The South Bayview Bulldog

Metrolinkx staff directing pedestrians

Walk to School Month

Art exhibit at Todmorden Mills

Barrel House is open

Metrolinx staff was out Thursday morning directing pedestrians through the new configuration of construction blockages at Eglinton and Bayview.. There’s lots to learn. To the right are a couple of reminders. Healthy Kids Community Challenge East York wants you to know that October is Walk to School Month. And below that, Daniel Rotsztain’s charming exhibit consisting of more than 100 colouring book sketches of local historic sites and artifacts is on at Todmorden Mills on Pottery Rd. until Oct. 15. The big picture at the bottom says that the Amsterdam Brewery Barrel House on Laird Drive in the Leaside Village is open and rolling (like a barrel). Try it.

Council voted 24-11 against renaming the stadium at Centennial Park after former mayor Rob Ford. Twelve of the no votes were cast from among the 13 women on Council. Frances Nunziata (Ward 11) was the lone woman to vote in favour. The vote was called because Mayor John Tory recommended the Ford dedication in a letter issued to Councillors on Sept 27. Whatever their individual feelings, it seems clear there was much resentment remaining over Mr. Ford’s chaotic administration. Some put their resistance to the motion in a more distant expression about the naming protocol in general. Jon Burnside (Ward 26) is quoted extensively by CP24: “I do appreciate the generous intent of this motion,” he said. “Unfortunately, I can’t support it. This is obviously a very polarizing debate in regards to Centennial Stadium. However, I think the question is actually bigger than one person. To me, we need to shift our focus and do more to recognize everyday citizens – people who have dedicated hours of their lives to make our City better.”

CBC/Twitter

A young man and woman, both believed to be 21, have been struck and injured as they tried to run across Yonge St. north of Lawrence early Thursday to catch a taxi which was waiting for them. Paramedics say the woman has critical injuries and the man serious non-life-threatening injuries.

Driver remained at scene/Global Twitter

Regulatory delay has defeated the TransCanada Corporation’s plan to move western oil to eastern Canada in order to serve US markets and make Canada energy self-sufficient. The cancellation was announced by the company Thursday morning  Bloomberg Financial Post

Proud flag of former borough

East York Street Signs

East York Street Signs

East York Street Signs

Gate to EY Centre, Thorncliffe

City Council has voted 26 to 11 with seven not voting to approve the use of the 1967 East York flag on street signs in the former borough. The motion was brought by Janet Davis (Ward 31) and Mary Fragedakis (Ward 29). That decision was followed by a vote to extend the sign-privilege to all parts of the City that were described in the debate Wednesday as “legacy Cities”, or those that were amalgamated into the new City of Toronto in 1998, should they so desire.  The motion carried 28-9.  City Council will debate East York flags on street signs

How they voted

Rendering of proposed “Ghost” station

As St. Charles Tavern 1955

Undated from before 1927

Urban Toronto has unearthed plans recently submitted to Toronto’s Planning Department which would create a glass representation of the 1871 fire hall along with the original bricks and mortar hose tower that remains at 484 Yonge Street near Alexander St. Urban Toronto

This moving story by City News reporter Audra Brown takes news to a new level.

For the first time in recent memory, the semi-annual Leaside Blood Clinic at Northlea school has seen more donors than it is able to accommodate. By 5.30 p.m., with all chairs full, and many donors being processed, it was not possible to accept more walk-in donors, staff said. A count of units collected will be available in the coming hours.

Curve gone

As good as gone

Backup onto Southvale

Southvale

One driver thinks there’s still two lanes

Work has begun on the re-make the corner of Laird Drive and Millwood Rd accompanied by seemingly unprecedented traffic backups Wednesday on Millwood, Southvale and Laird. The project, as reported earlier by The South Bayview Bulldog, will eliminate the Yield curve for traffic headed toward the Leaside bridge and points east. Instead, the greatly touted “improved” intersection will stop all traffic at a three-way set of lights. It’s not clear whether there will be a right turn on red permitted onto Millwood southbound/eastbound from Millwood/Southvale. This project seems to come at a particularly bad time in the context of LRT construction. There are no routes out of Leaside to the north or east that are not blocked with construction. There is a belief among many that City Hall has an unstated policy of eliminating Yield signs where it can, especially at intersections where pedestrians may cross. The Yield sign at Millwood/Laird is as good as gone, although it still stood in isolation Wednesday.

Clau Dia has posted Wednesday morning about an alert to the office at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre that the southbound lanes of Bayview will be closed Thursday at Blythwood  Rd. to replace a broken water main valve. Clau put this alert on Leaside Community FB where it reads:

Both lanes (southbound) will be occupied starting at around 9 a.m. for approximately four to five hours. A paid duty police officer has been requested by the City to assist with the flow of traffic and safety of pedestrians at this location. Once the repairs have been completed, one lane will remain closed overnight until their contractors can place temporary asphalt at the location excavated. When the asphalt has cured, the roadway will re-open early Friday afternoon.

Also, as telegraphed by The Bulldog September 21, and confirmed by Gary Slippoy on Leaside Community, traffic at Bayview and Eglinton is down to one lane in all directions and many turns are prohibited as work begins on the excavation of the intersection for LRT station construction.

Learning to skate

Hocky stuff

Asma Yousif

Cedarvale and Cosburn

Barbecue at 1665 O’Connor

Some 30 young New Canadians were learning to skate Tuesday at Leaside arena’s Dr. Tom Pashby Play Safely Rink. It is part of the Hockey4Youth charity which helps newcomers learn Canada’s national sport. Enthusiasm was high among young immigrants like Asma Yousif who came here from Afghanistan a year ago. She is keen to be Canadian. Hockey4Youth is a program of the Let Kids Play Foundation charity. It’s executive director and founder is Moezine (Moe) Hasham. Lower left, City Council has voted 33-3 to put traffic lights up at the corner of Cosburn and Cedarvale Aves. at the entrance to Stan Wadlow Park. The measure was strongly opposed by City staff who feel the crosswalk at the site is satisfactory. But this was the scene of the December 2016 death of an elderly woman, Jae Blue. Finally, the poster at the right tells of the anticipated 54 Division Community Barbecue Thursday at O’Connor Public School, 1665 O”Connor Drive between 3.30 and 5.30 p.m. Toronto Police horses will be there. Bring your camera.

Abdulahi Hasan Sharif

The Somali refugee accused of stabbing an Edmonton police constable on the weekend and running down four pedestrians was ordered to be deported from the United States in 2011 by a U.S. immigration judge. In July 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection transferred Abdulahi Hasan Sharif into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, Calif., according to Jennifer D. Elzea, acting press secretary for the ICE office of public affairs.Two months later, on Sept. 22, 2011, an immigration judge ordered Sharif removed to Somalia. Sharif waived his right to appeal that  Sharif failed to report to the ICE enforcement and removal operations centre on his scheduled date, Jan. 24, 2012.decision. CBC