The South Bayview Bulldog

The CBC says the collapse of the huge British construction and services firm Carillion PLC has big implications for Canada where it has an estimated 6,000 employees. Carilion went into liquidation Monday putting thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of government contracts at risk. Among contracts held in Canada is one with CAMH, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. Other Canadian contracts are for the maintenance and support of military housing at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa, contracts for hospitals in North Battleford, Sault Ste. Marie, the Stanton Territorial Hospital in the NWT, the Royal Ottawa Healthcare Group in Ottawa and more. There is also a major facility maintenance contract with Shell at one of its oilsands operations, along with at an office building in Calgary.

Section of Martin Grove Road closed in Rexdale after dump truck hits rail bridgehttps://t.co/ejmAsWsYDc pic.twitter.com/dIz8deraa2

— CP24 (@CP24) January 15, 2018

This occurred early Monday and was snapped by Cam Woolley of CP24. It is another of those “not again” moments which make one ask why dump truck makers and/or vehicle safety authorities do not install/require signals that might stop any sober driver from doing this.

• Burnside letter says Overlea Costco likely to open in June

Two boys are reported to have fallen through the ice of the Humber River in Etienne Brule Park near Jane and Bloor Sts. about suppertime Sunday. They were both able to get out and had been taken home before the TPS Marine Unit, and other personnel, arrived. It is a reminder of the dangers that lurk for children as the winter weather fluctuates. The pattern will continue in the coming week with cold weather Monday through Thursday. It will then warm up again with a high of 5C predicted for Saturday. Police are warning of a chilly and perhaps icy morning drive Monday. Go carefully.

Winston at home in Cornwall, England

Trying to set fire to Scarborough gas pump

BLM in Quebec

Ford Ranger for 2019

Kim, Chrystia

Dog doing stuff at Millwood and Southvale

In 2002, Winston walked away from his home in Cornwall, England. Now, 15 years later, he is reunited with his friend Janet Barnes. His was found some 35 miles away from home in bad shape. Microchip ID confirmed that this is indeed Winston and with loving care, he is doing well. Upper right, this gentleman is out in the cold Saturday trying to set fire to a gas pump in at Eglinton Ave. E. and Ionview Rd. It didn’t work but truly evidence again that it takes all kinds. Below that, it seems that black refugees (along with others) are in need of help as they try to get into Canada across the Quebec border. So this lady from Toronto’s Black Lives Matters group was down there to help. Apparently the welcome wasn’t too warm. Centre left, Ford Motor is bringing back the mid-size Ranger pickup to Canada and US. No word on just where it has been. Below, the world is waiting for a meeting Tuesday in which Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland will perhaps something say about Kim Jung un. Does she find him as odious as the rest of us? Twenty countries will meet in Vancouver to try to figure what to do about this dangerous person. Finally, some folks on Leaside Community Facebook are upset tonight because this dog was going Number Two near Millwood Rd. and Southvale Ave. and his owner, allegedly, didn’t pick it up.

$100 milion Nigigon Bridge

Snapped bolts cause deck to be yanked up by cables

Tons of concrete to hold it down

Two years after several bolts snapped off of the newly-opened multi-million dollar Nipigon Bridge, the Ontario government just doesn’t want to talk about who is going to pay for the cost of fixing it. A Canadian Press report says there is a repair bill of perhaps $12 million to pay according to documents it has seen. The bridge itself cost $100 million to build. But the Ontario government is refusing to say just how much over, and whether taxpayers will have to foot the bill for fixes to the bridge on the Trans-Canada Highway. Engineering reports found that a combination of design and installation deficiencies of several key components caused the bridge to fail, severing the critical national link. Specifically, Improperly tightened bolts on one portion of the bridge snapped, causing the steel decking to lift about 60 centimetres. That was just 42 days after the bridge had opened in late 2015. Tons of concrete have been used to hold down the deck as a temporary means of making the bridge passable. The CP report does not name the contractor or the engineering firm

• Snapped off bolts sent bridge road bed lunging upwards

Playing under the floor of Davisville home

Andy Elder, Jon Burnside

Mackenzie Bier collected 300 pairs of running shoes for friends in Thorncliffe Park

Purple Tree Day Care

Stranger than strange and a lot of fun too is Liz MacFarland’s tweet this weekend on the well-preserved movie listing from the Toronto Telegram that she found under the floor of her Davisville Village home. In this ad from Saturday, September 29, 1940, we see that the Belsize Theatre (now the Regent) at 551 Mt. Pleasant was playing Irene starring Anna Neagle and Ray Milland. A second bill was George Sanders in The Saint Takes Over. Roll ’em both. To the right, Ward 26 rep Jon Burnside has noted the generous charitable work of Andy Elder, owner of Grilltime at 62 Laird. Anyone who knows this congenial man is well aware of his selfless efforts to do good locally. Below that, also from Burnside’s December newsletter, the inspiring story of Leaside High School student MacKenzie Bier. Her love of running prompted her to collect and clean suitable shoes for kids in Thorncliffe Park. Read the whole story here. Finally, directors of the Purple Tree Daycare on Soudan Ave., Shelley Flood and Jane Ashford, are reminding moms and dads of their service. They are delighted to provide a happy place where children can safely grow, explore and discover their potential.

There were no winners for either Lotto 649 or the Lotto Max draw this weekend. The 649 guaranteed $1 million prize was claimed by a ticket purchased in Ontario.

The TTC says subway service on the Yonge Line was suspended until nearly 1 a.m. Sunday because of the appearance of a cracked track between Union and King Station. Service was halted from Union to Bloor St. but is back on again Sunday.

General Motors says it is asking the US government for permission to sell a fully autonomous car. That means a car with no steering wheel, brake or accelerator pedal. It wants to do this by 2019, the company says in an application to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The new vehicle is called the Cruise AV. It is a rebranded version of GM’s Chevrolet Bolt EV and among other efficiencies will open doors for those who  are unable to do that for themselves. The Cruise will be among the first cars to do away with manual controls for steering, brakes and throttle. The former driver’s seat will become the front left passenger seat.