Beachfront heritage homes for sale

Kris Scheuer
(Published in the Town Crier Aug. 13.)

This Hubbard Blvd home is now listed as heritage and had been declared surplus by the owner Toronto Community Housing. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

A dozen Beach homes worth millions are now listed as heritage properties including several sites Toronto Community Housing plans to sell.
They sit on the former site of Scarboro Beach Amusement Park.
The 1920s-built homes on Wineva Avenue and Hubbard Boulevard are mix of publicly and privately owned sites facing Kew Balmy Beach.
Janice Hadfield lives in one of the properties on Wineva and says she’s pleased the home is on the heritage list.

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Sandra Bussin’s 2010 campaign

Beach councillor faces hot issues in election year
Kris Scheuer
(Written June 11 for Town Crier.)

Beaches-East York Councillor Sandra Bussin.

Beaches-East York Councillor Sandra Bussin has come under fire lately over a series of hot button issues in her Ward 32.
There’s the firestorm over 204 Beech Avenue, where the owners bought the property with the intention to tear it down and build an accessible home only to find out it is a candidate for heritage protection.
Bussin got caught up in heated meeting on that issue. A clip depicting her as unsympathetic to the owners subsequently ended up on video streaming site YouTube, and made the rounds via Twitter.
And there’s the controversial 20-year, sole-source contract that awards a lease extension to Tuggs owner George Foulidis for his Boardwalk Café at Ashbridges Bay. Some feel Foulidis got too sweet a deal.
Though she removed herself from any city staff discussions surrounding the Boardwalk Café in 2009, Bussin was a vocal supporter of the sole-source contract for Foulidis back in 2006.
And this is now an election year.
“I am a strong person. I represent this community with integrity,” she told the Town Crier referring in to the criticism she is facing lately.

New contract for beach volleyball

John Morrison built up business of volleyball at Ashbridges Bay over 14 yrs
Accomplishments being ignored and was shut out of new contract says Morrison
He owed city money at end of last contract and didn’t bid on new deal
By Kris Scheuer
(Written April 8 for Town Crier.)

John Morrison’s dream of continuing his beach volleyball partnership with the city was spiked when council awarded a new contract to another major player.
The Ontario Volleyball Assocation was the only bidder for the five-year contract to run beach volleyball at Ashbridges Bay and on March 31 the city sealed the new deal.
Morrison’s company TESSC Inc., better known as Not So Pro Sports, has been running beach volleyball at the site with various city permits and contracts for 14 years. His previous city contract expired last September and he has yet to settle up for $327,875 he owes.
But for Morrison that’s where the story begins not where it ends.
“They say pay up your bill and thanks for the last 14 years — don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” said Morrison.

Bruce Baker takes on Councillor Bussin

Beach resident running in area Sandra Bussin reps
Bruce Baker a former TTC driver is a council candidate
By Kris Scheuer
(Written  Feb. 10 for Town Crier.)

 

Bruce Baker is running for council in Beaches-East York Ward 32. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

 

Bruce Baker wants to be Ward 32’s next councillor.
Not surprisingly, the former TTC bus driver names transit as a key issue he’d like to tackle if elected.
“(The TTC) can’t even solve the problem of the Queen streetcar,” said Baker, who worked for the commission in the 1970s.
After years of customer complaints, the TTC implemented different solutions to curtail short-turning streetcars including splitting the Queen Street route in half. As well, he was not impressed that current councillor Sandra Bussin secured $400,000 from the TTC as a community benefit for a local skateboard park in exchange for a new streetcar storage yard being housed in the ward.

Social housing Toronto beach property fix up

Interior at 42 Hubbard will be gutted, mould removed
Tenants can move back in summer 2011 to renovated apartments
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Jan. 14 for Town Crier.)

The city is fixing up this Beach-front social housing complex. Photo Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Deborah Beaven can’t wait to move back to her beachfront Toronto Community Housing residence.
Beaven lived at 42 Hubbard Boulevard for 20 years before she and all the tenants were relocated so TCH could fix the mouldy low-rise complex
The city-owned social housing provider recently held a meeting to update tenants on when they can return and how the building will be renovated.
“I was happy to know they are going forward and will rebuild,” she said.

Get on Toronto voters’ list

City’s voters’ is not up-to-date
If you are on it, less hassle on election day

(Opinion written for Town Crier Dec. 13)

Municipal voter turnout was a dismal 39.3 percent in the last election but it may not just be apathy that’s to blame.
It may a flawed voters’ list contributing to people not showing up to cast ballots.
Canadian citizens 18 and older can vote in the city election if you live here or own property in Toronto, but the voters’ list is actually compiled
by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. But the provincial agency’s list is flawed so many tenants, owners and entire buildings are
left off the voters’ list.
Eligible voters can still vote if they aren’t on the list, but it’s harder.

Sandra Bussin to seek re-election

Councillor Bussin plans to run again in Beaches East York
Toronto Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher already registered
By Kris Scheuer and Karolyn Coorsh
(Written Jan. 14 for Town Crier newspaper.)

Councillor Sandra Bussin will register for re-election in ward 32.

She may be in no hurry to formally register but make no mistake: Beaches-East York councillor Sandra Bussin is seeking re-election in her ward this year.
“Yes, I will be registering sometime in the future,” the ward 32 rep said in an interview at a Danforth Avenue restaurant. “There are a number of projects I am still interested in pursuing.”
One of the issues dear to her heart is ensuring incineration was not brought back to Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant.
In December, she successfully had council remove a certificate for approval for incineration at the treatment plant. This means burning the residue from water treatment is no longer an option as part of the approved Biosolids Master Plan, said Bussin.
She would like to be back to steer the completion of the Beach Skateboard Park and the new TTC streetcar storage and repair facility at Leslie Street and Lakeshore Boulevard.
She hasn’t decided on an election strategy yet.
“Every campaign is different,” she said. “Something (always) happens where there’s a new challenge of some sort.”

Toronto councillors 2010 election

The election campaign already heating up
Who is retiring, running, playing coy in TO election
By Kris Scheuer
(Updated Oct.25- Election Day.)

 

Joe Mihevc is one of the incumbent councillors seeking re-election.

 

One thing is certain in life – that’s change. And we can count on that in this city’s election. The vote is Oct. 25.
Of the 44 incumbent city councillors so far 35 current Toronto politicians have signed up for re-election in their own ward. Of the remaining 9 incumbents: 2 are running for mayor instead and 7 aren’t running at all. Want to see for yourself?
Check the city’s election website that shows all 477 candidates running for mayor, councillor and school trustee positions.
Here’s the scope on where all the candidates stand as of Sept. 10 the final nomination day.
Mayor David Miller is not running for re-election. There are 40 candidates registered to run for mayor.
Council races – there are 279 candidates running for 44 council seats
Ron Moeser (Scarborough East Ward 44) has registered and so have three others: Diana Hall, Heath Thomas and Mohammed Mirza.
Paul Ainslie (Scarborough East Ward 43) is running again and has four challengers: John Laforet, Benjamin Mbaegbu, Bhaskar Sharma and Samuel Getachew.

Polling for patios and parking

Councillor Sandra Bussin wants the list used for polling updated.

Neighbours decide when new patios and parking pads approved
But political reps say polling lists are outdated and flawed
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Nov. 18 for Town Crier.)

Want front yard parking or a patio for your café?
Better hope your neighbours like you, because they’re the ones who vote to approve your application to the city.
But the city’s outdated poll lists mean some ballots are sent to homes of tenants and homeowners who may no longer live in the neighbourhood.
And, if too few ballots are returned you’re out of luck.
Unless you throw yourself at the mercy of community council and appeal, that is.
That’s just what the owners of Il Gelatiere Artigianale at 647A Mount Pleasant Rd. did at Toronto and East York Community Council
Nov. 10.
The owners’ lawyer, Marc Kemerer, said his client’s story highlights the problems that come from an archaic municipal polling system.
“The polling is meant to strike a balance between commercial interests and residents, but it’s fraught with some problems,” says Kemerer, with White, Duncan and Linton.
“It goes to people who don’t live there anymore.”

Dogs banned at Sunnyside Beach in warm weather

Dogs will be allowed on-leash only in winter
Summer, spring, fall access will be off limits
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Oct. 28 for Town Crier.)

A policy approved by city council will see all dogs barred from Sunnyside Beach in the spring, summer and part of the fall. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Pooches will soon be forbidden for part of the year at Sunnyside Beach — even if they’re on a leash.
Currently, residents can walk their dogs on-leash all year at the west end beachfront.
City council, acting on a staff recommendation that on-leash access at this local beach be restricted to winter months only, approved the new policy on Oct. 27.
Dogs will be banned from Sunnyside Beach in the spring, summer and part of the fall, effective April 1. Under the proposed policy, dogs would be allowed on-leash only between Nov. 1 and March 31.
Parkdale-High Park councillor Bill Saundercook vowed to contest any further changes limiting access for dogs at Sunnyside Beach.