Off Off Topic: Cool Toronto People's Thread

[serge 904]

Did Ford do worst than Pamela Wallin, Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau?

 

I personally don't think so. Unless there is still things we don't know.

 

If he got drunk and got high sure it's bad. But essentially stealing taxpayer money is worse IMO

 

Remember the Dash Domi scandal?

 

Worse IMO

 

[FCP Bob 1,312]

I personally don't think so. Unless there is still things we don't know.

 

If he got drunk and got high sure it's bad. But essentially stealing taxpayer money is worse IMO

 

Remember the Dash Domi scandal?

 

Worse IMO

 

Would it be worse if he asked his drug dealer friend to find the video and in the process of trying to find that video some people got beat up and threatened ?

 

Also just exposing yourself to the possibility of criminals being able to black mail you as the mayor is a huge potential problem.

[mrdannyg 274]

The "political" thing to do is often not the right thing. As a soon to be expert in the field of transportation planning (one day!), I think it's egregious that they basically just disregard basic facts to appease what happens to be Ford's primary voting base. I hate the politics of it all.

 

Ford has done a wonderful job of convincing those in the inner suburbs that the downtown relief line, as it is so unfortunately called, will be just for downtowners, and not help anyone in the inner suburbs out. It's a complete fabrication. A DRL would service, basically exclusively, the commuters coming into the core. Those who already live downtown don't need more subways, they have bikes, and walkable neighbourhoods. The subway is, in it's current configuration and usage, first and foremost, a commuter system. It's crushed during peak hours, especially at the transfer points.

 

Furthermore, he's done a great job of hiding all the facts about LRTs. People who aren't keenly aware of the intricacies apparently are only listing to Ford and co., not the experts in the field. Sure, a transfer sucks, but it won't add 30 minutes to commute time. The current alignment, the SRT, as I understand, probably does suck, but the proposed LRT would have included a significantly easier transfer. People transfer modes all the time. People transfer to buses from subways. It's a fact of commuting. Spending billions of extra dollars for a subway there, when demand barely even warrants an LRT system is a complete waste. Not to mention that they'd be decreasing the number of stops from the already existing SRT, and serving a smaller number of people than the proposed LRT.

 

The numbers don't lie, but Ford finds a way to bias his supporters against them by dividing up the downtown and the suburbs. They feel neglected because they don't have a subway in their suburb? It's ****ing madness. Suburbs don't get subways. What cities do you see that? There are very clear guidelines for densities that can sustainably support subways, Scarborough isn't, and doesn't project to be close for many, many decades. Furthermore, there have been studies that show that most of the transportation movement by Scarberians (?) is actually to other places within Scarborough, making the subway option even more awful, with just 2 or 3 stops, or whatever it was.

 

 

 

Yeah, figured that would be the case.

 

It's pretty embarrassing to have a mayor who admitted to smoking crack while in office. Remember Marion Barry?

 

Are people already forgetting the Sheppard subway? Holy cow, that thing took FOREVER to get built, was an absolute disaster on traffic for anyone east of Yonge St and north of Lawrence, and no one used it. I actually did use it occasionally - on the weekends, but still...it wasn't unusual for me not to see a single person on my car, getting on or getting off. Zach is right about population density - sure Scarborough is a lower-income immigrant neighbourhood now, but it won't always be. Toronto is full of middle-income neighbourhoods that used to be low-income, immigrant-heavy ones. A downtown relief line will be full at all busy times. A Scarborough line will be empty most of the time and be underserved at the best of times, and that's only after creating unbearable traffic situations for years while it is being built.

[Babying 613]

I personally don't think so. Unless there is still things we don't know.

 

If he got drunk and got high sure it's bad. But essentially stealing taxpayer money is worse IMO

 

Remember the Dash Domi scandal?

 

Worse IMO

That Dash Domi scandal was brutal. I think he got away with everything.

[Babying 613]

Are people already forgetting the Sheppard subway? Holy cow, that thing took FOREVER to get built, was an absolute disaster on traffic for anyone east of Yonge St and north of Lawrence, and no one used it. I actually did use it occasionally - on the weekends, but still...it wasn't unusual for me not to see a single person on my car, getting on or getting off. Zach is right about population density - sure Scarborough is a lower-income immigrant neighbourhood now, but it won't always be. Toronto is full of middle-income neighbourhoods that used to be low-income, immigrant-heavy ones. A downtown relief line will be full at all busy times. A Scarborough line will be empty most of the time and be underserved at the best of times, and that's only after creating unbearable traffic situations for years while it is being built.

Traffic is unbearable all frickin day. I personally don't know how people do it sitting in traffic all day. I think building more subways is the way to go but let's leave this to the planning student.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Traffic is unbearable all frickin day. I personally don't know how people do it sitting in traffic all day. I think building more subways is the way to go but let's leave this to the planning student.

 

building LRT's will make traffic unbearable not subways in Scarborough.

 

Danny's information on Toronto is sometimes out of date. Sheppard is still a bit of a rump of a line but ridership is increasing pretty dramatically with all of the increased condos being built all along it's length. the biggest reason that ridership hasn't reached projections is that there isn't the industry and employment in that area that they thought would be.

[Babying 613]

I personally don't think so. Unless there is still things we don't know.

 

If he got drunk and got high sure it's bad. But essentially stealing taxpayer money is worse IMO

 

Remember the Dash Domi scandal?

 

Worse IMO

I remember I was talking to a client (older single lady who thinks she looks young - she does not). This client is a currency trader and does quite well for herself. We were talking about something and Tom Jacobek came up. I went on about how he scammed and it cost him his very cushy job at a local hospital. All that for $25k. She than said to me that Jacobek is a very good friend of her. Now if any of you guys want a sugar momma I got one for you. Lives alone in her condo right by the Beach. Maybe Sev?

[FCP Bob 1,312]

http://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Operating_Statistics/2011.jsp

 

Busiest subway stations in Toronto in 2011

 

Busiest Stations

(Estimated passenger trips to and from trains daily)

 

Bloor (Yonge-University-Spadina): 212,600

Yonge (Bloor-Danforth): 203,600

St George (Bloor-Danforth): 138,800

St George (Yonge-University-Spadina): 128,000

Union: 102,500

Finch: 101,900

Eglinton: 79,700

Sheppard-Yonge (Yonge-University-Spadina): 75,200

Dundas: 67,600

Kennedy (Bloor-Danforth): 66,200

[mrdannyg 274]

building LRT's will make traffic unbearable not subways in Scarborough.

 

Danny's information on Toronto is sometimes out of date. Sheppard is still a bit of a rump of a line but ridership is increasing pretty dramatically with all of the increased condos being built all along it's length. the biggest reason that ridership hasn't reached projections is that there isn't the industry and employment in that area that they thought would be.

 

Seems like there's no reason Scarborough wouldn't suffer a similar fate, given that I would guess that the population density would actually be less, and the school/hospital system would lend itself less to additional density than the Sheppard area.

 

You're right that my information on Sheppard is (very) old, though they started building that subway nearly 20 years ago. I know subway is a long-term investment, but if it is only now starting to get ridership up, it is a very expensive failure.

[Babying 613]

http://www.ttc.ca/Ab...istics/2011.jsp

 

Busiest subway stations in Toronto in 2011

 

Busiest Stations

(Estimated passenger trips to and from trains daily)

 

Bloor (Yonge-University-Spadina): 212,600

Yonge (Bloor-Danforth): 203,600

St George (Bloor-Danforth): 138,800

St George (Yonge-University-Spadina): 128,000

Union: 102,500

Finch: 101,900

Eglinton: 79,700

Sheppard-Yonge (Yonge-University-Spadina): 75,200

Dundas: 67,600

Kennedy (Bloor-Danforth): 66,200

Nice stats. I remember taking the subway back in my working days. Getting off at Bloor and taking the train to Union was sardine like. If there was a delay it was unbearable. No way you can squeeze anymore people into the trains.

[digitalmonkey 929]

 

 

Would it be worse if he asked his drug dealer friend to find the video and in the process of trying to find that video some people got beat up and threatened ?

 

Also just exposing yourself to the possibility of criminals being able to black mail you as the mayor is a huge potential problem.

 

As opposed to the suited criminals.

[Zach6668 513]

Would it be worse if he asked his drug dealer friend to find the video and in the process of trying to find that video some people got beat up and threatened ?

 

Also just exposing yourself to the possibility of criminals being able to black mail you as the mayor is a huge potential problem.

 

Didn't one of Ford's friends die because of this?

 

Are people already forgetting the Sheppard subway? Holy cow, that thing took FOREVER to get built, was an absolute disaster on traffic for anyone east of Yonge St and north of Lawrence, and no one used it. I actually did use it occasionally - on the weekends, but still...it wasn't unusual for me not to see a single person on my car, getting on or getting off. Zach is right about population density - sure Scarborough is a lower-income immigrant neighbourhood now, but it won't always be. Toronto is full of middle-income neighbourhoods that used to be low-income, immigrant-heavy ones. A downtown relief line will be full at all busy times. A Scarborough line will be empty most of the time and be underserved at the best of times, and that's only after creating unbearable traffic situations for years while it is being built.

 

Yeah, I don't know the entire history of it, but the Sheppard stubway was/is considered a disaster amongst pretty much every transit planner/expert I've heard from.

 

Traffic is unbearable all frickin day. I personally don't know how people do it sitting in traffic all day. I think building more subways is the way to go but let's leave this to the planning student.

 

Of course building subways is great, but they're orders of magnitude more expensive than the other options, in decreasing order of speed, cost, and capacity, LRT underground, LRT at grade, Bus Rapid Transit in dedicated roads, BRT in dedicated lanes.

 

building LRT's will make traffic unbearable not subways in Scarborough.

 

Danny's information on Toronto is sometimes out of date. Sheppard is still a bit of a rump of a line but ridership is increasing pretty dramatically with all of the increased condos being built all along it's length. the biggest reason that ridership hasn't reached projections is that there isn't the industry and employment in that area that they thought would be.

 

Plus the Sheppard stubway goes nowhere and connects to nothing.

 

http://www.ttc.ca/Ab...istics/2011.jsp

 

Busiest subway stations in Toronto in 2011

 

Busiest Stations

(Estimated passenger trips to and from trains daily)

 

Bloor (Yonge-University-Spadina): 212,600

Yonge (Bloor-Danforth): 203,600

St George (Bloor-Danforth): 138,800

St George (Yonge-University-Spadina): 128,000

Union: 102,500

Finch: 101,900

Eglinton: 79,700

Sheppard-Yonge (Yonge-University-Spadina): 75,200

Dundas: 67,600

Kennedy (Bloor-Danforth): 66,200

 

Are you making a case that the DRL should be built before the Scarborough subway here? The busiest stations are on the YUS line, and include the northern terminus at Finch, as well as where those from the stubway connect at Sheppard-Yonge. Additionally, Eglinton station, which is connected to the bus route with the highest ridership in the entire city (32 Eglinton West), another huge feeder to the YUS line. Hell, a non-transfer station downtown has higher daily ridership than the Bloor-Yonge terminus, Kennedy. I'd expect a slight bump in the ridership, since people do tend to perceive the lack of having to transfer as a larger benefit than it probably is, but it's still nowhere near in need of a subway.

 

The DRL is needed so much more than a Scarborough subway, it's not even funny. Obviously a replacement does need to be found for the SRT, but spending outrageously when there's nowhere near the required projected ridership, and there are other alternatives available, is ridiculous. Address the most pressing needs first.

 

Nice stats. I remember taking the subway back in my working days. Getting off at Bloor and taking the train to Union was sardine like. If there was a delay it was unbearable. No way you can squeeze anymore people into the trains.

 

Yeah, it's not pretty. It's pretty tight in there from like 3:30 to 6:30, and quite packed pretty much all other times of the day, specifically below Bloor-Yonge.

 

My commute times vary quite a bit, so I see a pretty good range of times when the subway is at different capacities.

 

> Mondays, I have to downtown at 3, so I should theoretically see small demand, and usually I can find a seat. Coming back at 6, it's still packed from rush hour(s) From Dundas to Bloor, then a lot of people tend to empty out at Bloor. Not as many people transfer from Bloor to Yonge on the way home.

 

> Tuesdays, I have to be at school at 8 am, so I see the start of morning rush. The train is full when it gets to Eglinton. My guess is that it's probably full by the time it gets to Sheppard-Yonge, the rest of the stations in between are pretty soft, as are the stations between Eglinton and Bloor. Coming home at 4, I see start of rush hour, and it's awful.

 

> Wednesdays, I have to be downtown for Noon, and it's usually pretty full, but not sardine-esque. I rarely get a seat, not that I try particularly hard. Coming home at 9 or later, it's usually pretty soft, but still not always able to get a seat on my own.

 

Thursday and Friday are irrelevant.

 

They are in the process of updating and upgrading the signal system, which will allow them to run trains every 70 seconds or so, maybe 90, I forget, but given the 2-3 minute headways now, that will be about a 25-50% improvement in capacity, assuming boarding goes smoothly. That will help a lot.

 

However, you hear a lot about induced demand for roads. I think the same would be true of subways in Toronto. I think if we were to magically double the capacity of the YUS subway, it probably wouldn't take long before it's at capacity again.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

I wasn't really trying to show anything with the stats Zach, but they do show that the Eastern end of the subway at Kennedy is busier than the Western end and far busier than the Spadina subway which is being extended. The extension of the subway to Scarborough Center is going to have greater ridership than the extension of the Spadina subway into Vaughan.

 

You're still a bit of a utopian which is normal for students and new to Toronto. Sure a large line like the proposed Don Mills one is something that is needed but Scarborough has been totally neglected with no new transit for 30 years while it's been growing. Spending less and putting in LRT over the same right of way as the current SRT isn't going to make the needed relief for downtown any more likely.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Didn't one of Ford's friends die because of this?

 

 

One of the Somalis in a picture with Ford was murdered but that happens quite a bit to drug dealers. The murder had no connection to Ford in any way that I'm aware of.

[serge 904]

This is for real. Jose Canseco is going to run for mayor of Toronto.

 

Few things, laws have to change but it would be fun:

 

http://yeswecanse.co/

 

- will bring In N out burger to Toronto

- no meeting allowed to go longer than 25 minutes

- Jarvis bike path opened for Zach and his downtown people

 

 

#yeswecanseco

[digitalmonkey 929]

What are the requirements to run for mayor?

[Babying 613]

What are the requirements to run for mayor?

I think you have to put down like a $100 fee. I was going to bet a buddy when I was younger who would get more votes.

[mrdannyg 274]

If Jose can get some Shake Shack's around town, he'd have my vote (note: I don't have a vote)

[FCP Bob 1,312]

I think you have to put down like a $100 fee. I was going to bet a buddy when I was younger who would get more votes.

 

There are usually dozens of people on the ballot.

 

One election where Lastman was going to win huge I voted for Enza the cross dressing super model. The only reason I voted at all that election was for my local councillor since I wanted to vote against the idiot who had won the last time.

[Zach6668 513]

Scarborough has been ignored for 30 years with no new transit?

 

You mean like downtown? How they haven't had new transit for like 50 years and are actually over capacity and actually using transit? Lol

[serge 904]

Scarborough has been ignored for 30 years with no new transit?

 

You mean like downtown? How they haven't had new transit for like 50 years and are actually over capacity and actually using transit? Lol

 

You can use bikes downtown as you propose, people in Scarborough need a subway , better transportation since you dont want us to bring our cars south of Eglinton.

[mrdannyg 274]

This is one of my favourite things ever written. Sure it is biased and contains some unreferenced sources, but the body of work is just incredible. We were reading this at work and just killing ourselves laughing - the guy is a cartoon character.

 

113 things Rob Ford has done on video

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Scarborough has been ignored for 30 years with no new transit?

 

You mean like downtown? How they haven't had new transit for like 50 years and are actually over capacity and actually using transit? Lol

 

A far higher percentage of people in Scarborough use transit out of economic necessity than people who live downtown. For people who actually live downtown they already have excellent transit options that while over capacity at times are still available. That is not the case for many in Scarborough.

 

I think it will help you understand things better if you take me up on my offer to show you a bit of my neighbourhood.

 

Smug financially better off downtown people laughing at the inner suburbs is exactly why alienated suburban voters went for Ford last time ahead of Smitherman. You retweeted an article from Huffpo last night that was horribly wrong in so many ways. The guy was all over the map with contradictions about why people voted for Ford. Oh they are right wing racists except for the majority of people in Scarborough who aren't white who voted the same way as the racists because Smitherman is Gay.

 

Smitherman lost because he had a horrible track record as a provincial cabinet minister and he has a reputation as a difficult *******.

 

While Ford has proven to be horribly flawed and not up to the overall job of being Mayor the feelings that elected him haven't gone away.

 

Pretty good article written for Americans that helps to explain why Ford was elected.

 

The Almost-Good Reasons Toronto Elected Rob Ford

 

 

 

In an e-mail, Ontario-based conservative political consultant Jim Ross explained the rise of Ford this way:

 

From 2003 to 2010 Toronto was governed by a green-left former councillor named David Miller, and a lot of his initiatives were perceived by suburban Torontonians as favouring downtown over suburbs, and specifically favouring bikes over cars. There was also a well justified perception of wasteful spending and personal overindulgence by downtown councillors, a very expensive retirement party for one of them was often cited. Rob Ford was elected as a reaction by the suburbs against what was perceived as a city hall hostile to their lifestyles and careless with their tax dollars.

 

 

Christopher Bird of Torontoist agrees:

 

For all his faults, Rob Ford actually is really good at representative service. If you phoned Rob Ford and said "I'm in your ward and I have this problem" he would literally come to your front door and try to help you out with whatever city services were available. One of the major problems with his mayoralty is that he thinks that is still basically his job. His first week as mayor, he tried to replace the city's 311 line (the "call the city to report a problem" line) with a personal phone line to him. If you call that personal phone line and say you have a problem, he WILL call you back.

[serge 904]

There is some reports that they would bring the Sheppard subway all the way to Meadowvale...This is right at the end of Scarborough and where the zoo is.

 

This is also basically 5 minutes from my house and close to where I live.

 

This would be an amazing addition to the people of Scarborugh and the East.

 

Currently the only option I have is the GO train. Which is great if you are going to a Leafs game, or anything around Union station and the CNE grounds.

 

But the subway expanding would be a great addition for a lot of people.

 

Do we have numbers on how many people actually live downtown and what percent of the workforce commutes from the suburbs?

[Zach6668 513]

Yeah, they're somewhere.

 

I'm all for subways, build them everywhere, but we don't have unlimited money.

 

A subway to the zoo. Lmao.