The South Bayview Bulldog

Mercedes-Benz is recalling tens of thousands of Smart cars because of a fire risk. CBC Ottawa flagged 4 cases of the vehicles bursting into flames in Ontario alone: https://t.co/IykCJzSAWL

— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) May 11, 2018

Documents from the US National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) say the rear insulation mat in the engine compartment of 2008 and 2009 Smart cars “may deform, deteriorate and loosen over time, allowing the mat to contact hot exhaust system components.” Scene above is from Ottawa in October. The recall applies in Canada and some 7028 cars are included.

Dwane Casey

The Toronto Raptors have fired head coach Dwane Casey, the club announced Friday. Team president Masai Ujiri described the decision as a necessary step for the franchise. Casey, 61, led the Raptors to four Atlantic Division titles in five seasons and three consecutive 50-win seasons but the team was eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third consecutive season in a four-game sweep. CBC

Mackenzie Bier receives the Sesquicentennial Award from MP Rob Oliphant

Mother’s Day weekend begins Friday with the start at 3 p.m of the Awesome Sale at Leaside United Church. You may expect lots of interest as usual. Also Friday, the Leaside Lawn Bowling Club opens the door at 7 p.m. for a weekend open house. At lower left, Mackenzie Bier is given the Sesquicentennial Award from MP Rob Oliphant for her selfless work on the Thorncliffe Park Running Shoe Drive. Mackenzie will pass the charitable task on to her friend Caroline Spitzer this year. Ladies, we are in awe. And thanks.

Here are road closures as posted by the City for this weekend.

U OF T RENDEZVOUS

University of Toronto Science Rendezvous on Saturday will close St. George Street from College Street to Harbord Street in both directions from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

MEAGAN’S WALK

Meagan’s Walk Saturday closures are Elizabeth Street from Elm Street to Gerrard St West and Elm St from the Hospital for Sick Children parking garage entrance to Elizabeth St will be closed from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 12to accommodate the Meagan’s Walk event.

SPORTING LIFE 10K

Sporting Life 10k – Sunday closures and delays
Yonge Street between Lawrence Avenue and Eglinton Avenue will be closed from 4:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 13 to accommodate the formation area for the Sporting Life 10k run. Along the route for the run, closures will occur between 7:30 and 11:30 a.m. at the following locations:
• Yonge Street between Eglinton Avenue and Richmond Street
• Richmond Street from Yonge Street to Peter Street/Blue Jays Way
• Peter Street/Blue Jays Way between Richmond Street and Front Street
• Front Street between Blue Jays Way and Bathurst Street
• Bathurst Street between Front Street and Fort York Boulevard
• Fort York Boulevard between Bathurst Street and Fleet Street
Drivers can expect delays on Lake Shore Boulevard at Fort York Boulevard as runners enter Coronation Park. Note: After all runners pass an intersection, that intersection will reopen to traffic in the area. It is expected that all roads will re-open by 12:30 p.m. More information is available at the website.

Meeting on Yonge/Davisville project at Greenwood College

A meeting of about 100 residents met Thursday evening at Greenwood College on Mt. Pleasant Rd. to demonstrate concern for the large development proposed for the corner of Yonge St and Davisville Ave. The Times Group has a two-tower concept before the City rising 24 and 35 floors. The plan has been denounced by the Councillor, Josh Matlow (Ward 22) as inappropriate and he spoke again at the meeting about the evils of letting developers set the official plan. He called for a pause in such high-rise development until the City can catch up with schools, recreational spaces and with infrastructure like water supply and transportation. 

Meeting tonight on Yonge/Davisville “inappropriate” plan

Donald and Kim, together at last. The date is set (June 12) and the place is Singapore, the wealthy City state carved out of the coast of Malaysia. What will it yield. No one can guess. Then, miniaturization has never been so frightening as City News assays the indiscernable cameras embedded in everything. And how about the Don Mills Civitan Arena. This granddaddy of hockey fun is going to become a summer refuge for the homeless. Finally, back to Malaysia where voters have chosen a man of 92 to be their prime minister. His best line? “Yes, I’m still alive.”

Canadian Press says the Supreme Court of Canada will decide whether the CRTC, backed by the federal government, is wrong to permit the airing of lavish celebrity-studded ads on US channels seen in Canada during the Super Bowl. Normally Canadian ads sold by CTV (owned by Bell) would be substituted into US channels carrying the game. The CRTC ruling denies Bell revenue from that substitution. The Supreme Court says the case provides an opportunity to consider how courts may review rulings by administrative bodies. That makes us all feel better no doubt.

SONS TO RUSSIAN SPIES

The SCOC will also decide on the right of the Vavilov brothers, Alexander, 23, and Timothy, 27, to become  Canadian citiens even though their parents were expelled as Russian sleeper spies.

• WestJet pilots vote in favour of strike mandate if no deal reached by May 19
• Canadian Tire signs deal to buy Helly Hansen for $985 million plus debt

Larry Hurd

Ron Felsen

Shelley Laskin

Leaside High School 75 occurs in 2020 — all those years since the 1945 upheaval of peaceful pastures at Eglinton East and Hanna Rd. It’s been good. Now the Leaside High School Alumni Association will meet Tuesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the school to make plans. The meeting is open to LHS alumni. No doubt there will be a warm welcome from the committee headed by Larry Hurd.  Also on board are Earl Manners, Barb Wasson Dafoe, Lynda Green, Catherine Rooney, Elaine LeBlanc, Caroline Miller, Nick Mitchell, Simon Stevenson, Jeannette Plonka (principal). More are needed. 

RON FELSEN

The greatly-liked former principal of Northern Secondary School, Ron Felsen, is busy. Ron now shoulders the burden of being “centrally assigned” as he looks after a number of portfolios in the Teaching and Learning Department at TDSB including Guidance, Experiential Learning (Tech, Co-op, Business), Apprenticeship programs and the Student Success initiative. It is challenging work but, says Ron,  “I’m learning a lot and enjoying it very much. It is a big change from Northern but great to be involved in large-scale projects and to help make changes at the system level that benefit students.” Thousands will no doubt be wishing good luck to the man they called Mr. Felsen.

EDUCATION DAY AND DEBATES

To come

Work will proceed 24 hours a day at the intersection of Parliament St and Gerrard St East starting Monday and run through to Monday, June 4 at 6 a.m. for the replacement of streetcar tracks. But work to break concrete will stop at 11 p.m. The City says road users should expect delays and increased traffic on nearby roadways. Motorists should use alternate routes such as Jarvis St, River St, Bloor St East and Dundas St East.  Pedestrians will be detoured around the work area on sidewalks or walkways. Cyclists are encouraged to dismount and walk around the intersection.

Homes coming down on Rumsey

Homes were being demolished on Rumsey Rd. north of McRae Dr. Thursday morning in a plan to build single family dwellings in their place. It appears the designated buildings are 177, 175, 173 and 171. An earlier story was incorrect in this regard. There is still no signage on the location but the City building website indicates application has been made to build in accordance with the present zoning. In other building news, a residence worthy of Rosedale or perhaps the Bridle Path has gone up at the corner of Parkhurst Blvd and Bessborough Drive (below) This large new structure has space at the north end for parking although there does not seem to be work underway on a garage. There is no back yard but the front yard is spacious and presumably could be judiciously fenced. Or not.

78 Parkhurst at Bessborough

Ivy Glen Homes

Project at 1951 Yonge at Davisville

Josh Matlow (Ward 22) has convened a meeting Thursday night  at  Greenwood College School, 443 Mt.  Pleasant  Rd. at Davisville Ave., to air plans by the Times Group for the northeast corner of Yonge St. and Davisville Ave. The proposed project is known as 1951 Yonge St.  Matlow calls it “completely inappropriate.” He has shepherded a motion at City Council asking the Ontario Municipal Board to deny any approval of the project. It calls for two towers (34 and 25 storeys) apparently on either side of the  historic J. J. Davis store built in 1894. That historic store is now a Starbucks. Matlow has said that as currently proposed, the two towers would have unacceptable shadow impacts on the Davisville school field. Of further concern, is the potential traffic impacts to the local community, especially the area surrounding the school. “I will fight the most recent proposal to add more traffic onto Millwood,” he said. The meeting begins at 6.30 p.m.

Police are investigating the discovery of a hidden camera reportedly found in the washroom of the Starbucks at Yonge and King Sts. A customer told the store’s manager about the camera last Wednesday. It was hidden in the electrical outlet in one of the washrooms at 4 King. All washrooms at Starbucks are unisex. A day later, Starbucks alerted Toronto police to the hidden camera. Police have the camera in their possession and have launched an investigation. In a statement, a Starbucks spokesman said “employees regularly clean and stock the washrooms multiple times a day. Employees are told if they notice anything or are alerted to anything unusual to immediately report it to police.”