The South Bayview Bulldog

The riding of Don Valley West will be a battleground for two high-profile women in next month’s Ontario General Election. Former business news anchor and journalist Andrea Mandel-Campbell (left) is squaring off against Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne. Mandel-Campbell is running for the Progressive Conservative Party. Her hopes may be lifted by the recent conservative bent of the riding. It elected a Conservative MP John Carmichael earlier this year. Ms Wynne however is well-known, popular and a scrappy campaigner. She is a former school trustee and quite active in the riding.

Hallelujah Brothers and Sisters. The re-paving of Millwood Road has begun. Here you see a huge machine used to smash and scoop up the old asphalt in a single happy action. The long suffering residents of South Bayview will soon have a smooth road to travel all the way down to the arena.

City Manager Joe Pennachetti (inset) is recommending that the City close the Toronto Zoo and the Riverdale Zoo. He also is also telling the City to trim libraries and sell off three municipally owned theatres. His total list of cuts is thought to be long and close to the many cuts recommended by the consulting firm of KMPG. A report from City Staff will be released today detailing what is being recommended. Councillor Mike Del Grande, the city’s budget chief, said cuts are painful but necessary steps needed to bring the city’s finances in line.

It was quite a sight as many hundreds of motorycles roared up South Bayview shortly after noon on Sunday to mark the ten year anniversary of the 9-11 atrocity. Here is a sampling of the vehicles, some of which display toys to mark a toy collection drive by this motorcycle group. And as you can see, it was a family event.

A brief return to the building site at 250 Sutherland Drive where the new residence at that address is now sporting attractive copper eaves and decorative door and window canopy roofing. Very nice. As many will remember, the previous home being constructed on this site burned last January.

PC leader Tim Hudak hit South Bayview Saturday afternoon looking for votes. The brief visit saw a little drama in which the lady running along Manor Road to the bus (left) was sadly shut out of the bus. She was trying to see if her son, a Hudak worker, was on the vehicle. But the driver had instructions, it appears not to open the door to anyone.

Sometimes it seems as if all roads lead to Homefront at 371 Eglinton West. Here is former Blue Jays Manager Cito Gaston with Homefront’s Bonnie Kruger during a visit today. Cito is a big fellow, as you can see, and was in the neighborhood to shop at Kingsport Big and Tall Clothiers just down the street Cito managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1989 to 1997, and again from 2008 to 2010. During this time, he managed the Blue Jays to four Division Titles (1989, 1991, 1992 and 1993), two American League Pennants (1992 and 1993) and two World Series (1992 and 1993). Photo Minerva Li

As those who use it will know, the reconstruction of Pottery Road was to be finished by September 5, 2011. A visit today reveals a fair amount of work to be done on the pavement in certain sections. But the underpass widening at the Don Valley is pretty much done and the widening all the way up to Broadview seems complete. Workers were installing railings today. We’re gong to guess and say another week or ten days.