It’s make it or break it time. Even with a dysfunctional council, a tight-fisted province and a scornful federal government, this city still has a chance to be the envy of the world.The future is closer than we think. For Toronto, that’s good news and bad.
Depending on decisions we make in the next two or three years, this city could become the envy of the civilized world or just another urban casualty.
It’s really that simple. Which is not to say it will be easy. The truth is that in many respects we already know what needs to be done to ensure civic success, but so far how to get it done has eluded us.
On the good side, Richard (Creative Class) Florida has moved to town. Some of the best-known architects in the world – Frank Gehry, Will Alsop, Daniel Libeskind – are working here and the level of design has been driven up a notch or two. The condo boom has meant a wholesale return to the downtown core, and waterfront regeneration has started, albeit slowly and with much difficulty.
If things work out as planned, the waterfront will be the catalyst for a wholesale transformation of Toronto and turn its skyline into a global urban icon.
But it could so easily turn the other way. City Hall has become dysfunctional and Toronto continues to be abused by both federal and provincial governments. Civic underfunding is chronic and the governing structure is woefully inadequate to the demands of the 21st century.
“Nowadays I find myself thinking about that movie, It’s A Wonderful Life, where there are two futures,” says internationally respected Toronto planner Ken Greenberg. “It’s the same with Toronto; there’s an optimistic future and a nightmare scenario. What will happen depends on how we deal with a number of issues.”
These run the gamut from civic governance and financial instability to planning and public transit. Most worrisome, if the nightmare vision comes to pass, is that it won’t be because of a single big mistake but countless smaller ones. This is the most likely scenario, that the city will die the death of a thousand cuts.
Similarly, if it prospers, it will be because we made the right choices – over and over again.
Given Toronto’s propensity for doing the wrong thing, it’s hard not to be skeptical, especially given the breakdown of city council. Most observers agree the politicians who represent Toronto at the municipal level have failed dismally. Indeed, we have reached a point of stasis, where we can no longer look to City Hall for leadership.
But as Joe Berridge, partner in Urban Strategies, argues, “City Hall is almost irrelevant at this point. Municipal government has enormous catch-up to do. At one level, it’s demonstrating why the province and federal government must play a major role in the life of the city. These and other institutions can do all the important things that need to be done.”
Filed under: Afro-Canadian, Music | Tags: Afro-Canadian, Flemingdon Park, guitarist, musician, Scarborough, soul, the carps, Toronto, urban
The Carps are from Scarborough, a pretend hood in Toronto. They are a duo that plays music for human ears. Having two people in a band can be a liberating thing, as it has been seen. Such a shame they are so young — had they come around any earlier they could’ve taken credit for more than a few novel ideas. With the EP the Young & Passionate Days of Carpedia VOL.2, the two ragamuffin soul rockers deliver the promise to set themselves far apart from elephants, swirly red and white candy, beards, brothers and sisters, and Phil Collins. The Carps stand alone. They sound like nothing you could imagine, and everything you’d like to.
The Carps thrive on ingenuity and vicissitude. Newness always! Therefore the captain of the ship, Neil White, wielding his disheveled bass and a wonky synthesizer, steers this raw emotion into a palatable and progressive direction. All this while never leaving his “mindless self-indulgent” duct tape Punk Rock days far behind him. Perhaps the jungles of Sri Lanka still run through his veins, though he could never lose the class and distinction that only he, as a real British bloke, could carry.
Jahmal Tonge is the soul junkie. Growing up on asexual legends like Michael Jackson and Prince, it was sifting through his father’s record collection that exposed to him to Motown, Stax, Soul music! These are the sounds that are at the heart of The Carps. From behind his drum kit, or with his guitar strapped and his MPC drum machine at his side, Jahmal soulfully screams his soul- ful, soul-catching, soul-baring soul in a raw way… It’s the only way he knows. It was Bold, Black, Christian women that led him that direction. Discernibly, the sight and sounds of the Caribbean still stick. Hearing the tropical wind blow through an open church tent as a woman cries out to God, tearing her vocal cords from the deepest part of her being, will change a temerarious young boy.
http://www.myspace.com/thecarps
http://www.afrotoronto.com/Articles/Jan06/Carps.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka4s8gSSbpU&NR=1
Filed under: Issues | Tags: Afro-Canadian, American, canada, Chinese-Canadian, ethnic, GTA, racism, South-Asian, Toronto
I think I am still lamenting over the fact that Ontario, or shall I say the outskirts of Toronto, is a bit more prejudice then I thought. What am I referring to you ask? Well, it’s the comments I have heard lately and from others during this provincial election. It seems that the faith-based funding issue and the amount of “ethnic” candidates are bringing out the worst in people. Or should I say that it really has always been there? Imagine why would an Afro-Canadian, Chinese-Canadian, South-Asian or any other so called ethnic minority even think that they are allowed to run for office. This is not my Canada and it does not look like me. Our for-fathers built….Shall I go on? I have always thought that Canada is a bit more racist and intolerant then we like to believe. We like to say that Canada is not like the American experience, however I wonder who is more racist, prejudice and intolerant?
My parents are immigrants, but I grew up in Canada from birth. So am I Canadian? I think so, just as much as the person who somehow believes that it is theirs. In my experience ignorant and bigoted individuals in Toronto tend to “smile” with you and say that they like you. They may even pat you on the back and say “you are so great, you are a good person”. They would never say a mean thing to you directly; however behind your back they say some of the most awful things. I cannot use that language on this blog, but in such a diverse area such as Toronto, I am sure you can imagine it. I have even heard of individuals not voting for particular candidates because of their colour or ethnic background. So how tolerant are we? As tolerant as the peameal bacon on our plate for breakfast! I guess we are tolerant because we do not hang people from trees. So that makes us so much better then everyone else, especially American right? We can hold our heads high and say “everyone should be like us”. But I wonder are the people that make racist and ignorant remarks simply afraid? Do they now feel “threatened” because they are now considered the minority? Ironic isn’t it!
We are all shaped by our environment. Hatred is something that we learn and it is only education that can change and reshape us into a better society. We need to learn about other cultures, if we are to become a better Canada. We are all not born racists. However, when a group of people feel that they are better then others, what happens? I guess over the years these individuals have become so used to their ways that they cannot see out of the box. They feel that the immigrant should somehow conform to the Canadian way, whatever that is. We are Canadians of many colours and we can learn from one another. Maybe we can spread a little Canada to the rest of the world? “Canada does not only belong to those who sailed here first. It actually belongs to those who were here first”. Better yet, I think colorless cans of paint are on sale this weekend. We should all pick up some!
By: Torontomatic
Filed under: Transit | Tags: CN, CP, GO, Kyle Rae, Summerhill, Terminal, Toronto, Transit
A GO terminal at Summerhill, in Toronto, would be a great idea. Utilizing tracks, that are already available, if they can sort out issues with CN/CP. However, I don’t really want to spend much time on that issue; I’d rather point out my reasoning why I feel Toronto will one day grind to a halt before anyone fixes the gridlock issues that plague the city. In the Toronto Star, on September 15, 2007, Kyle Rae, Toronto city councillor suggested that a GO Terminal at Summerhill would be a bad idea because he “gets complaints about the noise and speed”. Well gosh, darn it I am so sorry! We don’t want to bother the ‘precious’ people in the Summerhill area. Why as if no one else has some type of problem in the Greater Toronto Area. This is what is wrong with the city! I know he is looking out for his “constituents”; however no one ever wants something in their backyard. Everything is fine and others can suffer as “my rights are not treaded on”. Really we need to move planning out of the hands of politicians and back to ‘Urban Planners’ who are professionals in their trade. We all have to work together to make Toronto move and I hope at some point someone will have the guts to fix it.
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/256985
Read about “GO Transit’s Future Midtown Line” and other developments.
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/gotransit/2106.shtml
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/gotransit/2108.shtml
Check out this New York City subway map — it shows the growth of the subway system in order of the year each line was constructed.You can see that the subways first appeared in the Brooklyn area, not in the dense downtown area. And if you like subway maps, check out the many different NYC subway map manifestations dating back to the 19th century.
Filed under: Transit | Tags: Don Mills, GO, Japan, public, RT, Scarborough, Spadina, Toronto, trains, tranist, York, YRT
Japan is not the perfect model for our situation. I probably would not want to live there, but I saw an amazing program the other day about Japan. You can live in cities hours a way and simply commute to Tokyo via the bullet train, everyday (all-day). I know that this is a simplistic approach, but I am a simple person. How can one group of people realize the importance of transit to urban development needs? GO Transit is trying their best, but until trains are running every 30 min. or less there is no comparison.
The unfortunate problem with public transit over the years has been simple politics. When politics gets in the way you end up with the Scarborough RT or a truncated Sheppard subway or now a subway to York Region. When politics get in the way you end up with “longer GO Trains”, rather then longer or more service. I understand that the train lines, for GO Transit, are not owned by them. I understand that the Government had “great intentions” when they forced the UDTC RT train technology on the TTC. I understand that the “Harris” government only wanted to save money with a “No Frills” subway that stopped at Don Mills. However now look at what this has all accomplished.
The TTC now has to spend millions to replace the RT line, with money tied up in a spadina extension to Vaughan for no reason. With a Sheppard line stuck at Don Mills, with no money to move it to Scarborough (at least Victoria Park/Warden where it should be). Let’s not forget those “longer GO Trains”, that run only on rush hours, when we need it.
The Ontario government says it’s “Purchasing 27 new, more powerful, fuel-efficient locomotives that can pull two more cars, adding 300 more passengers per train”.
Great, 300 people, eh! I was once told “Do it right or don’t do it at all until you get it right”. Where is the vision now? What about the entire GTA? Everyone is doing their own thing. The fact is that governments have to realize that public transit is not a cost, but an investment into the future. We do not always need the most “expensive” technology. Keep it simple, and get people moving!
By: Torontomatic
Torontomatic 