Fire house sold for $850,000 in 2010

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The bad luck house at 250 Sutherland Drive which burned Sunday morning, and then was demolished the same day, sold for $850,000 in March of 2010. This was some $150,000 above the listed price. Above left, is the house as it was sold, centre, the morning of the fire and right, the empty lot taken Tuesday, January 26, 2011.

Czech transit riders reject new trams

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Transit riders in the Czech city of Brn0 rebelled against the new Porsche designed streetcars (lower left). The day the trams went into service, riders began to complain about the face-to-face seating (upper left). Riders had too sit to close together and practically rub knees across a narrow aisle, they complained,. So great was the furore that authorities reconfigured the cars with traditional front-facing seats (upper right). This was an unintended win-win. Riders liked the seats and the transit operator found an extra 12 spaces for strap-hangers to stand. Lower right, the new Toronto subway cars are much wider and seem to have a combination of across the aisle and front facing seats. Incidentally, still no word on when those subway cars go into service.

Now a kids ski recall

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Sears Canada Inc has said that Tech 4 Kids is recalling its Snow MX-Skidoo snowmobiles because of a potential safety hazard. Sears has alerted customers to immediately stop children from using the product. The front ski on the Snow MX-Skidoo may crack or break when used, posing a risk of injury to children, Sears said in a statement, citing Tech 4 Kids. It said the replacement will be made for free by Tech 4 Kids.

250 Sutherland demolished overnight

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The gutted remains of 250 Sutherland Drive were demolished overnight. The address is now a hole in the ground. Gas officials on the scene said there is an investigation into the cause of the fire. See post below.

Fire destroys 250 Sutherland Drive

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Fire has destroyed the home at 250 Sutherland (left). Firefighting efforts coated 248 next door (right) in a sheets of ice. No. 250 is on the west side of Sutherland just north of Lea. The home was vacant and was undergoing major renovation for a family which intended to move in presumably this year, according to the builder. He hinted that the fire might have been arson. The only known source of flame was the furnace but the furnace room was apparently undamaged. The fire was noticed by neighbors about 6 a.m. Sunday, January 23, 2011. A man who lives across the street said his children woke him and they watched together as the flames whipped through the house. “It moved very quickly, he said. No one was injured. More pictures linked off the headline or at left

Mad Italian closed til February 3, 2011

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The Mad Italian at 1581 South Bayview will be closed for ten days, ending Thursday February 3, 2011. The entire family has gone back to Italy to attend the International Convention of Gelato.

Leaside Hockey Silent Auction

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The 21st Anniversary Leaside Flames Select Tournament will run from Friday, February 11 to Sunday, February 13 this year. The Leaside Hockey Association will conduct its silent auction fundraiser in conjunction with the tournament. Drew Homewood has asked local business and others to donate gift baskets, merchandise or services to support the auction and the hockey association. Drew may be contacted at (416) 456-5114 or drewhomwood@rogers.com

South Bayview is dollar store dreaming

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As we ponder the scuttlebutt that there will soon be a dollar store on South Bayview, take this into consideration. In a recent conference call with reporters and analysts, Dollarama boss Larry Rossy said the chain will open “as many stores as possible” in coming years even if this sometimes leads to cannibalization of sales. ”We are limited by nothing, apart from the fact that every opening must be sensible.” Dollarama must consider the pending arrival of the U.S. branch of Dollar Tree, scheduled to begin this year. An entirely unconfirmed story is circulating in shops that the space now occupied by Shoppers Drug Mart will be taken by an unnamed dollar store when the drug giant moves up the street in a couple of months.

Luxury townhouses for Millwood-Rumsey

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The overgrown lot at the corner of Millwood and Rumsey Roads will soon be the site of luxury townhouses constructed by Castleton Homes, the local renovation and home building firm.

Loblaws to open 20 Joe Fresh stores

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Loblaws has announced that its Joe Fresh line will open as many as 20 stand alone stores in Canada, including its first mall-based locations. At least three of those stores will be in the Greater Toronto Area.

Black and cream theme at Homefront

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The tables have been cleared of sale and settings of Emma Bridgewater’s classic Toast and Marmalade decorate a black tablecloth. The Crow Creamer (above) last in stock was sold Wednesday morning however. Homefront today.

Small shop on Millwood is leased

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The small shop at 850 Millwod Road corner Rumsey has been leased. It was a variety store. The space is full of recently delivered equipment related to a boxing gymnasium (right). Good luck to the new tenant.