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Leaside parade from 1953

This photo is from the mid-50s and shows a Shriners parade in Leaside. It’s especially irresistible because of the fantastic Chrylser convertible leading the way. FB

The City has closed a butcher shop in the East York Town Centre for health infractions relating to rodents and cleanliness. The infraction details relating to Overlea Halal Meat and Grocery are here.

Uber will start charging 50 cents more per ride to help their drivers pay for expensive gasoline, the firm has announced. It’s temporary but there’s no time limit set for just how long that might be. Uber said 100 percent of the surcharges will go directly to its drivers and delivery people

Winner Patrick Hale

A Toronto “building supervisor” has been revealed as the winner of the $30 million Lotto Max jackpot on February 4. He is Patrick Hale, 56, and he has vowed to spend his fortune on refining his unidentified “invention” as well as on his wife and family. “In my mind, I’m the inventor, I didn’t have the money for it. And now I pursue the aspect of my invention and make it a reality. Besides working on the invention, Hale said he is looking forward to buying new homes and cars and spreading his fortune to family and friends. “If you don’t help people, what do you do in life? There’s nothing else in life. This victory won’t change me, it allows me to help more people. Now my heart can be bigger, “he said. CTV

Gasoline prices are reportedly sliding a bit. The CityNews 680 chart shows most GTA stations selling regular fuel at 175.9/litre with another drop predicted for Saturday down to 169.9. Not cheap, but better.

It’s an unfortunate start to March Break but Friday snow and the prospect of a sloppy weekend will give way to Spring temperatures in the new week. Weather Network

Clocks go forward an hour this weekend although as time goes by it seems harder to find anyone who knows why they were ever turned back.

Esso station at Bayview and Broadway

Many Facebook posts Thursday suggest that price increases in gasoline are causing drivers to load up to the point of cleaning out some stations, at least for a short period. Here is a longish thread of no gas at the Esso and Shell stations on Bayview north of Eglinton.

Heads up. Esso at Bayview and Broadway out of gas. Shell at Roehampton still appears to be ok. I wanted Esso so got gas at Mt Pleasant and Merton.

The Shell at Roehampton & Bayview had NO gas on Saturday. I then went to the Esso at Broadway and they only had Supreme. Ended up at Petrocanada at Moore. I don’t know if there was a run before the prices went up or are people “hoarding”

Better to pay for gas than be in Ukraine…..suck it up

Beth Nealson (Mayor of Leaside) and True Davidson (Reeve of East York) in 1966/Toronto Star

Wildcat coaches celebrate players

Remember The Vintage Room at the Inn on the Park?

El Hogar

Marking 50 anniversary of Beach Metro News

East York Jam

True Davidson and Leaside Mayor Beth Nealson are among the more famous local women (to say the least) as the world reflects on International Women’s Day this week. Jamie Bradburn writing in Torontoist recalls that Davidson, then Reeve of East York, sniped in 1966: “I think the real reason the Government decided to amalgamate our two municipalities is that the men didn’t want so many women around in politics and decided to get rid of one lady mayor.”  At the upper right is the coaching gang of the Leaside Wildcats Under 18B (Taylor) team as they celebrate their players on women’s day. Hats off to you too, ladies. Below that is more nostalgia recalling the Inn on the Park and its elegant Vintage Room at the Leaside Chit Chat Facebook page. Further down is a post by the El Hogar Ministries in Honduras. It’s a long-time benefactor of generous parishioners at Leaside United Church. At bottom right is a reminder of the East York Jam Fest set for March 26 and 27 at the East York Civic Centre. Looks like fun. Lastly, at bottom left is a tribute by veteran cartoonist Bill Suddick to Beach Metro News, celebrating 50 years in business.

CTV News is saying Wednesday that Ontario will end the requirement to wear masks in most indoor public settings and schools on Monday, March 21. It says the province will end mandatory masking everywhere except hospitals, congregate care settings and the long-term care system by March 21. Medical Officer of Health Keiren Moore will speak at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The Ontario government says it will upgrade the curriculum for all levels of school with an increased emphasis on science. The acronym STEM (meaning science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is often used to describe this field. And yes kids, it may require some work but that’s what smart people do.

Chief Ramer getting ready for a cold dip

Toronto Police Chief Jim Ramer will take the Polar Plunge in aid of Special Olympics athletes later this month. The annual fundraising ends March 21 after which Ramer (who must be a heck of a good sport) will be dumped into icy water by Wendel Clark

City property near Leaside Spur Trail to become paramedics hub

Eight sites to be developed

Eight large properties downtown and in North York are going to be “unlocked” in the words of the City and redeveloped in various ways. Among the most mentioned is the former bus terminal at 611 Bay St but locally there’s the large property at 18 Dyas Road just east of the Leaside Spur Trail. Plans are to make it the new Paramedics Multi-Function Station Hub.