Rod Robbie was chief designer of the SkyDome

by  • 

Rod Robbie, the man who spearheaded the design of SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre) has died at the age of 83 in Toronto. The building has been a hugely popular success and an international landmark. But the Globe and Mail obit contains revealing information from his daughter Caroline about how the building became a source of grief for Mr. Robbie because of galloping cost. 

Budget meetings for Ward 26 this month

by  • 

There will be two public information meetings this month held by Councillor John Parker. The meetings will deal with the City’s 2012 budget. They are scheduled as follows: Tuesday, January. 10 at the Ontario Federation of Labour building, 15 Gervais Dr. and  Thursday, January 12 at Leaside Gardens, 1073 Millwood Rd. Both meetings will run from 7 to 9 pm.

Scott Thompson to run Yahoo

by  • 

Yahoo will hire Web whiz kid Scott Thompson to lead the fight against Google and Facebook. Yahoo has been run by interim CEO and former Chief Financial Officer Tim Morse. Thompson has been running PayPal, the online payments unit of eBay, since early 2008, and was previously its chief technology officer. PayPal processed $29 billion in payments in the third quarter of 2011.

FP hints Stymiest will chair RIM board

by  • 

The Financial Post is suggesting that Research in Motion  is preparing to shake up management at the company by appointing Barbara Symiest as Chair of the Board-of Directors. She is already an independent director who joined RIM’s board in 2007,  Stymiest was CEO of the Toronto Stock Exchange before moving on to become chief operating officer at the Royal Bank of Canada. . CBC.ca

Police treating Airdrie death as a homicide

by  • 

Police say they’re treating the death on Airdrie Rd. on New Year’s Day as a homicide. The victim has been identified as 46-year-old Lisa Lebitka who had rented the home for about two years. She is said to have been an interior designer. Ms. Libitka  lived at 211 Airdrie with her three children and a boyfriend.  A man is in custody but his identity has not been confirmed.  This morning media satellite vehicles dotted the street as they prepared to broadcast into the noontime newscasts.  

Neighbours deeply shocked by fatal “argument”

by  • 

A police car and the police identification unit sat outside the modest semi-detached home which was the focus of investigation. The address is on Airdrie Rd just north of Heath Road. As reported in the post below, a man is in custody following the discovery of a woman’s body in the home. Neighbors are deeply shocked. They spoke of a domestic argument.  It appears police came to the home Sunday around 4 p.m. It is not clear how or by whom they were called. The Toronto Sun and the Toronto Star have published a photograph of a door and porch of a home which is part of a semi-detached residence at 211 Airdrie Rd..  According to a story in the Star neighbours said Lisa Lebitka, 45, was renting the home, where she lived with her boyfriend, known to them as Paul, her three young children from a previous marriage and their golden retriever, Bella.

Man held as body found in semi home on Airdrie Road

by  • 

A police car and the police identification unit sat outside the modest semi-detached home which was the focus of investigation. The address is on Airdrie Rd just north of Heath Road. As reported in the post below, a man is in custody following the discovery of a woman’s body in the home. Neighbors are deeply shocked. They spoke of a domestic argument.  It appears police came to the home Sunday around 4 p.m. It is not clear how or by whom they were called. The Toronto Sun and the Toronto Star have published a photograph of a door and porch of a home which is part of a semi-detached residence at 211 Airdrie Rd..  According to a story in the Star neighbours said Lisa Lebitka, 45, was renting the home, where she lived with her boyfriend, known to them as Paul, her three young children from a previous marriage and their golden retriever, Bella.

What’s next at Hortons? How about “Hurry up”

by  • 

Just before Christmas, Larry Vander Schaaf, writing in Canada Free Press (online) noted a change in the greeting at Tim Hortons. It is a distinct move away from cordial service. Vander Schaaf says Hortons has eliminated the greeting “Hi, welcome to Tim Hortons, my name is Sally, how can I help you?” In its place is the cold (but naturally much shorter) “Sally speaking”.  Ugh. Vander Schaaf first thought the change was a bone-headed decision from American management. But he tells the South Bayview Bulldog it was really a bone-headed decision by Canadian management. Either way, it moves Tim Hortons a step away from the warm place that Canadians have come to expect.

Lai Toh Heen decided not to renew the lease

by  • 

Champagne and pork dumplings pleased celebrants tonight at Lee Wah Heen on Chestnut Street. But it was a bittersweet moment for those who used to patronize this restaurant’s sister establishment Lai Toh Heen at Mt Pleasant Rd. and Soudan Ave.  As we told you in October, Lai Toh Heen has closed. It has not been clear why until now. The management decided that business conditions did not merit renewal of the lease.  In other words, insufficient business.