13 h. ago Trendy Toronto cafe announces sudden and indefinite closure after a decade

An award-winning Toronto cafe that has been a mainstay in the city's most tourist-heavy neighbourhood has unexpectedly shuttered, with management's confusing (though heartfelt) goodbye message leaving the community wondering about what's to come for business — and the prime address it has called home for close to a decade.On the surface, the closure of HotBlack Coffee appears to simply be the latest casualty in the undeniable demise of the Queen West strip, but missives posted both in the coffee shop's windows and on its social media pages explains that its situation is a bit more complicated, and its future, quite up in the air.General Manager Momi Kishi explained in a post dated March 25 why the cafe's doors, a stone's throw from Osgoode subway station, would have to close for at least a while a mere five days later. And surprisingly, it wasn't due to a rent increase or rising c...

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21 h. ago Toronto shopping plaza to be completely demolished for 5 futuristic towers

A Toronto shopping plaza built not even ten years ago is already on the chopping block and could soon be torn down for a massive five-tower development.What was once a surface parking lot serving the TTC's Wilson Station was redeveloped into a series of retail buildings back in 2017, acting as an extension of the large big-box retail centre that exists to the south and west.The former lot at 75 Billy Bishop Way was developed by Build Toronto and opened as the "Shops at Wilson Station" following a brief construction period. However, just steps from a subway station and in close proximity to Highway 401, the retail development's days were always numbered.With Downsview Airport now closed and former height caps developments constructed on surrounding blocks eliminated, the site immediately south of the former airport's runway has been unlocked for much higher densities than what exist today.A recent application tabled with the City of Toronto outlines pl...

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37 h. ago Harvard students told to shelter in place as police investigate shots fired at nearby subway stop

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Students and staff at Harvard University were told to shelter in place and passengers on part of Boston’s subway system were rerouted to shuttle buses following reports Sunday of shots fired at a subway station near the school. An alert sent to the Harvard community said the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, […]

Events

9 d. ago Toronto neighbours fear huge tower may give them cancer and collapse their homes

A local neighbourhood group is concerned about an approved plan to construct a 42-storey tower in their area, raising a long list of fears about the new development in an open letter shared earlier this month.The group, which calls itself "Concerned Residents of Willowdale," has various concerns about the planned tower at 2810–2816 Bayview Avenue.Among the group's fears, they claim that the construction of this new tower will put them at risk of a rare type of cancer and even the potential for excavation of the adjacent site to collapse their homes.A representative of the group reached out, sharing concerns about the City's approval of the plan "right behind single-family homes."The proposal site occupies a major street steps from a key intersection, a subway station, and Highway 401, though residents of single-family homes to the rear are fighting back. Google Street View."This decision overrides zoning laws, ignores health and safety risks, and sets a dangerous precedent for...

Science

1 week ago Mark Carney shows major love to Toronto band in latest Nardwuar interview

Prime Minister Mark Carney has a special place in his heart for a particular Toronto band, and he showed it on full display in a new interview with the iconic Nardwuar the Human Serviette.Like with every federal election, Nardwuar invites all party leaders to be interviewed and have a quintessential Nardwuar convo.And this time around, Carney was down for the ride.As the customary Nardwuarpresents roll on out, Carney is gifted with the classic Time to Win EP from Toronto's Down with Webster (DTW), to which he laughs and immediately throws up the DTW 'W.' Admitting to being a huge fan, the PM dishes on the lore with the legendary rockers (shout out the Beaches!) and reminisces on first hearing them at a live show."From the first tuba sounds of 'Time to Win,' I was hooked," he said, referencing the 2009 tune that dominated middle school halls at the time.That tune was also on heavy rotation during Carney's campaign trails, where it was played after his rallies...

Politics

1 week ago CRIME SCENE: Male suspect wanted after sexual assault probed at TTC station

Toronto Police have released a photo of a male suspect sought in a sexual assault investigation at Donlands subway station. Cops said that on Tuesday at 8:22 p.m., it was reported that the victim was standing on the platform at the subway station when an unknown man approached and asked for directions. Police said as […]

Events

3 w. ago New TTC station will claim record for the deepest on the network

Ever find yourself on a TTC escalator and catch yourself wondering which station is the deepest? It's a question I asked myself on a recent commute, and one with an answer that wasn't quite as simple as I had envisioned. The TTC's deepest station has changed a few times over the years, and it's a title that will once again change hands in 2025 — or at least that's what we're told.But first, a quick glance back at the previous and current title-holders.Lawrence Station on the Line 1 Yonge–University long held the distinction of being the deepest subway station in town. With a depth of 18.3 metres below the intersection of Yonge and Lawrence, the station was the furthest commuters could descend below street level from its opening on March 31, 1973, until the Toronto–York Spadina subway extension (TYSSE) opened on December 17, 2017.This extension into the northwestern suburbs was carved out by tunnel boring machines at a lower average depth than the eastern ...

Sport

3 w. ago Historic Toronto property transforms into Ancient Greece for new immersive experience

A haunting new immersive experience is about to take over a historic venue in Toronto, transforming the space into Ancient Greece for a daring retelling of a story we all know.The name Medusa conjures an immediate mental image for almost everyone. There's something about the vengeful, snake-haired gorgon who can petrify a person with a glance that captures the imagination and refuses to let it go.From depictions in classic art, film, comics and, of course, the iconic Versace logo, Medusa is a cultural figure we just can't seem to shake.However familiar you may consider yourself with the mythical figure, though, Ophis, the new immersive theatrical experience from Toronto's Transcen|Dance Project, might just change the way you think of her forever.Taking over the Great Hall for a limited, seven-night run, the show allows you to — quite literally — step into the world of Medusa and Greek mythology to experience her story like never before.Starring an illustrious c...

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3 w. ago Iconic art that's been on display at Toronto subway station for decades is moving

For the first time in 47 years, a legendary piece of art that's called Spadina subway station home for decades is set to be displayed at a Toronto museum as part of a larger exhibition celebrating the work of renowned Canadian artist Joyce Wieland. In the mid-1970s, as the TTC was planning to expand its network with nine new subway stops stretching out of the downtown core, it commissioned several artists to create artwork for the upcoming transit stops, including Wieland. Recognized globally as one of the leading Canadian contemporary artists of the 20th century, Wieland's artwork "Barren Ground Caribou" continued the ecological themes in her work. The nostalgic quilt, which consists of layers of cotton fabric stuffed with synthetic batting, has been a fixture at the station's Kendal Avenue entry since it was unveiled in 1978. In 1975, Wieland said that the quilt "expresses aspects of the public's growing awareness of their environment and its preservation,...

Culture

3 w. ago Aerial views offer a rare glimpse over demolition of a TTC station

A long-term project to rebuild the TTC's Warden Station is now well underway, and demolition crews are making quick work of the transit hub's former bus terminal.The station's bus terminal was closed off to commuters at the start of 2025 following the completion of a temporary hub, paving the way for the teardown activity now converting the almost 57-year-old structure into piles of rubble and debris.It will eventually be replaced by a rebuilt Warden Station bus terminal that will feature two new elevators linking passengers between a pick-up/drop-off area, the station's concourse level and the subway platforms below.Aerial photos of the site captured in mid-March by local photographer Kotsy offer a unique perspective on the teardown of this transit infrastructure.In the set of images shared on Instagram, Kotsy notes the "big changes happening at Warden Station with the demolition of nine bus bays that were accessible only by stairs."Partially-demolished bus bays sit adjacent t...

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3 w. ago Rare Tom Thomson paintings on display in Calgary prior to Toronto auction

Two rare Tom Thomson paintings will be on display in Calgary for a three-day preview of a major auction of Canadian art. Thomson’s Autumn, Algonquin Park was painted between 1914 and 1916 and is estimated to be worth $1 million and $1.2 million, while Dawn on Round Lake (Kawawaymog Lake), a wood panel from 1914, […]

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3 w. ago Toronto gas station with 65 years of history is about to be demolished

A Toronto gas station shuttered to make way for the new Ontario Line subway will soon be demolished, a teardown that will represent a symbolic milestone of change for an area planned and populated in the automobile's golden era.Metrolinx has announced it will begin demolition of a vacant gas station at the southeast corner of Don Mills Road and Wynford Drive, marking the end of a chapter in the area's history that dates back to the mid-20th century.The gas station at 843 Don Mills Road, which operated for decades as an Esso until its ultimate closure in 2024, is set to be demolished starting next week, followed by the removal of "hazardous materials" in a process that's expected to take several months.The gas station was fenced off after its permanent closure in 2024. Google Street View.The footprint of the gas station must be cleared to free up space for the construction of the Ontario Line's Science Centre station and the supporting elevated guideway that will carry trains in and ...

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