Saturday Brew: Plane Overshoots Runway, Restaurant to Remain Closed, Igor Kenk Stays Behind Bars, Maple Leafs Most Expensive, Main Station Bottlenecks
Photo: "Aisle" by tianxiaozhang, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
A pilot overshot the runway at the Toronto Island Airport last night, causing the marine unit of the Toronto police to rush to the scene at around 10pm. The six people on board the small plane did, however, manage to survive the incident unscathed. I have little doubt that this will further fuel the quest of CommunityAIR, a small but dedicated organization set on shutting down the Island airport. Amongst the criticisms on their website, they claim that the runways at the airport are too short and that the facility is dangerous in general. I'm not sure if this is necessarily true, but I think it's a pretty safe bet that extremely poor visibility played a role. I was driving on the Gardiner just before this happened, and can attest to the fact that the trio of high wind, fog and rain was nothing short of brutal.
Following up on yesterday's report about the problems at Ruby Chinese Restaurant, the latest news is that it will remain closed after failing another inspection. In the two days since being shut down, Ruby Chinese has yet to address a number of violations to the standards of health officials, including improperly refrigerated raw meat, and dirty cooking utensils and surfaces. The restaurant also has/had a cockroach infestation. As many as 37 cases of salmonella and a possible death have been reported in conjunction with food consumed at the restaurant.
Alleged bicycle thief Igor Kenk lost in his bid to have his bail reinstated yesterday. Although the proceedings were subject to a publication ban, his lawyer revealed that he plans on arguing the case in front of a Provincial judge in approximately two weeks. Along with the theft charges, Kenk faces more than 20 drug-related charges and one for assault (which is what put him back in jail after formerly receiving bail), making it unlikely that he and his lawyer will meet with success.
Surprise, surprise, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the most expensive ticket in hockey. Not only are their ticket prices double the NHL average, but according to Chicago-based Team Marketing Report's annual survey released this week, the team's "fan cost index" (a method of tabulating the total costs of game attendance including parking, food, beverage, and small souvenirs) is a whopping $628.29 Canadian. Ouch.
Commuters entering the TTC's Main Station have been forced to squeeze through a small doorway after larger sliding doors broke about six months ago. Ok, I suppose this isn't the biggest deal, but I can imagine it's extremely frustrating to have to wait while people file through slowly during peak hours. The TTC reports that the sliding doors will be fixed by the end of the year, but that still means that they will have been out of service for around eight months. Does it really take that long to fix such a small problem?
Comments (33)
I do not understand the slow rate of building and repair in this province! The door at Main, the St. Clair streetcar debacle, TTC elevators and escalators, the glacial improvements on the GO lines... In Tokyo, there's a new subway line... each year or so: complete and operational! As for road repairs and the like, they work twenty-four hours with a full crew, so as to minimally inconvenience the neighbourhood. Imagine that. Mind you, in Japan they still believe such a thing as society exists. How quaint.
The guy behind CommunityAir is bonkers... They're not long run ways, but more than adequate for types of planes flying in and out of the airport. This was weather related. Period.
Because in Japan they don't have 8 "construction workers" standing around drinking coffee while one aimlessly shovels at something or other.
Hey Derek, thanks for your uneducated opinion on CommunityAIR's concern. It really highlights the news piece when you counter the claims of a community organization by your recollection of driving down a highway.
Yes, it is incredible how slowly renovation work takes on TTC property. The doors at Donlands are also being replaced, and they removed the old ones about 2 months ago and put up hoardings. You can see the old doors leaned up against the fence behind the bus bays. It's embarrassing ... there is no excuse whatever.
i find it interesting that all mainstream media would dedicate so much space to cover Ruby restaurant... and not that many people eat there...
"Commuters entering the TTC's Main Station have been forced to squeeze through a small doorway after larger sliding doors broke about six months ago."
not as frustrating as walking through a gang of smokers outside of any office buildings entrances or any exits in downtown every morning
I didn't really "counter" any claims. I wrote "I'm not sure if this is necessarily true." And, I fail to see why my experience of pretty much the same weather the pilot was flying through isn't relevant. When planes have problems in conditions like that, there's a 99.9% chance the two are related.
Sorry I live in North York, but when the community has been warning of a dangerous event that comes to fruition it's sad to see the apologetics come out of the wood work.
Today's Globe and Mail Life Style section has a stunning review of Ruby Chinese Restaurant.
Name sound familiar? Not to the editors of the Saturday Globe!
yum...salmonella.
Actually the G+M did include an Editor's Note on A2. But yeah -- too late to change yank the whole piece, I guess. I too, read the review before I saw the note and thought the name sounded familiar.
Planes overshoot runways at other airports too, this accident might have not necessarily been this particular airport's fault... just saying
i too live in north york..
and there seems to be a stigma that there is a big accident waiting to happen at the island airport, which will ultimately bring the final hammer down on that airport..
frankly i think this could be the case for any said airports. having been a planespotter and sat under runway 23/5 at the wendys with a scanner, you can hear how close the rejected landings or go arounds are because of the density of traffic at pearson.. also the noise complaints should be higher there too, but when you live near an airport, its expected you will hear these sounds. Island residents should expect some noise..
or we could shut down pearson too? how about the streetcars and late night buses that are loud as well?
i dont understand where the island residents get a sense of entitlement from.. ??
can an island resident explain?
The TTC is an utter disgrace. I travel a lot for work, and lived in Japan for the better part of a decade, and I try really hard not to be "that guy", but when you see how other systems are run, it's just an embarrassment. I understand that a lot of the problems are the result of a lack of funding from the provincial and federal governments, that Toronto is a large city with a relatively low population density, so I'm not talking about the need for more lines, or more frequent service.
It's something more basic. It pretty much comes down to the fact that nobody who works for, or is involved with, the TTC seems to give a f@#k. Transit staff in other cities often wear clean, neatly pressed uniforms, they smile at passengers, make eye contact when conducting a transaction, or at least bother to get off the phone, long enough to sell you a pass. Every day, I walk through filthy stations to get on filthy trains that stop in the middle of tunnels for no reason, or take buses where drivers feel it's appropriate to pull over while they jump out to grab a coffee. Unshaven drivers and conductors stroll about with their dirty uniforms untucked, or slip out of the ticket booths to grab a smoke leaving only a handwritten sign saying that they'll be "back in 5 minutes". That's why it takes 8 months to fix something as simple as a broken door. The entire culture at the TTC, from the top, all the way down, is one of complete indifference and contempt for the people who ride it every day.
J-rock, you are so right .... I also bite my tongue all the time, but maybe I shouldn't. I want to be the person doing something about it and not just pissing and moaning. Most TTC employees seem to have no pride whatever in their work. Why?
I don't jump for joy when I get to my job, why should TTC employees?
They deal with assholes all day, I'm sure it gets very hard to smile after you've put up with enough idiots
That's simply making excuses for them. I don't "jump for joy" either when I get to work, but I am expected to maintain a certain level of professionalism, especially when I'm in front of paying clients. Lots of folks have to deal with unpleasant people as a part of their jobs. If TTC staff can't handle it, then don't get one that involves dealing with the public.
Irregardless, the problems go far deeper than simply not smiling at riders. It's the pervasive and widespread sense of complete indifference that I have a problem with. Management doesn't insist that they improve their behaviour and/or performance, so they don't. Trains are dirty? Whatever, people still have to ride them. Bus is late? So what? You want to buy some tokens? Well, let me finish my conversation first, before I bother to acknowledge the fact that you're standing there waiting to be helped. There's no accountability. No matter how bad things get, everyone's job is safe, and the suckers will keep riding. I pay $109 a month for the privilege of being disrespected on a fairly consistent basis. The broken door at Main street station is pretty symbolic, and completely in line with the ethos that governs the entire system.
J-Rock ........
Irregardless!!!?? Dude, appreciate the comment but please, go for some night school grammer/english lessons. It's 'regardless'.
"Surprise, surprise, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the most expensive ticket in hockey. Not only are their ticket prices double the NHL average, but according to Chicago-based Team Marketing Report's annual survey released this week, the team's "fan cost index" (a method of tabulating the total costs of game attendance including parking, food, beverage, and small souvenirs) is a whopping $628.29 Canadian. Ouch."
WoW! Top ticket for the New England Patriots are $US 169/each or $US 676 for a family of four. Plus food, plus drinks, plus souvenirs. What's your point? That where there is demand there is a market? WoW! Top shelf journalism!
Hey, troll - you sound remarkably unintelligent. On the one hand you have the audacity to correct someone else's grammar when you don't even know how to spell the word. And, on the other, you completely fail to understand what the writer means by "surprise, surprise." It means it's not a surprise, moron. And because it's not a surprise, your comment is again misdirected.
Please do your homework before commenting, and perhaps you'll avoid making a fool of yourself in the future. Or just don't comment at all.
"Grammer" (sic), indeed .... language changes and many argue that "irregardless" is now an acceptable alternate. I don't use it, but I don't get my panties in a twist when someone else does.
J-rock, you are right again. TTC staff in booths and drivers are in direct contact with the public and provide a service. Whether the employee is jumping for joy or not is another question, but I assure you (Brad) they are not dealing with an asshole when I am the passenger, and I don't expect indifferent, self-possessed service.
Interestingly, my wife tells me that subway and train staff in Japan are trained to never smile on duty because they have a serious job involving public safety and don't want to give their passengers the idea they are inattentive. But let me tell you, the service is prompt, professional, accurate and pleasant 100% of the time (an I took transit daily for 13 years there).
"many argue that "irregardless" is now an acceptable alternate"
Maybe if you're illiterate you do, but those of us who know better would never do something ridiculous as declare this word as acceptable.
Joey, do you not see the irony that Jim Bob "Grammer" takes someone to task on his "grammar"? We had a nice conversation going along here until Jim Bob insulted J-Rock who has taken the time to make some very good points. Now this thread is degenerating into a grammar discussion.
Why do the grammar police get so excited in the comments section of a blog? It is not a person's university dissertation or the like.
Oh, and you omitted the "as" in the prepositional phrase "as ridiculous as". How embarrassing!
Joey, you might want to let the OED know their error. They define irregardless as "(informal) regardless". Granted, they do not say if it is acceptable usage or not.
And just how do you know what construction workers do here, buddy?
BTW a little FYI about Tokyo construction: Most of it is done by foreign worker brought over from other parts of Asia and South America, who are then deported after construction is done-it seems that native-born Japanese don't want to have anything to do with jobs like construction.
As to how lazy they are here, or have no skills: most of them have to complete training classes at city colleges like George Brown-they sure as frack aren't lazy as you claim.
No, they can't explain, because they're too busy bitching about how their peace of mind's being disrupted by planes-too busy to consider moving someplace else, of course.
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