The South Bayview Bulldog

City Council has appointed Jonathan Tsao to be the Councillor for Don Valley East (Ward 33) to replace former Councillor Shelley Carroll who resigned to run for the Liberal Party in the June General Election. Tsao narrowly beat out Divya Nayak on the third ballot. Tsao is a former provincial government employee and is said to be an advocate for children’s mental health. Eighteen candidates, seven of whom live in the ward, applied to fill the seat. The voting went to three ballots and Tsao, who was supported by the mayor and many allies like Jon Burnside (Ward 26) won by only five votes (23-18). A Twitter search today shows many comments on the political shadings of sympathies at Council. Josh Matlow (Ward 22) joined a number of downtown and west-central Councillors in supporting Ms Nayak. Twitter

Lynx contesting matters of mating or maybe territory

There’s much interest in this video of two Lynx screeching at each other. It was taken as Edward Trist, his girlfriend Nicole Lewis and his daughter were heading down a logging road to go fishing near Avery Lake near Dryden. This is remote country near the Manitoba border. The animals were about nine metres from where they stopped. “We started off down this road and there were two Lynx on the road and as we approached, they didn’t move which was really odd,” he said. “We got out and started filming it … what we caught on camera is very, very rare to catch.”

Canadian Lynx (Note distinctive beard)

Candidates in the June 7 general election for the riding of Don Valley West have been invited to an all-candidates debate on Wednesday, May 23 in the William Lea Room at Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. Don Valley West is the long-time seat of Premier Kathleen Wynne. She is challenged this year by Progressive Conservative candidate Jon W. Kieran. All parties have been invited, including the NDP, Green Party and Libertarian Party. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the debate is set to begin at 7.30 p.m. This debate is sponsored by the Leaside Property Owners Association.

MODERATOR BRIAN ATHEY

The moderator will be Brian Athey, past president of the LPOA. Each candidate will give a three-minute opening statement after which attendees  ask questions directed to one or more candidate. Each candidate has the opportunity to make a one-minute response to any question. The Q&A session lasts approximately 75 minutes, after which each candidate makes a closing statement (in reverse order from the opening statements). Candidates’ order of speaking is decided by their drawing a number from a hat just before the meeting begins, and, as noted above, the speaking order will reverse for closing statements. Questions will be provided by the attendees only and in writing so that Mr. Athey can sort or combine them to avoid repetition.  There will be index cards — and pencils, as needed —- for people as they enter the William Lea Room.

Marks and Spencer will close more than 100 stores in the UK as online shopping shreds the old firm’s business to ribbons. Many jobs will be lost. Then in Washington State, two mountain bikers have been attacked by a cougar. One man is dead. Below that, fascinating video of two wild cats, Lynx in fact, growling at each other in a spat about mating or territory. This took place near Avery Lake, Ontario not far from the Manitoba border. Finally, a look again at the official wedding photos of Meghan and Harry’s wedding. The glow continues.

A coach from Sunnybrook Stables posted a note on Facebook expressing gratitude for the community’s support and grief over the loss of their cherished horses. In the note, the deceased horses are named. We found photos of ten out of the sixteen horses who died in the fire on the Sunnybrook Stables website and have posted them here. If you have photos or memories to share, we encourage you to share them on our Facebook page.  Our hearts go out to the equestrian community as we all mourn the loss of these gentle souls.  The note reads,

As many of you will have heard Sunnybrook Stables caught fire early this morning.  We are deeply grateful to Toronto Fire and to the Toronto Mounted Unit for their help.  Their efforts resulted in the successful evacuation of the back barn and all horses in that barn are safe.  They are currently housed at the Horse Palace.  All have been checked by our vet and are well.

On behalf of all of us at The Riding Academy and at Sunnybrook Stables, I want to thank everyone who took the time to reach out, come down, send condolences, and for the many thoughtful offers of assistance.  Our Sunnybrook and Horse Palace herds are cherished member of our family, and it is with incredible sadness that we mourn the loss of Mr. T, Beau, Sutherland, Sandy, Sampson, Axel, Sugar, Blossom, Poomba, Hercules, Apollo, Phoenix, Marty Misty, Tess and Gifford.  These horses were wonderful teachers and friends, the best of the best.  We loved them dearly, and we are beyond devastated.  They are forever in our hearts.

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Source: http://sunnybrookstables.ca/horses/

Fire sweeps horse barns at Sunnybrook Stables

Friends and associates of Micheal Leo Devine may visit Monday (today) between and 3 and 5 p.m. and again from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Paul O’Connor Funeral Home at 1939 Lawrence Ave. A funeral mass will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 78 Clifton Road. Obituary

Parkside Student Residences at Carlton and Jarvis

Equilibrium

Okuda San Miguel

As reported by Urban Toronto, the former Primrose Hotel on the southwest corner of Carlton and Jarvis Sts. has re-opened as the Parkside Student Residences. As part of this re-birth the east wall of the building will become a canvas for Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel. Okuda (he has the artistic inclination to a one-word name) is, at 38, an established street artist in Europe and elsewhere. Okuda is commissioned to render his work titled Equilibrium (centre) this summer. Here is a pleasant video with Spanish narration. Urban Toronto

UPDATE: 70% of Sunnybrook Park has now been re-opened to vehicles and pedestrians. The stable area is still closed off for the investigation. ^gl

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) May 21, 2018

12 horses reported killed

Jennifer McIntyre @JenMcEditor

Many are expressing sadness and concern Monday about the fire at Sunnybrook Stables. One has posted a question: “It is very very upsetting. Hope to God this wasn’t set on purpose! Where were the custodians that live in the House next door” Another person speculates about fireworks. “This is gutting to learn, I smelled smoke this morning and thought it was from fireworks in the park last night. Now I’m wondering if fireworks in the park caused this?”

NOW MAY NOT BE THE TIME TO CRITICIZE

Many are saying how little time there may have been for rescue and the difficulty of handling panicking horses. Others say this is not the time to judge. One woman writes: “I know every inch of that place. I have also had a horse saved from a barn fire elsewhere. Barns can go up very very fast. Horses aren’t easy to save. When I was at Sunnybrook there were at least two people on site at all times but at three in the morning you can’t fault the staff for not saving every horse.” Facebook

CALL SAID TO HAVE COME FROM APARTMENT BUILDING

City News says that Toronto Fire “originally received a phone call from someone in a nearby apartment building, notifying them of the fire.”

I'm a big softie when it comes to animals. I can see it's a tough morning for all involved at Sunnybrook Stables. Officials confirm multiple horses did not survive. pic.twitter.com/IgU7QG13oS

— Tony Smyth (@LateNightCam) May 21, 2018

At least 12 horses dead, 15 others rescued after major barn fire at Toronto's Sunnybrook Stables https://t.co/sH0pl6XBCY pic.twitter.com/UFfsj4AkLE

— CBC Canadian News (@CBCCanada) May 21, 2018

Toronto firefighters say 16 horses have been killed and 13 rescued when fire swept the horse barns at Sunnybrook Stables early Monday. It broke out just before 3 a.m. and engulfed one stable before a second nearby barn also caught fire. When firefighters arrived they were able to move about 13 horses from the second burning barn to another barn for safekeeping. Police say the surviving horses were taken to the Horse Palace at Exhibition Place. Sunnybrook Stables has private and group horse-riding lessons, as well as summer camps. They confirmed that some horses have died. Police are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the park at around 3 a.m. Monday to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers.

Sunnybrook Stables – TPS put a call out for anyone with equine experience. They showed up with 4 trailers to shuttle the surviving horses offsite. I could tell officers were upset but got the job done. pic.twitter.com/bl5a5MtiJP

— Tony Smyth (@LateNightCam) May 21, 2018

Horses who died in fire are named in note from Sunnybrook