Slightly changed route

Since 1905

Anglo-Indian Dinner

St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church, 1399 Bayview Ave.

Seton Woods volunteers

There’s a slight change to the route of the Annual Santa Claus Parade this November. Instead of passing the Eaton Centre and the Bay on Yonge St., it will dip down to Front and come back to Wellington St. at Church. The parade begins at 12.30 from Christie Pits. Facebook. Below that, a reminder from Joanne Cantrill of the St.Cuthbert’s Anglican Church Anglo-Indian dinner and concert on Saturday, November 25. Take a look at the interactive poster. Bottom right, open up this great picture of Mike Young and the gang of tree-planting volunteers last weekend at the Seton Wood planting in Taylor Creek Park. That’s Mike with arms outstretched at the rear left. He reports that there were about 60 volunteers, 20 Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts from three troops, 40 Kiwanis Key Clubbers from four Key Clubs across Toronto; Harbord, Marc Garneau CI, Don Mills CI and A.Y. Jackson SS. Well done you hard-working stewards of our forests.

TTC riders who have waited long periods for the 88 Leaside bus and other local routes will sympathize with the woman who, have been told to get off a 47 Lansdowne bus because it was too crowded, then began to walk in front of the bus, slowing its progress for several minutes. Finally, the driver gets on the line to TTC control and tells them of his predicament. The woman is seen moving from side to side on the road, making sure she is forming an obstacle to the bus. This little drama begins at the Lansdowne subway station where it is estimated more than a 100 people were waiting on a Friday evening. As they tried to jam onto the bus, the driver said some would have to get off. Very few did, but the woman bus-blocker was nearest the door. In a larger sense, this incident reveals once again how difficult it is to sell members of the public on choosing the TTC. All the public relations in the world doesn’t make these realities go away.

Battery bus made in Winnipeg by New Flyer (Twitter/@opbrid)

The TTC board voted Monday to buy 30 buses from three firms which make the suitable vehicles. They are New Flyer of Winnipeg, Proterra of Golden, Colorado and BYD Bus of China. Each firm will get an order of ten buses. The purchase will cost $50 million and may be seen as a tiny gesture in the direction of getting cumbersome streetcars off the street some day. CBC

Thief didn’t stay long/Rudy Limeback @rudydotca

Bayview side/Rudy Limeback @rudydotca

Early morning break-in/Rudy Limeback @rudydotca

Someone broke a window on the Bayview side of the Hasty Market early Tuesday. Then they went inside and made a mess. Photos by Rudy Limeback @rudydotca.

A Go Fund Me request post on Leaside Community Facebook Monday morning has generated mixed reaction from readers there as to the suitability of students asking the general public to assist with the cost of their education. It seems clear that few of those commenting know the person making the request but that aside some suggest this is an unfortunate approach. Read the comments below. Interesting.

Here’s a surprising revelation from City News reporter Nitish Bissonauth. Sometimes gas pumps continue to run up your bill even though you’ve stopped pumping gas.

LYFT COMING TO TORONTO

The U.S. ridesharing firm Lyft has told CP24 that Toronto will be its first international market. In an email sent to the station, Lyft spokesperson Daniel Moulton said the expansion will be bringing a “new affordable transportation option” to Toronto consumers. The story does not say when this may occur.

“COLONIAL” NEW SLUR ON WHATEVER THREATENS PERFECT CANADA

Both a war memorial and the statue of John A. Macdonald were defaced with red paint in Montreal Sunday as protesters objected to Remembrance Day and the Quebec legislation which will limit wearing of the face-covering known as the Niqab in public places. The statues were called Colonial, a word now used to describe many things that happened before the year 2,000 as well as the current federal government.

CBC

CBC

Who is the Leaside extortionist and just how many prominent residents of the area has he tried to blackmail? Two well-known men, Realtor Patrick Rocca and Andy Elder, owner of Grilltime meat shop, have reported demands to police from the same person for payment of US$250,000 in bitcoins. Both men have been threatened with online harassment and abuse of their families if they don’t pay. Email has originated from different European servers, but most recently from the Tutanota provider in Germany. It pretends to be from a dark and frightening “anonymous” figure who is beyond the reach of the law as he goes about trying to steal from people. Those under attack think this person is probably living in his parent’s basement not far from Eglinton and Bayview easily within the reach of the law. This is the sort of stuff he is pumping out.

The fate of your family is in your hands. If you think you
are above anonymous you will feel our wraith (sic). If you don’t comply the
above will be executed on December 1st.

PEOPLE ENCOURAGED TO COME FORWARD

Detective Aaron Dennis of 53 Division is on the case and considers the threats to constitute criminal harassment and extortion.  He is concerned that there are other targets of this abuse, people worrying at home about these threats. He points out that the material on which the extortion is based is all “open source” information and is perfectly respectable. And so the perpetrator has had to resort to largely unspecified fiction to attempt to get money.  Most people might believe they have little to fear from such fabrications, but police say fear of the unknown might cause targets to buckle to the demands. In the meantime, it seems likely that any of us might walk past “anonymous” on Bayview Ave. And the question Rocca, Elder and the police have is are there more victims of this arrogant bully and thief. Anyone who has been contacted by the extortionist is invited to write to any or all of the addresses in the interest of stopping and catching the Leaside extortionist.

mail@patrickrocca.com
andy.elder@grilltime.ca
news@bayview-news.com

Tigers and Colts pay respect

Plant Milkweed for the Monarchs

MKRT Holiday Show and Sale

Mt. Pleasant Village Christmas Fair

Avenue Bistro on Bayview

A departing look at Remembrance Day as under-eight-year-old soccer players (Tigers and Leaside Colts) bow their heads ahead of a match at LHS field. Then below that, a reminder from SciComm, a group of self-described geeky volunteers, that the beautiful Monarch butterflies need the Milkweed plant to survive. It is essential to their nesting and feeding. SciComm geeks addressed a gathering at Leaside Library on McRae Drive Saturday. To the right, word of MRKT Holiday Show and Sale at All-Canadian Storage, 1 Laird, on December 2. Lower left is the poster for this year’s Mt. Pleasant Village Christmas Fair also December 2. Be there. And finally, Avenue Bistro at 1568 Bayview Ave. (formerly L’Avenue) posted this irresistible braised lamb shoulder on ratatouille with smashed fingerlings, cured black olive tapenade and “braising jus.” Yum.

Leaside Junior Wildcats split the weekend with a 3-0 win Saturday against Etobicoke at MasterCard Arena and a 4-0 loss at home Sunday against Burlington. The final goal Sunday was into an empty net as Leaside employed six attackers.  The Wildcats have been playing without forward Sarah Brooks who has been watching games from the gallery since taking a bump in a tilt against Bluewater Hawks October 30.

A day of important activity awaits for volunteers to the annual Seton Woods Tree Fall Planting Event Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. Arborist Stephen Smith will guide things under the auspices of the Leaside 132nd Scout, East York Kiwanis Club, TD Bank and Boston Green Consulting Team.

China, glass, art, toys

The Co-operators reminder

Holly Berry is coming

Silent auction in Lamb Hall

Canturbury Autumn Sale next Saturday

Friends and bargain seekers (and maybe one and the same) thronged St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church Christmas Sale Saturday. The doors to Lamb Hall opened shortly after 11 a.m. following a Remembrance Day service. Reverand Ian LaFleur, who was inducted earlier this year as the incumbent minister at St.Cuthbert’s, greeted every guest. To the right, a reminder from the Cooperators agent Alok Tomar at Leaside Insurance, 1820 Bayview, about the promise of male longevity and the masculine appeal of a mustache this Movember month. Thanks Alok. Then, two church fairs to keep in mind, Rosedale United Church and St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church, both next Saturday.