MPP Bell hosts community appreciation celebration By Nicole Stoffman A ninety-seven-year-old named Betty Robinson and a thirteen-year-old named Zoe Keary-Matzner have more in common than you might think. Both are residents of the University-Rosedale riding, both are a little headstrong, and both have been recognized for the impact they are defiantly trying to make. An […]

[Read more →]

Creating a spot to gather Originally published in October of 2016 in anticipation of the granite installations in the Bloor Street Parkettes. By Geremy Bordonaro Humans have been moving stones to create monuments since at least prehistoric times, an act that is taking on a very local incarnation, thanks to the Bloor Annex Business Improvement […]

[Read more →]

The question of writing in library books at U of T By Nicole Stoffman Judging by the state of many books one finds at the University of Toronto Libraries, writing in library books is a U of T tradition. In long-held parts of the collection, especially in books used for course readings and essay research, […]

[Read more →]

No unity of purpose from arms of the city By Terri Chu Nearly a decade ago, a fire ravaged the beloved Children’s Storefront at 1079 Bathurst St. just south of Dupont. The lot has been sitting empty ever since, waiting for its next reincarnation. Now that Orchard Properties has a development proposal in the works […]

[Read more →]

The best and the worst of our greenspaces In this final instalment of this year’s Gleaner’s park evaluation once again Christie Pits score an A+ for its design, maintenance, and the sheer volume of activities and facilities there. Paul Martel Mark on Madison Avenue just north of Bloor can fall no further on our scale. […]

[Read more →]

Act local to address the reality of climate change By Terri Chu Here’s a question for you: What’s more depressing, the ever-worsening predictions we hear from climate scientists, or the daily news of continued denialism from the Trumps and Fords of the world? If you live on Toronto Island, you are probably too busy to […]

[Read more →]

Lots of places for ambling with a dog, playing sports, or watching the world go by This is our first set of park reviews for 2019. The Annex and its surroundings are blessed with a rich array of green space — much of it under the umbrella of city parks. We grade them here, every year […]

[Read more →]

Tree canopy of Harbord Village depleted by 20 per cent By Nabahat Hussain A thorough tree inventory in Harbord Village shows that the neighbourhood’s tree canopy has decreased by 20 per cent in the past 12 years. This rate of decline is similar to that of trees in the Annex, north of Bloor. According to […]

[Read more →]

China done with being the world’s dumping ground By Terri Chu The Ontario government has announced it is mulling a ban on single-use plastics. As environmentalists rejoice at the small bone this gas guzzling loving government throws at us, we should all take a moment to thank China for this small miracle from the “red […]

[Read more →]

What does the emergence of Marie Kondo mean? By Terri Chu Few celebrities have given me hope about the fate of the planet quite like Marie Kondo has. We literally created a mega celebrity out of a woman who teaches you how to throw stuff away. Did coffee just come out your nose? Stop to […]

[Read more →]

Democrats Abroad celebrate mid-term results By Shyanne Cole Democrats Abroad gathered at the Madison Avenue Pub on November 6 to watch results for the mid-term election come in from the United States of America. American flags hanging from the walls, peeking out of shirt pockets, and draping many shoulders made it a very vibrant night. […]

[Read more →]

We need a ministry of adaptation I live in the city, have given up driving and most of my hobbies that produce a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, so I’m thrilled that the new carbon tax is finally getting implemented. I have huge respect for Catherine McKenna, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Her […]

[Read more →]