The South Bayview Bulldog

The South Eglinton Ratepayers and Residents Association Spring newsletter was sent in an email Monday. SERRA Newsletter

The Ministry of Health has confirmed another 606 new cases of COVID-19, making Monday the second straight day in which a record has been hit. The 606 new cases surpass the 568 that were reported on Sunday. Those numbers, however, were believed to have been inflated due to the belated addition of data from Toronto Public Health that was not uploaded to the provincial database the previous day. Gov’t website

Terrible death toll at Davisville Avenue retirement home

There have now been 18 deaths attributed to COVID-19 at the Meighen Retirement Residence at 84 Davisville Ave. The Salvation Army home has said that some 50 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 at the facility and 14 staff members. There are 168 beds at the facility, so the positive cases represent nearly one-third of all residents. All infected staff members are isolating at home and have not returned to work since receiving their diagnoses.

The Star is among many sources telling of huge fines being levied against social-distance and stay-in-place violators as governments try to beat back COVID-19. An area resident tells of a neighbor who received an $880 fine for “going to the cottage.” Star writer Francine Kopun chronicles a $750 fine given to an Oakville man for doing chin-ups on some play equipment. Francine Kopun

Longo’s president Anthony Longo has emailed customers to say that an employee of the Leaside store has tested positive for COVID-19. FB

As a family business, the wellbeing of our Team Members and Guests is our number one priority, which is why we are reaching out to you. One of our Team Members at our Leaside location has tested positive for COVID-19. The Team Member’s last shift was on April 19th. We remain in contact with our Team Member and wish them a full recovery.

We are emailing you in an abundance of caution because our records show that you shopped at this location within 14 days of the Team Member’s last shift. We want to assure you that our stores and Team Members have been operating under heightened preventive measures and in accordance with direction from public health to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

At this time, we are taking immediate actions in the best interests of our Team Members and Guests. We are executing additional deep cleaning in-store, above and beyond our already elevated sanitation and cleaning protocols. All Team Members that have had close personal contact with this Team Member have been asked to stay home and self-monitor their health. They will be paid in full during this time.

This issue has our full attention and we are moving forward with the health and safety of every Team Member and Guest in mind. We are committed to being open and transparent on developments as they happen. Please check our dedicated webpage on longos.com for additional updates and information.

Let’s all work together to keep everyone safe.

Sincerely,
Anthony Longo
President & CEO

The Ministry of Health Sunday reported 568 new cases of COVID-19 in the preceding in 24-hours. The slowly increasing numbers, while worrisome, may be seen as more hopeful than an explosion of infections like those seen elsewhere. As reported by CP24 the number, which exceeds the previous high of 564 on Friday, is likely to have been somewhat inflated after Toronto Public Health was unable to add its new cases to the provincial database on Friday following a technical change in its tracking platform. Website

220 Victoria St.

Next door to Pantages Hotel

Victoria St.

A person has died in a fire in a highrise unit at 220 Victoria St. late Friday. The circumstances are unclear but the blaze appears to have been confined to one unit.

Victoria St/Shuter St Toronto
– fire in the building pic.twitter.com/ZRti4exHOV

— ninja slaughter (@ninjaslaughter) April 18, 2020

Ontario will give free iPads and wireless to as many as 21,000 low-income students who don’t have access to the province’s online learning tools as schools remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Education Minister Stephen Lecce made the announcement Friday at a news conference accompanied by the Premier and Health Minister. The devices will be distributed by school boards.

Toronto will shake off the chilly March-like weather of the past few days to enjoy a genuine April weekend. About time.

Hopes for a reversal in the growing number of new cases of COVID-19 seemed distant Friday with a daily high of 564 announced by the Ministry of Health. The count Wednesday and Thursday was 494 and 514. Ontario reported 55 new deaths bringing total deaths in the province so far to 478. Ontario is entering its second month of lockdown in an attempt to slow and ultimately end the current spread of the virus. Website

The City has begun installing traffic lights and pedestrian signals at the corner of Bayview and Davisville Aves. The lights were requested by the Bayview Leaside BIA in 2018. It’s unclear whether traffic planners had second thoughts about the lights in the two years since the lights were forecast. At the time, public opinion was mixed on the suitability of lights at this intersection, busy as it is. People living west of Bayview have complained about northbound vehicles taking a shortcut along Merton St. and Belsize Dr.

Transit First

In the end, it appears that Toronto’s “transit first” policy has won out over the remarkable proximity of Davisville Ave. and the traffic lights at Millwood Rd. It’s unusual. A red light at Millwood may well see the northbound 11 Bayview bus and other traffic backed up onto Davisville even on a green light at Bayview. But it seems certain that pedestrians will enjoy the added safety of crossing Bayview at rush hour.

• BIA member says stoplights coming to Bayview/Davisville

Here’s a Piper Cherokee plane landing Thursday on Highway 40 outside Montreal. The pilot did quite a nice job of putting down the plane with the help of considerate motorists. What else could they do but get out of the way? The trickiest bit seems to be finding enough pavement between those overhead signs. Police say the plane suffered an engine failure.

Fort Erie to Buffalo/Cal Millar Twitter

The Prime Minister has put a soft treatment on Ottawa’s decision to keep the border with the US closed notwithstanding a suggestion by President Trump that it would re-open soon. Many Canadians (as seen in the comments to this video) are eager to note that any return to normal crossing takes two to tango. Mr. Trudeau said Thursday there is still a long period ahead before people can move back and forth between the countries the way they normally do. This is particularly necessary because Ontario and Quebec are next door to New York State, where COVID-19 is taking a terrible toll.