🍿This train hasn’t run in 13 years — until now

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Good afternoon - This week, grilled cheese gets its own street fest, hovercrafts promise 30-minute trips to Niagara, and a long-awaited train to Muskoka is finally back on track. Meanwhile, after jam-packed venues and long lines, Toronto is asking: should Doors Open last longer than a weekend?

Let’s get to it!

THE DIGEST

🧀 Grilled Cheese Fest Returns: The Lakeshore Village Grilled Cheese Challenge is back on June 7. Expect melty sandwiches, live music, family fun zones, local shopping, drinks, and more from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. — all in a deliciously festive street party setting.

☀️ Hotter-Than-Usual Summer Ahead: After a chilly spring, The Weather Network says Toronto is in for a much warmer-than-average summer, especially in July and August. Expect extended heat waves and a few days of extreme heat across the region.

🚆 New Train to Muskoka Coming: The Northlander is making a long-awaited return in 2026, offering direct rail service from Toronto to Muskoka and beyond for the first time since 2012. The new trains will feature Wi-Fi, food service, bike storage, charging ports, and scenic stops en route to Timmins.

🛡️ Toronto Boosts Festival Security: Following April’s deadly vehicle attack at a Vancouver festival, Toronto will invest $2.1 million into festival safety this year. The funds will help cover costs for barriers, paramedics, private security, and more.

🚪Crowds Call for Longer Doors Open: After long lines and packed venues at this year’s Doors Open Toronto, many residents are urging the city to extend the event beyond one weekend. With over 150 sites open, some like the Don Jail saw two-hour wait times — leaving visitors wondering if it’s time to keep the doors open a little longer.

🚗 Toronto’s Car Tax Cancelled: Premier Doug Ford’s 2025 budget will strip Toronto of its power to impose a personal vehicle tax, ending any future plans for a car registration fee. The move reverses special taxing powers granted in 2006 and could save drivers up to $94 million a year.

🛥️ Hovercraft to Niagara in 30 Min: Hoverlink has unveiled new details for its high-speed hovercraft service linking downtown Toronto to Niagara in just 30 minutes. The year-round, 180-passenger craft will run up to 48 times daily, aiming to cut 8,000 cars from the QEW and make travel between the two regions faster.

🚫 Protest ‘Bubble Zones’ Approved: Toronto City Council has passed a controversial bylaw creating 50-metre “bubble zones” around places of worship, schools, and daycares, restricting protests in those areas starting July 2.

💨 Riverdale Park’s Gassy Secret: Those strange green pipes poking out of the ground at Riverdale Park East? They're venting methane gas from a century-old landfill buried beneath one of Toronto’s most scenic parks. Once farmland, then a jail yard, then a dump — the hill you’re lounging on is literally full of... well, gas.

TORONTO THEN AND NOW:
Wellington St W.

In the early 1900s, Wellington Street bustled with horse-drawn carts and brick storefronts, including the Fancy Goods Company of Canada—a glimpse into Toronto’s original commercial heart. Long before the rise of Bay Street’s financial towers, this area was the city’s retail and trade hub. The street were filled with merchants, wagons, and the rhythm of daily commerce. Today, glass and steel skyscrapers have erased nearly all traces of the district’s 19th-century past.

THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO: THE ‘INSIDER’ SCOOP

Do West Fest 2025 - Kick off summer in style at Do West Fest 2025, a lively celebration of music, art, food, and community in Little Portugal—featuring live performances, extended patios, food trucks, artisan markets, kids’ activities, and interactive experiences.
June 6 | 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM
June 7 | 11:00AM - 11:00PM
June 8 | 11:00AM - 6:00PM
Location: Dundas Street West (between Ossington and Lansdowne), Little Portugal

Lakeshore Village Grilled Cheese Challenge - Say cheese! The Lakeshore Village Grilled Cheese Challenge returns June 7 for a full day of melty, mouthwatering fun—featuring Ontario’s best grilled cheese creations, live music, family zones, street eats, and local shopping in a lively festival atmosphere.
June 7 | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Location: Lakeshore Village (exact streets TBA)

Kensington Flea - Kensington Flea returns for the 2025 season, transforming weekends in Kensington Market into a lively celebration of Toronto’s creative culture—featuring local artisans, vintage treasures, indie designers, and delicious eats.
Sunday June 1 | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Location: Kensington Market, 216 Augusta Ave

Through the Garden Gate: Hogg’s Hollow - Step into 14 stunning private gardens during Through the Garden Gate: Hogg’s Hollow, a self-guided garden tour through one of Toronto’s most picturesque neighbourhoods, featuring expert advice from Toronto Master Gardeners, a printed and digital guide, and hop-on, hop-off shuttles.
June 7 | 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Event HQ at 3885 Yonge St, Hogg’s Hollow

2025 Toronto Jewish Film Festival - Celebrate storytelling from around the globe at the 2025 Toronto Jewish Film Festival, returning for its 33rd year with over 80 films—ranging from comedy to horror to powerful documentaries—screening in cinemas across Toronto and online in a hybrid format. June 5 – June 15, 2025
Locations: click here

Toronto Blue Jays Host Phillies - June 3 - June 5 (see schedule/tickets)

RECOS: Things you will love
 
👨🏻 For Dad: His Story Deserves to Be Told
🌆 Toronto: Toronto’s Forgotten Beer Empire
🍕 Pizza: Why Are Pizza Lovers Obsessed With This?
🛌 Sleep: These Glasses Help You Sleep Better
🐈 Pets: Tiny Device Tracks Their Every Move

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VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Torontos’ lost grand boulevard:

Here is the link: Click here to watch

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