The South Bayview Bulldog

Wait a minute. You mean guys in jet packs are flying around in aircraft space near US airports? Uh-huh. Crazy eh? Then, odd-ball news service ODN offers up ten jaw-dropping pieces of video for 2020. Below that, the weird and wonderful dress-up cultures of modern Japan. Finally, it looks like the Ontario Department of Transportation has blundered into giving the same personalized plate to both a car driver and motorcycle owner. The plate is Shhhh but it’s going to be hard to keep this rather sloppy mistake quiet.

Cleared before dawn

Next door two days later

Here are pictures of adjoining properties in Moore Park after City plows have gone by. At left is the immaculate work of a contractor who passes homes before dawn. But you can see where he regularly swings away to do other jobs. At right is the sidewalk next door. It was “cleared” in this fashion two days after the snow fell.

Tell us your sidewalk snow clearing story

South Bayview residents are invited to write a brief bit of mail about sidewalk clearing issues seen by them in the area to news@bayview-news.com

He clears the driveway with a blow torch

Keep in mind that you’re fortunate not to live next to a lunatic in Kentucky who has cleared his driveway with a blow torch. Global News

Two people have been injured in a large fire in a St. James Town apartment building this Boxing Day. Crews were called to the building at Wellesley and Bleecker Sts around 12 noon Saturday. The fire was declared a two-alarm incident and firefighters were at the scene into the afternoon. According to police, a person inside the unit on the 12th floor was found suffering from serious injuries and a second required treatment. They were taken to the hospital — with City News

Public library on Bayview Ave.

Southeast corner of Bayview Ave and Fleming Cres.

Diagonal parking on Bayview Ave.

A group of Leaside residents led by Ann Brown has formed the Leaside Heritage Preservation Society (LHPS). The organization will be dedicated to preserving, promoting and celebrating the rich history of Leaside. In addition to Ms Brown, the LHPS board has eight other notable members: Jennifer Avveduto, Ted DeWelles, Jennifer Hanley, Kennis Kim, John Lea, Catherina Maughan, Susan Parr and Patrick Rocca. “The only thing missing in the remarkable history of our Leaside neighbourhood has been a coordinated effort to memorialize and preserve that history,” said Chairman Brown. “Every one of us on the Board is focused on taking steps to preserve and promote the historical contributions of Leaside, for the enjoyment and education of the community today and for future generations.” The society’s Facebook page is great fun. It includes this post seen recently on Twitter recalling Glenvale Motors Austin Sales at 189 Laird Drive beside what is now the Leaside Pub. LHPS website

Recalling the Austin Somerset sold to Ms. Anne Waters of Victoria Park Ave. in 1953

The enduring poem was recorded in support of the Actors’ Benevolent Fund, of which The Prince of Wales has been Patron for over 20 years taking over the role from Her Majesty The Queen in 2000. He is accompanied by an ensemble of well known British actors. ‘Twas the night before Christmas was written in 1823 by Clement Clarke Moore and was first known as A Visit from St. Nicholas. Merry Christmas to all from The South Bayview Bulldog.

Britain and the European Union have struck a provisional free-trade agreement that should avert New Year’s chaos for cross-border traders and bring a measure of certainty for businesses after years of Brexit turmoil. In the address above prime minister Johnson called it a “Canada-style” trade deal. There seems much concern about the limited nature of the agreement but with barely a week until the UK’s final split from the EU, the British government said the “deal is done.” The immediate benefit of any deal is that it will avoid chaos at ports and border points after New Year’s. CBC

Approaching weather seen at 9.55 a.m. Thursday/Accu Weather

Environment Canada is forecasting 10 to 20 mm of rainfall later Thursday with a risk of freezing rain. Then, Toronto will see 10 to 15 cm of snowfall by Friday mid-morning. It impossible to predict just what the roads will look like during the evening but conditions will be poor. The Accu Weather radar of the approaching rain and snow above was captured at 9.55 a.m. Thursday. Here’s what EC is saying.

Timing:
Rain will transition to snow by early this evening. Freezing rain may be possible during the transition.

Discussion:
Rain may become heavy at times today before changing to snow early this evening. A brief period of freezing rain may be possible this evening during the transition. By mid evening, all precipitation should be falling as snow, with as much as 10 to 15 cm of snow expected by Friday mid-morning.

Confidence is lower for if and how long freezing rain will occur for, but it is generally not expected to be a major impact for this event. Confidence is higher that a snowfall of 10 cm will happen tonight.

If 15 cm of snow is thought to be more likely, a Snowfall Warning may be issued. Stay tuned…regardless, expect poor road conditions beginning this evening due to accumulating snow.

Sunnybrook vets get Pfizer vaccine (Instagram / @sunnybrookhsc)

Sunnybrook HSC has begun vaccinating elderly residents of the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 shot. The first two recipients said they were excited to be part of the historic moment. They are Richard Ratcliffe, 92, an RCN vet, and Stanley Dinney, 98, who served with the RCAF during World War II. Sunnybrook veterans are among those prioritized to receive the vaccine from our first shipment, which arrived Monday.

Tickets issued with discretion

Toronto Police issued a notice Wednesday indicating that parking regulation enforcement will be less strict than normal as the City heads into the latest lockdown. Here is the notice.

The Toronto Police Service has been working closely with our City of Toronto and Emergency Management partners in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to support the various programs implemented by the City to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

In support of the provincial COVID-19 regulatory lockdown the Parking Enforcement Unit will be commencing an enforcement approach to on-street parking where a high level of discretion will be applied. This will be effective immediately. Enforcement will focus on offences that create safety concerns, disrupt snow removal processes or cause significant disruptions in the flow of traffic on city streets.

We ask for the public’s cooperation in parking legally to ensure that the efficient flow of traffic in the City of Toronto is maintained. These measures will remain in effect until further notice.

Northeast corner of Avenue Rd. and Glenview Ave/680 News@680News

A woman has been charged with impaired driving after this car hit the utility pole at Avenue Rd. and Glencairn Ave just south of Havergal College late Tuesday. Avenue takes a bit of a swing to the left going northbound at this corner.

Suspicious package person

Could that be blond hair trailing out from under toque?

There’s a man or teen who has delivered not one but two suspicious packages to the same convenience store in Oshawa recently. Durham police have blown up both of them without much trouble but they would really like to find this guy. Call 1 (888) 579-1520 ext. 2766. He may have long blond hair as seen in the surveillance picture at the right.