Funny Picture

Rising high in the sky, the CN Tower is like a thumbtack in a map and that thumbtack marks the spot for fun and adventure. Around the tall structure sits the Rogers Centre (former Skydome), the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the Steamwhistle Brewery at the Roundhouse railway park and still under construction is the Ripley's Aquarium of Toronto which will open this year.
The Tower is fun all by itself with the initial elevator ride, scenic lookouts, glass floors (you can see the glass reflection in the photo at top), revolving 360 Restaurant and the famous Edgewalk:  "CN Tower’s most thrilling attraction in its 35 year history, and the first of its kind in North America. It is the world’s highest full circle hands-free walk on a 5 ft (1.5 m) wide ledge encircling the top of the Tower’s main pod, 356m/1168ft (116 storeys) above the ground. Visitors walk in groups of six, while attached to an overhead safety rail via a trolley and harness system. Trained EdgeWalk guides will encourage participants to push their personal limits, allowing them to lean back over Toronto with nothing but air and breathtaking views of Lake Ontario beneath them." You can see a photo of a Snowbird jet plane pass close by the tower while EdgeWalkers are out hanging high above Toronto during the annual Canadian International Air Show on my post here.

See more photos of the area after the jump.

If you like to beat the big city crowds, have I got the place for you, wait for it, wait for it; the Toronto Islands in the season I like to think of as 'damn, it's not summer!' You won't have to fight the crowds jamming into a ferry, in fact you won't even have to waste time deciding which ferry to catch as they really only go to Ward's Island on the east side of the island chain.
It is fun to wander the paths and boardwalks that run throughout the extensive parklands. On our recent weekend tour we brought our bicycles to make the exploration a little faster and it worked out well because of the lack of snow. We watched a large crowd of athletes playing winter league play of Frisbee golf on the official disc golf course (I love the disc golf pull cart/seats). You can also go on the clothing optional beach at Hanlan's Point with a high probability that you won't see anyone on the beach, let alone an unclothed person. In addition to Far Enough Farm you can look at the empty Centreville Amusement Park which will re-open again in the spring.
I found the large metal sculptures fascinating. The dragons were set in the ground and several others leaned against the tennis court fence near the Ward's Island ferry terminal. Upon closer examination the sculptures were fitted with gas piping which leads me to believe that fire is somehow involved in their use. To the Google: Occasional Toronto says they were made by island resident Bruce Smith, and were included in the Rogue Wave outdoor art and sculpture festival which begins in September - I am unsure if it is scheduled for 2013 (if someone knows please leave a message).

Celebs and executives will help raise funds during the 2nd annual Well Dressed for Spring event at Holt Renfrew which will be hosted by Dragon's Den money lady Arlene Dickinson. The Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation is a charity purpose is the provide support for individuals, families and professional caregivers who are battling cancer.

Wellspring was founded in 1992 and helps over 3,000 people every year and receives no government funding. "Living with cancer requires more than medical care," said Christina Smith, Wellspring Chief Executive Officer. "It helps tremendously to speak with someone who understands, first hand, the emotional, psychological, and practical consequences of cancer and its treatment. We are so grateful to the wonderful sponsors and models whose lives have been directly impacted by this disease, and who have now chosen to help others face cancer with dignity." You can also volunteer for the event or make a donation on their website.

Wellspring, working in collaboration with Women in Capital Markets and Holt Renfrew, brings together the models with host Arlene who, in addition to her role in Dragon's Den, is also the CEO of Venture Communications. The glitz and glamour of the night begins at 7 pm on February 25, 2013 at the Toronto Fashion Mile's Holt Renfrew located at 50 Bloor Street West at a cost of $200 per ticket. This includes a $100 gift card to Canada's fashion specialty store for both sexes where you can enjoy an exclusive private shopping experience.

The market for condos in #Toronto is always going up - until they fall and the evidence hits you on the head. Some predict that 2012 sales will fall 35% from record 2011 sales of 28,190. Mortgage rules were changed in 2012 and the maximum term has been reduced to 25 from 30 years. The other thing that has shrunk is the size of the units which have reduced their average footprint by approximately 100 square feet in the past five years.
Toronto has 134 high rise buildings under construction, higher than Mexico City which is the next highest at 88, and more than New York with 86 and 17 in Chicago.
It is estimated that 40% of investors in the condo market are foreign, while only 30% of buyers are planned end users of the units. Most buyers require capital appreciation to provide a profit with rentals unable to cover their monthly costs. With sales down the downward pressure on prices is a given, scaring off potential investors just as a massive inventory continues to come online in Toronto.

#Toronto families and children took advantage of the recent snowfall to fly down the steep valley walls of Riverdale Park with all manner of toboggans and sliders. Some parts of the slope are so steep that it reminds me of a fiscal cliff. The large park sits on both sides of the Don River and the Don Valley Parkway - connected by a pedestrian bridge. On the west side, the park is also adjacent to the City's Riverdale Farm (free entry, open 9-5). Taking pictures I noticed that most everyone had ear to ear grins as they skimmed the surface of the snow and hurtled downwards. This is one of the premier toboggan hills in Toronto.

It has been reported that the elevated expressway could be unsafe to drive on in less than a decade. Maintaining the aging infrastructure will cost billions and take years, even as regular maintenance continues on the rest of the structure. In a shocking turn of events the City is considering demolishing the Gardiner or selling the Gardiner and turning it into a toll road. City services are expensive and that is part of the reason why taxes are high and go up every year. However, to abandon the highway is to admit that the city cannot handle its infrastructure and maybe they should get out of the way and let another form of government take over.Everything requires routine maintenance and everything has a service life which will necessitate replacement, even those pretty condominium glass windows which fill the skyline. If the city wanted to be less dependent on the arterial roads they should have built more transit and high speed rail networks feeding into and within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).