Derek Flack
blogTO
Toronto, ON, Canada
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Past articles by Derek:
The top 10 computer repair shops in Toronto
The top computer repair shops in Toronto can be lifesavers when you need to get your machine back up and running after a liquid spill, screen damage, or temporary loss of data. In the world of Applecare and cheap PC laptops, fewer people turn towards repair shops than a decade... → Read More
The 10 ugliest condos in Toronto
Toronto's crop ugliest condos isn't a small group (unlike our most stunning ones). There are scores of anonymous glass towers with little aesthetic appeal that dot the city. Add to these the monstrosities of the first condo boom in the 1980s, and you have a large enough pool that selecting... → Read More
These are the three blocks that Bloor forgot
You could make an argument that Bloor is Toronto's most vibrant street. Sure, it would have to compete with a few others like Yonge and Queen streets, but the array of small businesses, restaurants, and bars that stretch from Avenue Road to Islington Avenue give it great energy. What's also... → Read More
5 last-minute Labour Day getaways from Toronto
Last-minute Labour Day getaways from Toronto can be frustrating to plan given that it seems as though every single resort and small town in Ontario is completely booked on the last long weekend of summer. You can always try one of the many day trips from the city, but if... → Read More
The top 10 Toronto buildings from the 1980s
The 1980s were an up and down decade for Toronto architecture. The rise of the modern Financial District that started in the late 1960s continued with major additions like Scotia Plaza and BCE Place, and the city was bestowed one if its great icons in the form of the SkyDome,... → Read More
What kind of condo does $3 million get you in Toronto?
$3 million buys you a lot of condo in Toronto. In fact, everything over the $2.5 million mark is heads and tails above what even those who have a couple million to throw around can afford. Luxuries like high end kitchen appliances, pimped out patios, and stunning views come as... → Read More
Labour Day weekend brings road closures in Toronto
Summer unofficially comes to an end this weekend in Toronto, but road closures do not. It's mercifully light weekend, but you'll still need to navigate carefully to avoid get stuck in traffic around a few key areas. Oh, and if you live on the east side and rely on the... → Read More
The photos of the month in Toronto for August
The photos of the month for August in Toronto show off a city that's soaking up the fullness of summer, from stunning lake views to the arrival of the CNE. In only a month, our next instalment of these photos will likely show the first signs of fall setting in,... → Read More
Iconic Marty Millionaire building getting a major facelift
One of Queen Street East's most recognizable buildings has started a transformation process that will wipe it of its kitschy veneer but restore its historical beauty. Most recently the home of eclectic furniture store Marty Millionaire, the heritage property is set to become Free the Children's Global Learning Centre.... → Read More
This is what's replacing the World's Biggest Bookstore
When the World's Biggest Bookstore was first slated to close, its replacement was pitched as a low-rise restaurant row. Now, some two and a half years since the bookseller announced its demise, the final plans for a new development at 20 Edward Street await city council approval before construction will... → Read More
Maps show Toronto's building and population boom
Those who live in Toronto know that the city's population is growing rapidly. Whether it be the cranes that dot the sky or the traffic on the roads, you don't need statistics to feel the effect of the increased number of people who call this place home. But beyond this... → Read More
Inside the secret attic at Queen's Park in Toronto
Some of Toronto's most recognizable buildings are made all the more alluring based on the forbidden areas they boast. Think of the observation deck at Commerce Court North, for instance. Once the most popular of its kind and host to tens of thousands of visitors a year, it's been closed... → Read More
How Toronto saved the North American streetcar
At the turn of the 20th century almost every major North American city relied on the streetcar as its primary mode of public transportation. New York would open the first portion of its subway system in 1904, but the demise of trolly-based transportation took place at the hands of the... → Read More
The 10 most stunning condos in Toronto
Toronto condos get a bad rap for bland and homogenous design, but there are plenty of exceptions spread across the city. From mid-rise buildings to soaring towers, there are a few that push the envelope architecturally and aim to enrich Toronto's built legacy in a meaningful way. These condos should... → Read More
The top 5 getaways from Toronto if you don't have a car
The top weekend getaways from Toronto for those who don't own a car range from urban explorations to wilderness adventures. There's plenty of towns you can get to by bus or train from the city, but the key is ensuring that once you arrive there will be plenty to do.... → Read More
What kind of condo does $2.5 million get you in Toronto?
The $2.5 million condo in Toronto is undeniably luxurious. Where those that just reach the $2 million mark are often still utilitarian in some way or another, the extra $500K seems to be the magic bump required to enter into the market of truly stunning units. From interior design to... → Read More
Major TTC and road closures this weekend in Toronto
As summer begins to wind down in Toronto, festival and event-related road closures are still a fixture each weekend. Alas, so too are scheduled TTC subway closures. Both are in store this weekend, though Saturday is the far worse of the two days.... → Read More
That time Toronto demolished the heart of Yonge St.
Strolling around Yonge and Queen streets in the late 1970s would have felt eerily reminiscent of entering a war zone. Massive buildings lay smouldering in half-ruins, work crews scrambled to remove steel and bricks, and everywhere people would stop and stare at the magnitude of it all.... → Read More
TTC buses might soon look a lot different
The general paint scheme of TTC buses hasn't been revamped in a very long time, but that could be set to change as part of the Commission's overhaul program, which rebuilds and refurbishes to prolong its lifespan. Photos of a TTC bus with a new paint scheme (or livery, as... → Read More
A flashback to the gritty Toronto of the 1980s
Avard Woolaver arrived in Toronto in September 1980 to study photography at what was then called Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. Coming from rural Nova Scotia, the young photographer was dazzled by the big city that he now called home and immediately started shooting. Fortunately for us, the record of these wonder... → Read More