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Newsstand: February 18, 2010
Illustration by Roxanne Ignatius/Torontoist.
The secret ingredient in David Miller’s recipe for budgetary success quickly turned sour. A partnership between the City and the Ontario government to permanently fund the TTC was going to solve the budget’s biggest bother—until Dalton McGuinty heard about it. Apparently Miller forgot about the province’s own deficit of $24.7 billion, squashing any hopes of McGuinty bailing out Ontario’s largest transit system any time soon. Even if they do find some extra cash, McGuinty says there would be some serious strings attached. The province would exchange the money for a hands-on role in the TTC’s affairs, especially in improving customer service.
But isn’t that what this guy is supposed to do? A post-sex-scandal Adam Giambrone (glad that’s over) announced that Steve O’Brien, a veteran hotelier and general manager of the One King West condo-hotel, will voluntarily chair the TTC’s blue-ribbon customer service panel. He boasts thirty years of experience in the hospitality industry, but not nearly as much with the TTC itself, only using it a handful of times every week. O’Brien will help commissioners choose his fellow panellists, and together they will draft a customer “bill of rights” and recommend ways for the TTC to better serve the public. They’re kind of like the Care Bears, spreading happiness throughout the Kingdom of Commuting. They even have an arch-nemesis, No Heart, aka TTC union president Bob Kinnear.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Torontonians could just ride bikes everywhere? Such was the dream of Bixi, Montreal’s bikeshare program that was set to roll out in Toronto this spring. Torontoist reported rumours yesterday that the plans were falling flat at City Hall. The Post is now reporting that City Hall approved the project under the impression that it wouldn’t pose any cost to the City, but now Bixi’s demanding financial support. Transportation Services manager Gary Welsh says the service is greatly needed in Toronto, but until they can find a way to make it virtually cost-free, Bixi is nixed.
The Toronto Zoo will soon announce John Tracogna as its new CEO. The current general manager of Ontario Place will oversee a $250 million zoo revitalization that will mostly fund new and current enclosures. The changes come after some bad press this year, with animal-rights groups calling for the closure of the elephant exhibit, and, most recently, the premature death of Tonghua, a male Siberian tiger.
We mourned, we wept, we even went to its funeral. But Carlton Cinemas has risen from the dead! The Carlton shut down early last December after serving loyal audiences with art-house and indie films for eighteen years, unable to cope with rising rent, slowing business, and competition from the nearby AMC Yonge & Dundas 24. But it received new life last week from Edmonton-based Magic Lantern Theatres, which also runs Rainbow Cinemas. Plans for renovations are already underway, and the curtains will rise once more at a grand re-opening planned for this June.
The path to fame and fortune is filled with road blocks. But while most actors choose to retaliate against their non-believers with an off-handed comment at awards ceremonies, others, well, have very different ideas for revenge. Take Adel Mohamed Arnaout for example. When his acting career didn’t instantly take off like he planned, he didn’t sulk or pity himself—he allegedly sent two talent agencies letter bombs. Then, water poisoned with industrial solvent. Then he allegedly sent more to an old roommate, his former lawyer, and a Toronto judge. Ultimately his plan worked since his name is in all the papers today; unfortunately it’s because he’s on trial for eleven counts of attempted murder.