Yonge and Roxborough News

Bank watchdog keeping eye on housing market, home equity loans

2012-01-31T08:26:00.000-08:00

The Globe and Mail reports that Canada’s banking regulator is stepping up its scrutiny of the housing sector, concerned about speculators in Toronto and Vancouver as well as riskier lending practices.

In a series of documents made public on Monday, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions says existing market analysis does not capture the degree of speculation in the condo markets of the two cities.
The regulator is also concerned about the long-term risks home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) could pose to the banking sector in a downturn.

As a result, OSFI has told the banks it will now monitor on a quarterly basis what steps the lenders are taking to avoid problems in the HELOC market. It also wants to spend more time compiling data on speculators in the real estate market, and the impact they are having on prices.

Link

It's almost there!

2012-01-31T08:21:00.000-08:00

Are we the most regulated neigtbourhood in T.O.? Traffic light on every block! But it looks good.

CNE to split from city of Toronto and become independent fair

2012-01-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

The Canadian National Exhibition has struck a deal with its landlord at Exhibition Place that will make it independent of the City of Toronto.
The operators of the historic 18-day fair say they reached an agreement Friday with the Board of Governors of the city-owned lakefront property.
The deal will see the CNE pay the city higher rent but allow the fair to retain any profits and invest them in future years, CNE President Brian Ashton told The Star in a telephone interview.
Ticket prices will remain the same, Ashton said. As an independent entity, the CNE will be freer to negotiate its own deals with suppliers and become more efficient, he explained.
“If we became more independent, I felt strongly that we’d be much more nimble at how we provide the CNE,” Ashton said.
The deal, which has been approved by the CNE Association and the Board of Governors of Exhibition Place, still has to go to city council March 5 and 6.
If approved, it would become effective April, 2013.

Let there be light!

2012-01-25T12:19:00.001-08:00

Well, traffic light anyway. Looks like they are getting near the end. Wonder whether Mayor Ford will come for the inauguration.

Rob Ford: The Opera has packed crowd roaring with laughter

2012-01-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

The Star's Vinay Menon reviews our homegrown opera:

"Mayor Rob Ford did not attend the world premiere of the opera he inspired.
It’s probably for the best. While it’s safe to assume Ford does not know Puccini’s Madame Butterfly from a Portobello mushroom, he would have understood this production. And as his life story was reimagined inside a packed MacMillan Theatre on Sunday afternoon, there’s a good chance he would have called 911 to demand the immediate arrest of all involved.
Described as a “surrealist fantasy based loosely upon the personality of Toronto’s current and much discussed mayor,” Rob Ford: The Opera is a tragicomic tale about a man who is by turns bumbling, petulant, obtuse, delusional, lonely and ultimately doomed by those he has wronged. . . ."

The review is here:

Roxborough West crumbling

2012-01-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

Big asphalt crumble in front of the Hara Krishna church near Avenue Rd. Has been that way for more than a week. Not sure what the cones are supposed to do. Councillor Wong-Tam anyone? Need a traffic light here more than at the other end. Anyone got a spare couple of million?

Watermain break at Roxborough W.

2012-01-20T11:58:00.001-08:00

Looks like a big job!

More work on the traffic light

2012-01-19T08:40:00.001-08:00

Maybe they will finish by end of February as advertised!

"Rosedale Main Street" on a January night

2012-01-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

It's grungy Yonge Street on a January night. The garbage is piled up on the sidewalks between MacPherson and Roxborough W. The BIA insists it's "Rosedale Main Street." Wonder how Rosedale feels about that? In a modern city we should really find a better way to handle garbage.

$2.7 million trraffic light finally going up

2012-01-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

After weeks of construction inactivity on the corner of Y+R, workmen started to install the $2.7 million traffic light. The jaywalking ladies will no doubt appreciate it but will they wait for the green light?

Winter comes to Y+R!

2012-01-13T06:40:00.001-08:00

It's mid-January. I guess we can't complain. It hasnt slowed down the ticket monster though.

Library board scrambles to cut, as business lobby urges a tax hike

2012-01-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

City councillors on the Toronto Public Library board are pulling out all the stops to cut expenses by $7 million without reducing library hours.
The board has already cut $10 million from its budget but must find a further $7 million to reach the 10 per cent budget reduction sought by Mayor Rob Ford’s administration.
Ford allies on the board have ideas on how to get there, to be aired Thursday morning at a meeting of the executive committee:
Councillor Cesar Palacio wants to eliminate DVDs and magazines to save $1.7 million. Councillor Jaye Robinson would look at boosting revenues by, for example, charging for parking at branches near the subway and selling ads on date-due slips.
Councillor Michele Berardinetti will propose bringing in a consultant to look for efficiencies, using funds already allocated to the city manager’s office for consultants.
But the board’s chair, Ford ally Councillor Paul Ainslie, said the library will still have to cut hours to achieve a further $7 million in savings. He said it wouldn’t be a terrible thing to close branches when usage is low, for example on Monday mornings.
Meanwhile, the leading voice of Toronto business is urging city council to raise property taxes and TTC fares a little more than proposed, arguing the “responsible move” would prevent some damaging service cuts.
The Toronto Board of Trade says hiking property taxes by 3 per cent, rather than Ford’s proposed 2.5 per cent, and TTC fares by 15 cents, rather than 10, would let Toronto remain competitive. “Boosting revenue according to this fair and reasonable framework would easily pay for other recommendations,” the board’s report to council said.

Firkin has gone electric

2012-01-07T07:27:00.001-08:00

The Quail&Firkin sports a brand new illuminated sign showing the menu and daily specials. You have to go inside to check on the beers.

Toronto’s year-end surplus surges to $154 million

2012-01-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

The Star reports that the City of Toronto’s 2011 surplus has surged to $154 million, according to new figures certain to put pressure on councillors to spare threatened services. Numbers released Thursday, ahead of Monday’s committee vote on the proposed 2012 budget, predict the city will actually underspend its 2011 budget by $174 million, but $20 million is being used to fund staff buyouts. A big factor in the rosier picture is the land transfer tax that Ford calls unfair and has vowed to eliminate. The tax raked in $96.5 million more than the expected $220.5 million.(Does anyone at the funny farm on Nathan Phillips Square know whether they are coming or going? And our councillor, Wong-Tam,wants to start a city-owned bank!)

City Council considering $150 parking fines during rush hour

2012-01-04T16:51:00.001-08:00

The public works committee voted 3-2 Wednesday in favour of hiking the fine for motorists, including couriers, who park in bike lanes or on busy streets during rush hour. If approved by council next month, the penalty — up from $40 and $60 depending on the zone — would be among the toughest in North America. Committee members agreed parking enforcement officers, part of the Toronto police service, currently don’t tag enough of the offenders. Some say ticket-issuing targets imposed on officers push them to expired meters and side streets with multiple offenders, rather than single vehicles blocking actual traffic.(Yeah, it's easier to ticket outside Starbucks, fill your quota and go home.)

2015 PanAm games shaping up as an expensive boondogle

2012-01-03T09:58:00.000-08:00

Paul Henderson, the former Olympic sailor who has managed Toronto's failed Olympic bid and the bid for the PanAms, has warned Premier McGuinty that costs for the games are skyrocketing and need to be reined in.“The magnitude of the total taxpayers’ exposure should wake up those involved to the fact that major TO2015 restructuring must be done,” he wrote to the premier.Henderson says the games are already $1.6-billion over budget. The original cost was pegged at $1.4-billion The letter was made public by Sun columnist Joe Warmington, who says "That’s a lot of cash for a two-week party few care about."Henderson, 77, suggested a number of savings, including running the PanAms concurrently with the PanPara games.The chairman of the PanAm games committee is former Ontario Premier David Peterson.

To read the full column:
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/01/02/henderson-letter-outlines-skyrocketing-pan-am-games-costs

LCBO fountain freezes in "extreme cold"

2012-01-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

The extreme cold weather alert issued by the City last night is proving true!This is the fountain outside the Summerhill LCBO. The photog's fingers became numb while shooting this. The thermometer is showing minus 15! It's supposed to warm up tomorrow to -1.

Extreme cold weather alert issued

2012-01-02T11:30:00.001-08:00

The City of Toronto has issued an extreme cold weather alert with temperatures set to plummet starting Monday afternoon.
The temperature in the city is set to drop to -4 C Monday afternoon before plummeting to -16 C Monday night. Tuesday’s forecasted high is -12 C, but the wind chill will make it feel more like -27 C.
Environment Canada has also issued a special weather statement for parts of southern and eastern Ontario warning of heavy flurries, gusty winds and blowing snow.

Mayor Ford talks to Sun columnist from Florida, says 911 Star story "all wrong"

2012-01-01T17:55:00.000-08:00

Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington, (a good reporter in Y+R's view) called the mayor in Florida and was told the account of the 911 call as described in The Star is wrong. Joe obviously has good relations with the mayor and also interviewed brother Doug. While it's not cool in some circles to be calling 911 regarding family quarrels, someone at the police or 911 has it in for the mayor. This episode is shaping up as a very personal matter. While the mayor is not a character who appeals to all (likely to no one at Y+R), he was elected by a significant majority. Such is democracy.

Here is an excerpt from Joe Warmington's column:

“We have had a great couple of days down here,” he (Mayor Ford) said of he and his young children Stephanie and Douglas. “There’s no problem at all.”
His brother Doug, who was with the mayor in Florida and like him, returned home Friday, said “Rob was not drinking as reported. It’s just inaccurate.”
In fact, a source close to the investigation told me that while alcohol was an issue none was consumed by the mayor.
“You think (the Toronto Police) would have let him leave with his children if he had been drinking?” said the source. “No way.”

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/30/ford-says-911-caller-had-story-wrong

Star says Mayor Ford involved in another 911 controversy

2011-12-30T17:24:00.001-08:00

The Toronto Star has published a a story slugged exclusive about a 911 call made from the home of Mayor Ford on Christmas morning. The call was made by the mayor's mother-in law. The Star report suggests the essence of his mother-in-law's complaint was that the mayor was drinking and arguing with his wife. He is said to have decided to take his children to Florida and his wife objected. It is a long story with many sources but there is no material conclusive of anything except an undetermined number of calls to 911, including the call made by the mayor when he was ambushed in his driveway by a CBC comedy program. There is no further mention of drinking. The police are quoted as saying there have been no accusations of physical abuse. The nine-column banner headline says the calls "raise questions". (Courtesy Mostly Media)

Winter comes to Y+R; Enviroment Canada issues icing warning

2011-12-27T17:09:00.001-08:00

Scenic but the snow doesn't seem to be sticking! But that may change. With temperatures plunging, Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Toronto. (see below)

The Environment Canada statement, issued just before 5 p.m.on Tuesday, also includes the City of Hamilton, Halton, Peel, York and Durham. According to Environment Canada. It says these areas are the most likely to experience a mix of wet snow and rain beginning Tuesday afternoon and continuing into Wednesday morning.An Arctic cold front that will cross southern and eastern Ontario Tuesday will bring cold air and temperatures near and below freezing, potentially leaving surfaces like roads and sidewalk slick and hazardous.

Subway delays may continue into Monday

2011-12-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day travellers faced service-wide delays on the subway system for more than five hours Sunday.A glitch in the transit computer system created signal problems, according to the Toronto Transit Commission, which resulted in riders waiting 20 minutes and longer on all three subway lines. “Delays happen, unfortunately. Some are beyond our control but something of this length is quite rare so we’re going to have a really close look,” said spokesman Mike DeToma. The height of the problem was between noon and 5 p.m., he said, noting the cause of the glitch still hadn’t been determined Sunday evening. At one point, trains were turning back early on one subway line and shuttle buses were being used. Overnight, after the subway had shut down, technicians were due to look through the system to find out what happened.

All roads in ORNG and e-health scandals lead to George Smitherman--maybe we got lucky with Rob Ford

2011-12-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

The Star has been running a series of exposes about ORNGE, the province's air ambulance service. Among the disclosures is that its CEO is being paid $1.4 million a year. The paper's Queen's Park columnist Martin Regg Cohn notes that "like the eHealth controversy that has plagued the Liberal government for years, ORNG shares a common lineage with two other thorns in the government’s side — the controversial Green Energy Act and the Samsung deal, both of which attracted the auditor’s eye and opposition ire again this month. What’s the common theme linking all these political minefields — ORNGE, eHealth, Samsung and green energy? All roads lead to an ex-politician named George Smitherman. You remember, Dalton McGuinty’s second-in-command as deputy premier? (He left to run for mayor of Toronto.) It’s not that everything he touched turned to dross — he merely left a mess behind for others to clean up. The gift that keeps on giving. “Furious George,” as Smitherman was quickly dubbed, certainly knew how to kick down doors. He just didn’t know how to seal the cracks and fissures for the inevitable storm fronts."

Here is a link to Regg Cohn's column:

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1106619--cohn-the-political-roots-of-the-ornge-helicopter-debacle

The City and the hot dog vendors

2011-12-23T11:23:00.000-08:00

Friday's National Post contains and editorial that chronicles the City's misguided attempts to get into the fast food business. Pegged to a suit launched by two hot dog sellers outside Union Station, it also gives an account of the disastrous "A La Cart" program.

Excerpts: "Lucas and Joanna Catsiliras, who immigrated to Canada in the 1960s, have operated two separate (but adjacent) hot dog vending carts outside Toronto's Union Station, the central terminal of the city's mass transit system. Union Station is currently undergoing a major renovation, and the couple (as well as the operators of four other hot dog carts) were told that they would need to relocate during the construction. But, as reported by local media, they have now discovered that the city never intended to let them back at all.. . .

"The fate of a few hot dog carts may not seem like big news. But it speaks to the arrogance of a Toronto government that has made the selling of street food a bizarrely controversial issue. . . The elimination of hot dog carts from Union Station is not the first attempt by the city to force more upscale food onto Toronto residents. In 2007, a change to provincial regulations made it legal to sell a wide variety of foods on the streets, beyond the traditional hot dogs and sausages. Rather than simply issuing licences and enforcing safety codes, Toronto embarked on a bizarre project known as "A La Cart," which came to perfectly encapsulate the worst of government meddling in the marketplace. . . ."

Full story:
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/This+Nikita+Khrushchev+sold+dogs/5902360/story.html

Traffic light construction to go on until Feb. 29, 2012

2011-12-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

A new construction notice that does not appear to be online yet says the traffic light installation will go on until Feb. 29, 2012 Obviously, the mother of all traffic lights. We wonder whether the $2.7 million budget will cover it. Anyone say the City is broke? Rob Ford?

Movie shot at Y+R opens in Switzerland

2011-12-18T21:08:00.000-08:00

"The Rendezvous," a movie shot a couple of years ago in Toronto by the Swiss-based writer-director Curt Truninger and producer Margrit Ritzman, is being released in Switerland with German subtitles. Here is a promo video. The first scene shows the Caffe Doria.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oRVv59GkIDo

TTC tokens will go up to $2.60 on New Year’s Day

2011-12-15T12:50:00.001-08:00

TTC fares will go up by 10 cents on New Year’s Day, but it remains Toronto City Council’s call as to whether the commission will move forward with controversial plans to dramatically cut back its service.
Cash fares will remain stable at $3 for adults and $2 for students and seniors, but tokens will increase from $2.50 to $2.60, and Metropasses will increase by $5 per month.
The commission also agreed in principle to usher in 10 cent increases in 2013, 2014 and 2015. “We need to bring in some predictability … and get out of this annual cycle of how we are going to make ends meet,” said TTC chair Karen Stintz.

No sign of the traffic light

2011-12-14T07:47:00.001-08:00

Only the lonely base can be seen on the corner where the traffic light is to go. It's been three weeks since there was any construction activity. Good thing it's not snowing.

Rob Ford's cavalry

2011-12-09T12:39:00.001-08:00

The horse seems to be expressing what it thinks of the taxpayers!

Terroni's Bar Centrale now going full blast

2011-12-09T07:00:00.001-08:00

The recently-opened upstairs is said to be spectacular. Y+R News is awaiting a review.

Working but not on the traffic light

2011-12-07T17:30:00.001-08:00

These guys are busy on Yonge Street just south of Roxborough. They are fixing the manhole covers that give off electric shocks. The City issued warnings about that a while back. Now it's being fixed. The traffic light? Not in sight. Maybe Rob Ford will come uptown and help direct traffic at the corner.

Vital supplies being unloaded at the Firkin

2011-12-05T07:22:00.001-08:00

They won't run out of Guiness

Fashion week at the Caffe Doria

2011-12-03T07:25:00.001-08:00

Caffe Doria owner Rosa Agostino, no fashion slouch herself, holds up a copy of Jeanne Beker’s “Finding Myself in Fashion”, presented to her by the AGO’s Maia Sutnik, a café regular. The book has a dedication from Beker, who frequents the café as well.

Toronto Star taking mayor Ford's shutout to City's integrity commissioner

2011-12-01T11:20:00.001-08:00

The Toronto Star will file an official complaint to the city’s integrity commissioner about Rob Ford’s directive that excludes the paper from official releases and announcements, John Honderich, chair of the Star’s parent company, Torstar, announced. During Ford’s mayoral campaign last year, the paper ran a story about his conduct as a football coach that led to him leaving his position from a team in 2001. Ford alleges the story is untrue, and called it a political attack on his campaign. He imposed a freeze on issuing official releases to the Star after his election, and says the freeze will not be lifted until he gets a front-page, above-the-fold apology. Councillor Adam Vaughan's motion for "free press and democracy" was recently shot down by Ford's allies, though Vaughan says the motion that would have prohibited city officials from excluding specific jounalists or outlets was not specific to the Star. Vaughan spent over 20 years as a political reporter before running for council in 2006. “Mayor Ford has no obligation to speak to or be interviewed by the Star. That is entirely his choice. However, when it comes to public press releases and public notifications from his office as mayor of all the people, that is another matter,” Honderich said in a statement featured on the Star’s homepage. “That directly affects our ability to cover city hall and serve our readers.”

Honderich's statement is here:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1095141--why-we-plan-to-fight-ford-s-star-boycott?bn=1

Christmas time at Caffe Doria

2011-12-01T06:28:00.001-08:00

Rosa Agostino, the owner of Caffe Doria, officially inaugurated the season with the hanging of snowflakes in the window.

School kilts: Confessions of an "old girl"

2011-11-29T13:11:00.001-08:00

The recent concern about school kilts has prompted a St Clement's (private) School old girl to observe that the nerve-wracking business of just where the girls should have their hemline has been around since the time of that great Ontario educator Egerton Ryerson. She confesses without embarrassment that she and her friends all hiked up the hems purely to tantalize the boys. It was not the kilt, but the one-piece tunic, that seemed to inspire the most hussy-like behavior she reports. "You would fluff up the top of the tunic above the belt and as you did, the skirt got shorter and shorter." And she suspects that those present-day kilt wearing undergrads who say innocently "But, I like the kilt" have something similar in mind. What can you do? We suppose asking the boys to wear kilts, while not unmanly, is definitely out of the question. It seems for sure that the girls don't want to wear the trousers, except figuratively, of course.(Story courtesy the South Bayview Bulldog)

The Star pries loose report that says Toronto Fire response times not up to scratch

2011-11-29T12:33:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, the Toronto Star published a story about a secret report that reveals the Toronto fire department trails the North American standard by two minutes. Reacting to the story, Toronto’s fire chief acknowledged on Tuesday taht his department has work to do to stop wasting precious minutes getting crews out the door after a 911 call.“This fire service does not meet the standard, we know that,” Bill Stewart told The Star. He said among the biggest problems is a lack of fire halls across the city. There are 82 fire halls in Toronto, only two more than when the city amalgamated, Stewart said. An increasingly dense and congested city means it takes longer to get to calls, he said. More fire halls will make it easier to reach pockets in the city that currently don’t have a nearby station, he added. However, the report found the only part of the dispatch process that closely approaches the standard is the race by firefighters along our busy streets.

The full story is here:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1093926

World time now available at Caffe Doria!

2011-11-27T18:06:00.001-08:00

All tine zones, from Tokyo to New York to Toronto and Rome, are covered by the new clocks at the Caffe Doria. Best check them against the time shown on your computer or handheld though! Nevertheless, they give the place an international flavour.

Tree successfully lit at Yonge and Summerhill!

2011-11-26T15:08:00.001-08:00

An afternoon of festivities and shows up and down Yonge Street ended with the ligting of the Christmas tree -- part of the City's Cavalcade of Lights celebration. Lots of activities for kids and some food sampling provided by restaurants up and down Yonge Street. Lots of people turned out. BIA, take a bow!

Sign of life at the traffic light site

2011-11-25T07:24:00.001-08:00

After more than a week of inactivity, these guys seem to be laying cable on Roxborough East for the much anticipated traffic light. The site has been idle for more than a week. Will there be an opening ceremony once it;s installed? Anyone want to ask our esteemed Councillor, Kristyn Wong-Tam?

All quiet on the traffic light front

2011-11-23T07:30:00.001-08:00

The sidewalks at Y+R look all finished. There has been no activity for more than a week. No sign of the traffic light construction. Maybe they are waiting for this guy to issue enough parking tickets to pay for it. :))

Protesters must leave park, judge rules

2011-11-21T07:08:00.001-08:00

A judge has ruled that Occupy Toronto protesters must end their five-week long encampment at a downtown park.Superior Court Justice David Brown’s ruling, issued just after 9 a.m. on Monday, upholds eviction notices issued last week by city bylaw officers to protesters who have been camping at St. James Park since Oct. 15. (cbc.ca)

Big tree removal job on Molson St.

2011-11-21T07:02:00.001-08:00

A big tree is being removed from behind a house on Macpherson Ave. The crane is parked on Molson. Sort of like scratching your left ear with your right hand.

Looking for a whimsical present?

2011-11-18T12:40:00.001-08:00

In the window at Jackson Falk. But you first have to figure out when they are open :))

Eastcliff Farms NOT coming to the neighbourhood this year

2011-11-13T18:24:00.001-08:00

Eastcliff Farm, the purveyors of lovely Christmas decorations, let us know that they will NOT be at 3MacPherson Ave., the summer site of the My Favourite Ice Cream Shop this year. But they will be filling custom orders from the farm. This year's gift ideas include handmadelavender masks, monogrammed wreaths, as well as their famous sugarplums. Their website is here:
http://www.eastclifffarm.ca/
They will also be at the Nutcracker Sweet Fair at Casa Loma from Nov. 17 to19.
Their phone is:519.327.8518 or 519.327.8928e-mail: info@eastclifffarm.caThe photo is from last year's display.

Break-in at Starbucks!

2011-11-13T08:01:00.001-08:00

Someone smashed the front door at Starbucks overnight and whirled around in the store. No damage -- other than the glass missing from the front door -- was evident by mid-morning.

Major reno on Roxborough West

2011-11-10T07:14:00.000-08:00

All quiet on the construction front

2011-11-10T07:10:00.000-08:00

They finished the sidewalks but no sign of traffic light installation. It's been idle for more than a week. Hope they do it before the snow comes.

Indigo sells Kobo in US$315 million deal

2011-11-09T07:40:00.001-08:00

The e-reader company founded by Indigo Books & Music Inc. will be sold to a Japanese electronic commerce company for US$315 million. Canada’s biggest book retailer said that Tokyo-based Rakuten Inc. will buy all of Kobo Inc., an announcement that came just minutes before the book chain reported a second-quarter loss of $40 million.
Indigo owns 51 per cent of Kobo and expects to receive between US$140 million to US$150 million from the sale.

There is no doubt that e-reading is spreading. See photo from this year's Word on the Street festival.

Esi Edugyan wins $50,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize

2011-11-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

Author Esi Edugyan won the $50,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize on Tuesday night for her celebrated second novel "Half-Blood Blues." "Half-Blood Blues" is about a group of black jazz musicians trying to survive in Nazi occupied Europe. It's been a muchh feted title, landing on the short lists for the Man Booker Prize and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. It's also in contention for a Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction, to be announced Nov. 15.
Edugyan, 33, lives in Victoria, B.C. and is the daughter of immigrants from Ghana.

The Giller prize web page is here:
http://www.scotiabankgillerprize.ca/
It includes brief excerpts from the nominated books.

The prize was founded in 1994 by Y and R resident Jack Rabinovitch in memory of his wife, the late Doris Giller, a literary journalist.

Unbelievable weather!

2011-11-07T07:38:00.001-08:00

The Doria patio, November 7, 2011! Looks like it will fill up for lunch.

Million dollar fix needed for Pottery Road!

2011-11-06T11:59:00.000-08:00

An additional sum of almost $1 million will be required to make repairs to Pottery Road. Some $924,000 is needed to cover the reconstruction of a retaining wall (see photos) which was apparently built too low. This resulted in instability in the earth wall of the ravine. The stretch of road that connects Bayview and Broadview avenues has been closed since May 24 to make improvements, including a bicycle lane. Back then, the city said the closure would end Sept. 5, but the road is still closed. The City now says it will be open by November 30.

Putti at night

2011-11-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

An elegant display as usual

Construction continued into the evening

2011-11-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

This was taken around 7 p.m. Looks like a major job just install a traffic light. Did someone say the City was broke?

Construction continues, tying up traffic but the end may be near

2011-11-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

All clear looking south on Yonge..

But the cars trying to get by are piling up.

Ready for Halloween

2011-10-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

On Macpherson . .

Cleaning a barbecue on Roxborough W

2011-10-31T07:05:00.000-07:00

How Third World!

Buses on Yonge

2011-10-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

While the subway is shut down for maintenance, buses are whizzing up Yonge Street between Bloor and Eglinton. Looks kinda neat at least on the weekend. Would hate to see buses navigate Yonge during the week.

Traffic light installation begins

2011-10-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Paving all done on Roxborough East. Just the electric stuff remains.

Real estate agents' monopoly being cracked

2011-10-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

Real estate information that was once almost impossible to get without the help of an agent is now available online, in yet another sign that the business of selling homes is rapidly changing. Carefully guarded data on home appraisal values – once the private preserve of real-estate industry insiders - has been posted by a listings website backed by Rogers Communications Inc., which has tapped private databases to give people an instant estimate of a property’s value.

The move is significant for buyers and sellers from coast to coast because it is another step in weakening the position of real estate agents, who have long used their privileged access to data about local housing markets as a tool for getting customers – and for justifying commissions that usually cost about 5 per cent of the value of a home. Last year, the federal Competition Commissioner Melanie Aitken loosened the grip of property agents on home sellers by taking on a case against the Canadian Real Estate Association, arguing that restrictive rules for using the Multiple Listing Service, through which most homes in Canada are sold, were anti-competitive. Now, http://www.zoocasa.com/en/ has partnered with property valuation company Centract Settlement Services to make local market information available to anyone with a Web connection. By entering any address in the country and providing a few additional details, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in a house, a user can get an instant price estimate. It can give them a better idea of what their own house is worth - or something to gossip about around the dinner table as they discuss the net worth of friends, family members and neighbours.

Click on the title to read the entire story.

Working the north side of Roxborough

2011-10-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

More holes for the traffic light mechanism. Good progress being made.

Back at work on the traffic light

2011-10-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

The heavy machinery was back Tuesday, digging a hole for the inner workings of the traffic light.

We're getting private garbage collection, starting next August

2011-10-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

Starting next August, a private company will be collecting household garbage from 165,000 homes west of Yonge St. to the Humber River and from Lake Ontario to Steeles Ave. The campaign promise of Mayor Rob Ford was fulfilled when city council voted 26-16 Monday to award the job to GFL Environmental East Corporation, of Pickering.
The company, which collects garbage in Hamilton and Oshawa-Whitby, beat out other competitors by offering to do the work for seven years at a $78.4 million saving, or about $11.2 million a year less than unionized city workers. Some 30 temporary workers will be let go and about 210 permanent staff will be redeployed to other jobs in the city’s solid waste division. Council wasn’t told how many workers GFL will utilize but city officials revealed the company intends to operate 77 trucks, 30 fewer than the 107 the city now uses in that area.

City loses ‘slip and fall’ appeal

2011-10-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

The Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a lower court ruling making the City of Toronto liable for injuries suffered by a woman who fell and broke her wrist while walking through an icy laneway that had not been plowed.
The city’s 11-year legal battle to avoid removing ice and snow from busy laneways has so far cost about $300,000 but this decision may cost taxpayers millions more. The city has fought, and lost, at every court level, except the Supreme Court.
The case involves Vier Guy, a nurse who fell and fractured her wrist in March 1999, while walking in a laneway adjacent to the Greenwood subway station.
Guy slipped and fell on a thick accumulation of ice that was concealed by snow.
Unless the city takes the fight to the Supreme Court of Canada the decision means Toronto, and other municipalities across Ontario “must now take steps to ensure busy laneways and walkways are maintained safe for pedestrians and are free of ice and snow,” or face similar lawsuits, says Guy’s lawyer, Alan Preyra.

Click on the title to read the entire story in The Star.

City considering licensing bicycles

2011-10-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

The Sun reports that the Toronto Police Services Board briefly talked about licensing cyclists Thursday. Councillor Frances Nunziata raised the issue after Chief Bill Blair presented a report on the enforcement of cycling infractions in the city. The York South-Weston councillor wants the city to look at licensing cyclists.
Blair said licensing motor vehicles is “very useful” and licensing cyclists would have some positive aspects.
“One of the more positive aspects is it does create some accountability for the owner of the bicycle that could assist us in enforcement,” he told the board.
He added licensing would help ensure stolen bicycles could be returned to the rightful owner.
The board also discussed the hodgepodge of bylaws within the city when it comes to bikes, particularly cycling on the sidewalk.
Blair acknowledged sidewalk cyclists are a big complaint police hear about.
Board members voted to ask city council to look at creating a comprehensive bike policy for the whole city.

The photo shows a rare sight: Police ticketing a boker at Yonge and Dundas.

Paving finished at Y+R

2011-10-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Workers removed some of the barriers at the corner as the paving seems to be finished. No sign of the traffic light, likely waiting for the weather to improve. It looks good and they finished quickly but the question remains: Was this needed when the City is allegedly broke?

Our councillor wants to start a bank!!!

2011-10-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

Ward 27 councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and Toronto-based independent writer Stephen James Kerr have drafted a proposal they believe could help with the city’s budget shortfall and future financial health. They explain their proposal for a City-run Bank of Toronto.
Read all about it!
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/10/17/kristyn-wong-tam-and-stephen-james-kerr-toronto-should-start-a-bank/

Great idea Kristyn! We could turn the parking wardens into bank security guards and the engineer who supervised the construction on the Pottery Road renewal could run the bank.
Get real! Who elected this woman?

RIM scrambles to end global BlackBerry outage

2011-10-12T18:47:00.001-07:00

Patrons of the cafes at Y+R will be happy to know that Research in Motion is working frantically to end a three-day global service disruption that has frustrated millions of its Blackberry customers and pumped up pressure on its management to make sweeping changes. The company, in a conference call on Wednesday, vowed to eventually deliver all delayed email and instant messages to customers in five continents affected by the outage. It later told some of its corporate clients that it may not clear the huge backlog of messages until Thursday morning on the U.S. East Coast.The outage - and RIM's sluggish communications with its customers - have fanned rising dissatisfaction with its co-chief executives, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.

Hallowe'en goes to the dogs! (Or do the dogs go to Hallowe'en?)

2011-10-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

Work on the Y+R corner traffic light resumes

2011-10-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

Good progress appears to be being made. The City has not publicized the end date.

Quiet about to be shattered again at Y+R

2011-10-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

The long weekend was a quiet period on the corner as the workmen put down their tools. But come Monday, enjoying the Caffe Doria patio will again be a challenge. On a positive note, the crews seem to be making good progress. But one still has to wonder why this is being done when the City is allegedly broke. Who sets priorities?

Globe's resto critic raps Terroni on the knuckles

2011-10-09T07:45:00.000-07:00

The review by veteran critic Joanne Kates was headlined:
"Bar Centrale: A weak link in the Terroni chain"
Unusual for her, she also reviewed the clientelle:
"Perhaps never before have so many $200 haircuts been in such close proximity – and so available for viewing by anyone who can buy a plate of pasta for ten bucks. To look at these gals, there’s no such thing as an errant curl. As for their swains, khaki has never been cut so well."

She knocked the service and the overuse of salt in some dishes:
"We ask for a taste of an expensive wine before buying a glass. But no, they don’t do that. We ask what’s in a dish. “I’m really busy,” responds the server, so no, they don’t want to do that either."

But she could not quarrel with success:
"For now, it’s Rosedale’s neighbourhood resto. It’s amazing how tutored taste buds can lower their bar when it’s both convenient and uber-cool. Nothing at Bar Centrale tastes bad and it all sounds great. Who wouldn’t want Italian comfort food?"

Click on the title to read the whole entertaining review.

Are the parking wardens related to Somali pirates?

2011-10-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

This car has a rear wheel on the curb on Roxborough West. It has a valid 5H area parking permit. All seems legal.

But hey, the one wheel on the curb is "parking on a boulevard!" That is a $55 offense!

It appears this warden didn't get the memo that David Miller's war on the car is over. Time for a revolt against this?

Three traits make Amazon's new Kindle stand out

2011-09-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

PC World writes that the Kindle Fire tablet, announced by Amazon.com this week, has three traits that make it competitive in a crowded tablet market: a low $199 price, a fast browser called Amazon Silk, and access to an abundant ecosystem of movies, music, apps, and books. The Fire, with its 7-in. color touch screen at 1024 x 600 resolution, is lightweight at 14.6 ounces and functions over Wi-Fi only. Most will try to compare the Fire with the Apple iPad 2, the 9.7-in. tablet on Wi-Fi with a price tag that starts at $499. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said that Amazon is offering "premium products at non-premium prices."
To view Amazon's new Kindles, click here:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/240752/meet_amazons_four_new_kindles.html

Another sign that e-readers are making inroads: This photo is from Sunday's Word on the Street, the giant book show and readings held at Queen's Park last Sunday.

Pundits give Horwath the debate Oscar

2011-09-27T07:56:00.001-07:00

An early scan of pundits and commentators gives NDP leader Andrea Horwath the best marks for performance in Tuesday night's debate. (That's for performance, not content!) Some said McGuinty was too defensive and used too many numbers and some praised Hudak for his performance although he does not seem to have triggered a "Hudak mania." Y+R's view is that McGuinty didn't do badly but Horwath clearly has a TV persona to be reckoned with. Hudak didn't stumble but neither did he inspire. It will be interesting to see what the pollsters say.

The election is on Thursday, October 6.

Starbucks campaigning?

2011-09-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

An S'bux staffer was out this morning offering carrot cake to passersby. Can't be to drum up business. The place always has a lineup. Maybe just some community relations. Anyway, the cake was good.

Things you learn at the book fair

2011-09-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

Y+R went to Word on the Street. This gent is the editor of Sharp magazine. Check him out in case you need to know what to wear at Y+R in order to be stylish.

Pottery Road to remain closed indefinitely because of problems

2011-09-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Star's "Fixer," Jack Lakey reports: Pottery Rd. will remain closed indefinitely because of concerns over the stability of the hillside next to the road.
The steeply graded street has been shut down all summer for reconstruction, eliminating the only connection between Broadview and Bayview Aves., which is heavily travelled during rush hours.
Work began last spring to rebuild the crater-filled street — a candidate for the roughest road in the city — with signs posted at the top and bottom that said it would reopen Sept. 5, which we reported early in June.

STATUS: Maurizio Barbon, area manager of construction and design for the city’s technical services department, said a higher part of the hillside became unstable after the lower section was excavated. The road was moved slightly to the north and into the side of the hill, to create a wider path for cyclists on the south side, Barbon said. The excavated area was covered by a retaining wall which has been completed, but officials have since discovered instability in the hill above it. The higher part must be reinforced, but they’re still trying to figure out how to do it without compromising the wall below, Barbon said. The project is almost done, except for a top coat of asphalt that won’t go on until work on the hill is completed, to keep it from being damaged by heavy equipment. Pottery will remain closed for now, he said, adding that no date has been set to reopen it.
Y+R says:
Not surprising from the Looney Bin, known as City Hall and its construction people. Who is in charge? Obviously not Rob Ford and neither was David Miller. Maybe time for a military dictatorship!

Dogs in Canada magazine going to the dogs after 122 years of publishing

2011-09-21T08:14:00.001-07:00

Dogs in Canada, Canada's oldest continually published monthly magazine, has announced plans to close. Featuring articles and columns on breeding, canine nutrition and the "lighter side" of dog ownership, the Toronto-based magazine started out as a newsletter for the Canadian Kennel Club before ultimately hitting newsstands as a general-interest pet magazine. Despite being billed as Canada's top-selling pet magazine, publishers announced Sunday that Dogs in Canada has "no reasonable expectation of profit." The magazine's last issue will be issued in December. Founded only 22 years after Confederation, Dogs in Canada has run for 122 straight years; 16 years longer than Maclean's. In a Tuesday news release, the Canadian Kennel Club said the decision to fold Dogs in Canada was "solely financial" and that it will continue to run the magazine's content on its website.

Peter Kuitenbrouwer: Overzealous bylaw officers a good place to cut costs

2011-09-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

The City of Toronto threw the book at an Etobicoke woman for not having a hand rail on the back porch of an empty one-storey bungalow she owned, with five inspections by a bylaw officer (for which they billed the homeowner $60 for each of four visits) charges in court, and “failure” to tell her how to make her porch comply with the rules, the city’s Ombudsman said in a report released Tuesday.
“This failure went right up the chain of command,” writes Fiona Crean, the City Ombudsman, in a scathing 34-page report titled “No Way to Comply.”
At one point, the building official told the woman, whom the report calls, “Mrs. A”, to apply the code’s Section 629-19C(4)(a), which states that “openings through any guard … shall be of a size that will prevent the passage of a spherical object having a diametre of 100 millimetres.” (The applicable section was 19E, Ms. Crean adds.)
After a 19-month ordeal in 2009-2010, the Etobicoke woman pled guilty in court to violations, even though the city, in charging her, had relied on an out-of-date version of the Municipal Code.
Ms. Crean said Tuesday in an interview from Vancouver, where she is attending a conference, that the city is now reimbursing the bungalow owner for the inspections and her fine, and drafting an apology.

Election could be won or lost in Toronto: Toronto Sun

2011-09-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

The Sun's Ian Robertson writes:
Ontario’s three top party leaders had good reason to swarm the provincial capital in the first two weeks of campaign leading to the Oct. 6 election. With the Liberals holding 18 of the city’s 22 ridings, the Progressive Conservatives desperately need victories in Toronto.The Liberals, naturally, want to hold their traditional support base, while the NDP — which holds the other four Toronto seats — sees the city as a zone for growth.
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/17/election-could-be-won-or-lost-in-toronto

Councillor tables motion to prohibit mayor from excluding Toronto Star

2011-09-17T09:42:00.001-07:00

Councillor Adam Vaughan, (pictured) a former TV journalist and a vocal critic of mayor Rob Ford, has tabled a motion that would forbid the mayor and his staff from discriminating against the Toronto Star. Ford and his press secretary have responded to the Star’s questions only on rare occasions since the paper published an article in July 2010 about a confrontation between Ford and a high school football player he was coaching. Ford says the article was false, and he seeks a front-page apology.
His office does not send the Star its news releases. Last Friday, his policy chief excluded the Star from a briefing on arts cuts to which every other major member of the City Hall press gallery was invited.
Vaughan's “Free Press and Democracy” motion, seconded by centrist Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon, would prohibit city employees and politicians from excluding any specific journalist or news outlet from any “media conference,” “media event” or news release. The motion does not explicitly mention the Star, and it does not seek compel Ford to respond to Star inquiries.
“Individual relationships, talking to journalists one-on-one, public officials can choose who they want to talk to,” Vaughan said. “But when you speak to the city through the press gallery, all members must be treated equally."

Rosedelians host provincial candidates debate

2011-09-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

A number of Rosedale ratepayers associations hosted a provincial election candidates debate Friday night at Rosedale United Church. The event had a very Rosedelian flavour. A number of questions dealt with the ownership of Mount Pleasant Cemetery that seems to be an ongoing hobbyhorse of a number of people. The current MPP Glen Murray has obviously been involved and had a few exchanges with questioners. Cathy Crowe, the NDP candidate, was ill and could not attend. Her campaign manager made a brief statement on the party's behalf.

From left: Martin Abell, PC; Mark Daye, Greens;Glen Murray, Liberal, and Cathy Crowe's campaign manager.

The debate was hosted by: Moore Park Residents’ Association, North Rosedale Ratepayers’ Association, South Rosedale Ratepayers’ Association, Summerhill Ratepayers' Association, Governor's Bridge Ratepayer's Association. All are in the Toronto Centre riding.

The election is on October 6.

What is this man holding?

2011-09-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

Below is an ad for ecco.canada, a Danish shoe and sports chain, that just went up at subway stations. What is the man holding? How many of the younger customers will identify it as an Olivetti portable typewriter? Curious choice for an ad in the age of iPhones. Maybe the MadMen influence?

They are back!

2011-09-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

It's Monday and construction has resumed at Y+R, accompanied by much noise. This is a Hydro excavation and it's not clear how it first in with the traffic light construction. The rent-a-cop is back too. Looks like a week of noise and grime at Y+R.

Y+R watched the Blue Jays win over Baltimore at the Rogers Centre

2011-09-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

Y+R ventured to the Rogers Centre and watched the Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 on a beautiful sunny day that saw the stadium roof open. The game was fairly boring at the start until Adam Loewen hit his first major league home run.(see photo)That invigorated the Toronto team and pace of the game picked up, giving Toronto the tight win.

A bit of car nostalgia in the neighbourhood

2011-09-11T05:41:00.000-07:00

A Studebaker! Chap visting on Roxborough West and Molson drives this one. Always a handsome car. Too bad the marque went under. Looks good even today.

Maybe they will find oil and bail out the City!

2011-09-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

The heavy stuff has moved into Y+R. All for one little traffic light when the City is broke. The noise is overwhelming. BTW: No cop in sight today. Must have got a higher paying gig.

Ont. election campaign kicks off today

2011-09-07T04:23:00.000-07:00

Get ready for a forest of lawn signs.
in Toronto Centre Rosedale, Liberal Glen Murray is running for re-election, the PCs have put up Martin Abel and the NDP candidate is Cathy Crowe, the street nurse who placed a fairly distant second the last time.
Recent polls suggest Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak has a slight edge over the Liberals, but another survey released earlier this week suggests the campaign will be a tight, three-way race.
The election is on October 6.

Rogers closing video rental at Y+R; will become a wireless and cable location

2011-09-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

Reader Jay reports:
"Just wanted to let you know that Rogers does not rent videos any more at this location. They are making it into a wireless and cable service location. The videos on the shelves are all for sale. Nearest location for video rental now Yonge and Davisville."
That is the Rogers in the little mall next to Starbucks and Tae Kwan Do.
Thanks, Jay.

Ontario’s televised provincial election debate set for Sept. 27

2011-09-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

The leaders of Ontario’s three largest political parties will duke it out on television from 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 27, on TV Ontario. The debate is being organized by the Ontario TV Debate Consortium, made up of broadcasters CBC, CTV, Global, Sun News Network and TV Ontario. Consortium spokesperson Jeff Keay said there is no word yet on venue, location or format. “All I can tell you officially is to expect more announcements shortly,” he said. The debate will feature Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.

Lloyd Robertson rides off into the sunset: The end of an era in TV news

2011-09-01T16:12:00.001-07:00

With all the media types living in the Yonge and Roxborough area, Y+R News thought it should mark this historic event despite the fact that Lloyd is not likely to join the club at the Caffe Doria. He lives in the burbs. But we do see Patrick Watson occasionally and, of course, Fred Langan, Clark Johnson and many others from the media world.(Story and pix courtesy the Mostly Media blog.)

The remarkable career of LLoyd Robertson is at a turning point. Knowing Lloyd, there will no doubt be much more to do. But his final CTV National News as resident anchor will begin at 11 p.m. local time tonight His replacement, Lisa Laflamme will take over as permanent anchor. It's been a long road from small town radio reporter (in Stratford) to a respected authority on the affairs of the world. Some important turning points in his career include the day he caught on with the CBC (above left, he is said to be eating a lunch of bread and jelly at the mike in Winnipeg) and the decision to hire him at CTV News as Harvey Kirck's career neared an end.

Drive Clean requirements eased by the province

2011-09-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

Thousands of drivers in Ontario will be spared Drive Clean emissions tests as changes to the controversial program take effect today.

New vehicles will only need to be tested for registration renewal at seven years of age or older, not the previous five. The changes also nix tests for vehicles being transferred between family members, vehicles coming off lease and being purchased by the person who was leasing the vehicle, as well as any vehicle having its registration renewed after passing a test in the previous year.Plus, all vehicles that are plated “historic”, such as classic cars like the Model T, will no longer require testing.

Our councillor upset about Toronto not bidding for the Olympics

2011-08-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam is demanding answers on why Mayor Rob Ford turned down a bid for the 2020 Olympic bid. In a letter to Mayor Rob Ford, Wong-Tam advises Ford she’ll be asking city staff for all information available about the decision — made without city council’s input — not to bid for the Olympics.
“I cannot hide my disappointment that on the day before the deadline to express interest to the International Olympic Committee, 43 other members of council were not privy to any details of the proposal,” she wrote. “In fact, I believe that you and Councillor Doug Ford disrespected our roles as elected representatives when you made a decision by fiat without council consideration.”
The Ward 27, Toronto Centre-Rosedale councillor said city council should have at least had the conversation about what an Olympic bid would entail and the possible benefits for the city.
“Toronto is the only major city in Canada now that has not hosted the Olympics,” Wong-Tam told the Toronto Sun.

Y+R thinks she is out to lunch. The last thing Toronto needs is the Olympics. Montreal is still paying for theirs.

"Fashion Police" in a Mercedes Benz

2011-08-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

This publicity gimmick -- a Mercedes Benz "police car" is being used to promote fashion events in Chicago, New York and Miami. We need them at Y+R to make sure everyone is turned out like the ladies at Gee Beauty (just kidding!)

Courtesy the South Bayview Bulldog,

Swanky car on Roxborough West

2011-08-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

No emblems on this nicely restored convertible. Looks like a Pontiac. The sole passenger could not ell me. Driver went into Starbucks

Layton memorial at City Hall

2011-08-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

The lineup to go by the casket stretched around the block. Chalked messages were throughout Nathan Phillips Square and a crowd surrounded this makeshift memorial.

The new Four Seasons hotel

2011-08-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we logged the changing skyline as the Four Seasons nears completion. Recently, we go closer for the upward view of the imposing structure.

Award winning architect Peter Hamilton has died

2011-08-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Peter Hamilton, an award winning architect and neighbourhood resident, died on Monday of cancer. He was 70. His friends in the Ramsden Park Dog Owners’ Association are hoping to have a bench in the park named in his memory.
Hamilon could often be seen in Ramsden Park with his aging white terrier, Spike. When Spike died earlier this year, he occasionally still came to the park, but this time with his daughter's dog.
Hamilton worked in Finland and France for three years following graduation from the University of Toronto. He took a post graduate degree at Harvard University in architectural design, concentrating on low cost low income housing.
The city has a program for memorial benches. The cost is $2,200 http://www.toronto.ca/parks/engagement/commemorate.htm
Anyone interested in helping out should contact the group’s chairman, David Bluestein, at ramsdendogs@gmail.com

Bizarre assault in Yorkville outside the plush Hazelton Hotel

2011-08-23T08:46:00.001-07:00

As the Star reports:
Police have laid assault charges after a man went on a “rampage,” assaulting at least six people and a dog. A man came out of a bar at the Hazelton Hotel in Yorkville on Saturday and attacked six people, police said.
“He ran and started kicking and punching people, including a 16-year-old girl and then her father,” said Const. Tony Vella, adding there may be more victims who did not come forward.
The man then approached another man walking his golden retriever and kicked the dog “hard” in the rib cage, Vella said.
“It appears that he was on a rampage. What provoked him — these were all unprovoked assaults — that’s what we are trying to determine,” he said.
Police are trying to find the dog owner after he fled with his pet and are urging anyone who saw the attack to report it to police.
Jacob Kerzner, 22, of Toronto, has been charged with six counts of assault, cruelty to animals causing unnecessary suffering and two counts of mischief.