The battle being waged by Toronto's first-term mayor Rob Ford over the future of transit in the city is getting uglier by the day, as the Toronto Transit Commission voted Tuesday to fire chief general manager Gary Webster.
On its opinion pages, the Toronto Star bashes mayor Ford for the very public removal of the chief general manager of the city's transit commission, who had the audacity to, "express a professional opinion at odds with Ford's reckless demand for more subways - a transit option that the city can't afford and doesn't need."
Despite the pleas of Premier Dalton McGuinty to solve the transit squabble and the objections of a multitude of area officials, "With the confidence of a sleepwalker, utterly unaware of surrounding reality, the mayor blithely insists Toronto must build subways. A solid majority of Toronto city council has voted against his plan. A host of credible transit analysts - not just Webster - have found Ford's vision wanting."
The good news for residents of Toronto is that it appears the resurrected plans for Transit City will likely proceed without Ford's support.
Read the full story: Mayor Rob Ford hurts the TTC by unjustly firing Gary Webster as general manager.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority