Toronto News 24 Blogs

A selection of blogs from our contributors.
Aug 16
2010

Does the TTC have "Air Conditioned" streetcars now? Yes, I rode one yesterday.

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel

I was heading out to an event yesterday (Sunday, TTC

August 14/2010) and saw a streetcar coming and

noticed that on top of the streetcar it seemed it

Aug 07
2010

Pilaros Taste of the Danforth (17th) kicked off Friday, and runs through Sunday - Great Greek food and fun for all ages.

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel

 

Fun at Taste of the Danforth

                                        Amelia (5) and Veronica (3 1/2) say they "love the food."

The Pilaros Taste of the Danforth got underway Friday and runs through Sunday on the Danforth for it's 17th annual festival with over 1 million attending last year.
It runs from Broadview Ave. on the west, to Jones Ave with three main stages and lot's of music and entertainment for the whole family, oh yes, and lot's of Greek food and International cuisines.


There events planned over the weekend include music to Greek dancing and plenty of displays and free samples throughout the Danforth.
There is plenty of Greek food and this is always one of the favorites, along side the quail (looks like tiny chickens) which always draws an amazing lineup.

 

One of the many food items








Aug 04
2010

Scotiabank Caribana 2010 brings races and cultures together, Jump UP! 43rd annual event.

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel

Scotiabank Caribana 2010 was a huge success as it brought out an estimated crowd of 1.3 million with about 10,000 participants as it rolled along Lakeshore Blvd W at Exhibition Place (CNE.) The Caribbean Festival (parade) 43rd annual, has been dubbed the largest in North America with over 50,000 coming from across Canada, USA and the world.

 

Caribana 2010
 
 
It is estimated it brings over $350 million into the local economy which is always needed.
It was my first time at Caribana and I can't believe it myself, since I've lived here all my life. There were 14 "mas bands" and thousands of revelers.  

Some people were so organized they even erected tents along Lakeshore Blvd with an open front row seat to take in the parade, with coolers and food in house.

Jul 26
2010

New bike lanes on Jarvis Street mixed reviews.

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel
New bike lanes were added to Jarvis St over the weekend and  still today at 5:30pm the workers were making final adjustments to the markings. Drivers were not pleased as traffic was much slower than usual, but not by much.
 
Jarvis St bike lanes added
 
The bike lanes go up to Charles St  (from downtown)  for about 2km each direction and cost $65,000 but they do not have "protected bike lanes"  like they have in many major cities around the world. In New York City, they  have more than 250 miles of bike lanes and we're way behind here in Toronto but talking with drivers and cyclists today, it was really a mixed bag.
Jul 25
2010

22nd Annual Beaches Jazz Festival and some tid bits about Toronto.

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel
Beaches Jazz Festival
 
The 22nd Annual Beaches Jazz Festival was well attended by young and old over the weekend with a gorgeous  day today and the streets of Queen East and the Kew Gardens were well attended.
Jul 20
2010

I can't believe it, the City made good on taking down the G20 cameras, well some of them?

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel

I was walking by Old City Hall on Monday (July 19/2010) and noticed a worker on the cherry picker taking down the G20  (TPS) police camera. It was right at the north/east corner of Bay/Queen and I suspect was pointing directly at the all glass TD Bank building that sits on the corner across the street and had most of their windows smashed.

Removing G20 cameras

Before/after...

Jul 19
2010

Honda Indy 2010 Toronto won by Wil Power Verizon Team Penske.

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel

Honda Indy (Izod Indy Car Series) was won by Wil Power  of the Verizon Team Penske team in Toronto this past weekend and although Toronto's own Paul Tracy of KV Racing did not win,  he was doing well  up to the very end and was leading for 10 laps but finished 13th.There were several accidents which pleased the crowd, with about six cars being towed off the track which was on the streets of the CNE grounds 1.75 miles (2.82 km.) It was an 80 lap race (140 miles) with plenty of wrecks.

 Honda Indy 2010

I was able to find the best spot at turn three where most of the action/accidents occurred. I ran into a couple from Montreal who have attended for several years and always pick turn three. Sean and Amelie were pleased with their choice of seats and said "Lot's of passing and lots of accidents. I've been coming for 10 years straight and turn three is much better than one." They went onto to say, "The Andretti family saved this race in Toronto and I'm glad they did, and we saw the big crash of Helio Castroneves but no-one got injured." Sean/Amelie

Jul 10
2010

Another protest march today in Toronto - G20 summit - Saturday July 10/2010 at 2pm-Queens PK

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel
G20 Protest today at Queens Park 2pm regarding an inquiry.
 
Read more about it in the Toronto Star article
 
Full riot gear

 Today (Saturday July 10/2010) at Queens Park at 2pm. G20 summit protest.

Jul 05
2010

Toronto's 30th Gay Pride Parade draws almost 1 million spectators.

Posted by Daniel in Untagged 

Daniel

 

Sparkle Gay Pride Toronto

 

The weather was like it was made to order and the spectators were not disappointed. The big controversy this year was allowing the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) from marching in the parade by the Jewish community saying it was anti-Semitic, but the QuAIA supporters said when asked "it's about Free Speech" said Lawrence Pushee, and we should all encourage that. He went on to say "they don't want the truth to be told, they want to shut us down." Bernie Farber CEO of Canadian Jewish Congress CJC comments below.

Jun 28
2010

It's a sad day for Toronto and CANADA - G20 - The world was watching.

Posted by Daniel in police

Daniel
Hope this is the last G20 summit we have in Toronto for a long time. As of Sunday morning almost 1000 people had been arrested and put through the Toronto Police Service (TPS) holding/processing centre in the makeshift jail at the Toronto Film Studios  dubbed Torontonomo Bay near Lake Ontario.
Police Bikes
 
Just clowning it up (below) two feet from the police line at Richmond/Bay on Saturday night. I did see one female officer crack a smile but most were stone cold.
 
Clowns


These police lines (below)  were all over the downtown core well away from the "red zone" infamous fence and it was just a cat/mouse situation where the riot squad moved from place to place all weekend, and it didn't appear they had any rhyme or reason. They will say it was all carefully planned.
 
Police line
 


Local residents of the Queen/Pape area where the Film Studio Detention Centre  (Torontonomo Bay) was built were not happy. I spoke to several residents from the area and they said "they were not notified by the city of the erection of this Detention/processing Centre." Many said they heard about it on the local news but after Sundays use of teargas for the first time in Toronto's history they were even more upset. "It seems to be mostly the younger generation that don't respect the police and act up this way," said area resident Rosemary. She went on to say "when it's over I don't think it will stop at future protests, now they know how to stir things up, and it would have been better at the CNE grounds."
 Detention Centre

"It's location makes us nervous and if there is any violence while we're watching, we're out of here." she concluded.
Why did they not build this detention on the fringes of the city, maybe Steeles/DVP in a field or Downsview Airport? I believe the violence was uncalled for, but nearly all this destruction was done by members of the group "Black Bloc" tactics, who go from city to city  around the world creating this violence. They say they never hurt anyone but just destroy Corporate Companies which is not true, it hurts us all. Destroying a police vehicle or a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) vehicle costs the taxpayer again.
 
TD Bank
 
There are many horror stories coming out now about the treatment of many innocent victims caught up in the sweep of the "Storm Troopers" during this past weekend. I think one of the best first hand well written articles I have read so far is in the CityTVNews24 station when one of their young reporters was arrested held for about 6 hours and released without charges.
 
 
In that regard, the police did a great job as they arrested about 70 of them (BlackBloc) Sunday morning staying at a University of Toronto dormitory residence. Overall almost 1000 were arrested/detained over the weekend. Later in the evening (Sunday) the police, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) surrounded about 100 residents/protesters with the idea that some of the violent people were within that group. They made them stand at Spadina/Queen for about four hours without being allowed to leave or use a washroom, or access to water while it rained very heavily.
 
Some local fine art
 
                      A little fine art done right at Bay/King just after a police car was torched.
 
Hopefully we shall learn from this terrible incident but the people that stood in the heavy rain for 4 hours, and the destruction that was committed by the "Black Bloc"  (tactics)  were criminal acts and must be dealt with, but it is clearly a sad day for Toronto and CANADA, we must never let this happen again. One person said to me, "this is my Woodstock of our time" and will never forget this, as I'm sure I will never forget it either.
 
Daniel .. Toronto - My take on the G20
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