The South Bayview Bulldog

British Airways now says that the costly shutdown of its ticketing and reservation systems in late May was caused by — wait for it — someone flipping off the switch on the power to its computer. Hundreds of canceled flights were the result of this thoughtful attempt to save the airline a dime or two on power. According to The Times, it’s apparently that easy to take down an entire airline. It says the airline’s investigation first centered on whether or not the data centers’ power supply unit was working correctly. Ultimately, the airline concluded that there wasn’t anything wrong with the power supply, other than a human had turned it off.

Toronto Real Estate Board figures show home sales dropped 20.3 per cent in May compared to May last year even as prices continued to climb. The board says the average selling price for all properties in May was $863,910, an increase of 14.9 per cent from the same month last year. Sales of detached homes, which had an average selling price of $1,141,041, fell by 26.3 per cent in the GTA. The drop is attributed to the Ontario government’s foreign buyer tax which is said to apply only to speculators, not immigrants. Just how that distinction is made is not very clear but there seems no doubt that the intended effect of slowing sales has kicked in. Just how much it will slow price increases however seems an unknown.

Remy Cattel, Kate Denomme and Liam Rivard

Winning Grade 10 students Leaside High School students (l to r) Remy Cattell, Kate Denomme and Liam Rivard have returned from a weekend in Belleville at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championships. Remy scooped up a bronze medal in the junior girl’s 800m and a silver in the junior girls 1500m, Kate won a bronze in the junior girls 400m while Liam dashed to a gold medal in the junior boys 800m  plus a bronze in the junior boys 400m  Well done guys. Photo Leaside Life Facebook.

Um, crazy trucks ahead?

Run out of town

Tajo Shoes to close

A medley of photos from across South Bayview has yielded the head-scratching sign on Eglinton Ave. at Laird Drive. The truck is apparently bursting into traffic with stuff flying off the back. You know, Crazy Trucks Ahead. Then, Tajo Shoes, the rather anonymous little footwear emporium at 1723 Bayview will close near the end of July. We wish them well. And finally, One of the last On-the-Run gas bars is at Bayview and Broadway Avenue. On-the-Run is a long-standing business name in Ontario but, like Mac’s, will soon fall to the will of Montreal corner-store mammoth Couche Tard and become Circle K. How do you say tone-deaf in French?

A woman has been badly hurt in a two-car crash at Bayview Ave and Soudan/Parkhurst Sunday afternoon. The victim, about 50, was unconscious as she was taken to Sunnybrook Medical Sciences Centre. The intersection is the subject of long-time concern and is especially dangerous because of the construction at Eglinton. There is also speculation about the nature of a crosswalk beside an intersection. A recurring danger is the inability of westbound drivers crossing over Bayview seeing southbound vehicles if the crosswalk is being used or a vehicle turning left onto Parkhurst is blocking line of sight. Last year the South Leaside Traffic Committee recommended certain turn prohibitions.  Residents are said to dislike the solution of stop lights. Many who live there however say the corner continues to remain dangerous. New turn prohibitions at Bayview and Soudan/Parkhurst

Kristin Della Rovere

Quinn Johnston

It’s nearly summer and that means time for hockey camp as four members of the Toronto Leaside Jr.‏ Wildcats head to hockey camp. Kristsin Della Rovere and Quinn Johnston are accepted at the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association camp and Myah Bowal and Kate Stuart are heading to the BC Hockey Female camp.

Getting ready for the Cakewalk below

Family games night March 19

Games

Sir John knows his job

Playing with the seaspray machine

Hey, Watermelon Woman

Dragon families from Davisville Public School and Spectrum Alternative School rocked the playground Saturday at the annual Spring Fair. The Cakewalk game looked a lot like Musical Chairs. It’s all good.

Toronto Fire has fought a two-alarm blaze at the Merton-Yonge Condominium at the corner of Yonge and Merton Sts beside the Belt Line Trail Saturday.  TFS active incidents says as many as 20 trucks attended the fire.