The Globe and Mail

If you're among the many citizens who like our downtown residential laneways the derelict way they are, you can imagine my horror when I heard they'd been discovered. And not merely discovered, but mindfully studied and scouted out for new construction opportunities. My mind was put somewhat at ease last week by a visit to Ballenford Books on Architecture, at 600 Markham St., where the illustrated report of this recent expedition into darkest Toronto is now available, and a celebratory show of photographs is on view through May 15. The explorers, it turned out, were persons of the right sort to be prowling the back lanes. They were bright and inventive members of a graduate course in the University of Toronto's Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, and respectful students of ancient alley traditions and uses.