“Go Big or Go Home” thrills Sutherland area residents

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Exciting urban scene applied to building on Sutherland

The hard hot weather work of painting exciting images on the sides of commercial buildings and garages off Sutherland Drive is called Project Go Big or Go Home. The anti-tagging marathon work has been a two month organizing job for PC Brenda Dolenc of 53 Division and Jodi Callan, head of the City’s “Start Program” as well as the dedicated painters and muralists called Team SpudBomb. Together, their work this week has been thrilling residents and merchants in the area of the lane that runs from Sutherland to Laird Drive north of Eglinton Ave.

48 PAINTERS

As PC Dolenc explained to Jana Pokorna, owner of M&J Jewellers, this lane has been a targeted area by taggers. Dolenc is the Graffiti Liaison Officer for 53 Division and she had heard about it from residents over the past couple of years. “I have in the past painted over the graffiti with high school student volunteers. But it continued to get tagged despite the effort to clean it up,” she explained. Thus was born the Go Big or Go Home graffiti eradication operation now underway.  It involves 48 painters, 700 lbs. of spray paint and 8,000 square feet of murals.  Says Dolenc: “There is a lot of respect for these artists, and as a general rule taggers will not tag over the piece.” The project started on Tuesday with 16 student volunteers priming and prepping for the artists to paint . It will end Sunday.

GREAT SUPPORT

“We have had overwhelming support from all the community, as well the building owners. Stephens (Rentals) has kindly donated all equipment with food donated by Domino’s Pizza and Mt Everest Restaurant for all the artists. Tenants, community members and owners have also kindly come by and generous donated ice, water and snacks. The has been a constant flow of people coming through taking pictures, it has been an amazing project to be a part of,” writes PC Dolenc

Canada beats Zimbabwe 3-1 in bid for soccer finals

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Canada is looking good to win a soccer quarter-finals berth Saturday after a convincing 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe. All three Canadian goals came in the first half. Janine Beckie scored twice and captain Christine Sinclair converted a penalty kick. After defeating Australia in its Olympic opener, Canada’s spotless 2-0-0 record is seems certain to vault them the quarters. Canada Zimbabwe

How to have an elegant wedding without going broke

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There are a lot of good tips here on how to have a terrific wedding without spending thousands. Good wedding planners have to get their egos out of the way before beginning

Rosie MacLennan carries Maple Leaf flag for Canada

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Cars tangle again Saturday at Mt Pleasant and St. Clair

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Globe says the Premier refuses to ban cash-for-access

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Premier Kathleen Wynne has told the Globe and Mail she is “very open” to a conversation about the practice of business and individuals giving money to the Liberal party to have access to the Premier and cabinet members.  But, says the newspaper, she did not say more than that. The Globe calls the answer a refusal to ban cash-for-access fundraising.  A legislative committee is reviewing the Liberals’ campaign finance reform, Bill 201. The proposed law would end corporate and union donations, and reduce contribution limits, but would not ban paying for access.

Three dead in waterfront neighbourhood fire in Hamilton

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 The CBC has identified a mother and her two children as the victms in an overnight fire that ripped through two homes on Niagara Street. They are Victoria Maire, her son Robert and daughter Abigail.  CBC says their deaths prompted an outpouring of grief on social media Saturday. The fire north end of Hamilton was on Niagara Street near the City’s waterfront. Five people including two children were hurt. The house had 11 occupants at the time of the blaze.

$60 million Lotto Max draw comes up with no winner

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There was no winning ticket sold for the $60 million dollar jackpot in Friday night’s Lotto Max draw and the jackpot chances move to Friday, August 12. Eight of the 29 MaxMillions prizes were won and will be shared by 11 ticket holders. Six of those winning tickets were purchased in Ontario, two in Quebec, two in the Prairies and one in British Columbia.

 

Police warn residents of man asking questions about kids

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Police are flagging an incident Thursday between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. when a woman who was walking near Gerrard Street East and Greenwood Avenue area with two young girls was harassed by a man. They say he was asking what are called inappropriate questions about the children. Despite her request for him to stop he persisted with his questions  A bystander who witnessed the incident intervened and the man stopped  The man is described as brown, 45-50, wearing a black T-shirt. He was driving a black older-model mini-van.

Toronto hit by water main ruptures closing down streets

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Just how extreme hot weather plays into water main breaks is not to clear but Toronto had two dandies Friday. The sizeable sinkhole on Sheppard Avenue at Weston Road was the result of a break shortly after midnight. At 4 a.m., a break on Bloor Street West at Westmoreland Avenue closed things down for a while.

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Police, volunteers hard at work in hot Sutherland laneway

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Jana Pokorna, owner of M & J Jewellery at 419 Sutherland Drive has sent pictures of 53 Division Community Response Unit painting sidewalls and garage doors in the laneway behind Eglinton Ave E. As Jana says in her mail, this great idea is bringing colourful walls and designs that make “tagging” practically impossible. Graffiti is a problem, and not easily fixed she adds but “the bright bright colours and the pictures, will be now be bringing smiles to faces of people passing by. I am really excited about this project — what a amazing idea.” We agree.

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Bid to replace 2 homes with 6 townhouses in Bennington

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An application has been made for a variance which would permit construction of six townhouses on the north side of Evergreen Gardens in Bennington Heights on the land that sits between the park and busy Bayview Ave. One of the two homes is No. 32 (below) which is on the northwest corner of Evergreen and Bayview. This short length of Evergreen has long been the less loved end of the street. The park seems to buffer the homes to the west of the park with its walkway out to Moore Ave. through Evergreen Gardens Park.