South Bayview will see a slight decrease in rush hour service on the 11 Bayview, 28 Davisville, 34 Eglinton East and 81 Thorncliffe Park bus routes beginning early in 2012. It appears that other local lines such as 88 Leaside will not be affected. In addition to the decreases at rush hour, the TTC says it will decrease the frequency of service at other times on the 34 Eglinton East route. In this case the buses will be more crowded than at present and that waits will be somewhat longer. The decreases will begin to occur on Monday January 9, 2012 for rush hour and on Sunday, January 8, 2012 for the general changes. In all, 52 bus routes across the city will be affected as part of a plan to help meet the City of Toronto’s objective to time budgets. The TTC describes the rush hour cutback this way: “[T]he TTC is reverting to the “loading standards” it used for buses and streetcars before 2004. This means, for example, that it will adjust the service capacity for buses from an average of 48 to 53 passengers during the busiest hour on that route. Since the TTC estimates that it will attract about 503 million riders next year, it will have enough buses and streetcars on the road to meet next year’s ridership demand if it uses the loading standard from before 2004. This will save the TTC $15 million next year.” TTC GPS app
Parking lanes where locomotives used to live
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Work is proceeding at full speed at the site of the new Leaside Village Shopping Centre on Laird Drive at Esandar Drive. Most notably, a parking lot is emerging from the desolate space where steam locomotives and train cars used to receive service. (see previous post). The elegant 1919 maintenance building is being cleaned up in preparation for its debut as a retail site. It is said that there will be a Longo’s supermarket in this building. There is also a new traffic signal (not yet in service) installed at the corner of Laird and Esandar.
$million worth of rocks and cement
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The fix to Pottery Road to prevent instability cost about a $1,000,000. It was extra work that had to done after the summer’s reconstruction of the road was “finished”. The retaining wall closest to the road was newly built, but not quite enough it seems to secure the earth above in the event of too much rain or whatever else nature had to offer. Cure? Tons of rock (foreground) and a second retaining wall finished with what appears to be cement. To see what it looked like at the end of August, when it was supposed to bee finished, but wasn’t, check here.
Rob Ford appears in the Nutcracker
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Mayor Ford may be seen here on CP24 video as he assayed the role of a Cannon Doll in an annual Cjhristmas tradition. Fun.
Pitfield donating book proceeds to arena fund
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Copies of Jane Pitfield’s Book Leaside are available the Leaside Memorial Arena or by calling (416) 456-3665. All proceeds are being donated by the author to the arena expansion fund. Each copy is $28. Many know the story of Leaside but the brief synopsis reminds us again of the rich history of the town. Leaside is a most comprehensive look at the people, significant events and built heritage, all of which contributed to the creation of this distinctive community. Named after John Lea, a successful farmer, whose house, built in 1829, is believed to be the first brick house in York County, Leaside grew from a railway settlement into a prosperous urban town. With its roots embedded in the history of three railways, Leaside has a unique industrial heritage that played a key role in the war effort during both World Wars, including its being the site of munitions plants, a wooden plane factory, and a base for the Royal Flying Corps. Leaside was also home to the Durant Motors of Canada, and later the Nash cars, Canada Wire and Cable, and the popular Thorncliffe Race Track. Did you know that Canada’s first airmail delivery touched down in Leaside and that an Olympic calibre ski jump once operated in the Don Valley? Jane Pitfield’s Leaside represent a nostalgic journey into the heritage of a most remarkable neighbourhood, still proudly retaining its identity as part of Toronto.
“Carols with Friends” Monday, December 20
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St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church at 1399 Bayview is reminding everyone about their annual Carols with Friends on Monday, December 29, 2011. This annual event features carol singing, of course, and later, mulled cider and cookies. “Admission” is a can of food for the Flemingdon Park Community Food Bank.
Full moon show over South Bayviewland
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South Bayviewland was treated to the sight a magnificent full moon Saturday evening. The clear skies that have brought very nice late autumn weather made a fine background for the lunar orb. It is seen here from Merton Street west of Mt. Pleasant. The local sight follows what was reportedly a good total eclipse of the full moon early Saturday. It was however only visible in the skies over the Pacific Northwest. This was the last total lunar eclipse until 2014 and one of only 85 times this century that the moon will be totally eclipsed, according to astronomers. The most recent total lunar eclipse in June 2011 was visible from every continent on Earth except North America.
Teachers beware of careless talk, behaviour
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The Ontario Government says it will make public the nanes of teachers who behave badly. The identity and actions of so-called rogue teachers will no longer be kept secret. The action seems to have come on the prompting of a crusade in the Toronto Star which can be recalled here.
Postal code tattles on your net worth
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Canadian Business magazine has compiled a lists of of the ten richest neighbourhoods in Ontario. Lawrence Park-dwellers, in the Lawrence Ave. and Mount Pleasant Rd. area, have an average net worth of $3,824,165 . Rosedale residents clocked in with $3,642,533 followed by St. Andrew-Windfields East at $3,447,638 and St. Andrew-Windfields West at $2,740,232, in the Bayview Ave. and York Mills Rd. area. A list of the most affluent postal codes (if that makes sense) is as follows. Summerhill and Moore Park make the cut.
1 M4N Lawrence Park
2 M4W Rosedale $3,382,588
3 M2L St. Andrew-Windfields East
4 M2P St. Andrew-Windfields West
5 M5P North Toronto and Forest Hill
6 L0J Kleinburg
7 M4V Summerhill, Rathnelly.
8 M3B YorkMills, Don Mills
9 L7B King
10 M4T Moore Park
Bank of Canada warning for condo investors
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The Bank of Canada has a warning for condo investors – the boom times may be over. In its December economic review, the central bank said that “certain areas” of the housing market could see prices fall as the economy weakens. “Certain areas of the national housing market may be more vulnerable to price declines, particularly the multiple-unit segment of the market, which is showing signs of disequilibrium,” the bank warned. “The supply of completed but unoccupied condominiums is elevated, which suggests a heightened risk of a correction in this market.” Globe and Mail
Taste-of-the-Danforth Fever
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The return of parking meters to the east side of South Bayview (see post one down) raises the perennial question of whether South Bayview should have a Business Improvement Association (BIA). More and better parking is a goal of almost any business district. In this respect, BIAs can be divided into have and have-not bodies. Frequently, those with masses of parking (such as the Danforth and Kingsway) are able to use it to attract business from some distance. When the parking comes with a subway underneath it, the BIA and its members are no doubt headed for success. South Bayview however comes with not much parking and no mass transit. Even the proposed crosstown LRT, whenever its built, will dump passengers off at Bayview and Eglinton, a good distance from the shops and restaurants. Unfortunately, BIAs have very little control over the creation of new parking. At a somewhat rancorous meeting to discuss a BIA last year, it was clear that at least some in South Bayview are hoping to somehow replicate the Taste of the Danforth on South Bayview. Structurally, this seems like quite a challenge. But in any case, experience has shown that BIA membership frequently breaks down along a line separating restaurant owners and food outlets from specialty shop owners. On the Danforth, many specialty retailers simply lock up their shops during the food festivities. Specialty retailers tend to seek a less flamboyant type of BIA. It may well be that South Bayview would benefit from a BIA, higher taxes notwithstanding. There is no doubt that traffic is down in this economy. But those who wish for a BIA should be sure they are getting what they’re looking for. Taste of the Danforth Picture Courtesy of Peter Rehak, Toronto Photographer
Free parking party is over
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Thursday morning has seen the return of the parking meters to the east side of South Bayview. The meters were taken out to permit construction of new sidewalks. While they were gone, there was no ticketing. It’s a source of some grief to many merchants who believe that consumers are now making the decision on where to shop on the basis of parking — free or the City’s “gotcha” style. Anecdotes reveal that local residents are doing so. The Royal Bank at Bayview and Belsize has seen the loss of a few customers to the new Royal Bank branch on Laird Drive, where the parking is free.