Morning Brew: Waterfront Toronto open to fresh ideas, TTC likely to increase fare, street hockey still banned, see the CN Tower get destroyed by aliens, and the Zoo is in danger of losing its accreditation

Maybe there won't be a Ferris Wheel or a monorail, but Waterfront Toronto's CEO, John Campbell, says he's open to new ideas for the redevelopment of the Port Lands. These ideas could be anything from a residential mix, to commercial development, to something even more, yes, tourist-y. Campbell said they are also looking at fast-tracking the project, though they wouldn't put a date out until the results of the review are in, which council won't receive until June.

Despite the uproar over its recently-announced service cuts due to budgetary constraints, the TTC will most likely move ahead with a 10 cent fare hike. Yesterday, a group called TTCriders hand-delivered a letter to TTC chair, Karen Stintz, asking her to personally fight the budget cuts, but Stintz remained firm. The TTC will still be $30-million short next year if no fare hike is implemented.

Seems like Toronto kids and sports have it a little rough these days. First, the "ball ban" at a city school and now street hockey isn't getting any love either. Not yet anyway. The sport is still banned, even though back in May councillor Josh Matlow received council's approval for city staff to look at lifting the ban on some residential streets. Though the popular activity is still illegal, Matlow is hopeful some kind of plan will be worked out in the new year.

Did you ever want to see what the CN Tower would look like if Toronto ever got attacked by aliens? Now you can, thanks to the new music video by local indie rockers the Darcys. In the vid, Toronto is in the midst of an "Independence Day" alien takeover and the CN Tower snaps in half!

IN BRIEF:

• The Zoo is in danger of losing its accreditation
• Leafs beat Stars
• Getting to know councillor Mike Layton and Ward 19

Photo by ZensLens in the blogTO Flickr pool