The South Bayview Bulldog

Twitter is busy with congratulatory comments on last night’s Laughing Out Loud in Leaside event at the William Lea Room. Michael Zivot tweeted: “Great time at Laughing Out Loud in Leaside. Way to go Charlene (Kalia). Great grab bags Neal Bros.” Dr. Lesley Beyers said: “Great cause and great friends” as she posed with a couple of pals. The Caterer to Leaside, Andy Elder of Grilltime on Laird Drive, tweeted a picture of a delectable flank roll appetizer. We could eat too many Andy.  This  was the sixth annual Laugh Out Loud in Leaside and was held in aid of Moorelands After-School programs. This fine charity has helped children from less fortunate surroundings for more than a century. It is a reminder to affluent areas such as Leaside that more than 73 per cent of our families in Toronto live on less than $24,000 a year. Moorelands says that through its structured out-of-school programs, it provides disadvantaged Toronto children and youth with the tools and skills they need to succeed. They “teach kids how to make good choices, help them build competence, confidence and character, and connect them with caring adults and their communities.”

The Fraser Institute ranking of elementary public and catholic schools across Ontario has been released. This annual assessment of schools is created based on information from Department of Education testing. It is always a source of interest for parents and some use it to try to angle their kids into schools with higher scores. Others criticize the annual exercise, saying it has only a very general application (see below)  Local schools of note in this year’s listings are Blythwood, 9.5 (out of 10) and the always highly-ranked Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 9.8. Here are some other rankings:  John Ross Robertson, 8.9, Deer Park 8.7, Rosedale 8.7, Allenby 8.7, Northlea 8.4, Rolph 8.3, Bessborough 8.7, Cody 8.4, Bennington 7.6, Eglinton 7.2. Fraser rankings  

A service will be held for Craig Scott Silver, 63, of Leaside at the Mount Pleasant Visitation Centre on Friday, March 6, 2015 beginning with a celebration of his life at 3 p.m.  Mr. Silver died in a winter weather accident outside his home on Thomas Elgie Drive last Wednesday evening, February 25, 2015. Police have called it death by misadventure. In a notice published Sunday in the Toronto  Star the family recalls Mr. Silver’s love of his family and sense of humour. He and his dog Remy, also known as Spots, were inseparable. It notes his special skills at cooking. Shortly before midnight it appears Mr. Silver slipped on ice and fell. He was carrying a new kitchen knife at the time. The knife punctured his leg and the injury caused fatal bleeding.  The notice says the family is broken hearted the loss of  “a wonderful, kind and loving man.” There will be a celebration of life on March 6th between 3 and 4 p.m. with a service at 4 p.m. at Mount Pleasant Visitation Centre (375 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, Ontario M4T 2M1).  In lieu of flower donations may be made to a favorite charity,  Adopt a Dog Save a Life.

Toronto Water has restored service to residents of both Parkhurst Blvd and Sutherland Drive after the weekend water main break at the corner of the two streets. The trouble started overnight Sunday when an original main broke under collapsing concrete and earth on the southwest corner of the two streets.