Mr. Griffith goes to Washington
Washington DC is a city that only exists for a single purpose - to be the capital city of the United States of America. From a transit perspective this is both a good thing and a bad thing. The master plan for the city, created by Pierre Charles L'Enfant (whom the locals that I spoke to never failed to point out was French) resulted in a very orderly street grid with wide avenues. There was plenty of road capacity from what I could tell, so there was less of an enticement to leave the car at home and take transit. But, because the main employers in the city are essentially recession-proof, I don't think the city has seen the ridership drop that other cities have had (since you don't take transit to work if you don't have a job). I spent five days in Washington last week, and was able to experience most of what the district's transit system had to offer. Here are some random thoughts:
Metrorail:
The subway in Toronto was built under the philosophy that busy surface routes should be upgraded to higher order transit. As a result, the TTC subway follows the street grid. Washington followed a different philosophy, so the network has arms shooting out in all directions from a series of downtown interchanges. Stations are spaced fairly far apart, which makes for a quicker ride but does makes stations hard to locate, especially because they don't follow the street grid. Sign directing tourists to nearby monuments also show Metro stations, but there are few monuments (and these signs) outside of the central city. The lines are mostly in bored tunnels downtown, making the stations deep and escalators being the only way to get down to the concourse in many stations. Some escalators are exposed to the elements as the station entrances are minimalist, and it made me wonder how they were able to keep them operational with all the dirt, snow, sand and debris from the outdoors. Architecturally, there are two styles for stations - all underground stations look identical and all outdoor stations look identical. I found the stations to be dark and signage to be small and hard to read at a distance, but they did have platform floor lights that would flash when a train was approaching and were cleaner than my bedroom. Multiple lines share tracks at many stations, and next-train displays helped make sure I got on the right train, but I often found it difficult to figure out which platform to wait at and to know when I had arrived at the destination. Sometimes the in-train displays showed the next stop and which doors would open, sometimes they didn't, but the trains themselves were fairly nice with forward facing cushion benches and carpet floors. Cell phone companies are also in the process of installing transmitters in the tunnels, with the Verizon network up and the others in progress. Fortunately, riders tended to respect the unwritten code of keeping quiet in the tunnels.
Metrobus:
The bus network in Washington is fairly extensive, both in coverage and frequency. Aside from the DC operated Metrobus service, there are about a dozen other suburban systems that either connect to the Metro at the outskirts or run express into the downtown core. Effectively, one doesn't really need to use the Metro as the bus service is one of the largest and most extensive in the USA. But, one thing that I found very confusing was the number of brands operated even under the Metrobus umbrella. There are Metro Local routes (buses painted red and grey), Metro Express routes (buses painted blue and grey, premium fare), Metro Extra routes (buses painted grey and blue, regular fare express), and DC Circulator routes (buses painted red, not quite express but not quite local either for a reduced fare). While this makes it very easy to identify what bus is coming, a rainbow of buses looks less like a fleet and more like distinct systems to those who are unfamiliar with the setup - especially in a city that has multiple tour bus companies. The only route I rode was the DC Circulator, which is a network of five routes operating on the more touristy corridors. The red route connected the ritzy Georgetown shopping district with Union Station and passed by the hotel, and frequencies were every 10 minutes. The circulators used Belgian Van Hool buses like VIVA in the 30-foot and 40-foot varieties, but the 40-footer had the three door option. While the regular bus fleet had a ton of older American buses, the vast majority of the post 1995 fleet was Canadian built. There appeared to have been a significant investment in stylish BRT buses, even for ordinary local routes.
Fare systems:
The name of the game in DC for transit fares is SmarTrip, a reloadable debit-style smart card that's good for travel on both district and suburban services. The bus service runs on a flat fare system, but paper transfers are no longer issued - the SmarTrip card knows when you first boarded the bus and gives you free transfers for three hours. There is also a discount over the cash fare when using the card. The Metrorail fare system is a bit more complex and uses a fare-by-distance system. You tap your SmarTrip card to unlock the fare barrier when you enter the system and then tap again to leave. The fare is deducted based on those two points, and discounts are available for off-peak travel. A paper ticket is available and works by inserting the ticket into the fare barrier to unlock it. While SmarTrip cards will let you leave with a negative balance, travellers with paper tickets might have to top up before they can leave. SmarTrip is the only way to pay for parking at the Metrorail parking lots, and it reduces the cost of boarding the bus after a subway trip to 75-cents. SmarTrip works exactly how I hope Presto will work when it's fully implemented, but there are some downsides. Firstly, it doesn't have a travel cap so you need a paper ticket if you want to buy a day pass (but they are working on it). Secondly, it is only sold at Metro stations with parking lots - generally on the outskirts. Within the downtown core they are sold at participating CVS Pharmacy locations, but it was next to impossible to figure out which ones were participating and which ones weren't. I ended up going to Falls Church, Virginia to purchase one. Fortunately, you put the leftover balance on the paper ticket on the SmarTrip card.
Cycling:
I managed to get 35 km of cycling on a rented cruiser while I was in town, thanks to Big Wheel Bikes in Georgetown. Initially I headed west along the towpath of the historic Chesapeake & Ohio canal, and spotted a crane along the shoreline. For most of the length the towpath ran parallel to the Capital Crescent Trail, a paved rail-trail on the old Baltimore & Ohio ROW that I followed when it turned northeast. The trail features a very interesting railway tunnel, some massive bridges, and tunnel under downtown Bethesda, Maryland. I decided to stay on the surface, and was very happy that I did. The downtown reminded me of downtown Burlington - a mix of well-placed high-rises and historic low-rises that I have always really liked. Continuing northeast, the trail ended just on the edge of Silver Spring, Maryland, and I connected to the Rock Creek trail to head back into DC. The trails were off-road to the District Line, but became on-road when I crossed into DC and entered Rock Creek National Park. Traffic was light, but I can foresee it being a little dicey during the peak tourist season. The off-road trails eventually returned around the historic Peirce Mill, and I had a smooth, traffic-free ride into Georgetown. The whole circuit took about three hours, but the trail facilities were few and far between. A few things that I did notice about the cycling culture in DC really surprised me. First of all, it didn't seem like bike theft was a major concern. I saw a road bike with expensive 4-spoke carbon wheels locked up on the street overnight. You wouldn't dream of doing that in Toronto. Secondly, while Toronto has a fair number of utility cyclists and trendy riders - the woman in boots and a skirt on a dutch bike with flowers in the basket, for example - DC riders were almost all business. The vast majority of riders on the streets were weekend warriors and weekend warriors with panniers to carry their suits. It was interesting, to say the least.
Labels: cycling, daily travels, subways, urban exploration
Things I learned in Orangeville
Going to a wedding in Palmerston and Listowel on Saturday, I passed though the Town of Orangeville and learned a few things.
After many years of seeing only evidence of Orangeville Transit (bus stops, posted schedules and the like), I have finally seen an Orangeville Transit bus. They use what appear to be Ford cutaway models, similar to the
community shuttles in TransLink's Fleet. Service frequencies appear to be typical for a municipality of that size.
Entering the town, I spotted a sign usually reserved for GO stations. Since there is no GO train service to Orangeville (because it would go past my house, and I would be using it without hesitation), I had to investigate. What I found was a small bus terminal on the site of the old train station. A station which appeared to replica of the original train station was built on the site of the site, and the train used by the Credit Valley Explorer excursion train was tied up for the night at the platform. Was this scene a vision of things to come?
Better service to Orangeville will benefit commuter heading into Toronto and residents of Caledon, who have a love-hate relationship with public transportation (except for me, where the relationship is all love). A route along Highway 9 linking Orangeville and Newmarket would also be a smart connection.
And, as an aside, GO Transit (and any other agency operating under contract to the Town) is fully exempt from the Caledon Bus Licensing Bylaw. Those who argued to the contrary at the recent Valleywood Residents Association meeting should take a closer look at the legislation.
Labels: daily travels, GO Transit, urban exploration
Nuit Blanche
I've always enjoyed exploring, especially urban places, and I vowed this year to be the year when I got out to explore the city. Through a combination of sticking to that vow and some assignments that required exploring (as I began to write this, the professor who has assigned all of those assignments was chatting to me about Nuit Blanche) I think its fair to say that I've done a lot of walking this term.
I'm not really interested in modern art, but my interest in Nuit Blanche came from a social experiment. What would it be like to walk the streets of Toronto from dusk till dawn?
My night began at Bay station, meeting Chris, a classmate and close friend. I had to buy a day pass, and due to high sales at the downtown stations, we went to Chester to find one - mainly because I had never been to Chester before.
Back at Bay, we met the final member of our trio - Denise, another classmate. We picked up a program, and each of us picked an art installation to start with. Chris chose Untitled (Box Project # 2), 2007 (A-11). We wondered if Chris chose the cubes, or if they chose him.
"Three boxes restlessly mimic the most basic of human activity. While one box may shake slightly, another may stay still for a period of time, only to frustratingly try to inflate itself. Outside of these basic functions, I wonder what defines us as human."Next came my first choice, Diamonds in the Sky (A-12). My choice was the installation most frequently used to market the festival, and while very pretty, it was not exactly as advertised.
"A long, glistening string of bright, white lights seems to hang from the heavens, taller than surrounding buildings. Moved gently by the wind, the lights have an ephemeral shimmer to them as they sway back and forth."Next came Denise choice, Event Horizon (A-8). It was art on a massive scale, and was very interesting, but was ultimately anti-climactic.
"King's College Circle is the scene of a mysterious spectacle. The audience witnesses emergency vehicles assembled. Sirens are heard as smoke billows from the grassy field. As a single file line forms that leads to a large white tent, the mood is subdued. The curious crowd wants to see the cause of the commotion. Heavenly music plays. One by one the crowd enters the tent and is witness to an unfolding intergalactic miracle."
After this, we tried to see Ghost Station (A-9), but the lineup was an hour long. We decided to head down Queen West from University, eventually reaching Trinity-Bellwoods Park and seeing Fluorescent Dome (C-15).
"Situated on the edge of Trinity Bellwoods Park, a luminous fluorescent dome serves as a beacon for the city. Universal in form and origin, it resonates in a dynamic equilibrium; unifying cultural difference through a non-hierarchical structure."We continued west to Dovercourt, then walked up to Bloor to see Denise home. It was 4 am when we left her apartment, and Chris and I headed to Christie Station and got on an eastbound train to Bay. The line to get into Lower Bay had completely cleared, and we descended those mythical stairs to see Ghost Station (A-9).
"Lower Bay Station, Toronto's ghost station, is used as a vessel to contain sounds that are within and below the threshold of human hearing - infrasound and tactile sound - where sound is felt rather than heard. Low frequencies created by cars and subways are contributors to the cacophony of infrasonic noise that exists deep below the rumbling of the city. These tactile sounds have also been associated with paranormal activity and ghost sightings."After spending some time in the station, we headed towards OCAD. It was after 5am by this time, but there was still a lively crowd. We reached Chinatown by the time the first Dundas and Spadina streetcars were running, and we reached Ryerson at 6am to catch the misting toilets in the Devonian pond on campus (B-40b).
The sun was starting to come up as we decided to call it a night.
Transit was a mess, mainly because the all night subways were only running every 15 minutes and the sheer volume of pedestrians stalled regular routes and special shuttles caught behind right- and left-turning traffic. Also, most restaurants closed at their normal times - they would have made a killing had they stayed open. Finally, with installations as far west as Roncesvalles, as far east as Carlaw, and as far north as St. Clair, the festival was just too spread out.
But despite those criticism, Nuit Blanche was an outstanding experience. The city was alive for one night, and despite the hangover-like feeling I had for the rest of the weekend, it was an experience I cannot wait to repeat.
Labels: daily travels, urban exploration
Nuit Blanche 'overwhelms' TTC services - Toronto Star
Nuit Blanche 'overwhelms' TTC services
`Huge' turnout for all-night art festival leaves streets jammed, travellers waiting
October 02, 2007
Bruce DeMara
Entertainment Reporter
The numbers for Toronto's second Nuit Blanche are still coming in, but it's clear the 2007 version was a smashing success – maybe even a bit too successful.
Numbers from 195 venues are steadily trickling in as organizers try to determine the economic impact of the all-night event. But there's little doubt they'll handily exceed last year's inaugural year estimate of 425,000 people.
"My first impression is that there were probably twice as many people as there were last year. It was huge," said Councillor Kyle Rae.
You don't have to tell that to the hundreds of thousands of participants who relied on extended TTC service – shuttle buses, streetcars and subway – and found themselves waiting and waiting.
"There were people coming from all over the city and frankly, the TTC service was a little bit overwhelmed. There's no other way of saying that," said Councillor Joe Mihevc, a TTC commissioner.
"Next year, we will be more fully prepared with much greater service. We did not think this would be such a large success and so we provided a minimalist service as opposed to what we really needed for –the downtown core at least – which was rush-hour service."
TTC chair Councillor Adam Giambrone said for surface routes – especially along Queen St. W. – milling crowds were the main factor in slow service.
"If we'd doubled the number of streetcars, it still wouldn't have improved service on Queen St. You still could have walked faster than the Queen streetcar," Giambrone said.
But he noted the TTC ran short of day passes and had difficulty getting around the provincial Employment Standards Act – which requires specific breaks for hours of service – in getting staff to operate various routes.
From a policing perspective, the event was remarkable. A spokesperson for Toronto police said there was no criminal activity reported that related to Nuit Blanche.
Jaye Robinson, the city's director of special events, called the lack of incidents "very impressive" considering the unexpectedly large crowds.
At the Gardiner Museum, for example, the numbers increased to 17,000 this year from 11,500 last year. At the Church of the Redeemer on Bloor St. W., an event put on by the Greek consulate rocketed to 15,000 from 1,000 last year.
The event's popularity means organizers should get an "immediate" start planning for 2008, Robinson said.
"It's grown so rapidly here in Toronto (because) of the way Torontonians have embraced the event. It's just remarkable," she said.
"Strategically, we have to look at the scale and the scope of the event. It needs to grow to accommodate the crowds," she added.
Mayor David Miller called the event "unbelievably successful."
"If anything, we had too many people. It was just extraordinary and it was clear Torontonians have an incredible appetite for modern public art installations, including offbeat and weird ones," he said.
But not everyone agreed the event was an artistic success, including the mayor's own daughter, Julia, 12.
"My daughter ... leaned over to me and said, `Dad, everything in Nuit Blanche is weird,' " Miller said, with a laugh.
Artist Mark Reid – partner of Toronto councillor Kyle Rae – panned a Church St. display, noting it could have been "a lot raunchier."
But Reid said art is meant to be unpredictable and Torontonians shouldn't expect to like everything they see.
"It's contemporary art. A lot of it is not easy stuff. It's not your white bread and potatoes type of stuff," Reid said.
Many artists spontaneously took to the streets and to event venues, in some instances using bedsheets as screens to show off their videos and films.
"There's something that makes it special, being up all night. If you did the equivalent (event) for a day, it wouldn't be the same at all," Reid said. "Staying up all night is a big thing."
I've got a full post worth of comments to follow...
Labels: ttc, urban exploration
Who needs a car?
About a month ago, my computer's motherboard died for the second time. Of course, the writing had been on the walls for several weeks, so I was able to backup everything. I was in the market for a new machine, and was seriously considering a Mac. With rumours circling about new Macs to be announced shortly, I decided to wait, and when they did come out, I was sold. I had two choices. I could purchase the computer in Brampton at a Best Buy or Future Shop, but they weren't receiving any in stock until the end of the month. My other option was to shop at one of the official Apple re-sellers downtown. With that option, I could have it a week after he announcement, but I would have a more difficult time getting it home.
So it really broke down to one question: Can you carry a computer home on the subway?
My first instinct was to bring a friend, but through clever marketing, Apple ships out the most expensive models first, forcing the "gotta have it now" crowd to up-sell. Not being able to accomodate a 24-inch iMac (or willing to pay for one), I decided to pre-order the 20-inch model.
One week ago tomorrow, at 3:30 PM, I got the call to pickup my order. Having to wait three weeks for rumours to be officially confirmed or denied was tough, and I simply couldn't wait overnight. But could I get from my home in Caledon to Queen & Broadview by the shop's 6PM close?
By taking sidestreets that I hadn't been on in half a decade, I managed to make it to Kipling Station by 4:45, and bolted into the subway. With a delay on the line that was cleared just as we approached the backup of trains, and a 504 car stuck behind a left turning driver at Broadview and Danfroth, I managed to arrive at the shop at 5:20.
Now, the 20-inch Apple iMac comes in a box 23 inches by 22 inches by 9 inches, and weighs around 20 pounds. It may be light in comparison to furniture, but it is an awkward box to carry. I recall that as I finished at the checkout, the clerk asked me if I needed help taking it out to the car. I thought "do you know who I am?", but in retrospect, I realize he was warning me. I managed to get the box about 20 feet down the sidewalk before I had to either switch hands or put it down to rest. I managed to get it to the streetcar stop and struggle up the stairs, but i then had to navigate the crowded car. Dragging it down to the subway was easier, but I still could only travel about 20 feet before I had to set it down. I can easily carry much more than 20 pounds, but the forces are much larger when those 20 pounds are supported only by a small handle.
As I headed back to the west end, I realized that I needed to make a pit stop, but would never feel comfortable leaving a several-thousand-dollar object out in the open without a firm grip on it. There must be something psychological, but most men are effectively defenseless when they are busy in the restroom. After making some phone calls, I couldn't find anyone downtown who would be able to accommodate me, so I decided to hold it and fend off the stares of people who knew what I had bough, despite it being in a plain brown box.
I arrived at Kipling without any delays, and carried it upstairs - in 20-foot intervals.
That day, I set out to discover if one could use the subway to carry cargo. The fact that I am updating this blog on an iMac is proof of concept, but far from proof of practicality. The TTC simply wasn't designed to transport people with cargo, but for those who are patient and are dedicated to the urban experience, it can be done.
For those looking for a mac and wanting to shop in an environment that isn't as claustrophobia inducing as the Apple Store, I bought the computer at Carbon Computing, 772 Queen Street East.
Labels: daily travels, streetcars, subways, urban exploration
OC Transpo: a capital experience
I believe every Canadian should spend at least one Canada Day in Ottawa. This past weekend, I accomplished it along side my closest friends, who truly made the trip memorable.
My day began on Saturday morning at 6:00 AM at the Metro Toronto Coach Terminal. The 6:45 Greyhound departure was oversold, but we managed to get onto an advanced departure. A Voyageur (partially owned by Paul Martin, under contract to Greyhound) MCI D4500 was our coach, and departed closer to 6:30. Our route was the 401 to Belleville, highway 37 through Tweed to Highway 7. Our rest stop was at a small place named The Log Cabin Restaurant in a community named Actinolite (named after the mineral mined nearby, which you might know by its less P.R. friendly name, Asbestos).
Our coach is in the near right, with the second section behind us and a Toronto bound coach on the left. Being a Greyhound agency, this restaurant was able to handle the snack, drink and washroom needs of the coordinated arrival of 165 passengers within 20 minutes. Soon, we were back on our way east on Highway 7, through Perth and Carlton Place before signs of Ottawa's rural annexations came into view. The final leg of the trip along the 417 was smooth, and we pulled into the Ottawa Bus Central station early. Liz, our host for the weekend, picked us up and shuttled us to her apartment in what I can best describe as midtown Ottawa, just across the street from the Transitway station.
More on the Transitway later, but it being Ottawa's rapid transit system, an apartment that close would be coveted and expensive if in Toronto. The first stop on the day was the ByWard Market, an open air market and tourist destination. The Chateau Laurier was next, followed by the Parliament building, where due to Liz and her boyfriend Ben's connections to the government, we got a VIP tour. I had been to Parliament years ago, but never when velvet ropes and pedestrian barriers did not apply to me. At one point, security guards chased us down for entering off-limits areas, only to excuse themselves upon seeing our credentials. As we left, we heard Grégory Charles and Eva Avila rehearsing for the concert the next day - leading to inside jokes that continue to this day. The rest of the day was spent catching up with Liz and Ben, who we hadn't seen since the winter.
The next day, Canada day, we went back to the market to shop for "knick knacks" and "cheesy Canada Day stuff", ate world famous Beaver Tails, and saw the Renoir exhibit at the National Gallery. As darkness approached, Ben, the Ottawa native, led us to an excellent spot to view the fireworks. As the night went on and the crowd became impatient for the light show, I heard faint singing in the distance. A small group was singing "Oh Canada", and just as they sang the final word, the first explosion of the best fireworks display I had ever seen began. It was a moment, never to be duplicated, where I had never felt more Canadian, and which moves me to tears as I write this. Stranger and friend, child and senior, drunk and sober - we were one nation, one people.
The next day, we ate lunch at a 50's style dinner in an area outside downtown, reminding us that Ottawa is more of a tourist destination. We said goodbye to our friends and were dropped off at the coach terminal, where despite a long lineup and annoyances within the line, we boarded a Voyageur Prevost H3-45 for a trip though Actinolite, Havelock & Peterborough. We arrived at the Metro Toronto Coach Terminal on time, and a quick subway ride to a car lest at Kipling brought us home from an unforgettable vacation.
While in Ottawa, OC Transpo, with its red-and-white "Canada Buses" was out chariot. The backbone of the transit system is the Transitway, a network of transit-only roads and lanes radiating in four directions from the downtown core. Three routes provide the base Transitway service, using D60LF and D40i buses, but many other routes use the Transitway at some point in their journey. This fact can create confusion, as novice riders may board a bus on the Transitway, only to discover it is turning off before their stop.
The stops themselves are either large transit terminals, or concrete structures build under overpasses. Downtown stops, where buses operate in mixed traffic, are often simple shelters. However, I found the stops to be poorly signed, and needed to count the stops from a landmark in order to find my way around. An automatic announcement system is being implemented, and this should help those not immediately familiar with their surroundings. The fare structure is simple, with adults, children and express riders using different quantities of a standard ticket. Though the cash fare is much higher than anywhere in the GTA, the price using tickets or monthly passes is a bargain. A 90-minute transfer is time-stamped and issued with each fare.
My exploring of the OC Transpo network began at Lees station, where Jennifer and I took the 95 Orleans to the Ottawa VIA Rail station. Though build in 1966, it is a federally protected heritage railway station - and I wanted to know why. As soon as I stepped inside, it came to us - it felt like an airport terminal. The 1960s was the waning years of passenger rail travel in Canada, and the Ottawa railway station was designed to give passengers the same feel as if they were flying to their destinations.
We took the 95 Barrhaven, doubled back, and headed downtown. Though usually congested, the downtown, mixed-traffic section was quiet on the holiday Monday, and we cruised through to Bayview station, where we got off to transfer to the O-Train, the pilot project for Ottawa's failed LRT plan. Built on inconveniently-placed but existing railway corridors, using barely-modified equipment from Germany, the O-Train seems out of place in the bus-based network, but it offers an experience not seen elsewhere in the city. The route travels from Greenboro, near the airport, to Bayview, just outside of downtown. The line uses Bombardier Talent DMUs - three-car diesel units designed for regional service in Germany. On the outside, they are sleek and stylish, while the inside features VIVA-style seas and not much else. Automated announcements keep track of the stops (all five of them), and interestingly enough, the doors are controlled by passenger on the inside and on the outside. There are three trains in the fleet, though only two are used to provide the 15 minute weekday service, and none are guaranteed to have women as beautiful as those pictured.
The route was through the forest, and unlike Toronto, we were not subjected to the sights of the back of factories. Aside from a bridge over the Rideau River, a tunnel under the canal, and a few level crossings of road and rail, the line was mostly trees and stations. The only sign of a city was passing through Carlton University. Though only a fifteen minute trip to Greenboro, it was relaxing. At the terminus, we boarded a 97 Bayshore for the trip back up to Lees. The longest stretch of Transitway proper we experienced, it was fast and felt fast, allowing us to enjoy the scenery.
It is doubtful that buses in reserved lanes on city streets can ever reach speeds that Transitway buses reach, but Ottawa's experience is clear. BRT is not a poor-man's rapid transit. It is a viable solution to the problems of gridlock that plague cities across the world, and I commend them for their foresight in constructing the network. Though Toronto is my home, I'm glad to know that there are other cities in Ontario where transit is just as fast and frequent.
So here's to our nation's capital - a city where friends, festivals, "Canada buses" and unforgettable memories (including the Bye-Bye Kid, Dionne turning heads, Parliament security, the "cat" colony, and Liz being Liz) come together to make something beautiful.
...and the fish-hat, which I regret not buying...
Labels: bus rapid transit, daily travels, light rail, urban exploration
Daily Travels Roundup
The TTC day-pass gives you a unlimited travel for a single person on weekdays, and for a family of two adults and up to four children, or a family of one adult and up to five children on weekends and holidays. It costs $8.50, so it saves money for anyone making more than four adult trips. Here's how I put it to good use:
- Subway from York Mills to Dundas to get a text book from my locker.
- Subway from Dundas to York Mills to put the text book in a safe place.
- Subway & 124 SUNNYBROOK bus from York Mills to Glendon College to meet up with some close friends.
- 124 SUNNYBROOK bus & subway from Glendon College to Osgoode to spend a night on the town.
- Subway from Osgoode to Museum station to get a late-night snack.
- A short walk from Bloor & Avenue to Yonge & Bloor, where I saw a short stretch of streetcar tracks coming to the surface under the worn pavement of the intersection with Bay Street. The mystery track was turning from westbound Bloor to northbound Bay, though streetcars haven't traveled along those streets since 1966 & 1963, respectively.
- Subway from Bloor-Yonge to York Mills to end the evening.
A few weeks later, I met some friends downtown, went east to Scarborough Centre in rush hour, then took the 131E NUGGET bus back to the subway. It's not as fast as the RT, but it's ideal for people who don't want to deal with the crowds.
Labels: daily travels, urban exploration
Landmarks
I'm not a fan of renaming landmarks when they are purchased by new owners. In particular, the building, to me, will always be the Skydome. I might have accepted "Rogers Skydome" or "Rogers field at the Skydome", but I cannot call this building the Rogers Centre.
It turns out, as this snapshot from a friend's party shows, some things cannot be completely erased.
Labels: urban design, urban exploration
Beautiful city
Often, it is at night when the true beauty of the city comes to light. Though we may complain of advertisements creeping deeper and deeper into public space, it does give Toronto a unique identity, and gives us comfort on an otherwise cold, dark night.
Finally, the building below looks like it belongs in Liberty Village, or the Portlands of our dreams. At first glance, it is an old industrial building, renovated and converted to a loft or mixed-use building.
Though it is not in a downtown area (it is actually in the Airport Corporate Centre, Mississauga), it is an example of a mixed-use structure that is architecturally attractive. It houses the Canadian Centre for Advanced Eye Therapeutics, Innovative Insulation, and a second medical facility. Perhaps the suburbs isn't filled with drab industrial buildings and houses as far as the eye can see?
Labels: urban design, urban exploration
Youtube for your enjoyment
For your enjoyment, here are some TTC-related episodes of two TV shows
Urban Insider, hosted by Jennifer Salazar."Taking you behind the scenes, Urban Insider gives you a rare glimpse at the operations of high profile Toronto events and organizations. Hosted by Jennifer Salazar, Urban Insider will give you a glimpse of Toronto you've never seen before." - Rogers Television
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
Things That Move, hosted by Jeff Douglas (the "I Am Canadian" guy).
"Everything from the birch-bark canoe to the electric car, from the first skate board to the hang glider, human innovation has been driven by our desire to move beyond the limitations of our body’s design.Our series is about how the mixture of starry-eyed inventors, technological innovation and historical confluence has lead to our traveling in ever more interesting ways. Each fast-paced episode focuses on a unique machine as we examine the struggles, triumphs and sometimes failures of its history. We delve into the inner workings of the machine itself and observe the effects if has had on our daily lives." - History Television
Part 1 -
Part 2 -
Part 3
Labels: streetcars, subways, ttc, urban exploration
Adeel, with his words that can be best described as prose, never fails to capture a snapshot of Toronto that inspires all who read his work.
Click here to read more.Labels: urban design, urban exploration
162 Lawrence - Donway: Useless route, or tourist attraction?
After class let out, I hopped on a northbound Yonge train and headed up to York Mills to catch a GO Bus back to Brampton. Running about an hour-and-a-half early, I decided to try my luck to ride a new route. I got off at Lawrence, and as luck was on my side, I was just in time to catch the 162 Lawrence - Donway bus.
162 Lawrence - Donway runs from Lawrence Station, and goes east on Lawrence, north on Bayview, east on Post Rd, south-east on Park Lane Cir, south on Glenourcy Rd, east on Suncrest Dr, north on The Bridle Path, east on Lawrence, and finally looping around Donway and returning.
This route should not exist. York University (Glendon) is on Bayview at Lawrence, but more frequent service is offered on the 124 Sunnybrook route. The central section of the route has no ridership at all - a point I will return to. The only real ridership comes east of Leslie, but other routes are already in place to cover those stretches. 54 Lawrence East is already there, and if a new branch of the 25 Don Mills were created to run on Donway, that section would be covered more effectively. Adding to all that, the route runs hourly, which makes it pretty much useless to anyone using it in a daily routine. I'm a big supporter of more public transit, but even I cannot think of a reason to justify this route's existance. Having said that, I am very happy it exists.
It's a generally accepted fact that Toronto, like all cities, has areas where working class families and people with low incomes tend to cluster. However, we often forget that Toronto has some areas where people with extremely high incomes tend to cluster. Rosedale and Forest Hill tend to come to mind, while the Kingsway, Lawrence Park and Bedford Park get honorable mentions. However, the Bridle Path tops them all. This neighborhood is where the rich of the rich reside. Sometimes called "Millionair's Row", this is where the big names like Conrad Black, Moses Znaimer and Price have homes (yes, THAT Prince).
The reason why this area has so many large houses is because of its exclusiveness. There are only two entraces to the neighborhood, and it's surrounded on three sides by ravines. Traffic is non-existant, resulting in a quiet, peaceful area. If you want to call this area home, be prepared to shell out the big bucks. One house for sale at 83 The Bridle Path (visible from the bus), is an 18,000 square foot home built to modernist, minimalist, contemporary and extravagence style. It has 6 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and has three destinct components: An entry "pavillion", a family "tower" and a public "wing" (I did not make that up - it's on the MLS website). Add an indoor basketball court and an indoor pool, and it can all be yours for $16 million. This is the most expensive house in the city.
While it is one of the most desirable areas of the city to live in, it's strictly residential. Save for a park and a school, there's no services nearby. With the bus running hourly, only between about 7 and 10, Monday to Friday, a car is necessary - a luxury car, to keep with the neighborhood status quo.
If you've got hundreds of millions burning a hole in your pocket, there are several houses in the area up for sale, many in the $10 million plus range. For the rest of us, the 162 will be our sneak peek on the lives of the rich and famous. It may not make any sense for this route to exist, but I'm sure glad it does.
Labels: daily travels, urban exploration
