by Haniel in Fireplaces and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances
If you have a wood burning fireplace or stove in your home it is recommended to have it inspected and cleaned annually (by a W.E.T.T. certified professional – visit http://www.wettinc.ca/).
It may sound logical that the best time to clean the chimney is before the heating season begins. In reality, it is important to clean the chimney before it gets too hot outside.
When wood is burned, it deposits soot and creosote on the inside of the chimney. When moisture in the air mixes with the soot and creosote it forms sulfuric and hydrochloric acid which will damage the inside of your chimney liner. While the sweeping is taking place, ask to have it inspected for any damage and to ensure that a chimney cap is placed to prevent rain, snow, and unwelcome visitors from entering the chimney flue.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Historic Leaside House Home of Canada's First female MP
To designate, or not to designate?
By Kris Scheuer
Agnes Macphail, Canada's first female MP, purchased the home at 2 Donegall Ave. in 1948. Members of the community are now discussing how best to recognize the building and its former resident. Walking by 2 Donegall Ave. in Leaside you wouldn’t know it was once home to politician Agnes Macphail.
The 1937-built home is neither historically listed, designated nor does it have a plaque recognizing it as the former abode of Canada’s first female MP.
Residents and politicians have been pushing for over a decade for some recognition for the property and while things are currently at a standstill, there is renewing pressure to have something done.
The Simmons family, owners of 2 Donegall Ave./720 Millwood Rd. home, agreed to install a plaque in 2001 as a compromise to avoid the building becoming historically designated.
But the plaque never materialized because there was no agreement on the wording and cost involved, said property owner Laura Simmons.
She told the Town Crier Feb. 23 she would be agreeable to erecting a plaque if it cost her $500 maximum, but is still against designating her home.
Mary Macdonald, acting director of Heritage Preservation Services, said city staff had recommended designation in 2001, but council voted for the plaque instead.
The 2001 staff report lists Macphail’s significance including her 19 years as an MP, her five years as an MPP and her stand on various social issues. Macphail bought the two-storey duplex, which has architectural features not typical for the area including a flat roof and buff brick, in 1948.
“I have no reason to believe it wouldn’t merit designation as it did (so) 10 years ago,” said Macdonald. “It will require council direction for us to reprise it.”
If council asks for a new report on designation, city staff would review the current state of the house and make recommendations for council to vote on.
But local councillor John Parker hasn’t set his mind to that, yet.
Parker said he’s interested in the issue as he lives down the street from the house and both he and Macphail were once York East MPP.
“I am disappointed the plan to put a plaque on site wasn’t carried out. The site deserves at least that,” said Parker.
He’d like to meet with the homeowner and city staff on the issue before pushing for designation as it comes with additional property owner responsibilities.
“Designation of the property is not (high) on my list of priorities,” he said Feb. 22.
“We started the process,” said Leasider Krawchuk, who serves on the Agnes Macphail Recognition Committee. “We didn’t get far enough fast enough before the end of 1997.”
By May 2001, city council approved that the homeowner install a plaque and on June 13, 2005 the Agnes Macphail Recognition Committee even provided wording for the plaque. But it never materialized.
“It’s legitimate to try again,” said Krawchuk. “We’d like to see it designated and a plaque up.”
John Carter director of heritage and vice chair of East York Foundation agrees. He was the former chair of a defunct East York heritage committee that recommended designation in 2001.
Carter said the Ontario Heritage Act was strengthened, so it should be easier to proceed with designation now.
“Previously if the owner didn’t approve of designation, it didn’t happen. Now if the owner doesn’t agree, the city can pursue it,” he said.
Beaches-East York councillor Janet Davis wrote to the heritage department last May asking for it to produce a report on the heritage value of Macphail’s old home. However, she’s still waiting.
“Only those items that are urgent with redevelopments attached to them are getting (heritage) reports to community council at this point,” Davis said. “The local councillor could ask for a report. It could potentially be pulled out of the backlog faster.”
http://www.mytowncrier.ca/story-17159-1-1.html
By Kris Scheuer
Agnes Macphail, Canada's first female MP, purchased the home at 2 Donegall Ave. in 1948. Members of the community are now discussing how best to recognize the building and its former resident. Walking by 2 Donegall Ave. in Leaside you wouldn’t know it was once home to politician Agnes Macphail.
The 1937-built home is neither historically listed, designated nor does it have a plaque recognizing it as the former abode of Canada’s first female MP.
Residents and politicians have been pushing for over a decade for some recognition for the property and while things are currently at a standstill, there is renewing pressure to have something done.
The Simmons family, owners of 2 Donegall Ave./720 Millwood Rd. home, agreed to install a plaque in 2001 as a compromise to avoid the building becoming historically designated.
But the plaque never materialized because there was no agreement on the wording and cost involved, said property owner Laura Simmons.
She told the Town Crier Feb. 23 she would be agreeable to erecting a plaque if it cost her $500 maximum, but is still against designating her home.
Mary Macdonald, acting director of Heritage Preservation Services, said city staff had recommended designation in 2001, but council voted for the plaque instead.
The 2001 staff report lists Macphail’s significance including her 19 years as an MP, her five years as an MPP and her stand on various social issues. Macphail bought the two-storey duplex, which has architectural features not typical for the area including a flat roof and buff brick, in 1948.
“I have no reason to believe it wouldn’t merit designation as it did (so) 10 years ago,” said Macdonald. “It will require council direction for us to reprise it.”
If council asks for a new report on designation, city staff would review the current state of the house and make recommendations for council to vote on.
But local councillor John Parker hasn’t set his mind to that, yet.
Parker said he’s interested in the issue as he lives down the street from the house and both he and Macphail were once York East MPP.
“I am disappointed the plan to put a plaque on site wasn’t carried out. The site deserves at least that,” said Parker.
He’d like to meet with the homeowner and city staff on the issue before pushing for designation as it comes with additional property owner responsibilities.
“Designation of the property is not (high) on my list of priorities,” he said Feb. 22.
“We started the process,” said Leasider Krawchuk, who serves on the Agnes Macphail Recognition Committee. “We didn’t get far enough fast enough before the end of 1997.”
By May 2001, city council approved that the homeowner install a plaque and on June 13, 2005 the Agnes Macphail Recognition Committee even provided wording for the plaque. But it never materialized.
“It’s legitimate to try again,” said Krawchuk. “We’d like to see it designated and a plaque up.”
John Carter director of heritage and vice chair of East York Foundation agrees. He was the former chair of a defunct East York heritage committee that recommended designation in 2001.
Carter said the Ontario Heritage Act was strengthened, so it should be easier to proceed with designation now.
“Previously if the owner didn’t approve of designation, it didn’t happen. Now if the owner doesn’t agree, the city can pursue it,” he said.
Beaches-East York councillor Janet Davis wrote to the heritage department last May asking for it to produce a report on the heritage value of Macphail’s old home. However, she’s still waiting.
“Only those items that are urgent with redevelopments attached to them are getting (heritage) reports to community council at this point,” Davis said. “The local councillor could ask for a report. It could potentially be pulled out of the backlog faster.”
http://www.mytowncrier.ca/story-17159-1-1.html
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Artisanal Brewers at Todmorden Mills
Saturday Feb. 5, 7- 9.30pm
Papermill Gallery Todmorden Mills, 67 Pottery Road, $55 plus HST
Tickets available by phone: 416-396-2819
At the site of the original brewery built in 1821, participants will enjoy an evening of sampling artisanal brews with traditional 19th century and contemporary food pairings. Each guest's admission ticket entitles them to a complimentary souvenir tasting glass and their choice of any six pairings of food and beer.
Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with representatives from local craft breweries and learn about the wide variety of brews produced in Ontario. Seasonal brews from Granite Brewery, Mill Street Brewery, Black Oak Brewery, Denison's Brewing Company and Wellington Brewery will be available for sampling.
Papermill Gallery Todmorden Mills, 67 Pottery Road, $55 plus HST
Tickets available by phone: 416-396-2819
At the site of the original brewery built in 1821, participants will enjoy an evening of sampling artisanal brews with traditional 19th century and contemporary food pairings. Each guest's admission ticket entitles them to a complimentary souvenir tasting glass and their choice of any six pairings of food and beer.
Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with representatives from local craft breweries and learn about the wide variety of brews produced in Ontario. Seasonal brews from Granite Brewery, Mill Street Brewery, Black Oak Brewery, Denison's Brewing Company and Wellington Brewery will be available for sampling.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The New Real Estate Marketing: QR Codes
You have likely started to see the little squares in magazines ads, etc. They are a QR (Quick Response) code. Some real estate companies will be putting them on their for sale signs. Royal LePage will be testing them with some of our offices before full implementation. Anyone with a smart phone (Blackberry, IPhone, etc.) with a built-in camera and internet browser can obtain all the information associated with a QR code (though I find that with the quality of the camera in my Blackberry Bold that they don’t always work).
You need to install a mobile app (application) on your Smartphone to read these codes. I got mine (free) at http://gettag.mobi. Another source is http://scanlife.com or http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore. Some newer Blackberrys have scanning software bundled with Blackberry Messenger and so you may not need to install a program such as Scanlife.
Below is an article from Realtor Newsletter January 2011 by Micheal Russer on the subject.
In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a crop of young, willing, and able future buyers who seem to have their heads buried in their smartphones. Their phone is their world, but they prefer texting to talking. How can you get their interest — and their business?
QR Codes to the Rescue
QR codes were invented in Japan by a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp. to help identify car parts. Once people recognized their flexibility of encoding links to the Web, they took off in Japan and other East Asian countries. (This is perhaps unsurprising, as mobile Web access is much more common in that part of the world than in the United States.) In fact, you will find QR codes plastered on billboards, signs, storefronts, and just about any place you look in all the major Japanese cities.
Think of the QR code as a two-dimensional barcode that can contain many different kinds of information and present that information in many different ways. QR codes can be read instantly from any number of free smartphone apps. The opportunities for real estate marketing are nearly endless since one of the main uses of QR Codes is to embed URLs that when scanned will take the phone user to wherever the URL was pointing (i.e. your Web site, listing detail information, etc.) They effectively turn anything they are printed on into an active and track-able hyperlink.
You can start your search for free QR code reader apps for your smartphone (by smartphone type) at these places:
• iPhone QR reader app search
• BlackBerry QR reader app search
• Droid QR reader app search
• iTunes
• BlackBerry App World
• Android Market
There really are only two issues to consider when incorporating QR codes into your marketing:
1. How to create them
2. Where to place them for maximum exposure and impact.
Create QR Codes Instantly, for Free
If you do a Google search on “QR code generators,” you’ll find dozens of sites that will create them for you at no cost. My favorite is a site called BeeTagg QR Generator, which allows you to create any number of QR codes in different formats for free.
When you first land on this page, you can enter the URL of the page you want your code to go to and choose the type of code it generates. (Make sure you have the QR Code icon selected and uncheck “Optimize size.”) Then just hit the “Go” button, and you will instantly see your code with download options.
Now, this next part is very important. Of the six different download options shown, there are only two you will typically work with. Select Gif if you plan on placing the code on a Web page or e-mail, and Eps if you plan on using it in print.
GIF images are the smallest file sizes for this kind of image and are ideal for placement in Web pages. However, they are not good for print or other media because they don’t scale well. That is, they get blurry or pixelated if you try to blow them up beyond their original size and will become unreadable by the smartphone apps. The EPS file format is ideal for print media because it can scale to any size (including 16-foot billboards) without any loss of fidelity.
Where to Use QR Codes for Maximum Impact
In addition to placing a page-specific QR code on every page of your Web site, you can incorporate them into your marketing in many innovative ways. Here are just some ideas that came out of a recent brainstorming exercise for QR code use:
Put them on your sign riders pointing to your Web site with the details for that listing. (Note: Make sure the QR code on the sign rider is at least 10” x 10” so it can be scanned from the comfort of a prospect’s car.)
• Publish a print ad with a QR code pointing to a YouTube video of you walking through your latest listing.
• Put a QR code decal on your car that points to your Web site, or better yet, an irresistible offer on your Web site. (Again, make sure it is at least 10” x 10” so it can be scanned easily by other drivers.)
• If it is winter, develop a QR code on the sign rider and link it to photos or a video of the house when the landscaping is in full bloom during spring or summer.
• Sponsor a local team and put the QR code pointing to your Web site on their uniforms.
• Give away T-shirts with QR codes on them that point to your site.
• If you send out calendars each year, put a QR code pointing to your Web site on every page.
• Conduct a QR code open-house “scavenger hunt.” Put a code in print or Web ad for a series of open houses where the code on each home maps you to the next one. Participants have to read them all to get to the prize at the final house — a great idea for a broker open tour.
• Put a QR code pointing to your Web site on the back of your business card.
QR Code Best Practices
Now before you go all-out with QR codes and start plastering them on every available surface (digital or otherwise), here are some best practices that will help you get the most out of these little boxes:
• Tell them what it is: Since QR codes are still very leading-edge in this country, it may be a good idea to provide additional info that explains to less technology-capable consumers just what they are.
• Point to something worthwhile: Make sure that whatever your QR code points to provides real value to the consumer. Ideally, the landing page has a specific call to action and lead-capture mechanism.
• Make sure your QR codes are readable: Make them big enough for the context they will be used. This means about 175 pixels x 175 pixels for Web pages and e-mail, 10” x 10” for outdoor use (sign riders and car decals), and huge for billboards. Test them on your own to ensure they work correctly.
• Track your QR code traffic: You can easily track site traffic generated by visitors scanning QR codes. If you are using a basic Web analytics program, such as Google Analytics, it’s easy to track QR code traffic by adding a bit of text after the URL you’re pointing to before generating the code. Here’s an example:
http://www.myrealestatewebsite.com/?source=QR_printad
The highlighted part of the URL was added before generating the code, and will separate the traffic coming in from that source. Your analytics package will show any traffic specifically coming from people scanning the QR codes in your print ads. There is nothing magic or special about the text that comes after “/?source=”; you can make it anything you want — just make sure there are no spaces and that it effectively describes where the code was embedded.
At this point, you might be thinking, “Is this thing really necessary for my business?” If you want to be a leader in your market and really catch the attention and business of up-and-coming buyers, then yes, it is.
Implementing QR codes is not about being a geek. It’s about staying up on things that matter to your customers and serving them in the way they expect. That’s more than a good technology or marketing strategy — it’s good business.
Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, a former real estate practitioner and a "serial entrepreneur" who has gained national recognition as an expert on doing business on the Web. Today he is a speaker, trainer, consultant, and author of several books, including "The Obsolete Employee: How Businesses Succeed Without Employees and Love It," and "The Real Estate Website Accelerator." His Web site is www.onlinedominance.com
You need to install a mobile app (application) on your Smartphone to read these codes. I got mine (free) at http://gettag.mobi. Another source is http://scanlife.com or http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore. Some newer Blackberrys have scanning software bundled with Blackberry Messenger and so you may not need to install a program such as Scanlife.
Below is an article from Realtor Newsletter January 2011 by Micheal Russer on the subject.
In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a crop of young, willing, and able future buyers who seem to have their heads buried in their smartphones. Their phone is their world, but they prefer texting to talking. How can you get their interest — and their business?
QR Codes to the Rescue
QR codes were invented in Japan by a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp. to help identify car parts. Once people recognized their flexibility of encoding links to the Web, they took off in Japan and other East Asian countries. (This is perhaps unsurprising, as mobile Web access is much more common in that part of the world than in the United States.) In fact, you will find QR codes plastered on billboards, signs, storefronts, and just about any place you look in all the major Japanese cities.
Think of the QR code as a two-dimensional barcode that can contain many different kinds of information and present that information in many different ways. QR codes can be read instantly from any number of free smartphone apps. The opportunities for real estate marketing are nearly endless since one of the main uses of QR Codes is to embed URLs that when scanned will take the phone user to wherever the URL was pointing (i.e. your Web site, listing detail information, etc.) They effectively turn anything they are printed on into an active and track-able hyperlink.
You can start your search for free QR code reader apps for your smartphone (by smartphone type) at these places:
• iPhone QR reader app search
• BlackBerry QR reader app search
• Droid QR reader app search
• iTunes
• BlackBerry App World
• Android Market
There really are only two issues to consider when incorporating QR codes into your marketing:
1. How to create them
2. Where to place them for maximum exposure and impact.
Create QR Codes Instantly, for Free
If you do a Google search on “QR code generators,” you’ll find dozens of sites that will create them for you at no cost. My favorite is a site called BeeTagg QR Generator, which allows you to create any number of QR codes in different formats for free.
When you first land on this page, you can enter the URL of the page you want your code to go to and choose the type of code it generates. (Make sure you have the QR Code icon selected and uncheck “Optimize size.”) Then just hit the “Go” button, and you will instantly see your code with download options.
Now, this next part is very important. Of the six different download options shown, there are only two you will typically work with. Select Gif if you plan on placing the code on a Web page or e-mail, and Eps if you plan on using it in print.
GIF images are the smallest file sizes for this kind of image and are ideal for placement in Web pages. However, they are not good for print or other media because they don’t scale well. That is, they get blurry or pixelated if you try to blow them up beyond their original size and will become unreadable by the smartphone apps. The EPS file format is ideal for print media because it can scale to any size (including 16-foot billboards) without any loss of fidelity.
Where to Use QR Codes for Maximum Impact
In addition to placing a page-specific QR code on every page of your Web site, you can incorporate them into your marketing in many innovative ways. Here are just some ideas that came out of a recent brainstorming exercise for QR code use:
Put them on your sign riders pointing to your Web site with the details for that listing. (Note: Make sure the QR code on the sign rider is at least 10” x 10” so it can be scanned from the comfort of a prospect’s car.)
• Publish a print ad with a QR code pointing to a YouTube video of you walking through your latest listing.
• Put a QR code decal on your car that points to your Web site, or better yet, an irresistible offer on your Web site. (Again, make sure it is at least 10” x 10” so it can be scanned easily by other drivers.)
• If it is winter, develop a QR code on the sign rider and link it to photos or a video of the house when the landscaping is in full bloom during spring or summer.
• Sponsor a local team and put the QR code pointing to your Web site on their uniforms.
• Give away T-shirts with QR codes on them that point to your site.
• If you send out calendars each year, put a QR code pointing to your Web site on every page.
• Conduct a QR code open-house “scavenger hunt.” Put a code in print or Web ad for a series of open houses where the code on each home maps you to the next one. Participants have to read them all to get to the prize at the final house — a great idea for a broker open tour.
• Put a QR code pointing to your Web site on the back of your business card.
QR Code Best Practices
Now before you go all-out with QR codes and start plastering them on every available surface (digital or otherwise), here are some best practices that will help you get the most out of these little boxes:
• Tell them what it is: Since QR codes are still very leading-edge in this country, it may be a good idea to provide additional info that explains to less technology-capable consumers just what they are.
• Point to something worthwhile: Make sure that whatever your QR code points to provides real value to the consumer. Ideally, the landing page has a specific call to action and lead-capture mechanism.
• Make sure your QR codes are readable: Make them big enough for the context they will be used. This means about 175 pixels x 175 pixels for Web pages and e-mail, 10” x 10” for outdoor use (sign riders and car decals), and huge for billboards. Test them on your own to ensure they work correctly.
• Track your QR code traffic: You can easily track site traffic generated by visitors scanning QR codes. If you are using a basic Web analytics program, such as Google Analytics, it’s easy to track QR code traffic by adding a bit of text after the URL you’re pointing to before generating the code. Here’s an example:
http://www.myrealestatewebsite.com/?source=QR_printad
The highlighted part of the URL was added before generating the code, and will separate the traffic coming in from that source. Your analytics package will show any traffic specifically coming from people scanning the QR codes in your print ads. There is nothing magic or special about the text that comes after “/?source=”; you can make it anything you want — just make sure there are no spaces and that it effectively describes where the code was embedded.
At this point, you might be thinking, “Is this thing really necessary for my business?” If you want to be a leader in your market and really catch the attention and business of up-and-coming buyers, then yes, it is.
Implementing QR codes is not about being a geek. It’s about staying up on things that matter to your customers and serving them in the way they expect. That’s more than a good technology or marketing strategy — it’s good business.
Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, a former real estate practitioner and a "serial entrepreneur" who has gained national recognition as an expert on doing business on the Web. Today he is a speaker, trainer, consultant, and author of several books, including "The Obsolete Employee: How Businesses Succeed Without Employees and Love It," and "The Real Estate Website Accelerator." His Web site is www.onlinedominance.com
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Rumble/Brennan Car Dealership Site Demolished
A landmark building in the Leaside/North Toronto area has been demolished. At the corner of Bayview and Broadway, it was for years the home of Rumble Pontiac("ramble into Rumble, you'll see"), later Brennan Pontiac.
A developer is hoping to develop the site for a grocery store with parking underneath. The developer's application for a minor variance was denied. The applicant appealed the decision by the Committee of Adjustment to the OMB (Ontario Municipal Board). No date for the OMB hearing has yet been set.
Now the developer has made an application to re-zone the site. Re-zoning requires more studies to be done and the city staff will schedule a meeting where all residents will have a chance to comment on the proposed development. This meeting will be scheduled in January. The city is required to make a decision on the application within 180 days which means by early March 2011. Should the city turn down the application again the developer will have the option to appeal to the OMB.
Many of the neighbours are opposed to the proposed development.for more infomation, check the website www.broadwayrwg.ca.
A developer is hoping to develop the site for a grocery store with parking underneath. The developer's application for a minor variance was denied. The applicant appealed the decision by the Committee of Adjustment to the OMB (Ontario Municipal Board). No date for the OMB hearing has yet been set.
Now the developer has made an application to re-zone the site. Re-zoning requires more studies to be done and the city staff will schedule a meeting where all residents will have a chance to comment on the proposed development. This meeting will be scheduled in January. The city is required to make a decision on the application within 180 days which means by early March 2011. Should the city turn down the application again the developer will have the option to appeal to the OMB.
Many of the neighbours are opposed to the proposed development.for more infomation, check the website www.broadwayrwg.ca.
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