Fear and ignorance on the Don

I’m all for gentrification. It think it’s a natural part of urban evolution, as long as it doesn’t involve front-lawn parking pads. But I also find it entirely objectionable when a handful of people who overpaid for their tiny homes in a transitional neighbourhood suddenly start talking as if they own it. Case in point:continue reading

Hm

This does help explain why dump truck drivers blow red lights so ruthlessly: “Our trucks are supposed to carry 21 tonnes. But every time we are pulled on a scale, it’s around 28, 29, sometimes 30 tonnes in there. “That’s dangerous, not only for the driver, but for everyone else on the road. The brakecontinue reading

Funding is essential too

It’s heartwarming to read the unusually warm words spoken about Toronto at yesterday’s emergency session of the legislature. The Premier praised Torontonians for their “characteristic goodwill, patience, and grace”, while Labour Minister — and former Toronto city councillor — Brad Duguid highlighted the importance of the TTC to the city’s operation: …we cannot stand bycontinue reading

The boom goes boom

– Urban is often a euphemism for “black”, “inner-city” or “low-income”. Unless, of course, you’re the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods, the FUN part of the Coalition After Property Tax Reform, in which case urban means… South Rosedale. – Have you heard? The housing boom is “officially over.” That’s according to Doug Porter of BMO Economics,continue reading

Profiling the pool protesters

Sometimes, the messager is just as important as the message. And given this, the pool protesters might want to re-examine who’s speaking for them as they continue their war of publicity against the closing of some (not all) of the Toronto District School Board’s 84 pools. Exhibit A: This morning’s guest on CBC’s Metro Morning.continue reading

Willllllmmaaaaa!

This makes me happy: ‘Flintstones’ car case thrown out of court … Trevor Baldwin was pulled over on a Toronto street last October for operating an unsafe vehicle on Queen Street West. The Buick he was driving looked more like a car from The Flintstones animated television show, in which the driver and passengers usecontinue reading

A Paler Shade

Christian Lander, Torontonian co-creator of the eerily accurate site Stuff White People Like (check out the full list, including David Sedaris and standing still at concerts, here), reveals the source of his inspiration to the Globe and Mail: I grew up in Riverdale in Toronto, and Riverdale pretty much captures the entire concept of whatcontinue reading

The tyranny of fake politeness

Sunday morning, Museum station. Stairs are under repair. An elderly couple stand on the one escalator, and move sharply over to the right side to allow others to pass on the left. A young woman begins to pass on the left, then hesitates, as she realizes (to her apparent horror) that the fabric of thecontinue reading