news
Newsstand: September 5, 2012
Welcome, Wednesday. Please just set your things by the door—you won’t be staying long. In the news: new school programs for the singing type of kids; proposed federal electoral boundaries are making the GTA the belle of the ball; RoFo’s big day; the Port Lands plan looks like it might actually happen, eventually; and it rained yesterday.
School’s out back for summer fall, winter, and spring. School’s back forever, and the TDSB is shaking things up with what is probably the most adorable type of school program they could create: one where the kids sing—a lot. Downtown’s Ryerson Community School and Heather Heights Junior Public School in Scarborough have both started such vocal music academies in an effort to help foster engagement and improve student enrolment. These are joined by a few other new programs: two health and wellness academies, three sports and wellness academies, a boy’s leadership academy, and a girl’s leadership academy.
The federal NDP is taking a long, hard look (along with all the other parties, probably) at the GTA now that proposed federal election boundaries could make a big shift in the way ridings are won in and around the city. The NDP is also looking closely at the proposed electoral boundaries within the city in advance of public hearings surrounding any changes that may happen. For instance, as Toronto-Danforth MP Craig Scott points out, the current proposed redrawing of the lines would split the Church-Wellesley Village between two separate ridings.
Today’s the day that Rob Ford goes under the legal microscope that is Justice Charles Hackland’s courtroom. If you aren’t up to speed from the list of key people we mentioned yesterday or our article and infographic outlining the list of formal complaints against Toronto’s current mayor, then here is a primer on the hearing that has a lot of people salivating like a house cat near a tub of yogourt. Oh, and there is also the case of Rob Ford’s nemesis, which is an awesome title to be given.
Toronto might be $100 million to $200 million short of where they need to be for a Port Lands redevelopment plan, but shovels could be in the ground within two to five years. According to Deputy City Manager John Livey, city council could have a detailed plan by this time next year and then development would be gradually introduced over the next 60 years of so. Looks like it’s time to put down the initial payment for your retirement condo.
Yesterday, we broke a rainfall record. Good thing everyone had a roof over their heads.
The following disclosure should have been made at the time of posting: Chaleff-Freudenthaler is in a personal relationship with Torontoist editor Hamutal Dotan. She was not involved in the writing of this article, and provided no editorial direction to its author.
