Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Vine Ave parkette baseball diamond coming down.. if the crew returns Wednesday the 18th it will be completely gone.

[caption id="attachment_7693" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The west fence wall"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_7694" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="note the chain link fencing material missing from the structure"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_7696" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="a last night for the probably 1972 installed diamond, it replaced 6 Sur Gain grain silos"][/caption]



UPDATED

The blog has  a image of what was planned, although I do not what changes have been made since this image was distributed.

A commenter's stated he had spoken to the  parks personal dismantling the diamond and was told it was to be a new play structure.

So I thought I would post the image

I know the Junction Residents Association held info sessions about this, which I was unable to attend and they may (probably) had more up to date plans. The  City of  Toronto has narrowly defined suppliers and type list for playground structures. This limited choice is probably and risk management  driven plan, rather than a disengagement of the the parks designers with what Toronto communities what.

 

the image...

[caption id="attachment_7720" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Toronto Parks Image"][/caption]

 

24 comments:

  1. Great! Not many people use this... Any word if anything is going in it's place?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I asked one of the city demolition dudes what will be going in and he said a new play structure... Hope it's more clearly thought out than the minuscule 'sand bunker' that replaced the nice big one... I seem to recall that the structure was supposed to be for older kids... I also heard something about a skateboarding area... if it's the same planner who designed the psudo gazebo / sand box, I'm a little concerned! hope some of the jra parks people have been consulted... I also noticed a guy using survey equipment a week ago... I wonder if anyone out there knows what the plan is.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Do we really need two play structures in the park? The other one isn't exactly crammed so full of kids they're falling off.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello,

    Parks sent the JRA two senior play structure designs to review in March. We did so at the March members meeting (minutes and video at junctionra.ca) and sent back some feedback on the proposed designs and the park in general. I have not seen what the final design is and at the time any changes needed budget approval.

    Removal of the backstop was one of the recommendations the JRA made based on local feedback. The removal was also part of the Vine Park master plan which was created about 5 years ago.

    A senior play structure is designed of kids in the 6 to 10 range, the existing equipment is 3 to 5 years (although my 2 year old really likes it).

    On a side note, a new proposal was presented by Ryan from Sanction Skateboard store (Pacific and Dundas) for a small scale skate park in Vine Park. The JRA is going to collect more info on the scope and present it at our July meeting but feedback was mostly positive. Noise being the only major point of concern.

    Martin JRA Chair

    ReplyDelete
  5. "Noise being the only major point of concern." Ya, no one wants a park full of kids making noise. Have you suggested a meditation circle, or perhaps signs that says "Quiet playing only please."

    ReplyDelete
  6. Some residents are concerned about late night skateboarding, 2am, and the noise it would create.

    Does the negative of late night noise outweigh the positives of a skate park? That’s a good question to debate at the next JRA meeting, July 14, 7pm West Toronto Baptist Church (3049 Dundas).

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey is that a set of railroad tracks behind the park? Bet those don't make any noise at all. People that knowingly move next door to a park then complain about park noise are idiots. Give the kids their skatepark or BMX park, the city is noisy and always will be.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I think I love you Rodger (platonically speaking). I'd love to buy you a beer @ Axis sometime

    So the baseball diamond goes, the basketball court goes (by the look of the design)..... is this park/green space strictly for young children now? I get that the Junction is now over-run with 30-somethings having their "first miracle" and all, but umm.... there ARE still some of us that aren't in the breeding business that would like to have the use of the park.

    ***cue Martin & his "Richard, that’s a good question to debate at the next JRA meeting, July 14, 7pm West Toronto Baptist Church"

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello Richard, to my knowledge the basketball court is not being removed, in fact our feedback included replacement of the worn basketball nets. One version of the City plans even had a second court.

    We also requested updates to the seating and lighting in places away from the kids so other people can enjoy the park, we’ll know soon what we get.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hey Rodger, giving the kids a skatepark is exactly what we're looking into. If you think it’s a good idea, please email your support Councillor Doucette - councillor_doucette@toronto.ca
    It’s as easy as commenting on the junctioneer and actually makes a difference.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Skate park is an awful idea, the noise will be unbelievable and CONSTANT!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think the skateboard park would be fantastic for the older kids, and a great way to support a new local business.

    Besides, the gathering of a bunch of 2 - 5 year olds isn't the quietest place on earth.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Not the sound of kids playing or teenagers yelling, but the horrible noise of skateboards constantly slamming against cement, the residents of McMurry and Vine Ave will suffer, will probably see their property values dive... Skateboard parks should never be built in a residential area.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sorry Irina, but its clear you don't know what you're talking about here. And, quite frankly, you're putting out a NIMBY type vibe.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am not convinced, either way, about this new development and I hope I make up my mind for when it comes to a vote at the JRA meeting. Members will get a chance to vote on this, right Martin?

    On the one hand, I understand residents' concerns about noise and teeangers, and younger kids. I have a three year old and sometimes I take her to quieter and less used parks because Vine Park has become so busy and crowded. I suspect the Junction baby boom coupled with the new condo development is contributing to this?

    However, as a parent and as someone who works with teens, I am concerned about the type of message we will be sending by rejecting the skate park. Do we want to embrace and reinforce the stereotype that teenagers are trouble?

    Do we want the Junction to be a community that is not accepting of teenagers and the skateboarding subculture?

    Do we want teenagers (and anyone else who skakeboards) to have a safe place to go where they can interact, in a civil way, with other members of the community?

    Like I said, I am not convinced either way and I have a lot of questions, but any time the issue of stereotyping and segregating a whole group comes up, my alarm bells go off.

    And that's just my opinion :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. While I support the idea of a skatepark in principle, the reality is that there is already too much late night noise and underage drinking and garbage left behind by teenagers - although not as bad these days as it was 3 or 4 years ago. But of course no noise generated will excede that of the train yards, the Toppers truck yard that goes from 6am til midnite, and the riduculous amount of car traffic on Vine. Vine Avenue is a speedway for cars looking to avoid the congestion of Keele and Dundas. Far from being a quiet street, Vine Ave. is traffic throughfare. How about some speed bumps in front of the park?
    Not many use the baseball diamond, true, but the basketball court is well used and should stay - although it would be nice if those using it would stop littering. Again, teenagers, I am sorry to say.
    I suggest fencing in the area of the baseball diamond as a dogs-only area, hopefully limiting the amount of dog "business" that is always being left behind by irresponsible dog owners.
    David

    ReplyDelete
  17. This was my personal opinion, I do not live on McMurray or Vine Ave, my voice is irrelevant and my vote does not count in the JRA because Heintzman Place is just out of the Junction Residents Association "catchment" area. The residents of these two streets should be the ones to decide, I hope they will be given every consideration.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hello Daniela,

    Our plan for the July JRA meeting is to offer more information on the skate park, for example Ryan said they are looking for small rails and mock benches only, no large ramps or things like that.

    If a member makes a motion to support or oppose the proposal we will have a vote on it

    Also if anyone has other suggestions of a location, they need about 2000 sqft. Ryan said it doesn’t need to be square, it can be thin (width of a driveway) and about 200 feet long.

    Please comment with any good location in the area.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have been to the skate park in the beaches and that's fine but honestly at Vine, I think there are better locations in the area. Every BMX or skate park I have been to has always been in a very public area and away from residential areas.
    That's what makes sense!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Vine residents have a lot of noise to contend with. There is the 24 hour public storage, the moving truck company, the trains and lets not forget the Rona PA system. A skatepark would not be problem and it will give teens a place to skate rather than where they do currently which is usually on business properties who in turn complain about damage and insurrance risks. Another option for the skateboard park would be up at George Bell Arena which has lots of empty space. Either way I'm in favor of it.

    On the side, the after hours noise could be curbed by putting a curfew on the park and by having it in a fenced in area which is only accessible between X hour and X hour, much like the how the city runs Tennis Courts.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Like the idea of fencing in the Baseball area for a dog run area.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great idea Clark.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I've lived directly across from the park on Vine for close to 8 years now and the basketball dribbling at 3 or 4 am for me is a LOT worse than the trains... I feel like the people who use the park should get together IN the park with our councilor and the 'master plan' and try to have a constructive discussion about it... before we have another play structure it would be great to be in the space and discuss how practical it would be in relation to the multi-use green space that will be sacrificed. I like the basketball court but I also love the amount of green space there is at the west side of the park... I am not sure how much more concrete the park could sustain... I would seriously look at the park around George Bell for a skate park... it feels more industrial and there would be a lot more room!

    the next jra meeting is on July 14?? of course I'll be out of town which is a bit frustrating but I have written to Sarah and really hope to get a meeting together before the shovels hit the ground!

    ReplyDelete
  24. there is a crew in the park continuing work on the demolition of the baseball fence... let's see if they finish the job...

    ReplyDelete