Questions prospective architects and design firms are asking about the new Walbash Community Centre Design.

 

Answer to question about the fill material on the site or near it.

A1. To the City's knowledge, there is still a small amount of residual impacted fill material noted to exist below or adjacent to the remaining concrete rail bed in front of 40 Wabash Avenue that should be removed from the site as part of any future development work. The City will arrange and co-ordinate with an independent environmental consultant to provide environmental and inspection services, however, the prime consultant will be required to co-ordinate and implement any requirements of the investigation in the tender and contract documents. Based on the results of the Environmental Assessment Report, the details of further remediation or risk assessment strategies will be known.

 

Answer too too the question, Is it anticipated that the existing hardscape plaza square is to remain?

A2. The future of the existing hardscape plaza square will be determined during the investigation/program confirmation phases and the approach to schematic design.

Question about the Fieldhouse,  Is the Fieldhouse likely to remain in use if it is not repurposed as a part of the community centre?

A3 The future of the Fieldhouse and its use will be determined during the investigation/ program confirmation phases and the approach to schematic design.

Morrow Ave. the most beautiful redefined street in the greater Junction Area?

Morrow Ave has been transformed over the last 15 years from the industrial street it was to a series of redefined buildings. These buildings now redeveloped house an art gallery of much merit, a loft development project and a series of other thought based businesses types. Oh yes and wonder Home Hardware.

This avenue is really worth a stroll particularly in Sunday's when it's quite quiet and the parked car and weekday business bustle is absent.

Here a little photo tour.



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Junction Rd / Weston Rd shutdown to last for months more.

The west Toronto Diamond separation projection will keep the Junction Rd / Weston Rd roadway shutdown to last for months more.

This section of the airport rail link involves the construction of a major underpass where one railroad track will pass over another.

Historically the trains traveled over trackage that crossed each other at a level crossing, requiring one train to stop while another passed.

All this construction will remove this rail travel limitation.


The congestion this construction causes it appears to be a major headache for the local police who have to come down to southern part of their division by Keele St only.


The reopening of the Junction Rd / Weston Rd way will allow the police a much quicker travel way into the south end of their division.


So what's the work at the Junction Rd / Weston Rd diamond separate now.

Here are a number of photographs of the site currently. The large round objects are the concrete filled steel tubes that will
form the barrier wall as the dig out the ground to form the underpass.








The following images are of sound deadening shrouds used during the driving in of the steel piles.













The blog intends to put a page of all the image being sent in once the uploading issue presently troubling the blog is fixed.

No window bars please

Why some retailers and commercial building owners see and feel the need to have windows bars fitted to the shop windows of their buildings is odd.

This happens throughout the Greater Junction Area. It is really unnecessary, as smash and grabs are almost unknown here, even during the period of "The Decline" in economic activity in the year.

And with today's prosperity in the GJA this activity only harms that area the community, especially the residential sector. It causes passers by to get that chilly fright of a risky area, which we are not.

Isn't it time we let these shops and building owners know we don't what these window bars blighting our visual views and the living character of our streetscape.

In the following images the black painted shop with the window bars is in the Junction Triangle and the other store is on the Dundas St strip.

Storage fire in Osler Ave. leaves empty lot where historic building stood recently.

The new view of the Dodge Pulley site, without the building.

Junction Triangle light industrial studio building sets pace needed.

Needed, more buildings for light industrial and design and art studios thoughout the greater Junction Area.

To create a vibrant community there must be opportunities for healthy living, good employment, new businesses creation and involved residents.

In the piles of renewed urbanization studies that abound, a common finding is that residents then employment then new creative industrials, be they skilled and tech manufacturing or culture based services followed by general retailing are the path to a healthy growing community.

Throughout the area we need to support such building use.

The images above such a building in the Junction Triangle clearly show the building can be developed and managed well.

Lansdowne Ave. Reno, quite a sight!

Help WIN A NEW SCHOOLYARD FOR PERTH AVENUE vote!

 

Worth while to take the time to vote this is...

 

[caption id="attachment_10321" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="click image to vote"]Click here to go directly to the candidates - scroll down and look for Perth School yard and click more then Vote for this  - a orange button[/caption]

 

Click here to go directly to the candidates - scroll down and look for Perth School yard and click more then Vote for this  - a orange button

 

the text about the site...

Perth Avenue Public School/St. Luigi Catholic School

Field of Dreams: If you build it, they will run

With this grant we hope to attain a poured rubber track for approximately 600 students from Perth and St. Luigi Schools as well as 140 children from the Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club. Perth Avenue Public School and St. Luigi Catholic School are a joint TDSB/TCDSB schools servicing students from JK -Grade 8. Our area is a vibrant inner city school/community located in the South Junction Triangle. Our multicultural student population represents over 16 different language groups. Presently our playground is a barren flat stretch of pavement. We hope to begin to develop it into a community resource to improve the physical health of the students and families in our neighbourhood. We know that physical activity in children prevents various health problems, and this project provides a positive active focus for our community, its children and youth. This community faces challenges such as: 1. in 1965, the previous school building was demolished and was buried under asphalt. The schoolyard has since remained a barren and desolate field. Excavation of the debris is infeasible and alternative synthetic surfaces, such as poured rubber and synthetic turf, are our only options yet are outside of the school's operational budget or fundraising ability. 2. there is a lack of year round sports and recreation facilities in the area. 3. railway tracks bordering on both the west and east borders creates an isolated community and reduces the frequency and accessibility of trips to sports and recreation facilities outside the neighbourhood for children in the community. 4. 33% of families in this area make below $29,000. At this income level only 39% of students partake in sports activities outside of school according to the TDSB''s 2011 Census. 5. the lack of facilities is one reason many families choose to attend schools outside of this school district. Parents that are more attuned to school choices tend to be more highly educated and have higher incomes. The student population remaining at Perth consists of higher concentrations of disadvantaged students, which widens the socio-economic gap. Many of the most involved parents have left the school creating low parent engagement, which is needed to foster improvements to the school. Anticipating the fulfillment of our plans, our students will then participate in safe, fun playground activities, increased physical activity, decreased playground conflict and bullying. The schoolyard's facilities would be available to families regardless of their economic situation, physical ability and age creating a community-type centre.

Project Goals

Plans Perth has created a Schoolyard Enhancement Committee to develop plans and priorities for the school and its students. Its consists of two main components; Healthy Active Living and Aesthetic Improvements. Murals have been painted along the walls and doors of the schoolyard and two indestructible steel soccer nets have been erected. Phase one will be complete with the addition of two Basketball Fun Nets. To date, the School Advisory Council has raised $5200.00. In phase two, the Schoolyard Enhancement Committee intends to begin the construction of its sports facility and outdoor classroom. Our goal is to create an artificial turf and surrounding track with various fitness stations around the yard. Due to the fact that the playground contains the rubble from the previous building, the school is limited in what it can do to enhance the school yard. Removal of the debris is costly and infeasible and additions to the playground are restricted. Grass and trees are restricted to the edge of the playground or in raised beds. Alternative synthetic surfaces, such as poured rubber and synthetic turf, are our only options yet are outside of the school's operational budget or fundraising ability. A poured rubber track is dream we hope to fulfill with this grant. Physical activity can improve academic performance, creativity and productivity, while reducing the likelihood of smoking, alcohol and drug use. This project provides a positive active focus for our community, its children and youth. During recess, after-school and curriculum based programs, students will participate in safe, fun playground activities, increased physical activity, decreased playground conflict and bullying. Students from low-income families struggling with family unemployment, poor nutrition and limited opportunities for recreation, require a safe space at school to foster self-esteem and self-confidence. Sports-based recreation programming will enhance student's lives by meeting these needs. Improvements to the schoolyard will help to meet the needs of parents when selecting schools, thus retaining more economically diverse families and renewing this inner city neighbourhood. In addition St. Luigi's school and its 350 students, which shares the playground, will also benefit from improvements. The schoolyard's facilities would be available to families regardless of their economic situation, physical ability and age. The facility would be available over a large portion of the day and throughout most of the year. Other community partners would benefit from improvements to the schoolyards, such as the Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club, the Running Club and the Track and Field Clubs. This project will benefit the students and the community now and in the future, thus leaving a legacy.

Click here to go directly to the candidates - scroll down and look for Perth School yard and click more then Vote for this  - a orange button

 

 

 

Simple clean line architecture on Wiltshire Av.

Just how striking could the original designers and builder in the greater junction area be. Just look at this building, designed around simple yet very effective mass of three distinct forms this house has both visual character and it must have a very segmented use pattern I inside, something many GJA houses lack.
Many GJA houses are simply a collection rooms affording basic use for each, kitchen, washroom, bedrooms etc. Most are lacking rooms divided by interesting hallway and window configurations that can provide interest and feelings of separation between the uses of each room.

Storage facility gutted by fire last week was the Junction Dodge Plant

 

Reposted from http://maplib.blogspot.com thanks to commentor Joyce for commenting the link.

Additional images of the building and area are at the http://maplib.blogspot.com 

 

A storage facility at Osler and Pelham in Toronto went up in flames on January 9th, 2012 and continued to burn for two days. http://ctestp.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120109/120109_toronto_fire/20120109/?hub=CP24Home This was not the first time in recent history that the building's structure had been challenged. In 2006, the building was hit by a grain train http://www.tcrc295.com/Osler_derailment.htm when it derailed from the neighbouring railway tracks. Here are some photos from John (aka Krunkwerke) of the aftermath of that derailment: http://www.flickr.com/photos/krunkwerke/sets/72157625704504118/with/5305938452/

While the building is currently one of many storage facilities in the neighbourhood, the building and the site are historically significant to the Junction area. Here is a photo from 1948 of the building, from the Toronto Archives :

 

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High Park Residents' Association next meeting Feb. 9 at Coffee & All That Jazz, 72 Howard Park Ave

 

Junction Triangle Library Project expansion?

Post link to the Junction Triangle blog. From their blog


100 Day Survey

A group of local residents is working with the support of Councillor Ana Bailao to expand the Perth/Dupont branch of the Toronto Public Library. As an important community resource, we want to determine what Junction Triangle residents want in their local library.

The 100 Day Survey is ten questions that will form part of a Community Report to the Toronto Public Library detailing design features and services that will meet area needs.

The survey runs until February 29, 2012.

link to full post - lots of info

link to their survey

West Toronto Diamond project reaches Black Creek Drive

Black Creek Drive at its foot has been reduced to one lane as work proceeds on the rail bridgework overhead.

This slows down the traffic turn left on to Old Weston Rd. quite a bit.

A this has to do with the West Toronto part of the airport link, hopefully we will to see them build a new bridge section.

Up til now the the Weston Rd. area up in the Mount Dennis area has all the exciting stuff on the public highway.

Links to interesting posts at the junctiontriangle.ca blog

 

The Junction Triangle blog has some interesting posts right right click each image to read the associated post at their site.

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Dupont St. puppet store has an amazing window right now

This really unique store  which is always a special place to see, has a moving, fun, enlightening window display now.

One so wonderful you can stand outside viewing it and imagine your own warm and pleasant stories.

located at 1597 Dupont Street

About the store
Portable Puppet Theatres and Puppets for Sale
www.opendoordesigns.ca/
Doorway puppet theater, portable theaters and puppets for sale and rent from Open Door ... Visit our Online Store or if you are in Toronto our Retail Store where you will find along with ...

One of the great benefits of living in a community bounded on most sides by railway tracks are the great sightings

From just about anywhere whilst walking you can see icons of the Canadian ideals  running along the rails, just this past weekend the series of new technology wind towers floated by on their sides. Also both provincial and federal wheat trains went by.

As the federal government dismantles the wheat board i guess these trains will disappear and private or railroad cars will replace them.

..from the Globe and mail about the  Canadian Wheat Board

Stephen Harper is using his majority power to scrap the wartime-era monopoly Ottawa granted the Canadian Wheat Board over western wheat and barley sales, a move laden with political symbolism for the Conservative Leader.

The change will grant western Canadian farmers, from B.C.’s Peace River district to eastern Manitoba, the freedom as of August, 2012, to sell their wheat and barley to whomever they choose. In most cases, the buyers are expected to be big agricultural firms such as Cargill.

full story at the Globe

Architect Richard Rogers states city development was the best way to build new homes today

 

With 4 condo development sites, and currently building retail site and one  more large possible large retail site available in the greater Junction area (GJA) for development, is it not time for the community to start gaining better traction to work out a model from for this development.

The report below provides a very interesting overview of the re-urbanization of inner city areas.

Lord Rogers has authored a report that states that city development was the best way to build new homes because of their jobs, infrastructure and public transport systems with garden cities and new towns far more car-based.

“Cities are the most efficient thing,” he said

From the introduction...

The vision of the Urban Task Force remains an integrated

and multifaceted one founded on the creation of urban

communities that:

• are well designed, compact and connected

• support a diverse range of uses in a sustainable

urban environment

• are well-integrated with public transport

• are adaptable to change.

True to that vision, and in keeping with the original mission

of the Urban Task Force, we make recommendations in this

report based on the principles of:

• design excellence

• social wellbeing, and

• environmental responsibility

set within a viable and sustainable economic, legislative

and delivery framework.

Full report

 

Hilary Bell gathering in the Junction, Saturday September 17, 2011 from 2 to 5 PM

Re-posted from a comment on this site, Thanks Sean for the info

 

Hilary Bell passed away  September 2011.

To celebrate her life there will be a gathering of friends and family in our neighborhood on

Saturday September 17, 2011 from 2 to 5 PM.

Hilary loved Pilates and spent many mornings and evenings at the studio. We felt it would be fitting to have the event there.

“The Loft Pilates Studio” ,
396 Pacific Avenue, suite 201, Toronto M6P 1Z2.

Snacks and drinks will be served.

Your presence would be much appreciated.

 

For some information on her contributions to your community please see this link  to the Junction Triangle site 

Loblaws properties donates land at 96 Ricthie Ave for home

A passage lot from the Loblaws rear parking lot for the companies store at Dundas St. W. and Bloor St. W. to Richie Ave has been donated by Loblaws for the construction of a single family home for a family with a disabled son. The home will be one story in height.

[caption id="attachment_8653" align="aligncenter" width="315" caption="The lot viewed from the parking lot of the store, click image to visit Habitat site"][/caption]

 







 

Major building changes to your Junction Area house?

[caption id="attachment_8361" align="aligncenter" width="475" caption="Soil engineer checking soil conditions at a Junction area house"][/caption]

 

Increasingly many house owners in the Junction area are deciding to enlarge their house, by heightening the basement by lowing the level of the basement floor or converting the attic to usable space or adding an addition.

Any of these projects involves the use of a building permit. In addition to the architectural or designers drawings, an engineers report as to the suitability of the building foundation to support the changes will be required.

Having the knowledge about the need for the engineers report is what this post is about as in new parts of this ward the construction includes footings, but they are not common on 1st lot construction homes in the Junction. Thus the necessarily need for this professional action to performed before a permit is issued by the city.

Often the house owner finds out about this need and its  costs for the report and many times remedial foundation work to strength the foundation is required.

Most Junction houses do not have a footing, but a foundation sitting  on soil, often this has to provided to add an addition or do other major renos. This remedial work can outstrip the cost of the design services.