The South Bayview Bulldog

There has been a rare Shetland Pony race at Royal Windsor Racecourse to mark Her Majesty’s 90th birthday. The ponies were named after the Queen’s succesful racehorses. Report by Conor McNally.

Leaside Jr Wildcats’ head coach Kim McCullough has been named the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Coach of the Year for her efforts throughout the 2015-2016. The Jr. Wildcats had the best finish ever, finishing sixth in the 20-team league.  The Wildcats improved by 20 points in the standings (from 33 points in 14-15 season to 53 points in the 15-16 season). This was Coach McCullough’s second year as a PWHL coach and with a team that has been in the PWHL for just four years.

NATIONAL TEAM TRY OUTS

Jr. Wildcat alumni Kristin Della Rovere and Maria HInds have been named to Team Canada’s 2016-17 National Women’s U18 team summer strength and conditioning camp. The two are now in Hamilton with other hopefuls for Canada’s National Women’s Program for conditioning camp.

The second weekend in May is time-honoured as the functional start of Spring — planting and nice weather events make us jump to it. The weather looks okay so let’s get out there gang.

SHARON AND BRAM

Saturday will see the opening of the new music garden at June Rowlands (Davisville) Park with a concert at 1 p.m. by the Sharon and Bram. They will remember their departed friend Lois with music from the remarkable career they all shared. Josh Matlow (Ward 22) has shepherded this one and his staff is ready to answer questions at (416) 392-7906

COMPOST DAY

John Burnside (Ward 26) will hold his annual Compost Day Saturday, May 14 at Leaside Memorial Gardens. Compost is going to those who have their own shovel and pail between 9:30 and noon. Arrive early while supplies last to make sure you don’t miss out.

AWESOME SALE

Leaside United Church will hold its Awesome Sale this weekend and as usual it comes in two parts — Friday afternoon from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday morning from 9  to noon. There will be thousands of pre-sorted household items and goodies to buy.  As always, proceeds go the church’s outreach program.

ROSEDALE MAYFAIR

This wonderful Spring Fair will once again fill Rosedale Park from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with music, rides, food and fun for kids. As in recent years, the organizers,, Mooredale House, also plan a Mayfair’s Eve Preview on Friday with rides, food  and a beer hall.  .

And the Leaside Lawn Bowling Club throws open its doors both Friday evening from 7 to 9 p.m.and Saturday from 10 until 2. Website 

STICKNEY AVENUE

The official unveiling of signs to mark the naming of Stickney Ave. will take place at noon on Sunday, May 15 at the corner of Laird Drive and Stickney in the parking lot of Gyro Mazda. The name change honours the late Dave Stickney, a much loved teacher, leader and friend who taught at Leaside High. City re-names Markham to  Stickney Ave. 

It appears from material issued by the City that the board of Leaside Gardens is collaborating with a sign company to install a large digital sign (it will be at a height of 11 metres and contain two sign faces displaying electronic static copy, each with sign face dimensions of 10.67 metres horizontally and 3.05 metres vertically) to make money.  It would have two sides blinking away to the north and south. Otherwise, Leaside Gardens is not hard to find. In any case, there is a meeting to hear from the public on this application to be held at the Gardens on Thursday night May 12, 2016, at 7.30 p.m.

GARDENS LETTER

The board of Leaside Gardens has issued letter to make its case. The old sign is just out of date and the proposed sign would afford the arena and the community many benefits. It gives three reasons why it is propsoing the sign:

1. Increased Revenue: The new Leaside Memorial Community Gardens sign will generate 4x the revenue for the Gardens at no cost to the Gardens or the community. The money generated will significantly impact the financial well-being of the Gardens and be used to off-set our ice costs.
2. Showcase our Community: The sign will have two sides; one dedicated to advertising (this side will be facing the railway tracks) and one side exclusively for community and Gardens events and announcements (this side will be facing North into Leaside). The custom designed 10’x10’ digital sign can be used as a communication tool within our community and as such, the community, user groups at the arena as well as other community organizations will have access to this space, free of charge.
3. Landmark for the Gardens: Currently, the Leaside Memorial Community Gardens does not have an identifying sign on Laird Avenue. The new sign will have the arena name (similar to the sign on the east facing the wall of the arena), identifying the building and making it easy to spot while driving on Laird Avenue.

 

There’s seems to be something fishy with the “contest” to name the dreamed-of park under the Gardiner Expressway. This lovely spot would be built in a time yet to come but Waterfront Toronto held a naming contest anyway. The sudden emergence of one of the multiple choices at the last minute has caused concern that the vote was rigged. CBC readers gave a collective snort of derision to the faux crisis as a silly first-world problem. Another reader cited the honest victory of the name Boaty McBoatface for a new British supply ship and suggested Parky McParkface would fix everything. CBC

Premier Notley tried to be positive today as she toured the badly damaged City of Fort McMurray. She said a total of 2,400 structures have burned — just more than 10 per cent of the city — but major infrastructure like the hospital, municipal buildings and all the schools have been saved. Of the 88,000 people evacuated, more than 40,000 are in Edmonton, 5,000 in Calgary and another 2,000 in Lac La Biche with 25,000 who have registered but haven’t said where they are staying.

Latest on the Fort McMurray fire: 2,400 buildings lost, 25,000 saved https://t.co/5ySn9j7yba #ymmfire

— CTV News (@CTVNews) May 9, 2016

April Luckese of Mississauga has been sentenced to six years in prison for the death of a 14-month-old child who, the court found, had shaken the child in frustration and failed to obtain medical care. Ms.Luckese operated an illegal daycare at the time of the death of Duy-an Nguyen in 2011. The child was found unconscious at Luckese’s daycare died in hospital two days later after suffering a fractured skull. Luckese previously said that she tripped while holding the girl, who then hit her head on a bannister. The Crown argued that Luckese had become frustrated with the child and shook her. During sentencing Monday, Justice Gordon Lemon said he believed that Luckese’s behaviour was “entirely out of character for her.” “I have no doubt that Ms. Luckese is remorseful,” Judge Lemon said. “I have no doubt that Ms. Luckese is a good person who has done a bad thing. I have the utmost sympathy for her and for her family. What has occurred is a tragedy.”

Mayor Tory has declared a need to control the illegal pot dispensaries that are popping up in Toronto like dandelions in the Spring. The consulting firm Canadian cannabis brands says there are 100 stores as of today and there are 21 more moments away from opening. It produced the interactive map above. None of them are legal. Many have rib-tickling names and all offer brain soothing smoking material. Mr. Medicinal, Sticky Stems, Green Wagon, HempClub and who knows what else. They populate streets where they might never have been expected, even if legal. Avenue Road, Mt. Pleasant, Lawrence and the Allen, The Danforth — they are everywhere. Speaking with reporters Monday, Tory said the appearance of marijuana dispensaries with heavy concentrations is some neighbourhoods is like a crisis. “This can’t continue on this basis,” Tory said regarding the budding of the new businesses. City News says Vancouver councillor Kerry Jang is calling on Toronto to adapt his city’s dispensary licensing system. The bylaw, which was approved last June, is about “taking back our storefronts, controlling the situation that saw businesses selling and promoting marijuana sales to kids and stores opening near schools,” Jang says.

The third edition of the City’s Cultural Hotspot program will be launched by Councillor Jon Burnside (Ward 26) and the City’s Arts Advocate, Councillor John Filion (Ward 23) with Hotspot partners on Wednesday, May 11 at 3:30, remarks at 4:30 p.m.  All this to take place at the Aga Khan Museum and Park at 77 Wynford Dr. More information is available at here

The Toronto Life daily newsmail (also known as 12.36) writes Monday of the strange Toronto Star front page on Saturday. Missed it again. But this time it was worth a look for the odd composition of Don Tapscott, described as an “in-house innovator” by 12.36. Who knows. Remember the Star feature that invited readers to pose “semi-nude.”  @1236

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