Traffic Study - Keele, Dundas West, Pacific, and Vine Corridor

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Community Council Decision in Favor

Etobicoke York Community Council:

1 - Motion to Adopt Item as Amended moved by Councillor Sarah Doucette (Carried)

1. Requested the Director, Transportation Services, Etobicoke York District to review the existing traffic studies completed by the City and submitted through local development applications within the Keele Street, Dundas Street West, Pacific Avenue, and Vine Street corridor, and report to the local Councillor, on what changes can be made within the corridor, and to the Keele Street and Dundas Street West.

[ms_alert icon="fa-rocket" background_color="#FCDFFF" text_color="#232323" border_width="2" border_radius="0" box_shadow="no" dismissable="no" class="" id=""]Origin. (June 6, 2018) Letter from Councillor Sarah Doucette, Ward 13, Parkdale-High Park [/ms_alert]

[su_box title="Corridor meaning linear agglomerations " style="default" box_color="#F73F43" title_color="#FFFFFF" radius="0"]. [su_highlight background="#DDFF99" color="#000000"]Traffic concerns have continued to grow in the Junction neighbourhood,[/su_highlight] with a recent studies showing a dramatic increase in the volume of traffic on local roads in the area. With [su_highlight background="#DDFF99" color="#000000"]six development applications in the Junction community,[/su_highlight] three of which are in the Keele Street, Dundas Street West, Pacific Avenue, and Vine Street corridor, this issue will continue to grow.[/su_box]

 

Background Information Image of Letter Link.
(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2018/ey/bgrd/backgroundfile-116193.pdf)

MotionsMotion to Add New Business at Committee moved by Councillor Sarah Doucette (Carried)

 

That Etobicoke York Community Council amend the Recommendation contained in the letter (June 6, 2018) from Councillor Sarah Doucette, Ward 13, Parkdale-High Park, As in paragraph 1 above.

 

 

Vine ave demolition happening Tuesday Morning

61 63 67 Vine ave coming down Tuesday, these images about 9:15

Vine Ave truck and employee parking

The Topper textile firm has begun to use the old Canadian Rogers Eastern Limited (CREL) roofing division ....come parking lot as depot for its trucks and employees cars. Increasing the traffic volume along Vine Ave.

This new activity has caused this author to wonder what the community feels about the increased industrial traffic this new use has caused, in light that many people in the community feel the age of mixed residential and industrial activity in the Junction  is over.

While this author believes the Junction needs mixed residential and industrial activity, I really would like to know what the people living close-by feel the impact  of this activity is.

The Junction's most famous vacant lot.

The Junction's most famous vacant lot - created when the Subway Hotel building - then a rooming house after a surviving a  large gas explosion and repair finally laid down it's use - succumbing to the city's crack down on illegal apartments in the late 80's and early 90's.

This lot at the corner of Vine Ave and Keele St. which now provides only accommodation for billboard sign. An empty lot such as this, devoid of everything but the hope of what could be creates a very weak link to the community, should there finally be a break in the community and legal status inertia (some would say political - as in the parks dept, as well) that has locked up this prime piece of Junction property  for over 10 years.

approach would be to convert vacant land into mini-parks for recreational use, walking paths and bike trails, and connectors to existing green space. While this too would not produce revenue for the city, arguably it would make blighted neighborhoods more attractive to potential residents, as well as current residents.

In the past, Cleveland has assembled abandoned land (including buildings

The blog would like to suggest this approach -  to convert this vacant land into a  mini-park for recreational use, as a  connector to the surrounding residential area. While this  would not produce revenue for the city, arguably it would cost the city. - The blog asked an estate agent what the lot cost would be into present condition and was told anywhere between   285 and 400 thousand dollars. However it would make this  blighted corner more attractive to stop and talk activities and community events, as well as attract new  residents.

With the large condo development across the street being this lot in the public space would greatly benefit the community.

The Toronto parks department has purchased private land for mini-parks in the recent past so the idea to not out in space.

Tagging in the Junction

Tagging in the Junction is becoming much more prevalent currently. The two guys own this house and rent it out as apartment really have a difficult time keeping graffiti off the side of their garage as it faces an laneway that fronts on to Vine parkette. Do the people on the south side of Vine Ave. see this happening?

Parking now on west side of Quebec Ave, north of Dundas

You can now park on Quebec Avenue on thewest side -  north of Dundas.  This must be wonderful for Crema Coffee and Iron Core customers, which in itself is a good thing.  It seems the parking places cars in favour and against people walking and removes the street vistas - this is not good.

With the additional parking of a similar nature available now on Pacific Ave  towards Vine Ave, haven't we given enough of our streets over for cars to sit and sleep?

June 13th Community Yard Sale Update

Excellent…it is now the Mc Murray, Vine and Mulock Community Yard Sale!  Thank you to Kimberley for offering to organize Mulock for the yard sale.  Are there any other organizers out there willing to bring your street on board?  Come on....where are you Pacific, Hook, Quebec, Clendenan, and Maria(to just name a few)?

Junction Community Yard Sale

June 13th from 9 am-2pm

to be followed by a community potluck in Vine Parkette

Junction industrial job posting at Canadian Rogers Eastern Limited on Vine Ave.

from their listing...

Specific Skills: Read specifications or follow verbal instructions, Lay out, set up and operate one or more light or heavy metalworking machines, Cut, bend, roll, ream, punch, drill, weld or otherwise shape and form metal stock into parts or products, Check products for correct shapes, dimensions and other specifications, Troubleshoot, perform corrective action or minor repairs, Document work completed, Clean and lubricate equipment

Bending press operator - metal fabrication {complete job listing opens in new window}

why it's more important than you may think...

Canadian Rogers Eastern Limited a venerable metal fabrication business [and design? don't know] has posted a job offer on the federal Jobbank site. This is great, as the Junction needs more and even more industrial jobs. Other than the few that were created in the Junction - when ST Mary's cement opened a distribution site at the old Monarch mills site on Junction Rd earlier this year, and which may have been people brought in from their other locations, there probably were not many created.

In terms of skilled industrial businesses Canadian Rogers Eastern Limited is one the few remaining in the Junction and the last below the tracks. Above the tracks there still is NRI (rubber), Canada Bread, Andrew Merrilees Limited (railroad track and materials), and a number of enterprises on Gunns Rd.

More listing hightlights

Salary: To be negotiated, Other Benefits, Medical Benefits, Dental Benefits, Life Insurance Benefits, Group Insurance Benefits, Vision Care Benefits, As per collective agreement indicating that at least some of the plant is unionized.

Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Fast-paced environment, Repetitive tasks, Physically demanding, Manual dexterity, Attention to detail

posted by Robert

West end building facings that define our character

Faux brick was the prevailing asphalt siding style in many cross industrial/residential communities around West Toronto. Although commonly used in Toronto in a rectangle shape ,  wall shingles were marketed in a variety of patterns and colors such as rectangular, hexagonal and pyramidal. This siding material was offered in brown tone, red tone, jade green and tile red over the years with “mortar” lines in white, brown or black.

A finished look to the job could be had by placing accessory strips for inside and outside corners.

This material can be seen around The junction, in the Annex and other areas of WTO.

An interesting aside to the choice of siding issues in WTO is the current use of "suburban" bricks being used in older communities to reface or add new extensions to a particular building.  These "suburban" bricks commonly used to build houses in the new developments around the GTA are substantially bigger in length and  width then the traditional bricks or faux "bricks' used in  the older west areas. They impart a very different feel to the street-scape. This fall a homeowner on Vine Ave. near the Parkette used "suburban" bricks  to reface the front of a house. Take a look it's very easy to find during a stroll, by comparing bricks of a few houses as you pass by.

Posted by Robert

Vine Ave. front facade reno in their own way

47 Vine Ave has grown a very usual front side protuberance; albeit, one without much curb appeal. Still wondering if this is a simple addition to add another apartment.

Whatever it is - it blocks the front door.