It seems that a small number of residents, with the acquiescence of Adam Vaughan, are trying to close the patio at Future Bakery. I do hope that some intrepid journalist at Now Magazine looks into this!

Now Magazine please help! Futures Patio is still closed! There are at least 20 university students/young people who are out of a well-paying job if Adam Vaughan and residents get their way! It's so depressing to walk down Bloor st in the Annex and see Future's Patio empty! They won't even allow it to open during the day!

This is totally ridiculous that Adam Vaughan wants to shut down Futures and The Lab. The Lab is a staple in the student community and is the most successful "local hangout" in the area. Futures is a landmark. Yet "AV" wants both places out of business. And for what? to add more sushi shops? Shutting down Futures and The Lab means about 70 people are out of work. In this economy? Like seriously... "AV" and the residents keep finding ways to delay the process of getting the license back from what I have heard.

There is NO REASON that the patios can't be open until 11pm everyday. It should be illegal what is happening to both businesses. They've done nothing but try to accommodate and continue to accommodate every concern....

It's just not fair. "AV" has it in for the annex and I just don't understand why he wants to close down all these patios and bars....

it's unfortunate that Democracy doesn't work. 3 or 4 residents and "AV" can over power the majority... Its just wrong... in every way.

Thats my 2 cents...

I miss The Lab patio.... :( Future's patio is great too... I hope it gets resolved soon....

Lab, Future's - you've been like a home to me longer than I care to remember. You allow me the luxury of calmly and genially imbibing alcoholic libations and delicious sandwiches. Why have you gotten such a bad name?

Residents living so close to Bloor street really need to understand that shutting down our patios won't fix the noise problem. If you don't like the noise of a city, then move to the 'burbs with all the other boring folk. Or hey, here's an idea...why not come by for a pint?

Everything about this is preposterous. You can't just eliminate a staple like Future's and Lab...

I think its ridiculous that a week ago while a film crew was doing their "Business" Signs went up along bloor st that said the city was going to cut the bikes off all the posts. To allow this "Business" to continue along without missing a beat. I can't help but think that the disruption caused by this filming would be greater than that of a patio operating during the regular hours of the day. Also what makes one business operation more of a priority over another? Does anyone remember what happened the day of the blackout? Everyone ran to the closest patio. If there are no patios what is everyone going to do when the power runs out?

This is completely offensive, The Labyrinth Lounge and Future's Bakery have been a staple in this community for years, how dare AV try to cut off something so integral to the community, please do something NOW magazine before we lose two of the Annex' most precious commodities!

I went to a community meeting about this with Adam Vaughn a few months ago. It was acknowledged by several people there that the Brunswick House was the main source of the problem, but as the owners of that weren't present we weren't allowed to talk about it. Fair enough, but shutting down the patios at Futures and the Lab because you can't get an answer out of the Brunswick House owners makes no sense at all.

The case concerning the Lab and Future's is an outrage! The Lab and Future's has a right to a license unless it is against the public interest. The onus is in fact on the objectors to prove that the issuance of such license is not in the public interest having regard to the needs and the wishes of the residents of the municipality in which the premises are located.

The owners need to appeal the opposed transfer and take with them to Council a petition indicating no complaints concerning the tranfer/licensing of the premise; show that the building departments is not aware of any building violations nor noncompliance orders; and the calculated occupancy.

As for noise, commercial activity continues all around the Lab and Future's Bakery. There is no way to determine how much noise is generated from this establishment solely and can therefore be deemed irrelevant.

I strongly think that an appeal should be put before the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario since they regulate the alcohol and gaming sectors in accordance with the principles of honesty and integrity, and most importantly, in the true public interest.

I have lived in this neighborhood for 11 years and Futures and The Labyrinth have been a big part of my life. Those patios have been a focal meeting point for many artists and business people for many, many years. Also, it has been a favorite of many famous music and TV personalities including Adam Gontier from THREE DAYS GRACE and Chad Kroeger from NICKELBACK. These patios have added charm and character to this area and have helped to make this neighborhood thrive. For Adam Vaughan to just waltz in here and try to take these patios away, is just plain retarded. The guy is trying to close down anything that is fun for the people in this neighborhood. I can gaurantee this; He will not get re-elected if this happens. I know these patios have had their issues with a few bad apples, but it is under new ownership/mangement. Let's give these guys a chance to make thing rights. Ultimately there are going to be a couple of residenses that may be against the patios. But last I checked; majority rules. THE MAJORITY IS SPEAKING, AND ADAM VAUGHAN SHOULD PUT HIS EGO ASIDE AND LISTEN TO THE MANY AND NOT JUST THE FEW...AND CALL ANOTHER MEETING, OR WE WILL BE PETITIONING THIS ARRANGEMENT OF HIS AND HIS FRIENDS.

I'm one of the evil nearby residents. Nobody is trying to shut down Futures or the Futures patio. Precisely nobody - and I've tallked with people from all the 10 closest houses. We do want to stop patios marching ever closer to us, and we want no patio at the Lab or anywhere else closer to us. We have kids, spouses who need to get to work and think straight at 8:00am, all that kind of stuff. And certainly the Brunswick House is vile - we'll have plenty to say about it when it comes up as an issue. Meanwhile we're enjoying eating and drinking on the Futures patio.

Dear Now Magazine,

A letter last week suggested that somehow my office was to blame for the patio at Future Bakery not being open. This is not true. As of last week the new owner had not even submitted a complete application to the city to operate the patio.

Last Friday, May 22, the City received the complete application at 3:50 pm. City staff stayed late to support the applicant and the license was issued the same day.

I am also attaching a letter the owner of Future circulated to local residents and my office on May 12th taking full responsibility for the misunderstandings regarding the patio.

I hope everyone enjoys the return of this Annex landmark.

Sincerely,

Councillor Adam Vaughan

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May 12th, 2009

To: The Residents of Brunswick And to: City Councillor Adam Vaughan

Re: Futures and Labyrinth patios

Dear Resident of Brunswick Avenue:

I owe you, each and everyone of you, a very deep and sincere apology. I cannot say this strongly enough to make up for the stress and unhappiness I have caused you over the last few months. The really incomprehensible part is that by doing so, I have also created a credibility gap between the residents and my business. As an active resident and homeowner in my own community and business member in the Annex BIA, I should always take the concerns of this community seriously.

May I also add a special apology to Councilor Adam Vaughan. I mistook his interest in this matter as antagonistic when in fact it was an attempt to facilitate a negotiated settlement that would have, if I had not missed the chance, ensured reasonable patio hours and rules for the summer of 2009. It is to my complete embarrassment that I interpreted his assistance as a hindrance.

I wish I could explain this to you in a way that might make sense; perhaps it was the worry over keeping my business a going concern in more uncertain times; worry over keeping my employees happy and with a place to work; worry for my livelihood.....all of these things occupy my attention on a daily basis. Where I went off the rails was in thinking that my business concerns trumped the concerns of the neighbourhood in which I operate, let me tell you: I have finally received the message..

Up to a few days ago, I thought my concerns as expressed above would carry the day in any discussion/negotiation with you my neighbours. Well, slow learner that I am, I finally got it: my interests cannot override the right of my neighbours [and members of my community] to free and uncomplicated enjoyment of their residential properties.

Now that this has hit home, I am aghast at the impertinence of my previous notions that my need to keep my business solvent depends on ignoring the rights of you my neighbours.

The secondary purpose is to ask you, if it is too late for me to make amends, to meet one more time to discuss some way of sorting out the patio situation for this year. For one thing, I think I have to prove my good will/intentions/bona fides by running a tight ship at the Future's Patio, which has always been a landmark in the community.

Yours sincerely,

Sumit Kapur

As one of the long time residents of the Annex I can attest to the tremendous increase in noise, destruction of property, and violence that has occurred over the past two years, largely because of the bar scene.

While it is true that the Brunswick House is a worse offender, it is also true that they are not the ONLY problem. The Lab has proven to be a bad neighbor in the past. They have had repeated warnings about noise, drunken screaming and yelling on the patio between the hours of 11:00 and 3:00 am. It is unbelievably to me that some people, who clearly enjoy the Lab, have no respect for the people who live nearby. Their reasoning is usually along the lines of - if you don't like noise don't live next to it. Following that logic, those who live near a nuclear plant shouldn't complain if it leeks.

The truth is, most of us that moved to the Annex did so precisely because of its vibrant nature and were well aware of the bar and patio scene. However, things have changed significantly, and not for the better. My guess is that most of the misguided posts on this site are from people who aren't causing the problems. Which would mean they haven't been hanging around the Lab at 3:00 in the morning screaming at the top of their lungs, or moving on down the street pissing on people's lawns, or destroying property. Does it happen every night? No, but often enough that people are tired of it.

This idea that the folks who live in the area want to destroy it is baffling. We live and raise our families here. We sustain the local shops and restaurants to a much larger degree than those just visiting for a pint. If anything, WE are the ones trying to preserve it so it doesn't slip down the slippery slope that other areas of the city are experiencing.

What people should realize is that patios fronting residential streets all across this city do so largely with the permission of their neighborhoods. It is not a right, otherwise everyone with a bar would be opening one. I wonder how some of these people on this post would feel if that happened where they ACTUALLY live and try and sleep? This idea that somehow The Lab is a city and cultural landmark is ridiculous. It is a bar. Nothing more. It has no special status and should, like other bars on residential streets, operate with respect to the neighbors who allow them that privilege.

The NEW owner of The Lab was given the opportunity to have his patio open until 11:00 - the same hours almost every patio on a residential street in this city follows. He flatly rejected it, claiming his right to make money should trump that of the neighbors. As you can see by his letter, he has since seen the error in his judgment. The Future patio was never in question. As has been pointed out by Councilor Vaughn above, the issue with that patio was a city licensing technicality that had nothing to do with the neighbors. The owners complied and it is now open.

I would like to add that Councilor Vaughn was not the instigator of any of this. He represents the area, and as concerned citizens, we took our issues to him for help. At the last meeting there were THIRTY residents present, not three or four as some would like to believe. I can't tell you what a relief it's been to actually be heard by a member of city government, let alone one that follows through.

S. Thompson

OPEN THE LAB PATIO! OPEN THE LAB PATIO!OPEN THE LAB PATIO! OPEN THE LAB PATIO!OPEN THE LAB PATIO! OPEN THE LAB PATIO!OPEN THE LAB PATIO! OPEN THE LAB PATIO!

Adam vaughn is ruining my summer...! I love the lab patoi... !

Adam Vaughan does not represent the area, he represents four unhappy, bored residents who will always complaint about anything. If he listened to ALL residents things would be different. Adam Vaughan, wake up, do your job, you have been elected by ALL people not just four!

Brunswick and Bloor: since the July 2009 murder behind the Brunswick House, police and City monitoring of the local bars has been beefed up. Thankfully - and long may it continue so that those of us who live nearby, our kids included, are safe on the street and can sleep undisturbed by thumping disco or by midnight yelling on the street.