David Sparrow campaign launch Tuesday night

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David and Lisa Sparrow
A launch party was held tonight (Tuesday, June 17, 2014) for David Sparrow, candidate for Councillor in Ward 26. Mr. Sparrow is president of the Toronto local of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA). The William Lea room at the Leaside Arena saw an estimated 75 people out for the event on a night when the weather probably kept some supporters at home. Mr. Sparrow faces off in the Don Valley West ward against the two-time incumbent, John Parker and John Burnside, a well-known Leaside businessman. He owns Healthy Heart Meals. Mr. Sparrow spoke of the diversity of the ward, referring to a wide mix of neighborhoods ranging from Bennington Heights to Thorncliffe Park. He spoke passionately about such things as the water service in Thorncliffe Park where he said the 1970s infrastructure is inadequate to the present day. The candidate was accompanied at the event by his wife Lisa, the mother of their two grown daughters and a registered nurse. She spoke effectively of her husband’s sincerity and interest in people. The picture of their conventional Leaside life will be helpful to Mr. Sparrow with small-c conservative voters who make up the majority of the ward west of the tracks.  Some core support this night seemed slightly left of centre. It seems fair to conclude that both Mr. Sparrow and Mr. Burnside are contenders. The results were close in 2010 between the first three candidates, with Burnside coming in second. The launch meeting saw an enjoyable few moments when baritone Constantine Meglis sang O Canada.  

Downed hydro poles on Warden Ave trap cars

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An extraordinary picture of hydro poles snapped and collapsed on Warden Ave. between Steeles Ave. and Denison Street in Markham has been tweeted tonight by CP24’s Arda Zakarian. Police say the poles and cables have trapped as many as 40 vehicles in the aftermath of the storms that swept Southern Ontario Tuesday night. This collapse, caused apparently by high winds blowing horizontally, is the cause of the power outage that has customers in the dark in Markham. Witnesses say the moments after the hydro pole collapse was a frightening time for trapped drivers. Power was cut and everyone left their cars safely. Meanwhile, as other parts of Southwestern and Central Ontario began to mop up from tornado damage and high winds a cracking good thunderstorm rolled over South Bayview.  We have to hope those lightning strikes accompanied instantly by piercing thunder claps landed somewhere safe, like the cemetery. At Pearson Airport, winds were said to be gusting to 85 kilometres and planes were being told to divert to other fields. Ontario has reported pockets of darkness. About 4,400 were affected mostly in the west end. An Ontario Powerstream spokesperson said power was out to as many as 13,000 customers and that restoration of service might take until 7 a.m. Earlier in the day, four men were struck by lightning on a golf course in Stouffville. They were apparently seriously hurt and are all in hospital. 

Barrie-area slammed by afternoon twister

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Pictures off Twitter, apparently captures of  CTV Barrie coverage, show damage in the Town of Angus near Barrie, and inset a shot of impending trouble. The tornado was part of widespread disturbances acrcrss Southwestern and Central Ontario  CP24 quoted Peter Kimbell of Environment Canada:  “We cannot say with 100 per cent certainty but very likely it was tornado that went across the area and produced the damage. We won’t know for sure until we send teams to investigate probably tomorrow.” Numerous warnings still in effect The concern existed from early today but by mid-afternoon the area warning went out. Environment Canada began issuing the first of several tornado warnings and watches for areas north of Toronto. As of 5:40 p.m., tornado warnings were also in effect for areas including Hamilton, Caledon, Brantford, Orillia, northern Dufferin County, Newmarket, Georgina, Uxbridge and northern York and Durham regions. Toronto and much of the Greater Toronto was under a severe thunderstorm warning. Below is a montage of damage from the same neighborhood in Angus.

Belgium comes from behind for the win

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Algeria scored on a penalty kick in the first half but Belgium rallied late in 2nd with goals in the 70th and 80th minutes to beat Algeria with a final score of 2-1.

Marouane Fellaini equalises for #BEL with a wonderful header, can #ALG hold on? http://t.co/2izyb8F4XX #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/IA1wWfQoTd
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 17, 2014

Twin tornado funnels in Neb. menacing spectacle

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Storm chasers have captured menacing twin funnels of the powerful storm that ripped through northeast Nebraska yesterday (Monday, June 16, 2014). It destroyed half the town of  Pilger, killing a 5-year-old child and injuring at least 19 people. The U.S. National Weather Service said dual twisters touched down within roughly a mile (1.6 kilometers) of each other.

“All-ages” public parties are deeply misguided

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Here’s the thing. Protecting children may well lie beyond the competency of Giorgio Mammoliti (Ward 7). He isn’t helping them by lashing out at sex offenders. Paedophilia is always despicable but it doesn’t have anything to do with why City Council, or anyone else, would permit children to attend Electronic Dance Music events at the CNE. Mammoliti is a ward politician who apparently thinks kids can be kept safer by fear-mongering about sex crimes. The South Bayview Bulldog sees a world gone mad where kids as young as ten or eleven (the age mentioned by Mammoliti) are allowed to enter boisterous parties where much older people are whooping it up. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the so-called “all-ages” concept is deeply misguided. May parents get some sense. But all authorities need to re-address this matter. It is no doubt yet another out-cropping of the “rights” society.  We do our children no favours by allowing them to attend such thrashes unsupervised. Very little is said or written about the rules, if any, at EDM parties. Where is the reportage? As we have said in previous posts, the media is sadly on vacation when it comes to a simple description of who and what is permitted at EDM events. Previous post 

Bennington-Rolph Soccer League wants players

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Can we please get some European Football excitement in South Leaside?  Please. Kids have got to be busting at the chance to get on the field this September in the Bennington Rolph Soccer League. We have a message that spots are available. The season runs for six weeks in the fall, starting the first week of school. A perfect league for those who spend summer out of town! A tournament is held for all but the youngest age group at the end of the season. Games are played once a week on the school fields at Rolph Road and Bennington Heights. Forms can be dropped off at the address noted on the registration form. Please contact benningtonrolphroadsoccer@gmail.com for more information and/or a Registration Form.

Mail delivery could be an election issue cooking

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New trucks at 196 Wicksteed
As Canada Post marches toward the cancellation of door-to-door delivery across the country, the new postal centre at 196 Wicksteed Ave. is preparing to open. The centre is a shining new structure, part of the Wicksteed Business Park, set deep among the mostly tired old buildings of the industrial district of Leaside east of Laird Drive. These pictures were taken by the redoubtable Rudy Limeback, local observer, naturalist, gadfly and friend of The South Bayview Bulldog. Many area residents will look at this fine facility and especially the shining lineup of new vehicles with a jaundiced eye. All across Canada, cities have been petitioning Canada Post to provide better answers to its slash and burn approach to home delivery. It is true the corporation is losing money. But there is reasonable belief that more limited delivery  — even two or three days a week might be possible. Many municipalities insist that Canada Post has provided no adequate answer to how the millions of elderly and disabled people are going to get their mail. Nationwide, 70 cities have banded together to demand  answers to how the boxes will possibly work in Canada’s winter. Writer Sandy Hudes said in the National Post recently: “As Canadians anticipate a future of slogging through snow, rain, heat and gloom of night to get their mail, they can take comfort in knowing their community mail boxes will continue to be stuffed with wads of postage-free political propaganda. And they can congratulate themselves that their tax dollars helped produce and deliver that junk mail.” It seems like a political issue incubating. It has more to do with why people vote in a given way than the Senate, environment or maybe even the economy.