A meeting which will decide the fate of the old Brennan Pontiac location at 1860 Bayview is to be held Wednesday October 19, 2011. It is, of course, a hearing before the Ontario Municipal Board. Most members of the neighborhood and the Sherwood Park Residents’ Association are well aware of this. But the matter is of general concern. Many people may wish to have additional commercial activity in this area but the homeowners seem to have a point with respect to the present plan. Starbank Development Corp. has put forward a plan which appears to greatly overload the capacity of the land in question. Starbank is seeking to build on 88% of the site versus the allowable 33%, according to the residents. In a post to the Byford’s Blog they say “the current proposal for a two-storey retail with underground parking will allow a building mass with inadequate transition to the adjacent neighbourhood with no set-backs and a lack of streetscaping and landscaping. It promises to significantly increase the volume of trailers, trucks and cars on our streets. Streets that you use. Streets that your children use.” It’s interest to note that the posting also says that mediation is also being considered by both parties.
Make sure your door is on the street
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As the Moore Ave. Loblaws goes to 24 hour service (post below) a time-honoured bit of advice to retailers comes to mind. It’s this: Make sure your door is on the street. One wonders whether Sobeys was thinking about this when it moved into the SmartCentres location on Laird Drive. Actually, “on Laird Drive” is a bit misleading. Sobeys is so far away from Laird Drive it might as well be in the Don River. We’re sure they do business there but there must be thousands of potential customers for that store who don’t know it exists. And little signs near the street don’t cut it. Your door is either on the street, or it isn’t. It’s almost as bad as Loblaws decision to build a superstore on Redway Drive. It must be a deeply regretted decision at the big grocery chain. Hidden away off Millwood Rd., this store is clearly under used by shoppers.
Canada Post back-to-work bill approved
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The Commons has approved back-to-work legislation which will bring an end to the postal strike. The bill to do this has been before the House for a week but was filibustered by the NDP. Early Saturday, that party abandoned its tactic. Here.
Immaculate 1963 Impala Station Wagon
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Here’s Dave McDonald recently in the neighborhood with his cleaner than clean 1963 Chevrolet Impala station wagon. It’s a great looking car and benefits from a practically untouched interior ( lower right).
“Surprise Prize” winners at Homefront
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Happy helpers hold up Mom’s prize of a free bistro-style carafe at Homefront during the Summer Sale Event on Saturday. There were three winners in all. The game was easy. When shoppers showed an interest in a secret item — in this case the carafe — it was theirs. Thanks to everyone for a really busy day and to all the merchants who helped make it a fun day on South Bayview.
Come to the Summer Sale Event
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Just like when the posters were plastered one after another on walls, the Bulldog is here in multiple form (above) to recommend that you come out to South Bayview for the Summer Sale Event today. Merchants all the along the strip have sales, specials, giveaways and regular merchandise to show you. We all look forward to seeing you. Wal-Mart picks up 39 Zeller’s stores
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Wal-Mart has announced that it will buy the leasehold rights to 39 Zellers stores from U.S. retailer Target. The location of these sites is not specified in information released today, But Target has already said it will use 109 of the Zellers locations for its own stores. In addition, as reported by the Toronto Star, the head of Wal-Mart is talking about starting a chain of stores to called be Urban 90. It is said that Urban 90 stores will be smaller than the Wal-Mart boxes but there is no other information about them.
Pedestrians drenched by rush hour traffic
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For years the uneven pavement of Bayview Ave. has made the street a frightening and sloppy experience for pedestrians. During a rainy rush hour this large puddle outside Badali’s catches dozens of unsuspecting people. Motorists may not even know they are about to hit the pool. Here’s a scene from Friday. The two women on the left are being drenched. On the right, two men stand back, waiting for the cars to pass. Here’s our 2009 post on this problem
Traffic light for McRae and Sutherland?
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Bell Canada was conducting a survey Friday to find the best location for a traffic light monitor box. That’s the device that powers and controls stop lights. It’s work that is contracted by the City and where traffic monitors go the traffic lights are sure to follow shortly after. The word is that increased traffic through the four-way stop intersection has made this move necessary. There are moire cars passing through Leaside on their way to the businesses on Laird Drive.
Summer Sale Event tomorrow
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Saturday is looking good for the South Bayviwe Sale Event scheduled for tomorrow. Many merchants will be featuring sales goods. Homefront will have selected sales and surprise free stuff. Hope you can make it to South Bayview tomorrow. Take a look at all the businesses participating.
Back, belly and bottom-slide graduation
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Some students of the graduating class at Leaside High School last week sneaked a so-called Slip and Slide into school. They then apparently made the various back, belly and bottom slides which are possible on such devices. No one was hurt and the perps cleaned up.
Moore Ave. Loblaws now open 24 hours
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This experiment did not last long. Moore Ave is open late, but not all night. The Loblaws store at Moore Ave. and Bayview Ave has quietly shifted to 24 hour business. An employee tonight said it happened Friday, June 17, 2011. “No more shooing people out of the store at 10 o’clock,” she laughed. The story appears to be that Loblaws decided it could no longer ignore the nearly universal move by competitors to open many stores all night. The action has been especially noticeable from Sobeys. But Metro and independent stores such as Tremblett’s Value Mart at Bayview and Davisville are also in the game. This of course doesn’t even deal with the American firms like Walmart who keep the lights on. It is, we think, a remarkable comment on the intensity of competition in the grocery business and the razor thin margins being earned on food. The amount of business done in the middle of the night will be essentially zero. And few experienced shoppers accept the public relations fluff about employees being happy to choose different shifts. Even though the number of staff required each night will be small, very few people want to work all night. It’s interesting to note that many staff members of Shoppers Drug Mart on South Bayview were concerned that the opening of a new store would mean 24 hour operation. In the event, management went for Open Til Midnight. A sensible move.
