Braking News – As some of you may have noticed, that speed limit on the Bayview Extension between River St. and Pottery Rd. has been reduced to 50 km/h. The speed limit for this open stretch of arterial road was 70 km/h when it opened in the late 1950s and then lowered in 2011 to 60 km/h, but it’s always been known as a bit of a speed trap. Lately, this writer has noticed that the folks from Toronto Police Services have been very busy as drivers adjust to the new lower speed limit. So why has the city decided to lower the speed limit on a route used primarily as an alternative to the Don Valley Parkway? Seems it’s part of the city’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan that aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and reduce injuries when accidents do occur. A full list of the changes can be found on the City of Toronto website www.toronto.ca
Luxury developer Shane Baghai recently launched a website (www.leasidemanors.ca) to promote the Leaside condominium under development at 3-5 Southvale Dr. The project includes 38 units starting in the low million dollar range. Looks like Leaside’s newest building will be called Leaside Manors. It will be interesting to see if the recent slowdown in the real estate market will have an effect or if all the units will be snapped up by hungry Leasiders looking to downsize.
2 Bros Cuisine is set to open this August in the same Bayview location occupied previously by Rosie’s Kitchen. Frank and Nora, the long-time and well-liked proprietors of Rosie’s, retired this past June. 2 Bros Cuisine is run by two passionate Egyptian brothers, Medhat and Mohamed Rashwan. The Bayview location will be their second; the original is on Royal York Rd. in Etobicoke. While you will be able to enjoy authentic traditional Mediterranean food, the brothers are also well known for their Mediterranean with a Canadian twist. Gyro or Shawarma Poutine, anyone? And for those of you who will miss Rosie’s breakfast, 2 Bros is expecting to open for breakfast too.
Fresh off being acknowledged by Toronto Life as one of the top 10 best new restaurants in Toronto, Adamson’s Adam Skelly recently launched yet another venture, Conspiracy Pizza, also located at 176 Wicksteed. With names like Bay of Pigs, The Jimmy Hoffa, and The Grassy Knoll, pizza lovers can chew on this century’s greatest conspiracies while enjoying their pizza. One wonders if the Illuminati will be holding their monthly meetings at Conspiracy.
Leasiders are busy enjoying pools, cottages and the nice weather. Few may be thinking about hockey, but the organizers at the Leaside Hockey Association are. House League coordinator Jill Briggs reports that spots remain in both the Hockey School, for players born 2010-2013, and in the House League, for players born 2000-2009. The season kicks off the weekend of September 23rd. Find out more at www.leasidehockey.com or email Jill at . Meanwhile, on the girls’ side, the Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association still has spots open in some House League programs, which get underway in September. For details on programs for new and experienced players aged 3 to 17, visit www.torontoleasidewildcats.ca/house-league.
The mystery of the Great White Squirrel spotted this year in Leaside continues. After several sightings earlier in 2017, a report that the elusive squirrel was spotted in a “compromised” position on Sutherland remains unconfirmed. White squirrels are caused either by a genetic mutation resulting in albinism or by a mutation resulting in a white morph squirrel. Have you seen our elusive squirrel? Let us know.
The date of the next provincial election has been set as June 7, 2018 and the Progressive Conservatives have selected Jon Kieran as their candidate to face off against the incumbent MPP and Premier Kathleen Wynne. Jon Kieran won the Conservative nomination for the Don Valley West riding earlier this summer in a tightly fought battle that included Jeff Silverstein, Tanweer Khan and Dean Baxendale. There will no doubt be a lot of attention on Leaside as Premier Wynne tries to hold on to the riding she has held since 2003.
