DAILY UPDATES

Leaside Daily Updates: May–June 2020

New facility opens in Leaside’s growing self-storage area

SmartStop Self-Storage and SmartCentres have opened a new, three-storey storage facility in Leaside at 145 Wicksteed Ave. The facility is intended to serve the high-rise communities of Leaside, Thorncliffe, Midtown, and Don Mills, according to an announcement on UrbanToronto.

The new place is located across the street from the existing StorageMart facility at 120 Wicksteed Ave., and just down the street from two other self-storage sites, My Storage and Safe and Sound Storage.

18-year-old wanted for Leaside shootings

Yesterday Toronto police identified a male, 18, who is wanted for first-degree murder and attempted murder in the shootings of two men near Leonard Linton Park in east Leaside on June 9. Get the details here.

Start signing up for CampTO tomorrow

Registration for the city’s new day camps initiative, CampTO, starts in this area tomorrow. Sign up by phone or online to send kids from age 6 to 12 for the camps that feature physical distancing, regular health checks and other measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Camp locations include several sites in the Leaside and East York areas. Find out all about it on Streeter.

Wider reopening finally gets the okay

You can soon take the family out to a local restaurant or hang out in a local bar again. Take the kids to the pool or splash pad. Go shopping for more than groceries. Get a haircut or your nails done. All this and more as Toronto reopens businesses, cultural places and recreational centres in the move to Stage 2 of the province’s reopening plan.

Read more about today’s long-awaited announcement.

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Road closures popular with cyclists, pedestrians, to continue this weekend

You can walk, jog or cycle the lower end of Bayview Avenue again this weekend if you want. The weekend road closures that are turning over sections of Lake Shore Boulevard and Bayview Avenue to people not driving vehicles have proven popular, according to figures released by the city. So the closures will continue this Saturday and Sunday. Get the whole story.

Farmers’ markets coming back?

City-run farmers’ markets, like those we used to see at June Rowlands Park and Thorncliffe Park, may make their reappearance this summer, if not earlier.

The city says it is working with the markets it operates to get them back up and running while complying with the new public health requirements. Read more about it.

Victim identified in Leaside shooting

Late yesterday afternoon, police released new information about the double shooting near Linton Park on June 9, including the identity of the 20-year-old who was killed and a description of the SUV in which the alleged shooters fled. Get the latest details.

Double shooting leaves one dead in east Leaside

Leonard Linton Park in east Leaside appears to be the scene of gunfire yesterday evening that sent local residents screaming and fleeing, and left one male dead and another seriously injured. Police have few details about how the shooting began or even where exactly it happened. Here’s what we know so far.

Millwood lane to be blocked

Expect the eastbound lane on Millwood Road between Airdre Road and Sutherland Drive to be blocked from June 10 to 19, as the city says construction is being carried out on a bell cable pit.

South end of Bayview closed to vehicles for weekend again

Vehicle access is again banned from the south end of Bayview Avenue on June 6 and 7. Walkers, joggers and cyclists will have the run of Bayview from Rosedale Valley Road to Front Street East, as well as River Street from Gerrard Street East to Bayview.

Also closed to traffic for the weekend in the east end will be the eastbound lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard East from Leslie Street to Kew Beach Avenue near Woodbine park, the city has announced.

If you gotta go while in the park….

The washrooms in Edwards Gardens, Wilket Creek and Sunnybrook Park are scheduled to reopen this week. But for other public facilities in local parks, well, you’ll just have to hold it till next week. The city is reopening about 50 parks washrooms by June 6, with the rest of the 200 washrooms to open by mid-June, it was announced today. See the story.

SEE DAILY UPDATES FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES:
Beaches-LeslievilleCentral TorontoDon ValleyForest HillNorth TorontoRiverdale-East York

South end of Bayview to be shut down to cars for another weekend

Vehicle access is again closed on the south end of Bayview Avenue this weekend to give space to walkers, runners and cyclists. Bayview will be closed to vehicular traffic from Rosedale Valley Road to Mill Street, along with River Street from Gerrard Street East to Bayview. More about it.

Thorncliffe woundings among citywide shooting wave

Two teenage males are in hospital after gunshots were exchanged Saturday afternoon on Thorncliffe Park Drive. It was one of at least six shootings across Toronto over the weekend, including two along Danforth Avenue. Get the whole story.

Pothole-fixing blitz continues today

If you run into traffic delays today, it may be because the city is on a massive project of fixing potholes on expressways, major roads and neighbourhood streets. Sixty-six crews and 162 workers are fanning out across the city today in the final round of pothole repairs for this month, the city has announced.

About 18,000 potholes have already been repaired in May — and 105,000 so far in 2020. But in case those numbers sound impressive, bear in mind they are only slightly ahead of last year’s pothole-fixing pace — and well behind the numbers racked up by May in each of the two previous years.

If your least favourite local pothole is not filled in by today’s blitz, you can report it online, by email or by calling 311. It will likely be be repaired within four days, the city says.

Leaside music studio forgoes 30th birthday bash

Yellow Dog Music thought it would be celebrating its three decades teaching music in its non-traditional fashion. But the pandemic shut down those plans. However, the studio has moved its lessons online — where they may stay, says Yellow Dog’s founder. See the full story.

 

Library branches to start accepting book returns

No Leaside-area libraries are on the short list of public library branches to reopen their drop boxes for returned items on Monday, but they should follow on June 1 when other branches join the rollout of reopened library services. And curbside pickup of materials ordered online is to begin shortly after that.

Read the whole story on Streeter.

Head for the parks, but keep your distance

Toronto is following the province’s lead and opening more of the city’s parks facilities. Yesterday, Mayor John Tory announced skateboard parks and other facilities are opening immediately, followed by soccer fields, tennis courts, picnic shelters and other amenities by the weekend.

But no team activities are being allowed and physical distancing rules are still in place. Get all the details.

South end of Bayview shut down to cars for weekend

If you drive the Bayview extension to get downtown, be aware the city is closing the bottom end of Bayview Avenue this weekend. Bayview south of Rosedale Valley Road is among the routes being closed to vehicular traffic on May 23 and 24 to give Toronto residents more space to walk, run and cycle while maintaining physical distance, Mayor John Tory announced today. The closures will take place from Saturday 6 a.m. to Sunday 11 p.m.

Where to drop off your garbage, recycling and yard waste now

For Leasiders, the Bermondsey Transfer Station on Bermondsey Road is the closest of the two drop-off depots that the city has reopened to the public, starting today.

But the hours for getting rid of your garbage, recycling and yard waste are limited mainly to evenings and nights. And you have to follow public health guidelines to use the depots.

Get all the details in the Streeter story.

Arrest made in Balliol homicide case

A 27-year-old man has been arrested after the homicide investigation that arose from the fire in the Balliol Street apartment building. See the latest story.

Taste of Danforth among latest coronavirus victims

Taste of the Danforth is among the latest local summer events to be cancelled, as the city has extended its cancellation of permits for major festivals to the end of August. Mayor John Tory announced the cancellations in his daily press briefing today.

See the latest news on what’s been cancelled, postponed and moved online across town.

 

Balliol homicide victim identity released

The apparent homicide victim whose body was found as firefighters put out a laundry room fire on Balliol Street yesterday has been identified and his picture released by police. See the story in Streeter news.

Woman arrested yesterday in saliva-spreading investigation

A 32-year-old woman faces a charge of mischief about two weeks after East York bank staff reported surveillance cameras showed someone coughing, spitting and spreading saliva around an ATM machine. See the update on this case.

City program sets up shops online

The city has joined with BIAs and other partners to offer a free program to set up independent businesses and artists with online stores. Up to 3,000 small businesses are expected to take up this offer, allowing consumers to shop online, ordering delivery and arranging pickup at places offering curbside service. Read all about it.

Demand is up at food banks but they’re coping

With so many unemployed during the pandemic, food banks in midtown and east-end wards are facing long lineups and big changes to how they serve those in need. But, so far, most are dealing with it well. See the full story and photos.

In-store shopping at some garden centres

Getting the go-ahead from Ontario premier Doug Ford, some local garden centres are throwing their doors open to shoppers, while others are sticking to curbside pickup and delivery. But all are promising to observe social distancing and other safety considerations. Here’s the rundown.

Woman identified from images of saliva-spreading at East York bank machine

Police have identified a 32-year-old woman after security camera images of a coughing, spitting and saliva-spreading incident at an ATM were released a few days ago. She is being sought by police. We’ll have the full story shortly.

Update: Here’s the story with images.

East York festivities cancelled for Canada Day

East Yorkers will miss their parade, festival and fireworks on July 1 as the city has cancelled all in-person Canada Day celebrations. They’re the latest events to fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing well into summer. Read about them and see the entire list of local cancellations.

 

Transformer fire on Millwood

At 11:48 a.m. today, Toronto Fire Services responded to a fire on a transformer pole at Millwood Road at the Hydro-Electric Power Commission substation near Overlea Boulevard. No injuries were reported, police say. No other information has been released.

 

You can continue putting your waste out, city says

With a record amount of yard waste being generated while residents are stuck at home, the city has decided to resume its collection. Yard waste pickup was cancelled early this spring but brought back in April for a four-week trial. The trial must have been a success, because now the city says yard waste is returning for the season. Just when garden centres and landscapers are also reopening their businesses.

See the full story in Streeter news.