So, here we are - less than 2 months from the election - when the real campaign starts. It's still pretty crazy to me that this will have gone on for almost 11 months - and I hope that the next time around, changes are made. We've seen that much of what is said in the first 6 months is taken with a grain of salt, as well as the polls that we see - and it's almost a waste for any candidate to spend any significant time - when most voters don't make up their minds before the end of summer.

But, we've made it - and we're down to the 'big three' that we thought we would see. I'm still a little surprised that Karen Stintz backed out before Sarah Thompson or Soknacki - but they'll follow suit soon I'm sure - there's only so much money you're willing to spend on a losing platform.

The 'big three' - Rob Ford, Olivia Chow, and John Tory

Over the next month - I'm going to compare some of the biggest issues that the candidates are campaigning on (for just cause) - and surprise, surprise - I'm starting with transit.

We've heard their speeches, their lobbying, and their reasoning - but how different do these three plans look, how bold are they, and how realistic a shot in hell do they have of happening? Well - I'll try to impartially tell you.

Olivia Chow: Stintz 2.0...Cheap and Easy

Olivia Chow's Full Transit Plan

Olivia Chow's plan looks great - and I really like that she's put some emphasis on buses. Buses are the least 'sexy' part of any transit system, but they are the most versatile, and absolutely vital for a successful system. They are a low risk, high reward way to get people moving in areas that they might not be (or might not be moving well enough).

The highlights:

• Downtown Relief Subway Line
• Light Rail on Finch and Sheppard East
• Electrification of GO Lines
• Revert Scarborough Subway to Light Rail

Cost:

$15 million on buses + $3.2 billion on DRL + $0 on LRT Lines & GO Electrification (Dependant on provincial and federal dollars)

Where will it go?

I feel as though Chow's team has stretched themselves a mile wide, but only an inch deep. There is no way that Toronto will make decisions, let alone move forward on more than a couple of new transit projects during her potential term as mayor. She wants to get shovels in the ground now, but the debates around GO electrification, a DRL are challenges themselves - yet she wants to reverse council's recent decision on the Scarborough subway. Like I've mentioned, I might not like the decision - but it's made, so I think it's best to move forward. I think that this plan is for dreamers, not builders, and there's no way all of the pretty yellow and green get built. My guess is that if Chow gets elected, she'll get unanimous support on the increased bus funding (and it will make a difference), and the go ahead for the DRL; but she'll likely fail to get any traction on the GO electrification (since she'd have to work closely with the Liberal government).

Status if elected: Partially completed (Downtown Relief Line)

John Tory: Get on the GO



John Tory has the least ambitious of the three candidates, in the sense that he proposes only one new line, but suggests that it solves many of the issues that other plans try to address with multiple lines. Tory suggests that electrification of the GO lines is the most obvious, and realistic way to build transit, and I can't disagree, having suggested something similar myself a couple years back.

The highlights:

• Electrification of GO Lines
• Connection with Bloor/Danforth in East & West to create relief on current system
• Support for Scarborough Subway

Cost:

$2.5 billion + future property tax revenue

Where will it go?

Tory took a bold (and what some consider boring) approach to transit, in utilizing an already existing rail corridor for transit. He piggybacked on the Ontario Liberal government's plan to electrify the GO rail line, to build a London Overground type of service to compliment the subway system. If aligned properly, the plan does address the relief that the Yonge and Bloor lines need, as well as reaching some of the Northern, transit-starved parts of Etobicoke and Scarborough. Tory's plan looks the most practical on paper, but in order to get it done, he'll need to win over the support of Metrolinx stakeholders who see this idea as a pipe dream. Add to that, he'll need to convince people that this system will actually run through corridors that actually need transit - as GO tracks typically run outside of dense areas. Ultimately, it's high-risk, high-reward - Tory's put all of his eggs in this basket, and even if his funding plan is rock solid, he's still dependant on the Province.

Status if elected: Completed

Rob Ford: $5 Footlong...wrong subway



Rob Ford's plan is not surprising in how it looks, and what it proposes: "subways, subways, subways". He suggests that we kill any light rail that we can, and bury it all underground. I actually like the way his plan looks, and it ties the city together more than any of the other plans, in the least obtrusive way. Nobody argues against the performance and convenience of subways - but how do the costs look, and is this even possible?

The highlights:

• Downtown Relief Subway Line
• Revert Finch and Sheppard East LRT to Subways
• Bury Eastern Portion of Eglinton Crosstown
• Support for Scarborough Subway
• Future ideas for Toronto Council in 2435 ( ••••••• )

Cost:

$9 billion (Ford camp estimates) / $12 billion + (Council approved panel estimates) 

Where will it go?

So - what's the likelihood of seeing this plan unfold, should RoFo make his way back into the mayor's chair? Well, the Scarborough Subway is a done deal, the DRL will no doubt get support (these aren't unique to Ford), but his other more 'bold' ideas of changing all light rail to subways will never make the cut - in fact they've already been voted down in the past. That, coupled with the fact that he does not have any new ideas on how to fund these bohemith projects, means they're dead before they begin.

Status if elected: Partially completed (Scarborough subway)

-----------------------------

In the end - these are all bold ideas - Hell, any major addition should be considered bold - but what people seem to forget about whoever it is that we elect mayor, is that they do not have any power alone to get these projects built. Whoever you vote for on October 25th - make sure that it's the person whom you think will be able to bring council together to make decisions that are best for Toronto - because that's what a mayor should be.

I read a tagline for a book recently (fittingly on the subway) that said "a real leader lays the tracks, and lets others drive the train" - so let's hope our next mayor can do that.

Last year, I openly wrote about my support for a Wal-Mart in the downtown core - well - close enough to downtown (article here) at Bathurst and Nassau. People were up in arms about something so big infringing on the beloved Kensington market, and while I understand their arguments, I didn't (and still don't) think that the market has anything to worry about.

That fight is over - or more like on hold, for now. This year, it's less of a fight, and more of a statement: Loblaws is coming to Kensington Market (anchoring the retail space in a condo development at Spadina/College).

Once again, the same people are up in arms about a big chain store coming in and possibly wiping out the market. People - hear me out - Kensington is safe, it will always be safe, and not even Loblaws wants to steal its business. I'm going to give you three reasons why you maybe don't have to get BEHIND the plan, but you can move out of its way.

1. Kensington Market is what makes the area attractive financially, commercially, and aesthetically. If Kensington was no more, the area wouldn't have the same charm - and the value of the condos, and the retails space wouldn't be as attractive. You better believe that the residents, and those who own the project will do everything in their power to preserve this. Now, I know what you're thinking - it's inevitable - even if people want to save it, a grocery store like Loblaws will take out the business of the produce, meat, and cheese shops in the area, but wait...

2. St. Lawrence Market is alive and well despite four, that's right FOUR major grocery chains within 700 metres or less (three of them closer than 500 metres). If you've been to St. Lawrence, you've no doubt walked by these stores, without batting an eyelash. You know that they're completely separate entities, and you're going to get a completely different experience, and product, and that's if you live in the city. If you don't, and you're travelling in - well - you're not coming into the busiest city in the country to visit No Frills, that's for sure. But, this is different kind of market right? Does this even apply to Kensington? Yes, because...

St. Lawrence Market (red circle) and its surrounding grocery stores and their distances

3. Kensington Market already has a Loblaws within walking distance to it, and it has for the last few years. The current Loblaws at Queen and Portland  is a short 900 M walk away, and there are two other chains within about a 1.5 KM radius (a little further walk, but both accessible by short streetcar ride). So, everyone is worrying how Loblaws will affect the market, when, in all reality it's already happened, and we already have the answer, and it's "not at all".

Kensington Market (green circle) and some of the closer grocery stores

I get the worry, I get the protective nature of Torontonians, and the pride we have in some of the cities great places (like Kensington), but sometimes I feel like people get their backs up to easily when it comes to change. Change is good, change means growth, and if we expect to have the money to maintain heritage sites like the markets, and the pride in these places we have today, in the distant future, we have to start learning to choose our battles.

People think life will change when you're married, people say you will be stressed, and most say that you better be ready...I say, what's the big deal?

I didn't really announce it (it was during the time that we do not speak of - the condo delay), but Michelle and I got engaged last October, and have been planning ever since for our big day on November 1st of this year.

The moment captured by a friend

Is there stress? Sometimes, when we realize that we'll have to work to get what we want on our relatively modest (yet healthy) budget; but for the most part - we've kept our cool, and are way ahead of where most probably say we should be (or at least the guy at Moores thought we were)

"You're asking your groomsmen now? A little early no?"

I should have went with Tuxedo Royale. Anyway - Michelle and I have talked many times about what life will be like when we're married, and the answer that keeps coming up, is....well...nothing!

Maybe it's because by that point, we'll have over two years of living together, and a joint condo purchase under our belt, but for the life of me, I cannot think of anything (aside from a few grams of gold on my finger) that will feel different.

The reality is - in a day and age where most young people don't feel the pressure to be married before living together, or even having children - getting married probably makes less and less financial sense. That being said though - I'll admit it - I'M the one in our relationship that wants the big wedding (well, I use big lightly, we'll only have about 80 guests), I'm the one who is a sucker for tradition. However, I'm also the one that said I was willing to do whatever I had to, to keep our wedding under budget - and so far, so good.

The only thing I believe more in than having a wedding, is not going into crazy debt for one, so the task over the next 9 or so months, will be all about finding the elegance without the price tag.

It's hard to find help out there for people like us - there are a lot of people out there who give tips on cheap weddings, but so many of them cut out things we're not willing to (h'ors d'oeuvres, open bar, wedding cake, etc.) - we want to stay modest, not have a backyard barbecue (no offence to those who have, it's just not for us). So far, we're succeeding - and the key has been knowing where it's important to splurge a little. The venue was important to us (I won't announce where - the selection of that will be its own post), the food is important to everyone, but neither of us care about videography - so its a place we can save costs.

Listen, I don't want to sound like a cheapskate - Michelle and I are in in a fortunate enough place in our lives that we could afford to have a more lavish wedding, but whether it's all the Gail Vaz Oxlade shows we watch, the fact that we own both Wealthy Barber books, or just inherent value of money that we both have from the ways we were raised (very different, but the same in the end), we both see the happiest marriage as the one where our mortgage is paid off just a few years earlier, because we opted not to go with the lace envelopes.

Christmas in our new place

I know, it's been a while...but you can't blame me...between finally moving into the condo on December 6th, and nearly 4 weeks without internet, there just hasn't been the time or motivation to get back on the horse here.

That being said, it's been a whirlwind...

We're finally in the home that we own, and despite a few hiccups, constant construction, and still non-operational elevators, we're happy, and settled.

There will be tons to come, and tons more to catch up on - but for those who haven't seen it, I'm just going to post some of the many photos we've taken along the way, only a few, and none of us being fully set up...

more to come...

The day we moved in...if you've moved...you know the
chaos

The storage lockers...probably the only time they'll ever be
ALL empty

The unit right next to us - 302. completely unfinished,
thanks to the issues with the elevators (this unit is
where the construction hoist elevator is)

Our laundry room.

As we move closer and closer to the date that we're (finally) living in our Toronto condo - I've been thinking more and more about how those two words are often perceived, and discussed. "Toronto" and "Condo", are the two words I'm talking about, and although what I'm about to present includes Toronto houses as well as most other types of property, it is especially true for condos.

Let me paint you a picture....in two different areas of the GTA, two men (completely unrelated) bump into respective old friends from high school - and start catching up on their lives when they start talking about the property they recently bought...

Man #1: I just bought a place out in Pickering.
Friend: That's great - I hear it's really up and coming out there, how much did you pay?
Man #1: Just over $300,000, and it's got a huge backyard, and a 2 car garage.
Friend: Sounds pretty sweet.

and then there's the other guy....

Man #2: I just bought a condo downtown Toronto at John & Richmond
Friend: Sounds awesome - how many square feet?
Man #2: Just under 1,000 - not including the balcony.
Friend: Sounds pretty good for the area, how much?
Man #2: Three trillion dollars (Okay - that's a joke, but sometimes feels like the truth)

If you're either of these people - you've been in one of these situations - and know that it's the truth. People in Toronto are defined by their square footage, and people in the suburbs are defined by their price. I know how much most of my friends, and family paid for their homes in the suburbs - but know less about the size than I do about what colour underwear they're all wearing today. The opposite is also true - I know how big a lot of people's condos are - but never asked how much they paid. 

It's a strange, strange characteristic of the real estate markets in urban vs. suburban areas - one that's really clouded people (including myself at times) into not really understanding your options. 

When Michelle and I think about moving up from the condo to a house (which will no doubt be sooner and sooner, the longer this delay lasts), in my head I always assumed it would be this huge upgrade in space and size. After all, the condo is only about 700 square feet plus balcony (I'm more like man #2 I guess). However, after putting two and two together, I created a bit of a square footage calculator to see just how big some of the listings on the MLS site were, in comparison.

No, I really did - that wasn't a figure of speech. This little spreadsheet opened
our eyes.

It was a shock then, to see some of the houses we looked at, were only a couple hundred square feet bigger (some of them even less), than the condo! There were concessions made in the hallways, and bathrooms - and yes, sometimes this didn't include the unfinished basement, but unless it's usable space it didn't matter. It didn't put me off of moving into one of these houses someday, but did start (recently) to make me realize that moving into a bigger condo is also a very viable option. 

Like most, people think that condo = smaller, it is just what we've been engrained with, but I'm here to tell you that it's not always the case. 

Consider this house:

3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, no garage (more info here) - in a comparable area to where we live currently in the condo, and where we might look for houses when the time comes. Based on the sizes of all the rooms - the square footage is a whopping 607 square feet. Add to that some hallways, and closets, and call it closer to 800. Didn't expect that did you? 

If you go out to the suburbs, you'll probably get a little more (depending on the area), which makes sense, since land comes at more of a premium in Toronto, but probably still not as much as you'd think.

Here's Man #1's home in Pickering:

A beautiful house (3 beds, 2 baths, garage) - with a finished rec room in the basement. Square footage? Around 1100 including hallways and closets. 

This is more than enough space for a family, and it really depends on the layout of the home to know if this space would work for you - but it really is important to define property by its size and price, rather than one or the other, depending on location. The damper put on people who live in 1,000 square foot condos by their house-dwelling counterparts can be a bit unfair, it seems.

Now, I'm not down on houses - I want a house - always have - and this doesn't change that - but that's for different reasons. I want to be able to landscape my property, I want to have a front porch, and so on, and so on. That might not be the most important to some of you though, and in that case, I do urge you to consider your options when you're looking to "upsize" - because the word "house" doesn't always guarantee it.

A quick living situation update: still no official word, but we've been told that our pre-delivery inspection is going to be November 2nd, and we'll move in a week later on the 9th. Cross your fingers for us.

Moving on...

We moved (temporarily) back to the suburbs knowing full well that not having cars there, would be a challenge. Living in the 'burbs was easy a couple years ago - because Michelle and I both had our own cars, and could come and go as we pleased (we also had our own rooms, with all our own stuff, but that's been covered, and beaten to death), but now - we were literally, and figuratively, trapped.

We gave it a go for the first month - not knowing how long the delay would last - commuting all week via miWay, YRT/Viva, and the TTC - and then on weekends, using the GO system, and a combination of all of the above to get around and enjoy ourselves - but it was harder than we anticipated. We needed cars...

So - we looked into renting, until the delay was over...

...and we came close - after checking prices with every company we could find, from the big guys, to the guy renting out older, used cars out of his mom's garage, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to spend the money.

We looked at monthly rentals - but it was going to cost us around $1,000 for the month, and that didn't include the gas we'd use! Sure - we were getting paid by our condo builder, but was this the best use of the money? We decided that it wasn't, and went for a bit of a compromise.

We'd already resigned ourselves to commuting to and from work in the suburbs, so we continued on that path, and decided to just rent cars on weekends - and went from there. We again visited the top rental guys above, thinking that for longer term rentals, they'd be best, but we found that it just didn't work for us for a lot of reasons: you had to pick up the car on their terms, during their hours, which meant usually returning the car on Monday instead of Sunday (an extra day of rental), insurance always doubled the price of the rental (fair but crappy), and KM were almost never included. We did find some better deals through work, and friends, but still came with the inconvenience of getting to the place.

Then it hit us - why change something that's worked so well for us in Toronto so far - car sharing (specifically Zipcar and Car2Go, of which we are both members). We did the calculations on both, and figured that in terms of weekend rentals, Car2Go is the cheapest option ($72.99 per day, including gas, insurance, and 200 KM). The rental price is probably a little more than you'd spend to rent a car from Thrifty or Discount, but even if you don't consider the gas (which SHOULD be a huge deciding factor), the convenience of being able to pick up a car in any downtown Green P lot with the tap of a card (and no paperwork!), was the real kicker.

Since then, we haven't looked back - we've had a Car2Go nearly every weekend for the past month - and it's been great. We can head downtown for the day and not worry about parking (they park free in most municipal lots), and drive to and from our parents' without worrying about the gas. At the end of the weekend, even if it's 10 PM on Sunday, we drop off the car, end our rental, and say goodbye, wherever it's convenient for us.

So - although I don't need to sit here and review your options when it comes to car sharing (I did that here, last year, when we signed up for Zipcar) - I do urge you think about the intangibles (convenience, gas, etc.) the next time you, or someone you know, needs a way to get around the city. Car sharing might be a better option for you. **Note - you do need to sign up for a membership in advance for Car2Go, but memberships are a one-time fee, and are often waived if you find their booth at festivals and events. More information can be found here**

Being off work sick has its perks, like being able to write a blog post, but the negatives are that my ears, nose, and throat are all stuffed up, and a sneeze might cause a few typos here and there (bear with me).

While the city of Toronto wastes more of everyone's time deciding the fate of the Scarborough ____________ (insert, RT, subway, or LRT here, depending on the decision), the TTC has been making some strides in other areas - ones that we will see a lot sooner, and that I am personally excited about.

First off, in light of last night's robbery at Chester station, the commission's plans for all-automated fare collection has been brought to the forefront again. It's a no-brainer move for this to move forward, Metropasses, weekly passes, and tokens, are all sold at automated machines - not to mention the ongoing introduction of Presto to the system. Sometimes there's a line-up at the collector, and I wonder why?

The current Metropass kiosks. They look great, they work
great - they just need extended abilities.

Who's still using the booth to buy stuff?!!? It's like going to the bank - who still goes to a teller to take out money?

Those that are concerned with having someone to ask questions to, etc., I'm not suggesting we take the employees completely away from the stations, but have them there as an information desk, rather than a toll collector. Think of it like the self-serve cashes at big box stores - there's still an employee to answer any questions, etc, but they have no cash, and no access to the cash, so no reason to rob them.

Michelle and I visited NYC in 2012 - and had no problem hopping on the subway within minutes of being in the city, using only a map, and one of the self-serve ticket machines - I know, I know, Toronto isn't New York - but even more reason why our 'simple' system coule be more automated, and easy to use.

Now, don't take this as me preaching for self-serve TTC kiosks, it's happening - I'm just preparing you for it.

The other piece of news is part of the TTC's customer charter that manager Andy Byford pushed forward earlier this year, and something that I hold close to me (my dad being a graphic artist and sign guy and all), and that's that the commission is looking to simplify its way finding signs and line names.

courtesy of BlogTO.com

This morning, BlogTO posted a great article about some of the information on the new line naming and numbering - detailing past names of the subway and rail lines, and what the plans are going forward - I suggest taking a read.

Long story short - the TTC is looking to take the confusion out of the rail lines by giving numbers to each line (like many other major transit cities). The Yonge-University-Spadina line would be become '1', Bloor-Danforth '2', and so on. Changing direction-giving from the mouthful it is now, to simply "Take the #1 train North to Sheppard, and then hop on the #4 train across to Don Mills, to get to Fairview Mall".

I know some people might be against it - but those are the people that take the TTC, and KNOW the TTC. I've tried giving directions to people from out of town, and it does get confusing. Numbers and colours make a lot more sense than explaining by the subway on Yonge (where most tourists are visiting) are called the Yonge-University-Spadina line trains. "What is University? Where is Spadina? Am I on the right train?". 

It's another step in the right direction, that's for sure. 

The only change I would make - although I know it won't happen, would be to separate the #1 line into two numbers. Trains should be #1 going North from Union along yonge to Finch, and trains should be a different number(#2 we'll say for this argument), when they go North up University/Spadina/Allen. If the TTC wants to make their lines simpler, this would go a long way. I've found that the most difficult thing about giving people directions when they're out of town, is making sure they get on the right line at Union station. With both tracks going North, it can be a bit of an issue. 

Me: "Go North from Union to Dundas"
Friend 10 Minutes Later: "I'm at St. George, I didn't hear Dundas"
Me: "Oh, you got on the wrong North line"

With my suggestion, the alignment wouldn't need to change, just a simple separation on signs, for those trying to find their way. 

What do you think, have you ever run into problems giving people directions on the TTC subway lines?

It's been 35 days since we were supposed to get the keys to our first home - and yet, I sit here, without Michelle, at my parents' place, still living out of a suitcase. Sure, we have cheques for thousands in compensation money, but at some point, it just isn't worth it. I could write a whole other blog on how we've spent our time, trying to stay mentally healthy (and will), but not this time.

This blog will be totally melodramatic reminiscing - so you've been warned to turn away now if you don't want to hear it. I could talk about the superior transit system, or the proximity to shopping and food, but those are the things I'm sure everyone expects - those are reasons I moved to the city in the first place. I've noticed though, that as the time passes, I begin to miss some of the things I never really even noticed while we WERE there, and I can't wait to get back to....

1. "You are my Density." I miss seeing strangers, and people. Any time of day or night, I could leave the apartment, and see people walking about their business (however shady it sometimes was). It was comforting in a sense, to know that there was always someone around if you needed it. Here (in Mississauga where I temporarily am), I've walked around a LOT, and barely see any other pedestrians. Sure there are exceptions - rush hour at major transit hubs are one of them, but in my parents' neighbourhood, I've seen more stray cats than people.

2. The News. I miss commuting every day and being given no choice but to pick up the free Metro newspaper that is stocked at every TTC station. I know that it's available in Mississauga too, but it's not littered all over the bus, so I ignore it. I feel like I'm so tuned out to Rob Ford's stupidity, that I'm starting to like the guy (there should be a sarcasm font style, beside the bold, italic, and underline buttons).

3. Cyclists. You might know that Michelle is indeed the cyclist in our relationship - I mean - she's hardcore. I ride once in a while, but strictly for leisure, so this might be surprising to you. I brought my bike to my parents' to ride if I needed it though, and I've been out on it twice. Both times, I saw zero other cyclists, and felt like no matter where I went, I was alone. Cars hated me (even more than they do in the city), and when I stopped in to shop somewhere, people thought I was poor because I didn't come in a car. I wrote a blog about the attitudes toward transit in the suburbs a while back, and the same can be said about using your bicycle for anything by fun.

4. The construction. That's right - the closed lanes, the slow progress, the orange signs. There's construction here too, but do you know when they do it? At 3 in the freakin' morning, so that they don't inconvenience drivers during rush hour.

5. Frugality. Oh, I'm still cheap and frugal while staying in Mississauga, but it's been a bit harder. First thing is that my parents live across the street from a Metro - and when I'm used to living across from a Food Basics, if you know anything about grocery stores, you know it's a pretty big difference. I know, I'm not doing many groceries, but I miss seeing the deals, and being able to know I'm getting the best price. 

Anyway, I'm sure there'll be more to miss, as the time drags on - but here's to knowing we'll be back in 'no time'. What would you miss if you were forced to leave?

I could sit here this morning, complaining, complaining, complaining, about how our move in date has been perpetually moved, but I won't (well...not much) - it is what it is, it's been trying, and testing on both Michelle and I, as well as our relationship - not that it's caused any fighting, just, frustration.

What our building will eventually look like...

Just to bring you up to speed - here is a brief timeline of events:

September 2011: Michelle puts initial deposit down on condo
July 2012: Completion date Michelle initially expects. They obviously miss this date, and push back to November, causing us to find a rental in Toronto, so we can at least start our lives together, knowing we might have to break the lease when we move in November.
November 2012: First delayed occupancy date (they're allowed a few extensions under TARION rules). They missed this one again, delaying our occupancy date until February, at this point we're upset that we won't be in by Christmas 2012.
February 2013: Yep - missed again - this time, we are moved to May 28th. We seriously begin to wonder if we'll even have to break our lease at ALL.
May 2013: You guessed! This one is moved to July 2nd - and soon after they give us a FINAL occupancy date of July 25th. This is it - we got our final date, and didn't even have to break our lease. We figure there's no way they're going beyond this, and paying people compensation.
June 2013: The elevator strike comes in and messes everything up (or so we thought). The strike (allowably under TARION rules) pushes back our final date - we eventually settle on August 28th.
August 2013: Given notice, packed up our stuff, and then on August 16th - 12 days before we were supposed to move, we get notice that this place is not going to be ready, and that they'll be paying for our storage, and begin the compensation delays. We are told to Anticipate a short delay into September.
September 2013: We wait patiently, expecting them to finish up a few things - when we get the bad news - the financier has come in and noticed too much inconsistency with the project and thought they needed to step in to help us - the buyers. They give us their REALISTIC expectation - which they now say is the first week of November, at the earliest.
November 2013: When we expect to move in now - but I might have to update this timeline later...

So - how did we get here? what happened?

It's really hard to say - the way our fanancier CEO put it last night, with all of his experience was that this project suffered from a builder with unrealistic optimism, which continuously put the project behind. They've missed every milestone date by 50%, and are still, to this day, not realistic with dates. Apparently the builder suggested people could move in, in two weeks, but instead of agreeing, our development group knew better, and told him to be ready for November move ins.

This now means that the builder will be paying an entire building of people (when all is said and done), full TARION compensation. Sucks to be them (that's close to a million dollars btw - after everything).

The hardest part about it all was the unrealistic expectations we were all given time after time (some people longer, like Michelle's sister, who's been on the same roller coaster, but for 2 years longer). Tonight was tough to hear, because we've been living out of suitcases for the last month, but it was nice to finally hear some real expectations.

Why don't you just back out? Can you?
Technically, we can - after October 31st - that is the outside date on the agreement of purchase. If we reach this date without moving in (which we will) - we can back out. We talked about it - but....we decided, to walk away, after waiting this long, and being so close at that point (we could be moving in a couple weeks later), just doesn't seem worth it to us. They'd have to give us our full 20% down payment back - plus finishes, plus interest - but keep in mind that the Canada interest rate has been close to zero for much of the time, so it wouldn't be much. We WANT to enjoy this place, this all just means we'll enjoy it for less time because we'll still need to move up into something more family-friendly as some point.

How can you avoid this, if YOU want to buy a condo?

It's tough to say, but I don't know that anyone could have ever predicted this happening. We will be a year and a half past the date originally projected, and I don't think that this is THAT uncommon actually. Check your OUTSIDE closing dates - and fully expect them to be reached. Condo developers have these rules at their disposal, and although they DO want to finish everything on time - they have every right to go to the end.

Now - there are some things that I think we'll be more weary of, if we ever buy new again: I'd only choose a developer with huge backing, and that means staff, and money, to influence how things get done. Having the developer put pressure on the builder, and knows when they're not being realistic about their deadlines is important - we haven't had that person, until now.

Don't give notice until you KNOW for sure that you'll be leaving. I know - we "knew for sure", but in the future, I'd probably leave myself another month, even if I had to pay for two places at the same time. We still would have had to leave, but it would have been a little easier on us.

Anyway - thanks for all our thoughts - we've gotten a lot of messages and comments, but now you can all know the full story of how this all happened to us. We're trying to move forward, and make these next 6 weeks as easy on us as they can be, our new life was supposed to be started, and it just feels like we've gone backwards. Just another test in life I suppose. Thanks again!

So - if you're reading this, you must be well aware of the mess that is the rail debate in Scarborough - the lengthy, and wasteful discussion about what we, as Toronto taxpayers, will build to replace the aged, and obsolete Scarborough RT route.

Look at 'little blue' over there, so small and lonely

Nobody ever seems to agree on anything about this line, except one thing (the most important); it NEEDS to be replaced. Every photo you see of the actual trains, or system itself, look like they're from the 70's. I could go take a photo today, and show you - and you'd be like - "Oh, I love vintage TTC pics" - well I'll tell you, there's nothing vintage about this...

It looks like something that, in the 60's - people called 'transit of the future'.

I'm not going to go through all of the options that came to light during this fiasco - but you to catch you up - the RT was always MEANT to be replaced by a subway, but after years of indecision (still ongoing), they finally decided to replace it with a state-of-the-art LRT system, that would move more people than the RT, service more neighbourhoods, and cost almost half as much as a subway the same length and number of stations would be. 

However, Rob Ford came out and argued that the "people of Scarborough" weren't happy with this plan. I could argue that, but let's say they were - it was mostly just the vision, and information that those people HAD about LRT's. People think of light rail, and they think of this...

They don't know that LRT's have the same max speed as subways, they don't know that the only reason they have an average slower speed is because there are more stations to stop at, and they don't think about the fact that, unlike streetcars, you're traveling in fully dedicated through ways, that won't be subject to traffic and congestion.

But...instead of powering ahead with an option that was fully funded, and could be started (and completed) much earlier, Rob Ford, his gang at city hall, and even his enemy turned ally Karen Stintz, decided they'd play a game of "Who can get the most votes in Scarborough", at the expense of any sort of transit being built there. They pulled their support from the LRT plan (which was due to begin in construction soon), and decided to back a subway extension along the Bloor Danforth line, against the advise of the chief city planner.

Stintz's decision to back subways may well have cost her any
chance at taking over as mayor in next year's election

Now, about a month later - we're here - the subway the city asked for is not happening - and instead, the province has seemingly had enough of the back and forth, and have decided to 'graciously', build a subway extension that will not only cost more than the LRT, but will remove 3 stops from what exist on the current line, servicing LESS neighbourhoods, and not connect with the Sheppard East line, which was one of the main points of this line. 

So where do we go from here? Council says it will fight the province's decision. Wait, haven't we been down this road before?

• Council fights decision, offers alternative
• Province offers new plan in accordance with budget and requests from city
• By this time, new council decisions have been made and they fight the new plan
• Etc. etc. etc.

We are a city of indecision - it's what we've been known as for the last couple of decades, and we, as citizens need to make sure that we have leadership that will make things happen. Toronto, more than ever, needs representatives that are willing to think outside the box, and support plans of action, rather than inaction. We're just about a year away from the city elections, so I urge you to start thinking about what you want out of Toronto in the next 20 years, because the people in power now, will be in charge of shaping our city

Just remember - building 10 KM of "slower" transit, is better than 0 KM of subways.

So I've once again gone on a short hiatus from my blog - but this time - I've had just cause. Our lives have been a whirlwind - moving from skepticism of our condo being ready on time, to excitement that it would be, to disappointment that it's not - it's been an emotional roller coaster, as well as a physically demanding one.

Long story short - we got our final 60-day notice, well, just over 60 days ago. This was the final date that "couldn't" change - the one we could give our landlord notice with, and the one we could start finally planning on the future. We gave our final deposit, booked an elevator time, and waited. As August 28th closed in (the day we were supposed to get our keys), it didn't look all that realistic to be moving in - and then, 12 days out, we were informed that it wouldn't be ready:

The dagger into our excitement...

At this point, we were more angry, than crushed, but like I said, it didn't come as a total surprise - we barely saw drywall in our unit at this point. 

It looked like it was getting there...at least the lower floors...

So - where did we go from there? Well - if you know anything about the TARION home warranty, and the guidelines that developers have to follow - you'll know that we're getting 'compensated' for the delay, it's a set amount, and sure - it helps ease the pain a little, but we'd both rather be moved in, without the money, rather than where we are now.

We'd given notice to the landlord, and a new tenant was already prepared to move in - so our only choice was to move all of our stuff into a storage locker (paid for by the builder), and either move into a hotel, or back with our parents. We elected to do the latter, and although it's not ideal - it helps us to make the most of the money we'll be bringing in from this delay. 

Our current home...

What I've learned from all this - and I'm sure Michelle and her sister could probably give you plenty more 'feedback' - is that when you buy new - be prepared to wait. Whatever date you go in with - estimate later, and then double that. We didn't imagine the builder would EVER risk having to pay out to purchasers, but here we are - I'm literally getting paid double to be at work today, thanks to 'Anonymous Builder' (I'll save my "praise" until after they've finished our home).

Cheers, 

Homeless, and living out of a suitcase

I know, I'm no city planner - and even if I were to offer what everyone agreed were a genius plan - it would never get done. Toronto is in a perpetual state of planning and debating. A decision gets made, and then one idiot councilor (usually the mayor), decides to rehash the debate, and it gets struck down.

Even with great people like Andy Byford, or Karen Stintz leading the way for the TTC - things only go so far. We need Metrolinx and the province to forceful take over - a transit coup so to speak. Consider this my way of showing how simple solutions could help with the sanity of commuters, right NOW:

1. Add more express bus routes

Mississauga's local (orange) and express (blue) buses. I don't expect
new paint jobs in Toronto, just similar ideologies. 

If you live in York Region, or Peel Region - you know that express bus routes are the closest thing to rapid transit that you can get. As much as I complain about Mississauga (mainly just the frequency of certain buses), the express buses work. Mississauga has cut their fleet into two categories - 'local' and 'express' - and the express buses run along routes that have local buses, but they only stop at major transit stops. The fact that the TTC doesn't have more of these is crazy. There are 5 downtown express routes - but they cost more money (on top of a metropass)!

There are routes that stop at EVERY single stop, yet half the bus just wants to get from the beginning to the end of the route. Add a few of these buses each way during rush hours, and it could keep hundreds of people off of the local routes, to allow people travelling short distances to actually have room to sit or stand. I could sit here and list where these should be - but that's a whole post in itself. So, Mr. Byford - why don't you have more express routes?

2. Remove unnecessary streetcar stops

This picture is more so just here to remind us to enjoy the
hot weather, as unbearable as it might be sometimes

Along the same points - whenever I ride the streetcar - I say I get a short turn at least 30% of the time. I don't include the Spadina route in this, because that route is both tightly controlled (with an operator at either end) and has dedicated lanes, so there are no delays. All other routes however - I find it ridiculous how close some of the stops for routes on the King, Queen and Dundas streetcar routes are - especially in the core (on the 504 for example: Sackville, Trinity, Parliament and Ontario streets are maybe 100 metres apart). If you were to eliminate some of the smaller street stops - it would mean less stopping for to pick up single people, and less chance of the streetcar behind catching up. It would encourage people to walk a little further (which we all have to do outside of the core anyway), to catch the same streetcar. A small price to pay for more efficient routes.

3. Improve bus layouts by (simply) removing seats

Probably the most costly of my ideas - but still not out of this world. I'm not saying we should order new buses - just remove some of the seats. With all of the complaints recently about strollers and buggies on the bus - why not make the buses a little more practical? Recently a study in NYC was done on transit/subway trends on where people prefer to sit and stand (you can see the article here), and although I found it interesting, there were no surprises One of the big things was that people prefer to stand than sit in between people, which results in a lot of unused seats. Considering most people stand during rush hour anyway, why not eliminate MOST seats in the front of the bus, leaving only 3-4 closer to the back doors, for people in need of seats (elderly, handicap, etc.).

This would free up space for more commuters, as well as less awkwardness for strollers and buggies fitting onto the bus, who right now, block any people who want to pass. The whole point here is to build the bus around people standing, instead of building it to sit, but having people stand anyway (the new subways do a great job of this).

Here is the current bus layout:

The current layout (certain models vary, but they're mostly
the same). Notice the seats on the raised back portion,
and the seats in the front.

and my proposed layout:

My proposed layout - the back, raised area goes unchanged,
providing seating for 21 people. The front however, is
gutted of all seats, aside from 4 'priority' seats perpendicular
to the back doors.

I can't think of anyone that this doesn't work for - strollers, buggies, wheelchairs, scooters have room, able bodies have standing room - and seats when it's not busy, and people who NEED seats have them. Sure, we're losing 10-12 seats - but isn't it worth it for the greater good?

4. Stop the subway vs. LRT debate

The numbers speak volumes...I'm sorry Rob, but subways are literally
gravy trains...

Do I need to explain this one? It's not helping us - we're having a debate about something that's not even completed yet. We don't know how well LRT's work for us - they are barely into the construction. For the cost savings, you'd think Rob Ford, and other subway die-hards would be willing to at least SEE how well it works for us. If they are in dedicated lanes, and have an average speed only slightly under subways (27 KM/hr vs. 32 KM/hr respectively), I don't understand the problem.

Don't get me wrong - I think subways are great, they're quick, out of sight, and out of the way - but LRT's are what we're building - give up the fight and help move things along. Being the person to say "I told you say" gets the city as a whole, nowhere. All that matters is that we get SOMETHING that will move people, nobody cares what it is at this point, bring in a modified ski lift for all we care....

5. Streetcars ONLY on Queen st. / Cars ONLY on King St. and Dundas St. during rush hour

The Queen car...look at all those cars...

I know - there are a lot of people talking about this already (sort of), and I like the ideas they have, in having no cars on King street in the rush hours. However, I think it should be changed a bit from their current plan, and in turn, drivers should also have some sort of benefit to this plan. So...there are three streetcar lines within about a KM of each other in the downtown core - the 504 King car, the 501 Queen car, and the 506 Dundas car. My proposal would be to (during rush hours) divert all three cars via Queen street through the downtown core between Bathurst and Parliament, with Queen being car-free during the rush hours (also freeing up a safe ride for cyclists). In turn, Dundas and King streets would become streetcar-free during these hours, freeing up the roads for cars and drivers who constantly complain.

I know it inconveniences some people, but with a 500m walk to King or Dundas from Queen at any given point, it's not far of a diversion, for a traffic free commute.

The other option is to create dedicated lanes for these routes - but those don't come for free - so I think we can count those out while Ford is in office...

********************************************

So....what do you think? Do you think Andy Byford should take any of my ideas seriously?

I made my list back at the beginning of Spring, of things I wanted to do and try before the summer hit. My list is here, and I got through most of them. It ended up feeling like a hobby after a while - especially when it came to trying to get my hands on the Mill St. Bierschnapps.

Anyway - it's a new season - and a lot more that I'm looking forward to trying. 5 went way too quick - and the summer is a long season, so here are 8 things I'd like to try (and you should too) this summer in Toronto....


1. Amsterdam Brewhouse

The building, right on the water, behind Paws way

I've been looking forward to this the first day I found out where Amsterdam was opening their pub. I first tasted as was introduced to Amsterdam brewery a couple years ago when we did a bunch of beer tours in one day - and I was impressed with their selection - I really think they're an underrated local brewery. Their move to their larger facility in Leaside (just up the street from us), and their opening of what looks like an AMAZING addition to the Toronto waterfront is finally bringing their image up to where it needs to be. I was excited to head to the brewhouse, and then I read the review over at BlogTO - and saw the pictures, and I almost made reservations on the spot. They offer up all of brews, along with TONS of microbrews celebrating their history, and the city. Three patios, exposed beams, local artwork, and steps from the water - make visiting this unique space a no brainer for any Torontonian, or any tourist. Amsterdam Brewhouse 245 Queens Quay, Toronto


2. Frisbee Golf on the Toronto Islands

The map of the course

I do play REAL golf too - but the fact that I don't drive, my clubs are still at my parents, and that golf is so expensive makes wanting to at least try this out an easy decision. I went to Centre Island last week with some of Michelle's family and seeing this course again reminded me how much I want to try it. The course is free to play, all you have to do is bring your own frisbees. So, I'll be heading down with some friends - and some (discreet) beers, and will play the 18-hole disc golf course. Maps are downloadable here. Disc Golf Course Ward's Island, Toronto


3. Polson Pier Cabana Pool Bar

The view from the pool

I'm not the club type, and if you ever watched that show on MTV about the pool bars in Vegas - it just looked terrible to me: sure it's probably packed with good looking people - but it's packed with people in the heat, no room in the pools, drunk in the middle of the day, sounds exhausting (I know...I'm old aren't I?).
That being said though - the fact that someone in Toronto was able to pull something so original to this city off like this, is impressive enough to draw me in. The view of the city alone, and being able to drink in a pool without going to the Caribbean is totally worth it. The people who put this together are experts in their field if there are any - the Ink entertainment group are behind Tattoo Rock Parlour, the Guvernment, Koolhaus, the Sound Academy, Dragonfly (in Niagara Falls), and many more. They modeled the Cabana Pool Bar after a Miami pool bar, and from the pictures and reviews I've seen, they've hit the mark. Cabana Pool Bar 11 Polson St., Toronto

4. Eat at Lisa Marie

To be honest, I've tried to steer clear of the whole 'Fidel Gastro' craze. By the time I really started getting interested int he Toronto food scene, Matt Basile and his food truck were already popular, and there were new players to try. Since then, Lisa Marie (his restaurant) has opened, and been getting good reviews. With ever changing menus, and big crowds, I won't be rushing to get to this one, but I figure I should give it a try - I mean - he is on TV and all... Lisa Marie 638 Queen St West, Toronto


5. Swim at the state of the art Regent Park Aquatic centre

Inside the aquatic centre

Yeah...I don't think I have to tell you how that it's hot outside...see any of my recent tweets. I know that sometimes public pools can be questionable, to say the least, but ever since I took my first streetcar ride past this building when it was under construction - I was impressed. Seeing it in use now, and the photos that I've seen of the inside, just put it over the top. My first swim of the season was up north, and my second will most likely be down at Woodbine beach - but my third (yes, my third) will definitely be here.




6. Eat a meal in the street

Celebrate Yonge

I never did get to head down and check out the 'Celebrate Yonge' festival they had in the downtown Yonge area last year. They closed down one lane on Yonge st. around the Dundas area - and made mini patios and parklets for people to eat and hang out - it was the first step to creating a better pedestrian tourist area. There's been no announcements on if they'll repeat it this year (despite the positive reviews), but there has been an announcement that they'll adopt a similar concept over on Church street. On Church, (roughly) between Wellesley and Carlton, several parking areas will be used for patios and parklets, for nearly three months (July 10-October 20). Many of the local restaurants will be using the space for patios - and I'll definitely be heading out to see what it's like to eat in the street.


7. Eat a gourmet hot dog

Michelle and I used to always make fun of the place that used to be in the space that Craft Dogs now occupies. Not because it wasn't good (we'd never been), just the name - it was 'Pastabilities' before now. Then we passed by one day and something new was coming, and if you know me, you know I like hot dogs. This was exciting, and it reminded me of 'Dougie Dog' on Dragon's Den - who had a weird presentation, but what looked like great hot dogs. This place looks to do hot dogs right - taking the image of being a 'cheap' street food, to legitimate meal. With a pulled pork hot dog, and over 15 more to try - I'm sure (if it's good) I'll go back for more...

8. Eat at the Paintbox Bistro

While I'm swimming at the Regent Park aquatic centre, I'll head across the street to the Paintbox Bistro. The first time I saw this, I knew there was something different about it...don't ask me how I knew, it was something about the location, the font they used, and the way the kitchen has huge transparent windows that you can watch the chefs working through. After some research I found out that this is more than a restaurant and bistro, this is a social insititution, and the positive effects are endless. First, many of the trained chefs are from the neighbouring George Brown college, helping new grads gain experience running a kitchen. Second, many of the staff are from the surrounding Regent Park community housing projects, offering them job experience and training in a kitchen, for their time. Third, the restaurant houses and runs a usable kitchen and space for local food startups, who need a business address and space to get themselves started. Amazing right? I'll still judge them on the food, but I'll be a little nicer about it...

*Carryover: Try a Lobster Caesar at Rock Lobster Co.: This is one I never did get around to in Spring, but I haven't forgot about it.