Ice cream is all the rage in Toronto come summertime. From epic ice cream sandwiches to tricked out cones to wild flavours, there's plenty to indulge in if you're craving a frozen treat.
Check out all 25 essential Toronto ice cream treats in this photo gallery.
Renting a condo in Toronto has never been cheap, but never in recorded history has it been so expensive as right now — if you can even manage to find a place, that is.
The average monthly rent for condo leases signed across the GTA over the past three months skyrocketed by 11.2 per cent, year over year, according to condominium market analysis firm Urbanation, reaching an average of $2,302 per 732 square-foot.
In the former City of Toronto itself, that number is even higher at $2,505 (or $3.61 per square foot) — a 13.5 per cent increase over last year at the same time.
"The $231 average increase over the past year was the largest ever recorded by Urbanation, with rents having risen by $367 in two years," reads a report from the firm, which has been tracking condo data in Toronto since 1981.
Put into perspective this is an annual change of $231 per month pic.twitter.com/BMfH01hh7A
— Urbanation (@Urbanation) July 12, 2018
To put this in perspective, the average studio apartment — which means no bedroom — is currently going for around $1,720 per month. A one bedroom without den will run you about $2,000, but, again, that's only if you can find one to rent.
"Current rental supply has fallen to a critically low level," said Urbanation president Shaun Hildebrand in a release this week.
"Demand has been pouring into the market while rental construction still remains relatively low, condo projects are taking longer to reach completion, not as many investors are offering their units for rent, and tenants aren't moving as often."
This "exceptionally tight" condo rental market is great for landlords with open units, but for condominium renters — who make up an estimated third of the region's total rental population — it means fierce competition to spend more money for less space.
Fortunately, relief is coming in the form of tens of thousands of new, purpose-built rental units (many of which are already under construction.)
New applications for buildings between April and June of 2018 alone would see 5,920 units added into the mix — nearly 3.5 times more than the number of purpose-built units proposed last year at this time.
"As of Q2-2018, the inventory of proposed purpose-built rentals totaled 120 projects and 37,403 units," reads the Urbanation report, "nearly doubling in size over the past two years to reach the highest level recorded by Urbanation since tracking began in Q1-2015."
As for when those units will actually hit the market, well... you can see all the cranes. Hang tight. They're coming.
Toronto City Council has approved a motion to explore the idea of "lane filtering" for motorcycles in Toronto — a practice that experts say could dramatically improve the safety of people on bikes.
Lane filtering, not to be confused with lane splitting, allows motorcycles to move between stopped vehicles at an intersection.
The idea is that riders can make their way up to the front of the line and take off before cars do, minimizing the risk of rear-end collisions and improving the overall flow of traffic.
"Unlike bicycles, motorcycles are currently not afforded dedicated or separated road infrastructure, making them particularly vulnerable in the event of a collision," reads a member motion submitted to City Council last month.
"According to a 2015 study conducted in California, motorcyclists who are able to filter between traffic were 'markedly less likely to suffer head injury (9 percent vs. 17 percent), torso injury (19 percent vs. 29 percent) or fatal injury (1.2 percent vs. 3 percent)."
A new dawn. Toronto adopts a pilot project to enable motorcycle lane filtering! @fortninecanada@RiderTrainInst
— EatSleepRIDE app (@EatSleepRIDE) July 10, 2018
>> https://t.co/E7ChMjpEcN#eatsleepridepic.twitter.com/WfwtucA8qW
That motion, submitted by Councillor Anthony Perruzza, calls upon the city to consider a pilot project that would allow motorcycles to filter between stopped vehicles along Richmond Street and Adelaide Street.
Peruzza also asked that city staffers be authorized to compile a report on expanding the number of dedicated motorcycle parking zones, as well as letting motorcycle drivers use lanes designated for buses and taxis on both Bay Street and the DVP.
All three of these proposals were developed in partnership with the Rider Training Institute— a national not-for-profit association that offers motorcycle licensing and training programs throughout Ontario.
While council voted a few weeks back in favour of allowing a committee to explore the idea, it's unlikely that filtering will be legal on Toronto streets for the rest of this season.
The committee is expected to present their findings to City Council later this year. If the pilot is approved then, Perruzza says it would likely begin "sometime next year at the earliest."
One of Toronto's most iconic hometown diners will soon be coming back to life in spectacular fashion, thanks to an equally iconic local restaurateur.
Remember Swan? On West Queen West? Near Trinity Bellwoods?
It was one of the first high-profile brunch spots to open in the now-unrecognizable west side neighbourhood back in 1997, and remained a legend until it closed in the spring of 2015.
Now, after housing a series of concept restaurants by Anthony Rose and others, the space where the original Swan stood proud for 17 years has been leased by Jen Agg.
"Literal dream space," wrote the author and businesswoman on Instagram Thursday morning. "Or at least I've been dreaming of it since I used to eat here with my parents in the early 2000s, when you basically had 2 choices for a cool dinner spot: Swan or Terroni—and maybe Taro if I'm being generous."
Agg, who only recently announced the closure of Black Hoof after 10 years on Dundas West, says that the new Swan will open in September as "Le Swan."
"The 'Le' is for French Diner," she noted, "but you can just call it Swan."
Joining in the new venture will be Grey Gardens general manager Jake Skakun and bar manager David Greig, as well as Black Hoof chef James Santon.
The menu at Swan will be comprised of both diner classics and French cuisine, she said, and will include oysters from the nearby Oyster Boy.
"It just fell into our laps, could not resist," wrote Agg of the Swan takeover. "Don't worry, we're keeping the booths but losing the ALL BLACK (wtf??) washrooms... FULL CIRCLE BABY! CANT WAIT!"
Cute animal pictures have been plastered across 25 different subway stations in Toronto as part of a massive new ad blitz from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA.)
The subway ads, of which there are four versions, show either the face of a cow, pig, chicken or lobster with the words "I'm ME, Not MEAT."
"See the Individual," read the posters. "Go Vegan."
Controversial as the topic of veganism may be lately (though I can't fully understand why), the message sent by these ads aren't actually the biggest part of this story.
To quote famed Canadian communications theorist Justin Bieber (just kidding, it's Marshall McLuhan), "the medium is the message" — and the fact that these posters got turned subway ads in the first place is of some significance.
You see, PETA had spoken out against the TTC and its ad sales agency, Pattison Outdoor, earlier this year for allegedly refusing to take its business.
Lawyers representing PETA said that Pattison had been ignoring queries about running pro-vegan ads throughout Toronto's transit system for at least two months, at the time, and criticised the public transit agency for illegally refusing ads that complied with Canadian advertising standards.
TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said in May that the transit agency was never shown these ads and that it was "working to better understand the issue with Pattison."
That issue appears to have been resolved, and then some. PETA's pro-vegan ads will remain in 25 TTC stations for the next month, according to the animal rights organization.
"Just like humans, chickens, cows, pigs, and lobsters are made of flesh and blood, feel pain and fear, have unique personalities, and value their own lives," said PETA Director of Campaigns Danielle Katz in a release.
"PETA's ad blitz in Toronto encourages everyone to empathize with animals and choose vegan meals."
Less than a year after opening its first location in Toronto, Ladurée has announced that it will also be opening up a "pastry laboratory" sometime next year.
The famous Parisian patisserie, which opened to steady crowds at Yorkdale Mall in December, confirmed to Retail Insider this week that it has already opened one such laboratory in Vancouver.
Ladurée International Pastry Chef Mickael de Monte has been transferred in from Paris to oversee the production of the lab — which is less "mad macaron scientist lair" than it sounds.
A Ladurée Pastry Laboratory is, essentially, just a very large and official bakery.
Each lab must be run by one of the brand's international pastry chefs, hence the arrival of de Monte. They produce cakes and pastries including plaisir sucré, millefeuille, chocolate éclairs and harmonie— all of which were previously unavailable in Canada.
You'll still have to hit the west coast to get such decadent goodies right now, but the first lab's licensee says that a Toronto Pastry Laboratory is expected to follow next year, in addition to more macaron store locations.
Imagine commuting to work in your own personal aerial vehicle.
It's not a flying car, per se — more of a quadcopter or other such drone that can carry humans — but it's fast, energy-efficient, 100 per cent electric and it has cruise control.
It's something that engineers all over the world have been working to bring to market for years, and a company founded just two hours outside of Toronto by a U of T grad might finally have done it: Invented a mainstream aero vehicle for consumer travel.
That company, called OPENER, just launched something called the BlackFly: "The world's first ultralight all-electric fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft."
It's not the first single-seat, Personal Aerial Vehicle to make headlines — far from it — but it is one of the sleekest-looking to date, and it was built specifically with regular people in mind. This has caught the attention of tech heads, analysts and hopeful flyers worldwide.
A press release from OPENER's current home in Silicon Valley explains that the aerial vehicle requires no special skills or licensing to fly or operate safety.
It's also the first Canadian-qualifed vehicle of its kind, recieving permission from Transport Canada to operate as a basic ultralight aircraft just a few weeks ago.
"OPENER is re-energizing the art of flight with a safe and affordable flying vehicle that can free its operators from the everyday restrictions of ground transportation," said the company's Canadian CEO, Marcus Leng.
"We will offer competitive pricing in an endeavor to democratize three-dimensional personal transportation."
While it is now located in Palo Alto (where their investors, such as Google billionaire Larry Page, are based), OPENER actually started right here in Southern Ontario.
The company revealed in its latest press release, in fact, that Leng actually carried out the first manned flight of a fixed wing all-electric VTOL aircraft — ever — in Warkworth, Ontario, on October 5, 2011.
OPENER moved to California in 2014, but has been working on the project "in stealth mode" for nine years, designing, developing, and testing the "new innovative technologies which have now evolved into the zero-emission BlackFly vehicles."
Test pilots — including Leng — have successfully completed 1,400 flights and flown 12,000 miles to date.
You can't go out and buy one of these puppies just yet, I'm afraid, though they will be on public display at tech conventions this year.
At the 2018 EAA AirVenture Convention in Oshkosh, WI, later this month for instance, the public is invited to both view the BlackFly vehicles as well as "experience three-dimensional flight by operating the vehicles in a virtual reality simulation."
The company says its long-term vision is to integrate the vehicles into a rural/urban commuting network.
"These networks would be powered by renewable energy sources requiring only a fraction of the transportation energy used currently," it says.
When that will happen remains to be seen, but OPENER is already being hailed as a pioneer in the consumer aero vehicle space. Is Marcus Leng the next Henry Ford? I'm going to say yes, because why not?
If you're looking to buy a detached house in Toronto right now, well bless your heart. That is not an easy task.
The real estate market has been volatile recently, to say the least, but experts say that house prices are back on the rise after more than a year of plummeting sales and values.
A new report from RE/MAX shows that price appreciation for detached, single-family homes in the second quarter of 2018 showed "a marked improvement over Q1 figures" across the Greater Toronto Area.
The so called "Hot Pocket Report" (lol) concluded that the average price of all homes analyzed was either on par or climbing over the past three months in 75 per cent of Toronto Real Estate Board districts — some of those districts, more than others.
The RE/MAX Hot Pocket Report examined sales and average prices of detached homes in 65 Toronto Real Estate Board districts. Image via RE/MAX.
Here are the top-performing markets in terms of price appreciation in and around Toronto.
Home values up 17 per cent with an average second-quarter price of $1,872,407
Home values up 13 per cent with an average second-quarter price of $1,503,034
Home values up 10 per cent with an average second-quarter price of $2,031,031
Home values up 10 per cent with an average second-quarter price of $1,571,919
Home values up 9 per cent with an average second-quarter price of $1,571,919
Home values up 9 per cent with an average second-quarter price of $1,383,888
Home values up 9 per cent with an average second-quarter price of $1,052,187
So, the best houses to invest in may not necessarily be starter homes. I guess the old adage rings true, once again: It takes money to make money.
Saturdays are for parties, and events in Toronto today have a big outdoor music jam by way of All Day I Dream. Elsewhere, Festival of India takes over downtown and there's a huge street festival in Bloor West Village.
Events you might want to check out:Burritos in Toronto run the gamut from Mission-style to traditional Mexican to burritos stuffed with Chinese chow mein (yes, it exists, and it’s good). Get your burrito fix from a range of indie restaurants and franchise heavy hitters.
Here are my picks for the top burritos in Toronto by neighbourhood.
The Oshawa transplant Bang Bang Burrito stuffs their burritos with slow-cooked, 48-marinated meat and beer battered fish. They’ve also got a cheesy Bang Bang poutine which you can get wrapped up in a burrito too.
Fiesta Burrito in the popular Village by the Grange food court fuses Mexican and Korean with options like BBQ’d beef and spicy pork in their rolls.
The burritos are affordable at local chain Tacorrito where you can get options like spicy fish along with tons of options for vegetarians like sweet chili cauliflower and chilly potato.
The original Burrito Boyz location in a low-key basement spot is now called Burrito Gordito where grilled burritos come with mango chicken and triple A steak. This spot’s open until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturday, making it super clutch after the bar.
Burrito Caliente is a plaza fave, keeping it simple with just one size of burritos and unique fillings like sausage and fish with wasabi aoili.
Head into the underground Richmond-Adelaide or TD Centre food courts to hit up Freshwest Grill. You’ll likely encounter a huge line waiting to grab a burrito with sauteed shrimp or fajita veggies.
You can get Al Pastor’s famous slow-cooked pork shoulder meat in the alambre burrito, filled with nothing but meat, cheese and onions that’s surprisingly satisfying even without rice or beans.
El Nahual is definitely more famous for their delicious tacos but their two-sized burritos are filled with Mexican rice and their signature tasty meats like barbacoa, al pastor or steak.
Taking up a big corner lot, Big Fat Burrito is the staple burrito purveyor in the market. They’ve been serving burritos for years and have a delicious sauce that’s basically just garlic and mayo.
Bolet’s Burrito is easily one of the most underrated spots on the list with a really tasty fried fish burrito and a popular Buffalo chicken roll that makes for the most satisfying lunch.
Grab the Wilbur-Rito from Wilbur Mexicana that comes in one size with rice and black or refried beans, oaxaca cheese and your choice of Baja fish or carne asada.
Asian-inspired burritos from Chino Locos bring us options stuffed with unconventional ingredients like edamame, General Tao chicken, and chow mein noodles that sub the regular rice filling.
The popular chain Fat Bastard has long been rolling it up around the GTA. Despite its problematic logo it continues to be a go-to for chunky wraps.
Get & Go Burrito is a popular spot on Wilson Avenue for burritos with fresh ingredients. Popular options include BBQ steak and ground beef, which are perfect to go along with their addictive Supreme Fries.
Not only does Sofis Mexican Bar and Grill have a big selection of burrito standards like carnitas and barbocoa, they also have a fancy garlic butter poached lobster option which you can get wrapped up with guac and chipotle aioli.
The Taqueria at Mercatino’s food hall Harbour Eats offers a handful of burritos like pollo asado or carne asada alongside burrito bowls and tacos.
You can get all the ingredients at Asada Mexican Grill in burrito form. Carne asada and al pastor are the regular faves, plus they also have chorizo and the Mayan-style pulled pork, cochinita pibil.
This location of the Kensington hit La Tortilleria offers its burritos with fillings like the campechano mix and beef chipotle with the option to get it wrapped in a habanero tortilla.
One half of the Burrito Boyz broke off to create Burrito Bandidos way back in the day, and it continues to be one of the popular spots for hulking wraps of spicy pulled pork. Best part of Burrito Bandidos: free guac.
Burrito Boyz was the founding name behind Toronto’s burgeoning burrito scene and today its location just steps from Ryerson is a favourite for budget-friendly burritos and huge assortments of seafood fillings you won’t find at many other places like calamari and haddock.
Die-hard fans of Chipotle know the joy of this chain’s hulking burritos, and this location on Yonge is easily one of the best locations for their chicken and tofu sofritas.
After nearly two years of construction, the park in Kensington Market has finally reopened with some necessary upgrades including a new splash pad for kids, more greenery, and accessible washrooms.
Bellevue Square Park has long been the market's quintessential summer hangout spot, and Pedestrian Sundays haven't been quite the same without it since the city started construction in December 2016.
Though it took a bit longer than expected (the park was supposed to reopen in December 2017) the barriers around Bellevue have finally come down and the space looks refreshed with repaved paths and some new plants lining its perimeter.
The most notable change of the park is the demolition of the old public washroom on its northeast corner along Augusta, where the last signs of work remain.
If construction is still going according to the original blueprint, there are plans to add a wooden deck here for community events — though it's unclear if and when that will materialize.
A sleek new accessible washroom has sprung up across the path, replacing the old seedy one with a facility you won't be scared to use.
Water features have also been added around the central part of the park to supplement the children's play area, and a path leading from Augusta acts as a main feature with a zig-zagging design.
The grassy areas all around Bellevue have remained mostly the same, except that the lawn looks like it's in much better condition than before, perfect for lounging this summer.
But the best part of the upgraded Bellevue is undoubtedly the splash pad, a much more futuristic version of the one that was there before.
The play area is now equipped with tons of fountains and spray jets for kids to frolic in and, on top of that, the wood chip playground has also seen a boost with the latest in see-saw features and twirly things.
The changes to Bellevue might seem subtle at first, but those who are familiar with the area will notice its transformation from a worn-down community hangout to family-friendly park immediately.
If you've ever been to Lavelle, you'll know the best part about it is its rooftop pool.
The glistening 155-foot-long body of water is to active Instagram users what honey is to bees: no summer is complete without a photo half submerged in Lavelle's exclusive waters.
Up until this point, only yearly membership holders – who pay an annual fee of $200 – have been granted access to the King West restaurant's pool while the rest of the guests at Lavelle have had to watch from the sidelines (a.k.a. the cabanas).
But now, they too can take a dip in luxury. For the first time ever, guests without membership cards can hop in Lavelle's pool to take in the 360-degree views for a daily rate of $40 plus tax, which is on par with most hotel pool day passes.
Pool hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily all summer long, and being in the midst of yet another heat wave, it's a pretty good time to grab a pool flick for the 'gram.
Seasonal private memberships are also still available for those who want to keep it exclusive. A fee of $200 will grant you towel and daybed service, priority seating, and will also let you bypass the line of less fortunate souls.
The best sangria in Toronto is here to help you get your summer on. One of the most colourful, fruity, and flavourful alcoholic beverages found in our bars, sangria lets you enjoy your wine ice cold whether red or white. The worst part about drinking sangria is figuring out how to make sure you get most of the pitcher for yourself.
Here’s the best sangria in Toronto.
3 - Gusto 101A popular taco joint doling out guac and takeout al pastor tacos will be closing at the end of the month to make way for a massive 52-storey condo.
According to Tacos 101's co-owner Jeff Sato, the tiny restaurant will be serving its last tacos on July 29 before they have to set up shop somewhere else.
"It's stressful," he says. "There's a lot of sleepless nights."
The taqueria is part of a whole block of restaurants being evicted for the Social, a project by the Pemberton Group that when completed will be taller than any other building in the vicinity.
A few neighbouring businesses running in and around 215-299 Church Street like Ethiopiques have already closed down to make way for the condo.
Sato says it was "a bit of a shock" when the landlord informed the team they'd have to leave their 101 Dundas Street spot in the middle of summer, especially since they'd initially been told they would have until December to find a new place.
Summertime is the restaurant's busiest time, with lines of office workers, international students and locals running out the door when it opens for lunch, and Sato says it's been a challenge for the business to score a new spot.
Still, the move might be a blessing in disguise. Tacos 101's current spot is only 300 square-feet with no storage space or basement, which requires them to ship in 200 to 300 lbs of fresh meat on the daily.
With a new space in the works, it might be an upgrade, and Sato says they're in the process of having something confirmed as early as next week.
"We had something in the area and it fell through a few weeks ago," says Sato. "So this is kind of the last chance."
France vs Croatia is finally here. If your throat isn't sore from screaming by now, it'll definitely need some rest after today: the all-European final is the culmination of what's been a very entertaining month-long World Cup.
From Germany's quick boot out of the tourney and Nacer Chadli's epic goal against Team Japan (who has the best fans ever) to more meme-worthy moments like Neymar's neverending rolls down the pitch and Morocco's brutal own goal, World Cup 2018 has been a good one.
Now Les Bleus and the Vatreni wil face off on Sunday July 15 at 11 a.m. EST for the championship title in a battle of underdog versus the favourite, France.
The bets are on to see whether Croatia's most exceptional team in decades can hold back France's swiftest player Kylian Mbappe and the rest of the Les Bleus' powerful offence.
The last time France won the World Cup in 1998 in the final against Brazil, but it's uncharted territory for the Vatreni, who've never come this far in FIFA before.
Whoever's side you're on, there's plenty of places in the city to cheer on your team and join in the collective fever pitch before the World Cup ends and we do it all over again in four years.
Here's where you can watch the World Cup final this Sunday.
Ricarda's is still the official headquarters for Les Bleus this year, but it's bound to get completely packed with fans and members of the Federation Tricolore de Toronto, but the Italian mainstay Cafe Diplomatico might actually be the French FIFA fixture for the match.
The Croatian Parish Park in Mississauga is going to be a giant party. Red and white checkers will be all over this community hub where proud Croats will be screaming at the TV's in the outdoor pavilion and sports bar.
If you've managed to score a VPN through popular providers like ExpressVPN, you'll get access to a huge selection of free online live streams.
There are also ways you can stream online on your phone or laptop, just download Canada's two biggest World Cup broadcaster apps: CTV GO App and TSN GO App.
You'll have to connect to your CTV Go App by choosing your provider, and the TSN GO App requires a subscription.
If you've got either, you can play the game on your phone and screen-mirror or cast to any smart TV near you.
Events in Toronto today will see Croatia take on France during the World Cup final, and there's tons of viewing parties happening all over the city. Lots of shucking is going down at Ontario Oyster Fest and the city's newest beer garden returns for a second week.
Events you might want to check out:Lots of fun stuff is going down for free at events in Toronto this week. A big bike party takes over Christie Pits while a part of Bloor shuts down for a street festival. BrazilFest is on and there's free hot dogs to be had.
Events you might want to check out:The popular pub The Dog's Bollocks served its last pound of chicken wings on Friday after almost 10 years on West Queen West, and apparently a new sports bar – not a male strip club, as previously believed – is coming to take its place this fall.
Contrary to statements made by reps last year, the property at 817 Queen Street West will not be taken over by Toronto's most famous male strip club, Remington's.
Though the owners of the strip club also own 50 per cent of the Dog's Bollocks building, it seems the plans to move Remington's to West Queen West are no longer.
"In the end we felt closing Remington's after 25 years was our best option," says Dave Auger, the longtime general manager of the club, via e-mail.
Instead, his team will be opening up a new spot called 817 Sports bar & Grill in Dog's Bollocks' place, where he'll also be manager.
"The adult entertainment business all across the (sic) North America has been on the decline," he says. "There will always be a draw for it in the long run we felt changing to a new business model starting something new was the best option."
The sports bar will be completely renovated to feature an upgraded bar with a new sound system and HD TVs to watch the game, says Auger, along with improved washrooms with more stalls.
As for the menu, it'll sport pub foods like hot chicken wings and gourmet pizzas with house-made dough. On the tap will be 17 types of beer and some cider.
The second floor of 817 will be a venue called R Lounge, which Auger says will host everything from stand-up comedy to karaoke and even arts-related events like live music and exhibits.
Long story short: after 25 years, Remington's will be gone for good on September 30 to make way for the proposed YSL condo, which, if approved, will be a monster of a building at 98-storeys tall.
As for fans of the Dog's Bollocks wings, they can always head to the restaurant's sister bar Toby's to get them. But for those who don't feel like travelling to College for them, it looks like 817 could be a substitute; we'll just have to see if they live up to their predecessors'.
Toronto is blessed with many beautiful places to walk, from pretty streets to lakefront promenades. For all the choice we enjoy, there are a number of spots that are particularly stunning for those times when you're looking to dial up the romance or just want to soak up a bit of nature in the midst of the big city.
Here are my picks for the most beautiful places to walk in Toronto.
Certainly the nicest new place to walk in Toronto, the William G. Davis Trail at Trillium Park meanders along the waterfront offering sweeping views of the lake and skyline. End an evening stroll by sitting by the fire pit as the sun sets.
Wilket Creek winds through this lush natural landscape near Lawrence and Leslie. You'll cross the creek over several scenic bridges as you take in the array of pretty flora that mark area. Arrive early for a bit of solitude, as summer afternoons get very busy.
One of the trails at the Humber Arboretum. Photo via the City of Toronto.
As an underrated gem located on Humber's campus in the northwest corner of the city, the arboretum is a bucolic setting lined with paved trails that lead to gardens and a pond. It's perfect for a leisurely walk.
This haunting park and gardens at the top of the Scarborough Bluffs is the resting place for a number of Toronto architectural ruins. The revitalized Guild Inn has brought more people to the site, but has also improved the grounds.
The Sun Valley offers a pretty and easy walk through the Crothers Woods area. Photo by Derek Flack.
Part of the Crothers Woods parkland, Sun Valley is better suited to people who want to take a stroll rather than a hike. Enter off of Bayview Avenue, near Nesbitt Drive and you'll encounter a double-track trail that circles around the pretty valley that was once a garbage dump long ago.
This ravine just east of Yonge and St. Clair is beautiful at all times of the year, but reaches its peak in the fall when the leaves tend to hit a saturated yellow hue. There's a few challenges with steep stairs, but it's worth it for the tree canopy once you get to the ravine floor.
A misty morning at the Glen Stewart Ravine. Photo by ~EvidencE~.
A lovely boardwalk-style trail cuts through the heart of this Beaches-area ravine that's marked by its mature tree canopy and misty mornings. The stairs can get a bit slippery after a rainfall, but otherwise it's smooth sailing at this beautiful green space.
Fans of historical architecture will rejoice in the cluster of buildings at the heart of U of T's campus, including University College and Convocation Hall. Once you round the north end of the circle, you'll see the skyline hovering over the campus in a picturesque scene of old and new.
The trail that runs alongside Grenadier Pond is one of the prettiest in High Park. Photo by Neil H.
What's so great about High Park as a walking destination is that there are so many different areas worth strolling around. For my money, the trail that runs along the west side of the park beside Grenadier Pond is the most pretty, but the hill off of West Road near the cafe is a must-visit during cherry blossom season.
It's hard to beat a classic walk along the wooden boardwalk for a dose of natural beauty in Toronto. Once you pass the Woodbine section heading east towards Kew Beach, the beach landscape gets a bit more rustic and the people thin out.
We've been seeing the poster plastered around Parkdale for weeks, but now we finally know who's been putting them up, and why.
The yellow signs featuring the face of an unknown grinning man and the hashtag #TheManWhoSoldParkdale have finally been explained by a website launched by an anonymous group of residents campaigning against gentrification in Parkdale.
"We are calling for an end to displacement realty – the practice of selling affordable homes at inflated prices which push new landlords into forcing out old tenants in order to increase rents," says the site.
As gleaned from the posters' floating heads, the hashtag, and the name of the website, the group is also calling out the person they believe is responsible for the problem: a real estate agent named Nick Brewerton.
According to the site, Brewerton is alleged to be personally been responsible for selling off more than 180 units of Parkdale housing in the last three years, business transactions which the group claims has resulted in the the loss of rooming houses and the eviction of low-income residents.
"Nick Brewerton is far from the only force at work in making Parkdale unaffordable," says the site. "But he is a significant player who is profiting more than most from the displacement of low-income communities in the neighbourhood."
Hey vampire realtors and weasel greedy developers. Leave #parkdale residents alone. People need a safe affordable place to live. They have that now. Get lost you creeps.That means you #nickbrewerton ! #CityRents#Toronto
— frances farmer (@biosphere77) July 13, 2018
There's even a blog post on the website titled 'drinking alone' that's addressed to Brewerton personally.
"It sucks to be scrutinized in public. Of course it does," says the post. "But you know what’s worse? Losing your home and your community because someone else has branded them ‘desirable’, when you can’t afford desirable."
This morning the campaign has put these "SOLD" signs on 10 rooming houses in Parkdale this agent has sold. (Supplied photo) pic.twitter.com/JN5LyLjjSC
— Ontario People Bot (@shawnmicallef) July 12, 2018
As of a few days ago, the campaign also started putting up fake 'sold' signs around Parkdale with Brewerton's face under the mock realtor name Displacement Realty Ltd. and a quote below which says, "Selling the soul out of your community."
Aside from dragging Brewerton online, the group is demanding that municipal and provincial governments institute rent control on vacant apartments in an attempt to deter landlords from forcefully evicting residents in order to up property prices.
The site also provides FAQs which include tenants' rights and a listing of all the Parkdale buildings that Brewerton has sold or is in the process of selling called The Nick Brewerton Report.
On top of that, the group is also offering 'Nick-Free Zone' door posters, which they're encouraging residents to hang up in order to remind them that real estate agents aren't permitted on to a property without giving a legally required 24-hour notice.
Brewerton's website features public listings in areas all around the GTA, but judging by the fact his face is pasted all around Queen and Landsdowne, Parkdale is undoubtedly his least favourite neighbourhood right now.
