Gimme a bottle of old South Bayview please

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There will be those who have lived here all their lives who never thought they would see this sign raised on South Bayview. But up it went today as the LCBO’s new jigger-sized  outlet gets ready to open in a few days.  Even before the store is open however the buzz on the worksite is that this is a “temporary” location. What’s that mean? Well, no one has an opinion on that. But the lightly constructed nature of the sign (plastic sheathing and metal strips) suggests that in a year or two, this place might go away. We can only hope that if it does we  will have another outlet nearby, not all the way over in the SmartCentre. 

Ontario men leaders of Algeria terrorist attacks

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The CBC has revealed shocking information that two young men in their early 20s from London, Ontario were the leaders of the bloody terrorist attacks on an Alergian gas field project in January. The CBC identifies Xristos (Christos) Katsiroubas, 22 (right) and Ali Medlej, 24 (left) as two pals from high school who somehow became more and more alienated from normal life. The CBC report says that in 2007, when Xristos would have been merely 16, one of his relatives called authorities and alerted them to what he considered dangerous behavior. At some point, Xristos converted to Islam, a long leap from his Greek Orthodox origins. The CBC also says the two young men ended their horrifying mission by blowing themselves up as Alergian forces closed in. One had to be identified from DNA.  A former schoolmate of Xristos who saw him in recent years said he appeared to be pre-occupied with Islam and was difficult to reach on any other topic.  The friend said he and others urged Xristos to get a job and find some other purpose. The story does not appear to say if these men were born in Canada. Late Tuesday it was also revealed that a third young man, who attended school with Medlej and Katasiroubas, also traveled to Africa. But he did not participate in the gas field attack and is said to be alive in Africa. He has been identified at Aaron Yoon. A representative of the London mosque where Katsiroubas attended, Wael Haddara,  said people with views that “disavow the idea of loyalty to Canada” aren’t welcome in the congregation and so sometimes go off and form their “own little cliques.  CBC  The Toronto Sun has run an account of a classmate of Katsiroubas who called him “forgettable.”

Pondering neighbourhood heritage status

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John Parker (Ward 26 Toronto) has written in the current issue of the Post Magazine about the Ontario Heritage Act. He draws attention to what is known as part 4 (Part IV) and part 5 (Part V) of the act. Part 4 permits the assessment of the heritage aspects of individual buildings (as we take it) while part 5 permits the assessment of whole neighborhoods. Mr. Parker says that he  has previously “initiated the process” by which a section of Parkhurst Blvd. might become the subject of a study leading to its possible designation as a Heritage Conservation District under part 5 of the Act. It isn’t too clear whether this part of the Heritage Act is very much used or perhaps even understood. A reading of Mr. Parker’s words indicates part 5 has  the potential to paint heritage status in very broad strokes. Since neighborhoods are made up of  multiple owners with multiple intentions and tastes it is easy to see how it might give pause to adoption of neighborhood designations. It is an interesting article and worth a read.

Impala production begins in Oshawa — no fooling

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The launch of the new Chevrolet Impala has General Motors and the local autoworkers’ union hopeful about the future of the company and its Oshawa operations. The 2014 Impala is already being built in Oshawa but the “official launch” and mass production of the vehicle starts this month, says CAW Local 222 President Ron Svajlenko. Production of the Impala will be split between General Motors Oshawa, on its flexible line, and in the United States at Detroit-Hamtramck. How many are built at each location, a pressing point for the CAW, remains to be seen — Oshawa Express 

Room 204 kids at Cody School thank COBS Bread

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There’s been a nice payoff for COBS Bread this week for its public-spirited efforts on behalf of the Maurice Cody School Dirt to Turf program. The Cody kids of Room 204 produced this excellent thank you poster which now adorns the front door of COBS on Bayview Ave. COBS committed to direct 10 percent of the value of proceeds of purchases made by Cody parents this winter as a contribution to the school’s program of converting its playground from grass and mud to safe and dry artificial turf. Tremblett’s Valu Mart on Bayview has picked up the idea for a further month. Parents shopping there should identify themselves as Cody parents to have 10 percent of the value of the purchase contributed to the turf fund. 

April 1: TTC will not loop buses through plaza

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There’s been admirable restraint among the world’s April 1 jesters this year. The whimsical bits of fakery created by YouTube (we’re shutting down) and Google (smell search a zillion scents) were sufficiently outlandish to inspire a sense of fun, not fear. The South Bayview Bulldog had considered declaring a full closure of the street this summer so that the business district could be re-paved in an experimental chrome yellow asphalt — but we decided to give it a pass. And, as we got worked up, did you know that RioCan, owners of the Sunnybrook Plaza  had agreed to let the TTC short turn the Eglinton Ave. E. bus through the mall? Happy April’s Fools Day, everyone, victims of which you are not.

“So close to the end” says giggling YouTube

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YouTube has announced it will be shutting down after eight years and will no longer accept videos. The news comes, of course, just before April Fools’ Day. The company teamed up with The Onion to create a YouTube-star-studded video explaining how the site was set up as part of a contest to find the best home video on the Internet. “We are so close to the end,” Tom Liston, communications director at YouTube, said in the video. “Tonight at midnight, YouTube.com will no longer be accepting entries. After eight amazing years, it’s finally time to review everything that has been uploaded to our site and begin the process of selecting a winner.” See video in column at left. 

Women’s shelter sale needs your old goods

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Catherine de Vries of Royal Lepage has written to remind everyone about the annual Shelter Foundation Garage Sale to be held Saturday, May 11, 2013, on the company’s local parking lot at 1391 Bayview. That’s right on the corner of McRae Drive. It’s a very worthwhile project which helps support 200 shelters for women across the country. This year organizers are asking local residents to help out with donations of salable used and hand-me-downs — clothing, toys, electronics, books and china are all suitable. The sale can also accept furniture thanks to the participation of AMJ Campbell Moving who will come round to your house and take the heavy pieces to the sale. A pickup can be can be scheduled by calling the office at (416) 424-4900. The South Bayview Bulldog will have more on the sale as we move along but this is a first call for all those who might be able to help. 

TD plans coin sorting machines in 300 branches

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TD Canada Trust is going to install coin counting and sorting machines in many of its branches across Canada. The standard device used for this purpose is the Coinstar, made by a company located in Bellevue Washington. The only known sorting machine in South Bayview at present is the one in the Loblaws store at the end of Redway Drive. It is very useful in emptying out the coin jars and drawers where metal money gathers.  To begin, TD is talking about 300 to 350 machines across the country. Thus not all branches will have them and speculation runs that either the busy branch at Bayview and Millwood or the spacious location in the mall at 321 Moore Ave. may recieve one of these machines. Time will tell.  TD will take a cut of the total value of the coins unless you have an account with them.  But most people find it worth the convenience even if they have to pay a small amount. There is often a lineup at the Coinstar in the Redway Drive Loblaws.