Morning Brew: Garbage Goes Away, Civic Holiday Closures, Clubbing in the Annex Annoying Residents
Photo: untitled by aggie_sai, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
Go on strike, don't get paid. That's the gist of how it works, the possibility of union-provided compensation aside. But striking Toronto indoor and outdoor workers were able to negotiate earning sick leave and vacation time while on strike. Although supposedly standard practice, it seems awfully good for the union to bank sick time while on strike when a major reason they went on strike was the issue of the city trying to cut bankable sick leave. But will the deal be Miller's "poison pill," or perhaps his successor's? Stay tuned.
Rain, rain, go away... err, trash, trash, go away [don't] come again another day... The trash piles are dwindling and city services are ready to get back to normal this week. I'll be interested to see just how big the trash piles are at the curb come collection day, or if most people used the dumps.
It's Big Picture month at the Star. Not to be confused with the Boston Globe's incredible Big Picture, a regular feature. The Star's first entry may be a touch underwhelming (for me), I like the inclusion of technical photo details in addition to the cutline.
I always think most everything is closed today (Derek already filled us in on what we should be doing), but while out yesterday I realized that most grocery stores, malls and beer/liquor stores will open, although often with limited (12-6ish) hours. CityNews has the scoop on who's open and who's closed. But if the weather is as good as it is this morning all day, who wants to go shopping?
Going clubbing in the Annex? Be prepared to piss off the neighbours. The Brunswick House seems to be at the centre of the controversy, which would amount to "well back in my day we didn't.... kids today," if it weren't for the recent shooting near By the Way Cafe. Still, nightlife in downtown Toronto - near a university - doesn't sound like an outrageous notion to me.
And for those of you who were out and about and offline all weekend (so far), here's a quick recap of what blogTO was up to:
- Caribana came and went but blogTO was at the parade and has the pictures to prove it.
- Lisa filled us in on what's happening at Summerworks Toronto.
- Beverly loves Brittany style crepes (and so do I, for that matter), but she's had the advantage of dining at La Brehandaise to satisfy the craving. She also has the pictures to prove it.
- Tim hit Essential Bar #28: Lee's Palace.
- Got a "great" bike? Tim announced a photo contest and all I'm saying is the tag is "beaterbikeblogto."
- Looking for the best rooftop patio in Toronto? We've got you covered.
- Got Jesus? Err, clarity? What is it exactly you get at the Church of Scientology? Christopher visited and has the answers for us.
- Emily and Alyssa acted like mommies - without babies - to check out Gingerbread House Cafe in the Junction and I think they liked it. I know I like the pictures.
Comments (14)
People in the Annex are annoyed? Annoyed? how do you think the people who have been killed felt? and their families? there has been a death by accident when a woman was run over, alcohol was involved..the death last week in a robbery gone wrong, and a shooting across the street from the Brunswick. There are no students at the Brunswick in the summer. The area has lots of places to drink, eat, and have a good time--and yes, it's hard on residents--but no one ever got killed, until this year. Interestingly, the Madison solved its problems by changing their policy to serve only people over 21.
There are plenty of students at the Brunswick in the summer, lots of UofT students stay in the city. Have you ever been past the Brunny on a Fri night??I think the annoyance that people are feeling has to do with what you mentioned, plus the vomiting and urinating and fights etc.
How do I think the people who have been killed felt? I have no idea. I'm also not sure why you're upset that Annexers are feeling annoyed... Does their being annoyed lessen the awfulness of what has happened? I don't think so.
I've lived in the Annex for the past 4 years now, and I'm not some old person unable to deal with noise and partying. I'm just as young as most of the patrons of the "brunny". To most of the people I know, whether they live in the Annex or not, it's a place to avoid at all costs. News of the shootings both this year and last came as a complete shock to everyone. That is, until they found out that both of them happened outside the Brunswick House. It's just "that kinda place". It's the only place in the Annex where I myself have been harassed merely walking by its patrons waiting in line outside.
Anyone that lives in the Annex has no doubt had some scantily clad woman or macho slimeball looking lost approach them asking for directions to the brunswick house. It happens to me almost every weekend. I think from now on I'll tell them they're in the wrong neighborhood and they should head to Richmond and Adelaide.
the brunny is a blight and i don't think anyone who actually lives in the annex would be sad to see it gone.
I'm a homeowner in the Annex and I've got no problem with the Brunny. College drunks, skanks, GT's- remember when all you complainers were young? Welcome to living in a vibrant, connected city neighbourhood. What IS completely unacceptable however, is gun-violence and assaults in a neighbourhood where I stroll with my toddler and family. And even more offensive is homeowners suggesting that bars and clubs are somehow responsible for the violence- there are thousands of people who enjoy the nightlife here every weekend and they somehow manage to not shoot anyone. If folks are looking for the source of these shootings, they may want to start with the racial and cultural make-up of the suspects. Oh- is that racist? Better to just blame a bar or "nightlife" in general.
Mr Das,
You're out of touch sir. These aren't complaints they are facts, that have and continue to involve police resources. Try dealing with the stumbling drunks for several nights a week that are not merely visiting the Brunswick to have a good time but are there for the simple reason of getting pissed, (- bused in from Brampton in previous cases) who afterward damage property, break windows, brawl on the street at 3 am, they threaten and in some cases assault! (The article linked to above omits the sexual assault that happened in the same alleyway earlier this spring where there was a murder 2 weekends ago). The Brunswick staff has even attempted to point fingers at area residents themselves with pathetic unsubstantiated claims, merely to save their own hides claiming people who have been found flat out cold in behind the Brunny are "not one of ours", as if scripted, not to mention the dozens of idiots peeing on people's property and openly drinking in the back alley rather than wait in line to use washroom facilities. These are bylaw infractions sir, not merely moans from resident complainers - you obviously don't live on Brunswick Avenue.
mdtoronto,
I don't live on Brunswick, but I do live across from Paupers, and I've gotten into scraps with people pissing on our lawn/garden, etc.
What I'm saying, is that in true Canadian fashion- we don't know how to target the real offenders, and would rather find a broad "cause". I'm a big believer in personal responsibility- accordingly, I don't hold the bar responsible in any way for the behavior of its patrons- and that includes over-serving and driving drunk (the latter of which I consider to be murder/attempted murder, btw). We have to contend with graffiti from Cent.Tech students- should we hold the school responsible? They know and do nothing, but I think it's the kids who should be accountable. In the same way, I think it should be patrons who are arrested and charged rather that the Bruny- which, let's admit it- has always been the place to get pissed and stumble home. And just so you know- I consider this kind of pointless murder and rape/assault to be death-penalty worthy, just in case you think I'm a crime-softie.
-t
The Brunswick House in the last few years has changed into a late-night sex and vomit cesspit. I've lived 40 metres away since 1994 and am now trying to raise a nine-year old daughter there. 40 metres from a killing in a alleyway stinking of urine. The BH has to go, now.
Keith,
well done- seamlessly weaving murder in with sex, binge-drinking and public urination - they really are the same thing, and the BH is responsible for it all. Let's charge the BH with murder. Shall I call the prosecutor's office or did you want to contact them?
February 20, 2006 at the Old City Hall courtrooms was the most recent, and successful, prosecution of the Brunswick House. I was in the witness stand against them am very eager indeed to be there again. So, yes, please call the prosecutor. Without the BH this tragic killing would indeed not have occurred. The BH is an open sore.
Awesome. Without alcohol, none of these problems would exist- shall we charge Molson and Anheuser-Busch as well? And the gun-maker of course. And we should probably prosecute the jewelry-maker who made the necklace which initiated the mugging and subsequent killing also- with such an attractive piece of jewelry- the thief/murderer really had no choice here. Keith- when a woman is raped, you're the guy that blames the short skirt, aren't you?
Anyone who doesn't believe The Brunswick House is a problem has blinders on. Sure the place has always had a dodgy rep, but since the new owners/operators took it over, the place has gotten way worse, attracting a crowd bent on disturbance, destruction and violence. I've lived in the Annex for eight years and I've seen what's been going on there first hand. Those who believe it's still a student handout only have to go out there at 2:30 in the morning to see the lines of cabs waiting. Even the management has admitted they have a security problem - sending a letter around to the residents and shopkeepers with their answer - they're going to hire more bouncers. Great. I'm sure that will solve it all. How many more people will need to be hurt, raped, shot before anybody says, enough is enough? Come on people.
Ah, the Brunny, the most shoddy place on the strip.. Nevertheless, it's a strip where many of the bars are coke hangouts (think horrible Sunday standups and a million old CRT-s). I personally will never go back there after my experience with the a-hole bouncers, would def like to see it dissapear.
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