A Victory on Strachan? And New Metrolinx Meeting Date

This week, Metrolinx and the city came to a compromise on the Strachan Avenue Overpass (further details below). We're very encouraged by this development, but still determined to support the campaigns working to make sure that any solution is the right one for our community.

Hoping for further details / images / engineering drawings for the new bridge, and Metrolinx has announced a new community consultation that all residents should attend:

Metrolinx’s Open House – unveiling the new proposal for Strachan
Historic Fort York - 100 Garrison Road
Tuesday June 16th
3-8pm

More details and images:

The existing roadway looking east on Douro / Wellington towards Strachan.

City mockup of the new compromise design. Note the roadway height change as indicated by the stop sign.

See more details and a chart of the various options presented here. See the original email from Joe's office and the letter from Rosario's office on this new plan.

Feral Cat Meeting

On Monday, June 15th (7-9 pm) at the Community Centre (700 Wellington Street West) Feral Toronto will be holding a gathering of feral cat caregivers and cat lovers to look at ways individuals and communities can come together to deal with the booming number of homeless outdoor cats in Toronto.

Topics include Feline Sex in the City (overpopulation) and a how-to on organized feral trapping.

Connect with fellow caregivers, and learn about how you can help.

Speakers include: Deborah Chalmers of the Toronto Feral Cat Project and Nataysha Sherbot, Toronto Cat Rescue Volunteer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
deborah@feraltoronto.com

Update on Parc Development

The Parc Developers have re-submitted their plans, and have made substantial changes. The height is now closer to 15 Stafford (the existing building alongside the park), there are stepbacks, visitor parking, access to the park from inside the building, internal shared space, the shadow impacts are greatly reduced… it’s not perfect, but it’s *much* better.

The Steering Committee has reviewed the proposal, and is inclined to support the new design - and we want to hear from you.

A chart of info is below, and a copy of the plans for everyone to review is available if you're so inclined. Please email us with your questions / comments by May 15th.

(Sorry for the giant gap below - bug with the blogging software).

	Current Zoning	15 Stafford	Old PARC Proposal	New PARC Proposal
Units	-	142	103	104
Height	18 meters	26 metres	43 metres	32.55 metres
Stepbacks	-	2, starting at ~20 metres	none	2, starting at ~ 25.5 metres
Setback	-	~ 9 metres	~4 metres	4.3 metres
Visitor Parking	0.12 space per unit	20 spaces	none	7 spaces
Resident Parking	number varies on size of units	141 spaces	53 spaces	50 spaces
Common Area?	-	yes	no	yes
Common Access to Park?	-	yes	no	yes

St. Andrew's Market Opening This Summer

St. Andrew's market The St. Andrew's market was originally founded in 1837 to serve the rapidly-growing west end of Toronto. It was Toronto's third public market after St. Lawrence (1803) and St. Patrick (1837).

Now, in 2009, we are working to revive the St. Andrew's market at its original location, what is now St. Andrew's Park between Richmond and Adelaide, Brandt and Maud.

Organized by local residents and Farmer's Markets of Ontario, this Certified Farmer's Market will feature real farmers selling only what they produce themselves. It will run on Saturday mornings from June to October in the parking lot at the west side of the park.

Please send an email to standrewsmarket@gmail.com if you would like to be kept informed of news about the new market.

Wellington Place Neighbourhood Heritage Walk

Heratige Toronto is offering a walk of the Wellington Place Neighbourhood: details below and more info here:

Wellington Place Neighbourhood
Start: May 10 2009 - 1:30pm
End: May 10 2009 - 3:30pm

The diversity of Toronto's roles since its founding in 1793 are reflected in this vibrant downtown neighbourhood - evidence of our military past, Victorian residences, and buildings from the era as a manufacturing centre. See how the Wellington Place neighbourhood has successfully adapted to 200 years of changes.

Leaders: Marta O’Brien
Start Point: NE corner of Victoria Memorial Square, Wellington St W at Portland St, just east of Bathurst
Finish Point: Bathurst and Adelaide Streets
Length: Approx. 2 hours
Walk Difficulty: Average walk on sidewalks

Focus:
* historical
* architectural

URGENT! Strachan Ave Super-Bridge

A very important note from Joe's office - it's short notice, but *PLEASE* make the time to attend the meeting at Fort York tomorrow. This is a major - and potentially disasterous - problem for the community!

URGENT! Strachan Ave Super-Bridge


Dear neighbours,

MetroLinx is NOT listening!

At 8:30 this morning - one day before "MetroLinx's Open House" - I was informed that MetroLinx dropped the community's and City of Toronto's preferred option for the Strachan - At - Grade elimination. (See the City of Toronto Staff Report: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-16917.pdf).

Today, MetroLinx offers one sole solution -- a bridge that will tear at the urban fabric of our community. Not only does MetroLinx's sole "solution" force the closure of Douro Street and Wellington Street at Strachan Avenue, but it entails the erection of an ugly super structure (think another Gardiner Expressway?) smack in the middle of some of Toronto's most vibrant, historic, and creative neighbourhoods (Niagara Neighbourhood, Liberty Village, Exhibition Place, Fort York and the Waterfront).

As your Toronto City Councillor, I am surprised and disappointed that our alternative has been unilaterally dismissed. What can you do? In the first instance, you and your neighbours can attend the Open House - TOMORROW - Wednesday, April 15, 2009 from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Fort York, Blue Barracks - 100 Garrison Road. Make our voices heard!

Please use these two links for more information:

http://www.metrolinx.com/gsse/default.aspx

http://www.metrolinx.com/gsse/community/open_house.aspx.



Sincerely,
Joe Pantalone
Deputy Mayor
City of Toronto
416-392-4009

Strachan Avenue Grade Separation Open House

From the councellor's office:

There will be a second Open House on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Fort York, Blue Barracks - 100 Garrison Road. Our ongoing efforts for the Strachan - At - Grade - Crossing are intended so that the solution reached is a helpful one, rather than a harmful one. You may want to attend the Open House. It will be helpful if you and other community members drop by and provide comments to emphasize how important it is to lower the rail corridor in order to maintain Strachan Ave and the urban fabric of our community.

Please use this link for more information: http://www.metrolinx.com/gsse/default.aspx

The future of the Grade Separation at Strachan Ave will affect the area greatly. City Council has taken a strong position on lowering the grade but Metrolinx will ultimately make the decision. (See the City of Toronto Staff Report: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-16917.pdf).