A TTC bus driver has been found not guilty in the death of a pedestrian at Eglinton Ave. E and Sinnot Road in January, 2013. Driver Magdalene Angelidis had been charged with careless driving and failing to stop at a red light. Much of the testimony centred on whether Ms. Angelidis should have moved off the intersection after stopping a second time to pick up a passenger who ran behind the bus. The Crown said she could not see the traffic light and therefore should not have moved the bus any further. She testified that she believed the light was still green for her. In re-starting the crossing, the driver hit Wendy Martella as she crossed, apparently on a green light. Justice of the Peace Lurdes Cruz said Angelidis was consistent in her testimony that she checked her mirrors before moving forward, that she had “lost sight of the (traffic) signal” because of the position of the bus, and thought her light was still green.
Architect’s proposal for Sunnybrook Plaza site
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These images show a proposal for two towers containing residential and commercial units for the site of Sunnybrook Plaza. The South Bayview Bulldog reported on January 14, 2015 that the 1952 plaza was nearing its end. The property is owned by RioCan REIT which has commissioned Turner Fleischer Architects to make these depictions. According to Urban Toronto, the proposed development would feature 13 and 19-storey towers with a combined 426 residential units, made up of 71 one-bedroom, 201 one-bedroom plus dens, 56 two-bedroom and 98 two-bedroom plus dens. Rising to respective heights of 216.5 feet and 164 feet, the two towers would step back from a base building with a predominant height of eight storeys, articulated with stepbacks and setbacks at various heights. The base building would contain residential units on floors 2-8, second floor green roofs flanking a 707 square-metre outdoor amenity area and a 1,014 square-metre indoor amenity space on levels 2 and 3. At ground level 24,929 square feet of commercial retail space would address the Eglinton Avenue and Bayview Avenue frontages. Midway along the Eglinton frontage a sheltered walkway 5.49 metres wide would provide pedestrian access through the building to the north side of the development where vehicular access and the residential lobbies are located. Urban Toronto doesn’t mention parking although there would have to be an underground facility.
Toronto Hydro driving to restore power by 1 p.m.
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Aerial shot from CP24 helicopter shows workmen at Toronto Hydro Bridgman Transformer Station on Davenport Road as they try to figure out what has happened. Officials have said that there was a loss of supply after a loud explosion hit the station about 10.30 a.m. That was followed by a power failure across a large section of midtown. A positive sign is that engineers say they hope to have the power on again at around 1 p.m. according to a statement tweeted at noon. The outages are in an area bounded by Eglinton, Wellesley, Spadina and Yonge. 8000 customers affected although this figure may be deceiving because it counts customer accounts, not people. Josh Matlow (Ward 22) says he has been in touch with Hydro, see link to his statement. Cam Woolley has reported that there was apparently no fire or visible damage at the Bridgman TS. @HydroOne crews are on site: Toronto Hydro (@TorontoHydro) February 13, 2015 Matlow statement
No mad cow meat made it into the food chain
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“Lawyers exempt from money laundering law”
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The Supreme Court of Canada is unanimous that federal terrorism law requiring lawyers to report suspicious money transactions is unconstitutional. Reuters
Sportswriting pioneer Alison Gordon dead at 72
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PC Brenda works with homeless man in 53 Div.
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PC Brenda Dolenc of 53 Division Community Response Unit is seen delivering some much needed warm clothing in recent hours from the TPS Coat Drive to local homeless. Hard to imagine this man could survive a night on this sidewalk. In a different time, before human rights police had authority to take such persons into custody as “vagrants”. It was demeaning perhaps, but not as inconvenient as dying.
Like deep space in Davisville, Leaside at minus 20
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There’s a term for it. “Chill on the house” was no doubt a common expression as we reluctantly threw back the blankets across South Bayview on this coldest morning of the year so far. As reported by the Weather Channel it was a deep space-like -22.1 C at Pearson International Airport, with wind chill values near -33 C. The coldest morning prior to this one was on Jan. 13 when the temperature hit -21.2 C and a wind chill of -32.
How are you? Online dating as an economic study
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Sun News Network to sign off for good this Friday
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GM will build new generation Chevy at Ingersoll
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Automaker will invest $560 million in Ingersoll plant which currently makes the best selling Chevrolet Equinox SUV. This will tool up the plant for the re-modeled version of the same popular vehicle. It is a case where the low price of oil means jobs in Ontario. Cars made in Ingersoll with the 80-cent Canadian dollar only need to be shipped 150 miles to make GM a nice bonus. And the local pay cheques represent money that will find its way to Toronto. Globe and Mail
Toronto to lend itself cash to balance the budget
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Is it the most prudent way to deal with a shortfall of $86 million needed to balance the budget? Or a short-sighted way for the Mayor to avoid raising taxes when he said that he wouldn’t? Critics predict a crushing tax increase in a few years if we don’t face the music now. The shortfall created by the Ontario government seems destined to appear every year. New forms of revenue, i.e. taxes seem necessary. And then there is the question of what it costs to run the City. The commitments are so extensive a layperson can hardly grasp them, much less judge them. Ann Hui, Globe and Mail Jennifer Pagliaro, Toronto Star