The South Bayview Bulldog

Thousands of young men and women gathered in David Balfour Park off Avoca Ave. Saturday to mark what they call “The Toronto Board Meeting.”  Those who live in the area will know that there have been others — organizers say this is the 11th annual. The name is a cute little play on words for those who love to travel by long board. It may be an insult to the sport/hobby but the long board seems like a grown up cousin of the skate board. From Balfour Park, “members of the board” spilled out onto to Yonge Street and shortly after the dinner hour more or less took over the street (above). Others found their way into Avenue Road and down to University Avenue. Once again this year, the cheerful boarders managed to conduct this takeover of the streets without injury. It isn’t clear just what the police knew about The Board Meeting in advance but there’s no doubt many motorists were caught off guard.  Nonetheless, the earnest young boarders were well-behaved. The men all wore ties (it was a board meeting you see) and one might easily have mistaken them for Upper Canada College kids carousing on the Oriole Park school field. Some of the participants were  interviewed by Calvin To of CTV and it is entertaining to hear their interpretation of boards as the new millennium of inter-city travel. And this is your warning to watch out for the 13th annual board meeting in mid-September next year. 

The splendid Victorian replica home at 575 Broadway Ave. at Laird Drive is now listed for $1,679,000. This new home features a number of turn of the (19th) century architectural fancies including the stone corner window tower. It gives the occupants a near 180 degree view of the outside. The interior views centre and right are from the dining room and master bedroom looking north to the front of the home. The total rooms are numbered by the listing as nine plus one and the bedrooms four  plus one. Previous post. 

There was a car rollover on Laird Drive at Vanderhoof Ave.  Friday afternoon. It’s not too clear what happened but it doesn’t appear from police reports to have been too serious. The question remains as to whether the Leaside traffic study will figure out how to avoid this scary stuff.  Was someone trying to drive into Vanderhoof despite all the signs that say no, no,. no? 

The year that started it all — 2008 – is mercifully receding into the past. But the so-so business conditions that it established everywhere seem to be with us still. On South Bayview, as on most business streets, retail space is going begging. Rents may be too nigh but the underlying issue is a lack of confidence among even seasoned retailers that they can really make a go of it. Conditions on neighbouring streets like Mt. Pleasant, are just as bad, if not worse. In the north block, the large double store at 1685 that recently held Detail home accessories remains un-leased. Word has it that some offers have been made to turn it into a restaurant but the landlord is resisting that. We get it. Southbound from there, the former Country Store location is already open (without a sign yet) as a new stationery store, Essence du Papier. It has been especially sad to see the Sentry at 1633 Bayview empty after 17 years of business, Near Millwood Rd., Byford RE has the shop at 1517 for lease. On the west side of Bayview, there is a sign in the window of 1600 but it is in anticipation of the departure of the condo and town home showroom  which may happen later this year. And the former Landmark, former Highway 61 is still for lease.  The best news today is that a new tenant seems set to nip off the nice space next door to The Elegant Garage Sale.  That’s the former Teaopia location. 

Premier Wynne was visiting stores on South Bayview Friday afternoon.   She was  making a video in which she urges Ontarians to buy locally grown produce. This locale shows Ms. Wynne, who is the MPP for Don Valley West, outside Badali’s Fruit Market as she interacts with a producer and cameraman. The Premier has assigned farm produce to her personal administration as the Minister of Agriculture. This is a combination of duties not seen in a first minister in recent years. The thrust of Ms. Wynne’s work also seemed today to extend to asking consumers to buy in Canada. In that respect, she visited a dress store, Your Clothes Friend,  and other outlets on Bayview Ave.