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BACK TO SCHOOL: Why I use the city as a classroom
At this time of year, the signs abound. Colourful backpack displays have replaced the Slip-N-Slide demo at Walmart. And if you listened closely last week...
By Laurie Townshend -
What Philadelphia can teach Toronto about art, history, and public spaces
Among North American cities, few can boast the depth of history that’s on offer in Philadelphia. The compact downtown, plotted out by William Penn in the...
By John Lorinc -
Forgotten TTC architecture a reminder of nixed transit plans
Toronto is building the East Bayfront LRT. Well, sort of. This week, Metro News reported that the City of Toronto has set aside $2 million to “rough...
By Chris Bateman -
The very first ride at the CNE
It all started back in the mid-1800s, as a relatively small provincial fair. They held it in a field out behind Upper Canada College, which was on King...
By Adam Bunch -
Exploring Black Creek, Toronto’s mini-LA River
I’ve been reading a lot about the LA river recently because of the announcement that Frank Gehry is working with the City of Los Angeles on plans to...
By Jake Tobin Garrett -
Happy birthday to the Toronto streetcar system
There are perhaps few things more symbolic of Toronto than its streetcars. For more than 150 years, surface rail has formed the backbone of the...
By Chris Bateman -
Mary Pickford’s most magical photographs
Back in the early 1900s, Mary Pickford wasn’t just one of the most famous people from Toronto. She was one of the most famous people from anywhere...
By Adam Bunch -
The two worlds of my Etobicoke
My childhood was spent surrounded by the Humber River and grocery stores. I live in Rexdale, where there’s not much to do and every reason to leave. For...
By Prajakta Dhopade -
Weighing In: Fat Discrimination on Public Transit
Last year, on a beautiful mid-September morning, Tomee boarded the subway in high spirits. She was headed to a rewarding job at a reputable university...
By Jay Pitter -
Dead rail lines, lost streets, and more Toronto oddities
There’s a couple of new lofts at the southeast corner of Carlaw and Dundas. The courtyard between the two buildings curves elegantly south...
By Chris Bateman -
John Graves Simcoe, Napoleon Bonaparte & the politics of horse shit
This is a photo of horse shit. But it’s not just any photo of horse shit. This horse shit is on Woodbury Common — a beautiful patch of heathland in...
By Adam Bunch -
SUMMER OF THE GUN: 10 years later, conclusion
By John Lorinc and Idil Burale In 2005, the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force made the following call to action: “No one – no family, no...
By John Lorinc
Canadian Urbanism Uncovered