Mayor Ford, Mr. Minnan-Wong and others are concerned about Waterfront Toronto’s cap-in-hand approach for money to make the waterfront nice. Waterfront Toronto is a made-up creature with no apparent responsibility to anyone. 680 News
Chorley Park trail plan may be delayed a year
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The Chorley Park proposed trail is discussed here in the National Post. The paper touches briefly on the least discussed aspect of the plan, namely the creation of a way for people from just anywhere to travel from the Brickyards up to Rosedale. National Post
Simcoe St. a test tube for bikes lanes, killer fines
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Simcoe Street has become a kind of test tube for what the City may wish to do with other downtown thoroughfares. Simcoe now has painted-line bikes lanes, $150 fines for stopping in a bicycle lane and the section of the street between Front St. W. and Wellington St. W. has been converted to two-way traffic. The stories are vague about the rest of the street — the part that starts at Queen West and runs to Wellington — but it appears to continue to be one-way south. Take this merely as a guide. Many people may be putting Simcoe on their “no-go” zone map right now.
Rainbow over QEW on anniversary of 2013 flood
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It has been a damp day to mark the anniversary of the wretched flooding of July of last year. Who can forget the flooded basements and stranded GO train passengers. A nice manifestation of today was sent out by 680 News and it landed in the Twitter box. This double rainbow was visible from the QEW near Winston Churchill Parkway later in the day as things began to clear a little. The severe weather alerts issued in Toronto were lifted by the afternoon but thunderstorm watches remained throughout the GTA and eastern Ontario. Nothing much seems to have come of them however. Though exempt from the severe thunderstorm watch, the Toronto forecast was still calling for showers and thunderstorms into this evening evening. (Tuesday, July 9, 2014)
Brazil humiliated after 7-1 loss to Germany
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To understand what it means, you have to listen to commentators who say they don’t quite know how the losing team members can even go on living in Brazil after today’s defeat at the hands of Germany. At half time the enormity of the Brazilian humiliation was rolled out. Then in the second half, two more easy goals by the Germans. The lone Brazilian score drew barely a cheer from the dejected fans. It is said to be the worst loss suffered by Brazil in the history of international play. Some were saying it is entirely the fault of the green and yellow squad. They have played a “terrible”game said a CBC commentator. “Germany isn’t doing anything especially good.”
Keep your shirt on when you tell Rob Ford to quit
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Shirtless protesters shouting “resign, resign” have bearded Mayor Ford as he complained about the proposed plan to apparently reduce the number of lanes on Eglinton Ave. in Toronto’s post-LRT-construction world. Ford may have a point but so do the protesters. After the event, they explained they will follow the mayor wherever he goes and they urged others to do the same. “Just whip off your shirt and start shouting Resign,” said one. Actually, telling the mayor to quit will work just as well, if at all, if you keep your shirt on.
Hannah Batty, aged 15, has been found
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The Toronto Police Service reports that Hannah Batty, 15 has been found. TPS thanked everyone who helped in the search.
Nanos poll has Tory leading, Ford falling to third
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A poll by Nanos Research places John Tory in the lead for the job of Mayor of Toronto. For the first time since polling began early this year, Rob Ford is in a third place. The numbers: Tory 39.1%, Chow 32% and Ford 21.7%. The also rans are Karen Stintz, 4%, Sarah Thomson 2% and David Soknacki, 1%. It’s wise to remember that merely a week ago a different poll, but no less reputable, had Chow in the lead, Ford a challenger at number two and Tory well back in third spot. Makes you wonder.
Tropical pet craze goes of the tracks again
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Human Society animal rescuers captured a species of alligator known as a Caiman from Cat Fish Pond in High Park this afternoon (Monday July 7, 2014). Who knew? The creature was spotted by park goers who sent out word that this tropical denizen was swimming in a place where kids and pets also played. It is seemly half alligator half crocodile — an Alligatorid crocodylians, if you please. It is judged harmless and many commentators have gushingly pronounced it cute. It’s thought the exotic pet craze produced another victim (the Caiman) when the reptile proved to be just too much trouble to handle. It is about as bizarre as keeping a tropical snake in the city. Both phenomena speak of the disregard people have for nature.Thank heavens there are no Caimans in South Bayview. Or are there?
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Metrolinx will open office in Sunnybrook Plaza
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Metrolinx, the Ontario government agency charged with managing the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, will shortly open an office in the Sunnybrook Plaza. The information was confirmed by Metrolinx Monday (July 7, 2014) to the South Bayview Bulldog with an undertaking that more information is on the way. The building permit in the window of the former Source Electronics space at Sunnybrook is dated July 3,. 2014, so Metrolinx may not be quite ready for its formal public announcement. The location is next door to Home Hardware. It appears from the look of the work done so far that Metrolinx will be able to accommodate members of the public in semi-private spaces. One can imagine discussions about issues related to the multi-year construction now underway on Eglinton Ave. East. As is known, the intersection of Eglinton and Bayview Ave. will see the building of the main LRT station for this corner at the site of the McDonald’s across Eglinton from the plaza. Another entrance to the LRT will be built in the Metro parking lot on the northwest corner. There will be surface work related to the tunneling as well with all the traffic delays that this may entail. Stations will also be built at Mt. Pleasant Rd. and Eglinton and at Laird Drive and Eglinton. All this work will disrupt the rather easy way Leasiders and others have been able to get about their neighborhood. Also this week Metrolinx has published a diagram-map showing how the traffic on Eglinton east of Brentcliffe Rd. is being reduced to one lane each. This week’s squeeze is temporary but will be followed by many more as work continues to bore the tunnels west to Yonge Street. The diagram (below) shows the location of the tunnel work in beige and the traffic pushed to the north side of Eglinton.
New website lists construction on major roads
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This is an idea which seems so obvious one wonders why no one did it earlier. It is a website that lists daily changes to construction on major roads in Toronto. City Toronto Road Construction
Eglinton re-make plan comes to Council this week
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The Toronto Sun’s feisty Sue-Ann Levy has discovered the fancy plans that City Planner Jennifer Keesmaat has for Eglinton Ave once the LRT is in. Levy doesn’t like them. The South Bayview Bulldog mentioned in April that the Toronto Star’s Tess Kalinowski was fairly swooning with joy at the ideas put forth by Keesmaat. Will the street be wide enough for all this stuff? Will there be any traffic at all, or just bicycle racks? You can decide Link to Bulldog and Star story Sue Ann Levy