The South Bayview Bulldog

A brief return to 31 Sutherland Drive reveals a copper and brick beauty in the final phase of renovation. There is, as we tipped you last summer, a large extension on the rear as well. This home sits just a few doors east of Bessborough Drive on the south side and looks down the northerly portion of Bessborough out the front windows. It is being owner-renovated. They are renting nearby and hope to be back inside by perhaps the end of February.

Neighbors on Manor Rd. express the kindest concern for their evicted fellow resident Dennis Cibulka. “He’s a very nice man. I worry about him a lot,” said a woman who lives on the opposite side of Manor. Mr. Cibulka is living outdoors after his home was boarded up by the health department. He spends his nights, it is said, behind the piles of boxes stacked up on his front porch. The experience of watching someone who is of sound mind endure Mr. Cibulka’s self-imposed hardship is perplexing. “I honestly don’t know how he does it,” said another neighbor. “I believe he has a very good lawyer.” Mr. Cibulka inherited the modest semi-detached home at 313 Manor from his mother in 2004. He is said to have more than sufficient means to live other than he does. His occupation is the care of his many pet cats.  He is, neighbors say, a man perhaps in his 50s who loves to store things. Such people are often reclusive.(Previous post).

The most famous hoarders were the Collyer Brothers, two New York City men who were finally found dead in their midtown brownstone home in 1947. It was determined that one of the brothers, Homer, had starved after his brother, Langley, had been fatally injured while bringing him food as he crawled through a tunnel of junk. The home was filled with booby-traps to catch intruders but in this case Langley apparently tripped a wire that sent a heavy suitcase as well as bundles of newspapers down onto him.

New York brownstone owned by the Collyer brothers

It was a day of snow and sunshine on Saturday for shoppers in South Bayview. The brilliant sunshine encouraged many people to get busy with their errands but the pleasant weather was frequently interrupted by nasty snow showers like the one plaguing these people near the CIBC on South Bayview. Wind gusts of up to 50 km//h made the minus 3 temperature feel more like minus 10. Tonight it will be minus 8 and tomorrow it will continue cold but with the sun being a little more consistent.  There will a 30 percent chance of light snow. 

Olympic swimmer Martha McCabe will be honoured as Leaside Athlete of the Year at an evening event of the Leaside Hall of Fame next Friday night (November 29, 2013). Marhta is the daughter of Joe and Nancy McCabe of Heathbridge Park in Bennington Heights. Martha is a alumnus of Leaside High School and trained at the Unviersity of British Columbia. These days she lives and works in Toronto. Martha is a member of the RBC Olympian program and swims at the University of Toronto Aquatic Centre. Martha, 24, trains daily in hope of gaining an opportunity to swim at the 2014 Commonwealth games and possibly at the World Championships in 2015.  

Click to enlarge

Hardy residents of the Garden District Residents Association turned out today (Saturday, November 23, 2013) to clean up Allan Gardens. What a public spirited crew. But first there was the group photo to be taken by the Toronto Bulletin. The photographer spent a while getting the 20 or so volunteers organized just as he liked. Kristyn Tam-Wong (Ward 26) was there with other blue-bag equipped residents ready to scour the 155-year-old park. But then individual members of the clean up crew needed their shots. Bottom is an image similar to what will appear in the Bulletin. Allan Gardens is one of Toronto’s largest downtown parks. It is also notable for the Edwardian conservatory (1910) and famous for seasonal displays of chrysanthemums. Some say Allan Gardens has no natural constituency or support group as other major parks do. In a recent article the Bulletin called it “a 150-year-old community orphan.” Riverdale Farm has a stewardship group as does the new Corktown Common. 

It appears that old friends are at work behind the papered-over windows of the former Teaopia Shop at 1592 Bayview Ave.  Former Canada Post letter carrier “Brian”, a well remembered regular on the street from a few years ago is about to help his daughter and her friend open Tori and Cate’s Cupcakes. The grand opening is the weekend of Saturday, November 30, 2013 and you may be able to catch a glimpse of Brian in the kitchen. He’s the baker. Can’t wait. 

Sorensen and JFK

John F. Kennedy is remembered today for what he did and for how he died so dreadfully 50 years ago. But like the greatest of great men Kennedy continues to be remembered and honoured for the things he said. The eternal strength and clarity of his language continues to thrill millions around the world to this day. His direct words were set within sentences that gripped our hearts and souls. Who is not moved even now by his call to self-sacrifice and service in his inaugural address?  “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.  He made the same searing impact with his solemn vow to spare no cost in defense of freedom. “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” It was a time when much of the world lived under rigid dictatorship.  Kennedy wrote his inspiring speeches in collaboration with a studious assistant, Theodore (Ted) Sorenson. Sorensen died in 2010 at the age of 82. Kennedy owed much to his speech writer but it was JFK’s appreciation of his duty to render his words worthy of his office that has endowed this U.S. president with the greatness we admire today. 

There are some entertaining pictures from the archives on the current BlogTO of Eglinton Ave. in the 30s, 40s and 50s. These two from 1955 are choice because they play to the much discussed location of the new Eglinton Crosstown LRT station which will be built at Laird Drive and Eglinton. Top we see a Loblaws store just west of Laird. It sat  where the Great Canadian Bagel strip mall is now located. The mall will be demolished for the main station.  Previous post. The apartment building to the right of the store sits there to this day and will apparently survive the Crosstown LRT construction. Below is the view looking southwest from east of Laird where the Pier One outlet now stands. Somewhat to the east, out of frame, Metrolinx will build the secondary entrance to LRT station.