A video posted this week (left) shows carefree crowds mobbing the midway-row called Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls. Clifton Hill is a long-standing street of independent games and food operators. A rather pompous narrator on the video lectures the premier about the COVID-19 risk. It also seems the video has a connection to places like Canada’s Wonderland, which remains shut down. At right is a CTV video showing the stark difference in rules on each side of the border for Niagara tour boats.
Masked protesters with megaphone shut down Mayor Tory
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Protesters wearing COVID-19 face masks and using a megaphone brought a groundbreaking event at Queen’s Quay and Parliament St. to a halt Thursday and ultimately drove Mayor Tory to quit the scene. They were demanding that the mayor create a City-wide ban on evictions. From the video above the protester seem to number 15 or 20.
New cases down to 103 as long trek against virus goes on
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The Ministry of Health reports 103 new COVID-19 infections Thursday for the 24 hour period ending at midnight. It is a welcome drop from recent higher levels (203 and 165) reported earlier in the week. Daily summaries
Disturbance at Valu Mart as men try to enter without masks
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Mask confrontation at Valu Mart at Bayview and Davisville.
There’s been a curious confrontation at the Valu Mart at 1500 Bayview Ave Wednesday morning as two men tried to push their way into the store without masks. The events are recorded on FB.
Mayor Tory says “chair girl” should have served prison term
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Mayor Tory has told CP24 that the infamous “chair girl” Marcella Zoia should have been jailed, at least for a short time. But Justice Mara Greene said Tuesday that while the chair-throwing stunt was dangerous, Zoia’s youth and no previous record made jail too severe a punishment. She levied a $2,000 fine and 150 hours of community work instead. Mr. Tory said the sentence is another example of the disconnect between expectation and reality some experience in the Canadian justice system. “It’s not a deterrent. The sentencing demonstrates a kind of out of touch aspect of the justice system we see time to time and it concerns me greatly.”
Governor General accused of bullying following CBC probe
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Ontario cases hit 203, fear party kids may trigger next wave
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OMA warns against re-opening bars too soon/CBC
The Ministry of Health reports 203 new cases of COVID-19 in Ontario Tuesday, the first time the number has risen above 200 in three weeks. Peel Region had 57 and Ottawa 43. Officials there say it appears the cause is young people partying hard together. Toronto, the largest City in Canada, reports 30 cases and Windsor-Essex 24. The increases raise concern for a widespread “second wave” as the province tries to re-open business and social
Ontario Medical Association warns against re-opening bars
Ontario should rethink allowing bars to resume serving customers indoors as a large swath of the province enters Stage 3 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, the Ontario Medical Association says. In a statement released Friday, the OMA says that while reopening the economy is important for Ontarians’ financial, social and developmental needs, it is not an “all or nothing situation,” adding that bars have been shown to fuel the spread of the novel coronavirus in other parts of Canada and in other countries.
Thieves trick key fob to steal Lexus off Rolph Rd. Tuesday
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Lexus taken from a driveway opposite Rolph Road Public School/Google
Thieves have stolen a Lexus RX350 off Rolph Rd. early Tuesday by apparently tricking the car’s key fob, which was inside the home, into unlocking the car. But it wasn’t a quick job. Pam Guselle says on Facebook that the family’s security cameras spotted someone in the driveway at 1.29 a.m. The car is last seen in the driveway at 2.41 a.m. She says the fob was well away from the front door and that the fob was in a protector of some type.
Roehampton Hotel on Mt. Pleasant now a homeless shelter
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Hote is now a homeless shelter/Bulldog
The City of Toronto has obtained the use of the Roehampton Hotel at 808 Mt. Pleasant Rd. and is using it to house homeless people as an apparent attempt to keep them safe from COVID-19. The forlorn old building — once a handy Midtown Best Western — is slated to be demolished at some point. The use of the site to house the homeless has generated inquiries and complaints to Ward 12 Councillor Josh Matlow. There is also a long thread of comment at Leaside Community Facebook. Concern ranges across such things as personal safety to sharp advice not to be a nimby. FB
730 Hillsdale mural up as nine-story condo rises on Bayview
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A colourful series of drawings depicting domestic life has been placed around the site of the Brown Group condominium and retail building on Bayview Ave. between Hillsdale and Soudan Aves. In fact, a relatively new name for the development — 730 Hillsdale — marks the new signage. Hillsdale Manor, bungalows make way for Brown project
York, Durham okayed for Stage 3 but City, Peel left behind
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The government will draw a funny line through the GTA Friday, letting York and Durham Regions re-open to Stage 3 of a return to business and socializing closer to normal That means only the City of Toronto, Peel Region and Windsor remain in Stage 2. There are virus hotspots in Toronto, although to be fair, many parts of the City are totally or nearly free of new cases. That includes Leaside and similar Midtown neighborhoods where cumulative cases number in the single digits. Sources told CTV that Toronto, Peel Region and Windsor-Essex Region will remain in Stage 2 for at least another week. That takes us to the end of the month.
135 virus cases reported Sunday
The Ministry of Health says that there were 135 new cases of the virus confirmed on Sunday and one additional death. This number is closer to the number of declining cases seen last week before a spike of cases to a high of 165 over the weekend.
One dead as speeding car causes mayhem on Lawrence East
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Lawrence East and McMillan/Craig Wadman@craig_wadman
As Monday dawns police are saying that the nasty fatal crash on Lawrence Ave. East Sunday was caused by a speeding driver in an Audi. He lost control of the vehicle. It is said that he survived with injuries but that a man in the passenger seat is dead. At least two others are injured as well.