The South Bayview Bulldog

Michael Rusek posted pictures of solemn observances marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at East York Civic Centre on Coxwell Ave.

Last June

Welcome home

Signs to be installed

Residence of A&W

The long-standing arrangement between A&W Canada and Suncor Energy, owners of Petro Canada, has produced a marvel of fast-food accommodation at the northeast corner of Jarvis and Wellesley Sts. soon to open. The full line of A&W burgers and including no doubt the all-day breakfast will be dished up in a new red brick “residence” (our word) complete with cornices no less. It now sits nearly finished on half the Petro Canada lot at the busy corner. It’s a location where a typical A&W plastic and glass one-counter pop-stand apparently would not do. No sir. For the hordes of kids with available cash across the street at Jarvis Collegiate Institute to all-day traffic from business abounding and the late-night drive-by crowd, it will be like eating at home (more or less).

Bombs tore through two Egyptian churches in different cities as worshipers were marking Palm Sunday, killing at least 43 people and wounding around 100. The Euronews report on the left is dated but reveals the moment of the blast in one of the churches in the Nile Delta City of Tanta. On the right, the CNN video shows the bomber trying to get into a second church and being turned away. He then detonates the bomb just off screen.

On a February Saturday about 4 p.m. a man and a woman stole a bank deposit bag containing a large quantity of cash from a vendor at the St. Lawrence Market at Jarvis Street and Front Street East. Police are now releasing surveillance pictures which they hope will lead to arrests. The man is described as 40-50, 180 lbs., black short receding hair, wearing light blue or grey denim jeans, and a black jacket with a fur-trimmed hood. The woman is described as 35-45, brown hair, wearing a black jacket or vest, black shirt or sweater with a white stripe across the chest, pants with a white stripe on the legs, and black boots or shoes.

Police have issued a public safety alert and are looking for two suspects after two attempted carjackings Sunday morning. The first was at Wilson Avenue and Allen Road area where the two showed a gun to a woman motorist before fleeing in a white van. Soon after, the same two tried to carjack another woman at Victoria Park and Ellesmere area by showing a gun and threatening her. But they were scared off and fled in the white van. Police say both incidents happened near coffee shops. The perpetrators have dark complexions, slim builds and are between 20 and 30 years old. One was wearing a grey jacket. The second was wearing a black jacket and red shirt.

STOLEN OXYCODONE

On Friday morning three containers of Oxycodone codeine medication were stolen in the Queen Street East and Carlaw Avenue area. The pills could be harmful/fatal if ingested, especially to children.

WHAT SHOULD WE MAKE OF VIMY?

What should we make of Vimy Ridge a hundred years later? It was a staggeringly costly battle far from home in which more than 3,500 Canadians died and 7.500 were wounded. The sense of duty and raw courage required by those who were there might well make us marvel. Today some 25,000 Canadians will be on the ground to honour the sacrifice and perhaps, try to make sense of it all. Some will visit the graves of great, great relatives.

VIMY AT HOME

Here at home, the history of Vimy is a story all its own. In the early days, widows, orphans and those left alone came to grips with the terrifying bloodshed and loss by finding solace in victory. Empire and the reputed forging of a new identity for Canada were the focus. But the succeeding chasm over conscription divided Canada for decades. Robert Borden, a Toronto lawyer was prime minister. His government imposed mandatory duty on Quebecers. It inspired rioting and resentment that lasted for decades. In the sixties, the father of the current prime minister made it his business to submerge memories of military victories. For years no one, certainly not cabinet ministers, spoke of Vimy.

Connor Brown scored the go-ahead goal with less than three minutes left in regulation as the Leafs clinched their first playoff berth since 2013 with a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. CBC

Former BSS Head Judith Carlisle

In happier times (l-r) Head of School Deryn Lavell, Judith Carlisle and Board of Governors Chair Cindy Tripp ’82

The summer of 2017 will be one of change for Bishop Strachan School as school head Deryn Lavell resigns after eight years and the new head, Judith Carlisle, comes on board. Ms. Carlisle has a distinguished record in the United Kingdom where she has had leadership roles at a number of schools. She is now head of Oxford High School, part of the Girl’s Day School Trust alliance, the largest grouping of private schools for girls in the UK. The news release issued by BSS earlier this year noted Carlisle’s initiative known as “Goodbye Little Miss Perfect,” the goal of which is to teach students to make the distinction between high standards and “unhelpful perfectionism.’’ The Search is Over!  Girl’s Day School Trust 

Friends and fellow members of the Leaside Curling Club will meet Monday, April 10, 2017 to celebrate the life of Mildred (Millie) McConnell who died March 8, 2017. Millie was a founding member of the club. Members of her family will attend the reception in the lounge of the club at 1075 Millwood Rd. from 1 to 3 p.m. The club has posted an invitation to “one and all” to share memories of Millie and extend condolences to her family.

Arabella and Joseph Kushner sang a Chinese song and recited Chinese poems for President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan at Mar-a-Lago Friday. The performance was well received in China where the state news agency Xinhua News said “Trump’s grandson and granddaughter sing traditional Chinese ballad What a Beautiful Jasmine.” Next, in Stockholm, police have detained a man said to be from Uzbekistan for yesterday’s truck attack on shoppers. Then in Cavendish PEI, Lucy Maud Montgomery might find it hard to recognize her childhood home as Green Gables gets a serious re-make. Finally, a diminutive woman is lifting weights with the ease of a much larger person and she loves it.