All Aboard the Alto High-Speed Train!

For far too long, Canada had studied the idea of high-speed rail; something which prompted a parody ad from Rick Mercer years ago. However, this latest round is the most serious one yet with actual funding, a contractor awarded called Cadence, and a new crown corporation called Alto which runs separately from VIA Rail. I attended a public consultation last night at St. Lawrence Market North which is also happening this afternoon (11 AM – 3 PM) and evening (5 – 9 PM) to learn more about the project, as well as how it could impact those who bike. Donna and Arthur with Toronto Centre Cyclists were also present to help ensure the interests of cyclists were represented.

Urbanism Reflections from Central Asia

Last month, Helen and I spent three weeks visiting Uzbekistan, Almaty (Kazakhstan), and Istanbul. During this time, I was able to make a fair number of urbanism observations. Let’s look at what Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have to offer for all of you urbanists!

Kingsway Koffee & Finch West LRT Spotting

While I was originally going to do a longer ride today for my day off work, the rain in this afternoon’s forecast prompted a change in plans. Even so, I got an almost 42-kilometre ride in this morning by The Kingsway and the Finch West LRT line which led to some unexpected surprises.