The South Bayview Bulldog

Robin Dickie has generously written to report on the details of the much loved St. Cuthbert’s Spring Fair and has sent some pictures as well to keep memories fresh. Thanks Robin — Ed   Link here for Robin’s report.

It’s seems to be the place to listen if you want to know what Toronto’s big guy is going to do next. The weekly appearance of Mayor Rob Ford and his brother Doug on Newstalk 1010 radio always produces a story for local media. Will he attend a gay-lesbian event? Does he support the Toronto police vs G20 dissidents? Will the mayor extend private garbage collection east of Yonge Street? It’s all there. And clearly, it’s a platform that serves both the mayor and the radio station. Mr Ford avoids annoying questions that normally pepper him in scrums. Newstalk 1010 gets the action. The latest flash from the mayor over the air is that he will not push through privatization of garbage collection east of Yonge Street this term. Answering a  listener from East York, the mayor said the east side of town will have to wait for privatization. It was a pretty frank response. Mr Ford obviously thinks privatization is a winning issue and he intends to use it to help him get re-elected in 2014. Some media, like BlogTO, are playing the decision like a betrayal. But it isn’t as if Ford is raising taxes when he said he wouldn’t. Now that would be a betrayal. 

Nearly six years after a push for Expo 2015 fell apart, there’s a movement afoot for Toronto to consider bidding for the World’s Fair in 2025. “It’s very early in exploration. The conversations are very casual. It’s information-gathering,” said Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam. Wong-Tam (Ward 27, Toronto Centre-Rosedale) said she is speaking to business leaders and trade unions, among others, to see if there is an appetite to mount a bid for the international exposition that showcases technology, architecture and culture from around the world. “So far the reaction has been very warm to enthusiastic,” she said. In 2006, city council, lead by then-mayor David Miller, was firmly behind Toronto making a bid. The federal government pledged to contribute $600 million to cover infrastructure, security and other costs.

The removal of the hedge on the property at 720 Millwood Rd. has created much better visibility for those exiting the heavily travelled lane east  of Bayview. Here we see the final bits being removed and (right) what it looked like before removal. The new fence also looks good. This is the residence which was occupied by Agnes Macphail when she moved to Toronto after after her defeat in the general election of 1940. 

This lovely Saturday morning sees a freshening up going on (above) at the Bayview Dental Clinic. The parking meters have also been freshened, it seems, because they’re taking coins again. Down at Millwood, some people are wondering about the renovation at Wild Wing. The sign on the door indicates the restaurant will re-open for business on Monday, May 21, 2012. That’s just two days hence. But there has been no discernible work done since the place was locked up some weeks ago. Who knows what that means.

Customers will be interested to know that Homefront associate Sandra Zhang is off to mainland China and Hong Kong with her fiance Dennis Tsang for a one-month visit. Sandra and Dennis will first visit her parents in Beijing and then travel on to Hong Kong where Sandra will stand up with her friend Phoebe when she weds Tony. Sandra and Dennis are touched by both history and geography  as they embark. Dennis is Canadian-born and thus requires a visa to enter the mainland. As a foreign tourist, on the other hand, he can breeze right into Hong Kong. The reverse is true for Sandra. She needs only her Chinese passport to visit her mom and dad. But like most Chinese citizens Sandra had to obtain a highly sought-after visa to enter the special territory of Hong Kong.