Proposal designates character areas By Brian Burchell The City of Toronto hosted a public meeting to consider expanding the University of Toronto’s exemptions from the Planning Act early last month. Billed as a “pre-application consultation” by the city, it drew community members who questioned the need to broaden the university’s powers. Approved by the city […]

[Read more →]

Thomas Fisher Library renovation aims to prevent condensation   By Geremy Bordonaro It’s home to a diverse array of rare manuscripts, and the archives of some our nation’s most prominent scribes. Even as the HMS Terror lies under the Arctic sea, its log books are safely stored within its walls. Opened in 1973 and a […]

[Read more →]

Site recommended for heritage list—impact on development unclear By Annemarie Brissenden City Planning announced its intention to designate 698 Spadina Avenue under the Ontario Heritage Act and list the property on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Register last month. The announcement came four days before a community consultation meeting on the University of Toronto’s application […]

[Read more →]

Captain Owen Stanley (1811-1850) painted this watercolour based on drawings he made while on Sir George Back’s Arctic expedition in 1836 and 1837. He served on the HMS Terror, which almost a decade later would be lost after returning to the Arctic for the Franklin Expedition. Stanley was not part of the ill-fated voyage, having […]

[Read more →]

Spadina Avenue high-rise not a bar for height By Annemarie Brissenden A 25-storey, 334-unit apartment building is providing the model for a new mixed-student residence at the northwest corner of Spadina and Sussex avenues, but not in the way local residents’ associations would like. “It’s effectively the same height as 666 [Spadina Ave.],” said Scott […]

[Read more →]

By Annemarie Brissenden Applications to rezone an area at Spadina and Sussex avenues as well as 666 Spadina Ave. have been received by City Planning and are available online. The first application is by the University of Toronto, which seeks to build a student residence on the site. The owners of the apartment building at […]

[Read more →]

By Annemarie Brissenden and Clarrie Feinstein The University of Toronto (U of T) steering committee mandated with prioritizing the institution’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released its Interim Report last month, just as the Native Students’ Association launched a petition to implement a mandatory Indigenous studies credit across all levels […]

[Read more →]

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 […]

[Read more →]

U of T to present latest vision for St. George campus By Marielle Torrefranca The University of Toronto will hold a public open house on May 17 to discuss its latest development plans for its St. George campus. These development plans are not new but rather an ongoing evaluation of the university’s needs and how […]

[Read more →]

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 […]

[Read more →]

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 […]

[Read more →]

By Brian Burchell University of Toronto Schools (UTS) will mark its third annual celebration of International Day of Pink with an expanded mandate to raise money for Sprott House, which opened last month in the Annex. Led by UTS guidance counsellor Catherine Wachter and organized by the students themselves, the day builds awareness of homophobia, […]

[Read more →]