Parking meter removed today in relation to new High Park traffic lights

Park link employees remove the  Parking meter today in front of the chocolate shop. Speaking to a few business  owners near the intersection, it is clear they like the lights.

The only change some would like is the placement back in use of a couple of the parking spots on the north side  to slow traffic - some of which uses the most north lane as a passing lane when exiting the lights.

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.

The Dundas St W and High Park Ave intersection are working - turned on about 11:15am

[caption id="attachment_5366" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="The lights in the final testing stage minutes before being turned on"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5367" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="The 1st cars enter the now working intersection"][/caption]

The lights are working now  and right away people have started to use them to cross Dundas St West, and by standing around It could see that they were using them to move between the retail stores on the north and south sides of Dundas St West with much greater ease.

Before the traffic lights were working -  to cross safely people had to cross at Pacific Ave. or Clendenan Avenue Ave., 1 block to the east and two blocks to the west.  An action that reduced the flow  of pedestrian traffic acrros  Dundas St. and probably reduced the sales for many merchants.

While these lights were motioned and brought into reality at city council by the local Councillor, they are also the result of many requests and a need expressed by business and members of the community, so come and make some requests to Councillor Bill Saundercook.

Why should you come to the ceremony? The lights are an new important element to the street scape and usability of the Junction retail strip. Part of the function of your attending the opening will communicate to the Councillor and the city transportation services that not only do you appreciate their efforts - but that the Junction community wants more efforts expended by the city on the The Junction.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony, in celebration of the installation of the traffic lights, to be held on Oct 14th ‘09 at 8:30 am at the corner of Dundas St W and High Park Ave.:

The Dundas St W and High Park Ave intersection ribbon-cutting ceremony Thurs Oct 14th at 8:30 am at the corner of Dundas St W and High Park Ave.

Just over a month and half  ago as the traffic lights started to go in at Dundas St W and High Park Ave, and all the talk that started to accompany the construction start -  Councillor Saundercook's office was approached about having a light start up ribbon cutting. The Councillors local assistant (Bea Mozdzanski) quickly started the ball rolling.

Now with the lights becoming operational on Thursday Oct 8th, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, in celebration of the installation of the traffic lights, to be held on Oct 14th '09 at 8:30 am at the corner of Dundas St W and High Park Ave.

Why

McBride building site open house Sept 16th 2009

[caption id="attachment_5104" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="From The Ruins by x3nomik Site of the former McBride Cycle... now a vacant lot filled with broken masonry"][/caption]

Photo credit - x3nomik Site

A meeting with Gord Perks and a  city planner at Indian Road Public School on 9/16/2009 @ 7.00.

A COMMUNITY MEETING TO

DISCUSS

the Proposed Car Wash @

2803 Dundas Street West

(at the old McBride site)

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

7 - 9 pm

Indian Road Crescent Public School

285 Indian Road Crescent (at Humberside)

Should you have any questions, please contact Meri Newton at 416-338-5178, by email at

mnewton@toronto.ca

HOSTED BY

THE WEST BEND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

E-mail: info@thewestbend.ca Website: www.thewestbend.com

Come out and

• Hear from the developer and the architect

• Talk with City Planner Chris Dunn about this

proposal

• Share your thoughts on this development.

...post submitted by Jay and Martin L

A COMMUNITY MEETING TO DISCUSS the Proposed Car Wash

2803 Dundas Street West (at the old McBride site)

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009   7 - 9 pm

WHERE                                                                   Mr Perks, Poster Link

Indian Road Crescent Public School 285 Indian Road Crescent (at Humberside)

Should you have any questions, please contact Meri Newton at 416-338-5178, by email at mnewton@toronto.ca

HOSTED BY THE WEST BEND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

E-mail: info@thewestbend.ca Website: www.thewestbend.com

Come out and • Hear from the developer and the architect • Talk with City Planner Chris Dunn about this proposal

• Share your thoughts on this development.

post submitted by Jay and Martin L

High Park Ave and Dundas St West traffic lights ribbon cutting ceremony

The lights at the intersection of High Park Ave and Dundas St West are going in right now to the joy of many, to cerebrate the community building benefits these lights will bring to the Junction, a ribbon cutting ceremony is planned at the completion of the installation of the traffic control lights.

Improved walk ability, easier back and forth flow when moving across Dundas St West., easier left hand turns, much easier for families push strollers around, are all great benefits of this installation.

Having a ribbon cutting ceremony will give the community a chance to let the city staff, local councillor, planning department, and the police department all know we want the Junction to a high priority and let  them know we appreciate there efforts.

The ceremony will receive official City of Toronto ribbon for this event.

Right now we getting in touch with the transportation and planning departments as the construction company doing the work to find out the completion date for the lights so we can post a date.

Bea Mozdzanowski of the councillors office will help pin down the completion date of the installation, she also helped get the ribbon.

If you have any ideas about the ceremony or want to help please email the blog at thejunctioneer@gmail.com.The lights at the intersection of High Park Ave and Dundas St West are going in right now to the joy of many, to cerebrate the community building benefits these lights will bring to the Junction, a ribbon cutting ceremony is planned at the completion of the installation of the traffic control lights.

Improved walk ability, easier back and forth flow when moving across Dundas St West., easier left hand turns, much easier for families push strollers around, are all great benefits of this installation.

Having a ribbon cutting ceremony will give the community a chance to let the city staff, local councillor, planning department, and the police department all know we want the Junction to a high priority and let  them know we appreciate there efforts.

The ceremony will receive official City of Toronto ribbon for this event.

Right now we getting in touch with the transportation and planning departments as the construction company doing the work to find out the completion date for the lights so we can post a date.

Bea Mozdzanowski of the councillors office will help pin down the completion date of the installation, she also helped get the ribbon.

The lights at the intersection of High Park Ave and Dundas St West are going in right now to the joy of many, to celebrate the community building benefits these lights will bring to the Junction, a ribbon cutting ceremony is planned at the completion of the installation of the traffic control lights.

Improved walk ability, easier back and forth flow when moving across Dundas St West., easier left hand turns, much easier for families push strollers around, are all great benefits of this installation.

Having a ribbon cutting ceremony will give the community a chance to let the city staff, local councillor, planning department, and the police department all know we want the Junction to a high priority and let  them know we appreciate their efforts.

The ceremony will receive official City of Toronto ribbon for this event.

Right now we getting in touch with the transportation and planning departments and the construction company doing the work to find out the completion date for the lights so we can post a date.

Bea Mozdzanowski of the councillors office will help pin down the completion date of the installation, she also helped get the ribbon.

If you have any ideas about the ceremony or want to help please email the blog at thejunctioneer@gmail.com.

New Clothing Store on the Horizon

3097 Dundas Street West is scheduled to reopen on Sept 1 as a clothing store called the Black Dafodil.

2803 DUNDAS ST West to be carwash? (old Mc Brides site)

The current lot 

GPS: GPS Coordinates:43.6653888, -79.4625817

Picture Credit - bricoleurbanism flickr

[email_link]

Is the lot where the Mc brides bike retail operation at 2797 DundasSt W Toronto  (greatly missed by all?) to become a self serve  car wash. 

submitted by Martin L. who found this new application for the lot.


Application before the city - Details

new one storey and partial two storey manually operated car wash building on the lot.

Application Number 09 136069 STE 14 SA

Application Status Application Submitted

Date Received May 11, 2009

Community Meeting Date ---

Status Date May 11, 200

Statutory Meeting Date ---

Proposed Non-Residential GFA (sq m) 538

Proposed Residential GFA (sq m) 0

Lot Size (sq m) 1729

Proposed Residential Units 0

Proposed Storeys 2

Dundas Street West and High Park Avenue– Traffic Control Signals

Etobicoke York Community Council has recommended that City Council approve the installation of traffic control signals (traffic lights) at the intersection of Dundas Street West and High Park Avenue.

This seems to be how the process works - Community Council approves the effort and requests the City Council to stamp it. The background file lists a price of $130,000.00 to intsall the lights.

Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) have not objected.

Background Information

October 24, 2008 report

(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/ey/bgrd/backgroundfile-16878.pdf)

Attachment map

(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/ey/bgrd/backgroundfile-16879.pdf)

posted by Robert

Should the city revise it's commercial High Street rules?

Picture credit - Bob Krawczyk, TObuilt



Whats left ...   Picture Credit - bricoleurbanism flickr

If you are planning to demo a residential house in Toronto you must submit a plan, before the demo, and gain approval form the city for your project. Yet, if you purchase a strip building like the one pictured above top, you can demo the building before you have approval for your project. And if the city disallows your project, the community has this empty lot to contend with.

Another issue is that the person who caused this to happen destroyed a good quality architectural building. Looking at this in contrast to the two buildings removed on the north side of Dundas Street West at Pacfic Ave. (lot currently donated to the arts fest and BIA) The individual has brought down two nondescript simple buildings with no deep merit to the community. These two lots when redeveloped can provide for the community rather than remove from it, while the removal of a good historical quality building only harms the Junction.

Update: Dec  5 2008 The blog has been told that the two sites discussed in post are owned by the same person. (we have yet to verify that, but the source is well regarded as a source at the blog) This is an interesting issue, whereas the corner of Pacific and Dundas St west lot and the building next to it are prime examples of a great place to instill some greater density in the Junction. The old Mc Brides site is a prime location for that too - some may say even more.  Again the cities procedures for orchestrating infill developments such as this have failed both the developer and the community. Simple community meetings really are not enough as they provide for very little common goal bulding between a developer and a community. The developer appears to be trying to reach out to the community by providing the use of his vacant lot for community with the help of the local councillor, which has contributed to the community.

Posted by Robert



what you are seeing brought down, once held this business...

Started in 1909 by Percy A. McBride, the store began by selling American-made Hendersons from a building on College Street. It moved later to a series of locations on Queen Street before taking up its current spot on Dundas Street West, near Keele Street.
The list of makes sold by the store could fill a book on motorcycle history. They included AJS (built by Albert John Stevens), Francis-Barnett, Royal Enfield, Indian, Brough Superior, Rudge, BSA, Ariel and Lambretta.

The store rode the wave of the Japanese invasion of the 1960s, the same decade Percy died, and the business was taken over by Marty McBride, John's father.

From a September 8, 2006 article by Oliver Moore - The Globe and Mail - theglobeandmail.com

Take a small house & lot and build big and new

Draw a sqaure kilometer around the intersection of Dundas West and Islington Ave, and you will not find a street where a major house expansion or complete tear-down and rebuild isn't taking place. The entire community is under an intensive build big, built new boom. The example house pictured above is built on a lot that had a house half this size on it a few weeks ago. While people see a need for more interior space and  societal norms are changing to bigger houses and smaller yards in WTO, this area will change in character very much over the next few months.

Posted by Robert