Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Junction local Farmers’ Market meeting this Thursday

reposted form Junctionra.ca site

United Nations agency UN-HABITAT Adopts 1st Resolution on Public Spaces



 

 

 



 

 

 

Many of you who have read this blog know this author is of the opinion that Toronto as whole and in particular the greater Junction area requires more public space. Space that is not governed commercial interests, such as many main streets in the community where commercial groups have greater control.

Although many people may not see the connection of a UN agencys actions to the Junction the United Nations  agency UN-HABITAT aims this resolution at just such communities, stating "Invites Governments and local authorities to facilitate the use of public spaces of cities such as streets, parks and markets to foster social, cultural, economic and environmental convergences so that all citizens have access to public spaces in a socially just landscape and within resilient environmental condition".

In Ward 13 and 14 as well as ward 12 we have good amount of parks and parkettes. Ward 13 is one of the highest areas in the city in area devoted to parks as well as community centers.  Places to meet and base activities which would be unsuitable for parks and community centers just do not exist.




 

The resolution (for PDF click here) includes the following seven invitations and requests:

1. Invites Governments to formulate and implement sustainable urban development policies that promote socially just and environmentally balanced uses of urban public space in conditions of urban security and gender equity that foster urban resilience;

2. Invites Governments and local authorities to facilitate the use of public spaces of cities such as streets, parks and markets to foster social, cultural, economic and environmental convergences so that all citizens have access to public spaces in a socially just landscape and within resilient environmental conditions;

3. Invites national Governments and development partners and encourages local authorities to consider:


(a) Implementing urban environmental planning, regulation and management that promotes equilibrium between urban development and protection of natural, historic, architectural, cultural and artistic heritage, that impedes segregation and territorial exclusion, that prioritizes social production of public space and that encourages the social and creative economic function of cities and property: for that purpose, cities should adopt measures that foster integration and equity with quality urban public spaces that respect environmentally friendly processes;

(b) Integrating the theme of urban safety for all citizens, especially for women, girls and other vulnerable groups, as an attribute of the public space, taking into account gender and age considerations in the laws regulating the use of public space;

4. Requests the Executive Director through the medium-term strategic and institutional plan to advance the agenda on place-making and public spaces in a specific way that will consolidate local and international approaches to creating inclusive cities, enhance the knowledge of partners of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and local authorities of place-making, public spaces and the quality of urban life and facilitate and implement exchange, cooperation and research between partners working in this field;

5. Also requests the Executive Director, in collaboration with Habitat Agenda partners, to develop a policy approach on the role that place-making can play in meeting the challenges of our rapidly urbanizing world, to disseminate that policy and its results widely and to develop a plan for ensuring its application internationally;

6. Further requests the Executive Director to assist in coordinating partners of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in disseminating knowledge to existing sustainable urban development processes at all governmental levels;

7. Requests the Executive Director to report to the Governing Council on operating paragraphs calling for action by the Executive Director, at its twenty-fourth session, on progress made in the implementation of the present resolution.


 

Monday, April 18, 2011

Interesting talk for Junction folk

 


 

Text of Image

Join us on Thursday, April 28th as we launch our 2011 Heritage Toronto Walks season with an illustrated lecture on the history of Toronto's railways, hosted by Derek Boles. Our 2011 Spring walk brochures will be available for pick up as well!

How the Railways Shaped Toronto
Illustrated Lecture


 

On May 16, 1853 the first passenger train steamed out of Toronto from a wooden depot that was located just east of present-day Union Station. Over the next century, the railways had a profound impact on the geography of Toronto and helped transform the city into the commercial centre of Canada. See rare images and animations that illustrate how the railways formed and altered Toronto's built and natural landscape over the last century and a half. And discover the role that St. Lawrence Hall played in railway history!

DATE: Thursday, April 28th at 7:00pm

SPEAKER:
Derek Boles, Toronto Railway Historical Association,
Author of Toronto's Railway Heritage

LOCATION: St. Lawrence Hall
157 King Street East (at Jarvis), 3rd Floor - Great Hall

 

Heritage Toronto

Heritage Toronto Events Calendar

Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Stockyard retail block

 


Sign up - 600,000 feet, wow looks like this will be the real change maker for Greater Junction area.

 

Retail on the strip has bloomed, the 1st condo. Yet in one development the entire area will be transformed.

 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Sunny Bar shuttered and for lease

 



 


One of last retail historical stores for kids and teens may by completely gone soon. This store which I visited every day as a kid has been around for at least 50 years.

 

Part American style diner and ice cream bar and full on candy store, and run for decades by a great guy - who could be scary tough if you were a kid.

Hope it gets leased to someone who runs it in the same manner.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Ethel Ave,Toronto,Canada

Another industrial site gone











Caledonia Rd and St Clair St West, on the southwest side of Caledonia Rd there stood for decades a small elongated 1 story building. The building for the last decade Was used as wine making supplies and grape shop.

No sign of whats planed.






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Village by High Park overhead street hoarding comes down

 


After this just the purple plywood hoarding is left. After this the Junction will have its 1st new facade on west side of Keele St (North of Dundas)  in 50 years.

 

Wow the Junction 1st high-rise comes to the street.

Location:Keele St just North of  Dundas St W,Toronto,Canada

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

City community clean up day Saturday April 16th

Annual Clean-up Campaign this |Saturday




The hub for pickup of bags to collect junk and trash from the lane ways, streets parks with be available on the Pacific side of the Green P parking lot.

People will be there to provide bags and collect the trash starting at 9am.

 

Saturday, April 9, 2011

How popular is the Junction for home ownership

Well this house sold in two days...







After a steady flow of viewers and a same day inspection.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction, Monday, April 18th from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm

 



Architect Catherine Nasmith has been invited to discuss the idea of Heritage Conservation Districts.  There has been a great deal of interest expressed locally in establishing a Heritage Conservation District in the Junction, and public discussion of the idea will follow.

The presentation is at the West Toronto Baptist Church, 3049 Dundas Street West, refreshments will be provided.



Presented by the Junction Residents Association and the West Toronto Junction Historical Society

 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Full up retail Dundas St W. in the Junction

 

 

 

 

While walking along Dundas St W. in the Junction it would be difficult not to notice that most of the storefronts are occupied with running businesses or premises in the process of renovations to open.

Talk is about of two pubs, one a brew pub being constructed and a new specialist eyeglass retailer as well as new sushi restaurant.

It has been a long time probably the the early 80's that the Junction strip was this full of retailers, which causes the question to asked why? Is the buildup of business types reached a critical level and the number of businesses can draw the need customer traffic? Has the level of income in the Junction increased thus drawing the retailers.?

 

Public Event -- High Park Burial Mounds



Serpent Mound Brochure download

Comments on this post are disabled as it was getting rough, I understand people are passionate, yet can we educate each other rather than fight, its harder but more rewarding.  May 05/2011

 

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Ravines a defining aspect of Toronto Globe article

Ravines a defining aspect of Toronto

Unknown even to many who live here, Toronto’s ravines offer a unique opportunity for the city to sell itself to the world, says Geoff Cape, the brains behind the Evergreen Brick Works

 

 

link to article