Making tracks
The Sherbourne separated bike lanes aren’t bike lanes after all. They’re cycle tracks, says a press release from the city announcing completion of the lanes, er, tracks on Tuesday, December 18. T.O.’s first such lanes should prove an interesting experiment. Read Ben Spurr’s story on page 18.
Christie Refugee Welcome Centre
The big guy in the red costume makes a surprise visit to new Canadians celebrating their first Xmas in the Great White North. Petting woolly animals, hot chocolate and cookies were the order of the day.
Ryerson expansion
T.O.’s other university announces plans to add a new health sciences building, including retail and a 250-bed residence, to its growing campus on Church just south of its School of Interior Design.
National Rifle Association
America’s biggest, baddest pro-gun lobby goes into tactical defence mode, falling silent on the mass murder of 20 schoolchildren in Newtown, Connecticut, until Tuesday. Were they hoping the growing calls for stricter gun control would just go away. Cowards.
Justin Bieber
The papers fall over themselves to report a plot hatched in a New Mexico prison to allegedly castrate and kill Canada’s biggest singing star. The weird thing to come out of the whole sorry episode: the Biebs’s nutsack is apparently worth only $5,000 to his alleged murderers.
Cop outreach efforts
Police Chief Bill Blair reveals in a year-end interview with the Globe that he expects no more arrests in the Danzig shooting. Murder charges against two individuals have been laid, but others were expected. After incessant pleas to the public for help, it seems the leads have dried up.