Sean Galbraith, Urban Planner
Touring some photographers through the Toronto Brickworks

What is your most favourite place in the city? Don Valley Brickworks, in its current state

What is it that you like about this location? Amazing wetlands and nature trails combined with fantastic industrial decay. I could spend every weekend here.

Where is the best place to eat in the city? Any hot dog vendor.

What do you like about living in Toronto? Technically, I live in Mississauga.. but by the end of the year we’ll be downtown. We’re looking to live downtown for the convenience, for the urban lifestyle, for the lack of a lawn and a driveway to shovel.. and because Toronto is the best city I’ve ever been to.

What do you hate about living in Toronto? Traffic, but that’s a function of any large city. Shitty architecture by and large.

Where would I find you on a lazy Sunday afternoon in the city? Wandering around south of Bloor taking photos. In inclement weather, movie.

Who is your favourite Local Celebrity? Andy Barrie, even with his annoying constant lung hacking.

Car, Bike or Transit? Transit, but each is a tool that has its place

Favorite personal story or commentary on the city Giving my now-fiancee our first kiss while in a hammock in Parkdale during the Symphony of Fire.

My Toronto includes everyone who makes it what it is.

Selina J Eckersall
Chilling out at the Sky Yard patio at the Drake Hotel after a long day at work.

What is your most favourite place in the city? I love Queen Street West… I love the stores, the shopping, the vibe, the life… It’s a happening place. Full of life!! Lots of funky boutiques, trendy patios, and hip little galleries.

What is it that you like about this location? I love the atmosphere and life of the street. Subtle things, like the music that can be heard coming out of the funky little stores, the people, the patios… Especially in the summer!

Where is the best place to eat in the city? There’s this amazing Vietnamese restaurant on Yonge St. called Saigon Sister. It’s a pretty contemporary place, they have some delicious things on their menu (like the coconut curry Pad Thai). Very reasonable pricing too.

What do you like about living in Toronto? Well… I currently live in the GTA. But I did used to live downtown (and yes I do miss it). I love the fact that you don’t need a car. You can walk or take the subway pretty much anywhere. I think Toronto is an amazing world class city, with so much culture and vibrancy. You really don’t need to leave the city for anything!

What do you hate about living in Toronto? The things that bother me about Toronto are the smog and the cost of living. You get much less per square foot than you would venturing West a little bit. But, it’s a reality that all cities face.

Where would I find you on a lazy Sunday afternoon in the city? Taking my twin daughters for a walk by the waterfront, shopping, or having brunch (and mimosa’s) with my girlfriends.

Who is your favourite Local Celebrity? Well I’m gonna have to go with Don Berns (who some may know as Dr. Trance although he has since hung up his stethoscope to focus on his other talents), because he’s a friend and a stellar human being.

Car, Bike or Transit? I drive… A Mini Cooper though, which is great on gas and amazing for parking in the city. I never have trouble finding a spot.

Favorite personal story or commentary on the city I loved how Toronto’s personality really shone through during the blackout of 2004. You had citizens abandoning their responsibilities to direct traffic, other people handing out water, and then in the evenings people bringing their music and lawn chairs out into the streets to have a good time and meet their neighbours. It made me proud!

My Toronto includes... More Green rooftops!!! Having Green space (flowers, trees, grass, and plants) on rooftops has been proven to reduce smog levels as well as help to keep the city cool in the summer on those blistering days. Would love to see Toronto pave the way with this.

Graham Powell, Photographer, Songwriter, IT
Enjoying a coffee while giving me a tour outside his loft.

What is your most favourite place in the city? It USED to be parkdale (when I lived there) Now that I have moved to Leslieville, it’s HERE!

What is it that you like about this location? Always changing, diverse group of people.

Where is the best place to eat in the city? Being a vegetarian (vegan wanna-be) I love Pulp Kitchen! El Asador on bloor for burritos (veggie)

What do you like about living in Toronto? The people. SO SO many wonderful people that I have met and have yet to meet.

What do you hate about living in Toronto? The number of SUVs on the streets, often left idling. And people who seem to be ingorant about the world around them, thinking only of THEMSELVES. Even simply throwing garbage out your window while driving really gets to me. I really think they just don’t get it though, I don’t think they would truly be that careless if they actually THOUGHT about it. I’m not sure what we can do to make people see things the way they are.

Where would I find you on a lazy Sunday afternoon in the city? Strolling through my NEW neigbourhood taking photos, and then sipping a soy latte at Mercury Espresso Bar.

Who is your favourite Local Celebrity? That’s a tough one.

Car, Bike or Transit? Smart or Vespa or on foot ( if time allows )

Favorite personal story or commentary on the city While I was walking down Queen street a man yelled my name, I walked over to Xrays where he was eating. Turned out to be Dan Akroyd. He asked if I wanted to have something to eat with him. I told him I was meeting friends for Supper. When I met my friends and told them the story, they said “YOU Idiot!!” Guess they where right. Guess I snubbed HIM! Silly guy…

My Toronto includes trees, grass and fresh air!

Ted Healey, Graphic/Web Designer
Taking in the amazing view of the skyline from the top of Riverdale Park East.

What is your most favourite place in the city? Riverdale Park, Broadview and Hogarth, just at the north end, looking south.

What is it that you like about this location? It’s a fantasic open space that overlooks the entire downtown core. I love taking the streetcar south from Broadview station on a bright sunny day or from sunset to full dark. It’s my “Toronto moment” every time.

Where is the best place to eat in the city? Tough one. I would have to say Olympic 76 Pizza, Gloucester and Yonge. Only the decor has changed since the 80s, its the only restaruant I’ve gone to more than 5 times in the last year.

What do you like about living in Toronto? It’s not dirty. People are friendly. There’s always something to do. Shopping!

What do you hate about living in Toronto? It’s getting dirty. People are getting edgy. I’m scared to go do something. Expensive!

Where would I find you on a lazy Sunday afternoon in the city? I love going in and out of computer stores on College then dipping into Kensington Market for used clothing shopping, or finding a strip mall somewhere thats packed with gadget stores. I also like the junk shops along Queen East.

Who is your favourite Local Celebrity? My brother, Michael Healey. I get $5 every time I say that.

Car, Bike or Transit? Yes (to go camping), yes (on days off) and yes (on workdays).

Favorite personal story or commentary on the city From My Blog. So Im playing a vid game at The Tool Box tonight. Its quiet. Not too busy. Two barflies are playing the game beside me. One skinny, on the game, the other, portly and hanging onto the skinny guy like some drunk bingo winner with a jackpot cheque in her hand. Here’s the conversation: Big Guy: “Halloween. You know what you are gonna be?” Skinny Guy: “If all goes right, a Marine!” BG: “If all goes right, Im gonna be a Klingon!” SG: “First series?” BG: “God who does that? Who does the first series Klingon!? Come on!”

My Toronto includes that stomach tossing moment at the top of the Mine Buster Rollercoaster, a big basket of wings from Duffs on Bayview, a comicbook from Silver Snail, the view from the Hanlans Point ferry and watching weirdos on the TTC.

Anna Bowness , Writer
Taking an evening strolling in Cabbagetown at Parliament and Carleton.

What is your most favourite place in the city? 1. Riverdale Farm 2. Parliament Street

What is it that you like about this location? 1. It’s funny and confusing that there are cows and chickens so close to the DVP. 2. It’s the most demographically confusing street in town.

Where is the best place to eat in the city? I’m pregnant, so everywhere.

What do you like about living in Toronto? It’s optimistic and awkward at the same time, like a teenager. It feels like it wants everybody to help it grow up.

What do you hate about living in Toronto? It’s almost impossible to get out — the traffic is like a Berlin Wall.

Where would I find you on a lazy Sunday afternoon in the city? In Riverdale Park West — this last Sunday there was a bulldog convention there, so I watched Cabbagetown’s prize bulldogs drool on and try to mate with each other.

Who is your favourite Local Celebrity? Friends of mine, and the mayor.

Car, Bike or Transit? Normally: bike. Pregnant: transit.

Favorite personal story or commentary on the city I went to the island, one Sunday, with two boys I know. I think we were all hung over. We went to Hanlan’s Point and swam in the cold lake and skipped stones and tried not to critique people’s genetalia, and on our way back we ran into an enormous Hare Krishna recruitment picnic. They gave us free vegetarian food and kool-aid in paper cups (!) and we helped them dismantle a multi-mannequin display representing Hare Krishnas throughout the ages.

My Toronto includes cows, chickens, glowing, bright-white optimistic architecture, fetid Spadina bustle, sad, crashing ice-waves on the Spit in winter, the Neville Park loop, Hogg’s Hollow, tragic wall murals in Flemingdon Park, the bright shock of city when the subway crosses the Don, tacky drinks at the Mendoza, wet Regent Park children under the brutalist water feature, BCE Place, ferry lineups, trees, ravines at night, hills, straight lines, irate psychopaths, Dundas Square, Parliament Street, squirrels, the blue sky of my parents’ 1970s Crombie-era city when the CN Tower was still a shaft without a bulb and hippies lived in Yorkville.