Acclaimed young people’s arts provider, UrbanArts, has outgrown its storefront premises at 19 John Street so they are moving in early July to a new location on Bartonville (off Weston, east of Jane). This is a move of more than 2km. Marlene McKintosh told WestonWeb that she has no idea who will move into the space as, “it’s up to the landlord”.
Unfortunately this will add to the ample supply of empty storefronts in Weston.
After much study and consultation, Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation has produced a five-year parks plan to be implemented, beginning this year (subject to City Council approval).
Extensive consultation of citizens, staff and industry experts determined four basic functions of parks management:
1. Communicate and connect with users
2. Preserve and promote nature
3. Maintain quality parks
4. Improve system planning
One of the more interesting proposals under Item 1 is the introduction of an Urban Park Ranger who would be a more visible presence in parks and would be a
‘primary point of contact for individuals and groups wanting to engage with the parks system and build relationships with community stakeholders’
Combing through the corporate jargon of relationships and stakeholders (are community stakeholders the people using the park barbecues? Ed.), it appears that park rangers will be the human face of the park system and will be tasked with ensuring that City and park by-laws are more more rigorously enforced. A commitment to providing or improving park amenities such as washrooms, signage, shade areas and benches is also proposed. Another interesting idea is the establishment of a centralized parks volunteer and donations system. Businesses and people might like to donate money, land or time to the parks system but at the moment there is no formal system in place.
This will be a timely intervention for our local parks that can sometimes look a bit neglected when compared to the elaborate facilities and displays found in more upscale areas of Toronto.
The plan is a long read but well worth the effort. Comments on the proposal can be directed here.
Blogger Matt Elliott’s column in Metro regularly posts a report card on the voting behaviour of Toronto city councillors. In his latest column, Elliott writes that while Councillor Nunziata’s ‘Ford Nation’ voting record has recently dropped, she is still one of the most loyal followers of a very right-wing agenda. Consider that this month Ms Nunziata:
The one thing she did get right was to vote NO in a motion to not use $1.163 million in investment earnings to support student nutrition (fail).
In Ward 11, the majority rent their homes and half earn household incomes of less than $45,000. They struggle to make ends meet and could do with more support from their councillor. They are clearly not getting it. How the councillor can justify voting against daycare spaces that would have come at no cost to the city is a mystery. To vote to withhold money from the Tenant Defence Fund is particularly egregious when there have been many incidents involving notoriously bad landlords in Weston.
Councillor Nunziata, you appear to work hard and care for your constituents but your voting behaviour is a mystery. Is being a member of ‘Ford Nation’ more important than helping the less fortunate members of your Ward? Perhaps it’s time to choose where your loyalties lie.
Humberview Housing Co-op; 2100 Weston Road
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has released a comprehensive listing of affordable housing along the length of Weston Road. Many of the landmark high-rise buildings in Weston are included along with their history, focus and occupancy numbers. Among the interesting facts contained in the document are:
You can read the full report here.
Mike Sullivan painted a sorry picture of the Canadian political process in his latest Town Hall meeting held in Mount Dennis last night. He outlined the origins of the Airport Rail Link from its conception as a Federal project under David Collenette that was going to be fully paid for by private interests. There was only one bidder for the job (quelle surprise), SNC Lavalin. In 2005, when 2600 people showed up in Weston to protest the noise and pollution, an environmental assessment was promised. Weston was also added as a second stop along the way probably as a result of strong public concern. SNC Lavalin then dropped out and the province was given federal money to finish the project under Metrolinx.
According to Sullivan, the cost has ballooned from an original estimate of $300m to the current one of $1.2B. In January 2009, Metrolinx announced that it was adding 28km of new track to upgrade GO train service to all-day. As Adam has pointed out, Metrolinx has reversed itself by quietly announcing that all-day service will not happen – according to Mike Sullivan, the government’s rationale is that the tracks are needed for the ARL. So it looks as if the plan all along was to built track for the airport link and use the all day GO service as a cover.
In February 2011, our Liberal MPP Laura Albanese co-moved the following motion:
I move that, in the opinion of this House, the province embrace electrification as a strategy for powering commuter rail by:-acknowledging that the Georgetown South corridor be declared a priority corridor for electrification of commuter trains, recognizing its high residential density;-ensuring that the environmental assessment for electrification become consistent with current timelines of the six-month transit environmental assessment;-including human health and property impacts in the environmental assessment for electrification;-completing the electrification of the air-rail link by 2015; and-calling on all levels of government to partner in funding electrification infrastructure improvements.
Private members’ House opinion motions have no force in law. The 33 MPPs present at the time voted unanimously in favour although MPP Frank Klees saw through the motion,
I don’t want to discourage the member, but I have to be truthful. I believe that this bill before us is simply an opportunity for the member to say to her constituents and other Liberal members, “Look, the government passed a resolution that calls for electrification. The election is eight months from now. For the next eight months, we can use this bill”-which will be passed by this Legislature, no doubt-”as evidence that we’re on your side.”
Ms Albanese may have used this motion to help in her recent election victory but now needs to publicly and forcefully raise the issue with the Premier.
As Mike Sullivan points out, the Airport link will be used by very few people and will be too expensive for the rest of us (Metrolinx has said that fares will be competitive with the same journey in a taxi or limo). Can you imagine captains of industry schlepping their own bags along miles of platform at either end and onto a train? This train will be a gigantic drag on taxpayers and is being rushed to completion to provide transportation during the 2015 Pan Am Games. According to Mr. Sullivan, the ARL will be ready 90 days before the games. Any hiccups causing delays along the way and the whole fake rationale will be lost. If implemented properly, the train could be the answer to several problems including shortening travel time to and from Kitchener (currently a tedious 2 hours) as well as being an above-ground subway and a true downtown relief line at a much lower cost.
NDP Environment Critic Jonah Schein also spoke at the meeting and emphasized the need for political pressure, ‘Being right doesn’t mean that we will win’. Currently the NDP is the third party with only 17 members in the Legislature. He pointed out that in Toronto, people thought subways were a done deal until political pressure was applied. He is circulating an electrification petition and along with MP Andrew Cash will be co-hosting a Clean Train Festival on April 28 in his Davenport Riding. Jonah feels that it is important for everyone along the line to lend their support. Also present at the meeting was recent provincial NDP candidate Paul Ferreira.
Sullivan stresses the need to contact your elected representatives and let them know that your vote at the next election is contingent on creating meaningful transportation for Weston.
For years, the Provincial Liberals have misled the public through their bait and switch tactics surrounding GO service and the ARL. The government clings to the artificial timeline claim that the ARL has to be ready for the 2015 Pan Am Games or else they would have embraced electrification, competitive bidding and other such niceties. We are represented at Queens Park by Laura Albanese, a government member who has been unable to generate any significant movement on this issue. She becomes a fiery orator during election campaigns and then reverts to a Clark Kent persona. Here in Weston, we like our politicians mouthy and opinionated with the ability to generate a headline. Perhaps she can take lessons from the style of Frances Nunziata. We may not agree with Frances’ every move but at least she isn’t afraid of confrontation.
We have an opportunity to shape the future by saying no to dirty air, lower property values and a billion dollar white elephant that the rich won’t use and the rest of us can’t afford. Politicians worry about only one thing; the loss of your vote. We need to make it clear that votes will go to people loudly advocating for an electric rail link that will be an asset to everyone in the community.
Councillor Nunziata’s motion that City Council recommend electrification and at least eight additional stops along the Airport Rail Link survived a two-thirds majority referral hurdle and then passed easily.
Who knows, perhaps Andrea Horvath or Tim Hudak can make it a condition of propping up the Provincial Liberal Government as they try to survive the Budget vote. Stranger things can happen in minority government situations.
The ball is now in the Premer’s court. He’s on record as criticizing Tim Hudak for not respecting the will of Council. Now let’s see if he can take his own advice.
According to the Toronto Star, Metrolinx wasted no time in squelching any hopes for an early change from diesel to electric or additional stations along the way. No doubt Mike Sullivan will have some choice words at his Community Update Thursday April 12 at the Learning Enrichment Foundation, 1267 Weston Rd between 6:30 and 9pm.
Artist's rendering of the proposed ARL (diesel version)
On the agenda at next week’s Toronto City Council meeting is an interesting motion from Councillor Nunziata, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton. It concerns the Airport Rail Link; Ms Nunziata is hoping that Council will request the Premier to add:
…a minimum of eight additional stops to the two planned at Weston and Bloor, with one of the added stops to be at Eglinton Avenue West to integrate with the Eglinton LRT. That other stops considered include Liberty Village, the Junction, Carleton Village, Jane Street, Etobicoke North, Woodbine and Humber.
The eighth stop will perhaps be named later (what about Mount Dennis?). The motion goes on to recommend electrification. This seems to reflect a growing consensus that we have the potential of a commuter line serving communities along the way as proposed by (amongst others) MP Mike Sullivan and MPP Jonah Schein.
The original name of the ARL was Blue 22, meaning that the Pearson to Union trip would take only 22 minutes. Originally the link was to be run and built at no cost to taxpayers by a consortium of private interests. As we all know, the deal fell through and the Province was left to pick up the pieces. The addition of the extra stop in Weston was calculated to have added 3 minutes to the predicted journey. If we extrapolate and say that each additional stop adds 3 minutes, then eight more stops will stretch the entire journey out to 25 + 24 or 49 minutes which might be a tedious journey for an airport rail link.
There is one thing that could shorten these times and that is electrification. Electric trains can accelerate much faster, reaching higher speeds between stops and therefore times would be shorter possibly up to 15%. If the Premier acts on the entire motion, the Airport Rail Link will be another creature altogether. The creature would be an above-ground subway line.
Now that we’re all excited about an electrified line that will connect several communities, what are the chances that the Premier will act on the motion?
Answer: zero. The projected costs of electrification and building additional stations would give Dalton McGuinty and Dwight Duncan heart palpitations and potentially add billions to the Ontario deficit. In a period of austerity, this is a non-starter.
Next question; why would Councillor Nunziata align herself with a left wing councillor and propose a motion that may pass Council but hasn’t a snowball’s chance with the Province?
Answer: It’s a futile but symbolic gesture; our councillor may have decided that it’s time to start the move away from Team Ford, and get better positioned for election day, October 27, 2014.