The South Bayview Bulldog

Readers of the Star feature What They Got may know this information as it was published Thursday, but there is enough interest in home prices that we’re posting it here too. It is the condo at  68 Aerodrome Cres. north of Vanderhoof Ave. east of the Marshalls, Staples big box plaza. The unit in question  was Suite 201 and it sold for $453,000, down a bit from the asking price of $459,900. The upside is that it was on the market but nine days and realized the owner a nice profit of $141,500 from his 2009 purchase price.  The condo is about 912 sq. ft. with two parking spaces (one owned, one rental) and an ensuite locker Maintenance fees are $308.98 per month Taxes: $2,142 (2013). It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 

Marcus Gee in the Globe and Mail seems to be trying to buck up about spirits at the impending return of Rob Ford from rehabilitation. Toronto is more than Rob Ford, says Mr. Gee. He goes on to write rather poetically about our town. All fine but we citizens of Toronto should admit that to a large extent that when it comes to Mr. Ford we have seen the enemy and it is us.  We elected him. True, most of us had no idea he would turn out to be such hopeless mess. Nor could we have known. But in the following months and years of our worst nightmare, we have nonetheless remained transfixed with the Ford notoriety. Why weren’t Ford and his brother Sent to Coventry as the British labour union expression has it. Ostracized, ignored, exiled if possible. But no. It was necessary to our democracy it seems that the media send people to Los Angeles to feed Mr. Ford s twisted ego as he was humiliated by Jimmy Kimmel. Why? And what about the election. We don’t think that Mr. Ford can win another term as mayor, but if he somehow threatens to do so, will there be candidates sufficiently public spirited to throw their support behind the candidate who can beat Ford?  This would fulfill the essential purpose of democracy. The people’s choice. That’s The Bulldog’s pep talk.  

There will be a new traffic light system installed at the intersection of Yonge St. and Roehampton Ave. pending a vote by City Council. The light has been approved by the public works department on  a recommendation of Josh Matlow (Ward 22) and although the information does state it, there will no doubt be a need for some form of control for the off-set corner of Orchard View Blvd.  It is a busy area and the temptation to risk running across the street in traffic is real. There have been a number of jaywalking accidents there. Other parts of Yonge have similar issues. The stretch of Yonge between Merton St and Davisville Ave is known here as Jay Walk Alley because subway-exiting and destined commuters tend to short cut across Yonge south of the lights at Davisville. The crossing signals at Merton are helpful but it is still chancy for both motorists and jay-walking pedestrians during rush hour. This situation is aggravated because unlike other stations there is no subway entrance on the east side of Yonge for Davisville.   

The leaders of Manor Road United Church have decided to downsize their large space at 240 Manor Road and are negotiating with the City about turning the property on the western half of their present space into parkland. It is an idea with on-going negotiations reported this week in a newsletter from Josh Matlow (Ward 22). The church has evidently been considering what it can do to sustain its mission in the neighborhood as the congregation shrinks. As reported by Mr. Matlow, Reverend Debra Schneider, congregation members and local residents are ready to discuss the sale and severance of half the church property (two city lots) into what would become parkland at the corner of Manor and Forman Ave. As Mr. Matlow notes, Manor Road United chose to approach the City with this proposal rather than a developer, a decision that is typically public-spirited.  

There is little concern west of Scarborough over this although the Minister of Scarborough Mitzi Hunter might have a word to say about it. The Toronto Sun says Premier Kathleen Wynne seemed to wobble today (Friday, May 27, 2014)  on the commitment to build a subway in Scarborough. Maybe she likes John Tory’s surface subway concept better. Whatever, the Prem said she would work with whoever is elected mayor in November to decide the matter. She said her government will need to “work in co-operation” with all municipalities. “It is the plan that’s in place, but as with all of these things, we need to work in co-operation with all the municipalities,” she is quoted in the Sun.