Long-awaited renewal of U of T park space for community use

By Mary An  Read more

[Read more →]

Defending downtown democracy

Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) speaks at an emergency public meeting at Scadding Court Community Centre on August 13. ELLIE HAYDEN/GLEANER NEWS

By Ellie Hayden

“Shame!”

Hundreds of people huddled shoulder to shoulder shouted the rallying cry at an emergency public meeting on August 13 at the Scadding Court Community Centre.  Read more

[Read more →]

PHOTO BY GEREMY BORDONARO/GLEANER NEWS: Dragon City Mall on Spadina Avenue was crowded wall-to-wall for the Chinatown BIA’s celebration of the Lunar New Year on Jan. 28. Representatives from the Toronto Police Service’s 14 Division joined councillors Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina), Mike Layton (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina), Adam Vaughan (MP, Spadina Fort York), and Han Dong (MPP, Trinity-Spadina) for a day of jubilation featuring a traditional dragon dance and inking of the dragon’s eyes.

[Read more →]

Minister of Transport questioned on diverting dangerous goods

By Annemarie Brissenden

If residents at the well-attended town hall on rail safety were looking for the federal government to commit to diverting railway tracks out of dense urban neighbourhoods, they came away disappointed.

[Read more →]

The Comfort Zone has filed a $23-million lawsuit against the Toronto Police Service (TPS) and former police chief Bill Blair, alleging the parties abused their powers to put the Spadina Avenue after-hours club out of business. After discovering that a 26-year-old man had been seen at the club just hours before his death as a result of a drug overdose, the TPS launched Project White Rabbit, an undercover raid that resulted in the seizure of $35,000 and various drugs valued at $33,000, as well as charges against 33 patrons and five staff. The lawsuit claims that police destroyed video surveillance equipment, and kept patrons and staff handcuffed for up to five hours. Since then, the lawsuit claims, the TPS has raided the club over 50 times, harassing staff and patrons. None of these allegations have been proven in court. It’s the second time the Comfort Zone has pursued a legal claim of this nature; in 2009, it launched a similar lawsuit against then councillor Adam Vaughan, claiming it had been the victim of a systematic harassment campaign aimed at shutting the club down.  Read more

[Read more →]

The attack is the fourth sexual assault in the area this summer.

By Andrew Schopp

A 27-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in the Kensington Market area early in the morning on Sunday, August 19.

A white male in his 30s was seen fleeing the scene in a taxi.  Read more

[Read more →]

By Councillor Adam Vaughan (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina)

Not convinced?  Then check out what’s happening in every corner of the continent. Google “No Casino” and see what comes up. Whether it’s Vancouver or Miami, Manhattan, Gettysburg or Pawtucket, city after city, town after town, everyone seems to be fighting a casino proposal.  Read more

[Read more →]

REPORTED 40-STOREYS TO BE REDUCED

By Sadie McInnes

[Read more →]

VAUGHAN CALLS FOR NEW ROBOCALL ELECTION RULES, EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON WHAT’S NEXT

By Alexa Huffman

At city hall in April, councillors weighed in on human trafficking in Toronto, and sport fishing on the city’s lakeshore. But, a motion for new robocall rules for future elections especially stood out.  Read more

[Read more →]

By Michael Radoslav

Councillor Adam Vaughan leads a Jane’s Walk through CityPlace. Courtesy Gary Pieters.

While condo projects have dotted the Toronto skyline for years, at CityPlace some see more than just construction underway—they see the potential for a great community.  Read more

[Read more →]

By Síle Cleary

UTS, pictured here with students gathered outside for a Jane’s Walk in 2010, will be searching for a new home. Beth Macdonell/Gleaner News

The University of Toronto School (UTS, 371 Bloor St. W.) board is eager to enter into discussions with their academic partner, the University of Toronto, in order to clarify the terms of the school’s relocation plan.  Read more

[Read more →]

In Ward 20, Adam Vaughan easily won re-election with 74 per cent of the vote. Mike Yen, whose platform was very similar to Mayor-elect Rob Ford, and whose message of “Stop the War on Fun” resonated with local fraternities and bars, including the Brunswick House, came in a distant second with 3,601 votes. Dean Maher, Roman Polochansky and Ken Osadchuck picked up 6, 2, and 1 per cent of the vote, respectively.  Read more

[Read more →]

By Claude Saravia

Matt James/Gleaner News

Chad Mutchler was watching from a friend’s roof that cold Feb. 20 when a fire ripped through the Queen West neighbourhood just before dawn.

It took 150 firefighters in 30 trucks to extinguish the six- alarm inferno that destroyed a section of Queen Street West, between Bathurst Street and Portland Avenue in 2008.  Read more

[Read more →]