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I live in Old East York but within walking distance of Leaside. When I was on maternity leave, I used to regularly walk to and from the shops in Leaside (a 20 to 45 minute walk dependent on where you are going) because I didn't want to pay bus fare for such a short distance. In fact, most of my neighbours thought I didn't drive, haha.

The TTC service from this area is terrible, though, because you have to get to the subway which always takes forever on the bus. And if you take the 56 down to Donlands, you have to take two subway lines to get downtown. It is so much faster to drive (15 minutes vs the 40 it takes on the TTC) so it's not surprising that people want to drive. If we ever get the express line which is supposed to run from Eglinton down to Pape station, it'll make the area more TTC-friendly. But of course, that's just one of the many options that planners have thrown out so it'll probably never happen.
 
Bernoulli said:
It is so much faster to drive (15 minutes vs the 40 it takes on the TTC) so it's not surprising that people want to drive.
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you make it sound like people have a choice -- which assumes car ownership

that's begging the question in the petitio principii sense

my choices are walk, cycle, or ttc... and i *heart* living in Leaside
 
So my wife met an old friend of hers from high school who works for Walmart in their planning department, and she asked her why they are building a store in Leaside as opposed to taking over the old Target site in Thorncliffe. Apparently they wouldn't be allowed to have a grocery store component there because of the existing Food Basics, and Walmart is unwilling to open stores with the grocery part any more. So we get saddled with the store now.
 
That is correct, Walmart only opens stores with the Grocery component now.

They are also in the process of converting all old stores to sell Grocery as well.
 
Indeed, without. Should have read what I wrote. Still no movement on the site, I wonder what the hold-up is now.
 
Therion said:
So my wife met an old friend of hers from high school who works for Walmart in their planning department, and she asked her why they are building a store in Leaside as opposed to taking over the old Target site in Thorncliffe. Apparently they wouldn't be allowed to have a grocery store component there because of the existing Food Basics, and Walmart is unwilling to open stores with the grocery part any more. So we get saddled with the store now.
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Interesting, because Target had a grocery section (and so did Zellers).

I think the Canadian Tire at Laird & Eglinton should move to the old Target space.
 
There is a difference between a small grocery section, like what Target had, which didn't even have fresh produce and wasn't all that much more ambitious in size and selection than the grocery section in a Shoppers these days, versus the full line selection one gets at a Walmart Supercentre. I presume it's the lease that has the food restrictions, rather than the zoning, and I am guessing that there is a size threshold rather than an outright ban on grocery items.
 
There's a big push in the neighbourhood to fill out a survey posted by the Leaside Property Owners' Association. The LPOA is dead-set against the Brentcliffe Plaza re-development and wants it greatly reduced or revised. The survey will give them ammo. I filled it out, with a pretty pro-development angle, then I found out at the end that it is NOT anonymous! That's ridiculous. I trashed it.
 
The new Leaside Life came to our house yesterday. It has essentially turned into an anti-development diatribe at this point. 6 of the 7 articles were anti-development, including one that started something like, "our way of life in Leaside is threatened by the scourge of development!" It's starting to get quite ridiculous.
 
On a tastier note, Adamson Barbeque moved in to 176 Wicksteed Ave. It is legit Texas BBQ, fantastic addition to the area! http://adamsonbarbecue.com/
Tip: They're only open for lunch 11am-2pm, but show up early as they usually sell out of the brisket by noon or so.
 
ChopstickHero said:
On another tastier note, Captain's Boil just opened up at 1620 Bayview Ave. http://www.thecaptainsboil.com
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Looks good to me, but the wife hates seafood... Bah. Bah, I say. Nonetheless my in-laws want to try Olde Yorke so at least I'll get to experience that Leaside institution, hopefully this weekend.

In other news, the McDonalds at Bayview and Eglinton is completely gone, as is the small strip mall at Laird and Eglinton. All ready for station construction.
 
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