City to break ground later this year

The City of Toronto’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation department is considering two layouts for the renewed Huron Street Playground. The first option (above) includes welcoming park entrances, a southest corner activated by destination play equipment, and the removal of the existing fence. In the second option (below), a perimeter path surrounding the play equipment will provide a circuit for racing or running. The existing fence will remain, complemented by the addition of new welcoming entrance options. Images courtesy of Forest and Field Landscape Architect and the City of Toronto.  Read more

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Supervised drug injection sites are on their way to Toronto if local councillor Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) gets his way. The rookie member of city council finds himself on many civic bodies, but at the Toronto Board of Health, he is the elected chair. Cressy announced the initiative in late March after the board directed the Medical Officer of Health to conduct community consultations for several supervised injection sites. This could lead to the federal government’s endorsement of the proposal; that is, making it legal for injection drug users to come into a controlled site with their own privately procured drug, get some guidance and a clean needle, and under the watchful supervision of a nurse, inject themselves.  Read more

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Re “Bike lane plan up for debate” (January 2016): As someone who has actively chased better Bloor Street biking for over a decade, I should be very happy that bike safety changes may finally occur, but I’m not fully pleased.  Read more

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Bill 165 offers consumer protection, unifies industry

By Han Dong

On March 3, 2016, Bill 165, Licensed Home Inspectors Act, 2016, my private member’s bill, received unanimous consent in the Ontario Legislature, and was referred to the committee on regulations and private bills.  Read more

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Transforming neighbourhoods into open air galleries

Artist Jorge Molina poses on Walmer Road with some of his work. He is installing 416 canvases on utility poles throughout the city as part of his 416 Project.
NEILAND BRISSENDEN/GLEANER NEWS

By Annemarie Brissenden  Read more

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Meet the Bathurst bird babicka

Ewa feeds the birds in front of Bathurst Station. The retiree, who wishes she could still work, occupies her time by caring for the pigeons and squirrels.
MICHAEL CHACHURA/GLEANER NEWS

By Michael Chachura

In the parkette in front of Bathurst Station an elderly lady sits feeding the pigeons and the squirrels.  Read more

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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 Sdao said the second and third floors will be available to lease.  Read more

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NEILAND BRISSENDEN/GLEANER NEWS

Annex resident, Governor General’s Performing Arts Award Winner, and Order of Canada Member R.H. Thomson (shown here at The Green Beanery at Bloor and Bathurst streets) stars as a prominent historian and Quebec sovereigntist navigating the ravages of dementia in You Will Remember Me playing at the Tarragon Theatre (purchase tickets) until April 13. For full story, please see: What does it mean to remember?  Read more

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Student athletes launch online petition

By Marielle Torrefranca

In the latest of a saga of hurdles, construction of Central Technical School’s $7-million sports facility has been stopped until further notice, said Razor Management Inc. (RMI).  Read more

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Specialized facility meets urgent need

YMCA Sprott House provides transitional housing for 25 LGBTQ2S youth.
CORRINA KING/GLEANER?NEWS

By Summer Reid

Homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and two-spirited (LGBTQ2S) youth finally have a place to sleep without intimidation and harassment.  Read more

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Razor Management Inc., which operates the existing athletic facility at Monarch Park Collegiate Institute and is installing a similar field at Central Technical School, announced this month that it had received an unexpected retroactive municipal tax bill of $505,000 relating to the Monarch Park facility. It has also been informed that it will face similar levies at Central Tech once that field is up and running.  Read more

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Cancelled car tax could have made up difference for Toronto

By Annemarie Brissenden

The City of Toronto’s proposed tax-supported operating budget for 2016 rings in at just over $10 billion, but what’s remarkable is what it doesn’t include.  Read more

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The Central Technical School Blues took on the football players of Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute on Nov. 7, 2013, before going on to win the citywide finals that year. The field was locked down shortly thereafter, following the discovery of contamination in the soil. The Central Tech students are keen to get their field back, and support the TDSB’s plan to install a championship field, which would include artificial turf and a seasonal dome, at the site. Photo Brian Burchell, Gleaner News  Read more

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