On Nov. 25 the Bloor Annex Business Improvement Area (whose chair also publishes this newspaper) showcased its street revitalization plans at Markham House in Mirvish Village. The plans — expected to be implemented in 2018 — include converting public rights-of-way along Bloor Street into parkettes and a renewed tree inventory on the north side of […]

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Creating a spot to gather 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 Area, which is installing four parkettes along Bloor Street between Spadina Avenue and Bathurst Street. Placed at […]

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The Annex’s cycling community celebrated the unveiling of the Bloor Street pilot bike lane project on Aug. 12. Speaking at the unveiling, Mike Layton (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina) noted that talks of a Bloor Street bike lane date to 40 years ago, when cyclists were taking to the streets even though the city had no bike […]

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Council votes in favour of pilot project By Geremy Bordonaro At long last, bike lanes are coming to Bloor Street. On May 4, Toronto City Council voted 38 to 3 approving a pilot project to install separated bike lanes on Bloor Street from Avenue Road to Shaw Street. [pullquote] “Bike lanes on Bloor [Street] is […]

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Beware the corporatization of Bloor Street Re “Rexall replaces Brunswick House” (April 2016): Anyone who sees Rexall’s move into the Brunswick location as a good thing or as a positive addition to the neighbourhood is sorrily mistaken. I am not sentimental regarding the loss of the Brunswick House itself, but sad to see a large […]

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The arrival of cycling in Toronto By Joe Cressy For too long, discussions of bike lanes have been divisive in our city. They shouldn’t be. When we do it right, cycling infrastructure can be a win-win for everyone. After more than 40 years of discussion, debate, and community advocacy, an overwhelming majority of city councillors […]

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Plan to transform underutilized space [pullquote]“This is a major greening initiative for the neighbourhood”—Jonathan Da Silva, Bloor-Annex BIA[/pullquote] By Annemarie Brissenden Bloor Street West is about to get a whole lot greener, and it’s all thanks to the trees. Currently confined to box planters, Bloor Street’s trees are suffering. The concrete boxes — sometimes known […]

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Pharmacy drugstore chain says it will respect building’s heritage [pullquote]“This will be a relief to the neighbourhood”—Sue Dexter, HVRA[/pullquote] By Annemarie Brissenden After one last weekend-long blowout, the doors of the Brunswick House closed for good, leaving the neighbourhood eagerly anticipating the site’s next, presumably quieter and more agreeable, incarnation. “Identifying a new tenant is […]

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Pharmacy drugstore chain says it will respect building’s heritage By Annemarie Brissenden The Brunswick House has a new tenant. Rexall, a pharmacy drugstore chain, will be taking over the first floor of the building at 481 Bloor St. W., confirmed landlord Larry Sdao. The betting lounge on the upper floors will be moving out, and […]

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Harbord Village plan targets laneways, parkettes By Marielle Torrefranca Harbord Village is aiming to get a whole lot greener. Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) and the Harbord Village Residents’ Association (HVRA), a community-led volunteer organization, have released a joint Green Master Plan, which outlines a series of actions to create urban green spaces in the […]

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Book launches, dance festivals, and fashion mark month By Dilara Kurtaran It’s been a little over two decades since Canada officially recognized February as Black History Month, and this year, the wide range of events aimed at honouring the legacy of Black Canadians includes book launches, lectures, and fashion installations. Local independent A Different Booklist […]

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Toronto City Opera’s performances are approachable and fun By Annemarie Brissenden What could possibly go wrong when a poor peasant who only has eyes for a beautiful landowner buys a magical love potion from an itinerant doctor? Discover the hilarity that ensues in Gaetano Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, performed by the Toronto City Opera (TCO) this […]

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