Category: Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

Grange Park Preservation Group est. 1987

The Grange Park Preservation Group is dedicated to the protection of

Grange Park, the preservation of green space surrounding the Grange and

the architectural conservation and integrity of the Grange. The Grange

Park Preservation Group works toward the protection of the green space

and the skyscape in the Grange neighbourhood.

A community forum on the proposed expansion of the Art Gallery of Ontario

“Imagine Grange Park”

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

7 pm – 9 pm

University Settlement House

23 Grange Road

Moderator: John Sewell, former Mayor of Toronto

Invited Speakers:

Sponsored by the Grange Park Preservation Group, members of the Grange

Historical Society, individual residents and tenants of Dundas

Beverley, Deep Quong, Hydro Block, Grangetown, 11 Sullivan, Beverley

Sullivan Co-op, present and former residents of the Grange

neighbourhood.

Behold the new $30 million Ontario College

of Art & Design classroom and studio building by British architect

Will Alsop — a totemized retro-futuroid coffee table joined umbilically

to its Soviet-style predecessor below. The message, apparently:

art and design are nothing but fun fun fun. Nothing to get serious

about. A playful spirit of induced hazard will keep students wondering

when the checkered box might wobble free of its cute swizzle-stick

legs and come crashing down on their heads. This exercise in hyper-entropic

avant garde faggotry is so cutting edge that it is already out of

date. The only question: which of the two conjoined buildings is

more cruelly ridiculous?

Would you like to live with two world-famous computer programmers? One of whom is one of Canada’s best-known accordion players and writes one of Canada’s Top ten blogs? The other being one of Canada’s best-known anti-censorship software designers? Living in one of downtown Toronto’s most televised houses? In an area giving you walking-and-biking distance access to some of Toronto’s coolest neighbourhoods?

It’s one of the nicest houses in a quiet residential neighbourhood tucked a mere couple of blocks away from the corner of Queen and Spadina.

The facade is designated a historical landmark, but the interior is

completely renovated, with hardwood floors and high ceilings in the

common areas. There are two full bathrooms, with the downstairs one

also being a laundry room with full-size washer and dryer. The kitchen

has the full spread of stove, oven, microwave and dishwasher. There’s a

back deck for barbecues and a large tree for shade.

Want to go see the latest blockbuster flick? We’re a five-minute

walk from the downtown Paramount theatre. Indie film more your cup of tea?

We’re a five-minute walk from the Art Gallery of Ontario, and a quick

bike ride away from the Cinecycle, Royal and Carlton cinemas. Like big

bookstores? Chapters is close by. Like small ones? Pages is close by

too. You can fall out of bed and land in Chinatown, Kensington Market or Queen Street West. Walk a litte farther, and you can hit College West,

the dance club district, the financial district, or the Eaton Centre.

We’re a hop, skip and a jump away from the subway, and you can be on

the Gardiner Expressway in minutes.

This is no bachelor cave;

you will not find any milk-crate or cinder-block furniture here. I own

the world’s most comfortable couches, and they’re pretty sharp-looking,

too. There’s a Parsons table

in the dining room and some real, non-reproduced art on the walls. We

have eschewed plain old Bell DSL and Rogers Cable modem service and

gone for the gusto with high-speed business DSL and I’ve set up an 802.11g open wireless access point.

The living room, viewed from the front door, looking into the house.

The living room, viewed from the other side.

A close-up of the living room near the front of the house.

The kitchen, looking one way…

The kitchen, looking the other way.

The dining room, as viewed from one side…

…and the other.

We have a small bedroom that’s becoming available shortly. Perhaps

you’re looking for a place in downtown Toronto. Perhaps this sort of

place appeals to you.

The successful candidate will possess the following qualities:

• Gainful employment or independent wealth.

  You must be able to cough up your share of the rent — CDN$525 — plus

  utilities — I estimate CDN$100 – $150 a month — and other expenses,

  which we will outline below.

• A willingness to share in cooking and cleaning duties.

  We actually cook here. If your idea of dinner is microwaving burritos,

  you’re not going to cut it here. We split the grocery bill evenly — my

  guess is CDN$125 – $150 per person per month. We also keep a reasonably

  clean house, and we’d like you to help keep it that way.

• You must act as if you live here. No more recluses.

  We’ve gone through two housemates who retreat to their room, emerging

  only to microwave burritos. I’m not saying that you have to be our

  bestest friend in the world, but you will have to socialize a little.

• You will have to tolerate the occasional late-going party and a little noise. The record party for this house

  had 120 people in attendance; the last person left at 5:00 a.m.. You’re

  also living with two music aficionados and four sound systems in the

  house. We’re reasonable with the noise, but you’re going to have to

  expect some.

• You can smoke…outside.

• Sorry, no cats. I’m allergic.

In

return, you’ll live in a pretty cool house with two pretty cool

housemates who make nice dinners, go out on the town reasonably often,

make scintillating conversation, have interesting guests and generally

live pretty well.

Interested? Drop me a line.