Simple thought on why the community needs the old 11 division lot

Has anyone else noticed, the amount of community happenings at the 3030 restaurant on Dundas St.W. at High Park Ave. what 2 in past week?

Which is great, but it tweaked the blog again on how much this area needs the old police lot in the Junction as a community place.

Conversion of the current building or demo and build of a new building - which is probably the least costly choice.

What they have... we don't in community building resources

The reason for the trip to the Bloordale area today was to visit Nelison Park Creative Centre, a place for families and children, a making place for kids, a leaning environment for everyone for everyone.

A gallery, a community meeting place ringing with light sounds from adult classes and kids summer events, which I can hear as I sit in the gallery.

Why provide you with all this information about a building and it's community two citys wards away and blocks from the Junction? Well the local police will move from their current building on 209 Mavety St in the next month or so.

When · 11 Division, on Mavety St. leaves the city will offer the building internally to any department in need of it. Or worse sell it! .. For development, to private businesses for use.

Yet this blog believes the community should have the building for it's own uses. In our ward the community has a very special place in the area of Swansea the Swansea Town Hall. This building is wonderful for the community, ward 13's current councillor came out the town hall, undoubtedly having community gain opinions and knowledge of her while she worked there. What a great way to see the values and operational skills of a future politician.

Yet it is not of the Junction, Swansea Town Hall. It's too far for families to walk to. Activities and needs for the local people probably differ in many ways. The Junction is much more urban and industrially gritty than Sawnsea. Further the Junction is strip community straddling a rail network.

The Junction consisting of the Upper Junction and lower Junction could benefit greatly from the conversion of the police station into community use.

What could it be like ... Here are a few photos of the Nelison Park Creative Centre in Bloordale. Left out are images of the activity rooms as they were occupied with people.



 



 

Our police station is leaving... can this happen?

Toronto Police Division 11  is relocating, and the city owed building will be empty.  This building would make a wonderful mixed use centre for the community.

And just to let everyone know this can happen, here is the story of an old Parkdale police station that has become a mixed use centre for the that community.

Although this author believes the community can ,manage and run a centre without the assistance of the Parks department or Artscape, not that those are not fine groups, it's just the Junction is the Junction.

During doors open you can visit this centre



From the doors open site

1313 Queen St. West was constructed in 1931 as City of Toronto Police Station Division 6 . It remained a police station until the early 1960's . It then became emergency housing with the city of Toronto for about 14 years . The building then became a Metro property until it was turned over to Artscape for a 20 year lease at $1 /year . This came about with the support of the community and many individuals with the vision that the building would become a community venue for organizations and also house 9 live /work artist studios managed by Artscape . Today the building is full of activity and artists are now living in the original stable house.

Event information:

Learn the history of this former Police Station. Exhibition curated by Christopher Hume which displays works by Toronto artists inspired by local architecture.

Photography permitted: No tripod: No Filming permitted: No tripod: No

Getting there: Click here for map.

TTC (nearest station) Lansdowne /Dufferin & Bus to Queen St. W Bus/streetcar: Brock Street

11 DIVISION Police Move photo update

[caption id="attachment_5735" align="aligncenter" width="491" caption="at the rear of the school the 1st outside of the teardown appear"][/caption]

When we last checked in on this school near the corner of Davenport Rd and Old Weston Rd the demo work, was only beginning to start with surveying being done.

Now it's looking like the finish line for the school  is in sight, though it doesn't seem as though the big machines will be arriving in the next month if Priestly Demolition Inc follows it;s normal timeline  of removing the building inter 1st of salvageable materials . As we noted a year ago, the school is being  demolished to make way for the development of the new police 11 division station.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dundas High Park Ave traffic lights

[caption id="attachment_5390" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="Pascal Abboud chair of the Junction BIA with Councillor Bill Saundercook and Martin Lennox of the JRA cutting the ribbon"][/caption]

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new traffic lights at was held today at lights with Councillor Bill Saundercook and Martin Lennox of the Junction Residents Association along with Pascal Abboud chair of the Junction BIA cutting the ribbon.

Of note in the new lights enlivened intersection our the are the zebra strips painted on the roadway in the pedestrian crossing area. When speaking to one the City of Toronto raffic light designers at the ceremony the blog was told that one of the occurring issues at "T" intersections is the need for left turning cars drivers to be aware of   pedestrians crossing the roadway.

Take a cross at the intersection now and get a feel of how the lights have knitted the intersection further into the Dundas st west streetscape.

While the blog has been promoting   this event for a while now, everyone should know that Bea Mozdzanowski Constituency Assistant to Mr  Saundercook, has kept the blog and  this author up to date on the city timeline for the lights arranging a multiple of necessary items for the event to happen.

Dundas Street West and High Park Avenue traffic lights will be turned on Oct 8th at 10am

The traffic control signals at the intersection of Dundas Street West and High Park Avenue (PX2207) are scheduled to be activated next Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 10:00 am.

A community startup ceremony will be held a few days later and the date will be posted here in few days.