Sharon, Lois and Bram at Rowlands Park

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A large crowd of mostly young parents and their toddlers gathered in June Rowlands Park at Davisville Ave. and Mt Pleasant Rd. today to honour and to be entertained by Sharon, Lois and Bram. It was a remarkable turnout for the venerable children’s musical group. The crowd was estimated at perhaps as many 2,000 over the length of the afternoon. The occasion was an initiative spearheaded by Josh Matlow (Ward 22) to name the playground in the park after the Toronto group. Now aged between 73 and 77 years of age, Sharon, Lois and Bram showed they had lost none of their vitality and ability to excite kids and parents alike. The pictures inset show the group rendering “Comin’ Round the Mountain” complete with essential “toot toot” gestures. It seems likely few children’s entertainers have been able to fuse the generations in quite the way Sharon, Lois and Bram did at Rowlands Park. The group was formed in 1978 but received an enormous breakthrough when they were picked up by the CBC in 1984 and created The Elephant Show. The children of that day clapped and sang with their own kids on this fine May Saturday (picture bottom). Wikipedia

Tenth of May worthy of many Spring events

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The happy children’s Mayfair Parade has already made its way down to Rosedale Park from Moorevale Park at an early hour and across South Bayview worthy affairs have a great day ahead. At June Rowlands Park Saturday morning, the playground will be re-named to honour children’s entertainers Sharon, Lois and Bram. It is also Kid’s Fun Day on Mt. Pleasant.  The Leaside United Church Awesome Sale runs until noon. Right across the street, the Leaside Garden Society will have its Spring plant sale of both perennials and annuals this morning. It’s on until noon. And at Bayview and McRae, the LePage National Women’s Shelter Sale is on. Have a wonderful day, everybody. 

Star account of Ford’s lurid, loathsome world

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The Star has published an account of a recent evening in the life of Mayor Ford with two associates shortly after Ford returned to Toronto from his appearance on the Kimmel program. It is compelling reading. It recounts in terms perhaps more graphic than any so far printed the fearful and repulsive nature of the mayor’s view of the world, of himself, friends and members of his family including his wife. The article is written by Kevin Donovan, the reporter who has originated the Ford material so far. He says the information comes from audio, apparently recorded surreptitiously by someone not identified. But other material is put forward as publishable on the authority of the Star and its credibility on this subject. Link here.      

126 Manor: Trees that only a squirrel could love

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The development known as 126 Manor Road has finally begun with the demolition of the home at that address. Local residents will know that this home sits on the northwest corner of Manor and Redpath Ave. It is a three-way intersection where Redpath ends and over the years the old residence and the lot on which it sat went totally to seed. A large amount of growth and at least three unmaintained trees grew on the property. Today, the Davey Tree Service was writing up the final verdict on this strange wood. The scrubby brush has been pretty much removed and as far as Davey is concerned the remaining trees might be nice for squirrels but ít would be hard for anyone else to love them. Right now, they are scheduled to be cut down. Seems like a good call. As recorded here in a previous post, the lot will become the home to semi-detached homes after a previous three-unit plan was turned down. It was nip and tuck to keep the project from going to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). The offices of Josh Matlow (Ward 22) managed to keep negotiations alive with the owner of the property and an alternative plan was agreed on.  Photos: Top and centre, unmaintained tree scheduled for the saw at Manor and Redpath, bottom, old home now demolished.  

Ipsos poll says PC supporters determined to vote

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A poll by Ipsos Reid conducted within the past 72 hours suggests that the Progressive Conservatives have a five point lead over the Liberals in public support.  Critically for the PCs, the poll suggests that those who say they will vote for that party are quite engaged and determined to get to the polls. The levels of popular support as indicated by the survey of 821 people found that PC leader Tim Hudak was ahead. The results were 37 percent for the  PCs, 31 percent for the Kathleen Wynne Liberals and 28 percent for Andrea Horwath’s NDP. The poll was commissioned by CTV/CP24.

Hasty Market video shows a suspect in fires

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Police say they have video from the Hasty Market at Bayview and Moore Aves which shows a suspect, a person who police will want to find and try to connect to the fires in Bennington Heights overnight. The individual is a said to be in his 40s and wearing yellow shoes. He smashed the windows of the corner store and took unspecified items. This all took place in a similar period to the 3.a.m fires in the nearby neighborhoods. There was an especially harrowing experience for a family whose car sat close to the house in the driveway. The fire scorched the front of the home and threatened to burn it down. Family members awoke as clocks showed 3.03 a.m. and gathered up three small children to escape. It appears the cars were unlocked, a sign of the sense of security among those who live there. Police said they do not believe the arsonist used an accelerant such as gasoline. This is remarkable given the aggressive fires experienced. The fire department had the flames out by about 3.30 a.m. Late today police on bicycles were going door to door to find video tape where it existed.  Twitter photos show Audi car on fire and police cyclists preparing to canvas for video.  Rampage destroys cars    Cops swarm Hasty Market 

Jon Burnside to run against John Parker in W. 26

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Businessman Jon Burnside has filed papers to run for Councillor in Ward 26. It will be the second time Mr. Burnside will make this civic endeavor. In 2010 he ran second in the ward against the incumbent Councillor John Parker, finishing just 425 votes back. In that contest, both men faced a strong third-place challenge from candidate Mohamed Dahnani.  This time Mr. Dhanani has moved on an executive position with the Aga Khan Foundation in Canada and will not be running. But a third candidate, David Sparrow is running in Ward 26. Mr. Burnside is the president of his own company, Healthy Heart Meals. 

Cops swarm Hasty Market looking for clues

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Police investigating the reckless arson rampage in Bennington Heights think their best chance of getting those responsible lies in the now-closed Hasty Market at Bayview and Moore Ave. Forensic officers were all over the store Friday morning checking cameras and taking pictures of anything that might have a fingerprint or DNA on it. Here we see an officer taking pictures of the edges of broken glass. There is also word that some of the homes in Bennington had alarm systems which incorporated cameras directed at the street. The arsonist struck overnight — many residents say at about 3 a.m. — torching nine cars and one house. Media reports continue to say that the incident took place in Moore Park, but they did not. As locals know, the age-old  division between areas and names runs along the Moore Ravine, with Bennington Heights on the east. It was part of the former East York and before that Leaside and continues to be much prized by some territorial Leasiders although Bennington residents frequently like to think of  themselves as independent of everyone. Notwithstanding, it remains a part of Ward 26, which also includes Leaside and much of the former East York. Earlier Friday 

Rowe Farms store opening today on Bayview

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Rowe Farms Bayview Market, the niched meat and grocery store outlet opens today. The shop is at 1617 Bayview Ave. next to the Tru Value Hardware.  

Awesome Sale underway today at Leaside United

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The Leaside United Church Spring Awesome Sale is underway today at 3 p.m.. It runs tonight until 7 p.m. and then resumes Saturday, May 10, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. As usual shoppers will thousands of pre-sorted quality items in 15 departments. There is a snack bar! Proceeds go to fund LUC and Outreach Programs. Leaside United is on Millwood Road at McRae Drive. 

Rampage destroys cars, home in Bennington

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A 3 a.m. rampage through Bennington Heights has left nine cars destroyed by fire and one home on Burhman Rd badly damaged. The reckless person or persons responsible for this outrage set fire to a car in the garage of the Burhham home where a boy, said to be two years old, was sleeping. He escaped, as did everyone else in the vicinity. Cam Wooley said on CP24 that the cars were unlocked, permitting the culprit to set fire to the inside. A woman on Burnham said she and her husband heard a thump about 3 a.m. and then saw bright lights outside their home. The Audi parked out front was in flames. Councillor John Parker (Ward 26) said the crimes appear to have begun near Bayview and Moore Aves where the windows of the Hasty Market were broken. There seems to be a chance that video in the store may have captured images of perpetrator, one or more. Photos: from top, burned cars on Brendan Rd., Burnham Rd., Councillor Parker speaks to reporters. burned home on Burnham.  CP24  Later post

U18 Lightning champs a credit to their league

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John Child

The victory late in April of the Leaside Lightning Girls U18 volleyball team in the provincial championship has thrown a new focus on the Leaside Volleyball League operated by John Child. A three-time Olympian and Bronze Medalist in Beach Volleyball, Child decided to pursue his love of the game in a lifetime of training girls and boys to play the sport. The girls of the Ontario champions LVL Red Team (above) are at the pinnacle of their young time as high school volleyballers in a program that has brought them along from age eight. It’s purpose is to help get boys and girls interested in volleyball at a young age. Like all house leagues the players come from all over but Child says most come from Leaside or nearby. Practices and instruction take place in the early evening. There are seven girls teams housed at the York School on Yonge St. The boys practice at St. Micheal’s College School and at Blantyre Public School in Scarborough,  Each session consists of 45 minutes of warm up and skill development, followed by 45 minutes of structured game play. John has coached for many years at various levels from aspiring Olympians to young beginners, including being the head coach of the Havergal College Volleyball program and their five teams. This year, he is coach of the U16 Leaside Thunder boys team. The U18 girls are in national championship play in Calgary this week and there is high hope they can extend their Ontario championship to a cross country supremacy. Stay tuned. Their coaches are Melvin Lowe and Gaby Jobst, seen with the team above after their victory in the provincial tournament in Waterloo on April 27, 2014. Previous post  Leaside Volleyball League