Monday, August 30, 2010

Reopening of St Johns Square – Thursday September 2 at 7pm

Repost from the JRA Newsletter



Reopening of St Johns Square – Thursday September 2 at 7pm

Your JRA invites you to attend a community event celebrating the completion of the City's latest Junction improvement and beautification project.

St Johns Square (corner Dundas St W and St Johns Road) has undergone major rework which included, relaying of the cobblestone, naturalization of the tree bases, additional seating and a new gazebo.

Come out to meet your neighbours and check out this great public space.

Vine Parkette fund raiser

Grand opening party on Thursday 390 Keele St

Sunday, August 29, 2010

To increase the amount of comments (comment rules created)



Many people who read this blog write and tell me the reason they don't comment on posts is the possibility of being flamed and the name calling. To end this and I am sorry to say this, the blog wants to censor and remove those causing the concern among the general readers of the blog.

To provide a clear condition set for commenting the blog has adopted the following rules.

Your participation in the Blog  Comments is welcomed.  In order to keep the experience a positive one for all users, we ask you follow the rules outlined below. By submitting comments to the Blog, you are consenting to the following rules:

  1. You agree that you are fully responsible for the content that you post.

  2. You may not post content that is libellous, defamatory, obscene, abusive, that violates a third party’s right to privacy, that otherwise violates any applicable local, provinical, national or international law, or that is otherwise inappropriate.

  3. You may not post content that degrades others on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual preference, disability or other classification. Language intended to intimidate or to incite violence will not be tolerated.

  4. By posting material, you represent that you have the legal right to reproduce, adapt, display, and distribute this material to others.  The Juctioneer blog will not be held responsible for posted information that may infringe on a third party’s copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights.

  5. You understand and agree that The Junctioneer blogs, and it's agents  may modify and remove comments. The Junctioneer blog may monitor user-generated content though simple reading or electronic means as it chooses and reserves the right to remove, edit or otherwise alter content that it deems inappropriate for any reason.


again...

The Junctioneer blog reserves the right to remove any and all comments that

(i) Use profanity, make personal attacks, or contain other inappropriate comments or material.

(ii) Which are not authored or which are not authenticated. That are anonymous, etc.

(iii) Violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or any other policies governing this site.

Thanks for reading this

Concourse restaurant gets new windows




- new windows just installed in this restaurant, got glimpse Inside very 70's and yellow.

This place has been there for decades and has a regular customer base.

Wondering if they primarily live close by, and they do where?


Location:McMurray Ave,Toronto,Canada

Thursday, August 26, 2010

61, 63 and 67 community meeting with Councillor Saundercook





On Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 8pm, Councillor Saundercook is hosting a community meeting regarding the development proposal for 61, 63 and 67 Vine Avenue.  The meeting will take place in the second floor Window room of the Annette Community Centre, 333 Annette Street.

The developer plans to demolish the 3 existing buildings and replace them with 5 townhouses.

During the June 17, 2010 Etobicoke-York committee of adjustment meeting your JRA requested this meeting as part of the negotiations.  The consent to sever the existing lots and several variance requests were granted by the panel with the stipulation that the developer in conjunction with the local councillor consult with the community regarding the design of the townhouses.

The developer’s committee of adjustment application proposed a modern looking, flat roof structure.  The facade material included metal cladding with large glass windows incorporated with brick and concrete.  Your JRA felt this design did not respect or reinforce the existing physical character of the neighbourhood.

Please come out and join the discussion and help shape our great neighbourhood.

Martin L.  JRA Vice-Chair

Great mural at Keele and St Clair

On the wall at the car wash at St Clair and Keele St is this amazing mural.




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Location:Mabelle Ave,Toronto,Canada

Crane removal at Village by High Park

Today the crane on the smaller bigger  building was being removed.


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Location:Vine Ave,Toronto,Canada

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Overview of events at this years Junction Arts Festival

Exciting highlights and participants of this years’ event include:

Not everything is listed here yet................

Environmental Experience

Experience the wonderful sensation of walking on timber, bark, mulch, pebbles, wood and mud. Feel the cool waters of the brook, the foot bath and the sun baked rocks, the softness of the grass and soil, enlarging the landscape through nature, architecture and infrastructure, manipulating and blurring perceptions of what is natural and what is artificial.

CROW studios curators Rachel Wong and Christina Ott Present,

Large scale installation and paintings throughout the grounds feturing artists such as,

Michael Thompson

Lisa Santonato

Maciek Balmas

Edward Lin and Kira Varvanina

Jacob JeBailey

Juried Arts Exhibition hosted and Presented by The Academy of Realist Art.

Curator, writer and featured performer Lillian Allen presents,

Poetry Village & Twilight Film Center

Heart and Art, a fluid Live Literature installation from Lillian Allen, is one of the center pieces of Junction Arts Festival 2010. Heart and Art will takeover/makeover a vacant lot into a Poetry Village a living breathing poem or book. We will create the world’s first, Installation of a live Poetry Village with stages, hubs, a giant screen, and an atmosphere to synergize creativity. Between daybreak and sunset, poets, writers, readers, lovers of the word and community members will collaboratively program, inhabit vibrate and empower togetherness within the 2010 Junction Poetry Village.

The Poetry Village is a post-postmodern, multi-media, multi-platform, remix art installation that deals with location, process, and interactivity, building community and empowering the word. As part of this installation, poets, writers, readers, performers, lovers of the word, etc, are invited to co-create activities that will bring our ‘poetry village’ alive. In a community of words and poetics, the community is invited to take in the power of words to enliven and empower! Listen to some fabulous readings, or try your hand at writing a poem or two. Interact with poets and writers from all poetry and writing styles. Get poetic advice or join a group workshop. Vote for your favourite Slam poets and see the champions face off! Learn all about dub poetry.

This is part of a multi-media, multi-platform exploration, so along with on-the -ground experience, we will also be creating a “virtual poetry village” providing prompts and writing exercises to inspire ‘virtual villagers on-line’ as well as local villagers to write their own poetry and travel along the geography of the festival to explore

Jill Battson Clifton Joseph

Nalo Hopkinson Robert Priest

Brenda MacIntyre Klyde Broox

Leah a.k.a Miss Liza Phyllis Walker Rudy Fearon

Vitra Gosine Keli Liu Carrie Young

Novick presents Women’s Voices 5 women reading, singing and performing their work of poetry, narrative, fiction and song. Voices to Inspire!

Michael St George

Memo

Derick Assante

Andrea Thompson

New Dub Poets Collective;

D-Lishus

Neisha New Era

Shanique

Storm

Queen Tyessential

Iyah Fyah

Peculiar I

Sankofa

J. Nicole Noel

Curator Paul Campbell with SMASH and Junction Arts Festival present,

ISTVAN KANTOR

RE: INVASION - Recent Crimes and Punishments

Monuments / Plunderworks / Mash-Media / Shinyism / Lebensraum / Subvertainment

Opening reception/performance Thursday, Sept 9, 7 - 11pm

Performance and media-artist Istvan Kantor invades the premises of SMASH and turns the junkyard size vintage furniture store, located in the heart of the Junction, into his own Neoist (s)mash-up art headquarters. The industrial store-set is a perfect drill-ground for Kantor’s hyper-audacious strategy, techno-cinematic vision and his conflicting taste for mayhem. The show will open with a new performance, designed and created for this occasion, involving members of Istvan Kantor’s robo-zombie MachineSexActionGroup.

For the Junction Arts Festival Kantor extends his installation/performance to the street with a monumental construction of a barricade made of hundreds of old file cabinets in front of SMASH on Saturday, sept 11. Kantor will also actively engage himself with other projects at different sites of the festival, such as a Neoist Brainwash Station and a speed-drawing blitzkunst-action. He will be available to meet festival visitors for informal conversations throughout the JAF event.

Feature Performances on the Main stage include,

Kevin Quain and the Mad Bastard Cabaret

Special appearance by Mary Margaret O'Hara.

Random Acts of Dance

Run with the Kittens

Klezfactor

Elvyn

People in Grey

Lillian Allen and the New Dub Poets

Robert Preist

Scotiabank - A Childs Experience,

Arts, education and some well organized adventure take to the grounds for the child and family alike. From Juno Award winners to a complete environmental experience - children and families will have the opportunity to work together and experience activities with each other in the purposefully designed, programmed and curated children’s portion of the festival.

Some of this year’s A Childs Experience programming includes:

Whatz up with Broccoli. – Play with Poetry.

A program for young people using poetry and visual arts. It will grace this year’s Festival in the Children’s Area and spill out onto the street.

Young people will be motivated into self expression through writing, word-play, and sounding off! They will be guided to use the spoken and written word to create their own works of poetry and word art. Visiting artists to the children area will include poets, writers and storytellers such as Lillian Allen, Robert Priest, Brenda MacIntyre, Klyde Broox, featured storyteller Phyllis Walker and more.

Whatz up with Broccoli – Play with Poetry.- is presented by the Imagine Group led by Vitra Gosine, and Keli Liu.

The Imagine Group is fresh from completing a resoundingly successful six week “Play With Poetry” Writing program at the Albert Campbell Library.

Little Fingers Music - Live and Workshops

Jam with charlie and dancer Rosanna as the perform interactive songs. Their set includes: singing chanting, percussion, flash cards, props, hats, wigs and masks and a variety of dances that will keep the mosh pit moving. Their music gets children engaged and instils a deeper appreciation of music, the environment and multiculturalism. Drop by, tune in and hang out with Children’s Rock Artist and Ontario Arts Council “Arts Educator” charlie as he performs songs from his latest album.

A complete listing of artists to date includes :

Participating Artists

  • Istvan Kantor Shannon Linde, Andra Hayward with CROW Marion Lanktree with CROW

  • Trap – This Is: Art and Design Collective

  • Takashi Hilferink Catherine Toth

  • Lisa Santonato Edward Lin Christina Ott

  • Carolyn Taylor Michael Thompson

  • Kira Varvanina Rachel Wong

  • Jacob JeBailey Eric Cheung Reid English Heather Phillips

  • Robert Hilts Theresa Pankratz

  • Emmanuel Mifsud

Monday, August 23, 2010

Junction Arts Festival Activity Map







This is the latest activity map of the 2010 Junction Arts Festival.

www.junctionartsfest.com

At 11am today the blog will post text overview a text overview of the content of the festival.

Legend...

Note some items may change before the festival.











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Location:McMurray Ave,Toronto,Canada

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Municipal Election Issues in the Junction Triangle










With a fall election on the horizon, Boo Radley’s in the Junction Triangle takes up its traditional role and plays host to the Municipal Election Issues Forum on Thursday, August 26 from 8-10 p.m.

Meet the candidates for City Councillor in Ward 18-Davenport over a drink and discuss issues one-on-one in a casual environment.

Elections are too important to ignore. Political events don’t have to be stuffy or choked by the rigidity of traditional All Candidates debates.

Join us for a lively discussion and share your concerns for the future of the Junction Triangle.

A special thanks to Michael and Shelly at Boo Radley’s for hosting this important neighbourhood event!


3385 Dundas St. West








This site appears to be remaining as a car wash. Discount car and truck has a sign on the building too.


There was a agreement to develop the site as a seniors residence between Martinos Bros
And a developer that now appears to over.




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Friday, August 20, 2010

Weird


Crane over the old marine store on Dundas Street West!  Does anyone know what is going on?

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A new Junction area restaurant to check out

There is a new restaurant at Bloor and Sterling, called Zocalo which sounds amazing according to the write up in Now Magazine (link below). The food sounds affordable, fresh and creative.   Has anyone heard anything about it?

http://www.nowtoronto.com/food/story.cfm?content=176323

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

First Official Sign of Starbucks





Rumors have been circulating the Junction for a month now but yesterday we had the first official sign we are getting a Starbucks.

A sign building permit has been issued for 3077 Dundas Street West (former Handyman Shop).

Application # 10 240401 DST 00 DS - Installation of two(2) first party illuminated signs, one projection sign and one wall sign for "STARBUCKS".

Good, bad or otherwise the Junction is changing.






-blog post text by Martin L of the Junction Residents association, logo Starbucks

Location:McMurray Ave,Toronto,Canada

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Continued great work at 43 Junction Rd

The owner of this site
Is doing continuous great work that is bringing the building and it's industrial heritage back to life.


As new businesses move into this one project it is greatly improving the area.

Has the site been rescued?







Y

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It's here

The Village by High Park condominium project is entering it's final stages with the bridling of the second building.

All the while the interior finishes are being installed in both buildings.

In the opinion of this author the buildings have gone up with almost no discernible load on the community other than what could be expected minimally from a project of this size.




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Annette Street Baptist Church

Councillors give blessing to church renovation

Annette Street Baptist Church to now house condos

Full story

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/862154--councillors-give-blessing-to-church-renovation




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Monday, August 16, 2010

St John Place public space enhancement hydro discussion




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As the work nears completion at St John's Rd a discussion takes place with city staff and Bill Saundercook to have the hydro connected up. This required additional attention as it was not in the original plan. As the project was bought about quickly

by the councillor with a group from the community.
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200 Annette Street - Toronto Preservation Board On council agenda for Tuesday, August 17, 2010



200 Annette Street – Alteration to a Heritage Property and Intention to Designate, Part IV, Section 29, Ontario Heritage Act and Authority to Enter Into a Heritage Easement Agreement

Owner is seeking to have City Council approve the alterations to the property at 200 Annette Street, as designed by their Michael Hatch Designs Ltd.

from the city report...
Background

The property at 200 Annette Street (Attachment No. 2) contains the building formerly

known as the Annette Street Baptist Church. Constructed in 1888, the church was subject

to significant alterations in 1906 when the original west tower was replaced and the

building extended to the west. In 1920 a new entrance vestibule was added to the west

end of the structure.

Proposal

The proposed condominium development includes the rehabilitation of the church

building into eight residential units.

Alterations to the front (west) façade are minor and include:

new recessed entrance doors beneath existing windows at south side

new small window in centre panel of “blind belfry” in south west tower

replacement entrance doors

Alterations to the south (Annette Street) façade include:

new entrance doors within the masonry window opening of each bay by lowering the

sill to grade; retain the original window openings as transoms and original glazing

where possible

new skylights, matching the roof in colour, on two levels centrally located in each

bay of the south-facing roof; existing dormers to remain

new small window in centre panel of “blind belfry” in south west tower

Alterations to the east façade include:

new entrance door in existing window opening at south end by lowering window sill

construct 2nd and 3rd floor additions behind south east tower

Alterations to the north façade include:

new windows in wall, new dormer windows in roof, small decks and covered

parking, centred on existing bays and between existing buttresses

new skylights in north side of entrance vestibule roof

new window in entrance vestibule at basement level

grade level lowered to provide parking access at basement level

200 Annette Street – Alteration to a Heritage Property, Intention to Designate, Part IV, Section 29,

Ontario Heritage Act and Authority to Enter Into a HEA 5

Heritage Comments

The proposed alterations are acceptable in order to rehabilitate the church structure for

condominium use. The original structure is to be retained and conserved with alterations

to the north and east elevations. The addition of dormers and decks to the north elevation

is acceptable as it has limited physical and visual impact on the cultural heritage value of

the building. The front (west) and side (south) elevations will be conserved with minor

alterations.



The rehabilitation proposal is found to be in accordance with the Parks Canada Standards

and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places.

Reasons for Designation



Staff is requesting as a condition of approval that the property at 200 Annette Street be

designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. The attached Heritage Property

Research and Evaluation Report (Attachment No. 4) outlines the historical, architectural

and contextual background of the property, and evaluates it according to the provincial

criteria prescribed for municipal designation (Ontario Regulation 9/06). The Etobicoke

York Community Preservation Panel provided historical information that assisted in the

research and evaluation of the site.



The Reasons for Designation (Statement of Significance) are found in Attachment No. 3.

The property at 200 Annette Street is worthy of designation for its cultural heritage value,

and meets the criteria for municipal designation prescribed by the Province of Ontario

under the three categories of design, associative and contextual value. Located on the

northeast corner of Annette Street and High Park Avenue, Annette Street Baptist Church

(1888, with additions in 1906 and 1920) has historical importance as an institution of

significance in the West Toronto Junction community, where it features a well-crafted

design influenced by Arts and Crafts styling and stands as a local landmark.

Background




Annette Street Baptist Church



Description

The property at 200 Annette Street is worthy of designation under Part IV, Section 29 of

the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value, and meets the criteria for

municipal designation prescribed by the Province of Ontario under the three categories of

design, associative and contextual value. Located on the northeast corner of Annette

Street and High Park Ave, Annette Street Baptist Church (constructed in 1888, with

subsequent additions) is a single-storey church building. The site was listed on the City

of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties in 1998.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value

Annette Street Baptist Church is an institution of historical importance to the West

Toronto Junction community. The area was developed in the 1880s after the Canadian

Pacific Railway opened its West Toronto freight yard, which attracted industry,

residential subdivisions, and institutions including churches. Following the incorporation

of the Village of West Toronto in 1884 (which became the Town of West Toronto

Junction, the Town of Toronto Junction and the City of West Toronto prior to its

annexation by the City of Toronto in 1909), Annette Street Baptist Church opened in

1889 and served the spiritual and social interests of the community for nearly a century.

While Annette Street Baptist Church incorporates elements of the popular architectural

styles of the late 1800s, particularly features from High Victorian Gothic Revival and

Romanesque Revival, its overall character recalls the Arts and Crafts influences of the

late 19th century. While local builder John Turner is credited with its construction, the

design of Annette Street Baptist Church resembles one developed for small-scale

churches by Toronto architect Edmund Burke and published in The Canadian Baptist

magazine in 1886. The exaggerated pitch and flared eaves of the roof were retained in

the design when the structure was extended to the west (1906), with the west entrance

(1920) displaying complementary Arts and Crafts detailing.

Contextually, as a church placed on a corner lot at a major intersection in the

neighbourhood, Annette Street Baptist Church is a landmark in the West Toronto

community. It is an integral part of the collection of churches that contributes to the

character of Annette Street as an institutional corridor where Annette Street Baptist

Church is historically, visually and physically linked to its surroundings.

Heritage Attributes

The heritage attributes of the property at 200 Annette Street are:

200 Annette Street – Alteration to a Heritage Property, Intention to Designate, Part IV, Section 29,

Ontario Heritage Act and Authority to Enter Into a HEA 10

The church building

[caption id="attachment_7147" align="aligncenter" width="363" caption="Historical photograph of Annette Street Baptist Church, prior to 1906 when the building was extended to the west and altered (Source: The Leader and Recorder (Winter 1996), 8)"][/caption]


The scale, form and massing of the rectangular plan that rises one extended storey

above a stone base with window openings, the application of red brick cladding with

brick, stone and wood detailing

The steeply-pitched gable roof with the flared eaves, gabled dormers and, at the

northwest corner, an extended brick chimney

At the southwest and southeast ends, the corner towers with pyramidal roofs, flared

eaves and, on the west tower, brick finials (which have been altered)

The east tower (1888), which contains the original entrance to the church and has

segmental-arched openings with decorative hood moulds

The round-arched openings, many of which are organized by brick buttresses and

contain leaded glass windows

The distinctive round window on the west façade

On the west façade facing High Park Avenue, the single-storey entrance porch with

its steeply-pitched gable roof with flared eaves, oversized wood brackets, halftimbering,

and monumental round-arched entry

The datestone, labelled “A.D. 1888 & 1906” (at the base of the west tower)

The placement and setback of the building on the corner lot

full report










Election in the Junction Triangle

From the Junction Triangle web site






-http://www.junctiontriangle.ca/node/663



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Canada bakery use of street

It's always great to see industry fare well in the area, here Canada bread moves it's trucks around on the road outside their plant.

Too bad they are leaving.


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Sunday, August 15, 2010

Breakfast at Easy

Breakfast at Easy restaurant, great music a few people, good service.










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Wow another fruit and veg outside display in Roncy How do the retails do it?


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And people are stopped and talking and blocking the street  it's wonderful to see all this.


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Location:Roncesvalles Ave,Toronto,Canada

Track in place

People seem to
Find no difficulty in crossing the street to get to the shops.






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Location:Roncesvalles Ave,Toronto,Canada

Roncesvalles at Fern retail moves with the street construction







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Location:Roncesvalles Ave,Toronto,Canada

Roncesvalles Av. concrete laydown for tracks

Roncesvalles dug for track payment




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Location:Roncesvalles Ave,Toronto,Canada

Roncesvalles Ave TTC switch tracks await install on street today




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Location:Roncesvalles Ave,Toronto,Canada

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Delight’s new cheese shop opens this Sat!

The blog has been informed by a reliable source the new cheese shop opens this Saturday.

It's been a long time since the Junction had a cheese shop, we used to have Mothers bakery and a deli up and around Pacific Ave. So this will be great.

[caption id="attachment_7111" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Thanks to reader Natz for the pic"][/caption]

tangerine photography moves to Pacific Ave

tangerine photography moves to Pacific Ave from Annette st.









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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

West End Junction Facade Restoration










The west end of Dundas Street between St Johns Place and Runnymede hasn’t seen allot of facade restoration.

This site located west of Malta Park is breaking new ground though with an extensive restoration which includes some excellent woodwork and brick cleaning.

When the project is complete it might be a poster shot for facade restoration given the evolving contrast to the mirrored building next to it.

Post by Martin Lennox of the JRA

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Hip Kick move




Hip Kik has installed a sign saying they are moving to Pacific Ave next month.

With the recent sale of these buildings and the exit of Andy’s Bakery & Delicatessen I wonder if this site is scheduled for a major redevelopment


-posted by Martin L. Of the Junction residents Association

Location:Cordova Ave,Toronto,Canada

Friday, August 6, 2010




A zoning review has begun for High Park Auto Collision located 332 High Park Ave.

At first glance this inconspicuous building is easily overlooked amongst the stately homes and The Avenue Hotel but it has been an automobile repair shop for nearly a hundred years. Originally called Grainger’s Garage and Supply Station (the Supply Station is now gone) the building hasn’t changed much and maintains its original configuration.

The review seeks to convert the garage into a tree storey apartment building. Zoning reviews like this are often never built and used only to market a building to investors but we may have a big change ahead.

Application#: 10 215356 ZPR 00 ZR

Project: Apartment Building - Proposed conversion of existing public garage with second and third storey addition above to establish new apartment building with ground floor parking garage



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Wednesday, August 4, 2010