Watch for Leo in the Toyota commercial

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The making of the Toyota commercial we showed you a few days ago is only a memory now at 1693 Bayview Ave. where it all happened. That would be Leo’s Barber Shop, a fixture on Bayview for decades. Today, the man himself was saying how the most notable thing he got out of the event was about 60 seconds of fame, of a sorts No Toyota, either. But he’s happy and we’re looking forward to seeing Leo in his support role in the next commercial for the car maker.  Making the commercial.

Friends remember Peter and Linda Hamilton

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Friends have installed a bench in Ramsden Park on Yonge Street in honour of the late Peter Hamilton and his wife Linda. Mrs. Hamilton predeceased her husband, who died in 2011. Mr. Hamilton was an award-wining architect and a great lover of dogs. The plaque on the bench reads: Peter and Linda Hamilton. Dedicated to Preserving Green Space. Always With Dogs, They Frequented Ramsden Park For 35 years.  Previous post.  With thanks to Yonge and Roxborough news. 

Loblaws to open in Madison Condo at Eglinton, Dunfield

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loblaws-madison-560
Note: This post was written in 2012: Loblaws is said to have taken a lease on the second level of the new Madison condominium on Eglinton Ave West between Dunfield Ave. and Lillian St. This concept image seems to show the corner of Eglinton and Dunfield. The pile drivers are just being put in place for the two tower 644-unit development which will rise 30 and 33 floors, with  53,600 square feet of retail space on two levels. As can be seen by the builders sketch, the street level has yet to be leased. The residences come in two forms, podium and tower. The podium units, which are nearer the street, have been sold out. To help move units in the top ten storeys, Madison has launched a so-called 10 percent down sale for those units.  The dynamic of a supermarket on the second level is fascinating. Loblaws certainly has the cornerstone quality to pull traffic and few other retailers would wish to be on the second level. Of course, the grocery store location is all the same for potential customers living at the Madison.

Leaside Lightning grads join Queen’s Gaels

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Two members of the Leaside Volleyball Club’s Leaside Lightning have been chosen to start for the Queen’s Gaels volleyball squad this fall. Becky Wilson and Ali Shamie have been tabbed by Gael’s head coach Joely Christian-Macfarlane to join three other newcomers to her championship team. Wilson is also in the provincial team system, and is regarded as one of the top libero prospects in the country. The Pickering native led the Lightning U18 win their first-ever Ontario championship last season, in the team’s first year of existence.  Ali Shamie is a  Havergal College old girl  (2012)  She, with Wilson, led the Lightning to the Ontario Championship. She also led Havergal to the Consolation Championship at the 2012 OFSAA AAA championship, after the Gators went 12-0 in the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association. 

Rosie’s Kitchen, Unique Jewellery get face lift

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There is a bit of a face lift  going on at old favorite Rosie’s Kitchen and at the adjoining shop, Unique Jewellery, 1549 and 1551.Bayview respectively. The brick front of both these shops will be covered by a new stucco finish. Here we see workers putting up sheeting to hold the stucco at Unique Jewelry while Rosie’s frontage (to the right) shows bare brick which was under their old sign. Tell Frank and Nora at Rosie’s that you saw it here. 

Considering the future of Postal Station K

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Postal Station K on Yonge Street at Broadway Ave. was the scene of a polite gathering of politicians and  others on Tuesday. They were demanding, apparently, the permanent retention of the 1937 building in the interest of history. They also protested against any more high rises. It’s doubtful that either of these concerns will carry the day. But those who were there should find inspiration in the way another post office, the Central Delivery Station on Bay Street, was incorporated into Air Canada Centre.  The downtown building (lower inset) was a much more handsome structure than Post Station K. But that’s no reason for not trying to save the edifice of the Yonge and Broadway post office.

Canada’s badminton girls will be playing to win

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Alex Bruce                      Michelle Li
It’s no doubt heart-breaking for the eight women badminton players who have been expelled from the Olympics by the World Badminton Federation. These young people from China, South Korea and Indonesia are naive and were foolishly influenced.  It’s a shame they were tricked — or tricked themselves — into thinking it was okay to intentionally lose. Their teams had already qualified and by losing, the badminton women were trying to succeed to a match against a weak team still left in the competition. But sports is about playing the game strenuously to win. The judges were right to disqualify. The two Canadian athletes who have been the lucky beneficiaries of the match-fixing won’t be tempted to make a similar mistake.  Alex Bruce of Toronto and Michele Li of Markham received another chance in the doubles tournament because two of the offending teams had been in their group. The Canadians were thus launched into the quarter-final, and they took advantage. Ms. Bruce and Ms. Li beat the Australian team in three sets (21-9, 18-21, 21-18) to advance to an unexpected semi-final appearance against Japan.  Win or lose, the IOC can be sure that Canada’s girls will be giving it everything they’ve got. 

1962 Mercury M-100 on seen at home on Bessborough Dr

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1962 Mercury pickup truck
Always a surprise in the driveways of South Leaside as we spot a 1962 Mercury M-100 pickup truck beside someone’s home. This model was among Ford’s most popular Mercury trucks and in 1962 came with the stylized “M” as a hood ornament. Ford manufactured the Mercury truck beside the Ford pickup from 1948 to 1968.