John Tory touts endorsements from 2 Liberals

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John Tory is touting some interesting endorsements this weekend. He has received the support of Alvin Curling, Case Ootes, Judy Sgro and Bernard Trottier for his candidacy for mayor. Ms. Sgro is a Liberal MP who has been fairly partisan over the years but like the others says the Progressive Conservative John Tory is “rooted in the City” and that she will be supporting him. Mr. Curling was for several terms a Liberal MPP and cabinet minister who says Tory’s “post-partisan” nature will make Toronto move again. Mr. Oates was a well known and influential deputy mayor and Mr. Trottier is a Conservative MP.
GIRLS PUT BOYS TO SHAME IN SALSA “ELECTION DEBATE”

At the Salsa on St. Clair event Saturday the girls put the boys to shame in what was supposed to be a contest between candidates for mayor. Olivia Chow and Karen Stintz brought a lot of style to the dance but David Soknacki proved to have two left feet. Mayor Ford’s performance, for which he deserves a prize for guts, was unfortunate. John Tory apparently did not show up.  Also good photos in the Sun here of ladies at work.

Arrangements for Georgia Walsh are announced

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Arrangements for Georgia Walsh include visitation this Sunday, July 20 from 2 until 4 p.m. and  6 until 8 p.m. at Humphrey Funeral Home, 1403 Bayview Ave. The funeral will take place on Monday July 21 at St. Paul’s Anglican Church at 2 p.m. (227 Bloor St. E.) followed by a reception at the church  In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation in memory of Georgia. Some suggest showing a pink ribbon 

“Slow down” lawn signs are made in Leaside

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Organizers are proceeding quickly but with care to make lawn signs that would tell drivers to slow down. Mail in Leaside today says they are being designed but before distribution will first be shown to the family of Georgia Walsh to be sure they are acceptable. Georgia, 7, was killed Wednesday afternoon when she was stuck by a minivan at the corner of McRae drive and Millwood Road. Motor firms BMW and Lexus on Leslie are helping to cover the cost of this work. Otherwise, say the organizers, it would not be possible. Interest has been very high with more than 100 requests for signs just today.  

State of emergency declared in Tecumseh

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The fire at the Bonduelle food-processing plant has been burning since 2 a.m. this morning.  Thick black smoke filled the sky. No injuries have been reported.  Quantities of ammonia inside the plant have officials concerned, which has prompted an emergency evacuation order for people in the area surrounding 1192 Lacasse Blvd., Tecumseh (near Windsor).CBC

Honda Indy may not be for people with Hondas

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A wag has said that the Honda Indy is probably not for most people who own a Honda. This alternative view of the odd closing off of the city streets for an event that frequently turns into a destruction derby is voiced at a little greater length in our sister blog Yonge and Roxborough News.

Break-in on Hillhurst during extended absence

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A homeowner on Hillhurst Blvd near Avenue Road reports a break-in during what appears to have been an absence for a vacation. It took place between July 3 and 16, 2014. Entry was gained into the premises by forcing a window.  A quantity of jewellery was stolen.

Where is the pedestrian horn on your car?

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Following the deeply dispiriting death of seven-year-old Georgia Walsh many thoughtful people have talked again about the importance of making eye contact between motorist and pedestrian. It’s very speculative in the Leaside case because we have no official version of what happened at the corner of Millwood Rd. and McRae Drive Wednesday afternoon. But we do know that somehow little Georgia got out in front of a minivan that was turning west. She was crossing from north to south so it is easy to see how eye-contact, if there was any attempt to accomplish it, was difficult. The vehicle was approaching Georgia from behind. Whatever happened, experienced drivers will know that eye contact with pedestrians can be an effective way to ensure safety and timely manoeuvring at a corner or elsewhere. When old friends are saying goodbye on the sidewalk inches from the roadway where a driver it trying to turn right, they aren’t looking at his car. A savvy driver with a responsive well-adjusted  horn is often able to catch the attention of a person on foot before he or she toddles backwards out into the road. But most cars are built with horns that send one signal — a super loud blast suited to stopping a train. Where is the pedestrian horn, the signal that sends a polite “excuse me” to distracted adults and kids at close quarters? It is a question for traffic safety and automobile manufacturers. Police talk about making eye contact and wearing bright clothes. But it takes two to make eye contact.  

Hundreds attend sombre vigil for Georgia Walsh

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Hundred of moms, dads and their kids attended a vigil for Georgia Walsh today (Thursday, July 17, 2014) at the corner of Millwood Rd and McRae Drive. This is the intersection at which Georgia was fatally injured 24 hours earlier when she was hit by a minivan as it turned right onto Millwood off McRae. The gathering was both large and orderly. Parents talked quietly among themselves and also to news people, who flooded the corner with their numbers and five satellite antennae trucks (inset). Parents could be heard explaining to reporters about the amount of activity in the the area — Trace Manes Park, the tennis courts, Leaside Library and Leaside United Church. One mother (inset) was holding her little ones extra tightly as she knelt with tear-filled eyes at the memorial of flowers piled against the LUC hedge just about at the point where Georgia last tried to cross the road. Earlier in the day children, classmates and neighbours sat cross-legged in front of flowers. There is much talk of increased traffic in the area for many reasons, mostly the LRT disruptions on Eglinton Ave. E. “This community has become a traffic nightmare because of all the commercial development that’s going on and it’s only going to get worse,” area resident Patrick Rocca told CityNews. Read the Walsh family’s statement here and the account of the accident here

Mature heads should rule at Leaside girl’s vigil

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Residents shared a group email this afternoon calling on fellow Leasiders and others to hold a vigil at the corner of McRae Drive and Millwood Road at 4 p.m. It is clear from the message that there is a lot of emotion surrounding the death of Georgia Walsh Wednesday afternoon. It is entirely understandable. The mail says that some people think they should block traffic. The author very wisely suggests otherwise. Mature heads should try today to offer an opportunity for people to express their sadness and concern without doing careless or dangerous things. The South Bayview Bulldog can only state the obvious: The police have not yet finished their investigation and they have not given any reason or cause for this accident. The mail also notes that there is a program of lawn signs being prepared. The signs would apparently ask motorists to slow down. Nothing wrong with that. It gives an address which is either soon to be active or already working:  leasidekidsatplay@gmail.com

Police ask public’s help in McRae-Millwood death

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Police are asking for the public’s helps in their investigation of the accident that killed Georgia Walsh last evening. They have issued this notice on the service’s website.  Previous

Microsoft cuts 18,000 in company sea-change

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Microsoft Corp will slash up to 18,000 jobs, or 14 percent of its workforce, this year as it almost halves the size of its newly acquired Nokia phone business and tries to transform into a cloud-computing and mobile-friendly software company. Reuters 

Georgia Walsh, 7, mourned by her family

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The seven-year-old who died after being struck by a minivan at McRae Drive and Millwood Road was the daughter of John Walsh, president of the Conservative Party of Canada. The family has released a statement and the above picture. “The Walsh family; John, Jillian, Duncan, Liam and Finn are saddened to inform you that their beautiful daughter and wonderful sister Georgia has passed,” the family said. “Taken from them suddenly in an accident today, the family asks that they be given their space and privacy to come to terms with this incredible loss. Your prayers are appreciated.”  Traffic concerns: There has been a flurry of complaints aired in the media about traffic on McRae Drive. McRae has been a thoroughfare for many years. John Parker (Ward 26) is right to say there is no way of no knowing if traffic flow is a cause of this accident, or any accident. He correctly says that the police should be permitted to finish their investigation.  Previous post