In our Hood – December 2014

After three years of repairs the CNIB pedestrian bridge arcoss Bayview was officially reopened last month by Don Valley West MP John Carmichael. The bridge was 60 years old. The work was paid for by the federal government and CNIB donors Ron Sidon and Joseph Salek.

Sidon is a nearby neighbour of the CNIB, who approached Salek to help. Both were excited about helping to maintain the safety of the bridge for CNIB clients and others who wanted to cross busy Bayview Ave. A well deserved award: Roger Cattell, McRae Dr., founder of the Slow Down/Kids at Play sign campaign, has been named this year’s Honorary Member of the Leaside Property Owners’ Association. He was presented with it at the LPOA’s annual general meeting Nov. 25.

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More awards: Several Leasiders were winners of the inaugural Don Valley West Volunteer Awards presented in November by MP John Carmichael. They included Brian Athey, Brooke Biscoe, Carol Fripp, Renee Jacoby, Charlene Kalia, Geoff Kettel, William Pashby and Patrick Rocca. Fripp and Kettel were named partly for their association with Leaside Life.

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Bayview’s Merchant of Tennis has been named Canada’s favourite small business in a contest held by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and Interac in October. The contest received over 700 nominations with 1,600 entries. The Merchant of Tennis flagship store in Bayview has been here for over 22 years, say owners Pam and Rob Harwood. They have been generous with donations to support community clubs in Leaside and nearby, and especially for the Doug Philpott Inner City Children’s Tennis Fund.

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It’s now official: all that work at the corner of Laird and McRae, in the old CIBC building, will create a home for the Local Public Eatery concept of the Joey Restaurant Group. You’ll be able to drink cocktails served in a giant glass cowboy boot.