Wolfegang Bonham will speak Thursday to the Leaside Garden Society at the Leaside Library, 165 McRae Drive, about The Evening Garden. The gathering begins at 7 p.m. and convenes at 7.30 p.m.
There’s quite a discussion on the Leaside Community Facebook account Thursday about the motorcade of motorcycles and other vehicles through the neighbourhood Tuesday. They were posted by Cindy-Monk Fuller who explained on her own page that these were police officers apparently training for escorting dignitaries during the Invictus Games which begin September 23. She posts: “They’re not escorting anyone important just yet, but Toronto police are training and preparing for the Invictus Games that kicks off in just over 10 days. With dignitaries like Prince Harry and U.S. first lady Melania Trump expected in town, police want to make sure they are ready to move everyone around safely. On Tuesday, training began at about 8:45 a.m. on highway 407. There will be further training until about 3 p.m. on the 427 and Gardiner, towards BMO Field. On Thursday, the motorcade will move in the evening from the 407 to the 403, to Hamilton and Niagara Falls, and then back into Toronto. Const. Clint Stibbe says training is important because motorcades put officers at risk, and they need to be at the top of their game. When asked why training is taking place during the day, including the tail end of the morning rush and the start of the afternoon rush, he said they need to place officers in “real world” situations. His message to any driver who comes across a motorcade, whether training or the real deal, is to stay alert and not try to pass them.”
Four weekend events will close some roads starting Friday. They are the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) Onsite Gallery Opening. the Roncesvalles Polish Festival, Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival and the Sunnybrook Foundation – RBC Run for the Kids 5K, 7K and 15K City of Toronto
Premier Wynne’s lawyer, Jack Siegel has sent a letter to PC leader Patrick Brown telling him to apologize in public for suggesting that she might ever be on trial for ethical misconduct. The threat came on the same day Ms Wynne told a Sudbury court that she at no time offered a cabinet position to then NDP MP Glenn Thibeault to become a Liberal candidate in the 2014 general election. Two party officials are trial facing just such an allegation. For his part, Brown answered reporters questions outside the Legislature (and thus unprotected by privilege) saying “I hope that the Premier will give us answers, we’re not getting them in the Legislature, maybe when she stands trial.” Siegel called the flippant remark defamatory and issued his demands. The threat has become the news of the day, a technique sometimes called “changing the subject” in political warfare. CP24 CBC
Whistler’s Grille and Café-Bar and will close its doors for good at the end of this year as development takes the valuable corner of Mortimer and Broadview Aves. The Mastoras and Kanopoulos families shared the news with customers, employees, neighbours, and friends. The friendly bar (top right) was a great place to catch a pint. Centre right, Andy Elder, fine meat merchant and caterer, reveals this delicious-looking mouthful of grilled scallop, prosciutto and fresh melon. Yes please. And below, a Davisville driveway holds this 50s head-scratcher as tweeted by Michael Szego, Managing Director of The Scout Innovation Network.
Tax dollars spent on the prime minister’s few days in the Bahamas with the Aga Khan earlier this year were about double the figure given in Parliament, according to the CBC. A lot of the cost was related to security but it’s all just Beaver Bucks in the end, an estimated $215,000 of them. CBC
Parents of kids at Earl Beatty Junior and Senior Public School have been promised that the new turf playing field they raised $100,000 to buy and install will be completed by the end of October. But right now they have mud. The galling part is that the field has been fenced off and ready to be replaced since July. The Toronto and District School Board says the delay has been caused by rain. Earl Beatty is at 55 Woodington Ave. near Danforth Avenue and Coxwell Ave.
Premier Wynne will be long way from Leaside Wednesday as she takes the stand in Sudbury to testify at the bribery trial of a former top adviser and a Liberal fundraiser. Pat Sorbara, Wynne’s former deputy chief of staff and Liberal campaign director, and Gerry Lougheed, a local Liberal organizer, are charged under the Election Act. Both have pleaded not guilty at the trial in Sudbury, Ont., to offering would-be candidate Andrew Olivier a job or appointment to get him to step aside for Wynne’s preferred candidate in a 2015 byelection in the city. That preferred candidate was then-New Democrat M-P Glenn Thibeault, who ended up winning that byelection for the provincial Liberals and is now energy minister. Thibeault has previously denied he sought anything that would be seen as a bribe in exchange for running and is not charged with any offences. Wynne faces no charges, but will be likely asked to testify about what she told Olivier and what conversations she had with Lougheed and Sorbara prior to their conversations with Lougheed and Sorbara prior to their conversations with him.
The return of the hockey season prompts another look at this photo of Jacob Golden and Will Reilly (with siblings) who this summer were selected in the National Hockey League Draft, Golden by the Minnesota Wild and Reilly by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both have graduated from a well-watched growth as youthful players in Leaside junior hockey. The young neighbors are defencemen and are preparing for their coming challenge with humility. They bring honour to themselves and their proud parents. No wonder siblings were happy to pose with them for Susan Scandiffio in this group shot. Good luck in the big leagues men.
WILDCATS FUNDRAISER WEDNESDAY
Then to the right, Leaside Junior Wildcats first exhibition game of the season was a tangle with the Varsity Blues down at the U of T Tuesday. Even with much turnover from last year and older opponents, the Wildcats finished respectably. It was 1-0 Blues. There is a fundraiser for the Juniors at Leaside Arena Wednesday from 4.30 to 7.30 p.m. Finally, the girls biting down on their gold medals are the Leaside Pee Wee Wildcats (11 and 12). The dubloons were well-earned in the Caledon Coyote Tournament.
Crews are working as late at 11 p.m. daily to replace pavement on both sides of St.Clair Ave E. from Inglewood Drive to Mt. Pleasant Rd. by a contract-finish date of September 24. The work has reduced traffic to one way in each direction all the way west to Avoca Ave. The job specifies new road first on the south side of St. Clair, then beginning next week, the north side. Find another way downtown.
