[PHOTO] "and so get lost": The Alley at Honest Ed's

[URBAN NOTE] "‘Transit renaissance’ on tap for GTA if funds found, report finds"

Ben Spurr's Toronto Star article tells a lovely story.

The Toronto region is in the midst of what politicians are billing as a “transit renaissance,” which will see a major build of badly needed public transportation across the GTHA for the first time in decades.

But according to a new report, unless governments find more funding to pay for those planned lines, the money will run out before the renaissance is even halfway completed.

The report is to be released Tuesday by Move the GTHA, a group of organizations that advocates for transit improvements. Its goal was to quantify the investment still required to complete the ambitious network expansion the province announced eight years ago. The authors found that less than half the planned network has been allocated funding.

Entitled Are We There Yet?, the report was shared with the Star ahead of its release. It calculates that, taking into account the province’s 25-year Big Move plan announced in 2008 as well as the regional express initiative (RER) announced more recently, the total length of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area’s rapid transit network would be 1395 kilometres by 2033.

Of that, the report calculated that 61 kilometres was in place in 2008 and isn’t slated for upgrades and 52 kilometres have been built since that time. (The figure for existing lines doesn’t include the GO network because much of is it slated for substantial service improvements.)

[URBAN NOTE] "CNE snacks include crispy cricket dogs and pulled-pork cinnamon buns"

CBC News' Priscilla Hwang tells, with photos, about some of the foods set to be launched at this year's CNE.

Food lovers and daredevils beware and prepare for some creative concoctions at this year's Canadian National Exhibition.

CBC News got an early preview of what will be on offer and got to sample some 20-plus dishes before the gates open on the 2016 version of the Ex on Friday.

[. . .]

We'll ease you in. We've all seen the sushi burrito, right? Old news.

But have you seen this?

It's a hormone-free beef dog in a bun, some shredded veggies, and topped with crispy mustard crickets.

There are photos aplenty.

[URBAN NOTE] On the future extension south of the West Toronto Railpath

blogTO alerted me to some good news last week.

The future of the West Toronto Railpath, which runs next to the Kitchener GO line, looks promising. That's because earlier today, the province announced that it'd be extending it all the way down to King Street.

Currently, the Railpath runs from Dupont to Dundas, but it'll eventually end southeast of the Dufferin Street Bridge. Earlier this year, the city released images of its recommended designs after an extensive Environmental Assessment, but it's unclear what the extension will actually look like or when it's slated to open.

Despite the lack of a timeline, west side residents have been waiting a long time to hear that the Railpath will continue south. This boast from the province will be received as very good news. As CP24 notes, the extension will snake its way through a new park (funded by a condo development) going in just north of Queen and Dufferin.

CP24 had more.

“This future park will be a hub for West Toronto Railpath users, including cyclists. The park will include cycling amenities, seating, terraces oriented towards the west and a lookout,” Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca told reporters at a news conference on Friday. “Through this investment and many others in the GO Transit network, we are giving commuters another reason to leave their cars behind and take transit or use other forms of active transportation.”

It is not immediately clear when the West Toronto Railpath will be extended but once complete Mayor John Tory said the project will be one “that will serve the community and the whole city for years and decades to come.”

Meanwhile, Coun. Anna Bailao said the extension of the railpath is big news for area residents.

“You are going to be able to get on your bike or just walk south of Queen and go all the way to Dupont or get off at different points where we have access,” she told CP24.

I really have to go exploring.

[URBAN NOTE] "Dhaka Could Be Underwater in a Decade"

The Inter Press Service's Rafiqul Islam reports on the worrying future for Bangladesh's capital.

Like many other fast-growing megacities, the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka faces severe water and sanitation problems, chiefly the annual flooding during monsoon season due to unplanned urbanisation, destruction of wetlands and poor city governance.

But experts are warning that if the authorities here don’t take serious measures to address these issues soon, within a decade, every major thoroughfare in the city will be inundated and a majority of neighborhoods will end up underwater after heavy precipitation.

A 42-mm rainfall in ninety minutes is not unusual for monsoon season, but the city will face far worse in the future due to expected global temperature increases.

“If the present trend of city governance continues, all city streets will be flooded during monsoon in a decade, intensifying the suffering of city dwellers, and people will be compelled to leave the city,” urban planner Dr. Maksudur Rahman told IPS.

He predicted that about 50-60 percent of the city will be inundated in ten years if it experiences even a moderate rainfall.

[URBAN NOTE] On the fate of the former American embassy in Ottawa

Marie-Danielle Smith reports in the National Post's "‘An architectural gem’: Liberals seeking ideas on what to do with empty former U.S. embassy" about the debate in Ottawa on what to do with an empty attractive building in the heart of the city.

The Liberal government is dusting the cobwebs off the former U.S. embassy on Wellington Street in Ottawa, now empty for about 15 years.

Fulfilling an election promise by Catherine McKenna, the environment minister and MP for Ottawa Centre, the Grits are launching a three-week consultation Thursday on how best to put the building to use.

It’s been out of commission since 2001 and has cost about $200,000 a year since then to maintain, even though it’s empty.

In the early 2000s, the Liberal governments of Jean Chretien and Paul Martin had put millions towards planning a National Portrait Gallery for the space.

But the Conservatives under Stephen Harper had other ideas — reluctant to spend big amid a time of economic downturn, they toyed with putting a gallery in Calgary, instead, but ultimately the project did not go ahead.

McKenna explained she’s been hearing from constituents that it’s high time to make use of the historic building, which looks on Parliament Hill.

[URBAN NOTE] On a possible case for Calgary to host the 2026 Winter Olympics

CBC News' David Common reports why Calgary, with its extensive investments in the 1988 Olympics still good, might make a good host for 2026's games.

[T]he Olympic money problem [. . .] presents an opportunity, particularly for cities that have hosted in the past and might like to do so again, and whose existing infrastructure could help control costs.

Calgary is in that group and is believed to have a good shot at the 2026 Winter Games — should it decide to officially join the race.

[. . .]

The Canadian Olympic Committee asked [John Furlong, the former CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Games] to help a Canadian city develop a bid for the 2026 Games. Calgary, host of the 1988 Games, is the only city that still has its hand up.

Most of the facilities used in 1988 are still up and running. The Olympic Oval, Canada Olympic Park and the Canmore Nordic Centre could use a renovation, but they don't need to be built from the ground up. The ski jump and bobsled track would likely need to be completely replaced.

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is in Rio for the Olympics. His office says it's a personal vacation, but he's been spotted at Canada Olympic House chatting with officials and athletes while his city considers whether to launch a formal bid.

[MUSIC] David Bowie, "Lazarus"

"David Bowie - Lazarus" (Watch on YouTube)

It has been a hard and unsettling year, and for many this all began with the death of David Bowie, Listening to "Lazarus", it's still hard to believe he's gone, and sad to know we'll be absent his living presence.