I am both a motorist and a cyclist. I also live in the west end of the city of Toronto. I believe it's a mistake to rip out the Bloor bike lane and am extremely disappointed in mayoral candidate Brad Bradford that one of his campaign promises is to remove the bike lane on Bloor Street West between South Kingsway and Resurrection Road.

I know this part of the city better than the back of my hand, and there is no alternative route for a safe cycling corridor. Blame Mimico Creek and the Humber River, but there is no substitute. Bloor makes much more sense than Dundas Street West, and the next east-west bike lane to the north is all the way up on Eglinton. To the south, it's the Waterfront Trail, unless the city wants to put a bike lane on The Queensway. I didn't think so.

I believe I have a good relationship with Brad Bradford, a man who has visited my home studio multiple times and has come to several TMLX (Toronto Mike'd Listener eXperience) events at Great Lakes Brewery, Palma's Kitchen and the GLB Brewpub, and I also know he's a cyclist. So my personal challenge to Brad is to cycle with me on the streets he deems a sensible alternative.

Trust me, there isn't one. And Brad knew this as recently as 2023 when he and 20 other councillors voted to approve bike lanes along the 5.7-kilometre stretch of Bloor Street West between Runnymede Road and Resurrection Road. That project passed 21-1, and it completely altered the way I commute across the city. It's not only sensible and slick, it's safe. And that's why I've cycled this stretch often with my children.

There is no alternative. Leave the Bloor bike lane alone.

I bought a couple of tickets to see Hayden Desser at the Revue Cinema. His first album, Everything I Long For, was and is a personal favourite. I realize he's done so much since then, but hook that first album to my veins. It takes me right back to 1995.

There's this great song on Everything I Long For called Hardly, with this cello piece on it that works perfectly. This cello player is credited as Guy Cannotplayit.

When Hayden finally finishes his next album, and drops by to talk about it, you know my first question...

Here's Hayden's first visit to the basement studio. As biased as I am, I do believe this to be the finest longform interview with Hayden Desser in the history of the world.

In this 1949th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Karen Stintz about her years on Toronto's City Council, Rob Ford, being TTC Chair, running federally, and her new book Beyond Good Enough: Toronto and the Crisis of Urban Complacency. This episode is exactly 1:13:02.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways:

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There is a version of Toronto Mike'd without programmatic ads available to all Patrons. Consider becoming one at https://www.patreon.com/torontomike.

Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Palma Pasta, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, Nick Ainis and Ridley Funeral Home.

For my mom's birthday this year, I took her to the CAA Theatre at 651 Yonge Street to see The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen experience. I loved it.

Every word you hear, either spoken and sung, was written or said by Leonard Cohen himself. It's a great overview of his life, and the musical performances are stellar. By the end, shortly after the passing of Marianne Jensen, as So Long, Marianne, I became rather emotional. This sentiment, heading into Hallelujah, really affected me.

Leonard Cohen, a poet turned musician because his book didn't sell, was in the room yesterday, and it was indeed an experience. Kudos to the performers.

Don Nelson coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors and at one time was the winningest NBA coach in history.until he was surpassed by Gregg Popovich in 2022.

A year ago, I visited the then-new Biidaasige Park in the Port Lands. This past week, I biked there again to explore the 10 new acres of waterfront public space. What a wonderful addition to our waterfront, and so bike-friendly.

From Waterfront Toronto:

What was once industrial land is now a waterfront destination where nature, culture, recreation and climate resilience converge. Visitors can paddle from Canoe Cove, explore a naturalized river valley, gather on a 3,000-person event lawn, take in sweeping views of Lake Ontario and the Toronto skyline from the Water’s Edge Promenade, and experience world-renowned public art with the unveiling of the western section of the Lassonde Art Trail, which, together with the eastern section, now features 15 installations from leading international artists throughout the park.

The above photos were taken from me, but here's one from Waterfront Toronto that really shows the new park in all its glory.

We lost a Canadian broadcasting legend this week. Lloyd Robertson anchored CBC’s the National before leaving for CTV National News where he’d be appointed Chief News Anchor and Senior News Editor until his final sign off on September 1, 2011. That was 41 years as a national anchor – the longest tenure of any national news anchor in North America.

A few years ago, when Lloyd was 89, he agreed to appear on Toronto Mike’d remotely. I remember sitting on the zoom waiting for Lloyd and just hoping I wouldn’t screw it up. Lloyd was so cordial and kind, I relaxed right away and realized I could ask him anything. I could ask him about SCTV’s Floyd Robertson and The Simpsons’ Kent Brockman and his successor at CTV National News Lisa Laflamme. We ended up talking for 90 minutes.

I never met Lloyd in person, but I’ve talked to dozens of people who did and they all experienced the same gentle kindness. Here’s an edited version of episode 1194 of Toronto Mike’d, featuring a man who will truly be missed, Lloyd Robertson.

This episode is exactly 1:34:02.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways:

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There is a version of Toronto Mike'd without programmatic ads available to all Patrons. Consider becoming one at https://www.patreon.com/torontomike.

Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Palma Pasta, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, Nick Ainis and Ridley Funeral Home.

For my money, there's no better summertime Toronto concert venue than the Amp by Ontario Place. Or as Neil Young calls it, the Freshwater Stage. And when I buy a ticket to see a show at the Amp, I like to buy a lawn ticket to take it all in under the stars.

Speaking of Stars, they opened last night's show, followed by Broken Social Scene and Metric. I understand Metric put this tour together, so of course they were going to headline, but my personal preference probably would have been flip it and have Metric open for Broken Social Scene and to close the night with Stars. Go figure.

I met a bunch of fine people before the concert at Trillium Park where we consumed fresh Great Lakes Beer. My favourite Metric moment happened during BSS's set when Emily Haines came out to sing Anthems for a Seventeen Year‐Old Girl.

My go-to bike on a clear day is a Fuji Feather. That's a single speed. Yesterday I flipped the rear wheel to make it a fixie. A fixed-gear bicyclehas a drivetrain with no freewheel mechanism, which basically means if the wheel is turning, so are your pedals, so buckle up.

I rode to the Junction, then noodled along the Waterfront Trail, before meeting people at Trillium Park before the BSS/Metric/Stars concert at the Amp (more on that later) and a late-night ride home along Lake Ontario. It was almost 60km and as exciting as it was, it was pretty scary.

You bike one way for 100,000 km and then you ride 60km in a completely different fashion. It was amazing when letting her rip, but when there are sudden stops and intricate maneuvers, it's a whole new ballgame. And when going downhill, where speeds approach 40 km/h, it's nearly impossible to pedal that fast. Remember, you can't coast.

I'm very glad I tried it, as I've always been curious, but I have doctor's orders to not crash on my bike and my spidey senses tell me I should flip the wheel again and bring back the freewheel mechanism.

What blows my mind are the guys who ride the fixie without brakes. On Toronto streets and trails, that's for adrenaline junkies only.

Tedde Moore was the actress best known for playing Miss Shields in A Christmas Story.

In this 1947th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Ted Axe, the first lead singer for The Action, one of Canada's first punk bands. This episode is exactly 1:05:09.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
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There is a version of Toronto Mike'd without programmatic ads available to all Patrons. Consider becoming one at https://www.patreon.com/torontomike.

Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Palma Pasta, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, Nick Ainis and Ridley Funeral Home.

Welcome to this week's Open Mike. I'm Mike and I'll be your master of ceremonies for the day.

Feel free to use this space to vent, rant,  share a story and/or ask a question of the FOTM hivemind.

In this 1946th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike catches up with the remarkable Stu Stone. Stu takes about Dark Side of the Ring, his live event with Samoa Joe, his Don't F**k with Ghosts event in Banff, his surprise role as Cygnus Hyoga in Saint Seiya, his thoughts on the current Toast duo and his Drake Take before he reviews Toronto Mike'd one-man-show at the El Mocambo. This episode is exactly 1:46:07.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
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There is a version of Toronto Mike'd without programmatic ads available to all Patrons. Consider becoming one at https://www.patreon.com/torontomike.

Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Palma Pasta, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, Nick Ainis and Ridley Funeral Home.

Jim Fonger was CFNY's Operations Manager from July 1988 until October 1989. During that period, the station broadened its playlist and added more Top 40 hits into its Spirit of Radio alternative mix. This period is often referred to as "the mistake of '88". As you can imagine, this upset the listenership, as well as on-air staff who rebelled.

Jim defended the decision from a business-perspective, and this detail of his professional life even made his obituary.

After graduating from York, Jim began his career in radio. From 1979 to 1982, at Telemedia Ontario, he engineered Toronto Blue Jays home game broadcasts alongside legendary sports broadcaster Tom Cheek and Hall of Fame pitcher Early Wynn. From 1982 to 1989 he served as Sales Manager, and later Director of Operations, at CFNY-FM (now 102.1 The Edge). Following CFNY’s move to the CN Tower in 1983, the station found itself competing in the much larger and increasingly complex Toronto radio market. During a challenging period for the station, Jim took on greater operational responsibility and helped guide an effort to broaden its audience while maintaining its commitment to introducing listeners to new music. Jim’s efforts helped the station make it through that period, and he handled the situation with the practical business judgement and steady leadership that would characterize the rest of his career.

I never met Jim, but I'm saddened to learn about his passing at the age of 69. Here's his obituary, in its entirety.

James Ord Woodward Fonger, 69, of Caledon, Ontario, passed away suddenly on Saturday, July 25th, 2026. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of 40 years, Leanne; his sons Jason (Bridget DeMarsh) and Dylan (Piper McCutcheon); his granddaughter Romy; his sister Joy Garrick; his brothers Rob and Rick; and many other family members and friends.

Jim was born in Toronto on June 26th, 1957, the youngest of four. His mother, Doris, was a professional musician and a talented visual artist; his father, Dick, spent most of his career as an arts media producer with the CBC. When Jim was a baby the family moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake, where his father tried his hand at farming, and where Jim’s sister Joy played an important role in raising him. Jim was always very lively and inquisitive, even as a baby. He was curious about everything. On the family farm, they grew a variety of fruits and vegetables, including peaches, cherries, tomatoes, and grapes. When Jim was three, he went missing in the vineyard, perhaps early foreshadowing of his affection for red wine. He was too short to be seen over the vines, and to make matters worse, he was wearing all green. The perfect camouflage. It took the family quite a long time to find him.

The family moved several more times during Jim’s childhood. From Niagara to Etobicoke in 1961, then to North York a couple of years later before moving yet again to Thornhill, where Jim spent the rest of his elementary and secondary school years. It was as teenagers that Jim and Leanne first came into orbit of one another. They went to the same high school but ran with different circles of friends. Though neither knew it yet, each had already crossed paths with their soulmate.

Jim studied economics at York University from 1975 to 1979, arming himself with the knowledge and skills he would need for the many ambitious projects that lay ahead. He also planted the seeds of friendships that brought him tremendous joy and endured the test of time. Those who had the privilege of calling Jim a friend know what an incredible and unique gift that friendship was. He was a glass-half-full type of guy, but it was much more than that. Jim somehow always seemed to know just the right way to fill the glass of a friend who needed some topping up. A good meal, a glass of red, a round of golf: these were some of the frequent settings for the thousands of meaningful, supportive, and insightful conversations he had over the course of his life.

After graduating from York, Jim began his career in radio. From 1979 to 1982, at Telemedia Ontario, he engineered Toronto Blue Jays home game broadcasts alongside legendary sports broadcaster Tom Cheek and Hall of Fame pitcher Early Wynn. From 1982 to 1989 he served as Sales Manager, and later Director of Operations, at CFNY-FM (now 102.1 The Edge). Following CFNY’s move to the CN Tower in 1983, the station found itself competing in the much larger and increasingly complex Toronto radio market. During a challenging period for the station, Jim took on greater operational responsibility and helped guide an effort to broaden its audience while maintaining its commitment to introducing listeners to new music. Jim’s efforts helped the station make it through that period, and he handled the situation with the practical business judgement and steady leadership that would characterize the rest of his career.

As significant as that work was, something even more special was unfolding alongside it. Leanne was also working in radio, and once again she and Jim found themselves in each other’s orbit. This time, there was no stopping the gravitational pull between them. They married on August 10th, 1985, and within five years had moved to Bolton where they raised their two boys, Jason and Dylan. These boys grew up in a home overflowing with love. Jim and Leanne were the perfect teammates and together they indeed built the life they’d both dreamed about. The two sailed skillfully, and gracefully (and — on many occasions — literally) through life’s ups and downs. Jim had an unshakable commitment to his sweetheart Leanne, and she to him. His love for her was clear in both his actions and his words. Jim would never leave home without first telling Leanne he loved her, and kissing her goodbye. It was surely no easy task to ensure their boys always felt safe and secure given Jim’s dynamic career, but Jim and Leanne had a love so strong that, to the boys, it all seemed effortless.

In 1990, Jim’s ambitious entrepreneurial drive was officially unleashed on the world when he co-founded Zenox Communications (later DCCI and Telmetrics), leading it as President and CEO for its first eleven years. Zenox pioneered technology that connected computer applications with telephone networks, laying important groundwork for the modern call-tracking industry and allowing marketing companies and phone directories to prove exactly which advertisements were making the phone ring.

The years that followed were filled with a healthy dose of professional trial and error as Jim experimented and explored — searching for his next thing. He took the opportunity to dedicate even more time to his family. Jim was a tremendously supportive and loving father. He also gave generously to the communities he lived in, and was like a second father to many of his sons’ friends. From building a rink in their backyard when the boys could barely skate to coaching each of their hockey teams many times throughout the years. From taking Jay and Dyl to see their favourite punk rock bands in concert when they were little, to setting up a basement jam space for their band rehearsals (and parties of epic proportions). He took genuine interest in absolutely anything his boys shared with him. No matter how crazy things were professionally, any time Jay or Dyl needed council, he was there. Both boys shared many nights in the hot tub with their dad, staring at the stars — or on the family room couch gazing into the fire their dad had built — conversing about life’s biggest questions and deepening their connection. Jim’s boys have always admired and looked up to him. Jay and Dyl cherish these and many other memories they have with him during those formative years of their lives. They feel incredibly fortunate to forever have him as their dad, as they know he will always be there for them in a starry night sky, or in the warm glow of a fire.

In 2007, with awareness of global warming rising, Jim was paying attention. He co-founded H2Green Energy Corporation, and got to work. It was the beginning of nearly two decades in Canada’s renewable energy sector. He joined Ameresco in 2011, spending six years as a Client Solutions Developer and six more as a Vice-President, and served as Chair of Energy Storage Canada. From 2024 to 2026 he was President of Rodan Distributed Energy Resources, where he and his son Dylan worked side by side. Jim leaves behind a professional legacy defined by visionary leadership in pioneering utility-scale battery storage and advanced microgrid systems in Canada. He spent two decades shaping progressive policy, championing distributed energy resources, and laying a lasting, sustainable foundation that will help advance Canada’s energy storage sector for years to come. His colleagues will remember him as an invaluable trailblazer for Canada’s energy transition.

Jim’s work ethic was formidable, but his passion for enjoying life outside of work was just as strong — if not even greater. He had many hobbies and interests. From sailing to squash. From solving sudoku puzzles to playing scrabble (Jim was known for playing suspiciously-spelled words). From eating butter tarts to baking birthday cakes. From hosting new years eve parties to heading south for some time on the beach. From cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs in his team jersey and hat to cranking his favourite records on his stereo. From skiing trips to cycling adventures (frequently also in his ski suit). Throughout it all, he laughed and smiled and made those around him smile.

His last few months were some of the happiest of his life. He was living life to the fullest. You could feel his excitement as he spoke about what his next venture would look like, but his top priority was clearly enjoying each day doing what he loved most, with the people he loved most. On many occasions in his last weeks, Jim spoke with Leanne about the tremendous gratitude he felt for “how good things are.” He treasured the quality time he was having each day with his soulmate. He had recently become the proud grandfather of a beautiful baby girl. He was golfing several times a week with many of his favourite people, and said one of the courses was the most beautiful he had ever played.

It was a perfect sunny morning on Saturday, July 25th when Jim set out on a bike ride with his son Jason and a friend. Jim and Jason had looked forward to completing this ride together for years. The three of them rode the Lake Country Oro-Medonte Rail Trail from Barrie to Orillia, where they stopped for cinnamon buns, coffee, and a few laughs before turning back. On the way home, while riding beside his son, Jim’s heart suddenly gave out — a heart that had never been fuller than it was that morning.

Jim was predeceased by his parents, Dick and Doris Fonger; his father-in-law Jack Schaefer and mother-in-law Shirley Schaefer; and his brother-in-law David Garrick.

A Celebration of Life for Jim will be held on Wednesday, August 26th, 2026, from 1–3 PM at Egan Funeral Home, 203 Queen Street South (Hwy. 50), Bolton (905-857-2213). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

Kelly Hrudey's contract for the upcoming NHL was not picked up by Rogers Sportsnet, so for the first time since Rogers secured Canadian rights to NHL games, Kelly Hrudey won't be a part of it.

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Kelly Hrudey played in the NHL from 1984–85 through the 1997-98 season, and joined CBC's Hockey Night in Canada the very next season, where he stayed though the 2025-26 season.