Maybe it's because the temperature got close to zero last night for the first time this fall or that the local political race threatens to become uncivil, but whatever the reason Reading Toronto wants to wholeheartedly say TGIF (idiomatically of course). We are in the mood for some good news about the city.

Bricoleurbanism.org has an uplifting story of sorts about wind-powered electrical generation in Toronto and in Goderich. Given our federal government's stand on air pollution any small improvement helps make our day:

Toronto’s Windshare wind turbine may have gotten people excited, but its small output and difficulties in negotiating further urban turbines in Toronto make the project little more than a (much-needed) publicity excercise for clean power. The Windshare turbine is 0.75MW, capable of supplying the power needs of about 250 average homes. The real action is in wind farms in areas with steady wind characteristics, one of the most promising of which (in Ontario) is the eastern shore of Lake Huron.

Speaking of energy conservation, we all know that kids are targeted by advertisers. Usually their messages sell the worst our culture has to offer - things like violent games, bad food, and fast, gas sucking cars. Inhabitat.com has a story about hydrogen fueled toy cars that promote green power:

The H-Racer was developed by Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies. Founded in 2003, the company’s goal is “to greatly accelerate the global commercialization of clean, hydrogen fuel cell power.” The H-Racer does just that, providing a great opportunity to teach young ones (and adults) the advantages of Hydrogen Fuel: it is non-toxic, renewable, clean to use, and the most abundant element in the world. The solar power created Hydrogen fuel sends the H-Racer over 100 meters when given a straightaway. A zero emission vehicle, the H-Racer is a working miniature version of the same technology being developed in life-size cars.

The Canadian Design Resource looked at the city's sidewalks and found some celebratory markings that most of us overlook.

Finally, torontoist.com had a story on Pearson's old Terminal 1 building. We love the building too and use an image of it for our newsletter.

It's been demolished for two years now, but the old Terminal 1 at Toronto's international airport was once world-renowned for its futuristic and innovative design. State-of-the-art when opened on February 28, 1964, it was obsolete only a decade later as jet travel became commonplace.