Summer’s over but they can still grow indoors In this reprint of an article from October 1997, landscape architect Bardi Vorster helps us identify which herbs we can bring indoors and enjoy long after the first frost. By Bardi Vorster The first task when you mention herbs is to narrow the field. The ones we […]

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University-Rosedale candidates tackle refugee crisis, social justice issues By Annemarie Brissenden Two University-Rosedale all-candidates’ meetings hosted in the Annex were a study in contrasts. The first, held on Oct. 2 and arranged by a consortium of residents’ and business associations in partnership with three United Church congregations, was very much a well-attended local affair that […]

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Toronto Heritage recognizes HVRA Storyposts By Annemarie Brissenden How do we define a city’s heritage? Is it the network of buildings connected by meandering streets and avenues? Is it a shared history of accepted truths? If this year’s nominees for the Toronto Heritage Awards are anything to go by, our heritage is as woven out […]

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Madison Avenue is one step closer to becoming a Heritage Conservation District (HCD). On Sept. 8, the Toronto and East York Community Council endorsed a motion to designate Madison Avenue from Bloor to Dupont streets an HCD under the Ontario Heritage Act. The designation allows a municipality to protect and enhance the special character of […]

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The Liberal and New Democratic Party (NDP) candidates for Spadina-Fort York (the southern half of what was formerly Trinity-Spadina) have come out strongly against any plan to expand the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Sitting member of Parliament (MP) Adam Vaughan, and former MP Olivia Chow, who are running in Spadina-Fort York, have both said […]

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Although gun crime is high in the entertainment district, neighbourhood crime and crime incidents related to gang activity is down, reported Staff Superintendent Francis Bergen of the Toronto Police Service at a 14 Division Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) meeting on Sept. 14. Bergen said that gun crime has been “off the charts in the […]

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A jumble of stories about an area lost to time By Annemarie Brissenden Before there was Ed Mirvish and his free turkey giveaways, there was Merle Foster and her annual Christmas trees; parties the sculptor would throw in St. John’s Ward for children who would have little other pleasure during the holiday season. Foster’s story […]

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It’s a myth that only the Conservatives can be trusted with managing the economy. Under their “stewardship” we are the only G7 country in a recession, and while Mr. Harper argues how “risky” it is to trust either opposition party with managing the balance sheet, his government has run successive deficit budgets and our economic […]

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I read the September Gleaner article “A haven for children’s literature”, on the 20th anniversary of the Lillian H. Smith library, and I was instantly brought home to my old neighbourhood in Toronto. I remember fondly afternoons spent reading a book in the garden behind the library. Or wintry afternoons spent roaming through the stacks, […]

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Thank you for your article in the August 2015 edition “Breaking bread with friends, Harbord Bakery marks 70 years”. It was a joy to be reminded of the rich history of the Harbord Bakery and how intertwined it is with the neighbourhood. Raffi Kosower, Roslyn Katz, Susan Wisnewski, their families, and the incredibly friendly bakery […]

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I lived above the Harbord Bakery (“Breaking bread with friends”, August 2015) in the early ‘60s. A newcomer to Toronto, I initially saw only space (furnished one-bedroom) and location (close to the U of T) that were right for me; however, I was soon to learn what a legendary roof I had found. The Kosowers […]

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