North Toronto Daily Updates
A quick look at news, views and things to do locally
Back when horses vied with cars
The reinstallation of the Iron Horse sculptures on the Beltline bridge sent us back into the city’s public archives to see what the scene looked like in North Toronto’s early days. On 1915 the bridge was for train traffic and the only horses were pulling carriages down muddy Yonge Street under the bridge — alongside early gas-powered vehicles. See the photo and the story of the overpass.
Iron Horses return to Beltline bridge
The Midtown Yonge BIA and the city unveiled the new Iron Horse sculptures at the gateway to midtown today.
A crowd of local residents welcomed the sculptures back to the Beltline bridge over Yonge Street near Merton Street. They’d been gone and much missed locally since 1996.
See the full story and pictures online and on Instagram.
Power outage hits parts of midtown
Neighbourhoods in the north and west parts of midtown Toronto were without electricity this morning, as parts of the North Toronto and Forest Hill communities were affected.
More than 5,000 residents were affected, including homes in the neighbourhoods of Forest Hill Village, Cedarvale, Humewood, Oakwood Village, Forest Hill North, Fairbank, Glen Park and Yorkdale, according to Toronto Hydro’s map.
However, unlike an east-end power outage at the same time, the outage in midtown was not acknowledged by Hydro in a tweet or press release. We have no information about exactly when this outage occurred or for how long.
Also, there’s no word from Hydro yet what caused either outage.
Update on Tuesday’s shooting
We still don’t know much about the shooting at Bayview Avenue and Eglinton Avenue East on Nov. 17. But we have a little more information from police than previously. This is all we know so far.
Shooting reported at Bayview and Eglinton
A man was reported shot at Bayview Avenue and Eglinton Avenue East, police tweeted at about 6 p.m. on Nov. 17. The victim was transported to hospital in serious condition. No suspect and no further details have been released so far. Streeter will let you know when we have more information.
Telephone scam threatens arrest if you don’t pay up
Have you received a call from someone claiming to be a police office or tax collector, saying you are in danger of being arrested because your Social Insurance Number has been used illegally? The solution, they say, is for you to send them money immediately.
But don’t do it, police at 53 Division are warning. They’ve received many reports of the ongoing fraud in this area. And they have some advice for when you are called. See the story.
Murder ruled in one of two Davisville Avenue deaths
Police seem to be considering the two deaths at 141 Davisville Ave. on Oct. 26 a murder-suicide, judging by yesterday’s police press release. An autopsy has shown the woman died of strangulation, while the cause of death of the man is not provided apart from the “obvious trauma” in which he was found by police. They have “no outstanding suspects.”
Read more about the case in News.
Remembrance Day at Sunnybrook undeterred by snowfall
Toronto’s first snowfall of the year did not deter ceremonies marking Remembrance Day at Sunnybrook cenotaph on Bayview Avenue today. For more details and photos see the story.
Glass lovers’ show over next four days
If you haven’t been to it yet, here’s your chance to visit the antique and vintage glass show and sale. It comes through here every spring and fall with its selection of old glass from the 1860s through the 1950s. And the show is free. This edition of the event runs from Nov. 6 to 9. Find out more in the Things To Do listing.
Don Valley West councillor undergoing breast cancer treatment
The well-wishes are pouring in for city councillor Jaye Robinson who revealed today she is undergoing extensive treatment for breast cancer. The councillor for Don Valley West, which includes North Toronto communities such as Mount Pleasant, Lawrence Park, Wanless Park, Hoggs Hollow and York Mills, says she is taking time off from city hall to take care of her health but will continue her work as TTC chair.
For more about her announcement and the reaction to it, see the Streeter news story.
Man and woman in Davisville reported dead
Two people are apparently dead after being found by police in critical condition in an apartment building on Davisville Avenue. Police are saying only that the two were rushed to hospital but media have reported the two succumbed to their injuries. See more in Streeter News.
Summerhill station, part of midtown line shut down tomorrow
Subway service between Lawrence and Bloor-Yonge stations is being shut down on Sunday, Oct. 27 for installation of an automatic train control signal system, the TTC is warning.
Summerhill Station will be entirely closed for the day, although other stations will be open for fares and surface routes.
Yonge-Eglinton corners clearing up, but not like yesteryear
The recent clearing of traffic jam producing construction at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue leads us to take a look back at midtown’s central intersection before there was a midtown.
Check out here how the corner used to look.
Man sought after firearm brandished in Lawrence Heights area
An altercation yesterday between a man and a woman near Dufferin Street and Ranee Avenue led to the male pulling a firearm and pointing it at the female, before fleeing, police report today.
Police are seeking Denver Rory Cole, 34, of Toronto, who is wanted for assault and pointing a firearm.
He is described as 5-foot-8, 170 lbs., with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, black track pants and a black Raptors championship baseball cap. He wears a black backpack with a white hard hat attached to it, police say.
Bennett extends her run as MP
Carolyn Bennett, who has held office as Toronto–St. Paul’s since 1997, sailed to an easy victory in the federal election yesterday, landing nearly 55 per cent of the vote and leaving her closest competition, Conservative Jae Truesdell nearly 20,000 votes behind.
But she isn’t necessarily happy with how the election went, and she used some of her time at her victory party last night to complain about people having mailed untruths to people’s mailboxes. She also decried the alleged misinformation campaign “cynicism ramped up on purpose to decrease voter turnout.”
Read the story about election night in the Streeter News section.
Guided walk through Mount Pleasant Cemetery on Sunday
Royal Ontario Museum volunteers lead a tour and our largest midtown cemetery and tell stories of the Victorian Age on Oct. 20. It’s free and no registration is required. See the listing for more information.
Subway shut down through midtown stretch
If you’re taking transit this coming weekend, you might want to check out alternatives to the subway between St. Clair and Lawrence stations. That section of the Yonge line is closed on Saturday and Sunday to accommodate construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, according to a TTC service advisory.
Gun and cocaine charges follow firearm discharge at Yonge and Eglinton
Two men have been arrested after a five-week investigation of a firearm discharge in midtown, police have reported. A gun allegedly was fired on Sept. 1 outside a restaurant in the Yonge-Eglinton area after a dispute. Read how this led to the expanded charges being filed more than a month later.
Fraudulent home repairs alleged
Seniors were targeted in a scheme to charge for unneeded and uncompleted renovations in the Bayview Avenue and Blythwood Road area last month, police say. A 29-year-old man was arrested on Oct. 3 for fraud over $5,000. See more in News.
Yonge Lawrence artwalk returns for three weeks
Tomorrow begins the 15th annual Yonge Lawrence artwalk, which runs from Oct. 3 to Oct. 23. You can check out art in local store windows of BIA members in partnership with The North Toronto Group of Artists — and cast your vote for the People’s Choice award. See our Things to Do listing for more about it.
Is your deodorant killing you?
Probably not, says a radiation oncologist at Sunnybrook Hospital. There’s no clear evidence of increased risk of breast cancer from deodorant or antiperspirants, Dr. Elysia Donovan says in this month’s health tips column.
From Springfield, Missouri to playing in the TSO
Brian Baker talks to midtown’s Dorothy White about her lifetime experience — from growing up on a Depression-era dairy farm to playing for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Read his column on the 91-year-old harpist and flautist’s fascinating journey.
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