The South Bayview Bulldog

This report from the CBC National sets out a scenario whereby provinces cheat municipalities of their share of legal marijuana taxes forcing up property taxes to cover the cost of policing this new world.

Eating gradually increasing amounts of peanuts appears to be a safe and effective therapy for preschoolers with nut allergies, according to a new study from BC researchers. The process, known as oral immunotherapy, allows children to build up tolerance by eating peanuts every day. Researchers from the University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital followed 270 Canadian children who received the therapy for 19 months, and their data was published this week in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. “We found that it was very safe. Only 0.4 per cent of the preschoolers … experienced a severe reaction, and out of 40,000 or so doses of peanuts that were administered, only 12 required epinephrine,” senior researcher Dr. Edmond Chan said. CBC

Airy atrium

Roof top playground

Spacious library

Ward Eight Trustee Shelley Laskin has informed parents of children attending (and those destined to attend) Davisville Public School that the new building on Millwood Rd. will take a year longer than expected to complete. This means that classes will begin at the newly-constructed DPS and Spectrum School in the 2021 school year rather than 2020. Several reasons are cited for this change including the slowness of permit approval at all levels and delayed approval from the Department of Education caused by the change of government last summer. These changes were the subject of a parents meeting held Tuesday at Hodgson EMS. In a letter to parents Ms Laskin said:

On April 4, 2019 staff received a letter from Percon (the contractor) confirming the construction schedule. I was deeply disappointed to understand, and now share with you, that Percon has advised they need 2 years to complete the project.

During last week staff had tried to see if the timeline could be accelerated and unfortunately it cannot. Again, the reason for the delay in occupancy date is because we are starting later than scheduled. Recall that if construction had started after tender closed last fall, we would have opened in September 2020 as scheduled; since we are now starting in April 2019, contract completion now shifts to Spring of 2021.

I wanted to get this out to you as soon as possible – I know many of you assumed the project would be delayed as you watched the months slip by with no word and no provincial approval – but that doesn’t negate the disappointment, anger and frustration and I understand that as frankly, I feel the same way and my children are not bussed to and from school every day

Plans and depictions for the school and adjoining sites reveal an airy and bright three storey school with modern amenities. The City (not the TDSB) will build an adjoining Aquatic Centre available to the students. Traffic patterning at the end of the school is designed to permit parents to safely pick up children. Among the attractive features is a roof top playground.

The City will mark the first anniversary of the Yonge Street truck massacre on April 23 at the Mel Lastman Square Amphitheatre. Police have issued information on road restrictions.

The southbound curb lane on Yonge Street in front of the North York Civic Centre will be closed to traffic from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The southbound lanes of Yonge Street will be closed to through traffic from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. from Park Home Avenue to North York Boulevard

There will be an additional closure of Hillcrest Avenue from Yonge Street to Doris Avenue. Local traffic will be given access to Hillcrest Avenue via Doris Avenue between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. or when no longer required.

There will be no on-street parking in the immediate area (northbound Yonge Street, Hillcrest Avenue, Park Home Avenue, Empress Avenue, Beecroft Road, North York Boulevard and Elmwood Avenue) and police will conduct friendly vehicle relocations from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. or no longer required

Prices Wednesday in Vacouver/Gasbuddy

Pricey/Lidemark@RyanLmark

The election of the Conservsative in Alberta isn’t the cause of spirling gasoline prices in the Vacouver area, accoding to Gasbuddy.com. Instead it’s a function of chronic short supply on the west coast. No doubt, and it’s what happens when demand outstrips supply. Happens every time.

City Council has sent an inquiry to the Ontario government about who will pay for the subway and transit vision offered last week. Here is Council’s devil-in-the-details query:

City staff, in its report to Council on the province’s announcement, outlined 61 preliminary questions to its report that it needs the Province of Ontario to address before next steps can be recommended. City Council endorsed a recommendation from staff that the City and TTC work with the Province to:
• “undertake an assessment of the Province’s proposed changes to Toronto’s transit expansion program described in the 2019 Ontario Budget, and its alignment with the City of Toronto’s and Toronto Transit Commission’s strategic objectives and priorities, including an assessment of cost, schedule, operational and network impacts, and commercial and technical merits of the proposed changes;
• “negotiate principles with respect to cost-sharing, roles and responsibilities, governance, and funding for transit network expansion including but not limited to capital, operating, maintenance and lifecycle maintenance of the new expansion lines, funding requirements for the state of good repair of the existing network, and reimbursement for any sunk costs associated with a change in transit expansion plans; and
• “report back to City Council with an update as soon as practical on the proposed upload of subway extensions and new lines under Ontario’s new transit proposal outlined in the 2019 Ontario Budget.”

Once these issues have been addressed and the City’s questions satisfactorily answered, staff will report back to City Council on whether federal funding should be reallocated under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program Public Transit Infrastructure Fund Phase 2 to the Line 2 East Extension and the new Ontario Line, a variation on the Relief Line South, two of the four priority projects outlined in the Province’s transit map. A Yonge subway north extension and Eglinton West LRT are the other Provincial transit priorities.

City Council also unanimously passed a motion requesting the Province reinstate a Provincial Gas Tax commitment made in 2017 that would double municipalities’ share from 2 cents per litre to 4 cents per litre. The gas tax is heavily relied upon by the TTC for state-of-good-repair expenses and represents funding of approximately $1.1 billion over 10 years.

2285 Dundas West (Instagram @chrispath)

Table at the rear, please (Instagram @fohphoto)

From the folder marked “seldom seen” come these Instagram offerings from some folks at Uncle Smoke Cookhouse at 2285 Dundas St. West. It seems like everyone is okay after this remarkable chance balancing act on Tuesday by the driver of a Jeep SUV who got there with a swerve to avoid traffic or something.

Depiction of Eataly on Bloor West

Manulife Centre has posted a “late 2019” date on its 55 Bloor West blog for the opening of the new Italy is Eataly restaurant and walk-about. The much-anticipated arrival had fallen out of the headlines since it was  announced in 2017. Now it seems Eataly will make the promised 2019 opening but just.

• Diverse dining experience Eataly to open on Bloor in 2019

Alice

Newly-posted at Leaside Community is Alice, 19, who has gotten away from her home near Brentcliffe Rd. and Broadway Ave. The owner says “we believe she got out last night around 11 p.m. via a caregiver. She is skinny, agile and loves treats. Please call (416) 875-0934 or leave a message if you have seen her.

Leafs try to make it 3-1 series

Doug Radford and Kobe

Doug Radford of Leaside will be hosting excited fans again Wednesday at his backyard Leaf Shack as the Toronto Maple Leafs try to win Game 4 of their playoff series against the Boston Bruins. As many as 90 local friends and fans crowded into the Radford tarpaulin-roofed shack last Saturday. The family served Johnny Toronto peameal bacon sandwiches. We’re not sure what if anything but hockey is on the menu for this game. The Leafs have a 2-1 series lead thanks in part to Mitch Marner blocking two shots in the dying minutes of Game 3. Auston Matthews also had a goal and an assist for his first points of the playoffs. The Leafs downed the Bruins 4-1 in the series opener at TD Garden before falling by the same score in Game 2 on a night where Boston dominated, especially on the physical side.