Heroes and Villains 2009: Heroes Voting, Semi-Final Round

By Torontoist

Torontoist is ending the year by naming our Heroes and Villains—the very best and the very worst people, places, and things in and of Toronto over the past twelve months. We’ve unmasked our picks for Heroes and Villains; now, until the end of the year, your votes will whittle our lists down in a single elimination tournament to determine 2009’s Superhero and Supervillain.

Composite of remaining Heroes by Sasha Plotnikova/Torontoist.

Man vs. nature. It’s one of the classic forms that conflict takes in literature (see how many you remember from high school English!), and it lies underneath what will surely be remembered as one of the defining battles of this millennium. I am talking, of course, about the battle between David Miller and Wildlife—which man lost by a golden-blond hair. Yes, only a few days after his birthday, our mayor is now out of the running to be the Superhero of the year, having lost to the combined forces of a bald raccoons, wandering deers, and rogue ladybugs.
The Toronto Public Library, meanwhile, continues its domination with a surprisingly easy victory over a much-loved music prize, and the CBC handily disposes of one of its most well-known employees. And more! With more than twelve thousand votes now cast for the Heroes half of Heroes and Villains, there are now six Heroes left standing, with only one final round left after this one. You can vote in this round of Heroes until midnight on Tuesday, December 29; the second round of Villains voting, with close matches aplenty, ends on Monday at midnight.

Round Two Results

The Toronto Public Library (84%) advances over The Polaris Music Prize (16%); The CBC (68%) over Jian Ghomeshi (32%); Derek Forgie and Heterosexuals for Same-Sex Equality (54%) over The Citizen Lab (46%); Waterfront Development (53%) over Scramble Intersections (47%); Wildlife (51%) over David Miller (49%); and The Five-Cent Plastic Bag Fee (51%) over the New Billboard Bylaw and Tax (49%).

You know what to do:

The Toronto Public Library or The CBC?

Wildlife or Waterfront Development?

The Five-Cent Plastic Bag Fee or Derek Forgie and Heterosexuals for Same-Sex Equality?