Reddit pulse / page 11

People were freaking out about massive swarms of what looked like hornets in High Park, but it turns out they're cicada killer wasps. Still huge and intimidating, but they're after cicadas, not you. Flying in and out of ground holes all over the park.

Toronto police are hunting for a man who convinced someone to hand over $800,000 through an elaborate psychic scam — the guy's been gone for months. Posing as spiritual healer "Babu," he made up frightening claims about harm coming to the victim's family unless they kept paying. Wild.

Toronto's reported its first human West Nile virus case of the year. City detected the first West Nile-positive mosquito batch back in July, and now there's confirmed human transmission. Mosquitoes are still active — spray your yard, use bug spray, keep standing water out of planters.

A Reddit thread on streetcars sparked the usual debate: some people love them as Toronto icons, others say they're the slowest part of the transit system and should be rethought. It's the eternal Toronto streetcar argument, and it's not going away.

The TTC's decision-making behind phasing out tickets and tokens is drawing flak on Reddit. People are frustrated they won't be able to get refunds on unused tickets and tokens — and upset the TTC didn't properly consult riders before making the call.

Longtime Toronto councillor Gord Perks took his final bow this week with an ovation, a hug, and some cheeky parting wisdom for his colleagues. The Parkdale-High Park rep gave council a decade-plus of unflinching advocacy and leaves with his politics intact.

Latest poll on Toronto's mayoral race has Olivia Chow holding a commanding lead at 47 per cent, with Brad Bradford at 32 per cent and Mark Alexander at 11 per cent. Two years out, it's Chow's race to lose.

Toronto's renoviction bylaw, one year in, is doing its job. Calls about evictions tied to building work have dropped so sharply they've almost disappeared entirely. Tenants breathing easier.

coyote cub spotted on Barton near Christie Pits. adds to sightings across the city this summer — they're moving deeper into midtown. stay aware if you're in the area.

boat got stolen from a Toronto island dock. if you spot a 25ft red Scarab with boxing gloves hanging from the mirror, report it to police. sounds like boat thefts are up right now — keep your eyes on the water.

Afrofest is off the calendar for 2026. The festival outgrew Woodbine Park and ran into permit issues — organizers say capacity and safety concerns made cancellation the right call.

City council is digging into whether hosting the FIFA World Cup actually paid off. Toronto residents questioned whether the cost was worth it — and now the city wants to see what the actual impact was.

The new Biidaasige park extension opening in the Port Lands is absolutely nailed it — accessible, beautiful, integrated with nature. It's a functional, First Nations-incorporated design that gives Toronto a full new way to explore the skyline and lakefront.

Someone painted a mural at Duncan and Queen that finished in what looked like a single day, and wow. This block doesn't exactly look the prettiest usually, but that mural completely changed the vibe and made the whole street feel more alive.

Someone died after an e-scooter hit a motor vehicle near Tommy Thompson Park. If you saw what happened, Toronto police want to hear from you.

Reddit's been buzzing about Uncle Croffey, the TTC operator making commutes a little less grim with witty announcements on the subway. Real community love on r/toronto.

full moon crossing the cn tower right now — if you're downtown, worth stepping outside to catch it.