Friday, May 29, 2009

nationalpost.com article on Perth Ave house

That ’70s showing on Perth


If you live on Perth Avenue (off of Dundas between two sets of railroad tracks) and somebody asks you what area of the city you live in, expect them to look confused if you say, "West Toronto Junction." Most people know the area as the Junction or the Junction Triangle. There, I found an Ugly Duckling semi-detached property on Perth just a few steps north of Bloor Street. With an asking price of $299,900 it was bursting with promise and potential.

I toured through the home with Jonathan Amantea (Sutton Group) and Norbert Dolecek (Renovation & Painting Specialist). It looks like a two-and-a-half-storey from the front with a flat roof over the bedroom at the back. Sometime in this Victorian's century of history, an owner covered the brick with white siding, but it is not in terrible shape and could be spiffy with cleaning and caulking. ...the restof the article at nationalpost.com

Ossington Avenue – Interim Control By-law to review the Review the impact of restaurants (and similar uses)

Ossington Avenue is...has lost (hope not) it's industrial nature and is moving to one that is more commercial and residential in nature many are saying which has caused the city to begin to study the issue...

[caption id="attachment_4110" align="aligncenter" width="376" caption="City Study area"]City Study area[/caption]

Summary

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in his report dated May 25, 2009, has recommended that a study be undertaken to review the impact of restaurants (and similar uses) on Ossington Avenue, between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West. This study is intended to determine the nature of conflicts between restaurants (and similar uses) and the surrounding neighbourhood areas, whether the current zoning provisions are sufficient to address these conflicts or whether the Zoning By-law should be amended to address these conflicts, and to identify appropriate enforcement strategies.

analysis so far


The analysis identified two types of land use conflicts emerging as a result of this transition. The first conflict revolved around the remaining industrial operations using Ossington Avenue for loading and unloading of raw materials and goods, which posed safety concerns to the increasing number of pedestrians using the street. The second conflict stemmed from the introduction of restaurants to the street which have an entertainment function. These ‘restaurants’, mainly karaoke bars and nightclubs, were generating community concerns with respect to noise, vandalism, disruptive behaviour, late night activity and parking congestion.

Review the impact of restaurants (and similar uses) for the lands on and flanking Ossington Avenue, between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West. It also recommends that an Interim Control By-law be adopted to prohibit restaurants (and similar uses) for a period of one year. [Full report at city site]

Councillor Pantalone, seconded by Councillor Rae, recommends:
1. That City Council adopt the recommendations contained in the report May 25, 2009 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, respecting a planning study and Interim Control By-law for Ossington Avenue, between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West.


Member Motion MM36.5

Berminghammer's pile driver hammer excellence, unused

Berminghammer one of the companies driving piles in the west Toronto Junction Go Transit project has considerable experience in driving piles just about everywhere in North America, and as well as being a significant manufacturer of the equipment to drive piles.  As this post is written the pile drivers can be heard - working in unison as they place the piles using the template (pictured below)...and  the noise and vibration issues continue, abet  with Go Transit  committing to a reduction of noise though various methods, yet one of  items that should not be overlooked is the use of  Berminghammer's smokeless pile driving technology [link to their site], if  a lesser quality pile driver type and contractor were used the situation would be much worse.

Where the city loses in all the problems around the West Toronto Diamond project and the related crossings outside of our area is the bid process where the lowest cost bidder/and or method wins.

Both Anchor and Berminghammer have vast experience in these areas, and so does Delcan one of the design contractors.  Would it not have been reasonable to ask each of these companies to bid with with consideration to the urban environment they were to work in, no doubt they could have solved the problem.

pile-driver-hammer-end-apr-18th1

Council's approval to restrict daycare facilties on High Park Avenue south of Dundas Street West will not effect the opening of the Teddy Bear Academy

A source told us that...

it looks like Council's approval to restrict daycare facilties on High Park Avenue south of Dundas Street West will not effect the openning of the Teddy Bear Academy because the academy received an approved building permit prior to the subject Council approval.

The City Planner advised  that during the year band of daycares along High Park Avenue, that further studies related to pick up/drop off, traffic and bus routes will be conducted along High Park Avenue to determine what the issues are if any and the results will be incorperateing into new citywide Zoning Bylaw.

background and more at the Junction Parents blog [link]

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Old Mill dealership begins construction

old-mill-dealership-site-5-28-2009-1-21-34-pm1

The images above detail the work so far performed on the New Old Mill Dealership at Jane and St Clair Ave. Viewed now as the the site leveling work is underway at St Clair Ave West, and Jane St corner - and the ring foundations walls for the pad type building being constructed, the main front of the building will face the St Clair Ave. West, and Jane St.

The entrance appears to going where the current construction entrance is now about 150 meters east of the St Clair Ave West, and Jane St corner.

55 Glen Scarlett Rd conversion new food processing plant


glen-scarlett-rd-meat-plant




Work continues daily on the conversion of the old Intergen Biomanufacturing, a producer raw materials for the pharmaceutical & Bio technical industry, to food processing plant, by the site new owners.
The plant or the shell of the plant at 55 Glen Scarlett Rd has been undergoing this phase for some time, without much visible other that the slow and systematic take down of various parts of the building.
One good choice by the plants new owner is the reuse of the existing shell, where they could. It’s probably a good bet that this plant will be a meat packing plant.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Metrolinx to study electrification of the entire GO Transit rail system

...text is from Metrolinx, just moved around for the post - although all the Terms of Reference sound great

Yesterday, Metrolinx announced the launch of a study for the electrification of the entire GO Transit rail system to meet the future transit service demands across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

Among the issues the Terms of Reference could address:

Criteria to determine the staging of electrification of GO’s rail lines Performance improvements for riders Power supply and distribution  Union Station capacity Rail corridor ownership Urban planning benefits Vehicle technology options and availability Physical constraints Property impacts Impacts on GO capital and operating costs

“The Big Move recommends future Express Rail service throughout the GTHA, for which electrification is an important element. This study is the critical next step. I am very pleased that we are moving forward on this issue in a comprehensive way”, said Rob MacIsaac, Chair of Metrolinx.

We are also establishing an external advisory committee that will be made up of community representatives, riders and independent technical experts, to advise Metrolinx on the Terms of Reference for the study. We will post the membership of the Advisory Committee in the coming weeks on our website. We are beginning work on the study immediately and expect to complete it by 2010.

We will continue to update you about the progress of the study. We are building an improved transit system for the region with your help.

For full release: Metrolinx to study electrification of GO Transit's rail system



Their site metrolinx.com

Councillor Saundercook's motion today - rather good

Councillor Bill Saundercook has moved the following motion on the Roncesvalles Avenue Streetscape Study: (


That Council adopt the following recommendations of the Toronto Pedestrian Committee, contained in the letter (April 28, 2009) from the Committee [PW24.5a]:

1. The Toronto Pedestrian Committee be included in the review of future road projects, particularly those with streetcar stop alterations.

2. Given that the parking supply in the recommended alternative is greater than the observed peak demand, the next phase of design work investigate the possibility of removing additional parking spaces in low demand areas in order to widen sidewalks or provide bicycle parking.


how the local concillors voted ...



Votes and Motions on Roncesvalles Avenue Streetscape Improvements


Motion to Adopt the Item as Amended (Carried)

5/27/2009 11:18:17 AM “PW24.5 - Adopt the item as amended” 34 yea+5 nay,2/3 maj,quorum
YES Ashton YES Augimeri YES Bussin [Chair] YES Carroll YES Cho YES Davis YES De Baeremaeker YES Del Grande YES Di Giorgio YES Filion YES Fletcher YES Giambrone YES Grimes YES Hall YES Jenkins YES Kelly YES Lee YES McConnell YES Mihevc YES Milczyn YES Miller YES Moscoe YES Nunziata YES Palacio YES Pantalone YES Parker YES Perks YES Perruzza YES Rae YES Saundercook YES Stintz YES Thompson YES Vaughan YES Walker

NO Ford NO Holyday NO Minnan-Wong NO Ootes NO Shiner

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

TTC hands Dundas West subway station alternate exit reponsibilty to Metrolinx and Go Transit


[email_link]




[caption id="attachment_4061" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Photo credit (adapted from ) onshi   http://www.flickr.com/people/pragmatic/"]Photo credit    onshi       http://www.flickr.com/people/pragmatic/[/caption]

The Dundas St.  West subway station identified as a priority in a Fire and Life Safety Assessment Study completed in 2002, as requiring an alternate means of egress from the station platform has had the responsibility for this  second exit issue tranfered to Metrolinx and GO Transit by the TTC.

from the city report...

Dundas West Station:

The second exit concept was being developed by GO Transit as part of their plans for a new connection to the station. The concept included an automatic entrance to permit a direct connection between Dundas West Station and GO Station. The project has been recently handed over to Metrolinx and discussions are on-going with Metrolinx and GO Transit to pursue this option including cost sharing arrangements  [Full TTC report opens in new window from TTC ] [Full TTC report opens in new window from archive on this site]

Should the Dundas West Station have a proper - weather protected - traffic avoiding direct link to the the GO station? The new air link go rail effort will pass right though the area only 350 meters away.

the route now from subway to Go station  in the TTC's own text... (2004 numbers)

In order to transfer between the TTC Dundas West Station on the Bloor-Danforth Subway and the GO Bloor Station on the Georgetown line, customers walk approximately 350 metres along Bloor Street, between the two stations. Based on the most-recent GO passenger surveys, approximately 100 passengers per day, in each direction, use the GO Bloor Station, which represents less than 2% of the 6,900 total daily inbound passengers on the Georgetown line. Very few of these passengers currently transfer between TTC and GO services at this location.

also from their 2004 report

The proposed rail link between downtown Toronto and Pearson Airport, recently announced by the Federal government, would operate in the current GO Transit Georgetown corridor, and is premised, in part, on an improved connection with TTC at Dundas West Station.

Related info link to the city PDF file of the Bloor Dundas Avenue Study outlining the planning uses for the area of the subway. [link]

Gord Perks City Councillor on Annette Street bicycle lanes

bike-lane-ahead

Councillor Gord Perks has sent out this informative update about the bicycle lanes along Annette Street.

The installation of the bicycle lanes along Annette Street, from Jane Street to Keele Street will be undertaken, as the resurfacing project for that area is completed. It is my understanding that this will happen within the next two weeks. The bicycle lanes along Annette Street, east of Keele Street, and those along Dupont Street from Keele to Lansdowne Avenue would be installed shortly thereafter.

[email_link]

GO to study electrifying rail lines

[email_link]



The Toronto star has an article on how GO Transit is begin to study to study electrifying it's rail lines.

From the article....

GO Transit will begin a study this summer on electrifying its entire train system.

Metrolinx plans to announce today that the study, to be complete by winter 2010, will be overseen by an external advisory committee including community representatives, technical and environmental experts. It's likely a member of the Clean Train Coalition would be invited to join the committee, a source told the Star.

That group, composed of residents, community associations and businesses living along the Georgetown line – in the path of a huge expansion of GO service – has been pushing the province to go to cleaner electric trains rather than diesel. ...the rest of the article [link]

Monday, May 25, 2009

Social media and city employees

Recently a comment was posted on a blog post regarding city employees access to social networking sites, by Keith McDonald a Communications Coordinator at the City of Toronto which details and answers many of the emailed questions  the blog received on subject. Below is the comment as posted .

City employees are able to access social media if they present a business case on how they need to use such sites. In the above example, members would outline how the interaction applies to their work. To date, staff making such cases have been granted access.

I suspect the staff in question are not aware of this. Communications around social media has started but not all staff are tuning into vehicles such as a Monday Morning News blast or the intranet. The City is actually well underway in preparing a policy on use of social media. On first brush, it may seem like a no brainer “turn it on” issue but when you begin to address legal obligations such as required data retrieval (even from sites that our not the City’s property e.g. Facebook, YouTube, etc), it is by no means straight forward. There are actually hundreds of issues at play.

Further to communications, City of Toronto staff are encouraged to partake in the internal social media blog: webbook - to discover more on how social media is entering the government and what is being done.

This is accessible through the City intranet site. Some of the webbook blogs, in particular those by the CIO, Dave Wallace and Deputy City Manager, Sue Corke are by no means taking an anti-social media view.

As for City employees being “disallowed from commenting regarding city issues in a public forum …”, this is not precise. The issue here is citing a personal opinion that may be construed as an official “City” opinion.

Again, the social media policy is addressing the particulars. I speak here as a member of the toronto.ca re:Brand team and not as an individual personally engaged in social media.

Should I want to comment personally I would need to clearly say this is my personal opinion and not that of the City of Toronto. It’s a clear distinction.

We are also looking to engage residents directly and hear their comments about the web and our relationships with you. I am not sure I can make active links in responses so I will err on this not being allowed. But, we encourage anyone who has something to say about toronto.ca and web interactions to participate with us. Go to:https://wx.toronto.ca/inter/city/tosurvey.nsf/Survey?OpenForm
for an anonymous survey or go to:
https://wx.toronto.ca/inter/city/tosurvey.nsf/Participation?OpenForm
to become a tester with us around toronto.ca pages.


Among the many things we are examining is how we can engage Toronto through social media - ours, yours and theirs.

Information about the city web site plans is well covered in an article over at www.refresh-events.ca [link]

200 Annette Street - Czechoslovak Church SOLD



The Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec (“the Convention”)  has sold the  200 Annette Street Church which they acquired at the closure of Annette St. Baptist Church at nominal value.  The property was loaned to the Czechoslovak Church since 1980.

Initial report form people who have spoken to the new owners report there intend to rent the church out to many different users, such as church groups, the blog has emailed the new owners to confirm this.

The problem with the sale of 67 Vine Ave

The sale of 67 Vine and the two houses next door to it to the east which are all owned by Niazi Holdings Inc and have been for ever so long, solves many problems for the east end of  Vine Ave, among them these pointed out commenter J.U. on April 4th of this year...

The people that own 67 Vine also own the other 4 derelict houses on Vine. 2 of the houses are attached and leaning/falling over badly, the third has a tenant but is in extremely poor repair and the 4th has been boarded up since the 60’s. How is it that a house can remain vacant for 48 years?

The sale of 83 feet on frontage may attract the attention of small infill developer with the interest of building 4 to 5 and may six - if they squeeze -  new townhouses on the site.  The new homes would be a welcome addition, but with one caveat ...the saving of 67 Vine ave itself, a house virtually untouched by Home depot renovation  materials at least on it's exterior. The house has a wonderful slate roof and most of what must be original creative exterior woodwork, all of which should be respected and restorted.

So maybe an enlightened infill developer can built his  new houses and leave the great one that alreday there?

...the listing description

Attention Builders/Investors! Prime Developing Junction Location! Over 84Ft Frontage! 3 Parcels Being Sold Together. 61, 63, 67 Vine Ave. Total Asking Price $800,000. Zone R2Z0.6/90M. Possibility Of Five Row Townhouses With Ample Parking Off Lane. Comparable Townhouses On Vine & Pacific Have Sold Between $430,000-$450,000.**** EXTRAS **** All 3 Parcels Are Being Sold In 'As Is' Condition (Including Raccoons!) Seller And Agent/Brokerage Do Not Warrant Status OrConditions Of Existing Dwellings. Walking Distance To The 'Junction'. Minutes To Keele Or Dundas Subway.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Councillors Palacio, Nunziata table Member Motion about pile driving

the motion...

Member Motion
City Council
NOTICE OF MOTION
MM36.1 ACTION
Ward: 11, 13, 14,
17, 18
Support for West Toronto Residents – Excessive Noise from the Railto-
Rail Diamond Grade Separation Project - Councillor Palacio,
seconded by Councillor Nunziata
•Notice of this Motion has been given.
•This Motion is subject to referral to the Executive Committee. A two-thirds vote is required to waive referral.
Recommendations
Councillor Palacio, seconded by Councillor Nunziata, recommends:
1. That City Council express its support for the residents affected by the excessive
vibration and noise emanating from the Rail-to-Rail Diamond Grade Separation Project.
2. That the City Solicitor provide legal support to the residents in their complaint,
mediation, and other related matters before the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA).
Summary
Thousands of residents in Wards 17, 11, 14, 18 and 13 have been suffering a dramatic reduction in their comfort and quality of life as a result of excessive pile-driving taking place as part of GO Transit's Rail-to-Rail Diamond Grade Separation Project, near Dupont Street and Dundas Street West.
Pile-driving on this scale completely undermines the livability of the neighbourhood and can be heard from many hundreds of metres away. The pile-driving is constant, all day, every day, and the project is not expected to be completed until December 2011. Other, quieter technologies exist to drive piles but are not being utilized.
A coalition of residents' organizations has requested mediation and may initiate a formal complaint to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), the Federal agency that regulates railway noise and vibration in Canada, asking for quieter, more reasonable methods of pile driving to be used.
(Submitted to City Council on May 25, 2009 as MM36.1)

Link to pdf file of this text at city web site

Thursday, May 21, 2009

An Annex house enlargement that blends

This  house in Annex has a nice historic vibe to it. There is a lot of work being done to it in a caring and great way. Looking at the images below you can see they are restoring the front of the house, adding a new front door and other items, while adding an addition on the back.  Their choice to renovate the house in this manner carefully retains the building street facade and historical character. Also it maintains the appearance of the street-scape.

firework-may-21-2009-annex-017

[caption id="attachment_3973" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="New rear elevaton"]rear elevaton[/caption]

palmerston-blvd-sign
door-annex-019

Osaka Sushi Japanese Restaurant under restoration after fire

firework-may-21-2009-annex-039This restaurant at 1620 Bloor Street West,  was involved in a 3rd alarm fire on March 6, 2009 - and is now undergoing restoration. Fire images link

firework-may-21-2009-annex-038

London Ave. double up

manning-ave-doubleup-may-21-2009-annex-034manning-ave-doubleup-may-21-2009-annex-036This small house on London Ave in Ward 20 will seemingly soon morph to two semi detached  houses. One of the interesting items about the new houses pictured above in rendering, is the front facade relationship to the side elevation. From the front - viewing the two homes - if built - people will see a facade that works within the community of built styles in the area, but in reality the there will be no peaked roof as evident on the side  elevation the peak form part of the second floor.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Roncesvalles Area Yard Sale coming this Saturday May 23, 2009

roncesvalles-area-yard-sale-may-23rd-2009

From their notice...

The 2nd annual Roncesvalles Area Yard Sale (RAYS) is coming!! Saturday May 23, 2009 from 9am-3pm (rain date: May 24, 2009). Brought to you by the Roncesvalles-Macdonell Residents’ Association in conjunction with the High Park Residents’ Association and the Sunnyside Community Association.

Sell your stuff from the comfort of your front yard (or garage)! Buy things from your neighbours! Bring your friends and let them explore one of the city’s best neighbourhoods!

Please register your yard sale by contacting Chris via email at ronces.yardsale AT gmail.com

We are again asking participants to donate 10% of their sales to the Wabash Community Centre/Sorauren Park Fieldhouse (c/o 101 Fermanagh Avenue, Toronto, ON M6R 1M1)
www.buildwabashnow.org/

67 Vine Ave for sale

71-vine-for-sale-sign-may-20th1

This house on Vine Ave which has sat fire damaged for over a year, is for up for sale, which surely will make the community happy as the house has been a low cost - landlord neglected house for over 20 years.

Street look - Valley Crescent Rd

valley-crcent-rd-may-20th-2009-055

Valley Crescent Rd which lies in an what must be part of the Black Creek watershed area, is a road populated by medium size business primarily in the construction trades.  It is a road with rough pavement probably caused by all the heavy traffic. Simply it's area where you would not want to park your freshly washed car, unless you wanted the opportunity to wash it again.

Yet with all this industrial/construction use at the end of this street you find the above pictured garden - so well kept. The activities and care taken by the businesses on this road demonstrate  how inner city industry is needed and participates into defining the city fabric so richly.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Wise Daughters, Redwood Shelter Fundraiser

Redwood Shelter Fundraiser Part 2, June 13 from 9 – 2


Great clothes, great cause!



Your browser may not support display of this image.The Mother’s Day Clothing Swap was a huge success!  Wise Daughters received a mountain of fabulous fashions and raised far more money than anticipated.  Because we had much more clothing than we could even display, there will be a Part 2...

June 13 from 9 - 2, as part of the Junction-wide yard sale, we'll put out all the rest of our donated women's wear.  This time, just for fun, it'll cost $10 for all you can stuff into the biggest Wise Daughters paper bag.  Once again, 100% of the proceeds will benefit the shelter.

Wise Daughters Craft Market


3079B Dundas St. West at Quebec


www.wisedaughters.com

Comments issue has now been fixed

When attempting to comment people were being asked to login, which of course is not right.

The problem has now been fixed - and comments can be posted in the usual manner.

...thanks to evryone who emailed about this issue.

Junction Amalgamation Celebration article at the The Arts Junction blog

Click on the image below to read an article of the West Toronto Historical Societies recent Amalgamation Celebration.


junction-amalgamation-celebration

The Village by High Park, construction view from Monarch Rd.

vbhp-view-from-monarch-rd


vbhp-view-from-monarch-rd-closeup


View of the construction process of The Village by High Park, Options for Homes, development just north of Keele St. And Dundas St West. In the smaller image above you can see the large wall designed to defect trains as the blog was told by site workers. This view is from the end of Monarch Rd., a roadway which is quietly disappearing as the railroads encrouch on it.

Junction Resident Installs Green Roof Despite Toronto Residents Being Ignored by City

While Toronto city council postpones voting on a by-law that would regulate the construction of green roofs for certain types of new buildings, one Junction resident has just installed her own green roof, as well as rain barrels to water her garden.  Though the Breakfast Television coverage of the installation had to be deferred due to technical difficulties, on May 7 Cristina Senjug's garage-top green roof was installed, despite the fact that neither the proposed by-law or Toronto's Live Green incentive program addresses residential green roofs.

Cristina has been receiving requests for information about how she went about this project and is happy to pass along the companies that provided the rain barrels and installed the green roof:

Rain barrels
http://www.algreenproducts.com/gogreen
http://www.gardensupermart.com/garden-news/waterloo-record-2008-11-12.pdf
Green Roofs
www.xeroflor.ca

[caption id="attachment_3897" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Jennifer from BT, the Senjugs, et al"]Jennifer from BT, the Senjugs, et al[/caption]

Also on site that day planting native plants was Future Watch.

Junctioneer Article on Eco-Roofs

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Culture Works at the BIG on Bloor festival

Culture Works at the BIG on Bloor festival






Click to enlarge
CULTURE WORKS – a feature event of the BIG on Bloor Street Festival is a precedent setting street fair celebrating the arts and bringing the best that Toronto has to offer to Bloor and Lansdowne. Major cultural institutions and organizations like the AGO and the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art sit alongside local Garnet/Abrams, annhomanART, Funktion Gallery and many others to offer unique and interactive programming for young and old.

Labels: 



City Employees Banned from Viewing New JRA Website

its-your-junction-1-x-75-inches

The Junction Residents Association was saddened to learn that the new website we launched this past two weeks is on one of the social networking sites not accessible by city employees.  We learned this after inviting our Ward 13 Parks contacts to join the site and the groups and forums that have formed to discuss Junction parks issues, and they told us they couldn't access it.  The platform we are using for our website is Ning, designed specifically to connect and organize people around a common cause.  We think that denying city employees the ability to connect with the residents they are hired to help is completely counter-productive and invite you to contact Stuart Green from the Office of the Mayor at 416.338.7119 or stuart.green@toronto.ca if you feel the same.  We will be contacting him and other city representatives formally to do the same.

Thanks,

JRA

Saturday, May 16, 2009

51 Vine Ave Owner Dumping to Street

its-your-junction-1-x-75-inches



may-15-may-15-dons-trailer-on-vine-ave

This trailer and a tarped cube truck parked on Vine Ave between Pacific and Keele are from the empty lot at #51.  The city gave notice to the owner (image below) that the lot, filled with various items and old vehicles, could not be used for outdoor storage and would need to be cleared.  It seems the street itself will be the new storage space for some of the items until residents complain and the city tows them away.  The question is, who will be ultimately paying for those tows and what happens to the old man who has been residing in this trailer for years?  The JRA, at the request of local residents, will be making inquiries into the story behind this story.

[caption id="attachment_3875" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="May 16th 2009 data from city inspection site"]May 16th 2009  data from city inspection site[/caption]

Friday, May 15, 2009

National Post on 1844-1854 Bloor Street West, 6-14 Oakmount Road, and 35 & 47 Pacific Avenue

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="One of the buildings at Pacific Ave and Bloor St."]One of the buildings at Pacific Ave and Bloor St.[/caption]

The National Post Newspaper ran a article yesterday on the boarded-up block of Bloor St. west just west of Keele St.  [link to article] [map location window 1844-1854 Bloor St west.]

An excerpt from the article...

A hearing next week will decide the fate of a boarded-up block of brick houses overlooking High Park, which the owner hopes to demolish to make way for a new condo building.


W.J. Properties applied for a permit to demolish the block of houses along Bloor Street West in March, 2006, but council refused to approve it since the owner didn’t offer up re-development plans with the application. Senior city planner David Spence said city staff is worried the block will sit vacant after demolition — decreasing density in the neighbourhood — and they want to know how existing rental units will be replaced.  [link to article]

...and some well thought words from the local Councillor who is spot on the block will be used for development  simply because of it's location, in the City of Toronto retaining single family zoning on Bloor Street is probably not a high priority nor a reasonable planning use.


Councillor Bill Saundercook (Parkdale-High Park) said the houses are attractive, but will inevitably make way for kind development.

“It’s a bit of an anomally in that the houses are still standing there,” he said.

Council often makes developers revise their plans repeatedly before giving out building permits. If W.J. Properties tears down the Bloor West buildings before this sometimes-lengthy process begins, the lot might stay empty for many months.

Mr. Saundercook is more concerned about involving the public in redevelopment plans than how long the site might sit vacant. “I would like to see a very cohesive plan that I believe an informed developer could make,” he said, “and that would include how long they speculated for this site to be sitting vacant, what they plan on doing while it is vacant and then try to hold them as rigidly as possible to a development plan.”



4187 Dundas Street West Private Tree Removal

4187 Dundas Street West and 567, 569 and 571 Prince Edward Drive – where a developer wants to place a 10 story condo, is undergoing study from the city regarding the amount of trees they want remove, to build their project. The staff report is an interesting read as to how they approach the issues concern link below (opens in internal window)

View staff report in inset window

Staff report download

Doors Open in the junction: Toronto Public Library Annette Branch











































































































Toronto Public Library: Annette Branch
145 Annette Street , Toronto, ON M6P 1P3
Telephone: 416-393-7692
District: South (former City of Toronto and East York)
Architect and year:
Ellis & Connery, 1909
Subsequent architect(s)/ consultant(s):
Sillaste & Nakashima Architects
Open:
Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
Last admittance to building: 4:45 pm
Sunday: Not open

Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2009, Annette Street Branch was designed with features of Edwardian Classicism by Ellis & Connery; James A. Ellis (1856-1935) was the Junction’s most versatile and prolific architect. The library was constructed with a Carnegie grant to the City of West Toronto but opened on 1 September 1909 as the Western Branch of the Toronto Public Library. The heritage building features an elaborate plaster ceiling with a skylight in the foyer, uncovered during a 1979-80 renovation by Sillaste & Nakashima Architects.
Event information:
Sat. 2 - 3:15pm Judi Coburn reads from "The Shacklands" (YA) - having recently settled in the Junction area of West Toronto, young Jessie Robertson dreams of becoming a teacher, but she must take a factory job. Sat. on the hour, 10 a.m. to 4:00 pm, historical characters from the Junction's storied past will be brought back to life by members of the West Toronto Junction Historical Society. 10 a.m. to noon, Barbara Myrvold of Toronto Library will answer questions and share information about the history of this Carnegie library. "April Showers Bring May Flowers" storytime and craft program for children at 2:30 pm





















Photography permitted:Filming permitted:
InteriorYes tripod:Interior tripod:
ExteriorYes tripod:Exterior tripod:

Getting there: Click here for map.
TTC (nearest station) Keele Station Bus/streetcar: Annette Bus
Visit their web site: http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/hou_az_an.jsp
Accessibility: Full  Washrooms: Yes  Parking: Paid  Food: No 
Highlights: Kid-friendly  New this year 

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Scythes Inc./ Flying Colours - South Junction Triangle

[caption id="attachment_3855" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="An evening image of a Flying Colours printing press printing Canadian flags"]An evening image of a Flying Colours printing press printing Canadian flags[/caption]

Scythes Inc. at 128 Sterling Rd


is long West Toronto industrial business, which still thrives in the area, traditionally the product lineup included the sale of various textiles and reworking of  textiles . The Canadian Trade Index lists the product and services lineup as..


A Complete range of textile finishing services, printing, dyeing, coating, proofing and treating, industrial textiles, vinyl, cotton, nylon and acrylics, textile products, flags, banners, tablecovers, draping, sports/medical

and yet they  rebranded in 2001 as Flying Colours International to reflect what our business is all about...image and attention. Flying Colours brings together the two primary aspects of visual promotion: colour and motion.

and this division, from their site...


Flying Colours International (FCI) is a world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of flags, banners and custom graphic displays. Founded in 1910, the company is sought out the world over for its design, printing and finishing expertise.

Flying Colours International is Canada's largest flag manufacturer and is the supplier of choice to the Government of Canada, many provincial governments and a large number of municipalities. We are also a supplier to international institutions such as the United Nations, the Olympic Games and numerous manufacturers and distributors in the trade.

further...

"Flying Colours" evokes success, as in you pass a test "with flying colours." Over the past 97 years, we have passed many.

Established in 1910 as Scythes and Company Limited, the firm was rebranded in 2001 as Flying Colours International to reflect what our business is all about...image and attention. Flying Colours brings together the two primary aspects of visual promotion: colour and motion.

Fuzzy boundaries meeting a good success

may-13-fuzzy-south-junction-001

The fuzzyboundaries meeting last at the Perth Avenue Housing Cooperative has well organized and gave everyone who wanted to say something the time they needed. Only when the time honoured tradition of examining who a newbie and who is a stuck in “original” did the heat rise at bit, but it quickly went back down.

The group seeks to find a new name for the south junction triangle area that will enhance the sense of community they say.

The group stated it has the support of Councillor Adam Giambrone, and members from Dig IN, the South Junction Triangle Residents Association, the Rankin Crescent Community Garden, Perth Avenue Co-Op, and the Perth Avenue Park Community Festival.

One of their next steps in to set up an online discussion where people can contribute their thoughts and ideas.

The most informative speaker regarding the naming of communities was Beate Bowron, President, Beate Bowron Etcetera, who provided an overview of her view of the nine ways communities view themselves. It talk was so good the blog is going to email her and ask if we can get a copy from her to post.

Link to fuzzyboundaries

Fuzzy Boundaries - In the Villager

from the article ...A small, but ever-growing community group is about to find out. They are the residents who live in the undefined area stretching from Davenport Road to the base of Perth Avenue and encompasses the neighbourhood between the train tracks that run east of Dundas Street West and west of Lansdowne Avenue. It is one of the last neighbourhoods in the city that remains nameless.

As they embark on what they are calling a community improvement project, the group of eight so far, has christened themselves - for obvious reasons 'Fuzzy Boundaries.'

"For us, we all live here," said Perth Avenue resident Kevin Putnam, who helped spearhead the naming process. "We don't have a collective identity, nothing that pulls us together as one to create a sense of ownership."

Adopting a name for the neighbourhood, said Putnam, will have a positive impact on such issues as crime and cleanliness while providing a collective and cohesive identity.

"We live in no-man's land right now," Putnam said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. continue...

in the Globe and Mail

from the article...

f it was a character in a book, the neighbourhood in search of a name would be a classic existential hero. It's more than a century old, as old as the Annex, but nobody knows what to call it. It doesn't even know what to call itself, despite hesitant efforts over the years to acquire a name.

Once it was the heart of a thriving factory district, with trim worker housing clustered as close as possible to the job-spinning smokestacks, railways on three sides and spur lines everywhere. No name was necessary. Now that the factories are almost all closed, it is a rail-bound nowhere - south of the CPR tracks, west of the GO Newmarket line, east of the Georgetown line - badly in need of identity.

Newspaper accounts of anti-pollution activism in the last days of the factories referred to it as the Junction Triangle. In official parlance, it is part of the nebulous Dovercourt-Wallace Emerson-Junction. A past effort attempted to name it the Wallace Junction. continue...

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Hallelujah Fellowship Baptist Church concrete work

may-13-2009-001













Hallelujah Fellowship Baptist Church at 425 Pacific Avenue is resurfacing the front walk and around the building today. They could also be installing some type of light standards at the bottom of the stairs two by the looks of the new concrete short pillars that have been installed.

Vine Ave Closed from Keele to Pacific

vine-closed
Both Water and Transportation are taking turns doing work on Vine Ave, and it should be closed for the day.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

fuzzyboundaries meeting tonight

[caption id="attachment_3835" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Photo credit City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 372, Sub-series 1, Item 193 and www.fuzzyboundaries.ca"]fuzzy_postcard_front[/caption]

Wednesday, May 13 at 7p.m. at the Perth Avenue Housing Cooperative (120 Perth Ave ). Local history buff Michael Monastyrskyj will show some old photos, and Urban Planner Beate Bowron will speak about neighbourhood identities. A Q&A will follow. All are welcome to attend this free event



from there site...

Who are we, and why are we fuzzy?


We are a small but growing community group hoping to find an official name for our neighbourhood. We call ourselves “fuzzy” because our boundaries are intentionally undefined. We want to be as inclusive as possible, but very roughly we think of our community as stretching from Davenport to the base of Perth Avenue, and filling in the area between the train tracks that run east of Dundas and west of Lansdowne. Our mission to name this orphaned zone has the support of Councillor Adam Giambrone, and our group includes members from Dig IN, the South Junction Triangle Residents Association, the Rankin Crescent Community Garden, Perth Avenue Co-Op, and the Perth Avenue Park Community Festival.

What’s in a name and why does our neighbourhood need one?


We are not out to name the neighbourhood ourselves, but to inspire the community to choose a name, or perhaps to make one of the names already in use official. On the City of Toronto Neighbourhood Map, our area is part of a large section named Dovercourt-Wallace-Emerson-Junction

LAKE SHORE TRANSIT IMPROVEMENT INFORMATION SESSIONS

lake-shore-transit-improvement

The TTC and City of Toronto are re-starting the planning and consultation for the Waterfront West Transit project on Lake Shore

Boulevard West. We want to hear from you. Two “preliminary planning” public meetings will be held to ensure the community is

well informed and a constructive dialogue can begin.

LAKE SHORE TRANSIT IMPROVEMENT INFORMATION SESSIONS
MAY 11 & 12, 2009


At Councillor Grimes' request, the TTC is holding 2 additional Open Houses to present information about the LRT line proposed for Lake Shore Blvd. W. The format will be a presentation followed by roundtable discussion. For more information, please contact Councillor Grimes' office.


Date: Monday May 11, 2009
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00 pm & 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Location: Mimico Adult Centre, 255 Royal York Rd.

Date: Tuesday May 12, 2009
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00 pm & 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Location: Assembly Hall, 1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr.


Please see attached flyer for more details.

Metrolinx super-bridge on Strachan Ave campaign

super-bridge-on-strachan-ave-site-banner


Go Tranist plans also affect communites closer in to the core the west end.



http://smsbsa.ca/

[SMSBSA] stop metrolinx super-bridge on strachan ave

St. Paul the Apostle Church

may-12-2009-dun-001

Using the repairs to door portal flashing today, as a step into highlighting the St. Paul the Apostle Church, at 3224 Dundas Street, West, which is one few highly structured buildings in the Junction. From the 1st build state to the many additions and renovations this church building ahs always build the structure for use 1st and expense second. Although it must have been difficult to raise the funds for much of the work over the years the congregation, has planned well.


The building has a host of uses build into it, when serve its community well, it’s great to see them repair this simple flashing which for the past year has been marring the building.


Here is a link to article on their site about their roof repair from the year 200o.



from their site...

St. Paul the Apostle Church is located at the centre of the Malta Village on Dundas Street West. The parish was established on September 8th, 1930. The church was opened officially on April 29th, 1956. The parish's history is part of the fabric of the life of the early Maltese immigrants to Canada, a history that dates bask to the early 1900s.

The Franciscans played a very important role in the development and growth of the parish during the past 48 years. However, on March 21st, 1999 the parish was transferred to the Missionsary Society of St. Paul (MSSP) with the installation of Fr. Mark Demanuele MSSP as the first MSSP pastor of the parish.

Monday, May 11, 2009

New York Pork 2306 St Clair Ave W

new-york-pork-2306-st-clair-ave-w



Whats really there at this fire damaged plant is hampered by ground level views.


Remediation of   the fire damaged property at 2306 St. Clair Avenue West which is the former New York Pork plant that was engulfed in fire on November 7, 2006, appears to be at a standstill. Reading the various city documents online about the property at the present time, the city is of the opinion that their legal options currently available to cause action at the site are hampered by various encumbrances are registered on title. Also the building is  not deemed unsafe as it not occupied, and fenced...from the city staff report of April 2008..


According to Toronto Building staff, the building does not pose a danger to people in the normal use of the Property as it is not occupied, and it is not unsafe to those outside the building as it is satisfactorily fenced. Municipal Licensing and Standards also has authority under...


Full report last city document on line April 2008


Reminder: the Junction Public Space meeting is postponed

Reminder: the Junction public space meeting that was planned for this Thursday at the Keele Community Centre has been postponed. The people committed to bringing the required information to the meeting need more time to complete the tasks than initially allocated.

http://junctionps.blogspot.com/


Please vist the Junction Public Space Site for updates.

postponement

St Mary's Cement Junction location, what is it?

[caption id="attachment_3800" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="A view of what you cannot see from the street."]A view of wnat you cannot see from the street.[/caption]

The those who what to see the increased industrial of the industrial areas of the Junction that are deemed core industrial areas by the city the reuse of the flour mill silos on Junction Rd. by St Mary's Cement was wonderful. Yet what actually the locating does is a mystery, is t simply a holding and transfer station between trains and road trucks or simply a storage location?

...about St Mary's Cement  from the companies web site

Established principally in Ontario, Canada, St. Marys CBM is the building materials division of St. Marys Cement Inc. With the head office in Toronto, the company has more than 450 ready-mix trucks operating out of 40 plants. The plants are located in areas from Hull, Quebec (serving the National Capital region) in the east, 475 miles to Windsor in the west with emphasis on the most heavily populated areas of the province.
St. Marys CBM, with twelve sand and gravel operations and quarries, is also a major aggregate producer, competing in the Southern Ontario market which consumes over 140 million tonnes of aggregate annually.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Sanitary Sewer Replacement on St. Clair Avenue -- the costing

may-11-2009-monarch-mills-st-marys-cement-009

Wondering what that work in the green hoarding is costing by the St Clair Ave  and Keele St. Mcdonalds is costing?

Sanitary Sewer Replacement on St. Clair Avenue from Keele Street to Symes Road is costing,$8,157,709.40 including all applicable taxes and charges. The cost to the City is $7,769,247.05 net of G.S.T. Funding for the contract award is included in the approved 2009 Toronto Water Capital Budget.

This work being done in Ward No: 11 – York South - Weston with the following details

Staff Recommended Bidder: McNally Construction Inc. Contract Award Value: $7,769,247.05 net of G.S.T. $8,157,709.40 including all applicable taxes and charges

Number of Bids: (that came in for the project) Three (3)

Financial Impact:

The total contract award identified in this report is $8,157,709.40 including all applicable

taxes and charges. The cost to the City is $7,769,247.05 net of G.S.T. Funding for the

contract award is included in the approved 2009 Toronto Water Capital Budget, in the

have questions about the project...

Division Contacts:

D. Ferguson R.A. Noehammer, P. Eng.

Manager, Construction Services Manager, Design and Construction

Purchasing and Materials Management Technical Services, Etobicoke York District

Telephone: (416) 392-7323 Telephone: (416) 394-8399

e-mail: dfergus(at)toronto.ca e-mail: rnoeham(at)toronto.ca

Friday, May 8, 2009

Hey, Where Can I Get One of Those Buttons?

[caption id="attachment_3783" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="www.junctionra.ca"]www.junctionra.ca[/caption]

Right now, you can get them at Big Daddy's DVD Shop at Dundas and Mc Murray Ave.  We'll be bringing them to other stores and cafes in the neighbourhood and of course you can get one at this Thursday's meeting at the West Toronto Baptist Church.  You can have your very own for only a buck!  Show your Junction pride and support your JRA!