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Morning Brew: Stintz comments on Webster's fate, where subway cars go to die, U of T students preserve old psychological tools, and Toronto's tainted soil
Karen Stintz is has spoken out against the five TTC board members who are looking to oust the transit systems chief general manager, Gary Webster. "There certainly isn't cause to fire Gary Webster," Stintz said, before posing the question that we've all been asking: "Why is it so urgent and do we have the appropriate transition plan in place to make sure that the organization can continue to function?" A special meeting will be held today to discuss Webster's future. In the meantime, there's also a petition to save his job that's floating around.
So where do subway cars go when they die, like the recently retired H4s? Well, once they're stripped of their finest parts, the cars are torched and sold as scrap metal. A few, however, have survived to become restaurants or museum pieces in their second life. In very rare cases, they will be shipped to other cities for use in burgeoning transit systems.
U of T PhD students are being lauded for cataloguing and preserving a collection of 19th brass psychological instruments. So, what, exactly, are "psychological instruments"? Think of a steam-punk styled "ether-administering machine" and you're there.
How bad is the Toronto Coach Terminal? Downright terrible according to the National Post, which takes a look at the still preliminary plans to replace the aging facility with a newer version near Union Station. The current station would be an ideal candidate for a heritage restoration/repurposing.
IN BRIEF:
- Toronto's tainted soil
- Adult songs that kids actually like
- Leafs' goalies need consistency for shot at playoffs
Photo by Nick Leies in the blogTO Flickr pool
Discussion
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What the hell is wrong with this city when it comes to the preservation and upkeep of heritage buildings?
What would you do with all those parking lots? were the majority of the condos are going up.
were do you propose people are going to live if condos are not built? There is clearly a need and a want to live in the city. Business locate were the employees are, something to think about.
The current terminal is dingy but so what? It's centrally located (despite not being directly connected to Union) and carries out its function. They use the DC bus station as an example for what Toronto's could be, but has anyone been to DC's bus station? It's even further removed from that city's core and you definitely don't feel safe there. It's also sort of dingy too.
Spending millions on a new depot isn't justified or necessary right now.
I didn't think it would be possible given my fairly low expecations of a Ford administration, but he's actually sunk LOWER than I expected.
And there is the fact that you stand in an enclosed space, breathing exhaust. Can't be good for you.
Plus! They charge a $2 "Facility Fee" for this privilege.
Oops!
Article on the dismantling and re-purposing of old subway cars: stock image of a subway.
http://www.utsic.org/
However, now that we've all had a chance to absorb what a Ford administration means, we're seeing that even some of his own allies can't stand with him anymore - the only councillors he can absolutely rely on when push comes to shove are the Mammolitti/Minan-Wong/Nunziata types, who just enjoy being in charge for a change and want to keep it that way, or the Norm Kelly/Holyday types who just hate the left as much as the left hates them.
The fact of the matter is that Ford's recent losses on council show that if he can't bully councillors he doesn't have the skill set to persuade.
That said, I would agree with you that he did a reasonable job with the recent labour negotiations, but even in that instance, I seriously question how much of that was him and how much was actually Holyday. That final deal showed a level of compromise that Ford has so far shown himself incapable of in any other matter - his style so far has been "my way or the highway". Works well for third world dictators and for Stephen Harper - Toronto City Council? Not so much.
Also, I would be wary of giving him too much credit on the budget - everyone knew there were going to be cuts coming, and the fact is, despite all of his tough talk, he didn't find the "waste" or "fat" that he claimed over and over again was rampant, but rather had to cut into the "meat" to actually show something for all of this talk - all because he couldn't resist giving the police, the largest single item in the Toronto budget, a nice fat raise at the same time that he chopped the VRT, thereby removing $65 million in annual revenues from the budget. And even in that, Council pushed back and killed some of the most damaging cuts. But then again, in the revisionist world that Ford supporters seem to live in, that would qualify as finding "gravy".
Fact is, his stubborness and refusal to actually work with council is doing real damage both to his credibility and the City, and he's wasting lots of time and money with his vendetta against the TTC.
He's in over his head and he's too stubborn or stupid to realize it. I have never seen council as polarized as it is now and that is entirely attributable to Ford's "leadership".
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holyday doesn't support the firing either....
Now, after Ford, you have to pay an extra $60 a year to ride the bus, which is stuck behind other people in cars.
http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/taking-care-of-business-cards-rob-ford%E2%80%99s-hypocrisy/
Webster's severance should be paid from Ford and his enforcers' salaries, not the taxpayers.
http://www.arcestra.com/view/arcade/45-bay-st?city=Toronto&;type=OFFICE&suiteSize=