Toronto today

That stupid Craven Road garden suite thing from last fall is coming back next week. www.thestar.com/real-estate/...

I am hiring an Assistant Planner to join our Planning Department. A great position for someone passionate about downtown and revitalization in Buffalo, NY! www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=5...

Nice new Toronto 6plex by my client, Desi Living. Coming soon a laneway suite in the back.

Photo 1: ok, kinda typical modernist new build Photo 2: wait… what Photo 3: what the ever loving fuck www.zillow.com/homedetails/...

Obligatory

You say you want more walkable communities, but remember when grandma got ran over by those fuckin’ reindeer she was walking home. If she was driving she would still be alive

That being said, Etobicoke, North York, and Scarborough *still* have lower densities than what they thought they should aim to achieve by 1980.

It's still the 50s so if you read the rest of that section they are aiming for what I consider low densities and they want to drop the density of downtown and the west end.

From the Metro Toronto Planning Board's 1959 draft Official Plan (voted down by Metro Council). You could not say something this obvious in Toronto's Official Plan anymore.

Didn’t listen to me and switch cell phone carrier before? Ok fine. Boxing Week sales are starting to appear. Switch, already. Don’t care to which company, just switch. Happy with your plan? Switch. (And use my referral code. The one and only time I’ll mention it: 8JSWQK )

Sometimes the memes write themselves

SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going— SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti— SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE

Last week it was 10 units on Oakwood, and today I am happy to have gotten my client approval at CoA for a 6plex on a very unusual triangle-shaped lot in East York. 3x4 bedroom units above 3x1 bedroom units.

Last week it was 10 units on Oakwood, and today I am happy to have gotten my client approval at CoA for a 6plex on a very unusual triangle-shaped lot in East York. 3x4 bedroom units above 3x1 1 bedroom units.

Friend sends a photo of a spider that he found in his basement, “do you know what kind this is?” I don’t know shit about spiders. Clearly, AI to the rescue. Ask ChatGPT and Gemini and both were very confident in their reply, gave detailed reasons, and were both totally wrong (and different).

The pedestrian bridge that connected Eaton Centre to Hudson’s Bay is open again. Gives an interesting view to the Ontario Line construction project.

Got approval for variances for a nice 3 storey, 10 unit apartment building today. The major streets planning permissions were a big help in reducing the number of variances needed, and what was left were very reasonable. 571 Oakwood

Alright time to take the tree out of storage and set it up.

Very glad that disc golf is back at Dentonia for the winter season. It’s my favourite Toronto course.

Tomorrow, Planning and Housing Committee will be considering changes that will make it more difficult to create new housing in Toronto. Maybe you want to submit a comment about it. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

Remember this is the time to change cell phone providers even if you like the one you have. Switching, not threatening to switch, is how you get the best win back deal. Here are some of the offerings I found online. Not exhaustive and might be better ones. docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Company given $2M from Skills Development Fund run by Ford family dentist: sources

Very happy that famed disc golfer, Dylan Cease, has signed a big deal with the Blue Jays!

I thought this comment about the differences between western and eastern approaches to historic architecture to be interesting.

Maddie doesn’t remotely care what the square is called because she knows it doesn’t matter (and because she’s a dog)

For the love of god can the Toronto AIC just work it is 2025 already.

A Parkdale friend is getting renovicted from her apartment (could be a rooming house, I’m not entirely sure). If you know of any bachelor apartments for her and her small dog, let me know. Neighbourhood agnostic, but definitely price sensitive

Annual reminder that Black Friday cell phone plans will start dropping soon. Shop around, change carriers, no loyalty.

How Toronto killed Sesame Street. My column on the retreat from allowing shops in neighbourhoods & other watering down of good ideas. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

A hockey fight is gonna break out at a baseball game in Canada

Omg 😭

When you chonky and work in development, one costume always works

My neighbours in my building are organizing a unit list for kids to go around and get candy tonight (as we do every year). Condos are communities, just as much as any neighbourhood.

Fall disc golf is best disc golf @ Kelso Conservation Area for the Ontario Provincial Championships

Fall disc golf is best disc golf

Cmon boys bring it home

The OLT appeal of the garden suites bylaw amendment from June has been scoped to a single property, so is now in effect city wide. Good news!

Visited the showroom of Atella, who make “pre-engineered modular garden suites”. Really nice product. Impressed at how fast it can be assembled on-site, and their everything but the furniture pricing.

Had a great time tonight chatting with the Harvard Village Residents Association about my dog Maddie and all the various changes that have come to Toronto planning policy over the last year or so.

Very happy to have gotten my client’s new 4plex approved today at Committee of Adjustment. Garden suite was already under construction (almost done). Massive property that will be put to much better use. Ready to be 6plex, when council allows.

Disc Golf on Ward’s Island, 1982. The course has change and evolved over the decades, but is still there. youtu.be/YASVi1b1Hc8?...

The Lost Bus on AppleTV+ is fantastic and stressful as fuck

So this Wendys is using a shitty AI order taking program in their drive thru. I hate it and hope they don’t roll it out wider.

Back at Maple Hill for the MVP Open next week.

Man, they will put anyone on tv these days. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIb4...

For the fellow nerds, my friend Tom of EcoFlats and Solares Architects is posting a series of great videos showing the steps of constructing their 4plex project on Delaware. www.instagram.com/eco_flats

I like that the lower employee entrance to the old Sears headquarters (the upside down pyramid/222 Jarvis) had stairs with a bike wheel channel in them.