Toronto Zoo workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are on strike  The zoo is closed and the management says the animals of being cared for by management personnel. As reported by City News, the zoo management released this statement relating to issues.  “The Toronto Zoo presented fair and reasonable proposals that were rejected by the Union – these proposals included job security and wage increases,” the statement said, adding the zoo’s bargaining position would consider contracts negotiated between the City of Toronto and other CUPE locals

NOT-FOR-PROFIT

“The Toronto Zoo is a not-for-profit charitable organization. The union’s demands were simply unaffordable and do not reflect the financial realities facing the Zoo or other settlements reached within the City of Toronto.” Toronto Zoo officials said its employees are well compensated and that a “series of proposals” to address job security concerns were tabled. “The Toronto Zoo has been more than fair and reasonable. The negotiation process involves give and take by both parties but the union has not provided any flexibility from their side. We are satisfied that the proposals recently tabled by the Zoo satisfactorily address the issues of job security raised by the union and also provides for wage increases throughout the term of the agreement.”

Other stories:

• Ground meat products recalled in Ontario over E. coli fears
• Highway 407 bill tipped off Ontario woman about Range Rover she says she never bought
• Bombardier’s Pierre Beaudoin stepping down as executive chair

Four people died in burned car

@YGKTraffic avoid 401 WB near Joyceville Rd – major MVC pic.twitter.com/EGsnjmJoKZ

— megan (@megwilkinson_) May 11, 2017

Four people are dead and two others hurt in a terrible seven-vehicle collision on Highway 401 in the westbound lanes northeast of Kingston. The vehicles included four tractor-trailers, a commercial truck and two passenger vehicles, one of which caught fire in the crash. Police say the four people who died were all in the vehicle that caught fire. Two other people were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Police say the victims will not be identified until relatives are notified. This occurred sometime after 1 a.m. Thursday

Cycling for mom

Grilltime suggestions for Mother’s Day

Young men at Bamboo Bay have something for mom

Mother’s Day weekend is looking fairly nice with a high of 13 predicted for Sunday. Some suggestions include an indoor cycling gift and some proscuitto-wrapped asparagus for Sunday dinner from Andy Elder’s specialty meat store Grilltime on Laird Drive. Three young men made flowers for their moms at Bamboo Bay studio at Millwood and Bayview. Very sweet.

MAYFAIR

Mayfair, the traditional Rosedale celebration of Spring, is this weekend and we hope to see a fine parade Saturday of kids and dogs down Hudson Drive in Moore Park and across the “ramp” to Rosedale Park on Schofield Ave. The Mooredale website has information.

Staff-Sergeant Matt Moyer

Approximately 50 homeowners gathered for the Moore Park Ratepayers Association Annual General Meeting Wednesday night at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School on Garfield Ave. One of the speakers was 53 Division Staff Sergeant Matt Moyer who warned of continuing break-ins in the neighbourhood. His remarks focused on securing doors, windows and placing valuables in some of the less obvious places. It’s pretty common for example for thieves to rummage through a woman’s lingerie drawer because that continues to be a place where jewellery and other valuables might be hidden.  Nor is the microwave a safe spot from seasoned thieves. Moyer said the area sees perpetrators knocking on doors then standing away from the home to see if anyone responds. If not, they may try to enter through a rear window by cutting a screen and breaking glass. They seldom stay inside for more than five minutes and won’t enter if they think anyone is at home.

RAVINES

Several speakers addressed the challenges presented not only of Mother Nature but also the many bodies in charge of protecting ravines. These are the Vale of Avoca and Moore Park Ravines so valued by local people but also by City and visiting walkers as well. MPRA president Chris Lowry prefaced the discussion by describing the enormous task played by the Yellow Creek which runs through the Vale of Avoca. Storm water from Downsview and points along the way runs into the creek south of Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.  Other speakers cited the challenges of working with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) as well the City Water Department and planning staff. The process and status of effective action seemed elusive. Resident Lawrence Pick spoke in thoughtful detail about the future of the steps at the west end of Heath. The volume of pedestrian traffic on this pleasant short cut to Yonge Street has defied the City’s concern that the steps may not be stable. It was blocked off when the 2015 shot below was taken. A plan of study goes on to investigate the true status. Also: Landslide drops Rose Park backyards into Yellow Creek

Public continues to use Heath steps

Steps and trails lead to Yonge St.

The quick reaction of a truck driver and others saved the life of a motorcyclist who crashed into a dump truck. The bike erupts in flames on contact last Saturday in Nanchang, capital of east China’s Jiangxi Province. The video is quite harrowing to watch. Next, it is fascinating to look at this video of an albino Orangutan in Indonesia. There is a contest to name it. Then, Conservative cut ups in the Commons were ribbing the government about the full-size cut-outs of the prime minister that have been ordered by some embassies abroad. They say the appeal is two-dimensional. And finally, power will change hands Sunday in France where outgoing president Hollande has been seen with the incoming Emmanuel Macron.

City News has covered the uprising of some Lawrence Park parents who want more and better sidewalks for the safety of their kids as they walk to school. One family even got their little girl to speak personally about it. Punchy stuff. But as Ward 25 Councillor Jaye Robinson knows only too well, there is long-standing opposition not just to sidewalks but to the street paving that comes with it. There are east end streets that look like war zones. And that’s how ratepayers like it. They know their street will never become a speedy short cut for anyone while it’s in that condition. Oh, yes and there are the trees too. But sidewalks can go around trees as they do on well-paved McRae Drive in Leaside for  example. Lots of different kinds of fish to fry at this party.

The BC Liberal Party led by Christy Clark has finished one seat shy of a majority. The Grits took 43 seats in the 87 seat Legislature. Clark, 51, told supporters early Wednesday she intends to remain premier despite the show of waning confidence in her government.

Scouts Canada and the Kiwanis Club of East York are inviting young people and families to participate in the Forest Meadow Strategy this weekend, Saturday, May 13, and again on Saturday, May  27 to clear and plant wildflowers in Taylor Creek Park in East York. Plan a day by checking the site of the 132nd Toronto Scouts.

The Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP) pointedly withheld its vote on the re-election of Bombardier-family nominee Pierre Beaudoin at Bombardier’s annual meeting last week, echoing similar moves by Quebec and British Columbia funds. The founding family is facing increasing pressure to permit an independent chair to take over the troubled airline and train maker. It’s problems are legion  Some would say scandalous. More than that, the heirs of the founder, Joseph-Armand Bombardier, inventor of the snowmobile, control Bombardier with barely 13 per cent of the equity through a dual-class share structure that confers control and a third of the current board being Mr. Beaudoin, his father, two of his uncles and a cousin. Reuters

The Royal Bank of Canada building at 20 King West will be closed for at least six months to clean up soot and smoke damage caused by the hydro vault fire last week. The bank’s senior vice-president and global head of corporate real estate mailed employees Tuesday that the banking tower will be cleaned from top to bottom before it re-opens for employees and the public.

Toronto District School Board has blocked Snapchat, Instagram and Netflix after it found that those three sites were burning up more than 20 per cent of the board WiFI capacity. In a statement Tuesday TDSB said these sites are making many necessary operational tasks like attendance, registration and report cards nearly impossible to complete.  The “interim measure” will help alleviate congestion and boost network capacity while minimizing the impact on teaching and learning, it said. The board said it was working on providing a faster network, and said regular WiFi access is expected to resume in September.