Imagine a Toronto where you get around on time, using TTC buses and streetcars painted in bright pink.
asserted
you → imagine → pink
A city that invests more into accessible art programs, where youth have more decision-making power and the CNE is open year-round.
asserted
CNE → invest → power
As part of the If I Were Mayor series, the Star held a contest asking students at the Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board for their big ideas for the city in advance of Monday’s elections, and what they would do if they were chosen to lead the city.
asserted
they → hold → city
The four winning ideas span the election hot topics of traffic and transit, initiatives to make Toronto more fun, and giving youth a bigger say in the future.
asserted
Toronto → win → future
Sage Neptune Miracula, a Grade 2 student, would use their power as mayor to help cheer people up.
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Miracula → use → people
“If we make Toronto a funner place … be creative, then we could have a fun, beautiful city,” Sage said.
uncertain
Sage → make → city
Grade 8 student Ellis Torres’s vision is inspired by his experience getting around Toronto with his family.
asserted
vision → inspire → family
“Every time we’re on the 401, or just any highway … it’s always just packed and we’re late for appointments and anything really,” he said.
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he → ’re → appointments
Grade 9 student Erich Tigcal pitched her winning idea after thinking about her time with friends outside school.
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Tigcal → pitch → school
“I noticed that there are a lot of artistic people everywhere and they should be encouraged,” she said.
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she → notice → people
“Sometimes I can’t really do anything but go to the mall.”
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I → do → mall
Grade 10 student Umme Habiba’s ideas were inspired by the conversations around her.
asserted
ideas → inspire → her
“I was seeing all these good ideas that young people had, so I wanted to create a system where they could all be heard,” Habiba said.
uncertain
Habiba → see → system
Here are the four winning student essays:
asserted
essays → win → ?
Sage Neptune Miracula, student at The Grove Community School
If I was mayor, I would paint every TTC bus and subway and streetcar pink to make our city look extra special and to cheer people up if they were having a crummy day.
asserted
they → paint → day
The changing screens could change depending on the weather.
uncertain
screens → change → weather
On a hot day, it would be a sun and on a cold day, it would be snowflakes or pictures of ice, I think this art would make the TTC look really nice.
asserted
TTC → think → ice
At night it could show phases of the moon.
uncertain
it → show → moon
My second plan is for the Canadian National Exhibition (the CNE) to stay open all year round at the exhibition.
asserted
Exhibition → stay → exhibition
In winter we can put up a giant dome over it like they put over tennis courts.
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they → put → courts
We could invite small businesses to come as well as hot tub shops where people can buy hot tubs.
uncertain
people → invite → tubs
The food can also change all during the year, for example pumpkin foods in fall and warm soup in winter.
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food → change → winter
It would not be expensive for small businesses to have a store down there so that we get lots of things for Toronto.
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we → have → Toronto
Ellis Michael Torres, student at St. Louis Catholic School
If I were mayor of Toronto for a day, my first priority would be solving the city’s congestion crisis.
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priority → solve → crisis
As a 13 year old, I’ve observed that my family and I have missed numerous opportunities for school and work.
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family → observe → school
According to my sources, one of the major reasons why we have this problem is because our transit system is outdated.
uncertain
system → accord → problem
As more people move into Toronto, we need to improve and renew our system.
asserted
we → move → system
To solve this, I would make transit faster by adding more dedicated bus and streetcar lanes so they would not be constantly stuck behind cars.
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they → solve → cars
Additionally, I would give TTC vehicles priority at traffic lights.
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I → give → lights
If the city’s transit system was more reliable, quick and safe, citizens may have a reason to leave their cars at home to use the TTC, resulting in less traffic congestion and more clear roads.
Second, another main reason why there is an abundance of traffic in our city is because of construction projects.
uncertain
reason → have → projects
These projects are essential, however, they block multiple streets, slowing down and preventing people from travelling to places.
asserted
they → block → places
I would solve this by stopping multiple major road projects from closing nearby streets at the same time.
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I → solve → time
Furthermore, to achieve this, they would need to share a city wide schedule.
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they → achieve → schedule
In conclusion, if I were given the chance to be the mayor of Toronto for a day, I would prioritize fixing our city’s congestion crisis.
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I → give → crisis
I would improve our transit system and improve the organization of our construction.
asserted
I → improve → construction
Erich Tigcal, student at Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School
When was the last time you’ve seen an opportunity (e.g., competitions, fairs …) for the youth to pursue the arts in person?
For me, it has probably been months since I’ve seen artistic opportunities for the youth, aside from competitions.
asserted
I → see → competitions
We need more opportunities for the artistic youth to learn AND bring Toronto’s community TOGETHER.
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youth → need → community
Youth is one of the most IMPORTANT times to develop skills and pursue passions.
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Youth → develop → passions
There are a significantly large number of individuals that are extremely passionate for art, and have the talent within the flick of a wrist.
asserted
that → be → wrist
Around Toronto, I notice that some areas lack accessible opportunities that are free and near a person’s area OUTSIDE of school for the youth, especially for the arts, which is why many are unsure on where to start or improve.
asserted
many → notice → arts
…and 111 more, not listed.
The Aporia
