The South Bayview Bulldog

As work forges to a February finish and opening for the Costco on Overlea Blvd., there is a replay of the anticipation and concern that marked the four-year journey to this point. Thursday’s Leaside Community Group is alive with reactions prompted by a City News story. The comments run from “Can’t wait” to “Nightmare.”  It is all old news because the issue has had the pants beaten off it at meetings everywhere including City Council and the Ontario Municipal Board.

EAST LEASIDE UNDER SEIGE

In fact, the thread published today morphs quickly into an attack on Toronto works planning. The east side of Leaside is struggling with more construction than it has seen at one time in living memory. Sewers and sidewalk replacement on residential streets and on Millwood and Laird Drive, the doubtful re-creation of the corner at Millwood and Laird plus the senseless deployment of traffic cones make a visit to anywhere in this area a challenge. It is said that homeowners on Southvale Drive are making it a habit to park with the nose of the car pointing out so they can make eye contact with drivers in the vehicles that are often end-to-end in front of their homes.

GREG MacPHERSON

Greg MacPherson makes a point at Leaside Community about the narrow and limited exits to the east from Leaside.

These geniuses just intentionally made the traffic worse (slower) at Millwood and Laird, so don’t expect any intelligent response to what they’re doing re: Costco. For this not to go to total crap, they need to connect some streets so that all of the traffic doesn’t have to go through the two, thin bottlenecks (Millwood and Wicksteed) by adding crossings at Copeland, Industrial and Esandar. Should also finally connect Leslie and Redway/Bayview, etc. But of course they won’t do any of those things. Instead, they’ll take away more lanes by putting in flowerpots down the middle of the road on Wicksteed, Laird and Brentcliffe. And Eglinton’s a write-off until 2020?

Overlea Costco targeted for completion by mid-February

On Roehampton Monday afternoon

Do you know him?

Stole a parcel

Micheal Harding of Roehampton Ave. posted these pictures at Leaside Community of a parcel thief at work Monday. The man took one from Harding’s front step. He is asking for any help because there were lots of people out walking dogs at mid-afternoon. He thanks Jeff Gosselin from Cloud 9 AV for the camera setup and adds: “We’re unfortunately getting our money’s worth already.” There are many comments at Leaside Community

SAFE DROPPING SUGGESTED

Added to this post Thursday morning are the comments of a letter carrier Feng Chang who speaks of Safe Dropping, an interesting initiative:

Sorry to hear about your theft. I’m a current Canada Post letter carrier and “Safe Dropping” is a double-edged sword. Customers either prefer it or they don’t. Procedure is to prevent the parcel from being seen from the sidewalk/street, but discretion is left up to the individual. You can choose to: “Do Not Safe Drop”, “Signature Required” or “Card Item for Pickup”. A Delivery Notice Card is used if personal contact is unavailable. Parcels are then picked up at a Retail Postal Office. Unless “Card Item for Pickup” is noted, if something is safe dropped or carded without first attempting to deliver, your letter carrier is unfortunately cutting corners. Hope this helps

Murdoch Campbell, wife Grace and Flannel

Blast scene on Gibson Ave.

A blind Hamilton man whose home exploded Tuesday has been charged with arson in the incident. Curiously, a statement from the Fire Marshal’s Office says the cause has not been determined yet. But what’s known is the man, Murdoch Campbell, 76, lost his wife in August. She was a much-admired person locally and a lane was named after her in recent days. It appears Murdoch and his wife were inseparable. Murdoch is recovering in hospital and so is his dog Flannel, seen in pictures above. Gas is still off to nearly 300 homes in the area near the Gibson Street location of Murdoch’s home.

Frightening for sure

Honolulu has enacted a so-called Zombie law which makes it an offense to be caught looking at a cell phone while crossing the street. People caught texting or not paying attention while crossing can be fined up to $35 by police. That fine jumps to $99 for repeat offenders. City News is polling online about whether Toronto needs this type of law and the responses are running 86 and a half percent in favour.

At Scholfield and Edgar in Rosedale

Seen in 2014

Double Pot of Gold at Sunnybrook

This venerable maple sits where Scholfield and Edgar Aves meet in Rosedale. We see it Tuesday as it was cut down and in 2014 in its summer glory.  Also in this cluster, a last look at the double rainbow (pot of gold for sure) at Sunnybrook Plaza shot by Geoff Gilmour-Taylor and tweeted from @gilmourtaylor. Below the text, Davisville Public School worthies remind us of the money raised by the dragon kids in all their efforts in Terry Fox runs. Davisville Rocks. Finally, Physio-med is having a Halloween Party Friday at Leaside arena. Take a look at the poster.

Davisville Public School

Phyiso-med party

The sale of subsidiary Lord and Taylor’s building in Manhattan has set off speculation about its debt-burdened parent Hudson’s Bay Co. HBC is Canada’s oldest corporation. Then, Fats Domino, that happy musical soul from the 1950s is dead at 89. Below that, as predicted, Xi Jinping will rip up the Chinese constitution, such as it was, and become another Dear Leader type staying on at the top into unknown times. Ugh. Finally, 245 men and woman in Brazil have leaped off a bridge together for fun. Take a look.

Canadian Press reports that the Bank of Canada has left its interest rate unchanged at one percent Wednesday after raising it twice this year. CP says Governor Stephen Poloz also signalled that future hikes are likely on the horizon but may occur at a more tentative rate. He said the respite from a rate increase was prompted by the recent strength of the Canadian dollar and a desire to slow the rise in the speed of inflation.

Health Canada has recalled as many as 61,000 dishwashers made by Bosch, Thermador, Gaggenau, Kenmore and Jenn-Air. They were made between January 2013 and May 2015 and are being recalled because the power cords can overheat and possibly spark a fire. Pictures show the recalled washers and their serial numbers. There have been no injuries reported, but Health Canada says there are five reports of property damage in the United States, where 408,000 affected dishwashers have been sold. Anyone who owns one of these dishwashers is advised to stop using it immediately and call the Safety Recall Hotline at 1-888-965-5813 for a free inspection and repair.

Gibson Ave. gas explosion. Image by @media371 / Twitter

Image by @media371 / Twitter

Image by @media371 / Twitter

A man desribed as blind and elderly is in hospital in Hamilton and gas is shut off to 200 homes as a precaution after an explosion in east central Hamilton Tuesday. It happened on Gibson Ave. about 2.15 p.m. when the front of a one-storey home near Birch Ave. and Barton St. erupted scattering debris across the street. The man was briefly trapped. His condtion is unknown at posting.

Double Rainbow – Photo: Ian Smith

Rainbow over South Bayview – Photo: Ian Smith

Looks like there may be a pot of gold, or two, somewhere in the neighbourhood. Let us know if you stumble upon it! 😉 Thank you for the stunning photos Ian!

56 Ford at Leaside arena

Outside COBs

Party Stop Is Here

Canvarco fence/@rudydotca

Upper left, this smart looking 56 Ford was gracing the parking lot at Leaside arena last weekend as those it is attached to played hockey. It has 1950s whitewall tires too. To the right, the leaning sign of Belsize Drive outside COBs needs some help. The Councillor’s office has been notified because he can make the wheels at the Toronto Clamshell move faster. Below that, another sign left out for the garbage on Roxborough St. was quickly taken. It says “The Party Stop Is Here.” Finally at bottom Rudy Limeback (@rudydotca) took this ghostly shot of a vestige of the Canada Varnish Company (Canvarco) this summer. It’s still there on Canvarco Drive but for how long.