Morning Brew: Caribana ordered to change its name, Casa Loma will now be run by the city, council to vote whether to privatize garbage collection, Augimeri to appeal by-election, and Jays win sixth straight
The latest Toronto institution to undergo a name change: Caribana. The massive Caribbean summer festival has been ordered by the Ontario Superior Court to come up with a new moniker because the name, "Caribana," has been trademarked by the group, the Caribana Arts Group, who founded the event but no longer runs it. But it seems a simple name change isn't where it ends. Chris Alexander, chief administrative officer of the Festival Management Committee, which has run Caribana for the past five years said, "The only thing that has changed is the name," but the Caribana Arts Group intends to prevent the event from happening because "Caribana by any other name is still Caribana," according to chair, Henry Gomez.
Looks like the city will finally have the keys to its castle. The Kiwanis Club has agreed to give over the operations of Casa Loma to the city after seventy-five years. In exchange, they get to pocket $1.4-million from the fancy paintings and artifacts they leave behind. The deal is to be presented next week to the city's executive committee, detailing the implementation of a new corporation and board, as well as a long-term strategy for the massive estate.
Today's Garbage Day. Well, not literally. Maybe for some. But anyway, today's the day city votes on the controversial plan to privatize garbage collection west of Yonge Street. What's probably the most contentious part of the proposal is that the bid committee is made up of city staff--not council. Even though the vote is expected to be close, apparently 60 per cent of Torontonians support contracting out the trash.
Maybe the city won't appeal Ward 9's by-election, but that won't stop incumbent Maria Augimeri from doing so. She said by going with the court-ordered by-election, the city of Toronto harms "the integrity of our electoral system." The councillor wants to ensure a "just and fair outcome" and argues the city hasn't explored all of its alternatives to a by-election.
IN BRIEF:
Photo by Ronnie.Yip in the blogTO Flickr pool.
Join the conversation Load comments