black market dope even after legalization of its use.

Cracks between sewer lids tell of sinking pavement

Busy Moore Ave.

Drivers feel extra dip at Belt Line crossing

Noticed that little sinking feeling on Moore Ave heading east at the Belt Line crossing? It has appeared in recent days and the evidence is seen in cracks that have formed between sewer covers in the centre of the lane and by the curb. Beware. Councillors offices in Ward 22 and 27 have been made aware.

One man found with life threatening injuries in a house fire here at Fifth Line and Haygate Cres. in Mississauga. This neighbour, Robin, ran over to try to help, then called 9-1-1. Platoon Chief Hills from @MississaugaFES says Robin’s quick actions were a huge help. @680NEWS pic.twitter.com/d2De6RGzRR

— Mark Douglas (@DouglasCityNews) October 5, 2018

A man has died in Mississauga house fire Friday. It occurred on the Fifth Line between Haygate Crescent and Danube Court. A neighbour, Robin, attempted a help but was driven off by smoke. The victim,77, was the resident of the home.

Gary Brian, who has an ongoing birdseye view, has posted pictures of the new configuration at Bayview and Eglinton. He comments: “Just about the time you get used to one, they change it. They worked all night.” How right you are.

There is a long and mixed series of posts on Leaside Community Friday about local pharmacies. It begins with a complaint about apparent inefficiency at the Rexall Drugstore at 325 Moore and extends into complaints about how Shoppers Drug Mart stores make you walk through the cosmetics department before finding the dispensary. In the case of the Shoppers located in the old Bayview Theatre at 1601, the public has to find the way upstairs to see a pharmacist. But there are a couple of complimentary posts about the staff there. These posts may not cause many people to change pharmacies but it is an interesting cross section of grumbling. A couple of them say that the drugstore in the Loblaws on Redway Rd. is good. For many however it may come down to using the drugstore closest to home. This is where 325 Moore has an appeal for some customers who have found it busy, but otherwise satisfactory.

Meet at Leaside Park at 9 a.m.

How to get there

Dozens of volunteers from the community and local businesses will scour the ravine behind apartments on Thorncliffe Park Drive Saturday (October 6) to pick up litter and make the valley safe and livable. Harold Shin of the Toronto Police Service is organizing the community effort on behalf of United Thorncliffe Park In Action, a group of stakeholders of the area. Shin is the Neighborhood Resource Officer of the Community Response Team at 53 Division. He is appealing to anyone who would like to join the team. The volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. in Leaside Park just off Overlea Blvd. near Millwood Rd. Councillor Burnside will be there. He is a former police officer and will be joined by volunteers from police, fire and paramedic services. Police dogs and horses will add a nice feeling. There will  also be a lunch served to volunteers.

MANY PARTICIPATING

The drive to make the ravines safe and clean has touched the community spirit of many. Among the organizations which will participate are Q Residential, the Ismaili Mosque, Costco, Enbridge, Cliff Investments , Home Depot, The Neighbourhood Office, TI Group, Tim Horton’s, Mobarak Pharmacy, Iqbal Foods, and City of Toronto Parks, Forestry, and Recreation to name a few. But more are welcome. The area coverage of the clean up project will be the ravine immediately behind the buildings of Thorncliffe Park Dr. The ravine will be divided into 4 sectors to make the work manageable. A neighbourhood organization will be in charge of each sector taking care of the volunteers and the logistical requirements.

Sector 1:
Ravine Area behind 95, 85, 79 and 75 Thorncliffe Park Dr.
Sector 2:
Ravine Area behind 71, 65 and 53 Thorncliffe Park Dr.
Sector 3:
Ravine Area behind 35, 41, 43 and 47 Thorncliffe Park Dr.
Sector 4:
Ravine Area behind Leaside Park (1 Leaside Park Dr. and Townhouses) and 6 and 8 Milepost Pl.

UTOPIA

United Thorncliffe Park In Action is a group of more than 47 stakeholders of the Thorncliffe Park community. They comprise home owners, property owners, business owners, residents and people who work in the community and care for it. This group also includes government and non government agencies that have jurisdiction and involvement in Thorncliffe Park. This group was organized with the help of 53 Division Neighbourhood Resource Officers (NRO). They have met numerous times in preparation for the big cleanup.

young cat is recovering/Nicola Paling

A cat with duct tape wrapped around its head is shown in this recent handout photo/Nicola Paling

A young cat has been found and rescued after someone wrapped its head in duct tape. Nicole Paling of Burlington discovered the cat in an animal carrier at a veterinary clinic. It had been dropped off in the parking lot. She said it took ten minutes for she and her boyfriend to remove the tape without hurting the cat. The cat has been named Lucky and is making a full recovery.