Travis Baumgartner has been captured s trying to enter the United States at the border crossing of Lynden, Washington. The 21-year-old suspect in the shooting deaths of three G4S cash delivery employees in Edmonton will be returned to face charges. CBC.ca
Arena to be named after Bert F. Grant
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| Wearing their Leaside jerseys |
The new ice pad at Leaside Gardens will be named the Bert F. Grant Arena. The announcement was made Saturday morning at the groundbreakng for the arena at a ceremony and barbecue. Mr Grant was the developer of the Crestview Apartments which stretch along the promontory overlooking the Don Valley. It is a green and peaceful setting for a series of modest residences south of Southvale. At this morning’s event, members of Mr Grant’s family made a $250,000 donation to the arena fund. The several hundred in attendance heard from members of the arena expansion committee as well as local political people who have taken an interest in the project. It was said the new arena will be the first one built in 40 years that is municipally owned. Many of the kids present were dressed in their Leaside jerseys (inset) and will soon wear them playing hiockey on the new ice pad.
How about a few of these beauties on Yonge
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Two Mississauga condo towers, dubbed the Marilyn Monroe buildings, took the prize for “Best Tall Buildings in the Americas”. The Absolute Towers (pictured) were awarded the prize by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, a non-profit group of architects and engineers. They have ample parking too! How about a few of these babies on Yonge Stret. Are you ready? Yonge and Roxborough NewsSorry, there’s no drive-through at Loblaws
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There’s a drive-through for almost everything these days but when you hit — um, make that attend at — the Moore Avenue Loblaws just remember you have to leave your car in the parking lot. As one harried Loblaws staffer said: “This is the third time someone has driven through those windows.” Never mind, when it comes to supermarket hazards we still rate the free flying grocery cart to be number one. It also rates number one for food moving violations too when customers decide to wheel the cart home and somehow, it just gets forgotten there.
John Oakley to MC groundbreaking tomorrow
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A postscript to the post below on the arena groundreaking tomorrow morning: John Oakley is confirmed as MC and Valumart is providing the complimentary BBQ. Earlier post today.
Brazen killings shock Edmonton
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The brazen killing of three employees of G4S cash delivery service has shocked Edmonton and the country. A student (inset) heard the gunfire — one shot followed by several more — that took the lives of the three, two men and a woman. A fourth crew member was critically wounded. The student said he heard someone saying “Hurry, hurry” as well as moans and cries, apparently from the injured and dying employees. The four were found in a small room behind a cash machine that they had apparently been servicing at the HUB mall on the University of Alberta campus. They had either been forced in there by their killer or taken refuge. In what seems unusual in such robberies, the person or persons who committed the crime also stole the G4S truck. It has been found some 70 blocks from the crime scene not far from the G4S terminal. What might this mean for the prospect of an inside job? It is the first thing police think of when such a robbery occurs.
Power struggle for control of LRT project
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The TTC and the Ontario government-controlled Metrolinx agency are engaged in a power struggle over who controls the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. The most apparent flashpoint in this clash is the TTC’s firm belief that Metrolinx is embarking on a totally impossible schedule to finish the line. The TTC says the completion date of 2020 is unrealistic. It’s urging the government to set a finish date of 2022 or 2023. Globe and Mail.
Arena expansion groundbreaking Saturday
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The groundbreaking ceremony for the Leaside Arena Expansion Project’s will take place Saturday (tomorrow) at 11 a.m. Go for the ceremony and stay for the barbecue which will no doubt up offer up some good fare. The ceremony will take place on the old National Film Board (NFB) property just beside the arena. Access it opposite off Millwood just before the CPR underpass. Wear a Leaside jersey!
Art Shoppe property sold for $40 million
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The block-long property on Yonge Street owned and occupied by the Art Shoppe has been sold to developer Peter B Freed for $40,360,800. The Art Shoppe property was owned by the Offman family which has operated the prestigious retail store there for many decades. Observers said it seemed inevitable, considering the price of $40 million plus that an application will be made for a structure or structures of many storeys in height. The Art Shoppe is located between Soudan Avenue and Hillsdale Avenue. PostCity.com
City of glistening towers and falling glass
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Glass has fallen from a 25th floor balcony of the recently completed Boutique Condominium at 126 Simcoe Street. It fell more or less harmlessly on a couple of cars parked on the street. No one was injured. That’s the good news but it has to be said that there are still quite few similar panes of glass still up there. As in previous cases where Toronto has heard the pitter patter of falling glass, this incident has been received with a sort of innocent acceptance
Sounded like ice cubes
Workers at a hotel across the street said the sound of the glass hitting the vehicles was like someone throwing ice cubes. And for those of us in South Bayview it may seem far enough away. People here want to live in houses on a street with grass and trees outside, not in a glass sky-box with bits falling off. The prospect for those who merely want to walk downtown is thought-provoking. The job of cleaning up the falling glass threat seems enormous, given the number of such buildings.
If you live in one
And for those who actually live in them, there is this cautionary advice about the cost of maintenance from a real estate blog. “Replacing glass every 25 years or so certainly isn’t a new concept – but buildings have only recently been constructed with exteriors primarily consisting of glass. The biggest concern for owners of these properties is whether or not the maintenance fees adequately represent the depreciation of the glass. Given the reaction by stakeholders to this article we’re thinking that perhaps they do not. When future expenditures are generally known they can be properly accounted for in the monthly maintenance fees, if not the gap in funding can result in large increases in these costs and thus maintenance fees or a special assessment (lump sum) in order to fund expenses”.
Sounded like ice cubes
Workers at a hotel across the street said the sound of the glass hitting the vehicles was like someone throwing ice cubes. And for those of us in South Bayview it may seem far enough away. People here want to live in houses on a street with grass and trees outside, not in a glass sky-box with bits falling off. The prospect for those who merely want to walk downtown is thought-provoking. The job of cleaning up the falling glass threat seems enormous, given the number of such buildings.
If you live in one
And for those who actually live in them, there is this cautionary advice about the cost of maintenance from a real estate blog. “Replacing glass every 25 years or so certainly isn’t a new concept – but buildings have only recently been constructed with exteriors primarily consisting of glass. The biggest concern for owners of these properties is whether or not the maintenance fees adequately represent the depreciation of the glass. Given the reaction by stakeholders to this article we’re thinking that perhaps they do not. When future expenditures are generally known they can be properly accounted for in the monthly maintenance fees, if not the gap in funding can result in large increases in these costs and thus maintenance fees or a special assessment (lump sum) in order to fund expenses”.
Toronto Life profiles De la Mer
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Interesting article in Toromnto Life on De la Mer, the fish emporium on South Bayview.
Theft of sunglasses on Yonge Street
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Toronto Police Service: Yonge Vision, 1881 Yonge Street, reports that between 0319 hours and 0330 hours on June 13, 2012, unknown suspect(s) entered the premises by forcing a door. Removed was a quantity of sunglasses.