The South Bayview Bulldog

It’s Christmas and time for our thoughts to again turn toward family and home. Here’s hoping that your Christmas is as warm and rewarding as your highest hope. At The South Bayview Bulldog we too will be with family and friends.  But we will also reflect on the exceptional support The Bulldog has received from so many people. It is a labour of love to write the news of this community. To witness the decency of people and the culture of generosity here is an honour. The Bulldog is unabashedly proud to do its part in carrying the flag of the businesses and people in the place we like to call South Bayview. Thank you and Merry Christmas. Posting will resume Saturday afternoon.

Proposed addition to commercial site at 33 Laird Drive

There will be a City information meeting on Tuesday January 5, 2016 regarding the plans to redevelop the now vacant industrial property at 33 Laird Drive. That’s the corner of Canvarco Road. The development is proposed by Beaux Properties in partnership with Quaestus Corporation, a Netherlands based developer. Geoff Kettel reports that it is owned by Levitt United Ltd, a real estate holding company which purchased the property in 1967 from Sheridan Equipment. The building was used as the head office and distribution centre for Levitt Safety. Surplus space was leased out as the Leaside Business Centre  The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the William Lea Room at the Leaside Arena. The application proposes a zoning amendment to permit the redevelopment and the addition to the familiar building which was given heritage status in May. It appears the developers intend to create a shopping mall similar or related to the business done at Leaside Village and the Smart Centre There are diagrams and depictions of the plan at the Quaestus site. Also UrbanToronto

Michael Calderone and Timothy Boissier had been friends since high shcool

The names of both young men who died Tuesday in a flaming rear-end crash on the QEW westbound have been released.. They are Michael Calderone and Timothy Boissier. The two men, both 23, had been friends since high school. They were on their way to play hockey when the accident occurred. CBC

Timothy Boissiere, 23 and a friend were on their way to play hockey Tuesday night when their SUV became involved in that flaming rear-end chain reaction on the QEW at Oakville involving two trucks and a car. The SUV was pushed under a flatbed truck, police said. Mr Boissiere has been identified by  CP24

Business was brisk at Alex Farm Cheese on Bayview Wednesday

Stores seemed busy along Bayview Ave. Wednesday, the day before Christmas Eve. Many businesses have posted holiday hours which will see them close early Thursday. Restaurants like Vero Trattoria and LIT coffee and stores like Write Impressions will close at 3 p.m. Thursday. But there is still time to shop tomorrow. McSorley’s Wonderful Saloon is staging brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.on Boxing Day.

The City of Toronto is reminding residents to keep a safe distance from raccoons after the discovery of ten cases of rabies in raccoons in Hamilton. These are the first cases of raccoon rabies since 2005 and they may signal a broader infection across the province. So far, Toronto has been free of reported cases but the raccoon population is very large and there could well be rabid raccoons as yet unknown. Residents are asked to avoid feeding or touching raccoons, ensure that pets have up-to-date vaccinations and keep pets on a leash. The City is also asking owners to make sure pets are attended when outside. This will seem like a difficult challenge for cat and dog owners. It also notes that the raccoon population in Ontario is experiencing elevated incidents of Distemper, a virus that can symptomatically mimic rabies. Distemper is not transmissible to humans. Toronto Animal Services will pick up sick or injured wildlife.  If residents see animals that are in distress, they should contact 311.

Published Wednesday, December 23, 2015 by Yonge and Roxborough News. Fact is, there may be snow this winter.

At least three separate businesses are launching apps this season that will let homeowners summon snowplow operators to clear their driveway. Similar to Uber, the apps will connect smartphone users with the nearest available operator and handle payments automatically, with the respective startup taking a cut off the top, the Globe and Mail’s Peter Nowak reports. SnowMowr will launch on Jan. 6 in six Ontario cities: Ottawa, London, Windsor, Kitchener-Waterloo, Sudbury and Hamilton. The three co-founders have worked in sales and telecommunications and have been working on the app for a year, with the past six months spent signing up operators. Clearing a driveway will cost $35 to $75, depending on its size, with SnowMowr taking an unspecified percentage of the transaction. SnowMowr will be competing against at least two other startups: Ottawa-based easyplow and Toronto-based Eden App.  Link to the story

These fun guys prefer to dance in the snow rather than clear it