Imagine an alternate reality where everyone speaks in quotes from Star Wars films. That’s the world Annex residents Mark McIntyre and Andrew Chapman — who describe it as “every fanboy’s fantasy” — have created in their upcoming film, Bar Wars, a live-action short that follows Chapman as he tries to pick up women. Most of […]

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Private school to renew lease for 50 years By Marielle Torrefranca The University of Toronto Schools (UTS), an independent high school for high achievers, is staving off eviction after reaching a 50-year lease renewal agreement with the University of Toronto. The deal is still dependent on the approval of U of T’s governing council and […]

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Notorious bar on month-to-month lease By Annemarie Brissenden Larry Sdao’s late November confirmation that he would not renew The Brunswick House’s lease has galvanized the community into a discussion about the future of the notorious landmark. It’s also become a catalyst for a broader discussion about the future of the neighbourhood, and revealed disconnects between […]

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Trap-Neuter-Return reduces feral feline population   By Summer Reid The City of Toronto has begun funding a program aimed at controlling its growing feral cat population. Under the Trap-Neuter-Return program, feral cats are trapped and brought to a veterinary clinic, where they are spayed or neutered and treated for any diseases, after which the cats […]

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Laneways untapped realm of urban design By Annemarie Brissenden How do you create a micro-retail hub that will attract shoppers, incubate new businesses, and be self-sustaining? Developers at Westbank Projects Corp. are hoping that Honest Ed’s Alley will embody the answer to that question. Planning for the new laneway, which is part of the company’s […]

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“Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people […]

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A Ward 20 year in review By Joe Cressy In Ward 20, we’ve had a busy year! We’ve worked hard on the dozens of development files that populate downtown, improving our green spaces, and building liveable communities — and we have a lot to be proud of. We worked together on 484 Spadina Ave. (The […]

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Grassroots activism marks annual review By Annemarie Brissenden DEVELOPMENT DRIVES DENSITY DOWNTOWN When was the Annex deemed downtown? Although the question — asked at a community consultation about one of the many “vertical rooming houses” inching up the midtown skyline — remains unanswered, it underscores the tension between residents, who see their treasured neighbourhood as […]

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Proposed hookah lounge category voted down   By Dilara Kurtaran Local shisha bar owners are scrambling to change their business model after city councillors voted 34 to three to ban shisha from Toronto’s lounges and restaurants starting in April 2016. Toronto is the latest city to ban shisha. Peterborough, Brantford, and Barrie are three of […]

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Organizations working with Lifeline Syria, Canadian Druze Society By Summer Reid The Annex is a hive of activity as members of local churches, community organizations, and grassroots groups buzz with activities aimed at raising money to support the upcoming influx of Syrian refugees. Their efforts are culminating just as the federal government has outlined #WelcomeRefugees, […]

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Policy favours car ownership over public transit By Terri Chu To say that another Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) fare hike is disappointing is a mild understatement. When the Yonge line opened in 1954 with its first 12 stations, fares cost 15¢ ($1.34 in today’s dollars). The recent fare hike puts the increase at about 2.5 […]

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