Horsing around at Barrie Molson Centre/Leaside Wildcats

Valet parking on Bayview /BIA

Construction noise at Laird and Eglinton /Mark Bajcar

Forgotten stroller/Arin Arat Facebook

Crested hockey pucks/Leaside Arena

Lisa Kinsella pondering City Hall/@lisakinsella

With apologies to the Mamas and the Papas, our Monday, Monday gallery starts at upper left, where the Leaside Wildcats Atom AA squad beat the Barrie Sharks 3-1. They are seen horsing around in the dressing room corridor at Barrie Molson Centre Sunday. Erroneous information was published previously which The Bulldog regrets. Then below that, Grant Allardyce is reminding residents of the valet parking service that is available this Saturday and next for South Bayview Leaside BIA shoppers. Then to the right, Heidi and Mark Bajcar are feeling the Monday blues a bit as noise from construction of the Laird Drive Station secondary entrance continues to wreck their quiet 24 hours a day. Some Leaside Community Facebook members suggest a call to the Councillor. But the Metrolinx juggernaut is driven by the Ontario government. The Bajcars have had stories in the media but hammering goes on towards LRT heaven.

BETTER THAN FORGETTING JUNIOR

Lower left, someone seems have forgotten the stroller while loading junior into the car. Better than forgetting junior, we suppose. To the lower right, Ann Brown says don’t forget the crested pucks marking Leaside Gardens 65th anniversary. Get them at the Pro Shop. Finally, Lisa Kinsella, still a bride from her 2015 marriage to Liberal keener Warren Kinsella, says she is thinking about running for City Council. Ward 32 (Beaches-East York) will be vacant as Mary-Margaret McMahon retires.

Jean Yip

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer with Dasong Zou

Monday is bylection day across Canada as four constituencies will elect new MPs. In Scarborough-Agincourt, Jean Yip (Liberal) will face off against Dasong Zou (Conservative). Ms Yip is a political and sentimental favorite as the widow of the late MP Arnold Chan, who died prematurely of cancer. Mr. Zou is an IT manager for the Royal Bank.  There are also elections in Bonavista–Burin–Trinity in Newfoundland, last held by Liberal Judy Foote, Battlefords–Lloydminster in Saskatchewan, last held by Conservative Gerry Ritz and South Surrey–White Rock in B.C. last held by Conservative Dianne Watts. The Liberals are expected to hold onto the Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador seats, while the Conservative seat in rural Saskatchewan is also a stronghold for the incumbent party. But the B.C. riding of South Surrey–White Rock will be hotly contested between the two parties — putting Scheer at risk of suffering a second byelection loss as leader.

A special weather warning has been issued for Toronto by Environment Canada. It says an Arctic cold front will cross Southern Ontario Sunday night. It will likely be accompanied by a brief burst of heavier snow in many areas with reduced visibilities which may affect travel. A coating to a couple of centimetres in a short timeframe is expected with this cold front. A cold front cross Southern Ontario Monday night into Tuesday. This weather disturbance will bring a general snowfall of 5 to 10 cm with it by Tuesday morning. The snow is expected to begin during the day Monday and taper off later Monday night. Although localized amounts of 10 to 15 cm are possible, the snowfall warning criterion of 15 cm snow in 12 hours is not expected to be reached.

South Bayview area elementary schools performed well in the Fraser Institute’s ranking of more than 460 public, Catholic and private places of learning in Toronto. A review of the results shows the following ratings out of ten:

• Blythwood 9.8
• Cottingham 9.8
• Pape Avenue  9.7
• Bennington 9.0
• Jackman Avenue 9.0
• Forest Hill 8.9
• OLPH 8.9
• Deer Park 8.8
• Northlea 8.8
• St Anselm 8.8
• Rosedale 8.7
• Maurice Cody 8.2
• Whitney 8.0
• Davisville 7.6
• Bessborough 7.4
• Rolph Road 6.7

There were seven schools at the top of the rankings for Toronto all of which scored 10 out of 10.

• Hollywood Toronto 10.0
• Islamic Foundation Toronto 10.0
•  NAMF Islamic Toronto 10.0 n/a
•  Nile Academy Toronto 10.0
•  Sathya Sai Toronto 10.0
• Seneca Hill Toronto 10.0
• St Sebastian Toronto 10.0

The Fraser Institute provides a clarification that not all schools are measured. It says: “Not all schools are included in these rankings. Schools will be excluded if, for whatever reason, we do not receive enough data from the provincial ministry of education to fairly rate the school. For example, elementary schools in Ontario that do not enroll grade 6 students will not be included in the rankings. The reason for this is that we must have student results data from province-wide testing that is conducted in grade 3 and grade 6. So, if a school is excluded that doesn’t mean it is an ineffective school or that the school did something wrong. It just means that we don’t have enough student results data to fairly rate the school.” Fraser Institute

Man is sent flying as driver turns car into his path and guns the motor

Man crosses

Just about out of the way, but…

Manchester Police in the UK are on the hunt for a driver who appeared to be obeying the law Friday as he stopped at a crossing to let a man cross. But as the pedestrian was nearly out of the way, it seems the motorist could not resist turning his Honda Civic towards the man and gunning the motor to hit him. Proof again that humans will do almost any destructive thing that they can imagine, just because they can. The victim remains in hospital with back injuries and severe bruising and police are appealing for information.

Urban Toronto website has published information about an application filed with the City to rezone parts of the residential streets west of the Briton House Retirement Centre at 700 Mt. Pleasant Rd. to permit a high-rise extension to the home. Urban Toronto says that plans from Gordon Wells Ltd. call for the expansion with frontages on both Soudan and Brownlow Aves, currently occupied by a number of single and semi-detached homes. In their place is proposed new buildings with a 1,595 m² footprint, designed by Julian Jacobs Architects. The addition would consist of an 18-storey tower atop a 7-storey podium volume and reaching a height of 88.6 metres, or approximately 291 feet.

A weather advistory issued early Sunday says there may be brief heavy snow along a cold front later in the day with a more widespread snowfall likely Monday and Monday night.  An Arctic cold front will cross Southern Ontario late this afternoon into this evening. It will likely be accompanied by a brief burst of heavier snow with reduced visibilities affecting travel. A coating of a couple of centimetres in a short timeframe is possible in some areas. A “general snowfall of 5 to 10 cm appears likely.” 

Neither Saturday night’s Lotto 649 draw nor the Friday night Lotto Max jackpot (for $55 million) yielded a winning ticket  However, the guaranteed $1 million prize was claimed by a ticket holder in Ontario. The jackpot for the next Lotto Max draw on December 15 will now grow to approximately $60 million and players will also have a shot at 15 Maxmillions prizes.

Cheeky Santas dash through Yorkville to raise funds for SickKids Hospital https://t.co/G8r4p7jmzl pic.twitter.com/Vd4LOtSSgh

— CBC Toronto (@CBCToronto) December 9, 2017

The 12th annual Toronto Santa Speedo Run took place on a very cold day Saturday once again in aid of the Hospital for Sick Children. The body of runners in red underwear and various skimpy garb was a distinct entertainment for fully-dressed on-lookers. The runners dashed through the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood along  Bay, Yorkville, and Cumberland. The run has raised over $320,000 for the hospital since it began. The money raised goes to the Toys and Games Fund at HSC.

Jozy Altidore scored in the 67th minute and Victor Vazquez added a stoppage-time goal Saturday as Toronto FC completed a record-breaking season with a 2-0 win over Seattle in the MLS Cup final, avenging a penalty shootout loss to the Sounders in last year’s championship game. CBC

https://twitter.com/BearVibesLive/status/939642314548396032

Friday at Manor Road United Church

Group has raised more than $40,000 for United Church of Canada

Manor Road United Church welcomed in the Christmas Season with Songs of Love, Hope and Inspiration performed by The Four Men on Friday evening. The quartet of accomplished singers is composed of Mervin Fick (tenor), Brian McIntosh (tenor), Michael Downie (baritone), and George Kopulos (baritone). They are accompanied by Ronald Greidanus on the piano. For the first half of the evening, the men served up a rich variety of gospel, spiritual, and maritime melodies.  Following a reception of mulled apple cider and homemade cookies, the second half opened with a lively rendition of Deck the Halls and was brought to a close with a delightful and humorous rendition of My True Love Gave to Me (Fischer/Beck). Since its inception, this talented group of men have raised over $40,000 for The United Church of Canada’s Mission and Service Fund which supports  justice, development, community outreach, and advocacy work.  In addition, they have raised over $20,000 for local charities. Tonight’s concert was their 51st and was enjoyed by an appreciative audience.