Dooney's Is Changing Hands

I didn't realize that local brunch hotspot, Dooney's, was changing ownership until I read a National Post article on councillor Adam Vaughan's website.

The article contains this intriguing tidbit: "Dooney’s Café is another casualty of the Annex’s slow drift from a functional bohemian neighbourhood to an upscale student ghetto populated by bars, fast-food outlets, and stubbornly resilient futon stores." (The article failed to mention sushi restaurants, which were outlined in a Toronto Life article that the author has posted here in unabridged form.)

I can't say that I disagree with The Post's take on our stretch of Bloor. While I love our neighbourhood for many reasons, shopping/dining on Bloor is not one of them and the retail/housing lining Bathurst, Spadina and other major arteries seems uninspired, at best, with a few notable exceptions. While local institutions such as Grapefruit Moon and Annapurna draw crowds, there are stretches that look like slums.

I was reminded of that recently when I visited Roncesvalles Village (kick ass BIA site, BTW. Here's ours: Bloor Annex BIA.) I bought my first home there and lived there from '94 to '98. Strolling Roncesvalles is a lovley endeavour, as is window shoppping and dining.

Other than supporting local business by frequenting them, how does a resident affect the face of the local streetscape?

Cheers,
Vanessa