Reminder: Snow route parking restrictions in effect

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Just a reminder for area residents to take note of designated snow routes.

On January 25, 2026, the City of Toronto activated its second Major Snow Event Response Plan (MSERP) of the year, declaring a Major Snowstorm Condition and Significant Weather Event.

While this declaration is in effect, parking on snow routes is strictly prohibited. These routes are marked with permanent snow-route signage, and enforcement is active to allow crews to clear roads.

Parking on a designated snow route during a major snow event can result in fines of up to $500 and towing. Temporary orange No Parking – Snow Removal signs carry a $100 ticket and possible towing.

Full media release and additional information are available on the City’s website.

Editor’s note: The Bulldog has seen quite a few ticketed cars along Bayview since the storm. Consider this a friendly heads-up.

UPDATE

The City of Toronto advises that the Major Snowstorm Condition and Significant Weather Event declarations put in place on January 25, 2026 officially ended February 10, 2026 at 5 p.m. Read City of Toronto news release.

Leaside mourns the passing of Nick Mitchell

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Leaside is mourning the loss of longtime educator Nicholas (“Nick”) Martin Mitchell, who passed away peacefully on January 22, 2026.

A beloved drama and English teacher at Leaside High School, Nick is being remembered across local Facebook groups and social media through an outpouring of tributes from former students, colleagues, friends and community members of all ages.

A funeral service will be held Sunday, February 8 at 1:00 pm at Humphrey Funeral Home (1403 Bayview Ave.), followed by a celebration of life from 3:00–5:00 pm at the Granite Brewery (245 Eglinton Ave. E.).

Read the full obituary and service details.

Leaside Gardens marks return of the Bert F. Grant Rink

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After approximately nine months of construction, the Bert F. Grant Rink at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens (1073 Millwood Road) is reopening with a community celebration on Monday, January 26, 2026, starting at 10:00 a.m.

According to a post shared by Leaside Gardens, the event will include a ribbon cutting followed by free public skating, refreshments, and giveaways. All ages are welcome; helmets are mandatory for children 12 and under and recommended for all skaters. @LeasideGardens on Facebook.

Ribbon cutting announcement /@LeasideGardens on Facebook

Eglinton & Hoyle: A taller development proposed

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Early concept for proposed 21-storey residential development at 537–543 Eglinton Ave. E.

The proposal for 537–547 Eglinton Avenue East and 59–61 Hoyle Avenue appears to have evolved from a 21-storey residential building in 2021 to a 35-storey mixed-use building in 2025, following refusals, appeals, mediation, and a previously approved settlement.

Based on available application materials, the original proposal was submitted in summer 2021 and sought approval for a 21-storey residential building. City planning staff later recommended refusal, and City Council adopted that recommendation in November 2021. The application and a related Official Plan Amendment were subsequently appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

After the development site was expanded, a revised proposal was submitted in September 2022 for a taller mixed-use building. Following mediation, City Council approved a settlement in July 2023 allowing a 20-storey building, which received interim approval from the Ontario Land Tribunal in January 2025, subject to conditions.

A further revised proposal was submitted in November 2025 seeking approval for a 35-storey mixed-use building, citing changes to planning policy and the surrounding development context.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

537-547 EGLINTON AVE E

Application Number: 25271066NNY15OZ

Description

This is the application returning with a proposal for 35 storeys following the OLT decision permitting 20 storeys. New OPA/ZBA submission is required, rather than resubmission for 21-191659 NNY 15 OZ.

Addresses:

59 HOYLE AVE TORONTO
61 HOYLE AVE TORONTO
537 EGLINTON AVE E TORONTO
539 EGLINTON AVE E TORONTO
541 EGLINTON AVE E TORONTO
543 EGLINTON AVE E TORONTO
545 EGLINTON AVE E TORONTO
547 EGLINTON AVE E TORONTO

Editor’s note: Details in this summary are drawn from publicly available application materials and reports and reflect our understanding of the proposal as presented at the time of writing.

Bayview Biz: New openings, closures & transitions

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Chon Modern Thai Cuisine /@chonthaicuisine
Bayview Car Wash, January 2026
Mandarin, Canada Square /Google Maps screenshot

Chon Modern Thai Cuisine opened in December 2025 at 1677 Bayview Avenue, taking over the former Pii Nong Thai space. The restaurant announced its opening on Instagram, and was also featured in a blogTO article published in December, which noted the restaurant’s focus on modern interpretations of traditional Thai cuisine.

A long-standing Bayview florist is shifting its retail model. The Flower Nook (1731 Bayview Avenue, Unit 2), a decades-old business with a long history on Bayview Avenue, is no longer offering in-store shopping. According to its website, orders are still handled online, with in-person meetings available by appointment only.

Moving south, two Bayview restaurants have closed. Zzavia Pizza (1597 Bayview Ave.) and Rumi Steakhouse (1599 Bayview Ave.) are no longer in operation. Zzavia Pizza opened in 2024 and was previously covered by the Bulldog when it launched (background here).

Bayview Car Wash (1802 Bayview Ave) is currently closed. Based on activity observed on site, the closure appears to be related to soil or environmental testing. We attempted to contact the business to confirm whether — and when — it may reopen, but were unable to reach anyone by phone. All equipment and signage remain in place, which could suggest the closure is temporary. That said, the property has been approved for future redevelopment, which is expected to eventually bring the car wash’s time at this location to an end (background here).

Outside the Bayview corridor but of interest to many local residents, The Mandarin Restaurant at Yonge & Eglinton (Canada Square) has announced it will be closing permanently. In a statement shared on social media, Mandarin cited area redevelopment and confirmed its final day of operation will be January 18, 2026. The post notes the location has served the community since opening in 1991, and that other Mandarin locations across Ontario will continue to operate.

After 15 years on Millwood, Lena’s Barber Shop to close

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Lena’s Barber Shop, 909 Millwood Rd /Google Maps 2019
Note at Lena’s, December 2025

After more than a decade serving the neighbourhood, Lena’s Barber Shop on Millwood Road will be closing permanently as Lena prepares for retirement. A typewritten note on the door thanks the community for years of trust, friendship, and support, and shares that the shop will officially close on January 1, 2026.

Lena’s has long been a familiar stop for many local residents, and her message makes clear how much those relationships have meant to her over the years. For anyone hoping to stay in touch, Lena is sharing her contact information with clients who drop by the barbershop.

📍 Lena’s Barber Shop
909 Millwood Rd, East York

Wishing Lena all the best in her next chapter.

A compassionate proposal for empty Glazebrook homes

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2-20 Glazebrook Avenue, March 2024

A CBC News story this week spotlights an idea gaining quiet traction close to home: using a row of vacant upscale houses on Glazebrook Avenue, near Bayview & Eglinton, as temporary housing for refugee and low-income families while a stalled redevelopment waits for approvals.

The proposal involves housing advocate David Walsh, the FCJ Refugee Centre, and Geoff Kettel of the Leaside Residents Association, who has been pushing City Hall to think more creatively about empty homes sitting in planning limbo. Local Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin describes the concept as “interesting,” but also raises practical questions around liability, resources, and whether the City is realistically positioned to broker such arrangements.

It’s an undeniably compassionate idea — but also a reminder that good intentions often collide with legal, financial, and administrative realities. Whether this becomes a pilot project or remains aspirational depends largely on the property owner and the City’s willingness to step into unfamiliar territory.

👉 Read the full CBC article here:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/housing-refugees-developer-9.7012473

Virtual Consultation for 922 Millwood Road

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The City is hosting a virtual community consultation for the proposed 8-storey development at 922 Millwood Rd. The meeting runs 6:30–8:30 p.m. and all residents are welcome to join.

922 Millwood Road
Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment Application
Community Consultation Meeting
December 10, 2025, 6:30 pm

➡️Register to attend or participate

BACKGROUND

The site has seen several proposals over the years. A six-storey plan was first put forward in 2019, later scaled back to five storeys in 2020, and it has sat vacant since Stanley’s Cleaners closed. The latest application now calls for an eight-storey building.

Recent coverage & background reading:

Rexall’s Moore Avenue makeover continues

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Rexall at 325 Moore Ave. /Rudy

Longtime reader Rudy sent in this photo of the Rexall at 325 Moore Ave., where new exterior signage has been installed. The pharmacy has remained open throughout the renovation, which includes expanding into the former Dove Cleaners space next door.

Construction is still underway, with a new walk-in clinic planned as part of the upgraded location. We’ll share more updates as the project progresses.

Neighbourhood pharmacy now filling pet prescriptions

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Pet owners in Leaside have a new way to save on their furry friends’ medications. Pace Pharmacy, located at 40 Laird Drive, has recently launched a pet-focused division, VetMeds.ca, now able to dispense a wide range of veterinary prescriptions.

Adam Silvertown, owner of Pace Pharmacy, says the expanded service could save families “hundreds, even thousands” over the life of a pet by allowing them to fill vet-issued prescriptions at a community pharmacy rather than exclusively at clinics.

This local launch follows broader national changes: distributors and drug makers have opened access to veterinary medications for pharmacies across Canada after Competition Bureau pressure. As reported by The Globe and Mail (Chris Hannay), Ontario is also updating regulations so pet owners can more easily request prescriptions to take elsewhere — including to accredited pharmacies like VetMeds.

Sources: Reader submission from Adam S.; reporting by Chris Hannay in The Globe and Mail.

Now Open: Bayview Holiday Market (All December!)

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The Bayview Holiday Market popped up today at 1541 Bayview (between Cobs & Starbucks). Find gifts, home décor, toys, books, and games all December long — open Dec 1st – 31st, 2025! 🎄

Bayview alum Fritz Lev seeks right buyer for Prop Room

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Inquisitive Antiques /Google Maps 2009

Do you remember Inquisitive Antiques on Bayview?

Its former proprietor, Fritz Lev, runs The Prop Room, at 42 Industrial Street in the Leaside Business Park — and after 40 years in the film industry, Fritz is getting ready to retire. From “Anne of Green Gables” to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” his unique stock has appeared on countless productions — and now he’s looking for the right film buff to take over his unique 35,000-piece prop rental business.

Read more in the CP24 story:
A Toronto prop shop owner is retiring after 40 years