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Toronto Star: La Carnita’s private patio on public space angers condo owners
La Carnita isn’t the only business that has recently been accused of encroaching on a public plaza.
August 16, 2016
Jeffrey Vendeville
The Toronto Star
Andrea and Vince Frisina own a condo in front of La Carnita. Frisina says she was not allowed to sit in the space although she paid fees to have it built when she bought her condo. (MARCUS OLENIUK / TORONTO STAR)
A downtown Toronto restaurant owner feels he’s “been thrown under the bus” after the city gave him a permit for a patio on a public plaza — and then told him to remove it.
A public outcry led Andrew Richmond, the owner of the Mexican restaurant La Carnita, to agree to take down a fenced-in terrace along John St., south of Adelaide St. W.
Toronto Star: Unpaving a parking lot to create paradise: It’s not easy
Unpaving a parking lot to create paradise: It’s not easy
July 23, 2016
Jennifer Pagliaro
The Toronto Star
The city is attempting to buy this parking lot at 229 Richmond St. W., with plans to turn it into much-needed parkland in the fast-growing downtown core. (CHRIS SO / TORONTO STAR)
A Toronto councillor is looking to un-pave paradise and green over a parking lot to fill a void of parkland in the downtown core.
Councillor Joe Cressy’s move to expropriate a parking lot in the King-Spadina area highlights the challenge council faces to create livable communities in the midst of unprecedented development.
An ad hoc system sees the city negotiating with developers on a case-by-case basis while limited real estate in the core is being bought out and built up.
And with the constant threat of appeals at the Ontario Municipal Board, it has proven difficult to inject amenities such as parks into those areas without out-of-the-box solutions, councillors say.
City Centre Mirror: Land on former Glebe Lawn Bowling Club and Manor Road United Church to become green spaces
July 19, 2016
Justin Skinner
City Centre Mirror
Manor Road United Church is in discussions with the City of Toronto to convert about half of its current property at the corner of Forman Avenue and Manor Road into park space.
Manor Road is quickly becoming a green oasis in the rapidly-intensifying North Toronto community.
City council recently approved a motion put forth by Ward 22 Councillor Josh Matlow (St. Paul’s) to purchase a parcel of land formerly occupied by the Glebe Manor Lawn Bowling Club, which had been sold to a developer.
The land, at 196 Manor Rd. E., was once slated to become the site of new townhouses, but through negotiations with the developer, the city was able to save roughly 80 per cent of the property – 1,138 square metres – with the aim of converting it into a public park. The developer will build one home on the remaining fifth of the site.
City Centre Mirror: Underground parking at new Davisville Junior Public School means area to get Midtown Community Hub
Three-storey school will also feature aquatic centre, community rooms and double gym
July 19, 2016
Justin Skinner
City Centre Mirror
Underground parking garage at new Davisville Junior Public means a Midtown Community Hub is coming to the area. Here, Councillor Josh Matlow at a coffee shop in Davisville. Photo: David Nickle
Years of hard work and determination have finally paid off with firm plans in place to build a community hub in the midtown neighbourhood.
Residents in the area, Ward 22 Councillor Josh Matlow (St. Paul’s) and Ward 11 TDSB Trustee Shelley Laskin have long been working to negotiate an agreement to build community space on the site occupied by Davisville Junior Public School.
Toronto Star: Score one for kids: Toronto council lifts ban on road hockey, basketball
July 15, 2016
Jennifer Pagliaro
The Toronto Star
It’s game on for road hockey and basketball in Toronto.
Council paved the way Friday afternoon for road hockey and basketball nets on local roads, removing a bureaucratic ban on play without further debate.
Council backed a change to rarely enforced city rules and now play will be explicitly allowed on roads with speed limits of 40 km/h or less during daylight hours between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.
It’s about time, says Matthew Blackett. He got involved in the push to end the ban 10 years ago, and said while he’s not surprised the change took so long, he’s happy it finally happened.
“I think it’s fantastic that council has recognized that our streets aren’t just conduits for getting from point A to point B. You can play in the streets,” he said.
680 News: Scarborough subway extension to proceed despite ballooning costs
July 13, 2016
680 News
The controversial one-stop extension of Line 2 will go ahead as planned after council voted 28-15 against reviving plans for a seven-stop light-rail transit (LRT) line in the east end on Wednesday.
The issue was being discussed as part of a broader transit plan for Toronto. However, the subway versus LRT debate dominated the council meeting.
