Mulock Ave view to Heintzman Place Condos

Heintzman Ave via Heintzman Place and Mulock Ave. connected by a sight line. This view  from outside the SE corner of the old paint plant looking down SW on Mulock Ave. over the old lands of the Maple Leaf Mills.

Topper Linen Supply comments on community value and being a good neighbour

Posted below is a comment by Tim Topornicki Owner Topper Linen Supply concerning primarily his firms parking of trucks on the sidewalk.  (original post click here)

As some readers of this blog state I often push just too much for industrial and residential mixed uses in the greater Junction area,  something I feel is necessary for the complete success of of the community.

Well this author offers the comment posted by Mr Topornicki as a particularly good description and of just how beneficial to the greater Junction area this mix is.

From Mr Topornicki's  Topper Linen Supply  and St Helens Meats - another family business, this works for the Junction, and his concern for the truck parking is great.

Yet I guess in my earlier post I should have thought (and added to the 1st post - sorry) that his lot would be used by residents for off business hours parking, after all I see it all the time at Canadian Eastern Rogers Ltd on Vine Ave.

He is also right in his indication that the Junction cannot afford to lose any more commercial or industrial business efforts and with it the local good paying jobs.

In his comment he writes...

If there is anything else I can do, just let me know. I will be glad to help

just great eh!

Thanks for the comment.



 

Posted in the comments by Tim Topornicki Owner Topper Linen Supply, moved up to a post to so it gains a wider readership.
I apologize for blocking the sidewalks. I speak to my drivers EVERY Tuesday about being aware of our situation. Also I ask them to be very careful, and watch for the elderly, especially the two German lady’s who have been on Mulock for many many years. The option for us to move is not available since an acre of land is about 750,000.00 to 1,000,000.00. We would require 2-3 acres, plus the building of a 25 million plant. We are a 56 year old family business, and simply cannot afford that kind of money. I like the Junction, since we are able to get workers to come to our plant easily. When my Dad opened his 5000 sq foot plant in 1968, he was allowed outside storage. Maple Leaf Mills across from us employed 750 plus people, but were driven crazy with there flour mill by residents and city officials. They left and went to Ingersol. So did the jobs. Benjamin Moore also had many problems with residents and the city. They left and went to Kitchener, with 300 plus jobs. Canada Bread is leaving for the same reasons, and going to Hamilton with 650 jobs. Topper Linen and National Rubber are the only ones left of any size in this area. I like the Junction area, and want to stay. Cleaning the streets and snow plowing is easy, and just the way I am. I like to see everything nice and neat. If there is anything else I can do, just let me know. I will be glad to help. We are neighbours, and I also never complain when my lot is used for residents parking after hours and on the weekend. I do not need it on the weekend, so parking is OK. I have also called the city on many occasions to have speed bumps put in, so the auto shops do not speed down our street. There are kids playing. Thanks for listening, Merry Christmas, Tim Topornicki

 

Topper linen

Mulock Ave and area industrial concurrent activities on any morning

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="643" caption="Milk delivery to the cheese firm"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="643" caption="Textile delivery to Topper Linens"][/caption]

Mulock Ave Fish Monger now Vegan Bakery

Blog reader Sarah informed that the the fish smokehouse at 43 Mulock Ave. [flyout map] is now operating as Distribution HQ for local vegan bakery Sweets from the Earth [link] Sarah spoke with a gentleman who works there, and they moved into the space about two months ago (but apparently had it for longer).  The companies web site states they vegetarian restaurants and natural food stores throughout Toronto.

Mulock Ave - essential Junction character

[caption id="attachment_4385" align="aligncenter" width="460" caption="top: 88 the proposal property middle: the iron works bottom: Topper Linen"][/caption]

Mulock Ave north off Junction Rd has the essential character of a Junction street, a mix of industry and homes. A mix which sometimes has been difficult to work with for homeowners and businesses to maintain mutual agreement on joint issues. Recently The Society of St Vincent of Paul of Toronto (Official Public Hearing tonight see end of post) has been planning to construct a 2 storey addition, as well as a second storey addition to the property at 88 Mulock Avenue for purposes related to their mission. This will add another ingredient into the use and social makeup of the avenue. The current question that should be considered is the ability of Mulock Ave. to contain such an enterprise. The area is still stitching the fabric of the street together from the many changes affecting the street that continue to occur.

Mulock has experinced  a huge amount of changes in the past two decades. A partial  list, but not in any way complete, includes the massive development of Keele St to the west into a retail centre, the reduction of manufacturing uses of the Junction Rd/Weston Rd Area and the increased light industrial uses of  area. The area also has to contend with the loss of the historical paint plant. The destruction of this plant provided a great opportunity for mixed use development on the former site.  A recent development has been the reuse of the Benjamin Moore HQ at 139 Mulock Ave by an engineering solutions company named CONSULTEC. This has brought a good amount of activity back to the area.

One of the most interesting and beautiful aspects of the avenue is this mixed light industrial uses among the residential homes - a defining Junction element.  The middle image above provides an example is of the metal works that exists on the Ave at the rear of a residential house. Other examples are the cheese manufactory and the fish mongers, wonderful stuff, but again a mix that requires considerate management by the residents and the businesses. The residents and business of Mulock should receive the utmost respect in obtain a special character in the Junction.

Community meeting tonight  for 88 Mulock Ave [map flyout]

Official Public Hearing notice view by clicking on this link.
Date: Tuesday, June 16   Time: 7:00 pm
Where: George Bell Arena [map showing where], Kerr Room

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

Benjamin Moore DOES move office out of Junction

Friday Oct 17th arrives with none of the usual workers cars outside of the Benjamin Moore head office on Mulock Ave, confirming yesterdays post. See yesterday's post below or by clicking here.

Benjamin Moore moves head office out of the Junction?

old address

Benjamin Moore & Co., Limited , 139 Mulock Ave, Toronto, ON, M6N 1G9

new address (October 17,  08 change on their web site)

Benjamin Moore & Co., Limited, 7070 Mississauga Road, Suite 100, Mississauga, ON L5N 5M8.

Benjamin Moore moves head office out of the Junction?

It appears - and this blog has been told that Benjamin Moore which has had a industrial presence in the Junction since January 14, 1907 is closing it's offices here.  A couple of years ago it moved its manufacturing plant to Burlington, Ontario.

From the companies history page

On September 7, 1906 the Canadian company was incorporated. Benjamin Moore was elected president at the first shareholders meeting held on September 11, 1906. In 1911 Fred Moore, Benjamin’s half brother, became Treasurer and managing director of the Canadian subsidiary. The plant on Lloyd Avenue was purchased on January 14, 1907. [some text redacted]

Manufacturing in the Toronto plant also was discontinued after 94 years. The Burlington, Ontario manufacturing facility (formerly Technical Coatings Co. Limited) was expanded to centralize all solvent-based production and the Montreal facility also expanded and became an all-latex facility.

For the company having a head office in this location on Mulock Ave. probably made no business sense, now that the original plant had stopped operating.

Benjamin Moore is an astute company in product development and its paint products hold a high value opinion with the general paint buying public mind. This company would have been a great firm to keep in the community.

a few weeks of Junction park watch

Today we start a new experiment on this blog,

…with all the happenings at various parks in the Junction area, much of it happening without the knowledge, let alone the input of the  people who use the parks and consider them an important part of their lives. It was thought, the time to watch the parks a lot more closely is now.

To do this we gave 5 people who live across or near some parks in the Junction, and are home most days, - some who work from a home office and others who are stay at home parents disposable cameras (all cameras paid for my a Junction industrial business. Thanks) and asked them to take pictures of work being done to their park.

We will collect the images and their reports and post them on the blog, and see what comes of it.

If you want to include a few of your park pics just email them to thejunctioneer@gmail.com (we like pics of big parks department trucks)

Posted by Robert