In case you were wondering, it's probably not a great idea to be hanging out in the entertainment district at 3:15 a.m. Especially if you're in a luxury SUV. And especially especially if you've got a ponytail. In February of 2006, Toronto police officers arrested Irshad Ahmed and Omar Betty for failure to stop, failure to comply, and obstructing police. Their trial is currently being conducted at Old City Hall, and some interesting evidence......

The National Post is reporting today that Coyote Ugly––the raunchy, almost-a-strip-club-bar that inspired a Jerry Bruckheimer movie that everyone, including Piper Perabo, forgot about five years ago––will open up its first Canadian "saloon" next year at 220 Adelaide Street West. Coyote Ugly is upfront about its intentions: on their website, the bar explains the "business plan" of its first owner, Lil' Lovell, was "beautiful girls + booze = money." The organization's slogan is "Don't Just......

Poor OCAP. They can't even complain about the police watching them without the police watching them. At noon on Wednesday, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty held a press conference (not a rally or an action or a march but a press conference) at the northeast corner of Dundas and Sherbourne, and there was about one police officer for each person in attendance (around twenty). As eight or so cops casually observed the conference from......

Researchers doing one of the shittiest jobs in the nation have gathered up schoolyard cigarette butts and determined that teens are smoking large numbers of contraband cigarettes. The study was funded by the Canadian Convenience Stores Association, which believes we should protect our kids by ensuring they only indulge in healthy store-bought smokes. Police are optimistic that security cameras in the Entertainment District will provide evidence in Monday night's wild shootout. The cameras could have......

The Entertainment District got a little more entertaining early Monday morning as an innocent bystander was wounded in a wild movie-style shootout involving at least four gunmen. Mayor David Miller called for a crackdown on gun smuggling as part of his strategy of blaming all problems in Toronto on forces outside of his control. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty unveiled tax cuts yesterday, including corporate and personal income taxes reductions and a one-cent drop in......

They're in cabs, ATMs, and the Entertainment District, and they're about to be in all TTC vehicles. By next June, every one of the TTC's 1.5 million daily riders will be photographed multiple times over their journey. A part of the TTC's $18-million security plan, the commission will install up to 12,000 cameras throughout the system—in key station areas and on streetcars, buses, and subways. The intention is to provide police with evidence if......

The grand dame of Toronto's performing arts venues, the Royal Alexandra Theatre, celebrates its 100th birthday tomorrow. To mark the event, the Mirvishes have organized a free open house from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., during which you can go on a self-guided backstage tour, eat free grub at the BBQ in front of the theatre (weather permitting), or catch a tribute performance from the original members of the 1969 Canadian cast of Hair.......

Toronto came in 5th in the livability survey of the Economist Intelligence Unit, behind Vancouver, Melbourne, Vienna and Perth. While we can rightfully be proud of our score, it's kind of like being one of the kids who sits in the front of the room near the teacher while all the cool kids like New York and London are having a lot more fun down in the 40s and 50s. The Supreme Court has......

When the Information and Privacy Commissioner for Ontario published its guidelines for the use of video surveillance cameras in public places back in October 2001 [.PDF], it summarized that institutions considering their use "must balance the benefits of video surveillance to the public against an individual’s right to be free of unwarranted intrusion into his or her life. Pervasive, routine and random surveillance of ordinary, lawful public activities interferes with an individual’s privacy." As......

If there is one thing Toronto is world-class in and world-renowned for, it is dance music. Toronto sees some of the world's most famous international music acts play its bars and clubs every weekend, and according to a recent article in Toronto Life, they bring with them at least $125 million in economic activity. Well, music enthusiasts, bartenders, club district employees, club owners, event promoters, and young people beware: a nightlife crackdown is coming......

"Oh my God, my blow-up doll has been brutally murdered!" shrieked the young woman from the southeast corner of John and Richmond as she clutched her fake-blood-soaked inflatable companion. "My only friend, and someone brutally shot her! The horror! Why hasn't the police security camera done anything about it?!" Early Saturday afternoon, the Toronto Public Space Committee's Cameras in Public Spaces campaign performed this bit of street theatre in the Entertainment District. It was......

Stage Struck: 100 Years At The Royal Alex, a free exhibition commemorating the Royal Alexandra Theatre's centennial, opened yesterday at the Toronto Reference Library. Torontoist was at the opening to oggle at the rare playbills, posters and other paraphernalia that would make any theatre geek weak in the knees. Organized by the Toronto Public Library, the Stage Struck exhibit features photos, design sketches, scripts and souvenir books that highlight the long history of the......

The flags will be at half-mast Thursday at all civic buildings and an entire city is saddened by the loss of "Honest Ed" Mirvish at the age of 92. The Mirvish family has released public details about the funeral: Friday, July 13 Beth Tzedec Synagogue 1700 Bathurst Street, just south of Eglinton Avenue [map] 11:00 a.m. (a strictly private family Shiva will follow) Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Ed......

Toronto legend Edwin "Honest Ed" Mirvish has died. He was 92. The philanthropic businessman was a crucial part of Toronto's reputation as a world-renowned theatre centre, and had been mostly out of the public eye after contracting a severe case of pneumonia in 2003 and experiencing deteriorating health ever since. Mirvish died at St. Michael's Hospital at 1:30 a.m. Mirvish was born in Virginia on July 25, 1914 to Lithuanian Jewish immigrants. His introduction to......

It was inevitable: the movement to rescue the truck slammed into the side of the CityTV building (and yes, there is a movement) now that their headquarters are being relocated to John Street has a Facebook group. The truck is slated to come down soon, probably today, and the group is gaining momentum—they almost doubled their numbers (literally) overnight. While the Sam's sign is one thing—a cultural icon that meant so much to so......

Young gangsters from the suburbs! Skanked-out girls in miniskirts! Drunk and angry frat guys! Beware! Toronto has assigned 18 officers to a "rapid deployment team" that will protect the entertainment district from violent crime as part of the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS). TAVIS received $5 million this morning to increase officer presence in the area and prevent gun violence. Conservatives to GO bosses: if we were in power, we'd fire your asses for......

The trash can pictured is not a City-approved waste receptacle. It was an advertising tool for ck IN2U, Calvin Klein’s newest fragrance, and its stay at the corner of Dundas and Victoria Streets long outlasted its welcome. Branded with the catchphrase "what are u in 2?" with no mention of the fragrance itself or of Calvin Klein, eighty faux trash cans were distributed across Montreal and Toronto as part of the ck IN2U teaser......

If you remember the "handing over" of Iraq to Iraqi authorities by the US-led coalition a few seasons ago, you may recall that, in order to prevent terrorist attacks, the ceremony was performed a day early. Yup, W, you sure pulled a fast one on them. Well, we couldn't help but draw the mental parallel between that auspicious day and the rolling-out of new police cameras three days ahead of schedule, perhaps to zigzag......

On Monday, April 16, some of Toronto's finest slam poets walked into the John & Richmond Chapters-Indigo and performed sans mic, sans stage, sans everything. The poets included David Silverberg, who tipped us off to the vid; Electric Jon; Truth Is; Tomy Bewick; and Boona. The collective has uploaded one video so far of the event (more are on their way; we'll update the post when they're up), and it provides a little piece of......

Overhead in the "Entertainment District" on Friday night by reader Josh R. Two girls, dressed to kill for clubbing, are walking along Richmond Street, arm in arm. They struggle to wade through the crowd. Girl #1: I hate this place. Why do we keep coming here? Girl #2: I don't know. I don't know! Because it's fun!? You always complain, but you always have fun. Girl #1: But this place is stupid! Every time we......

Each week, Torontoist chooses the most interesting cases from the Toronto Police Service crime blotter. All charges are alleged until proven under law. • An investigation is underway about a man posing as a police officer who is allegedly stealing personal belongings in the Entertainment District. The guy apparently uses imitation police equipment to gain entry into clubs, then steals unattended purses and mobile phones. Real cops are mandated to carry specific identification, which they......

Howard Moscoe proposes a licensing fee or tax on temporary downtown parking lots with the revenue directed towards building more commuter parking lots at public transit hubs. Moscoe argues that this would induce more people to take transit and encourage temporary lots to be redeveloped more quickly. Iranian refugee Zahra Kamalfar and her two children arrived in Vancouver yesterday after spending 10 months stuck in an airport terminal in Moscow. Everything you ever wanted......

Whether public surveillance cams make you feel all safe n’ cosy, or whether you find them an egregious infringement on your right to litter, tag, and engage in other anti-social behaviour, the Toronto Police Services Board wants to talk to you about it. As many readers will recall, the TPSB recently ended a month long test of closed circuit cameras on Yonge near Dundas, and have said that the cameras are proving helpful in the......

Torontonians are, to say the least, an opinionated bunch. So instead of a simple "Best Of" list to cap 2006 off, the Torontoist staffers have racked their brains about everything (books, songs, restaurants, people, places, stores, newspapers, politicians, musicians, and a lot more) to bring you their choices for the very best and the very worst of our city this past year. It's Torontoist Love/Hate 2006, and you can find a new one every......

We've recently noticed that the so-called Entertainment District is experiencing a noticeable lull in, well...entertainment. Once the home to a bustling nightly crowd of theatre goers, King Street has become a veritable ghost town of flashing lights since Pippin and Chicago closed a couple weeks ago. With the exception of John McDermott's Family Christmas on December 23, both the Royal Alex and Princess of Wales are black until The Phantom returns on February 21.......

If there was a single development in the city's history that could be said to have brought an end to the era of "Toronto the Good," the resurrection of the Entertainment District (crowned by the opening of the SkyDome) is probably it. From a Toronto where shopping on Sunday was a no-no and the nearest fun city was boom-town Buffalo, NY emerged a sea of lights, music, dance and drink in a formerly derelict......

Council met behind closed doors yesterday and the end result is that the city is buying the Green Lane Landfill in London. The deal is still being negotiated but the city is keeping mum on the terms. Opponents of the deal are critical at the way the deal was sprung on them. The mayor of London is none too happy about not getting any notice. Royson James reports on Senator Jerry Grafstein efforts to find......