The South Bayview Bulldog

Meat Loaf then and now

Andrew Polec and Christina Bennington star as teen lovers Strat and Raven

As tickets go on sale for the Toronto performances of Bat Out of Hell The Musical, it has been announced that Meat Loaf will stage a free concert on Yonge Street on Monday, May 15 to promote the Toronto premiere in October. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, May 24. The work is based on the album of the same name released on October, 1977. Yonge will be closed to traffic between Dundas and Shuter streets for the concert which will run from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Mayor Tory will be begin the show with a parade of Harley Davidson motorcycles along Yonge. Cast members Christina Bennington and Andrew Polec will perform four songs from the musical at Monday’s street event and Meat Loaf will talk about the making of the album and the show.

A Winnipeg firefighter has been convicted of stealing from a dead senior while he was on duty. Darren Fedyck, who faced a trial earlier this year, was found guilty Wednesday of stealing nearly $1,000 and two necklaces from a woman who had died in her north-end apartment.

The Children’s Aid Society (CAS) will require its drivers to ask for kids by their first and last name from now on after one driver took the wrong boy from from school for several hours. It’s a problem as old as time to neighbouring families with children of the same name. Usually the become Jack A and Jack B.  This case happened on May 2 when  a volunteer driver arrived at the office of Walter Perry Public School in Scarborough where the place was in being manned by students. He asked for the six-year-old he was looking for by first name only. The Toronto District School Board called it “a horrible case of mistaken identity.”

A dinner and concert will be held at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church on Saturday, May 27, featuring the music of Canadian composer Francis P. Ubertelli. The works will be performed by the St. Cuthbert’s Parish Choir, Megan Symon mezzo-soprano and a string trio of  Gwyneth Thomson, Bryan Lu and Maxine Despax. Dinner will be at 5:30 p.m. with the concert starting at 7:30 p.m. Mr. Ubertelli will be present and will speak about his music. Tickets for the dinner and concert are $40, for the concert only, $15  Call the St. Cuthbert’s  office at 416-485-0329. St. Cuthbert’s is at 1399 Bayview at St. Cuthbert’s Road.

An application for Site Plan Approval has put the wheels in motion for the replacement of Davisville Jr. Public School and Spectrum Alternative School on Millwood Rd. near Yonge St.  Urban Toronto  Also: Self-indulgent mid-century “launch pad” or simply stupid?

Toronto Zoo workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are on strike  The zoo is closed and the management says the animals of being cared for by management personnel. As reported by City News, the zoo management released this statement relating to issues.  “The Toronto Zoo presented fair and reasonable proposals that were rejected by the Union – these proposals included job security and wage increases,” the statement said, adding the zoo’s bargaining position would consider contracts negotiated between the City of Toronto and other CUPE locals

NOT-FOR-PROFIT

“The Toronto Zoo is a not-for-profit charitable organization. The union’s demands were simply unaffordable and do not reflect the financial realities facing the Zoo or other settlements reached within the City of Toronto.” Toronto Zoo officials said its employees are well compensated and that a “series of proposals” to address job security concerns were tabled. “The Toronto Zoo has been more than fair and reasonable. The negotiation process involves give and take by both parties but the union has not provided any flexibility from their side. We are satisfied that the proposals recently tabled by the Zoo satisfactorily address the issues of job security raised by the union and also provides for wage increases throughout the term of the agreement.”

Other stories:

• Ground meat products recalled in Ontario over E. coli fears
• Highway 407 bill tipped off Ontario woman about Range Rover she says she never bought
• Bombardier’s Pierre Beaudoin stepping down as executive chair

Four people died in burned car

@YGKTraffic avoid 401 WB near Joyceville Rd – major MVC pic.twitter.com/EGsnjmJoKZ

— megan (@megwilkinson_) May 11, 2017

Four people are dead and two others hurt in a terrible seven-vehicle collision on Highway 401 in the westbound lanes northeast of Kingston. The vehicles included four tractor-trailers, a commercial truck and two passenger vehicles, one of which caught fire in the crash. Police say the four people who died were all in the vehicle that caught fire. Two other people were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Police say the victims will not be identified until relatives are notified. This occurred sometime after 1 a.m. Thursday

Cycling for mom

Grilltime suggestions for Mother’s Day

Young men at Bamboo Bay have something for mom

Mother’s Day weekend is looking fairly nice with a high of 13 predicted for Sunday. Some suggestions include an indoor cycling gift and some proscuitto-wrapped asparagus for Sunday dinner from Andy Elder’s specialty meat store Grilltime on Laird Drive. Three young men made flowers for their moms at Bamboo Bay studio at Millwood and Bayview. Very sweet.

MAYFAIR

Mayfair, the traditional Rosedale celebration of Spring, is this weekend and we hope to see a fine parade Saturday of kids and dogs down Hudson Drive in Moore Park and across the “ramp” to Rosedale Park on Schofield Ave. The Mooredale website has information.

Staff-Sergeant Matt Moyer

Approximately 50 homeowners gathered for the Moore Park Ratepayers Association Annual General Meeting Wednesday night at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School on Garfield Ave. One of the speakers was 53 Division Staff Sergeant Matt Moyer who warned of continuing break-ins in the neighbourhood. His remarks focused on securing doors, windows and placing valuables in some of the less obvious places. It’s pretty common for example for thieves to rummage through a woman’s lingerie drawer because that continues to be a place where jewellery and other valuables might be hidden.  Nor is the microwave a safe spot from seasoned thieves. Moyer said the area sees perpetrators knocking on doors then standing away from the home to see if anyone responds. If not, they may try to enter through a rear window by cutting a screen and breaking glass. They seldom stay inside for more than five minutes and won’t enter if they think anyone is at home.

RAVINES

Several speakers addressed the challenges presented not only of Mother Nature but also the many bodies in charge of protecting ravines. These are the Vale of Avoca and Moore Park Ravines so valued by local people but also by City and visiting walkers as well. MPRA president Chris Lowry prefaced the discussion by describing the enormous task played by the Yellow Creek which runs through the Vale of Avoca. Storm water from Downsview and points along the way runs into the creek south of Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.  Other speakers cited the challenges of working with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) as well the City Water Department and planning staff. The process and status of effective action seemed elusive. Resident Lawrence Pick spoke in thoughtful detail about the future of the steps at the west end of Heath. The volume of pedestrian traffic on this pleasant short cut to Yonge Street has defied the City’s concern that the steps may not be stable. It was blocked off when the 2015 shot below was taken. A plan of study goes on to investigate the true status. Also: Landslide drops Rose Park backyards into Yellow Creek

Public continues to use Heath steps

Steps and trails lead to Yonge St.

Police want to find a high-flying biker who was speeding through west central Toronto Tuesday afternoon. He took off when police tied to stop him. He was last seen heading north on Dufferin Street at Alma Avenue north of Queen St. West and south of Dundas West. The driver is believed to be male and was wearing a black helmet with clear visor, a two-tone grey motorcycle jacket with a logo on the back with the words Harley Davidson, grey motorcycle pants, and white running shoes The motorcycle is described as a black sports motorcycle, possibly a Quebec licence plate starting with “15”, which was tucked up under the seat on an angle.