The mystery of checkout Aisle 8 continues at Loblaws at 301 Moore Ave. Today the aisle is gone and the floor has been re-tiled to make it seem like the aisle never existed. Woo. One cheeky clerk said maybe it was going to be a dance floor. Hey, if Whole Foods can have tattoo parlors, Loblaws can surely have a dance studio. It may yet be true that a self checkout lane with a new desk will fill this space. But for the moment, let’s dance.
It’s 2016: Facebook persona makes everyone a public figure
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The mixed blessing of a Facebook persona, the new publicity of having a picture online, has seen a Durham Region woman ambushed when her picture was used by an online predator to attract a 12-year-old boy. The Bowmanville man is now in custody. Police published the picture and asked if anyone else had been entrapped in the same way by the fictitious “Jennifer Jackson.” The real owner of the face and image contacted police and asked that they protect her identity.
Art workshop for Grades 1-3 at Children’s Garden School
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Natalie Kauffman finds kids engaged for talk about Toronto artists
Grades 1-3 students at Children’s Garden School (on Eglinton, just east of Bayview) were the lucky recipients of a very unique visual arts experience on February 5. Blank Canvases, a company dedicated to exposing Toronto students to contemporary artists from their own city, delivered a workshop in the style of Liz Pead’s work. CGS students focus on the work of many artists throughout history in their Visual Arts curriculum and they were eager to learn about the fine work being made in their own city, right now. Liz Pead works with fabric to create her striking images and the children loved using fabric and oil pastel to create beautiful works of their own.
SONGWRITER TO LECTURE IN APRIL
The Arts are an integral part of the curriculum at CGS and efforts are always being made to bring engaging and new opportunities to the children. Next up is a visit from Juno nominated singer/songwriter Craig Cardiff on April 5. Grades 2-3 students will write a song with Craig and take it into the studio to record later in the month. Want more info? cgsschool.com or contact Director of Admission, Kelly Scott at 416 423 5017 x 43
Using fabric in the creation of art
This post superceded by later news of Toronto CUPE talks
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Home destroyed in 4 a.m. fire drama on Stibbard Ave.
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Burned out home at 173 Stibbard. Photo:The South Bayview Bulldog
Fire has destroyed an unoccupied house undergoing restoration at 173 Stibbard Ave. just off Mt. Pleasant. Rd. The blaze shocked neighbors and the couple living at 171 fled for their lives as flames licked at their home. The family cat was left behind and a Toronto Fire hero ran in to bring it out. Water damage will force the man and wife into a hotel while their pet enjoys the hospitality of a neighbor. A woman opposite on Stibbard said she and her husband were terrified by the spectacle of the flames. This morning, the charred hulk of the gutted renovation is flooded with bright sunlight revealing even small details of the damage. A new home under construction at 175 was also burned but the owner of Sherwood Homes says he feels lucky to have escaped with no greater damage. The raging blaze that met firefighters caused the closure of Mt. Pleasant Rd. between Blythwood Rd. and Sheldrake Blvd. for a few hours.
PREMIER: Ontario to extend wine sales to grocery stores
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Wine will be sold at 70 grocery locations in Ontario by the fall and as many as 300 such stores on a timeline as yet to be established. Premier Kathleen Wynne made the announcement at the Longo’s store which is housed in the historic steam engine repair building on Laird Drive. It is more of the equally historic gradualism in such matters which has seen every provincial government loathe to let the cash flow from alcoholic beverages slip from the LCBO.
WILL THIS SELL MORE WINE?
Analysis may have shown that sales overall will increase by loosening the control. That will increase revenue from the heavily-taxed product. “Imported and domestic wines will be sold at up to 150 grocery stores,” the province said in a statement. “As well, up to 150 existing winery retail stores that are currently just outside a grocery store checkout will be permitted to operate their store inside that grocery store, with a shared checkout, and broaden their assortment to sell the wines of any Ontario producer.” There’s an okay analysis here from the CBC.
NEWS: Premier sashays into Longo’s Leaside bringing wine
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As in all things alcoholic, the mills of Ontario grind slowly. Now it appears the keystone of Confederation will inch a bit closer to wine sales in grocery stores Thursday morning. That’s when Premier Wynne (Don Valley West) will visit Longo’s in the Leaside Centre on Laird Drive to make an announcement. Those who watch the:Premier say the government plans to allow 70 grocery stores to sell wine this year, a number that will eventually grow to 150. Last December, Wynne visited a Toronto Loblaws to announce the start of beer sales in supermarkets across Ontario. It is a program that qualifies both as too little and too late for many consumers but it’s only what’s good for you. Remember that.
SAKS TO OPEN
Saks Fifth Avenue much-anticipated opening of its Canadian flagship in the former Bay store at Yonge and Queen will roll out Thursday. The company’s second Canadian location at Sherway Gardens is poised to open next week. The world is watching.
PROMENADE MALL FOR SALE?: WHY?
Tenants of Thornhill’s main shopping complex, Promenade Mall, have been told the property is for sale. The owners of three stores in CF Promenade Mall whispered this to CP24. They are concerned about rent increases. One question is why does Cadillac Fairview, a canny and tough property owner, wants to sell Promenade. According to CP24, a store owner said he received a memo yesterday saying the mall was on the market, but the memo did not say why. Mystery. It contains major retailers Sears, T&T Supermarket, Old Navy and a large movie theatre. It also contains office space.
Eight young speakers vie for Agnes Macphail trophy
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Hayden Landolt and Olivia Walsh with the Agnes Macphail trophy
Eight talented public speakers from three area elementary schools contested the Agnes Macphail Public Speaking Trophy last night at East York Civic Centre on Coxwell Ave. The passion, intellect and style displayed by the Grade 6, 7, and 8 students was a delight for the parents and public who filled the Council Chamber. And it kept the judges in an overtime deliberation that finally awarded the trophy to two speakers. Olivia Walsh, a Grade 6 student at St. Anslem Catholic School on Bessborough Drive and Hayden Landolt, a Grade 8 student at Westwood Middle School on Carlaw Ave. shared the award. Ms Walsh spoke of “Eliminating Homelessness” and Mr. Landolt about “Why we must lower the wage gap.” See clips of both speeches below. Other speakers were Clare Pei-Ling Lue Tam of Holy Cross Catholic School (Disabled or Mislabeled) Lexi White, St. Brigid Catholic School (Food Insecurities in Nunavut) Athena Gonzales of Holy Cross (Women’s Rights) Cassie Sidebottom, Westwood (Physician Assisted Deaths) Meaghan George, St Brigid (Canada: A Land of Dreams) and Emma Love, St Anselm (Anxiety of Children).
Long-time Rosedale TDSB trustee Sheila Ward dead
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Sheila Ward
The school trustee for Toronto Centre Rosedale, Sheila Ward, has died. She has been on the amalgamated Toronto and District School Board since its formation in 1997. Ward served as chair of the board from 2003 to 2007. “Sheila was a tireless advocate for her community and public education in the City of Toronto,” TDSB Chair Robin Pilkey and Director of Education John Malloy said in a news release.
It’s a 1.3% property tax hike with no change to police budget
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Opinion poll on Laird Drive and Dawsco Plaza future
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The LPOA and Councillor Jon Burnside are conducting a survey of Leaside residents on the intensification of the Laird Focus Area and the Dawsco Plaza 939 Eglinton Ave. E. (at Brentcliffe) development proposal to gain a better understanding of what is desired for the future of our community. Any voting age resident of Leaside may participate TAKE THE SURVEY “Big Daddy” condos will set tone for land east of Laird Angry residents demand stop to Laird project
Twitter bug records time-lapse of sinister 50 cm snowfall
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Time-lapse video submitted by Twitter user Eric Dupere to CBC shows the accumulation of 50 cm of snow in Ottawa during a winter storm on Feb 16. City says it is the heaviest one day fall in 69 years.