Category: Uncategorized

Facebook group Leaside Community of interest

A newly-created Facebook group called Leaside Community is getting interest from many residents. Among the entries catching our attention was Andy Elder’s  post about a daytime break-in next door to him this past weekend on McRae Drive. Investigating police said another home on St. Cuthbert had recently been hit and terribly ransacked. Carl Spitzer mentions a group collecting money door to door for sobriety. Pardon, us but we would have to less than sober to give them anything. In fact, no money should never be given at the door or on the phone unless of course the people and the cause are known personally to you. Leaside Community is off to good start and is worth a look. Leaside Community

Cash fare on 1943 South Leaside bus was a whole 5 cents

The amateur historical site on Twitter known as Toronto Transportation @transittoronto has published an enjoyable bit of printed material which it says records the first time buses ran along the South Leaside route. Take a look. It was not really the South Leaside route as it’s been known since the subway was built but it may have been the first time the TTC used the name. In fact, many other buses ventured into Leaside during WWII to get workers to their jobs. The routing is fairly sensible but the printer may have missed a turn since he leaps from the “southbound Laird” to  “south-west on Sutherland.” There was probably a brief block on McRae Dr. and then a left onto Sutherland. The buses ran every 15 minutes so the schedule was fairly leisurely. The TTC could probably do it with just two buses. It is interesting that a rider could get a transfer to take the Broadview bus, which we’re guessing ran south on Laird and across the valley by whatever kind of bridge was there before turning south on Pape and east on O’Connor to find Broadview.

Shane Baghai sign on south Leaside property

The nondescript building at 3 Southvale Drive beside the Leaside Arena driveway is now showing a sign from the Shane Baghai firm on the lawn. The sign requests inquiries about the property be made to (416) 449-5994 extension 231. The long-standing property has housed Homeculture Limited and Gallery Sixty-eight Auctions for years. Mr. Bahai is the builder of residential structures in Toronto and is known for a stately condominium named St. Gabriel Manor at 676 Sheppard Ave E and numerous others. In 2012 the Toronto Star published an article profiling Mr. Baghai. Acting on concerns for his wife’s health he started raising his own cattle. He then branched out into the restaurant business. This in the context of his career up to that point, building and selling luxury homes and high-end condos. Venay Menon, Toronto Star

Parents crowd Lea Room for Summer Camp Fair

There was a lively gathering at the William Lea Room at Leaside arena tonight (Monday January 19, 2015) for the annual Summer Camp Fair. It was a crowded meeting of parents, kids, camp owners and counselors as some 21 camps set up their booths and talked camping. The opportunities for summer fun ran the gamut from downtown day camps like Ryerson and Mooredale to old and established live-in camps across Ontario’s hinterland. Among the participating camps were (Co-ed Residential) Onondaga Camp, Camp Kandalore, Camp Muskoka, Camp Wenonah, Camp Tawingo, Canadian Adventure Camp, Youth Leadership Camps of Canada, Camp Otterdale, Camp Tamarack, Camp Celtic (Girls Residential) Camp Tanamakoon, Camp Northway,  YWCA Camp Tapawingo, Camp Mi-A-Kon-Da (Boys Residential) Camp Hurontario, Camp Wendigo (Day Camps) King Day Camp, Ryerson Summer Day Camps, Mooredale Day Camp, Pawsitively Pets Kids Camp, Camp Tournesol. 

Hyundai Santa Cruz Crossover concept truck

Hyundai has startled the auto world at the Detroit Auto Show by showing a mind-bending concept truck branded as the Santa Cruz Crossover. Big and muscular with a diesel powerhouse, the new truck shows a conventional front door with small suicide doors behind. The material says the Santa Cruz has a “trick” box that expands and contracts. They tried to explain it but we think we may have to see it to understand. The Santa Cruz is a concept, so we’re not likely to see one at Gyro very soon. TopSpeed 

EY Town Centre owner sees tough road ahead

The CEO of Morguard real estate, owner of the East York Town Centre, says it will be a slow job to find tenants for all the spaces left vacant by the decision of Target Corporation to pull out of Canada. Rai Sahi, also echoed the view expressed by many that there is no single chain of stores likely to take over multiple locations the way Target did when Zeller’s was going downhill three years ago. “This is a surprise to everybody,” Sahi told the Minneapolis StarTribune, hometown newspaper to Target’s headquarters city. “When (Target) came in, we were very happy because we were worried about Zeller’s space at the time,” said Mr. Sahi. He is also chairman of Morguard. It has 15 store leases with Target, one of which is the Town Centre.  “We knew they had some trouble, but the last thing that anyone expected was that Target was going to pull out that fast.” What will happen  now? Sahi says he thinks that retailers in Canada will take pieces of the space, with Wal-Mart Canada at the top of that list.”  Sahi said there is already a competition brewing between some major retailers in Canada for his company’s most desirable Target locations. Those who might wish to see a Wal-Mart move into the Town Centre have to reckon with the choices available to Wal-Mart. The Thorncliffe site might not seem as attractive as a location in the new SmartCentre property on the north side of Wicksteed Ave and close to the LRT. So much property is in transition, including the Leaside Centre at Laird Drive and Eglinton, owned by Rio.Can, it is very difficult to guess where large firms like Canadian Tire might finally settle.  

Sunnybrook Plaza has 2 or 3 years left say tenants

Listening to the employees of two large tenants at Sunnybrook Plaza, the venerable shopping strip has perhaps two years of life left in its long history as the first strip mall to be built in Toronto after World War II. “We’ve been told by Rio.Can that in maybe two years they will start taking things down,” said one employee. It is a feeling felt throughout the mall and in Leaside too. People are talking more openly than ever about the condominium that will replace Sunnybrook Plaza. Rio.Can has proposed a zoning amendment to the property that would permit towers 19 and 13 storeys high and have retail at grade. There will be retail growth east of Laird Drive, but that’s not Bayview Ave. Will development on Eglinton lead to a re-birth of business on South Bayview? One property owner, Brown Group, wants to build a nine-storey retail-residential building on Bayview between Soudan and Hillsdale Aves.Urban Toronto

Going where no trendy editor has gone before

Toronto Life chooses to go where few TL editors have gone — Thorncliffe Park. No really. It’s a well-intentioned profile complete with cute hashtags of well-known tenant leader Abbas Kolia. Mr. Kolia is a strong spokesmen for his members. He has, as he says, tangled with politicians  (most notably former Councillor John Parker) about just where tenant responsibility for conditions should begin and end. It is a personal thing. The “comments” section of this story is worth a read in that regard. It is certainly a good insight into this important figure in Thorncliffe Park for his fellow Leasiders across the CP rails who may want to know more about their neighbors to the immediate east.  Toronto Life