Dear reader,
At this time a week ago, there’s a good chance that you were on your way home, stuck in an apocalyptic traffic jam, praying that your basement was still dry. Last Tuesday’s flood reminded me of two things: that Toronto needs to do everything it can to protect itself from the rising threat of floods, and—counterintuitively—that we must also do all we can to protect the water that surrounds and penetrates our city.
Lake Ontario acts as a massive carbon sink, and the rivers and creeks that define our neighbourhoods both cool the air and provide habitat to essential wildlife. From the Toronto Islands to the Humber River to the new Port Lands (which dutifully survived its first major deluge), we want to live by the water—for its natural beauty and therapeutic power.
Some of us even want to live right on top of the water, as evidenced by Curb Appeal’s featured post this week. At two storeys and 1,400 square feet, it’s one of only 25 float homes allowed in Ontario, and it buoys right at the base of the Scarborough Bluffs. Welcome to the life aquatic.
Also in today’s newsletter: a classic Parkdale Victorian going for $2.5 million. Plus, a never-occupied rental with a ski simulator. Visit torontolife.com or subscribe to our print edition for all of our real estate coverage and more.
