There's a new battle brewing thanks to last week's High Park camp out, but this time it's between the City and the BMX and mountain-biking community. The BMXers have been trying to find good places to ride for years, often playing cat-and-mouse games with the City as they build illegal jumps and ramps that are just as quickly torn down. Apparently the city set aside $200,000 to find a permanent indoor BMX location but still hasn't found one. Mountain-biking enthusiasts say a BMX area is as necessary as soccer fields and baseball diamonds, but there is still the question of the environmental impact of "spontaneous social trails."

The city voted 18 to 17 to upgrade the disinfection system of the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant. This means that the Toronto will use an ultraviolet system instead of only chlorine, which will cost $32-million to $49-million more. Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti gave a thumbs-down to the decision but councillor Gord Perks, who's been working on the issue, calls the vote a "major breakthrough."

Looking for something to do this weekend? Then how about welcoming the new tenants at the zoo: the endangered African penguins. The twelve tuxedo-wearing birds have been brought in to boost zoo attendance, and with the elephants leaving, I'm sure they're also in need of a morale boost. The penguins will be on display all year and they've got cool-penguin names, like, Flap, Shaker and Pedro.

How about one more "aww" story. Three albino baby raccoons were found near Victoria Park and Finch Avenues on Thursday. It was kind of like winning the lottery since the chance of finding not one, but three, albino raccoons is one in ten million. The animals will not be going to a shelter, but are staying put so the mother can return to relocate her babies.

IN BRIEF:

• Fake health inspectors calling Toronto restaurants
• Gas prices expected to rise for long weekend
• Jays lose to Astros

Photo by panvolta in the blogTO Flickr pool.