By Brian Burchell Spurred on by a recent spike in drug overdose deaths, Toronto City Council voted 36 to 3 on July 14 to establish three Supervised Injection Sites (SIS) throughout the city. Typically run through public health clinics, such sites provide a space for clients to self-administer drugs — which they supply themselves — […]

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Concerns raised about lack of consultation for Central Tech space By Geremy Bordonaro Improvements to the Lennox Street expanse between Central Technical School and its art centre are well underway, but residents attending a May 5 information meeting questioned whether the design reflected the best use of the land. When the refurbished landscaping — now […]

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It’s probably the only residents’ association meeting that begins with neighbourhood caucuses. The Harbord Village Residents’ Association (HVRA) spring meeting on May 18 included a review of the planning challenges in various parts of the village, the public launch of the association’s plan to green 24 laneways, a ward update from Joe Cressy (Ward 20, […]

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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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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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Supporters aim to protect neighbourhood’s unique character By Geremy Bordonaro Even in a city known for its distinctive neighbourhoods, it remains unique. In this bustling centre, small shops, from grocery and thrift stores to restaurants, line the streets alongside hip boutiques that cater to the savviest of customers. Nary a car drives down the street, […]

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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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City to break ground later this year By Annemarie Brissenden Do you prefer a tetherball over a maypole? Would you scramble up a high ropy climber, or cling with glee to a lower rotating one? Would you rather sit on a log, dig through a sandbox, or watch the world go by from your perch […]

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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 […]

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Our third survey of development projects in our coverage area highlights projects that interest us, trends that appall us, and elements that enthrall us. We favour innovative projects that connect with a neighbourhood’s built form, reflect community consultation, and meet the objectives of the City of Toronto’s Official Plan. We take a dim view of […]

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Businesses decry lack of consultation By Annemarie Brissenden Chinatown business owners are apprehensive about the Evergreen Centre for Street-Involved Youth’s relocation to the area, but community leaders are confident that any concerns can be addressed before it opens in September 2017. Brent Mitchell, the mission program officer for the Yonge Street Mission (YSM), which operates […]

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Seaton Village loved for its friendly, low-key character By Annemarie Brissenden In Seaton Village, children regularly run the risk of being late for school, but the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of their parents. In this everyone-knows-everyone neighbourhood — still a friendly hamlet that’s home to residents who have lived there for decades — […]

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