Hazel and Rob at the Great Salmon Derby

by  • 

Here are three captures from the Canadian Sportfishing video of Hazel McCallion working to land a 17-pound salmon during the Great Ontario Salmon Derby on Lake Ontario near the Credit River a few days ago. The story is told by all  that  Mayor Ford saved the 92-year-old Mrs McCallion from being thrown into the lake as the salmon struggled to escape. On the video, which may be seen in the column at the left or on YouTube, the Mississauga mayor is buffeted about as Mr. Ford grips her in a bear hug and anchors the fish landing with his weight. At the  left, a look of fierce determination burns in the face of  Mrs. McCallion  (this is not unknown). Centre, she gets a peek at her pending catch in the water and then begins to reel it in furiously. Right, having offered Mr. Ford a loud “Thank you Rob”  she receives a peck on the cheek from the Toronto chief magistrate. They say the Chinook was very tasty. 

Oh to live in “Casa Loma” or “Mt. Pleasant East”

by  • 

We’ll give the dreamers at Toronto Life credit for admitting that their ranking of the city’s neighborhoods was somewhat unscientific. In fact, once you get past the Rosedale blubber it was a lot like throwing darts at a map. Davisville Village and Leaside appear to have been lumped together in “Mount Pleasant East”  Forest Hill is called “Casa Loma”. What city are these guys living in? The South Bayview Bulldog’s scientific method for defining Toronto’s best neighborhoods is to stretch a long string from the centre of the intersection of Millwood Rd. and Bayview Ave. Once you go past Avenue Rd. heading west, you drop off the map. Don’t go there. Same thing with similar results in the other directions based on your agility at the edges. Fill in the blanks. Mainly understand that TL knows that everyone can relate to this stuff.  If they could publish the household income of every family on Airdrie Dr, they would do it. Buy a magazine lady?

Top 10 neighborhoods
1. Rosedale-Moore Park
2. Banbury-Don Mills
3. High Park-Swansea
4. Mount Pleasant West
5. High Park North
6. Wexford-Maryvale
7. Mount Pleasant East
8. The Beaches
9. Mimico
10. Casa Loma (Forest Hill)  

Bottom 10 neighborhoods:
131. Ionview
132. Elms-Old Rexdale
133. Brookhaven-Amesbury
134. Oakridge
135. Maple Leaf
136. Clanton Park
137. Rustic
138. Beechborough-Greenbrook
139. Etobicoke West Mall
140. Mount Dennis

There’s work for flower planters around new trees

by  • 

We’re getting the full picture now on what our little two and three tree forests will look like on South Bayview. Here we see gardeners hired by the city digging out the tree holes prior to planting. It was a hot job even on a pleasant summer day like Friday. The inset picture (lower left) reveals there will be a fairly large patch of open earth at sidewalk level and anyone who doesn’t want these spaces to turn into a messy garbage collection will have to plant them. Just like the old days. 

Trees return to east side of South Bayview

by  • 

Gardeners contracted by the city were busy Friday planting trees along the east side of the South Bayview business district. It has been a long wait from the 2010 reconstruction of the sidewalks that took away our greenery. Nice to see. Two scenes show (left) planting just outside Rosie’s and (right) looking across the street at Peaches and Green.

Tim Hortons takes fire on “fight club” coffee lids

by  • 

A Calgary man has found lots of support for his written complaint to Tim Hortons that its coffee cup lids are — the say the least — inferior. Bryan Hanson claims that the drinking hole in the lids always comes out way too big, making it impossible not to spill coffee. He also complains that the process of ripping off the tab of the opening is difficult and that it sometimes leaves sharp edges. “I want coffee, not Fight Club,” wrote the disgruntled customer. 

Does auditor’s digging hint at Conservative win?

by  • 

Good morning, South Bayview. Out this week among Parliament Hill platitudes is the view that Canada’s auditor general, Michael Ferguson (left) will be trying to restore public confidence in the Senate when he launches his thoroughgoing review of how its members spend money.  Mr. Ferguson is said to be ready to dig for dirt and his decision to release information as he gets it seems to coincide suspiciously with the General Election of 2015. Could it be that Conservative strategists think a sure-fire way to propel the party back into office would be a sinkhole under the Senate? This enormously popular platform might even eclipse the sunshine of Justin Trudeau and his new Ministry of Marijuana. Okay not fair, but blowing out the unelected, redundant and costly upper house would look awfully good to most voters. Then we have the mandate of the Democracy Minister Pierre Polliviere. His job is to persuade the Supreme Court that the elected House of Commons can send Senators on a permanent vacation without the agreement of all ten provinces. Please. Countries like New Zealand and Sweden have long since abolished their upper chambers in the interest of democracy and efficient government. Sober second thought?  Let the voters assume that task. Previous Post 

Yopila Yoga to open at 899 Millwood Road

by  • 

As we telegraphed late in June, a Yoga and Pilates service will move into the unit at 899 Millwood Rd.  A nice new sign heralds Yopila Yoga. Their website says Yopila Yoga is a series of Hatha Yoga postures with Pilates movements. The space has been renovated and is said to provide a heated and bright studio. The service sounds fairly professional with the Yoga/Pilates teacher having 13 years experience. It notes that private classes can been focused around Bikram Yoga or Pilates, specific injuries or for building knowledge and developing a personalized home-based practice.

Cottonwood cut down on Southvale at Astor

by  • 

What appears to be healthy Cottonwood tree comes down on the south side of Southvale Drive at Astor Ave. This is beside the garages of the Crestview Apartments and its not too clear why it had to go. There are two more of these tall trees on the same small plot of land. The Cottonwood is a species indigenous to Southern Ontario. 

CP refuses to pay cost of Lac-Megantic cleanup

by  • 

Canadian Pacific Railway says it has no intention of paying for the estimated $200 million cleanup of the Lac-Megantic disaster.  CP said simply: “As a matter of fact, and law, CP is not responsible for this clean up.” It added that it will appeal an order from the Quebec government to pay the cost.  The legal niceties may prove tricky. CP hired the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway to move the oil over the final stretch of track, but it never reached its destination. The MMA has now declared bankruptcy. 

Arrests made in Overlea-Thorncliffe shooting

by  • 

Police say they have two minors and an 18-year-old man in custody in connection with the shooting and stabbing that took place on Overlea Blvd at Thorncliffe Rd. Monday evening. They have identified the 18-year-old at Gavin Patrick Campbell. Police say the shooting occurred as the result of a disagreement that arose between four youths and the man who was shot.

Two men in Rehtaeh case remanded without plea

by  • 

The lawyer for young men calls the public atmosphere in Cole Harbour like a witch hunt. No pleas were made at today’s appearance. The accused will be tried by a judge alone. Previous post.

San Francisco Chronicle pulls down its paywall

by  • 

In the midst of paywall activity in Toronto, the Hearst owned Chronicle is calling it quits with its subscription plan. Mostly Media