City of Toronto Survey

Some of us were a little scared when Rob Ford was elected mayor of Toronto. Scared and disappointed.
But fear is not going to change anything. Speaking up will, which is why you should fill out the city's online survey that aims to gauge what's important to Toronto residents.

Imagine if only Ford supporters fill it out...

Cheers,

Vanessa

1876 Bird's Eye View Of Toronto

Are you ever curious about what Toronto looked like back when it was new?
Well, you can take a peek into the past with this "zoom in" map from the University of Toronto that shows a bird's eye view of the city circa 1876.

I also found an article about bird's eye view maps, which were painstaking to produce back then, as you can imagine.

To think... now we have Google Maps. Amazing.

Cheers,

Vanessa

Old pics of Toronto on Urban Toronto

I found this set of old pictures of Toronto on online site Urban Toronto fascinating.
It's amazing to think of the changes that have happened to our city in such a relatively short amount of time.
Makes you wonder what Hogtown will look like 50 years from now.
Happy viewing,
Vanessa

Daffodils In City Parks Will Honour People Who Have Fought Cancer

I think that this is a brilliant idea. This is from a City of Toronto news release:
"Fields of Gold coming soon to a park near you.... New program honours those touched by cancer, beautifies City parks
Next spring, a host of golden daffodils will brighten local parks and public spaces as the City of Toronto and the Canadian Cancer Society collaborate to create Fields of Gold. The daffodil is the society’s symbol of hope and the program offers Torontonians an opportunity to honour family and friends who have fought cancer.
Daffodil bulbs will be planted at four locations across the city this fall. Through Fields of Gold, individuals or companies can make a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society and create a floral legacy of daffodils in Allan Gardens, Grandravine Park, Bathurst/Wilson Park and the public open space at Mt. Pleasant Road and Whitehall Road.
The program... will present planting ceremonies this fall and next spring at the designated locations.
Fields of Gold daffodil bulbs are available for $10 each or three bulbs for $15. For more information about the Fields of Gold gardens or to purchase bulbs, visit http://www.cancer.ca/fieldsofgold or call 416-323-7154."
Vanessa

Toronto's Neighbourhoods: The Good and The Bad

There's an interesting article in the Toronto Star about Torontonians defining themselves by their neighbourhoods.
Penned by Christopher Hume, it contains these tidbits:
"... the fact is that it was the neighbourhoods that kept Toronto from the fate doled out in so many North American cities in the 1950s, '60s and '70s when suburban sprawl began in earnest."
And I agree. It's kept our core vital and our neighbourhoods vibrant.
But the lack of thinking of the city as a whole frustrates me sometimes and I think that the city is stymied, in many ways, by entrenched NIMBYism and a lack of a broader vision among its inhabitants.
Without it, I think Toronto might because much less liveable. Hume has this to say:
"But in the end the most important thing about any of these neighbourhoods is that they are part of something much larger – Toronto. Ultimately, it is the city that gives them life, meaning and relevance, and that makes them places we choose (or not) to live. It is the city that makes them possible."
How true.
If only we could put that thought into action.
Cheers,
Vanessa

Things I Love and Hate About Toronto

The Toronto Star is featuring "List Week," and is publishing lists such as "7 Athletes Who Changed The World" and "11 Things Restaurants Do To Rip You Off."

The other day it featured 5 Things To Hate And Love About Toronto. Interesting.
So I decided to create my own list... what's on yours?

5 Things To Hate

1. Municipal government doesn't work well. Whether it's because of amalgamation, or not, the plain fact is that there's too much talk, not enough action and everything gets tied up in layers of bureaucracy.

2. Biking in this city sucks. Big time. Why can't we mimic Ottawa or Holland on this one?

3. It takes too long to get out into deep nature. Plus, there's nothing more annoying than sitting in non-moving traffic.
In some cities, a half-hour drive will take you to places greener and climes sweeter. In Halifax, you can be downtown, then in less than half an hour, frolicking in Herring Cove (pictured right). This would be less irksome if we could swim in the water that borders our fair city -- and without having to cross a buzzing highway.

4. We razed and replaced most of our history. Of course, we're not alone on this one, but I'm researching a trip to Quebec City and I can't help but wonder what Toronto would look like if we hadn't torn down some of the incredible buildings that once graced our streets. (The pic below is of the Queen's Hotel, demolished to make way for the Royal York.)

5. This summer has been like a light, refreshing breeze in comparison, but I truly abhor those hot, sticky, stinky summers when the air has substance -- and not a pleasant substance. I get headaches, I hide inside and I'm wrung out like a limp dishrag by the end of the day. Blech!

5 Things To Love
1. It's a cliche to say that Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, but it is and I relish them. I think I only really appreciated this after seeing places that seemingly lack neighbourhoods entirely, such as many towns in upstate New York with dead cores, but ringed by thriving malls featuring chain restaurants.

2. Our markets. Both Kensington and St. Lawrence Market are bustling, hustling and beautiful. Then there's the thriving and growing Farmer's Markets, too.

3. We've got a lot of trees and we take care of them. In our urban core, we have more trees than other large cities I've visited and it adds a green coolness and a neighbourhood warmth. Ditto with our parks.

4. Ottawa may be the nation's capital and it IS chock full of marvellous cultural institutions, but we have the ROM, the AGO and the Science Centre. So there.

5. Toronto is a city that's constantly evolving and thriving, as opposed to dying and shrivelling. New, hip areas emerge with regularity and we've had some impressive makeovers lately, from the ROM, to the AGO, to parts of the waterfront. It would be sad to live in a city that was reaching its end days; there's a vibrancy to living in a place that evolves and grows.

Cheers,
Vanessa
PS I really would love to see YOUR list in the comments. It can be short and sweet!