Morning Brew: Downtown casino has parkland, saving our heritage areas, hurling cellphones, a Roncesvalles cipher, and celebrating the marathon's champions

The convention centre casino pitched late last week by Oxford Properties Group will include, if built, a park over the rail lands near the Rogers Centre and CN Tower, according to The Star. The deal-sweetener would create a large public space north of the arena suspended over the active tracks. Does this make the idea of a downtown casino more palatable? How do you feel about a casino in this area?

Could heritage designations for areas instead of just single buildings help protect more of our history? Historic homes like those on George Street, many of them in a state of disrepair without proper protections, could have a brighter future under such a scheme. A policy like this could protect more buildings at a time when heritage policies are lacking.

In sports (or "sports"), Jeremiah Sammy is officially the Canadian cellphone throwing champion. Sammy tossed a used phone a whopping 78.88 metres at Varsity Stadium this weekend, a full thirty metres more than the second place contestant. Next up, synchronized texting.

A set of cryptic flyers stapled to telephone poles the Roncesvalles area have some locals scratching their heads. According to clever souls on Reddit, the seemingly nonsensical text is passing judgement on someone's love affair. Check it out.

Toronto Zoo's Hudson the polar is bear a year old. Congratulations to our gigantic white friend.

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon was a triumphant day for many of the event's entrants. Owen Derby, a 7-year-old with cerebral palsy, completed the 5k event with Fauja Singh, the 100-year-old marathon finisher from last year now aged 101. In the full marathon event, 81-year-old Ed Whitlock set a record time for someone his age. Awesome.

Finally, speaking of the Rogers Centre, here's the CBC's coverage of its grand opening event in 1989 hosted by Andrea Martin and Alan Thicke. You can feel the excitement! Thanks Retrontario.

IN OTHER NEWS:

• GO Transit cancels monthly pass [The Star]
• Missing Cuban soccer players crossed border, U.S. official says [The Star]
• Toronto's secretive airsoft community gives a glimpse into increasingly popular sport [National Post]
• Rare watch fetches $215,000 at Toronto auction [The Star]

FROM THE WEEKEND:

• Dupont diner does a delicious weekend brunch
• Despite a few misfires, Regina Spektor still shines
• A brief history of the four corners of King and Simcoe
• Party Style: at the Paws for a Cause gala
• Toronto gets first new co-op grocery store in 25 years
• Literature & music collide at Misha Bower book launch
• Art space hides in alleyway off Ossington
• 10 Twitter accounts Toronto music fans should follow
• Cadence Weapon on hope and dirty cities
• Sunday Supplement: Union Station, placebo crossings, and old Oak Street
• This Week In Comedy
• This Week in Theatre

Photo: "mad world" by michellekjs in the blogTO Flickr pool.