Police release video in Tyson Bailey case

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Toronto police are pressing their investigation into the shooting of 15-year-old Tyson Bailey a month ago. The want to know the identity of the last person seen in this video as Baily, a friend and the unidentified person enter Bailey’s apartment building at 605 Whiteside Place. Bailey was shot in the stairwell on the 13th floor of the building in Regent Park back on January 18th. He was 15 years old. Detectives say the police arrived so quickly at the scene they think the killer could not have escaped the building before they arrived. It’s possible he lives in the same building, but they aren’t sure. 

New papers on Project Vapour enrage opposition

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The Wynne government has released dozens more documents today related to the decision to close the two gas-fired energy plants during the last election campaign at enormous cost to the public. The appearance of the documents has enraged the opposition and seems likely to further the inclination of the parties to seek an election.  The Progressive Conservatives in particular are targeting Premier Wynne, claiming she was well aware of and participated in the decisions to cancel the plants in Oakville and Mississauga. The PCers have released a television ad claiming newly released documents show Wynne was briefed on the move, which was given the sinister name of Project Vapour.  For vapour, it was expensive. The decision is estimated to have cost  taxpayers at least $230 million. Wynne was Liberal campaign co-chair in 2011. The Conservatives have several times as much as said they think the Premier is lying, without actually using the word. 

Mid-afternoon mugging in Bloor-Yonge subway

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Toronto Police Service report:  A 16 year old male reports that on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at approximately 1430 hours, he was on the platform in a subway station in the area of Yonge Street and Bloor Street East, when he was approached from behind by three male suspects. The suspects punched the victim and removed a cellular phone from his person. The suspects then fled the scene in an unknown direction. The victim was transported to a hospital by Toronto EMS. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following described persons in connection with this offence. Description of Suspect #1: Male, white, 18 to 20, 5’6”, 141 to 161 pounds, medium build, short dark brown hair. Suspect #2: Male, white, 18 to 20 years, 5’8” to 6’. Suspect #3: Male, white, 18 to 20 years.

NSS wins United Way Spirit Award for 2012

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Northern Secondary School has once again received the United Way Spirit Award for exceptional fund raising in the 2012 campaign. Northern, the historic and rather Gothic-looking high school at Mt Pleasant Rd and Broadway Ave. is always a busy place. This summer it was used to shoot scenes for the re-make of the movie Carrie, which has yet to be released. But the energetic United Way committee (inset) at Northern had even bigger things in mind as they drove their campaign to a remarkable $33,000 bonanza for the Toronto UW. This marks the second time in two years that Northern spirit has copped the Spirit award, and its the 10th time since 1996.  Northern has a long record of good work in this regard, It also  earned the distinction of making the best overall contribution to the United Way six times between 1979 and 1984. Northern principal Ron Felsen is rightly proud.  He is quoted by MSN News Canada as follows: “Our United Way campaign has become a part of the fabric of this school. It’s become a Northern tradition.” The key to the school’s success is having a student-run committee devoted purely to holding events and drumming up school spirit for the United Way campaign. A full week is dedicated to raising funds. Every home room class also undertakes its own project to raise funds. “It isn’t a one-day campaign; we don’t just do a bake sale and move on,” Felsen said. “The committee has as much of a presence in our school as student council or the athletic council.”  Felsen would seem to be a leader among principals. This year he participated (as the target) in a student pie-throwing contest to help raise funds.

O’Brien out, Burnett in at CNN’s morning show

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CNN’s morning show, American Morning, is one of the most re-made on television. It has seen anchors pass through at a startling rate. Now Soledad O’Brien (left) who has served as the morning anchor twice, is about to leave again. It’s reported that she will be replaced by Erin Burnett, who anchors the CNN early evening program Out Front with Erin Brunett (right).  O’Brien has indicated she is ready to leave CNN after she was initially promised a plum prime-time slot, but that role has so far failed to materialize.

John Parker’s mail (complete) on Elgie house

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Photo Courtesy of Leaside Centennial Productions

Further to messages I have circulated on this matter over the past year, I am pleased to report that the Toronto Preservation Board last week voted to recommend that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 262 Bessborough Drive under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

262 Bessborough Drive is the large property located immediately south of Leaside High School. Its most recent residents were Mary and Sven Linholm, both fondly remembered by many Leaside residents. The original dwelling dates back to the latter part of the 19th Century, and is stated in the formal heritage study report as “a rare surviving farmhouse and the oldest residential building in Leaside.” The City process leading to last week’s proceedings before the Board was initiated last winter at my request.

I appeared at last week’s meeting and confirmed my support for designation. The proposed designation identifies specific “heritage attributes” in accordance with the legislation. These include “the building known historically as the Thomas G. Elgie House”, “the original centre section of the two-storey house form building with its scale, form and massing,” the “original red brick cladding and trim on the exposed elevations of the original main body of the house,” “the gable roof and trim, brick chimney and original fenestration” on the east façade (facing Bessborough)” and “the original window opening” on the west wall. It is to be noted that only the original home and its elements are identified in the proposed designation, not the large additions that comprise a significant part of the present structure.

A bit of news in the report that I found interesting: the east elevation, which for about a hundred years has been the front of the house, was originally a side wall. The original front door faced south; something that few current local residents would have been alive to have seen. For that reason it struck me as particularly interesting that one of the enumerated heritage attributes includes “the specific location, setback and orientation of the building on the west side of Bessborough….” That is to say, the declared heritage attributes consist of not only the house itself, but also its location and – at least some of – its surroundings, including its relationship with Bessborough Drive.

I suggested (unsuccessfully) at the Board that the matter of location and context might better be expressed in terms of the home’s placement on the high point of land overlooking the broad expanse of land below to the south, which clearly did not include Bessborough Drive at all, in as much as there was no such road at the time. The matter of location and context could turn out to be important points where the future of this property is concerned.

Keep reading. 262 Bessborough Drive has recently become the focus of particular local interest for reasons unrelated to its heritage character. This was prompted by the appearance of a For Sale sign on the front lawn last November, quickly followed by speculation of a potential town house development. When this came to my attention my immediate step was to contact the City’s Preservation Services department to enquire as to the status of its file on the property. I had always been made to understand that the home was a “heritage property” and was therefore surprised to find that the department responsible for heritage matters in fact had no file on it. Accordingly, I then put into motion the heritage designation process that resulted in last Thursday’s proceeding. My next step was to track down the listing agent and let her know that I had done that.

The eventual designation of the existing house eliminates the potential that the property can be razed and treated as a development site. The recognition of “location, setback and orientation” as specific heritage elements can itself be expected to be a limiting factor on any proposal to subdivide the property. In short, upon designation, any development activity that takes place on the site will only be accommodated in the context of addressing the heritage elements in the designation.

Questions of development will be assessed not only according to Planning Act criteria such as the City’s bylaws and Official Plan and other customary considerations, but by the unique criteria relating specifically to the Ontario Heritage Act as well. I see the heritage designation of the Elgie House as an important step in preserving an important part of our community’s earliest heritage. I see it also as a pivotal factor in determining the future of the property at 262 Bessborough Drive and its impact on neighbouring properties.

Laugh Out Loud in Leaside is 96% sold out

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Support has been strong for the Laugh Out Loud event this Friday night. Charlene Kalia reports there is a handful of tickets left for the 4th annual Laugh Out Loud in Leaside fundraiser in support of building a second ice pad at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. Highlights include: MC Jack Hourigan, hilarious Yuk Yuks stand up comedy, musical performance by James Dean Band, de la mer oyster bar, delicious appetizers ,tantalizing desserts and a live and silent auctions It’s  Friday February 22, 2013 at: 7:30 pm at Fantasy Farm, 50 Pottery Road   Email: charlene@charlenekalia.com  Phone: 416-925-9191 

Laird meat shop working to compete with new Longo’s

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The Globe and Mail has a nice piece today on the struggles of Andy Elder, owner of Grilltime Gourmet Meat Shop to keep his business going now that the fancy big Longo’s supermarket has opened across the street in Leaside Village. The picture is easy to get. His five-year-old shop was doing nicely, seeing a 16 percent increase in sales during the first eight months of 2012, the Globe says. Of course that all changed when Longos opened. Sales fell four percent in August against the previous year. The Globe and Mail article is interesting because it asks retail experts, some in the same type of business as Mr. Elder, what to do. They stress quality and service. Don’t just concentrate on Leaside if you can afford to deliver, one source advised. We note that there is a parking lot at this rather new series of units on west side of Laird near Kenrae Drive. There is parking beside the Starbucks next door. Both the parking and  Starbucks have to be an asset. Many merchants on South Bayview would love to have that little parking lot beside them.

Josh Matlow motion on youth killings

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Josh Matlow (Ward 22) deserves credit for bringing the fatal shooting of young men in Toronto back to city council. A motion set to go before Toronto council this week calls on the city to act on recommendations of the 2008 report on youth violence produced by former chief justice Roy McMurty. It recommends a specific youth violence strategy with measurable objectives and timelines. The job is urgent but it is also a thankless task which usually leaves even the most committed believers disappointed. The problem of black on black violence as seen in the shooting of four young men since the beginning of the year, is like a terrible disease without a cure.  Nonetheless, sensible action to create a league of black role models, community activities for youth, jobs,  gun control and perhaps further adjustment to the criminal code — all these are needed. Premier Wynne is no doubt fully committed but  she has said the obvious: If society knew the solution it would have been applied a long time ago. And there will be a cost. The cost is always worrisome because unless there is a sound way of measuring results, people rightly worry that good money is being sent after bad. Politicians and activists must contain the recriminations.  It is easier to build a subway than it is to ensure that young men stop killing each other. 

Sue-Ann Levy versus integrity commissioner

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“After all, as the Divisional Court decision of Jan. 25 indicated — with no room for doubt — Miss Manners had overstepped her authority under the City of Toronto Act when she imposed a financial sanction of $3,150 against Ford for improperly obtaining donations on his councillor letterhead to his football foundation”.  Sue Ann levy