CP24 weather guy Coulter a client at Bayview clothier

Home prices continue to rise but not as quickly right here

Statistics from the fourth quarter of 2016 suggest that Midtown re-sale home prices are feeling the pressure from buyers looking elsewhere. Prices were up everywhere but less so in the priciest part of the the GTA.  The average price of a home in the City of Toronto in the final months of 2016 was $720,029, which represents a 12.4 per cent increase from the same time period in 2015. CBC

 

Leaside-EY Federation of University Women meet MP

Twins together for first time since adoption in China

Ten-year-old Chinese twin sisters separated by adoption as babies have met for the first time in person this week in a deeply touching moment broadcast live on the ABC program Good Morning America. Both girls — Audrey Doering from Wausau, Wisconsin and Gracie Rainsberry of Richland, Washington — wept tears of joy. They might never have found each other except for the curiosity of Audrey’s mom. Through adoption sources in China she found a photo of them as babies with their foster mother. She realized they were twins. She went to work trying to locate her daughter’s sister and found Gracie in the same country, albeit 1,500 miles away. They’re sameness is remarkable, the more so because ABC arranged to dress them identically for their meeting. Both girls wear glasses naturally.

Rain, fog predicted overnight and into Thursday

Environment Canada has issued a statement warning of 15 to 25 mm of rain tonight into early Thursday. An area of rain is approaching from the central states.  Fog patches are also expected overnight giving local reduced visibilities. Some rain is forecast at times during the day on Thursday, however further amounts should be light. Caution is advised near creeks. Ponding of water may occur on some roads.

Girl reunited with Teddy lost in airport shooting chaos

A Canadian girl, Courtney Gelina, is reunited with bear, lost during the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting. It was a gift from her late grandfather as a child and she and the bear were inseparable before she lost it. Her mom, Kim Lariviere talked to CNN.

Sunnybrook closure may be boon for South Bayview

Now that agreement has been reached between the City and RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) on how to rebuild Sunnybrook Plaza, tenants ranging from the Source to the UPS store are looking at their options. For some, the choice may be to look south to the South Bayview business district where there are lots of empty locations. But as in all things, timing will be critical.

TOWERS 11 AND 16 FLOORS

Yes, the parties have agreed that the towers of Sunnybrook Plaza will go just so high and no further. The deal struck late last year at the Ontario Municipal Board set the height at 11 and 16 floors. But wait, the tenants of Sunnybrook Plaza have leases. And some, including heavy-hitters like Rexall Pharma Plus and Home Hardware, are thought to extend nearly to or beyond 2020. If they are kicked out now, RioCan will pay a pricey penalty.

FINAL APPROVALS MAY WAIT

The lease factor, plus a concern on the part of the Ontario government (Metrolinx) that construction on private developments should not interfere with LRT progress, may delay final approvals for Sunnybrook. In the end, the  closure of the 1951 plaza may be a boost for the South Bayview business district to the south as tenants seek locations near Bayview Ave. and Millwood Rd. Sunnybrook Plaza deal calls for towers 11 and 16 storeys 

Trump denies Russians have compromising information

President-elect, Donald Trump on Wednesday has denied any relations with Russia after U.S. intelligence agencies leaked whispers that the Russians possess compromising information on him. The indignant Trump said: “Are we living in Nazi Germany?” Euronews

MUSLIM GIRLS MUST SWIM WITH BOYS

Another hot topic Wednesday, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has ruled that Swiss Muslim girls must swim with boys. It rejected the appeal of two Swiss citizens, originally from Turkey, who cited their Muslim faith in seeking to keep their two prepubescent daughters out of a mixed, mandatory swimming class. Euronews

Davisville School JK Open House set for February 7

They’re tweeting a big Woo-Hoo from Davisville Public School office Wednesday to herald the forthcoming Junior Kindergarten Open House.  It’s 6.30 to 7.30 February 7, 2017.

Liberal ads: What do you think of Canada’s democracy?

Electoral reform ad – Canada.ca

Ads asking “What do you think of Canada’s democracy” are appearing today on websites like The South Bayview Bulldog. It is part of the Liberal government’s sly back-down from thoroughgoing reform of the venerable first-past-the-post rule (or ranked ballots) promised by Mr. Trudeau during the election campaign. It also permits a quiet bypass of proportional voting, a means by which one-issue parties could get more representation in the House of Commons. Traditionalists tend to reject proportionality somewhat more strongly than they do the idea of ranked ballots. Write to us if you have an informed opinion.

Tory to aim for private garbage pickup in Scarborough

Star writer Betsy Powell says Wednesday that Mayor John Tory will announce that he is recommending private garbage pick up in Scarborough, the City’s collection district 4. The report recommends that collection between Yonge St. and Victoria Park Ave. remain in the hands of City employees, members of the  Canadian Union of Public Employees. Powell says Tory will be backed by a staff report that’s expected to recommend the City focus privatization efforts on District 4 while leaving District 3 (Toronto and East York) including the downtown as it is. Tory will make the announcement in Councillor Stephen Holyday’s Ward 3 in Etobicoke, where a mix of service providers has been collecting garbage since 1995. The City of Toronto is divided into four districts for daytime residential curbside collection. Districts 1 and 2 use private-sector workers, districts 3 and 4 use unionized City workers. In 2015, it cost $19.7 million to haul garbage in District 3 and $14 million in District 4, according to a staff report.

Park Lane Circle mansion in four-alarm fire overnight

A home on Park Lane Circle in Toronto was badly damaged overnight by a 4-alarm fire. The family escape unhurt after calling in the fire. The scene is near Lawrence and Bayview Aves. The Office of the Fire Marshal has been notified due to the damage, which is estimated to be at least $500,000. Firefighters told CBC Toronto that they were, at one point, pumping over 10,000 litres of water every minute through the roof of the home from two trucks and many smaller hoses working at ground level.