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Spacing photo intern Susheela Nirmalan-Nathan documents the faces in Toronto’s graffiti murals on our photoblog Spacing Photos. See it larger here.

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• Drinking fountain is a real turnoff in Markham [ Toronto Star ]
• Beats in the city [ BlogTO ]
• Rise up and gird for trash battle [ Toronto Star ]
• A businessperson’s notion of a festival [ Toronto Star ]
• A $5 million street cleanup [ Toronto Star ]
• More Ass, Less Gas [ Torontoist ]
• Protest edges Portugal fest [ Toronto Star ]
• Leon’s outlet bound for the roundhouse [ Toronto Star ]
• Miller takes lumps over road bumps [ Toronto Sun ]

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8 comments

  1. I cant comment on the process regarding Lansdowne but I can comment on the concept.

    The people protesting just dont get it. Presented with a chance to improve the safety and the look of their area, and increase the value of their properties, they choose short term self interest instead.

    I walk or drive down that stretch almost every day and have done so for over 20 years. I would hardly call the street congested and we can all point to how much better the south end of Lansdowne looks now that it has been narrowed.

    People always complain that the City never does anything; in case they are but some residents cant see what a great gift it is.

  4. Hi tt,

    That mural was in an alley just north of Queen somewhere between Bathurst and Spadina. (Sorry, don’t have the exact location on me at the moment!)

  5. Agreed, Scott. As I understand it, the main complaint from the residents who are opposed is that they won’t be able to park right in front of their homes any more. However, these people have access to their homes through an alley that runs behind their property (or so I’m told). So I continue to play the world’s smallest violin for those mourning the loss of a part of a road that is at less than 50% capacity.

  7. Many pedestrian and cycling advocates complain about the city’s lack of action on bike lanes and pedestrian improvements, and so they should.

    However, it’s unfortunate that those who complain online about the inaction are generally not willing to take 2 hours out of their evening to attend a public meeting when these issues come up in neighbourhoods.

    Everyone who comes out to these meetings generally opposes any loss to parking for a bike lane, the local politician usually caves and does everything to stop the plan. The Cycling committee is worthless. If advocates want change they need to attend these meetings in droves and show polticians that there’s a big group of people who support progressive policies that Spacing in particular stands behind.

  8. Scott, Adam,
    If you both want to support the City’s plan for Lansdowne, that’s great. If the people who were out at the Portuguese Day parade want to protest against it, that is their right.

    Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, these people are angry — and much of this anger has to do with the fact that they feel that proper consultation has not taken place. In a letter the received from the Councillor on Sept. 27/06, they were told about community consultation to take place in 2007. This didn’t take place. And instead they learn in April/07 that City’s plan is being pushed through and that Councillor Giambrone is claiming to have done a door to door survey.

    Maybe all this is of no concern for you. But the level of anger that has been generated by this plan, has to do not just with the plan itself, but because people are feeling that they are being treated like second-class citizens. Get it?

    So before you try to write them off as griping about parking, try to make some effort to see things from their point of view. Stuff really does look different when you get off your high horse.