Junction lane way with tree and without tree, a remarkable difference

Earlier this week A tree was cut down in a Junction lane way, because it had incurred rot in it branches though not much was to be seen in the remaining stump.

Below is a image of the lane-way with tree and the lane-way without tree.

 

 

 

A permit has been issued for the removal of a tree in the Junction.

Updated,







Trees are so important and should be saved at just about all costs, would you not agree. We are lucky to have a great tree canopy in the Greater Junction Area. And in a few places we have very old and magnificent trees, for example the spider tree in High Park, and the great willow at the bottom of Ryding Ave in the Meat Packing area.

But above all he are lucky enough to have great lane way trees that give so much to the rather underused Junction lane ways.

Now one of the the great lane way trees to be taken down, the city says a permit has been issued at the request of the property owners to remove a tree that touches the lane way in the rear yard of a Mc Murray Ave House, because it is unsafe, see image below to view rot in branch.




You may want to drop by and pat the tree in a sign of thanks for all the wonder it proved over the past decades, the many children it taught to climb, the clean cool shade it provided (and still does today), the air it cleaned each day, and of course the hundreds of conversations that started about its bendy trunk that introduced new neighbors to old.

 

 

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

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.

High Park and Dundas St West traffic lights going in now

...has started today in earnest with Beacon contracting on site cutting the concrete for installation of the poles and the laying of the wire.  YEA this is going to be great - you will be able to cross at High Park and Dundas St West with safety and ease.

[caption id="attachment_5023" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="removing sidewalk segments for wires and poles (which will be replaced)"][/caption]

BACKGROUND information from city staff reports
At the request of Councillor Bill Saundercook, Ward 13, Parkdale–High Park, on behalf of area residents, Transportation Services staff investigated the feasibility of installing traffic control signals at this intersection.
...city staff COMMENTS
Dundas Street West is classified as a major arterial roadway with a speed limit of
50 km/h. High Park Avenue is a local roadway operating northbound and southbound with a speed limit of 40 km/h. The TTC operates transit service on both Dundas Street West and High Park Avenue.

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

Grappler hook collection on smaller streets in Juncton

Solid Waste Management Services is using or just testing grappler hook collection on smaller streets in Junction where no cars are permitted to park next to the sidewalk.

This morning a waste collection truck driver routed his truck west on Vine Ave and then south on Mc Murray Ave and unloaded the garbage bins by grappler hooks of about 1/4 of the Ave. This has left 3/4 of the houses for normal collection where a collector pulls the bin over to the truck.

Update: CPR has track crews repairing rails today

The derailment yesterday in the Junction, has damaged track that the CPR is repairing today [link to post with derailment images and details]

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

WTO tree not being maintined by the city

This picture shows the second tree in less than a month on Mc Murray Ave to have a large branch of over 30 cm fall from it. Although the city quickly comes to remove the fallen branch they fail to attend to the tree, i.e. prune and care for the remaining part of the limb. Can this  not only harm the tree further.

Posted by Robert