The South Bayview Bulldog

Life really is too complicated when you can’t board a flight from Ottawa to Toronto without proving your gender. This story is a candidate for the Can We Go Back To 1999 Award. Then, lights out in much of England Friday. ITV reports. Below that, the awful knowledge that bulletproof backpacks are must-have back-to-school wear this year in the US. Lastly, John McNabb, great uncle of teen killer Bryer Schmegelsky speaks with kindness about his late relative.

The police chief, Mark Saunders, has held a Friday morning news conference in response to summer gun violence in Toronto.

Boarded up since 2016

Old door covered and blocked

Thick bush in former junk yard obscures Quonset hut

Since its sale in the summer of 2016 for some $10.5 million, the former Ricci brothers’ property on the northwest corner of Laird Drive and Wicksteed Ave. has been boarded up. The graffiti and summer growth has turned the corner into an abandoned eyesore. Many might wish for the return of the wrecked cars that used to line Wicksteed when the brothers ran Four Seasons Auto Body at the site. The corner, at 199 Laird Drive, is owned by Otis Properties, 3338 Dufferin St., opposite Yorkdale. The South Bayview Bulldog has made an inquiry about the plans for the land. But a reasonable guess is that the owner is merely waiting to see who might wish to develop it, or perhaps buy it. It might take decades. The property is said to offer a potential 65,000 square feet of space. It stretches from Parkhurst Blvd to Wicksteed on Laird and east on Wicksteed to the property line at the SmartCentrtes land now known as Lake Leaside.

“Definitely not SmartCentres”

One of the most intriguing unanswered questions about the Otis Property is why it was not purchased by SmartCentres to complete its development of the north side of Wicksteed. At the time of the sale to Otis, sources at Four Seasons were coy about the new owner but made it clear that their property had not been sold to Mitch Goldhar, owner of SmartCentres. “Definitely not SmartCentres,” said the Four Seasons source. Just what this emphasis might mean is for anyone to guess but it is certainly widely believed that there were marathon efforts by SmartCentres to buy Four Seasons. And why might not Otis wish to sell it to SmartCentre at some hefty price? But then there’s the chilling effect on retail development caused by Amazon. Yes, it might take decades. Unless the land is turned to an alternative use. All just speculation in the public interest.

Tracks at on Eglinton at Leslie/Michael Szego Facebook

Photos posted to Facebook Friday show considerable progress in the laying of tracks for the LRT on Eglinton Ave. at Leslie St. Hundreds attend Crosslinx town hall on closing of Leslie St.

Intersection closed until at least the end of August/Michael Szego Facebook

Police say the Bloor viaduct is now open after an operation to secure a person in crisis. This has been safely done, they say.  He is being taken to a medical facility to receive treatment.

City Hall  phone spoofed

The City is alerting Mandarin speakers to robocalls from an ad firm that are announced with a spoof of the City of Toronto’s phone number.

Canadian Tire purchase

CTC diversifies

Canadian Tire Corporation will purchase the 65-store Canadian chain known as Party City for $174.4 million cash. It is said to be a move to strengthen its connection with young buyers. CTC operates many retail banners including Canadian Tire, SportChek, Mark’s and Helly Hansen. It called the party goods business a “high-margin retail category”. Canadian Tire estimates that it will be able to double Party City’s annual sales in Canada to $280 million by 2021.

The sentencing hearing for Christopher Husbands, the Eaton Centre killer, has seen the defense complain that the accused was kept in solitary for his own protection. Yup. Then, a Brampton man says his Samsung blew up in flames and he has the burns to prove it. Below that, the Democratic Socialists in the US are out to “defeat capitalism”. They call each other Comrade in their meetings. Different for sure. Finally, it is 50 years since the Beatles whimsically strolled across Abbey Road during a break in a recording session. Note that Paul left his shoes behind.

Sidewalk replaced on Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Complaints on Twitter that it was taking too long to lay down a new sidewalk at Sutherland Drive and Hanna Rd. seem to have been heard somewhere. The concrete went down Wednesday. Sidewalks take time, Inglewood original and gimme Service

All children aboard this smoking school bus on the Gardiner Expressway were safely removed in noon hour traffic Wednesday. Video shared with CityNews shows the bus traveling slowly in the right lane leaving a trail of thick white smoke in its path. Two fire trucks, sirens blaring, are following it. More later.

York Regional Police have released a video of their interrogation of a woman driver on August 2 that recalls the folly of trying to reason with a drunk. The woman drove into a fast-food drive-through, stopped and refused to move the car when employees asked her to clear the lane. The ensuing conversation between the woman and police is both sad and funny. Here’s part of it.

“I wasn’t driving, I was just ordering some food,” says the sloshed woman.
“How did the vehicle get here,” the officer asks.
“I don’t know, I was just ordering some food,” is the reply.
“So there’s no one else here,” the officer says.
“No, but I was just getting some food,” the woman replies.

Never argue with a drunk is good advice.

McDonald’s is responding to the substitute-meat burger vogue by making a “suite of burger improvements” to its all-beef burgers. They include a shorter top bun by three millimetres, an additional 10 millilitres of Big Mac Sauce to Big Macs and a reduction in its grill capacity by two patties. It says the adjustments have been in development for several years. McDonald’s Canada, along with McDonald’s Australia, is taking the lead on the rollout. Interestingly, McDonald’s is concerned it has been squeezing the juice out of its burgers. Now it won’t squeeze so much.

• McDonald’s makes tweaks to the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder in quest for a hotter, juicier product