DAILY UPDATES

Beaches-Leslieville Daily Updates: July–August 2020

Bike Share thumbnailRide a bike for free on Wednesday

Bike Share Toronto, which has stations all over Beaches and Leslieville now, is letting would-be cyclists ride for free all day every Wednesday in September.

Check Streeter’s Things To Do for how to do it.

Anti-hate rally decorates East York park

Love reigned in Dentonia Park on Saturday afternoon. Or, if not love, at least anti-hate. Colourful signs and banners festooned fences and trees for the rally to unite against racism and “reclaim the park.”

The event was a response to the alleged racist attack on a mixed race couple in the park two months earlier and, in the words of victim Mark Austin, to help fix a “broken” community. Get the full story and pictures.

arson investigation - policeWoman sought after Leslieville garage fire

Images of a woman have been released by police today, about two weeks after a garage was allegedly set alight near Gerrard Street and Woodfield Road on the morning of Aug. 12.

A person seen leaving the scene before police arrived was caught on security cameras in the area, arson investigators say. No injuries were reported from the fire.

Police are looking for a woman in the images, described as about 55 to 65 years old, with brown hair in a bun, and wearing a long red shirt, grey pants and pink Crocs shoes. She had a light-coloured shirt tied around her waist and she was carrying several bags, the images show.

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condo being built thumbnailThis is the best place to buy a condo in Toronto

If you’re looking for a condo in the East York area to move into, your economically best option may be to buy one. The real estate district encompassing East York and Danforth Village ranks highest in the latest report by Zoocasa, which looked at purchase prices versus rental costs.

The Beaches area was closer to the other end of the spectrum, the brokerage firm found, placing it in the better-to-rent condo category.

Read the story in Streeter News.

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 coronavirus map east end fragment

East end nearly free of recent COVID cases

The Beach is free of new cases of COVID-19 and other east-end neighbourhoods are close behind, according to the city’s coronavirus map.

It shows zero to three confirmed or probable new cases recently for most neighbourhoods in the east end, as well as in midtown and central Toronto, for the past 21 days — all of August actually.

Check out your neighbourhood and how it compares to others in the Streeter article.

CNE logo thumbGo to the Ex without leaving home

Toronto’s traditional end-of-summer show and exhibition is back in 2020, though in anything but traditional form. The CNE continues online starting today until Sept. 7.

Without leaving home now, you can go to the Ex via the new CNE portal, where you can take in shows and performances, share food recipes, learn how to be a busker, take virtual rides, enjoy trips through history, and even enjoy a virtual air show.

More information in the Things To Do listing.

condo rental building
UNITS AVAILABLE

Condo rentals up in Leslieville area, prices dropping

Thanks to the pandemic, the formerly tight condo rental market has loosened up, with more apartments available and prices dropping, according to a new report. In the Leslieville area (including Riverside and Little India), both listings and rentals are up substantially.

The good news for tenants though is that the availability of rental units is driving the average prices for condo apartments in the area downward.

Meanwhile in the Beaches area, listings are up, while leases are down — also forcing prices down somewhat.

Compare what’s happening across Toronto.

Police seek info on body found near Ashbridges Bay

They body of a man was found in a wooded area east of the Martin Goodman Trail, in the south end of Ashbridges Bay Park, on Aug. 14. He may have been there since Aug. 12, police say.

A photo of Acquilino Logwee Iko, 29, of Mississauga has been released in a bid to get more information from the public, according to investigators. Here’s what we know so far.

Suspected gas leak forces Carlaw closure

The south end Carlaw Avenue was shut down today after reports of a gas leak near Carlaw and Eastern Avenue. Police issued a “shelter in place” warning online at 11:14 a.m.

Enbridge Gas crews were on the scene.

Initially police said northbound lanes on Carlaw between Eastern and Lake Shore Boulevard were closed. But by 12:40 p.m. the closure was extended to include northbound and southbound lanes between Eastern and Queen Street East, as well as both directions of Eastern Avenue between Pape and Logan avenues.

Video shows his porch furniture being stolen

On the I am a Leslievillian! Facebook group, a resident posted a video of a couple allegedly stealing furniture off his porch early this morning. See it here.

EV charging station sign on Alton
New sign on Alton Avenue.

Two east-end streets get charging stations in pilot project

Hydro workers are installing an electric vehicle charging station on Alton Avenue today as Councillor Paul Fletcher announces the next stage in the city’s Electric Vehicle Strategy.

Alton Avenue in Leslieville and Mountjoy Avenue in the East Danforth area are among the seven locations across Toronto to get the stations to test the technology in the pilot project.

See the full story.

 

Permit parking enforcement begins tonight

Permit parking enforcement on residential streets is resuming at midnight tonight. It had been paused due to COVID-19 but the period to purchase or renew permits began on July 2 and ran to Aug. 7.

In case you missed the window, temporary daily and weekly parking permits can be purchased online anytime.

The parking permit office remains closed but can be accessed by phone at 416-392-7873 or email at permit.parking@toronto.ca, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Hobo cannabis shops have changed name

You won’t be able to buy your weed at Hobo, 20 Leslie St., any longer. Instead, you’ll be shopping at Dutch Love. Same store. Same location. New name.

Hobo Cannabis has changed its name for its dozen stores across Canada, including in Leslieville, after complaints were raised that “Hobo” is derogatory toward the homeless.

Hobo denied the charges but bowed to public pressure, choosing its new name of Dutch Love to honour Amsterdam, a leader in the legalization of marijuana.

 

Call for artists to create Danforth murals

East End Arts, in partnership with the city’s StreetARToronto Program, is calling on artists to submit proposals to participate in the revitalization of Danforth Avenue under the name Destination Danforth.

Destination Danforth includes a roll-out of public art over the next year, with four mural installations and twelve traffic signal boxes to be completed by October 2020.

Right now, the call is for four murals — one in each of four Business Improvement Areas: Broadview Danforth, GreekTown on the Danforth, Danforth Mosaic, and Danforth Village. The two themes to be addressed by submissions are Gratitude, Resilience, Hope and #EastEndLove.

The deadline for submissions is Aug. 26. Artists can get more details from East End Arts online.

Arrest in Woodbine Beach area for sexual assault

A man was charged with sexual assault after returning to the scene of the alleged attack in the Woodbine Beach area, according to police.

On July at about 5 p.m., a 17-year-old girl sitting at the beach was allegedly approached by a man and sexually assaulted. He allegedly fled, but he was seen the next day at the same location and arrested, police say.

Get more details.

Man charged with murder after body found in Greenwood Avenue house

Police arrested a man, 41, after finding the body of a 37-year-old man in a semi-detached house on Greenwood Avenue, south of Millwood, yesterday.

Police issued a news release this morning, saying a man faces a charge of second-degree murder.

Here’s what we know so far.

SEE DAILY UPDATES FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES:
Central TorontoDon ValleyForest HillLeasideNorth TorontoRiverdale-East York

Harmful medication stolen in Leslieville area

Dangerous medication may be floating around the east end. It was stolen in the area of Eastern Avenue and Woodfield Road between Dec. 5, 2019, and May 21, 2020, police reported early today. The 3,500 tablets of Contrave may be harmful, even fatal, if ingested, especially by children, they say. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5500.

Floaty rescue at Woodbine Beach

An unspecified number of people were rescued yesterday evening after their inflated device floated far out into the lake, police reported on Twitter.

CREATING NOISE

NDPers back Toronto call to limit construction noise

East-end MPPs Rima Berns-McGown and Peter Tabuns are among 12 opposition MPPs asking Premier Doug Ford to give Toronto back the power to limit construction noise. This comes after city council made a similar request and after residents and residents’ associations have complained about noise keeping them awake.

In April the province issued orders allowing “essential” construction projects to generate noise earlier and later than the city had previously allowed. Get the whole story.

Sought by police
SOUGHT BY POLICE

Man sought for alleged offences in east end

Police have released a photo of a Toronto man wanted for offences committed in in the area of Main Street and Danforth Avenue.

A man allegedly broke into a residence and assaulted someone on July 9, followed by two further criminal offences by breaching his probation on July 23.

Joao Martins, 56, of Toronto, is wanted for break and enter, assault and four counts of failing to Comply with a probation order.

He is described as 5-foot-4, 138 lbs., and unshaven with long dark hair.

Daycares opening but say they need financial help

Child care centres say they are facing added expenses from the required health precautions during the pandemic at the same time as revenues are declining because fewer kids are retuning. Government assistance is needed if they are to stay in operation, some say.

Read the full story in Streeter.

 

Virtual commemoration posted

The city has posted a commemoration to the victims of the Danforth shooting online late yesterday, including video of the private ceremony held earlier in Withrow Park. See it here.

Two years after the Danforth tragedy

Two years after two people were killed and 13 injured by a lone gunman on Danforth Avenue, survivors and families of the victims joined city representatives in commemoration in Withrow Park. Mayor Tory, Toronto-Danforth councillor Paul Fletcher, and shooting victim Danielle Kane were among those laying flowers beneath trees planted in memory of the two girl who lost their lives. See the whole story.

East-end housing prices up despite pandemic

In the first half of 2020, the average detached home in the real estate district including the Beaches, Woodbine and East Danforth is priced nearly 12 per cent higher than in the same period a year ago, according to a real estate report released yesterday.

East York prices are up about nine per cent, and the district including Riverdale and Leslieville are up nearly seven per cent.

Get the full story to see how we compare to other parts of Toronto.

Man buried by east-end building collapse

Toronto Fire Services pulled a lifeless body out of a trench at a Jones Avenue house-building site yesterday morning. A man had been buried under debris, mud and concrete when the structure partially collapsed during construction. Get the full story.

Free outdoor programs for kids start Monday

The city announced today it is launching its ParksPlayTO initiative for kids up to age 12 and the Summer in the 6ix program for young people age 13 to 24 on July 20.

No registration is required for these drop-in programs in spaces across the city. In Beaches-Leslieville, this includes Jimmie Simpson Park, Greenwood Park, Leslie Grove Park, Kew Gardens, Woodbine Beach Park and many other local locations.

See the story and get the details in Streeter news.

Man allegedly assaulted two on boat that left Woodbine Beach

Two people were assaulted after boarding a power boat in the Woodbine Beach area, police say. A man, 54, faces several charges including kidnapping and sexual assault. Read more details in Streeter news.

Murals thanking frontline heroes

There’s one already at 2265 Danforth Ave. and there’s supposed to be another one almost ready at 165 Main St. They’re among the first artworks in the city’s project hiring street artists to create murals thanking frontline workers during the pandemic. Read more about them.

Cooling centres near you

In this hot, hot, hot weather, if you desperately need a place to cool off, head to one of the city’s emergency cooling centres in the east end:

  • East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Ave. — open Thursday–Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • O’Connor Community Centre, 1386 Victoria Park Ave. — call 416-395-7957 first.
  • Greenwood Park, 150 Greenwood Ave. — call 416-396-4126 first.
  • Blantyre Park, 180 Fallingbrook Rd. — call 416-396-4126 first.

 

Time to resume your parking permit

If you’re parking on the street, you should be aware the free period due to coronavirus has come to an end. Beginning today the city is restarting its permit parking program. The office remains closed but it can be accessed by phone at 416-392-7873 or by email Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can also renew an existing permit holders using the online renewal system or by mail, though you should call first before mailing in an application.

The parking permit renewal window will be open until Aug. 3, and enforcement is expected to begin again starting Aug. 14 at midnight. More information on applying for a parking permit on the city website.