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Bayview Village Neighbourhood

BV’s Urban Contemporary Living

I spent most of my life in Thornhill Village and loved it all the way through. Since I moved to Bayview Village (aka BV) in 2017, I just can’t ignore the convenience, accessibility and modernity of this unique neighbourhood. Bayview Village (BV) is stamped as one of the rarest neighbourhoods of Greater Toronto Area away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Toronto yet vibrant and amusing. At the time I am posting this blog, we are dealing with Covid-19 Pandemic. Many restrictions are in place such as social distancing, gathering limitations, restaurants dining restrictions and closures of small businesses among others. I sat down with Shawn R., Master Barber and Hair Designer, who lives and works in Bayview Village to find out his opinion about the neighbourhood and how his work is affected by the Pandemic.

Let’s Talk About History

Just a year later after Toronto became the first Metropolitan city in Canada in 1953, Bayview Village launched its urban development.  The development led by Farlinger Development Inc with an aim to “fit the community into the landscape” which was envisioned by Dr. E. G. Faludi. Between 1954 to 1965, most of the Bayview Village was developed and has been regarded as “Contemporary Living in Countryside” (Wikipedia).  Today Bayview Village has become an affluent neighbourhood in North York with more than 21,000 (toronto.ca) residents from all walks of life.

Plan Your Visit

Bayview Village is accessible via highway 401 which is connected to northbound highway 404 and Don Valley Parkway from south. If you wish to take the transit and put the environment first, Sheppard subway line is a convenient way to commute to Bayview Village. The Bayview subway station is where you need to get off. The closest Go train station is Oriole station. If you choose to visit between late spring to early fall, please check the weather forecast because you don’t want to miss cruising around with your bikes in adjacent parks and green trails. You can pack your lunch or snacks but if you like to be served, no worries, there are many eateries in Bayview Village area especially in BV Shopping Centre.

Bayview Village Shopping Centre

The posh BV Shopping Centre is more like a special occasion shopping destination. If you like to spend some time window shopping or you are planning an anniversary gift for your significant other, this is a mall you want to spend couple of hours to have on your list.

Come Hungry

Whether you are stopping by for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a Sunday brunch, Bayview Village (BV) Shopping Centre has a wide variety of restaurants to entice your taste buds. Bayview Village has amazing cafes such as Aroma Espresso Bar, Lettieri , Starbucks and Bread & Roses Bakery.  Aroma café offers all day breakfast which you don’t want to miss. You can dine and or Take Out from different restaurants with any budget. The fast food options such as Thai express and South St. Burger to white cloth table top and wine pairing menu at  IL FORNELLO and Oliver & Bonacini will immediately come to site if you enter from the north east entrance. If crave for ice cream, Laura Secord shop will welcome you with its rich flavored creamery. My recommendation is Salmon dinner at the Tabule Middle Eastern/Mediterranean Restaurant. They also have a number of vegetarian dishes to crave for.

Main Grocery Stores

The main grocery stores are Loblaws and Pusateri’s Fine Foods. If you happen to be in the neighbourhood, check out the cheese section of Pusateri’s and pair it with a nice wine from LCBO right across from Pusateri’s.

Treat Yourself

Sometimes the city’s busy life style, would take away the idea of rewarding yourself with a special treatment. Hammam Spa in Bayview Village Shopping Centre offers a variety of treatment for both men and women. Book an appointment and consult with one of the specialist as how they can rejuvenate and refresh you in couple of hours.

Toronto Public Library

There’s a small library in the BV Shopping Centre which can accessed only from outside of the mall located in the south side. Free parking is available.

The Closest Hospital

North York General Hospital is conveniently located on Leslie St., between highway 401 and Sheppard Ave. East.

Bayview Village Park

City of Toronto’s Parks has designated an area for the residents to enjoy sporting and a place to relax. This park is located on Bayview Ave. just 1 block north of Sheppard Ave. East. The park offers 3 tennis courts, 2 table tennis, 2 chess tables, a splash board and Children’s Playground all for free.

Walk, Bike or Hike

Just at the foot of Sheppard Ave. East and Leslie St, Betty Sutherland Trail Park should be on your list. Weather allowing, it’s a short trail to walk, bike or hike. Spend couple of hours to distress and enjoy the serenity of the nature. Some explorer have found their ways around to bike all the way to downtown Toronto.

photo source: https://scenesto.com/2013/09/29/scenes-from-the-betty-sutherland-trail/

Chatting With a Resident of BV

I took the opportunity to sit down with my hair stylist, Shawn R., who is a resident of Bayview Village and works at King’s Crown Salon in BV Shopping Centre to get his opinion on the neighbourhood and the Pandemic situation.

Below is an extract of my interview:

Eddie: When did you move to BV and why?

Shawn: I moved to neighbourhood back in 2018 because I wanted to be close to work. I was fed up with commuting, that’s why I chose to live in this neighbourhood. After all it’s very convenient. Everything is within walking distance.

Eddie: In one word, how do you describe BV’s neighbourhood?

Shawn: Posh!

 Eddie: What do you like the most about BV?

Shawn: It’s very convenient. Most of my daily routines such going to the gym or grocery shopping is within walking distance. If I need to take the public transit, Bayview subway station is a 5 minute walk from my home. On the days that I have to drive, highway 401 is just 2 blocks away which cuts down the commuting time.

 Eddie: What do you do for living?

Shawn: I have been a hair stylist since 2015 and joined King’s Crown Salon in 2018. I am also a session guitarist and conduct private guitar lessons as well.

 Eddie: What do you enjoy the most in your job?

Shawn: My clients! There’s always something to talk about. Entertainment, Sports, Social dilemmas, Politics, personal life issues and everything in middle. And of course gossips lol

 Eddie: How is your work effected during the Pandemic?

Shawn: Like many other businesses, our salon had to shut down. It was somewhat depressing to be away from work and wait in uncertainty. I was glad we reopened. We have to think of time and client management as we have modified our service based on appointments.

 Eddie: Are you optimistic about the future?

Shawn: Yes, But it will take time to adapt to a new normal. We all have to be mindful and take extra cautions.

 Eddie: Any final words?

Shawn: This is a very special time we are living in. Please support your local businesses as we are going through this economic hardship. Anyone who wants to get a hair style consultation or book an appointment,  please visit our website: www.kingscrown1774.com

The Future Developments

photo: urbantoronto.ca

There’s a major expansion plan for BV Shopping Centre which will begin in couple of years. The plan is to build a residential and commercial commercial complex. There will be condominium towers with the shopping centre at the base of them and outdoor retail spaces where shoppers can walk through. To see what’s ahead, please visit: www.futureofbvshops.com

The other upcoming project is the Bessarion Community Centre on sheppard Ave. East  which is currently under construction. This community centre is located beside the Bessarion Subway Station on Sheppard subway line which makes it very convenient for those who avoid driving or just simply want to take public transit.

Final words:

Bayview Village will be witnessing major developments along Sheppard Ave East, between Bayview Ave and Leslie St. This will lead to major traffic congestion in this area in the coming years. The residents have to be mindful of these developments and start planning ahead with their commutes. Those who use the subway may not be as affected as those who drive around for their errands. Overall BV is an established community and at the same time a thriving one. I look forward to seeing more improvements within the community and public events for the neighbourhood in years ahead.

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How would record labels survive in the new digital world?

There is no other time in history that music has become so available. The new digital media has been shape shifting so rapidly that music industry is playing a catch up game and it seems the industry hasn't caught up yet for more than a decade. Record labels have affected the most during these years. According to the article: Music Downloading by Euromonitor International in 2007, "The world recording market was hit hard by illegal downloading in the first five years of the new century. Over the 2000-2005 period recorded media sales fell by approximately 50% (Music downloading)." This led to many record labels to shut down their doors or bought by major labels. Illegal filesharing, piracy and copy right infringement seemed to be unstoppable and prosecute the wrong doers were very costly and time consuming. Since then, labels have been looking to find ways to adapt to different business models in order to gain back the revenue loss. Independent artists on the other hand were celebrating the emerging digital media by accessing fans in a most cost effective and efficient fashion. Digital media partnering up with social media created a heaven for new emerging artists. New artists can now reach a more targeted audience than a decade ago through cyber space. This is the area where record labels fell behind in the race. At the "Next Generation Record Label" Conference in Boston, Harvard Law School Professor Lawrence Lessig, a panelist on  Rethink Music pointed out that  "The frustrating thing is, recognizing this is not a battle of ideas but a battle between people who make money under the old system and people who might make money under the new system (Rethink Music Panel)". This is a focal point where using new technology was not adopted by music industry. Also the legal environment has not been prepared to counter act when technology is moving forward at such a fast pace. There must be an international coalition among countries to reform the regulatory and judiciary systems to confront the piracy and copy right infringements. The other model can be considered is that record labels reach out to new artists and giving them the opportunity to use the technology to create a substantial fan base before signing them.  Tom Silverman, another panelist at the "Next Generation Record Label", mentioned  "There's too many artists that aren't getting shots now," he said. "We need to start thinking about ways to take more shots (Rethink Music)." Partnering up with the new emerging artists, record labels can reduce the initial capital expenditure and allow the artists to get involved and take more proactive stance to promote their music which eventually reward them in the future. Last but not least is extending the revenue channel as Irving Azoff, one of the world's most renowned music industry leader, as Bobby Owsinski in his article refers to new record label of the future: "the Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) and music business mover and shaker Irving Azoff would enter into a joint venture called Azoff MSG Entertainment (AMSGE). In a move that could provide a peek into what the major record label of the future could be, it’s been reported that MSG agreed to pay Azoff Music Management $125 million and contribute a $50 million line of credit to the new company (Owsinski)."  Apparently the record labels are adapting to put a major focus on bringing new media on board to take their artists to the next level. "What makes this venture interesting is that the company will have four divisions; artist management, music publishing, television production and live event branding, and digital branding. Couple that with the many venues owned by MSG that could host concerts with the company’s artists, and you have a look at what the new world record major label looks like (Owsinski)." The new business model adopted by ASMGE will create new channels for revenue and leave a path behind for other major labels to follow.

Sources:

“Music downloading”. Euromonitor International. Passport GMID. 26 Oct. 2007. Web. 17 Sept. 2013

Owsinski, Bobby. "Irving Azoff Reinvents The Major Record Label." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 09 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.

"Rethink Music Panels Look at the Future of Record Labels, Monetization." Billboard. Billboard, 27 Apr. 2011. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.

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Whitesnake-One of the best Hard Rock bands of all time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJGsFoS0zWw