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Newsstand: February 4, 2015
Good morning, everyone! Grab some coffee, and let’s get right to it. In the news: Mayor Tory's letter to the TDSB, the troubles of Toronto tax lawyer Philippe DioGuardi, upcycled and decommissioned TTC vehicles, and three people charged for “roof-topping.”
On Monday, Mayor John Tory penned a letter to Toronto District School Board chair Shaun Chen asking that the City be “meaningfully consulted” before the board makes any decisions regarding the sale of surplus school properties. Mayor Tory offered delicate criticism of the current state of decision-making at the TDSB, saying that finding a middle ground between wanting to save every school and sell off every property will be the most productive way forward. The City of Toronto has no official say in what schools are sold off as surplus property, but with one in five schools operating within the 65 per cent capacity threshold that puts it under consideration for closure, Mayor Tory argues that it should be consulted, since the outcomes of these decisions have a wider impact on Toronto residents who may rely these schools for other uses, including child care and recreation.
He’s known as a “tax fighter,” but Toronto tax lawyer Philippe DioGuardi is fighting his way through a pretty big mess of his own these days. According to a lengthy piece in the Toronto Star that sometimes reads like the plot synopsis of a soap opera, DioGuardi over-drew $2 million from his law firm account, is embroiled in a protracted and bitter divorce proceeding, and is being investigated by Ontario’s legal regulator on nine complaints by former clients who allege that his law firm failed to perform the work for which it was paid. Possibly the ultimate irony is that DioGuardi also landed himself in trouble with the Canada Revenue Agency over unpaid taxes. In 2012, he owed the CRA more than $140,000, which was not paid until the government agency threatened legal action in May of 2013. In public documents from his divorce proceeding, DioGuardi is quick to peg his financial problems on the lavish lifestyle of his wife, Elena DioGuardi, whose mercurial temper he says he tried to appease by purchasing a condo and luxury car in Russia, as well as more than $400,000 in fur and jewellery, and $20,000 in designer handbags.
The Toronto Transit Commission will soon strip most of its decommissioned subway and streetcar vehicles in preparation for them to be sold as scrap. While recycling the steel is often a logical and profitable solution for the TTC, there are a few other innovative ways to “upcycle” the vehicles that are a bit more interesting. Cities including London, England and Beijing, China have found ways to turn subway cars into artist squats and temporary shelters. In New York, 714 cars were placed into the Atlantic Ocean to help form an artificial reef that has restored some of the marine ecosystem off the coast of Delaware. Locally, Ryerson University architecture professor Mark Gorgolewski thinks that the TTC could repurpose old streetcars to create food stands, playground equipment, or even TTC bus shelters.
Three men were arrested after breaking into the observation deck at 18 Wellington Street West on Monday to take photos of themselves. The practice is called “roof-topping,” and police think it poses a threat to both the public and the individuals who attempt to snap the daredevil photos, often from off-limits locations. The three men face break and enter and mischief charges related to the incident.