May 2007

Newsletter Editor: Judi Codd 416-225-5162

Email is jcodd@yorku.ca

You’re invited to the BVA Executive Committee Open House, May 15 – 7:30 pm

A regular infusion of new volunteers with fresh and exciting ideas is essential for the health of any community organization. With this in mind, the BVA Nominating Committee is currently recruiting new volunteers for next year’s Executive Committee.

If you are a Bayview Village resident interested in learning more about this worthwhile volunteer opportunity, we invite you to attend our next Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 15, 7:30 PM at Forest Grove Church.

Volunteering on the Executive Committee is a great way to meet your neighbours, keep tabs on developments impacting the Village and contribute to the vitality of our community. So, join us on May 15. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Gail Bebee, Chair, Nominating Committee, 416-733-0221.

A Great Big Thank You

To all who turned up for the BVA's Community Spring Clean-up. A good number of residents, including students, showed up. Although it was a hot day, everyone stayed and worked till 3:00 P.M. Heaps of unsightly garbage was picked up from parks and ravines. The Village is cleaner now – thanks to the efforts of these outstanding Villagers. And remember you can always pitch in and help anytime of the year. There are several neighbours who regularly clean-up paths, sections of parks and ravines. Help is always needed.

And as a reminder – if you see anyone illegally dumping items into our ravines, parks, schools, or churches – please record licence plates (if safely possible) and notify the police.

Please mark your calendar for two upcoming BVA events:-

BVA Annual General Meeting (evening) Tuesday, June 19

To be held at Forest Grove United Church. All residents and especially BVA members are invited to attend. Come and meet your executive.

Saturday, September 15 - BVA's Family Fun Fair for Village residents. To be held at Bayview Village Park, 11 A.M. - 4 PM. This is an opportunity for students to get volunteer hours. And for everyone to get to know your neighbours.

Local Environment Day

– Hosted by Councillor David Shiner

Saturday June 2 from 10:00am to 2:00pm,

Zion Heights Junior High School

5900 Leslie Street (south of McNicoll Avenue)

Drop Off: All used household items, Small household items (e.g., dishes, ornaments), books, linens, clothing, broken VCRs, cell phones, computers and other electronics (will be recycled and/or disposed).

Art supplies: e.g., pencils, markers, crayons, yarn, fabric, used buttons, costume jewellery, dress-up clothing. They will be donated to ArtsJunktion—a Toronto District School Board warehouse for teachers—for use by students.

Leftover: cleaning supplies, solvents, motor oil, paint, old and unused medication, pesticides, mercury thermometers/thermostats. These are household hazardous wastes and need safe disposal.

Pick-Up: Recycling bins and other containers (available for purchase, for exchange with broken ones or for free to new residents (with proper proof of new residency and identification)!

Water efficiency tools for sale such as rain barrels and indoor kits. There’s also the paint exchange—bring some in or take at look at what’s been dropped off and help yourself.

FREE leaf compost. Come prepared with your own containers and shovels.

DownSpout Disconnection – May 2007 Update - We Did It!

Last month we told you about the city of Toronto’s Downspout Disconnection program. Just to let you know - we had contacted the program earlier in the year and had made arrangements for this service at our home. The process has gone smoothly – the disconnection has been performed and we now have a very nice rainbarrel tucked away in the corner of the yard, against our house. We do advise you to work closely with the staff as to where the disconnection, etc will work best.

The results for us have been that all the rain we had a couple of weeks ago went into the rainbarrel and not near the foundation of our house. We also now have access to a small source of water (from the barrel) to quench a few thirsty plants.

Again, if you want to follow it up call the City's Downspout Disconnection Program at 416-392-1807 they will arrange to disconnect your downspouts free of charge. And they will:

· Cut the downspouts where they enter the ground.

· Install a plug where it has been cut off.

· Add an extension, splash pad, or a rainbarrel (if necessary) to ensure water is not draining near your home’s foundation.

Don’t Be A Drip

Be sure to turn off faucets tightly and fix leaky faucets promptly. A one drop per second leak can waste more than 250 gallons of water a month.

Electricity can also “drip” – actually it is more of a leak. If you leave transformers (electrical charging units) plugged in after recharging is complete – then electricity continues to be consumed. For example, if you have a cellphone, the charger stays warm even are have fully charged your phone because it is still draining electricity. "According to Future Forests, only 5% of the power drawn by cell phone chargers is actually used to charge phones. The other 95% is wasted when you leave it plugged into the wall, but not into your phone. This applies to electric shavers, and other such devices.

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Our History In Print:

From Farmland to One of Canada’s Most Picturesque Communities

Ë all about Flynntown & the role of the railroad line

Ë history of the mansions of Bayview

Ë stories of the churches and schools in and around BV

Ë all about local pioneering families: the McKees, Cummers, Pearson, Sheppards, and Dempseys

Bayview Village Association is pleased to bring you the written history of Bayview Village and surrounding area from the earliest settlers to modern day times.

Over 120 pages, this book is available for $20 (tax included).

To order your copy: Bayview Village Association

c/o Doug Webster, 7 Sutcliffe Drive, Toronto, ON M2K 2A5 Tele. 416-221-5870

2nd Annual Bayview Village Garden Tour

Sunday, June 10, 2007 – Mark Your Calendars

Calling all Gardeners!

Have the opportunity to share your garden with the Bayview Village Community at the 2^nd Bayview Village Garden Tour. We are looking for gardens to be part of our special day on June 10, 2007. Last year’s Garden Tour was a big success and we anticipate this year to be a resounding encore.

If you are interested in participating in our tour, contact Mary Anderson at 416-229-0094.

Local Construction – In Our Area

In North York this summer there will be a lot of construction – Near to us - The city will be completing the ring road surrounding Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue and the Steeles Avenue East bridge west of Bayview Avenue. This is in addition to the work being done on the 401 over around Yonge St.

On Local Art In The Underground

Did you know?: The Sheppard subway line features a different type of art in each of its stations. Our three local stations are:

Bayview: The public art installed in this station are various perspective-cheating trompe l'oeil illustrations on the walls and the floors by Toronto artist Panya Clark Espinal

Bessarion: Here you will find the work of Toronto artist Sylvie Belanger. It is a frieze of hands, feet, and backs of heads, which represent the users of the station. Many people in Bayview Village participated. The feet images appear on the concourse level while the heads appear on the platform level. The hands images appear along the stairs between the Sheppard Avenue North Side entrance/exit and the concourse.

Leslie: This station’s art is entitled Ampersand (2002) and created by Canadian artist Micah Lexier, consisting of 17,000 ceramic tiles each with a printed ampersand and, above and below it, the words "Sheppard" and "Leslie", based on 3,400 different pieces of handwriting from the community collected in 1997. According to the artist's statement posted in the station, this piece of artwork "acknowledges the duality of being both an individual and part of a larger community." This public art can be seen on both the concourse and platform levels.

Neighbourhood Watch - by Zel Bocknek

Warm Weather Crime Alert

As the temperatures outside are rising, typically so does our crime. As there are far more people out and about on warmer days and evenings, this can lead to more criminal activity. The Toronto Police Service wants to make you aware of this so that you take extra precautions when necessary to prevent yourself from becoming a victim. Be aware that you're wearing lighter clothing, so that your wallets and purses may be more visible. Try and conceal these items as best as possible, by carrying only what you need for the day. Avoid carrying large sums of money or wearing large amounts of expensive jewelry.

Theft of Car Rims and Tires – Can You Identify Your Own?

Be alert to the theft of custom and high value car rims and tires. Thieves remove them from vehicles parked in driveways, or in locked or unlocked garages and find tires mounted on valuable rims (often neatly piled up in the garage ready for stealing).

These are very expensive items, very easy for theives to sell, and hard to trace (usually no identifying markings).

What you can do to minimize risk/loss:

- Photograph rims and tires so there is a visual record of them.

- Engrave rims with a number that can be traced back to owner (use your lic. Plate #)

- Equip car with motion detector alarm. Works like a pager.

- Locking wheel nuts.

- Heavy steel chain and highgrade lock put through the rims (chain fastened to floor, wall, wheelbarrow - makes it harder to carry away).

- Store them in the house.

- Visit a automotive radio & alarm retailers.

- Lock your garage.

Information above provided by PC Peirce 32 Division Crime Prevention Officer, Toronto Police Services

Beware of Local Scam

Please be alert about a male wanted for fraud.

The suspect is going door to door in residential areas and collecting deposit money for home repairs, roof repairs and driveway sealing. Once he has pocketed the money he does not return. He works under the business name of "C & D" Asphalt Sealer, no vehicle has been seen and the suspect has fled from one incident in a taxi. He primarily targets senior citizens. He was last identified using this scam in the Yonge and Lawrence Avenue area on March 16th, 2007. He is wanted by Police for Fraud X 4.

This information above provided by 33 Division, Toronto Police Services

Gypsy Moth Caterpillar – Is Back

The gypsy moth is a defoliating insect that is considered a major pest in North America. Last year, in and around Bayview Village, there were many infested trees. The caterpillar, or larvae stage of the insect, eats the leaves of trees, making them more susceptible to disease and damage from other insects.

In an effort to control outbreak population levels of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Toronto Urban Forestry has conducted a wide scale egg mass removal and treatment on over 3500 trees at approximately 800 residential addresses and 10 public parks. This control method was performed in the area between Finch Ave E and Lawrence Ave E, and Yonge St and Leslie St. more work may occur – including spraying.

Up-to-date information on spray programs at www.toronto.ca/trees/gypsy-moth.htm or 416-338-TREE (8733).

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUR WEBSITE: www.bayviewvillage.org