Events in Toronto today accurately reflect the post-winter/early-spring mood with some high energy events like Jaws in Concert and Scream, plus more chill things like storytelling and a talk. Stay warm out there!

Less than two hours from Toronto, the small town of Eugenia is home to one of the most impressive waterfalls in Southern Ontario – Eugenia Falls. The Eugenia Falls Conservation Trail is situated along the Niagara Escarpment, where the 30m high waterfall sits.

A post shared by Zach Baranowski (@zachbaranowski) on Aug 31, 2017 at 2:47pm PDT

Just a short walk from the parking lot, the top of the falls can be easily accessed, and marks the perfect place to take that enviable ‘gram.

A post shared by MIRANDA MAE (@miraandamae) on Aug 27, 2017 at 11:02am PDT

In the summer, the thin flow of water glides over the shallow craters before the falls, turning them into ideal spots to sit and soak.

A post shared by Matt Kostuk (@mattkostuk) on Mar 20, 2018 at 5:26pm PDT

There’s also a well-marked hiking trail that runs along the escarpment, but if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can hike down to the bottom of the gorge sans trail.

A post shared by JONAS (@johnfellner) on Oct 8, 2017 at 6:04pm PDT

This is not an easy trek though, so be prepared to climb over slippery rocks and fallen trees. But, once you’re at the bottom, you can reward yourself with a dip in the water while taking in the epic views.

A post shared by Melissa Nguyen (@melalaland) on Oct 26, 2017 at 8:34am PDT

If you want to see the falls at its most dramatic, plan a trip in the Spring when the water flow is at its heaviest, or late Summer if you want a green landscape. Whatever the season though, you’re guaranteed a picturesque setting. Also, Hoggs Falls, (the lesser known neighbour of Eugenia Falls) is less than 8 minutes away, so you can easily hit both on the same day.

The TTC Board has given its blessing to the creation of a steeply-discounted transit pass for college and university students in Toronto.

Now, all that stands between students and their long-fought-for Universal Pass (U-Pass) are the academic institutions themselves.

If – and only if – the University of Toronto, Ryerson University, OCAD University and George Brown College collectively agree to a four-year term, people who attend these schools full-time will pay just $70 a month for unlimited access to subways, streetcars and buses.

That's less than half the price of a regular adult monthly pass, and significantly cheaper than the current post-secondary rate of $116.75 – but it's also a mandatory expense.

While I love this, it's also not fair that students aren't able to opt out of U-Pass. Hundreds of students live closer to campus so they don't have to pay for transit. Not to mention not everyone who commutes uses the TTC 🤷🏽‍♀️ https://t.co/fFDMRo7qD3

— Miriam Valdes-Carletti (@mvaldescarletti) March 21, 2018

The $280 cost of this pass ($70 a month, based on 4 months per semester) would be added automatically to an individual's regular student fees each semester.

People who live on or near campus may not benefit from the program as much as those who commute using transit every day. Still, support for the program is relatively strong among post-secondary students.

Student unions from the four schools mentioned above formed a committee to advocate for the pass late last year, telling TTC officials that 95 per cent of approximately 16,000 students who voted in an online survey were in favour of a discount pass. 

TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said on Twitter yesterday that the first of several school referendums would take place next week at U of T.

The TTC Board approved the U-pass for full-time university and college students. U of T holds a referendum next week. If they vote yes, the new pass will cost $70.

— Brad Ross (@bradTTC) March 20, 2018

The transit agency's full U-Pass policy framework details how and when the passes will be rolled out, should everything go as planned.

Students would need to carry "appropriate TTC Post-Secondary Photo ID" with them to get the discount, for instance.

Nobody would be able to opt-out of the pass unless it imposes a burden related to personal circumstances protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The U-Pass would be only issued by schools, to their own students, on PRESTO cards, to prevent fraud, and be available during all three semesters.

Toronto's market for high-end homes continues to struggle as we move into the second quarter of 2018.

A new report from the luxury property broker Sotheby's International Canada shows that houses worth more than $4 million are selling like cold cakes. As in, the opposite of hot cakes. As in, they're not selling very well at all.

January and February marked a 55 per cent year-over-year decline in both the $1-million-plus and $4-million-plus categories locally, according to Sotheby's.

Of course, the beginning of last year was atypically hot.

Sales of luxury homes were booming during the first half of 2017, according to a previous Sotheby's report, but tapered off by a whopping 56 per cent over the second half of the year.

Knowing this, the findings for January and February show more of a stagnation than a dramatic plunge – but a 55 per cent year-over-year drop is still pretty jarring, especially in the typically stable luxury market.

Sotheby's Canada CEO Brad Henderson says not to worry, calling the steep decline a "statistical aberration."

He predicts that sales numbers and prices will rise again in the City of Toronto later this season, based on a slight increase in the average home price he's seen already this year.

The "continuing heat in the condo sector and detached houses" should further buoy the market – and if one thing is for sure, it's that condos are hot as heck right now.

The best Italian hot tables in Toronto are endless arrays of steamy red sauce comfort food in gleaming stainless steel trays. Load up a container with some of the finest arancini, stuffed peppers, salads and cheesy and meaty pastas these mainstays have to offer.

Here are the best Italian hot tables in Toronto.

Earth Hour in Toronto for 2018 promises to be huge, require little effort, and totally free! All you have to do is turn off your lights for an hour and appreciate the beauty of the natural world.

Earth Hour takes place at 8:30 p.m. on March 24 this year. So have a party, hit the park, or fire up your favourite scented candle. Better yet, share the moment at some of these Earth Hour events happening around the city.

Hi! Are you a blond man in his 20s? Do you like to read books on the subway? Have you been to Ossington Station lately?

Sommmebody liiikes youuuu. Maybe.

A mysterious romantic type who calls himself "Ossington Bae" has taken an unconventional approach to finding the handsome stranger he shared a moment with during last Tuesday's morning commute.

This is so funny and cute lmao #ossingtonbae help this person find the blonde literate man pic.twitter.com/4NpWYP6UTI

— Blair🍊 (@_blair_i) March 19, 2018

Remember when Craigslist Missed Connections were a thing? This is essentially one of those, only printed out and posted on the wall of TTC platforms and vehicles.

"This is out of my comfort zone completely but I thought I'd give it a shot!" wrote Ossington Bae in his one-page ad. "I was the guy with the brown hair and the grey wool coat."

"We've made eye contact before and I wanted to come say hi, but the subway came and it was too crowded."

#ossigntonbae
Old school method of meeting missed opportunities @TTCnotices#ossingtonbaepic.twitter.com/ViyPP5kLDk

— Robin S. Joseph (@robinbluesjam) March 20, 2018

OB encourages his potential love connection to respond, if interested, to the purpose-made email address "ossingtonbae@gmail.com" — hence the nickname and resulting hashtag "#OssingtonBae."

Thousands of people have now seen the message thanks to boosts from high-profile Facebook Groups and Instagram accounts like Pride Toronto.

Even the TTC's customer service Twitter account wants to see these young lovers reconnect.

Retweet #ossingtonbaepic.twitter.com/ryfttkk53T

— prat (@workinclasspunk) March 20, 2018

Whether or not Ossington Bae finds his transit Cinderella remains to be seen, but the posters are bringing joy to many around the city this week.

"One of the reasons I love this city!!" wrote one Instagram user while posting a picture of an OB sign. "I'm so here for it."

"When Tinder ain't cutting it so you resort to good ol' paper notes," wrote another. "Good luck to Ossington Bae. Please keep the hood in the loop and renew our hopes of subway true love."

This ladies and gents is the rental to end all rentals. It’s a perfect combination of modern and vintage, which is not surprising considering the guy who started Drake General Store owns this house.

The dining room ceiling medallion was hand carved in the 1850’s. There are curved doorways, hardwood floors, exposed brick accents, and a fabulous factory glass feature wall to leave even the pickiest renters speechless.

Fun fact: the home is steps away from 2016’s most interesting street, which houses some of Toronto’s best breweries.

The three-bedroom, three-bathroom house on Delaware Avenue North, comes unfurnished, which is a tragedy considering how well they decorated this place. 

The kitchen seems a bit cramped but there’s plenty of living space in the house. There’s an office, a big rec room in the basement, and a massive backyard.

This painfully cool home is listed for $5,200 a month but if you split the rent between three people it’s not the worst. It works out to be about $1,700 a month each, which is honestly the going rate for a studio in the Entertainment District these days.

Specs

• Address: 508 Delaware Ave. N
• Type: House
• Rent: $5,200/ month
• Listing agent: Toronto Luxury Rentals
• Furnished? No
• Utilities: Not included
• Air conditioning? Yes
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 3
• Parking: 3
• Laundry? In-suite
• Outdoor space? Backyard with brick patio
• Pet-friendly? No

Good for

Me. I want it. Back off everyone! Kidding, I can't afford this even if I never buy avocado toast again. But I could see this place being perfect for three entrepreneur-types who convert the garage into a workshop and start a carpentry business, or a really cool family.

Move on if

You want a proper bedroom door. While the glass feature wall is stylish, it does make changing in your room tricky. If you’re sharing this place with roommates you might not want to always be on display like that.

If you like reality TV singing competitions, you're going to love how the TTC is choosing talent for its newly-revamped live music series.

The "Subway Musicians Program," as it has been called for the last 35 years, has been rebranded as "Underground Sounds" — a contest that includes elements like digital auditions, public voting, and a recording contract with Universal Music Canada.

Traditionally, the transit agency would issue only 75 subway musician licenses every three years to local artists based on in-person auditions.

Now, says the TTC, 90 musicians will win annual permits to perform inside subway stations all across the city. One lucky grand-prize winner will also get "studio time and the chance to professionally record and release one of their songs."

Online auditions open in just a few weeks, on April 9, and will run until May 6. Participants must submit public YouTube videos of themselves performing to enter. Live auditions will also be held, and filmed, on April 18 and April 19 for those who aren't able to upload a clip on their own.

Voting will be open to "anyone with an internet connection" on May 7, according to the Underground Sound website.

"The voting stage will run until June 3rd, which is when things really heat up," says the TTC. "The top 10 musicians with the highest scores will have the chance to perform at the TTC's all new, state of the art York University Station, where they'll be judged by a panel of music industry experts."

Whoever wins that round will be awarded a steady gig playing around Toronto's subway system, as well as the aforementioned one-song recording contract.

The City of Toronto may be all for it, but students at local colleges and universities are far from united in their support of a U-Pass for the TTC.

A Facebook event called Vote NO to the UTSU U-Pass referendum encourages University of Toronto students to vote against the implementation of a widespread discount transit pass.

For some students, unlimited access to the TTC for just $70 a month would equal huge savings. The current monthly cost of a post-secondary student Metropass is $116.75.

Other students — those who don't use transit very often — would see their costs go up by roughly $280 a semester.

You see, the pass will be mandatory for all students enrolled at participating academic institutions.

The cost of these passes will be added to an individual's student fees automatically each semester. There is no opting out, save for circumstances protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

"The TTC offers absolutely no discount to students as all the financial burden is shifted onto current students who don't use the TTC," wrote U of T medical student Jin Sheng Zhou in an email to blogTO.

"They are passing the cost purely onto other students like myself who live near campus and now will be forced to pay an extra $70/month so someone else can save $46/month."

At least 240 people have indicated that they're "going" to the anti-U-Pass event on Facebook, with 117 more "interested" in the event.

U of T will be the first of four schools to vote on whether or not to adopt the discount pass during a referendum between March 26 and 28.

There's a lot riding (no pun intended) on the result of this vote, as well as the forthcoming referendums at Ryerson University, OCAD University and George Brown College.

Part of the deal with TTC officials is that all four schools must collectively agree to a four-year term. Without these commitments, TTC policy framework documents show that the program would not be economically feasible.

Say goodbye to yet another music venue, Toronto.

Gate 403– the bar on Roncey known for some of the best live jazz and blues performances in the city – will be closing its doors forever on April 15.

“With a heavy heart, it is now time for us to say good-bye (sic),” says a post on their Facebook page that thanks staff, musicians, and patrons for their support.

“We feel incredibly privileged to have met and become friends with so many of you,” it says.

For the past 19 years, the local-art-lined walls of Gate 403 have housed almost daily musical acts playing everything from roots music to Celtic tunes.

As Gate 403 closes on April 15th, another toronto music venue bites the dust. Sad, we met a lot great people there too

— Doug Harper (@RogueCentre) March 19, 2018

After nearly two decades of running the bar, owners Young and Jin Ding decided to put the space up for sale two months ago. It's unknown who's bought the place since, but word among staff is that the bar will be transformed into a Korean-Canadian restaurant. 

It's a tragic loss to the city, which is still reeling from a succession of music venue closures over the past two years like Soybomb, Graffiti’s and The Silver Dollar Room.

Sad news, and a huge blow to our city's jazz and blues communities.
Thanks, @gate403, for all you've done for our scene.

— Errol Nazareth (@ErrolNazareth) March 18, 2018

News of the bar's closure has seen an outpouring of comments on social media from guests mourning a place where a community of music lovers have long gathered to enjoy a performance, a burger, and a martini.

Happy hour drink deals in Toronto can be found all over the city, any day of the week. It's the short period of time where drink prices are slashed and you're really getting a bang for your buck. Whether you want beer, wine or cocktails you have plenty of options.

Here's a round-up of happy hour drink deals in Toronto.

Multi Day

• Crown & Dragon does "appy hour" specials from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily featuring domestic pints for 4.50, house wines for $5 and half-priced apps.
• Duke of Devon has half-priced bottles of wine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday.
• Duke of Richmond has half-priced bottles of wine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday.
• Duke of Kent has half-priced bottles of wine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday.
• Duke of Somerset has half-priced bottles of wine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday.
• Duke of Westminster has half-priced bottles of wine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday.
• Duke of York has half-priced bottles of wine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday.
• Emmet Ray offers $6.75 pints daily from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Pravda does weekday happy hour between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sauce on the Danforth does 2 oz house cocktails for $6.42 before 6 p.m. seven days a week. They also offer $5.31 pints Monday to Friday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• The Shore Club offers drinks specials Monday to Friday between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
• Prohibition offers hooch hour at both locations from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. then again from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. It features various deals on draught beer, house wine and premium spirits.
• Home of the Brave does power hour Monday to Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. There's $5 mugs of beer, $5 pickle backs, $9 old fashions and half-priced bottles of wine.
• Beast Restaurant offers Beast 120 Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. There's a variety of $5 cocktails.
• Milagro runs happy hour daily from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Score deals on shots, margaritas, sangria and pints.
• No One Writes to the Colonel offers 2 for 1 drinks from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
• The Citizen offers $5 drinks specials Tuesday to Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Luma offers their magic hour from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and features $6 drink specials of martinis, manhattans and grolsch lager pints.
• Boehmer does $5 pints of Hogtown Brewers Ale and $9 glasses of their feature wine 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday.
• The Comrade does cocktail hour from open until 7 p.m. daily. They offer $10 select cocktails, $8 wine and $6 Henderson's draught. 
• Oretta does Aperitivo Hour on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Find deals on wine and cocktails.
• The Peasant Table offers $5 Caesers and mimosas with brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
• The Carbon Bar has drink specials Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. 
• Grace O'Malley's has $4 drink specials Monday to Friday between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Thursday

• Cibo Wine Bar serves half-priced wine on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wide Open has happy hour on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Get your fill of drinks for only $2.75.

Sunday

• Farmhouse Tavern's F*ck Mondays happen every Sunday night offering rolling hourly specials. $3 mimosas from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., $4 Ceasars from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., $6 craft beer from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., $7 cocktails from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and $8 wine from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Einstein runs their happy hour on Sundays between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

A surprising location just got a Starbucks, if you're looking for coffee on that one day in August when you're actually in the area. I'm only kidding.

A lot of things happen on Exhibition Centre grounds when it's not CNE season: Soccer games at BMO Field, concerts at Queen Elizabeth Theatre, giant trade shows at the Enercare Centre... Plus, it's where the horse cops sleep!

Still, walking through the vast open parking lots of this city-owned historic wonderland can feel mighty lonely on a regular day when no events are scheduled. 

As someone who walks through the space often (and can literally see much of it from her balcony) I can confirm that The Exhibition Centre is spookily quiet more often than not.

This, and the fact that there are few residential or office spaces anywhere within walkable, coffee-break distance makes it one of the last places you might expect to see a Starbucks. 

And yet, Starbucks just low-key opened up a location right next to the Beanfield Centre, in front of the newly-opened Hotel X, which is still very much under construction.

If it weren't for the flapping green flags out front, you might actually miss it.

The coffee juggernaut has closed a few locations in Toronto lately as part of regular business operations, so it's doubtful that plopping down a store here wasn't a willy-nilly move.

Maybe they know something we don't?

Either way, this location could make more money from special events and conference attendees (who have no other options, whatsoever) than other locations do all year long.

For now, it'll see a few construction workers here and there.

A Petro-Canada gas station at the edge of Toronto Pearson Airport's Runway 23 just got a facelift ... or should I say a face-drop.

The gas station roof was lowered overnight with the help of two huge cranes.

Famous Petro Canada gas station on Airport Rd underneath the approach for Toronto Pearson Airport runway 23 getting its roof lowered.
Two huge cranes will be used to remove it overnight.
Runway 05/23 is closed until 6AM. #PearsonPOVpic.twitter.com/QLRfRKHbM9

— Tom Podolec (@TomPodolec) March 21, 2018

The gas station is in the path of many Pearson flights and has made for some epic photos and videos.

A post shared by @leomartinaircraftphotography on Sep 18, 2017 at 7:30pm PDT

While there's a little more breathing room now, plane spotting pics are sure to look just as good.

Events in Toronto today will see Metric in their own concert documentary while a Robert Knight exhibit showcases even more rock stars. Meanwhile, World Water Day gets a free film festival.

Toronto restaurant openings highlights the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now

• Henrietta Lane, a "cafe & drinkery," is now open at 394 King St. E. in Corktown.
• Senator Winebar, an upscale French-inspired restaurant and wine bar, can be found above The Senator at 249 Victoria St. by Yonge-Dundas Square.
• Another location of Burger's Priest has replaced Sushi & Bento at 579 King St. W. (at Portland St.).
• Core, a new restaurant from Mark Moffatt (Crush Wine Bar) and Hyun Jung Kim (George), opens today at 896 Queen St. E. (at Logan Ave.) in Leslieville.
• Garleek Kitchen, an Asian fusion joint, has opened at 1500 Queen St. W. (at Macdonell Ave.) in Parkdale.
• CAFE, which apparently stands for Cannabis and Fine Edibles (but is also serving coffee,  has opened another Amsterdam-style cafe at 104 Harbord St. (just east of Robert St.) in Harbord Village.
• People's Pint, a new brewery in the Junction, is open and celebrating its grand opening this weekend at 90 Cawthra Ave.
• Sweet A La Mode, a dessert and weekend brunch spot, is now open at 90 Weston Rd. in the Stockyards District.
• Zezafoun Syrian Cuisine has opened at 4 Manor Rd. E. (at Yonge, between Davisville and Eglinton).
• Aburi Room, specializing in flame-seared sushi, is now open at 16 Park Home Ave. in North York.

Recently reviewed

• Wasted Youth
• Omaw
• Saigon Star
• Kid Lee
• Walrus Pub & Beer Hall
• Maiz
• Mira
• Agora
• El Habanero & Churrobar
• Sugar Marmalade (Scarborough)
• Canbe Foods

Opening soon

• Lansdowne Brewery will relaunch as Lot 30 Brewers this spring, with plans to reopen on May 4.
• Chicas Nashville Hot Chicken is taking over Concourse Restaurant at Keele & Dundas in the Junction with plans to soft open at the end of April and officially make its debut in the first week of May.
• Block 8 Kitchen, announcing itself as "a new kind of grocery offering a curated selection of some of Toronto's favourite eats, organics and edible products," will be opening this spring at 384 Bloor St. W. in the Annex, taking over what was formerly Bloor Superfresh.
• Southern CookOut, a restaurant that will be cooking up "real soul food," looks to be opening at 571 College St. in Little Italy, replacing what was previously Sushi Island.
• Montreal's Les Moulins Lafayette is opening its first Toronto location at 715 Queen St. W. (at Tecumseth St.).
• California chain Cauldron Ice Cream will be opening its first of five shops in Toronto this summer at 502 Queen St. W. (at Portland St.), in the former Epicure Cafe space.
• City Betty, a "bicoastal kitchen" by chef Alex Molitz (Geraldine, Farmhouse Tavern) that's inspired by healthy farm-to-table spots in California and New York, will be opening soon at 1352 Danforth Ave. (at Greenwood Ave.), which was previously The Borough.
• Good Things, a cafe and juice bar, should be opening soon at 235 Broadview Ave. (at Dundas St. E.).
• Cookie Scoop will be opening at 1115 Castlefield Ave. (at Dufferin St.) this July.
• Thai Kitchen Eat BKK will be opening a second location, this time by Yonge & Steeles at 6307 Yonge St. next month.

Closed

• Garden Gangsters by St. Lawrence Market appears to have closed up shop.
• Chinatown's Celebrity Hot Pot is no more.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com.

From the same architects who brought us the Artscape Wychwood Barns and those sick Toronto Waterfront WaveDecks comes a new public seating concept inspired by the idea of an "urban fire-pit."

DTAH, an award-winning urban design and architecture firm based in Toronto, recently installed a prototype of what it calls a "bench and lighting feature" on Bloor Street, near Church.

The structure looks cool with its circular shape and the integration of LED lights throughout, but people can't quite decide whether they like it or not.

LED lighting is integrated into the seating. At night, the bench will be surrounded by lively light patterns pic.twitter.com/hHYTjn5BBH

— DTAH (@DTAHtoronto) March 13, 2018

The bench's designers have been fielding tons of questions about the bench on Twitter over the past week or so.

Some people wonder whether anyone would actually choose to sit in a circle facing strangers. This is Toronto, after all. In 2018.

"I think it’s designed so people sit in and out," wrote one person on Twitter in response to the prototype. "The short lip facing the street would prevent you from sitting outside in that area. It’s strange that in that spot your back is to the road. Not sure I like that part."

The opening faces the sidewalk in an attempt to engage ppl & let them sit "inside" if desired. The road side is closed off bc the bench is also designed to act as a barrier to the excessive salt & snow build up from the road in the winter that would typically damage the tree pic.twitter.com/0D3oihiP1o

— DTAH (@DTAHtoronto) March 14, 2018

Others are concerned about the health of the young tree inside the circular bench.

"It doesn't look like it has enough leg room for those sitting inside facing the tree," wrote one commenter on Reddit. "Not to mention people will probably use the tree as a feet stand and kill it."

DTAH explained that the tree is in good condition thanks to the use of Silva cells and how long it's been planted at that spot, noting that "a healthy tree canopy will provide wonderful shade for sitting in the summer."

Exactly right – tree has been there for years & is doing alright thanks to the Silva cells. We share your concern about sidewalk tree death, & are actually helping research how to improve urban tree planting design in northern climates: https://t.co/SLmwk8j5SY

— DTAH (@DTAHtoronto) March 14, 2018

The design is just a prototype for now, but if people react favourably it could very well be rolled out further along Bloor or elsewhere in the city.

Citizens on Twitter continue to grill DTAH about pretty much everything that could go wrong with the urban fire pit: Vandalism, snow removal problems, a lack of access for cleaning crews, the possibility the middle of the bench will "become a garbage bin" and more.

"This is just the mock-up design," the architecture firm assures. "We're excited to see how people react to the circular bench design, and will improve as needed in the future... if you pass by it and have more comments let us know!"

Bad news Toronto: if you're a PC Optimum points member, you should probably go check your account.

Thieves have been hacking into accounts and stealing points since February, shortly after the joint Loblaws-Shoppers Drug Mart loyalty rewards program launched.

Hey @pc_optimum, can someone please get back to me on the 90,000 points that have been stolen from my account? When I called on February 21st I was given the name of who hacked my information, was given a case number, was told that 84 OTHER people had been hacked

— Shay Cote (@shancote_) March 21, 2018

News of the country-wide hacking — where hundreds of dollars worth of points were stolen from individual accounts and used at stores in Quebec and Ontario — is spreading across social media this week.

Hey there. Sorry for the delay. We are currently having a high flow of inquiries. You should be contacted within a few days. We appreciate your patience in the meantime. Have a nice day!

— PC Optimum (@pc_optimum) March 18, 2018

Hacked members are desperately trying to get a response from PC Optimum, as well as their points back.

So, more than 3 weeks now with our @pc_optimum account being hacked and used in QC stealing $200. PC has done nothing, doesn't seem to care about the hack nor the $$ taken.... @ConsumerSOS Can you help? Called PC's 800 number and they literally asked, "what does hacking mean"

— Darrin Suzuki (@DarrinSuzuki) March 15, 2018

The wide-spread hacking is the latest in a string of frustrations for shoppers trying to cash in on the program. Customers have reported a lack of coupons and tailored offers, a glitchy app and missing points.

@pc_optimum I spent 30 minutes trying - unsuccessfully - to redeem my points tonight. Plus you made me miss most of the @Raptors game. Expect a call in the next couple of days. Also. Guard your loins. #WeTheNorth

— Heather Dann (@heatherdann) March 22, 2018

Some users have even noticed other people's PC credit cards being linked to their account.

@pc_optimum you guys keep adding other people’s PC mastercards to my PC Optimum account, and your not doing anything about it, asked them to remove them and nothing. Your really not concerned about people’s privacy. #HorribleService#fail#pcoptimum#Loblaws

— Mickey (@Mickstof) March 19, 2018

A Loblaws spokeswoman told CBC the company has "strong security measures in place" and also admitted some members faced "unacceptable delays."

The more I read into the #PCoptimum points issues (fraud, missing points, stolen identity, accidental merges) the more alarming I’m realizing it’s becoming. I don’t have a PC financial credit card, but it looks like those who linked theirs are compromised.

— T i f f a n y (@always_xo) March 20, 2018

So now the question is, are the points still worth it?

New restrictions on maintenance work in Toronto's downtown core have people who live in the area concerned about how the heck they're going to sleep at night.

Mayor John Tory announced at a press conference on Wednesday that utility companies are now banned from conducting any planned work on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., pretty much anywhere south of Dundas Street between Bathurst and Jarvis Streets.

Work can still be done in parking lanes between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and in "off-peak directions" as determined by city staff.

It's all a part of Tory's greater plan to "get Toronto moving" — in this case by stopping hydro, cable and telephone trucks from clogging up traffic during peak business hours. 

The policy comes as welcome news to some downtown drivers and business owners, but others aren't thrilled about what this could mean for downtown living.

You have got to be kidding. @JohnTory just proved that he doesn't care if 250,000 downtown residents sleep at night or enjoy our homes on weekends, by restricting utility work downtown to evenings and weekends. He might care at election time. https://t.co/8DWifvSqM7

— GDNA Toronto (@GDNAToronto) March 21, 2018

If utility companies and their subcontractors can't perform any non-emergency work during the day, they'll have to perform it at night or on weekends.

Spadina-Fort York MP Adam Vaughan calls this "unfair and wrong."

"Families downtown deserve to sleep too," he wrote on Twitter Wednesday. "We put up with nightclubs, road closures, late night garbage collection and more already.... It ignores the reality and tests the goodwill of downtown neighbourhoods."

Our downtown is home to growing neighbourhoods, families and tens of thousands of residents. Forcing them to deal with overnight construction on a regular basis is unsustainable and unhealthy, and with no consultation whatsoever, is outrageous and not acceptable. https://t.co/f9TsGgzLlW

— ausma malik (@ausmalik) March 21, 2018

Councillor Joe Cressy was similarly incensed.

"I am dumbfounded by this," he wrote in response to the mayor's announcement. "240,000 people live downtown and it is expected to double to nearly 500,000 people in the next 25 years."

"To think that the mayor can unilaterally announce that those residents will be subjected to overnight construction is totally & completely unacceptable."

RLT: trucks that aren’t “blocking traffic” in the day will now be digging, drilling, cutting at night, outside people’s homes. This puts cars before people. Sadly predictable.

— Alex Bozikovic (@alexbozikovic) March 21, 2018

Not everyone is opposed to the policy, though.

"I think every Torontonian has been frustrated by the fact that at all hours of the day they can suddenly come upon a utility truck doing work which in many, many cases is not emergency work," said Tory during his speech yesterday.

His spokesperson, Don Peat, told the Canadian Press that the city's noise bylaw will remain in place either way.

According to a tweet from Cressy this morning, Tory has been in touch with some of the concerned councillors about this issue since yesterday.

The mayor says he will "work with downtown councillors and residents to ensure this doesn't lead to non-essential overnight work."

Vegan chef and cookbook author Doug McNish is a busy man these days, given the success of his new restaurant on Toronto's most polarizingcity block.

Parkdale's Mythology Diner is a smash hit, which is awesome for fans of plant-based comfort food in Toronto's west end.

Those who frequent Doug's Public Kitchen in North York are not so lucky. Sorry Rachel McAdams!

A post shared by Doug McNish (@dougmcnish) on Mar 22, 2018 at 5:37am PDT

McNish announced "with a heavy but also joyful heart" on Instagram Thursday morning that Public Kitchen would be closing effective immediately.

"They say every business only has a certain life span, and it is true," he said of the restaurant. "Much like I needed to grow and move forward back in 2011, that time to grow has come again."

McNish went on to say how much he cherishes all of the memories and people who helped his restaurant thrive and grow.

"Without your support and love of vegan food, none of this could have happened," he wrote in the caption of his closure post.

GOOD MORNING TORONTO ❤️🙌🏻🍁🏆 #wow #veganegg #publichkitchen #toronto #omg

A post shared by 🍃 Marta Dymek 🍃 (@jadlonomia) on Nov 19, 2017 at 7:38am PST

"To each and every person that has walked through the doors at Public Kitchen, whether it be staff or guest, whether it be for a cooking class, lunch or brunch, I thank you from the very bottom of my heart."

The chef says that, while he can't share everything he's working on right now, there will be "more delicious food and good times to come."

Meanwhile, you can find him at Mythology– a restaurant that McNish says made him remember why he started cooking in the first place.