The South Bayview Bulldog

The energetic gang at Sport Swap was busy Saturday as they opened the new location at 1541B South Bayview. Sport Swap is a unique sports goods exchange and repair business that has operated for many years down the street, at Balliol. It features all types of sports equipment and bicycle accessories (like kid seats) and a repair shop in the rear. Welcome guys.

We know, we know. One must not assume the worst about such things but service vehicles have parked in prohibited spots with those official parking cones while the service folks went for a Second Cup. Above, we have a familiar scene on Fleming Crescent where a tight squeeze for through traffic is the order of the day.

The well-known and competitive curling group known as Team Hastings will hold a fund raiser this Spring to assist in furthering their success. The members are from left, Skip: Julie Hastings; Vice: Christy Trombley Second: Stacey Smith; Lead: Katrina Collins. Trombley and Hastings are twins. The four have played together for some 19 years, Ms Trombley was explaning yesterday to the South Bayview Bulldog. She is a member of the Leaside Curling Club. The team has become one of the top ten teams in Ontario. They’re goal is to qualify for the 2013 Olympic Trials. Those interested may send mail to Christy1@rogers.com

For those, if any, who doubted the impending gas main replacement work, take a look at Exhibit A piled beside the Behar building on Belsize at Bayview. Digging to replace the old cast iron mains was said to be scheduled for last Monday. It didn’t happen but the arrival of these babies means the actual work can’t be far off. Colour them yellow.

The Olde Yorke Fish and Chips restaurant at Laird Drive and Lea Ave is converting its covered deck into an all-weather solarium room. The conversion comes just in time for the better weather. The new solarium features a glass roof (right) and all round windows below that open to permit ventilation.

Canada will produce two coins to commemorate the Royal Wedding. The two collectibles are a $20 pure silver coin and a coloured 25-cent piece. They will be sold through the mint and at postal outlets across the country. Neither coin will sell for near face value, however. The limited-edition $20 coin, for example, featuring a portrait of the couple created by Guelph, Ont., artist Laurie McGaw, will sell for $104.95. More.

Prime Minister Harper has toured Toronto and late Wednesday he made a visit to Leaside Arena. A particularly good job for a man running for office was to tie the skates of figure skater Elizabeth Bazal. Good move. Picture here. Election campaigns are for getting your picture taken as much as anything else. Above the PM poses with Charlene Kalia and Don Valley West Conservative candidate John Carmichael. Mr. Carmichael is up against Liberal MP Rob Oliphant. Nicole Yovanoff is the NDP candidate.

People are calling it the first convertible SUV but the maker, Nissan, is calling it the Murano CrossCabriolet. Nice name and fascinating concept. All through 2010 rumours abounded and Nissan squelched them. Now, here it is. It was debuted at the L.A. Auto Show late in November and got lost in the holiday madness. Available in the U.S. only for the time being. Which is odd since it’s Canadians who drive more AWD per capita.

What is believed to be approximately the site of the Laird (Don Avon) stop for the planned LRT is undergoing extensive soil testing similar to the work going on all along the route. These men are working on the south side of Eglinton Ave E just east of Laird in front of the (RIOCAN) Leaside Centre.