The South Bayview Bulldog

Respect/Steve Russell@RussellPhotos Twitter

Grief and strength at North York memorial/Nathan Denette Twitter

Michael de Adder/National Post

Prayers in Olive Square at Yonge south of Finch

PC Ken Lam with proud dad David

In the depth of the grief and despair felt by people across Toronto, there is much simple decency to help us be brave. We will find it in thousands standing vigil at Olive Square off Yonge St. for victims of the truck attack Monday. It’s in prayers expressing love for all and in the generous giving underway to address personal and family catastrophe. And there is the pride of a father in his fearless son in blue. It is our pride too. Toronto Strong. Stay as you are.

Not legal but we love to pull U-turns

The dangerous and illegal practice that is so common on Bayview Ave., and elsewhere near home, occurred again Tuesday morning. This time it caused an accident. Social media was alive with the U-turn crash on Bayview between Manor Rd. and Millwood Rd. A rental van attempted a U-turn from a parking spot and was struck by a bus. It seems we love to do it even though Bayview is signed from Davisville to at least Parkhurst to the contrary. The practice may be slightly less dangerous on South Bayview than elsewhere, if you don’t mind $1,000 in repairs. The Highway Traffic Act does permit U turns under elaborately cautious conditions and if not specifically forbidden.

TWO DEATHS LOCALLY IN A YEAR

But on Mt. Pleasant Rd. near Carstowe Rd. or the Bayview extension near the Brick Works, it’s been deadly twice in slightly more than a year. And it could easily kill a pedestrian right on our favorite street. Both these accidents were caused by illegal turns in violation of a City bylaw that  prevents them where “unsafe,” sources say. Such turns are also referenced in a bylaw on “dangerous practices.”  U-turns are dangerous because they create a surprise for other drivers. It’s a 360 degree window of peril. A driver exiting parallel parking on Bayview cannot know that someone on the other side is going to turn in front of him. Although specifically prohibited here, and elsewhere, there is little enforcement. Offender demographic is well peppered with matrons with kids in the car, dads, bozos and guys in a hurry.

See later post

Red indicates mid-rise zoning

Gym at St. Anselm

Population to nearly triple in this zone

A modestly-attended meeting in the gymnasium of St. Anselm School Monday night was primer for residents on the enormous development planned for Laird Drive and Eglinton Ave. down to Brentcliffe Rd.  There will be parks, boulevards, trees, bike lanes and similar amenities on all these streets and others. Nothing much was seen regarding schools. Schools are the purview of the school board which from time to time complains that the City and Province don’t do much to help coordinate growth with classroom space. The huge developments at 815 Eglinton (at Laird) and 939 Eglinton (at Brentcliffe) are elements that will trigger the transformation of a low-rise street into something more like downtown North York on Yonge St. But many other addresses will also be rezoned to mid-rise and higher on the north side of Eglinton and the west side of Laird. Schematic drawings showed familiar places which will all be available for buildings six to eight storeys high. Density will mushroom. Comparative depictions of a radius around Laird and Eglinton showed the population leaping from 3749 people to 10420 people. Insights lately had by many  about the full meaning of an LRT along Eglinton.

The Leafs scored into an empty net with seconds remaining in Game Six to win 3-1 against the Bruins.

• We’re going to Game Seven: Maple Leafs demolish the Bruins 3-1

Alek Minassian

Police hold van driver on Yonge St. near Poyntz Ave/CP24 capture

CBC News has confirmed that Alek Minassian, a 25-year-old Richmond Hill man, the news agency says in a story online. Minassian’s LinkedIn profile identifies him as a student at Seneca College. Police have told CBC that the suspect is not associated with any organized terrorist group and he does not represent a larger threat to national security. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation, the CBC says Witness Jamie Eopni, who saw the struggle to arrest the driver, had estimated that he might be as old at 40. But the person taken into custody had his head shaved, making him seem older. Tom Winter of NBC News say that “multiple law enforcement officials in Canada and the US say the preliminary theory is that Minassian may have had mental health issues and had an online discussion about Elliot Rodger who went on a rampage at UC Santa Barbara.” At a news conference Monday nght, Chief Saunders was unable to indicate a motive but he did say that authorities believe the the action was not about national security. Twitter is alive with people who say they knew Mr. Minassian in some capacity offering a range of unverified allegations about his mental state and intelligence.

• Only driver’s license and credit card required to rent van
• A very angry and scared young guy’ Witness describes driver in Yonge & Finch incident

See later post

A Government of Canada in a news release Monday says “Canada and Ontario and the City of Toronto invest in 1,738 new and revitalized buses.” It lists the vehicles this way and notably, says there will be 60 all-electric buses, not 30 as reported yesterday when Mayor Tory inspected such buses. The component lists is given as this.

• The purchase of 729 clean diesel buses, 254 second generation hybrid electric buses, and 60 battery electric buses
• The Bus Rebuild component of this project involves rebuilding 695 total buses in the current TTC fleet.
• The Government of Canada is also investing more than $10 million for 15 other public transit projects in four communities across Ontario.
• The Government of Canada will invest more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
• Since 2003, the Government of Ontario has committed more than $4.9 billion to the City of Toronto to help improve and expand its transit system.

The hoax perpetrated on a Winnipeg neighborhood used the audio of a video which was posted by IkeArt Films to YouTube on April 3, 2016. The message with the post runs as follows: If you want to use this in a prank video, please drop me a quick credit/link in the description. Feel free to download this and use it for personal use, but please do not re upload this exact video. Whoever took the video and played it over a loudspeaker(s) in the Osborne Village area of the Manitoba capital had a “personal use” which the posters did not intend. It seems to bear out the common belief that whatever stupid stunt mankind can imagine, it will also promptly execute. Hear it here. There is also the actuality audio below, which is less clear, from station CJOB

Extensive damage to home/Tina Mackenzie CBC

The barbecue/Tina Mackenzie CBC

A barbecue dinner gone wrong is suspected in the death of a couple said to be in their 50s in Mississauga Sunday evening. The victims are Jim and Irene Headley, both of whom were retired. Friends say the couple had been married for 50 years and have three adult sons, two of which live in British Columbia. The couple’s third son reportedly lives with them but was not home when the blaze broke Fire officials refuse to confirm this but there is no other possible source mentioned. The two occupants of a home on South Millway and Burnhamthorpe Rd. were apparently seen by neighbors using the barbecue although there appears to be some confusion about how close to the house it was located. Early reports said it was in the garage. Investigators, along with officials from the fire marshal’s office, are currently at the scene.

Jim and Irene Headley

The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a boy, fifth in line to the throne, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington. He weighs 3.8 kilo (8.37 lbs). At the right below is a live transmission where the Royal Family Channel is waiting in hope of learning more.