A small zoo has long been a feature of Toronto's High Park, but is it time to shut it down and send the animals back to their natural habitat?

That's certainly the verdict of one black-marker-armed visitor whose commentary I recently spotted on the sign (pictured above) in front of the llama cage. It's perhaps a reflection of the growing movement among the current generation of 20 and 30 somethings who believe that animals have an intrinsic right to live free in their natural habitat; and that the whole concept of zoos is therefore misguided.

The much maligned corner of Queen and Bathurst will get a bit of a facelift later this summer in the shape of Starbucks. The world's most loved and/or derided coffee chain is moving into the north east corner that was formerly a Mr. Sub.

Construction is already underway which means it won't be too long before two of the city's most ubiquitous chains - Pizza Pizza being the other one - share an intersection with the notorious Big Bop and The Meeting Place.

Photo: Yvonne Suchislife

Do you know where your water comes from? That was one of the questions posed as Waterlution's 2008 workshop series came to Toronto this past weekend.

Participants were shuttled around the city to look first hand at current water issues facing Canada's largest municipal water system. Those involved came from various backgrounds in academia, public sector, and the working world with the notion that a multitude of perspectives might shed some light on the best strategies for water management. Toronto definitely has its share of issues to look at.

Literary events in Toronto happen on weekdays only this time around, but check the end of this post for a special request I'm sending out to all of the Bookmark This readers!

Tuesday, May 13th:

House of Anansi Press invites you to celebrate the launch of My Life As a Dame: The Personal and the Political in the Writings of Christina McCall (edited by Stephen Clarkson). McCall was part of an illustrious group of writers including Pierre Berton, Robert Fulford, June Callwood, Peter Gzowski, and Peter C. Newman, that graced the pages of Maclean's Magazine in the mid-50s. She is considered not only one of the best political writers of her generation, but a pioneer for women in journalism and one of Canada's most brilliant minds. The evening is hosted by Michael Enright. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to Katie Densmore at intern@anansi.ca.
Alumni Hall, Victoria College. 5:30pm. Free.

What if there were movies made the same way as suits, custom fitted, each one tailored for one person? Some of the brightest stars from Toronto's fringe film and video scene -- including Midi Onodera, Jubal Brown, Su Rynard and Richard Fung -- will show dazzling and mysterious short films, and then discuss the genesis of their projects with Mike Hoolboom, editor of the collection Practical Dreamers: Conversations with Movie Artists. A This Is Not A Reading Series event.
Gladstone Hotel Ballroom. 7:30pm (doors 7pm). Free.

Ger ready for the Artbardy Har Har: an evening of comedic poetry hosted by Valentino Assenza and featuring Jeff Cottrill, Arianna Pozuoli, Mike Bryant, Myna Wallin, David Clink, and Luciano Iacobelli. Open mic readers are encouraged to bust out their most hilarious material!
Clinton's. 8pm. Free (donations accepted).

Photo: "Cute Chipmunk" by Megan Lorenz, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Your Toronto morning news roundup for Tuesday May 13th, 2008:

Police have arrested two of the three people alleged to have been involved in the shooting of a passenger on the subway at Spadina station in late March. It was the only shooting on the subway that I can recall in my time in Toronto, and one can only hope that the police have the right people in custody and that the third is quickly apprehended without incident.

The new OPP eye in the sky highway patrol airplane is being lauded as an immediate success. Within minutes of getting airborne, a number of speeders were observed and throughout the day several charges laid. The take home message? If you're trying to make up for time lost from making extra stops at the grocery store, beer store, and gas station before heading up to the cottage, don't be a lead foot or you run the risk of being caught from above.

The Toronto Urban Film festival (TUFF) is back for its second year. TUFF screens one minute films on the TTC video screens throughout Toronto's subway system for one week each September. This year the festival takes places between the 5th and the 12th.

blogTO is a sponsor of TUFF this year and we want to see as many of you as possible get your videos included in the festival. For details on submission rules and processes check the TUFF web site. The submission deadline is July 1st.

Related: Check out the photos currently screening as part of Contacting Toronto.

Photo by Sevennine from the blogTO Flickr Pool