City
BIXI bikes make their Toronto debut
BIXI bikes made their official Toronto debut last night at the public subscription launch party at the Gladstone Hotel. Hundreds of people came out in support of what could be the first large scale bicycle-sharing program in this city, should BIXI meet its subscription and sponsorship targets by the end of November. Many partygoers were avid cyclists and cycling advocates, others stopped by to take the bikes out for a test ride around the block, and some were like me: pedestrians with a renewed interest in cycling, lured by the accessibility and flexibility that BIXI can provide, with none of the ownership. City
Nostalgia Tripping: Union Station
In Toronto Remembered: A Celebration of the City, William Kilbourn writes that Union Station is "the soul and heartbeat of Toronto." Over the years, it has been the main point of entry to the city and to Canada for new immigrants (along with Pier 21 in Halifax), and saw thousands of soldiers depart to Europe during World War II. Located right across from the Royal York Hotel on Front Street, Union Station remains the focal point of transportation in Canada. According to the City of Toronto, the latest statistics from 2007 reveal that it serves about 165,000 passengers daily (and this number is expected to rise).
City
Frank Gehry's childhood home faces demolition
When Frank Gehry - the architect of what some people think is the world's most impressive modern building - was working on his renovation of the AGO, it was often noted that he had grown up around the corner. From 1929 until 1947, young Ephraim Goldberg ("Frank Gehry" came later) lived at his grandmother's house at 15 Beverley Street. But like so many that have come before it, the house is facing demolition. And once again, it's for a condo. City
The photos of the week
As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, Posterjack is offering a pretty sweet prize for our reader-voted photo of the week. So, please nominate your favourite image below -- and if you haven't added your photos to the blogTO Flickr pool, now's your chance to win the POTW. City
Bixi Bash hopes to keep public bikes program alive
As the Tour de France ends, Mayor Miller wants the "Tour de Toronto" to begin. Next week, Bixi Toronto is hosting a party at the Gladstone Hotel to garner support for the Bixi bike sharing program in Toronto.Back in May, City Council passed a motion to sign a deal with a Montreal company that will initially provide the city with 1,000 bikes and 80 docking stations. The Bixi program needs 1,000 subscribers by November or risks losing the public bikes program altogether. If it receives requsite support, Bixi Toronto should be ready to go by Spring 2011.
City
Caribana Festival 2010
Caribana 2010, Toronto's biggest street party of the year, is set to bring intense costumes, intense floats (which are outfitted with intense speaker systems) and intense heat. There's usually some pretty intense dancing, too. With over one million people expected to participate in this year's overly bright international festival, Lakeshore is primed to be shut down once again for the party.With the sure-to-be-intense parade a week out, I caught up with Stephen Weir, one of Caribana's organizers for the past decade, to chat about what to expect from this year's fete. Because there's more than just a parade, you know (although the parade is of course the pinnacle. It's also a "two-week cultural explosion." Here are some of the key events of the 43rd rendition of Caribana to keep an eye on.
