The annual Beaches Lions Club Easter Parade has once again provided an enjoyable community afternoon for the east end neighborhood. One of the highlights was a procession of four TTC streetcars from across the decades. The cars, a PCC car from the 30s and 40s, a Witt company car from the 20s, a Bombardier car of the 1980s and the newest Bombardier car, are seen in this order emerging from the Neville Park loop
Barrie McKenna writes in the Globe and Mail that Ontario taxpayers should be very wary of the government’s plan to sell off Hydro One. His analysis of all-party manipulation over 20 years (he calls it meddling) of the electric production and distribution system suggests we have one of the most bloated such bureaucracies on the continent. The comments that follow such columns are often lively. One writer says of the Wynne government “Traitorous, criminal, shameful, monumentally shortsighted, destructive and breathtakingly dumb.” Globe and Mail
Shoppers in Ottawa have split 50-50 in an Ottawa Sun poll asking whether the newly-opened Whole Foods Market there should have been doing business on the day Christ was crucified. In fact, there is no way of knowing what those opposed to the opening were thinking. The people in favour just want to shop. In the past, province-wide polls have shown a majority would support all-holiday openings. Ottawa area MPP Lisa McLeod got quite exercised about the Whole Foods opening, but merely said that Ontarians must obey the law. She did not say that she would demand that a charge be laid. The fine might be as much as $50,000. In the past, a first offense has usually netted government coffers an amount equal to that day’s receipts. It is of interest in South Bayview because Summerhill Market opened Good Friday while other grocery stores were closed. And of course, Whole Foods is preparing a new store in the development at 1860 Bayview. Will we be discussing a rogue opening by that store in 2016? Maybe not. The issue of holiday openings in Ontario (and Toronto) is an incredible crazy quilt of “yes” and “no” even before we get to exempted workers like movie theatre staff. It is believed by some legal minds that the entire system is unsustainable in front of the Charter of Rights. But the question has never been referred to the court much less tested by the justices. And it appears there haven’t been charges laid either, perhaps because the government doesn’t want a well-heeled retailer to take it to the Supremes. Think about it.
Good morning. Coffee for you? U.S. researchers are taking a cautiously positive view of the dark and delicious stimulant as they review the value of certain foods in their regular five-year program of such studies. Alert readers will be aware of many works in recent years which suggest that a Cup of Joe can be useful in forestalling cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and a couple of cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. It seems to be true, the Americans are saying. At the same time the scientists are urging a careful approach. They say we should enjoy our cup or two of coffee but not start taking it like medicine.
A patient has been transferred from Barrie to the Ebola treatment facility at Sunnybrook Hospital tonight after complaining of symptoms which might suggest the disease. Officials and doctors seem optimistic however that it is probably not that disease even as the patient is isolated and tests begin. All parties are saying they consider the present actions precautionary. The patient has been in West Africa and arrived in Canada for about ten days.
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This was International Pillow Fight Day in case you didn’t get the memo. The video above is from Nathan Phillips Square and is rather gentler than some of the scenes today but none was very violent. (You can see many videos on YouTube). This is nice because it plays to the child-like quality of the activity (Music: Mary Had A Little Lamb). We were particularly struck by the courtly pillow fighter who chose to carry his friend on his shoulders which gave her quite a commanding position. Anyway, in Bucharest, people watched a pillow duel on stage before feathers flew in their own pillow battle. In the Netherlands, hundreds of people gathered in the central square in the Dutch city of Utrecht for a pillow brawl. Other pillow fight events were scheduled in the U.S., including in Chicago and New York, and around the world in cities in China and Germany. Is that enough of Pillow Fight Day? Possibly.
With the first meeting of the Business Improvement Area set for Wednesday night at Leaside United Church many merchants are reviewing prospects for the spring and summer seasons. The meeting will see the election of officers and perhaps the discussion of ideas for South Bayview. There are a few empty stores but there are also new arrivals. Ron White Shoes will open soon at the former DEW space and Never Grow Up is scheduled to open in the north block in the former Newsome Photography space. An espresso bar is scheduled for the little space formerly occupied by Play Cafe. Small spaces that are empty at the moment might be expected to lease fairly soon. They include 1625 Bayview (Whatever Lola Wants) 1597 (Bell Jewellers) and 1519 (La Roche Luggage). On the west side, the long-time restaurant space at 1620 Bayview must be desirable on an avenue where so many restaurants seem to do well. This premises was the home of the popular Trastevere for more than a decade. Otta Zapotocky’s investment at L’Avenue and Tinto bar de Tapas seems to be paying off. The large building 1669 Bayview (formerly The Brick and in its first incarnation the TD Bank) beside Badali’s Fruit Market is for sale. It is an attractive property. Sadly, the same cannot be said of the upstairs-downstairs retail and office space on the northwest corner of Bayview and Belsize Drive. The hard-luck walk-down spaces make retailers nervous as well they might. But it is Easter and time to be grateful for many good things both spiritual and temporal. Mayor Tory has prepared an Easter greeting. He takes the time to say that he is a Christian, which is a touching insight into our chief magistrate.
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Elmer Lach, centre for the Montreal Canadians and linchpin of the Punch Line, has died at 97. Wikipedia tells the story: The Punch line was a famous ice hockey line for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1940s. It consisted of Elmer Lach at center, Toe Blake on left wing, and Maurice Richard on the right side. During their time together, they led the Canadiens to two Stanley Cup victories. During the 1944–45 NHL season, the three finished first (Lach), second (Richard), and third (Blake) in scoring for the league. They would also form the forward line for the first all-star team in that same season. Richard would be the first team all-star right wing for all but one year while with Blake and Lach.
Otta Zapotocky, genial host at L’Avenue, mentions that there are eight spots left (as of last night) for the annual Norman Hardie Wine Dinner at L’Avenue, Tuesday April 7th, 6.30 p.m. It is a five-course dinner with nine wines. $99/person.
The United States defended the women’s world hockey championship with a 7-5 win over Canada in Saturday’s final. But the score says a lot about the determination of the Canadian challenge against an excellent U.S. team. The U.S. led 5-2 early in the second period, but Canada scored three unanswered goals to tie the game heading into the third. GlobalTV
