The South Bayview Bulldog

It would hardly be the Pan American Games if the Cubans were not defecting to the United States. That’s what happened — again — over the weekend when four Cuban rowers — Liosmel Ramos, Wilber Turro, Manuel Suarez and Orlando Sotolongo  — took off for the U.S. from the nearby Pan Am venue in St. Catharines.  They have been in touch with teammates through Facebook according to their coach  They are following a time-honoured practice by running away. A Cuban boxer defected in 1967 from the first Pan Am Games in Winnipeg. Eight members of the Cuban delegation defected when Canada last hosted the Pan Am Games in 1999. Cuban officials at the time alleged that Canadian media were encouraging athletes to betray Cuba. Two players from the Cuban women’s soccer team defected in 2011 after facing off with the Canadian team in Vancouver in an Olympic qualifying match. They crossed into the U.S., where they were reunited with relatives. And three Cuban soccer players fled to the U.S. the night before a World Cup qualifying match in Toronto in the fall of 2012. They now play for a lower-tier professional league in Charleston, S.C.

Tilley Endurables has been sold to a subsidiary of U.K.-based private equity firm known for its investments in distressed companies. Tilley was founded in 1980 by Alex Tilley and went on to become both a broadly based travel-wear firm and something of a Canadian cult for its “Tilley hat.” Mr. Tilley, 77, had said earlier this year he intended to sell the firm. Financial and other details of the sale to Re:Capital, the Canadian arm of Hilco Capital, were not disclosed.

After winning her third gold medal of the games this afternoon, Halifax gymnast Ellie Black is sitting at the top of the rankings with 5 medals in total. Women’s All Around (Gold), Women’s Beam (Gold), Women’s Floor (Gold), Women’s Team (Silver), Women’s Vault (Bronze).

Ellie Black wins her third gold of the Games, this one in women's floor #CBCPanAm http://t.co/2Kn76RMQPq

— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) July 15, 2015

Something for the Inside Crowd here as a new location for Cibo opens at the site of the former Centro and its brief successor at the 2472 Yonge Street address. There are many dazzling pictures and a learner’s guide to the Cibo lineage at the link Those who have savoured Ocean Drive in South Beach (stone crab alert!) will remember Cibo’s there.  Such fun. Here in Toronto the first of the Cibos is at 522 King St West and for those who know it, this article says the menu is much the same at the new location. Post City 

Reuters 

Toronto’s housing market continues to be blazing hot despite worries that it shouldn’t be. Royal LePage says this City had the hottest real estate market in the country. Double digit price increases were recorded for 2-storey homes and detached bungalows over the same time last year. The city average for a standard 2 storey home reached nearly $835, 000, which is 11.6% higher than the second quarter of 2014. And prices for detached bungalows increased 12.9% to $712,622.

Same as yesterday with warning from TTC to 11 Bayview riders to leave extra time for travel.