Hydro One's Clearcut of 29 Trees in Robertson Davies Park On Thursday, September 1, Hydro One broke a promise to Ward 22 residents by cutting down 29 mature trees in Robertson Davies Park on Avenue Rd. In 2012, after months of hard work, our community reached an agreement with Hydro One to protect a stand [...]
August 25, 2016 Parks and Environment Committee Re: Yellow Creek / Vale of Avoca Master Plan Dear Chair and Committee Members, The Yellow Creek and Vale of Avoca areas are beloved parts of Ward 27 and 22. In an urban environment, such green spaces represent a precious resource; offering recreation for residents, a [...]
Action Needed to Improve Rail Safety This past weekend there was a derailment on the CP line that forms the southern boundary of Ward 22. Luckily, no one was hurt and emergency crews moved quickly to contain a small diesel spill. However, this incident highlights the need for action to improve rail safety on [...]
Human error blamed for freight train derailment in heart of the city after a Canadian Pacific Railway train collided with another on Sunday morning.
Aug 21, 2016
Ebyan Abdigir
The Toronto Star
A CP Railway freight train derailed near Bathurst and Dupont Sts., early Sunday after two trains collided, causing a diesel fuel spill. CP blames human error for the collision. (ANDREW FRANCIS WALLACE / TORONTO STAR)
Human error is being blamed for a freight train derailment in the heart of Toronto Sunday morning that had crews scrambling to contain a diesel fuel leak.
The derailment happened after a train struck the tail of another train at about 5:20 a.m. near Dupont and Bathurst Sts., Canadian Pacific Railway spokesperson Martin Cej told the Star.
No one was injured in the collision and subsequent derailment and the diesel fuel leak, which Toronto police said had not been a threat to public safety, was quickly contained.
Cej said that one car was carrying batteries and aerosols, which are classified as “dangerous goods” under Canadian regulation, but they did not leak, he confirmed.
City councillor Josh Matlow raised new concerns Sunday about freight trains running through densely populated neighbourhoods.
Force of the Friday night blast pushed a couch out of the storefront window
Aug 20, 2016
CBC News
A Toronto police officer talks to Office of the Fire Marshal investigators inside Tweeder Medicinal after an explosion at the marijuana dispensary injured a man on Friday. (Chris Glover/CBC)
Toronto police say a man burned in an explosion at a midtown Toronto marijuana dispensary was among those charged in a large-scale raid of pot shops in May.
Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said Saturday that a 29-year-old man injured in the blast had been charged with two drug-related offences in the spring. He faces a count of possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime.
City says proposed legislation creates an impossible choice for the city - asking councillors to choose between affordable units and community infrastructure.
Aug 18, 2016
Torstar News Service
Without inclusionary zoning powers, the city has had to find other ways to get affordable housing built. In one case, the city is moving ahead in partnership with Dominus Capital Corporation to build 80 affordable rental units on surplus city land in CityPlace next to the rail corridor.
The city has put the province on notice that proposed legislation to build affordable housing will leave communities without desperately needed amenities such as community centres, park improvements and child care spaces.
While Toronto city council has long pushed for provincial rules that would force developers to create affordable units, a proposal from the province to do just that would exempt developers from paying for other community benefits.
Councillors and city staff say the province is asking them to make an impossible choice — build badly needed affordable housing or secure every day amenities that make communities livable and are increasingly necessary as the population balloons.
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.
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.
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.
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.
