America’s CBS (the Columbia Broadcasting System) has decided to build a 260,0000 square-foot production centre near Pearson International Airport in MISSISSAUGA. The hub will include six sound stages, production offices and other support facilities.
CBS currently produces 63 series, including Jane the Virgin, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Hawaii Five-0,The Good Fight and The Late Late Show with James Corden. It shoots Star Trek: Discovery and In the Dark in TORONTO, but has several other productions in CANADA, including one for the reboot of Charmed.
The Mayor of Mississauga, BONNIE CROMBIE, says the studio will be the first of its kind in her city “and a major investment for this industry. I ’m proud that our months of hard work to secure this investment has finally paid off.” DAVID STAPF, president of CBS Television Studios, said in a statement – “The TORONTO area specifically has provided our series with diverse and appealing locations as well as production infrastructure and craft expertise that cannot easily be found.”
With expansion announcements this year from PINEWOOD Studios, CINESPACE and MARKHAM MOVIELAND — which will feature the continent’s largest sound stage — TORONTO can truly promote itself as Hollywood North.
This magnificent agglomeration was home to the University of TORONTO’s Trinity College from 1852 to 1925. It was situated on the present-day site of Trinity-Bellwoods Park, on Queen Street West. The photos above and below were taken around 1890, and are provided by the City of Toronto Archives.
<PHOTO ABOVE – The Provost’s Lodge, Trinity College>
All that’s left of the old Trinity College are the gates. They’re now a landmark entrance to Trinity-Bellwoods Park.
<HONEST ED’s as it once was – Bloor at Bathurst>
<The site as it is today> Here’s what’s coming to Bathurst Street at Bloor Street West – 36 individual buildings, a revitalized, pedestrianized Markham Street, 24 conserved heritage buildings, 880+ rental units, 10% deeply affordable units: 40% family units, 30,000-square-feet of public market space, a micro-retail incubator for small-scale entrepreneurs, and a new public park.
MIRVISH VILLAGE is behind bars. The row of Victorian houses on Markham Street will become part of the new development by Vancouver’s Westbank. The plan is to keep and restore 23 of the 27 heritage buildings on site.
Even the hoarding around the project is exceptional, with an invite to ‘sit under the Balboa Tree’ and contemplate the late Ed Mirvish and the sense of community he created. Ed brought together people from all walks of life, incomes, ethnic backgrounds and ages.
ED MIRVISH, who died in 2007, opened his first store at the corner of Bloor and Markham Streets, in 1948. He and his son, David, went on to build a family empire. The two of them ran an art bookshop on Markham Street; purchased the Royal Alexandra Theatre when it was destined to become a parking lot; built the Princess of Wales Theatre; rescued and renovated London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre; purchased the Pantages (now the Ed Mirvish) theatre on Yonge Street; founded Mirvish Productions, a major live-theatre company; and continued operating Honest Ed’s.
About two years ago TORONTO artist, SHARY BOYLE, competing with 60 entrants, won the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Arts’s sculpture competition.
The eye-catching vase standing on legs “is quite looming, with some kind of pop appeal and vintage Canadiana patterns,” said Ms. Boyle in 2016 when she began work on the project.
The piece shares space with Jun Kaneko’s head in front of the Gardiner, 111 Queen’s Park – 
There are over 10,000 pipe bands in the world, and TORONTO has one of the finest. The Toronto Police Pipe Band, founded in 1912, is reputedly up in the Top 30. Its members are primarily from the Greater Toronto Area, but some live as far away as Montreal, Ottawa, New England and Michigan. <PHOTO ABOVE – the Band marching in the Santa Claus Parade>
<PHOTO ABOVE – The original Toronto Police Pipe Band, 1912> A premier grade, or “grade one” band, a less-experienced “grade three” band and an overall “public service” band all come together to form the Toronto Police Pipe Band.
It doesn’t take long when I’m somewhere else, to start comparing ‘there’ to ‘here’, and after a few days TORONTO nearly always comes out the winner. On a recent trip, I made a list of 20 things about this city that cost us nothing or maybe just a little.
1) Fifty ice rinks, city-run
2) Single-screen neighbourhood cinemas
3) Riverdale Farm
4) Multiple street festivals
5) One-of-a-kind bookshops – TORONTO still has them
6) University of Toronto’s St. George downtown condo-blocking campus
7) A night-landing at Pearson International
8) Laneway surprises
9) Philosopher’s Walk in all seasons
10) Eccentric streetscapes – plenty of those
11) Ten lines of streetcars
12) The SPIT & Lake Ontario
13) Ever-changing development
14) Original juxta positioning
15) Street artists and muralists
16) Food, antique, night, paper, vintage clothing & farmer’s markets, indoor & outdoor
17) The ravine network
18) Our outstanding public libraries
19) Bird songs, even on frigid winter days. Sparrows never give up.
20) Four distinct seasons
#21) FOR GOOD MEASURE – raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes, skunks & foxes
AND so much more . . . 
“Detroit Skybridge” by Phillip K. Smith III connects two of that city’s most iconic buildings, One Woodward & the Guardian Building. The 100-foot-long 16th floor connector becomes a floating bar of light hovering over downtown streets. The artist has programmed the lights to change patterns, creating an impression that the colours are moving along the length of the bridge. “By night, it will become a beacon for the beauty, creativity, and innovation of DETROIT,” says Smith.
<Lois Andison’s “golden on sterling”, produced for MOCA’s Benefit Editions> Five storeys of the former Tower Automotive Building, 158 Sterling Road, have now been transformed into TORONTO’s new Museum of Contemporary Art. Built in 1920, the heritage tower has a long history of aluminum manufacturing, sheet-metal casting and automotive parts creating. Who could have imagined that one day it would become the city’s latest art museum?
In the Lower Junction neighbourhood, the former industrial building is the tallest structure for several kilometres around. In 2005 it was designated a heritage site. After lying fallow for 10 years or so, the tower now has a new reason for being.
The museum’s debut kicks off with the ‘Free International Grand Opening Weekend’, September 22 & 23, artists in attendance, 10 am to 5 pm. For details go to 
<Where King & Queen Streets meet, Parkdale, 1907, City of Toronto Archives>
<King & Queen Streets intersect near the bridge across the Don River, 1907, City of Toronto Archives>
<From YVR to downtown VANCOUVER via the Canada Line computer-operated Skytrain, costs about $8, the price of a Transit Day Pass. YVR on Sea Island is an award-winning airport – continually rated one of North America’s finest.>
<It rains a lot in VANCOUVER. In this City of Glass, apartments can run you anywhere from $500,000 for a studio (without a bedroom), to the $$millions. Don’t even think about buying a house – unless you’re a millionaire.>
<Canada Geese can turn up anywhere – from the wealthy West End to downtown streets to Stanley Park.>
<It’s a city with a multitude of marinas & sailors.>
<By mid-September, the trees are already changing colour and the temperature is brisk in the morning, warm in the afternoon. Possibility of showers – anytime.>
<The trees in Stanley Park are massive. For $2, the Pender Street trolley bus #19 will take you there.>
<Dr. Sun Yat Sen park and garden in the heart of Chinatown>
<The Vancouver Aquarium is a winner. It’s one of Canada’s finest, and is known for environmental research.>
<The 80-year-old Burrard Street Bridge is a Vancouver landmark. Recently, the span was given a top-to-bottom renovation. It connects Vancouver with Kitsulano – and offers both sidewalks and bike paths. In a city of bridges, I think this one is the best.>
<I didn’t actually see this, but it does exist – the House on Stilts sculpture>
Toronto Savvy 