MB Toronto
Morning Brew: King Square in Markham to be largest Asian mall in North America, $1B in unpaid traffic fines, details about 15-year old shooting victim emerge, TDSB set to show off art collection, beware the rallying anarchist militants
King Square aims to be the largest Asian mall in North America and, pending approval, construction will begin at Woodbine Avenue & Markland Street in Markham early in 2011. The plan calls for over 1000 retail outlets, along with a convention centre, banquet hall, offices, and possibly a rooftop garden. If all of this goes ahead, it'll make Pacific Mall look pretty small.
Unpaid traffic tickets issued in Ontario amount to a whopping $1billion -- a figure that has ballooned to the point of embarrassment. Part of the problem is that the onus to collect is put on individual municipalities, and additional issues stem from drivers from outside the province or country, who are difficult to pursue for non-payment. The Province is acknowledging that there's a need to collect, but will need to come up with real plans to make it happen. One suggestion would be to do what they do in many US jurisdictions: make you pay on the spot if you're not from said jurisdiction.
We're learning more about the city's 16th homicide victim. Although his identity hasn't been released by police, we know that he was just 15-years old, his name was Devonte (aka Bug-zee), that he was being sought by police, and that when he answered a knock on his girlfriend's door at 2am yesterday, he was shot in the face and killed (see video below). It's also being reported that a raid on a suspect's home may have failed when the suspect was able to slip out the back door.
Should the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) auction off an estimated $7-million worth of art it's had in storage, to help mitigate a part of its $42-million budget deficit? This decision has not yet been made, but apparently a strategy has been devised to allow public access to these once secret works. Will the school board open a special gallery? Lend the pieces to existing galleries or museum? We'll learn on Thursday.
Rallying calls from hard-line "militant" activists, about the upcoming G20 meetings, have begun to surface. And while predictions of violent protest are also beginning to surface, I have a prediction of my own: there will be security threats, and they will be dealt with effectively. And Harper and his friends in the federal government will laud their own efforts and convince the majority that they're the best party to have in power and ensure our national security. Why else would they be insisting on hosting this meeting in the downtown core, beefing up security to levels previously unseen, flying fighter jet training missions overhead, etc.? It's a recipe for success.
Photo: "quiet morning" by gardinergirl, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
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I'm not sure the road traffic being generated by these supermalls is wise. I'm sure VIVA services the area but is that even enough?
The cost of an LRT, or subway, could be shared by other municipalities - Vaughan, Markham, Brampton and could have the potential of carrying a capacity similar to the Eglinton line because it spans much of the GTA east to west.
Hell, the TTC could even expand the Sheppard line to Pacific Mall and this new King Square and then west to Downsview.
However, since Metrolinx is a level above the City & Region and seems to be taking ownership of the new LRTs within TTC's traditional domain, I'd think a Steeles transit line would be a different story and not subject to the boundary issue.
-I'm Asian and Chinese. Don't be so PC.
I appeared as if we had broken down around Jamison Ave, and Queen St on the 501. The car would rev up the engine, and flap it's doors, but not move. A few people went to the front to inquire, to which the driver replied 'If you don't like it, get off'. Ah, so lovely.
After about twenty minutes, a Special Constable made an appearance. He walked up and down the street car, hiding behind large black glasses, and looking people up and down. He did this for a few minutes, and left. A short time later, we started moving.
And after one stop, the streetcar came to a halt inbetween stops prior to Dufferin. There were five Toronto Police Cruisers outside, and seven officers approaching the streetcar. In a fairly calm and orderly fashion, they boarded the vehicle, and took a man, about late 50s to 60s, off the street car and started questioning him on the side of the road.
And with that, we were off! I'm not quite sure who the man was they took, no one would tell us anything, but it was interesting that if he was an 'armed and dangerous' suspect, they would let people continue to board, or not have people exit the car. Of course, maybe he was just wanted a minor warrant. We might never know.
I'm not sure how else they would have handled it though! But it was an interesting morning!
Think back to the Mike Harris days in Ontario. Those anti-poverty protesters played into Harris's hands. You almost wondered if those morons weren't being paid by the government to riot.
Take off the trendy bandanas and do a non-violent organized march and people would take notice. I guess it's more fun breaking windows.
By the way its not hard to post stereo-types. Heres one: 87% of child molesters are Caucasian (White).