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Morning Brew: TPL mulls new ads, York U president trades places with student, why a Sheppard subway won't work, and a bad night for Toronto sports teams
You might not see billboards at a library anytime soon, but you may see an advertisement on your next due date reminder. In an effort to explore all options for raising revenue, the Toronto Public Library board is considering hiring a contractor to sell ads that would be printed on the backs of due-date slips, as well as expand the ads that already appear in its What's On publication.
Speaking of libraries, it can't all be bad around here when New Yorkers think our system is one to emulate. The Grid cites an article from The Nation in which Thomas Galante, CEO of the Queens Library, spoke "reverently about one healthy and outstanding public library — in Toronto."
It's like "Trading Places" for the new generation, without the hijinx. York university president Mamdouh Shoukri switched roles with biochemistry major Rabia Sajun for the day to get a taste of student life. The President for a Day event is popular at some American universities, but it's believed this is the first time a Canadian school has participated.
Given that Rob Ford is still determined to extend the subway on Sheppard, perhaps he should take a gander at City Hall observer Matt Elliot's "Four Reasons We Can't Have the Subways Rob Ford Wants" blog post, which serves as a concise guide to why his subways just won't work. A downtown relief line, on the other hand...
Now that the Leafs' chances of making the playoffs seem slim at best, maybe hockey fans can take solace in the Toronto Stiga Table Hockey League that plays on an 82-game schedule "just like the NHL". Post City profiles the league which hosted the Toronto area's first sanctioned table-hockey tournament earlier this year.
IN BRIEF:
Photo by sjgardiner in the blogTO Flickr pool
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It would be nice to extend the existing tunnel and not have to switch vehicles on your trip.
But aside from that, it's still not economically feasible. :/
Take a look at the plan Network 2011 and see how the Sheppard Subway works in that network. We wouldn't be complaining about it had it been constructed that way. But it's always going to be the black sheep of the TTC because it's construction/planning was so short sighted.
1. They move faster
2. Not as cold in the winter (although on the flip side not as airy in the summer and require a/c)
3. I believe the trains themselves are cheaper to purchase as the do not require side impact reinforcement engineering (but may be more costly to maintain over time). This small price difference in cost of the train alone is hugely outweighed by the cost of building/maintaining underground stations and tunnels.
4. They do not affect the flow of surface transportation (at least after their construction phase).
5. They can carry more passengers (but it has been widely shown that the areas where Ford wishes to build these subways do not and likely will not for decades support the ridership needed to break even, let alone make a profit).
Are there any other arguments for subways? Oh right...apparently people want them.
Are YOU qualified? I doubt it.
Pro Ford here is like pro life choices for the other side of the argument.
What we need to do is waste more money. I have a proposal on the table to get more money out of sell out Adam Vaughan.
We are proposing to build a LRT line but instead of street cars it would be for PIXI bicycles only.
Imagine entire roads for bikes only. No cars, no pesky pedestrians. The cost would of course be a pay per use fair system. a Micro transaction fee for every meter covered by the bike charged directly to your interact card.
We will even pretend to incorporate the PRESTO its all gone card system as well. A single token will get you a total of 300 meters.
Now time to visit the LCBO I heard they have new stock today and I am nearly out from last weekends party.
As far as we know all the people who have studied the Sheppard subway have come to the same conclusion: it just doesn't make any sense.
bridging the Y/U/S loop would provide some needed relief off the yonge line during rush-hours. A direct connection to Downsview would give Scarborough commuters the option to take a less-crowded University-Spadina line to work. And you can bet most university students from Scarborough would take advantage of the would-be easier access to St George station (for UofT) and future York U station.
this is the ONLY part of the sheppard subway scheme worth any consideration -- but not one dime of the $8.4 billion from queens park should go towards it. i'm all for road tolls and/or congestion charges to help fund future transit projects in Toronto. let's be honest: we're not going to see another handout like this (from any level of government) for at least another 20 years -- it's time to start getting resourceful about funding in the meanwhile.
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Alas, we have people like you and whoever supporting Ford's stupid suburban subway concept that everybody knows won't work-live and learn, I guess.