wrote for The Star, fan of the St. Patricks (pre-Leafs)

Realosophy argues for taxes that reduce speculation in the condo market. I agree - the measures that Flaherty has taken to reign in the housing market all make it harder for actual people to buy the land they want to live in.

Steve Munro on the possible DRL routes. He doesn't spend a lot of time discussing where it would connect with the Yonge-University line, which I'm curious about, as Metrolinx doesn't seem to want it to go to Union for capacity reasons

this is amazing - watch the video too. I never see Yonge & Bloor at rush hour so I didn't realize how crazy it gets. Does the Post always do such good Toronto transit coverage?

the 501 gets a little love from the National Post. I ride it a lot (not the whole way of course) and while there are many, many problems (overcrowding, motorists not stopping at streetcar stops, delays, short turns, urine on seats, etc. etc. etc.) it's still a surprisingly pleasant way to get around.

big difference from Gary Webster

"The centrepiece was two twentysomethings dressed in prop sunglasses faking a picnic in the middle of the floor and mock-walking a bike through the sales venue, shilling for the whole generation they forgot they belonged to"

I'm linking to this as a public service so you don't have a heart attack when you see what you think is a giant rat

some good details of the case

what do you know, jaywalking isn't actually a crime in Toronto. Reasonable!

"Students of urban studies, political science, local democracy and municipal governance will be citing this issue and this era for as long as such university programs exist."

Stintz's motion passes, and Ford loses control of the TTC.

a new office tower boom is going on 'twixt the CN Tower and the ACC (<a href="http://funkaoshi.com">via</a>)

1 Bloor St West

good take on the transit showdown in Toronto. (<a href="http://funkaoshi.com">via</a>)

and win, thank Zeus. She's not your typical "pinko", but a Ford loyalist who dared to point out that his transit plan just didn't make any sense. Rather than fix it, he made it clear he'd be getting rid of her as TTC chief, giving her all the motivation she needed to confront him. Question now is, will there be another motion from council to purge the TTC committee of Ford loyalists? In this article, Stintz sounds conciliatory, so it probably wouldn't come from her.

wow. So Transit City may still happen.

The link about the legal challenge to Ford's summary dismissal of Transit City is especially interesting. In essence he cancelled the project without a council vote, which isn't how it works.

I remember when Miller unveiled Transit City - I was underwhelmed. Because I was being selfish. But it isn't for downtowners like me who despite the frequent problems with capacity, bus schedules and reliability, are relatively well served by the TTC as compared to those who live in the inner suburbs, i.e. those whom the plan is designed to help. (via <a href="http://funkaoshi.com">funkaoshi</a>)

(<a href="http://funkaoshi.com">via</a>)

apparently the TTC counts as "gravy". Just so stupid - it's obvious to anyone who uses it that we need more service, not less. This will only lead to more cars on the road.

on the need for truck side guards, which would have prevented many cyclist deaths, and have been mandatory in Europe since the 80s

I thought we didn't say ghetto any more.

hilarious recollections of The Mad Hatter. I'm pretty sure I went there at some point, but the memory is shrouded in mystery...

(<a href="http://funkaoshi.com">via</a>)

Ford's plummeting popularity means he could lose the supporters on council he has relied on so far. Let's hope.

on Ford scare-math. In 2010, Toronto was facing an $821-million deficit, but finished with a $310-million surplus.

vids from @retrontario on BlogTO (<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/DJBomarc">via</a>)

the first year in Toronto's history to yield a net loss in bike lanes

even motorists like the Jarvis bike lane. Except for one angry lady.

in short, a City Hall committee disregarded a staff report that essentially said the Jarvis bike lanes are working well, and recommended to remove said lanes without any public consultation or even consulting that ward's councillor, at a projected cost of $68,000. Begun this Bike War has.

campaign from the Bike Union

Minnan-Wong's conversion to bike advocate is fascinating. Still lots of potential pitfalls including incomplete lanes and the proposed Richmond lane, which I can't imagine will get built without a big outcry.

(via <a href="http://funkaoshi.com">funkaoshi</a>)

by Dave Meslin. Points out that Ford supports separated bike lanes.

I feel for the writer - we recently bought a house too, and there are a lot of surprise expenses that no one really warns you about. But I question the wisdom of that opening paragraph. And I have relatives in Dublin and London UK, so I'm well aware that housing prices are under no obligation to stay reasonable.

meant to post this earlier, but have been pretty busy. I have such fond memories of his upcoming movie spots on City... and getting to work with him the odd time later in life was a real pleasure. The "one-take wonder." RIP.

also 'due to people wearing darker clothing and “pedestrians often keep their head down to fare the elements.”' So it's the weather and the pedestrians' fault, got it.

imitation New York, Chicago and London neighbourhoods that people will actually live in. Next we will replace the CN Tower with a replica statue of liberty.

"What I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later, you’re going to get bitten. And every year we have dozens of people that get hit by cars or trucks. Well, no wonder. Roads are built for buses, cars and trucks. Not for people on bikes. And my heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day." And so much more. Great job, Toronto!

good. The Toronto mayoral race is starting to seem less terrifying. It's still plenty scary, though. (Not that I love Smitherman - just petrified that Ford could win.)

"It is known that helmets are of very limited value in the event of a collision with a car... The promotion of helmets implicitly shifts responsibility of care to the cyclist and away from drivers, and away from the provision of safer streets by means of street calming or bicycle facilities." Why not do both. I personally wear a helmet all the time, but I still want better bike lanes and safer motorists.

like an experimental film from a horrible alternate Toronto. This made me upset.

Strange. In other news, I totally need to keep reading PI Newswire.

A look at the fascinating housing co-op between Bathurst, Dundas, Spadina & Queen in Toronto. I used to live right on the border. Written by students taking Shawn Micallef's class at OCAD.

I'm struggling to understand this. It seems impossible just from this article alone.

Bixi on its way to Toronto. Nice!

4 works, possibly more

So much for Transit City. I agree with Miller, it's disgraceful.

until google maps does bike directions in Toronto, use this.

Urban Repair squad paints comic-style reactions to road hazards on the road

Smitherman wants a "time out" from the Bike Plan, which was approved in 2001 and is already years behind schedule.

Queen street is never as good as it used to be. Surely the last half-decade has been the steepest decline yet

classic Toronto photo comedy here

fascinating map and analysis thereof

proposal to allow every billboard to be electronic.

they've torn down the Lee's Palace mural. Comments indicate it may be replaced by a new mural by the same artist, Runt. (via funkaoshi.com)

another neighbourhood in decline. Million-dollar homes, sushi, and shootings?

Great. YAN thing to be afraid of, along with swine flu, swine flu vaccine, mutant raccoons, rabid unicorns, and zombie Howard Hughes

Toronto needs this. I've been driving a little more of late and it's ludicrous how bad the traffic has gotten (via funkaoshi.com)

Toronto's failure to create pedestrian zones

interpretation of events based on the security cam YouTube videos and eyewitness accounts

security cam footage of the start of the Sheppard-Bryant affair.

The bike thief. "Chimpanzee go to zoo"

Dave Breslin on Bryant / Sheppard

with regards to the Tel Aviv spotlight. Article fails to adequately describe the reason for the protest.

for killing a cyclist. Ouch.

great photoblog with commentary

Garbage strike over!

the half-crazy bike thief

this is awesome. (via funkaoshi.com)

where tory PCs have seats, narrowly. Great. (via funkaoshi)