The South Bayview Bulldog

Apologies to Robert Frost who wrote that Good fences make good neighbors. These crazy-quilt city-built tree protection fences take things up a notch as our municipal passion for protecting trees appears to have run amok. It’s a source of on-going public curiosity and amusement at 126 Manor Road where Redpath Ave. joins. The fences are installed around the oddest collection of growth we have seen behind such fences. In fairness, there is one big old tree in the backyard which no doubt deserves to live. This is the contentious site of a proposal which nearly went to the OMB for settlement. It is said the owner  Zoran Sretenovic, wanted something like a three-storey row house here. But with the help of Josh Matlow (Ward 22) and staff, agreement was reached by all parties for a semi-detached home. It was nip and tuck because even though there was an agreement brewing between the parties, the Committee of Adjustment denied a deferral and the application was refused. The applicant, Mr. Sretenovic, filed an appeal with the OMB.  But with Mr. Matlow’s interest the matter was re-opened and there was an agreement reached without reference to the provincial body. The semi should fit nicely on this fairly large corner lot.  Strange, strange fences though.  

John Spence writes to tell everyone that the 58th Scouts still have trees available at their lot at 111 Manor Road next door to the Church of the Transfiguration right where Redpath Ave joins Manor. These are nice ones. There are Balsams and Fraser Firs stretching up to 8 feet. Wow! They come from Drysdale Farm locally and of course they help support the activities of the 58th Scouts who have sold trees at Christmas now for over 50 years. Remarkable. The sale is on evenings between 6 and 8 p.m. and will be in full force this Saturday and Sunday between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

Some 88 people have been injured but there were no reports of fatalities in the collapse of part of the ornate plaster ceiling of the famous Apollo Theatre in central London. As many as seven are in hospital with serious injuries. There is said to have been about 700 people in the theatre at about 8.30 p.m. local time watching a performance of  The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime. Witnesses said a chunk of ceiling about 10 feet by 10 feet came crashing down on patrons underneath it. There was apparently little warning. One witness said some people had reported an odd creaking noise. A thunderstorm struck London about an hour before the incident but there is no known connection with the collapse. Witnesses said that after the immediate shock people behaved in a fairly orderly way. A London bus was used to accommodate theatre-goers and move them to hospitals to be checked. Shocked patrons were said to have shown little panic. Martin Bostock was in the audience with his family, and said “complete chaos” erupted in the theatre. “At first we thought it was part of the show,” he told Sky News. “Then I got hit on the head.” . Special search and rescue teams remain on the scene, along with ambulances and police. Pictures: Upper inset, theatre-goers in bus, centre inset, injured outside Apollo, lower inset, file picture of ornate ceiling taken this year. 

Crane operator Adam Jastrzebski says he is calling it quits. The 68-year-old construction worker spoke from his hospital bed today as he recovered from the burns and trauma caused by his harrowing escape during yesterday’s raging fire in Kingston. Jastrzebski, 68, was stranded atop his crane at the centre of the massive fire and was “severely burned” before a military helicopter was able to navigate smoke and flames to airlift him to safety. Mr. Jastrzebski is said to have been burned on  his hands, legs, back and buttocks. His employer, Aram Malek of Canadian Professional Crane Inc., said  “He’s in severe pain right now in the hospital and they’re giving him morphine.” He added, “I’m just surprised no one got hurt more than that because the fire was enormous.” Firefighters from neighbouring communities had to be called in to help Kingston crews battle the flames which had engulfed an apartment building that was under construction. A crowd watched from the streets as the crane operator got out of his cab, crept along the boom of the crane to its very edge and waited to be rescued by a team from CFB Trenton.