Council may reconsider $1 million dry pond idea

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Councillor Alan Shefman thinks the idea of a “dry pond” at Gallanough Park, a large park on the west side of Yonge Street near Clark Avenue West, is a great idea.

The bowl-like dip in the park would be a cost-effective way of keeping the raging waters at bay following a storm, says Shefman. Estimated to cost around $1 million, it is a cheaper alternative to the estimated $5 million underground draining system.

“The point of the pond is to hold the water back coming from the south moving north for about four hours after a major, major storm — a 100-year storm, like we had in 2005,” he said.

Following rainfall, any water gathered would then drain into the Don River.

During the infamous 2005 storm, major damage was caused to homes and public property in the Thornhill area.

“It’s our responsibility to lower the risk of our residents having their homes flooded,” said Shefman.

But the pond has caught some residents off guard and has caused some to worry about what impact it will have in terms of safety, particularly on children and dogs.

Nearby resident Philip Hayman attended a meeting earlier this summer to discuss the plans, thinking there would be multiple methods to discuss.

“If we could meet again, get more clarity, I’m OK with it,” he said. But hearing that the decision was final, he was surprised. “It caught a lot of people off guard. They thought there were still alternatives to be had. That disturbs some residents.”

Shefman says there is nothing to worry about. “The reality is, the pond will be 99.9 per cent dry all the time,” he said. “No matter what our engineers said, people refused to accept that.”

So Shefman has moved a motion at the upcoming September Vaughan City Council meeting to ask city staff to re-examine alteratives.

“In the spirit of being respectful and co-operative, I’m bringing this forward for further study. I just wish people would come to their positions based on the knowledge of what’s going to happen as opposed to perceptions about what’s going to happen.

38 storeys upheld by OMB

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Spitting words such as “unfair,” “absurd” and “makes no sense,” councillor Josh Matlow is joining local residents in their disappointment over the Ontario Municipal Board’s (OMB) recent decision to allow a major condo development at 95 and 99 Broadway Ave. to go ahead as proposed.

“This is a prime example of why I am trying to free the city from the OMB,” Matlow said. “This is an unfair decision that just makes no sense.

“Schools in the area are already overcrowded, the subway line there is overburdened and the infrastructure there just isn’t capable of handling this type of intensification,” Matlow added.

The proposal, fully approved by the OMB and owned by Timothy James Poupore, is for two 30-storey towers built on a common eight-storey podium for a total of 38 storeys, with 853 apartments and 367 parking spaces in seven storeys of underground parking. There will be 37 bachelor units and 527 one-bedroom, 281 two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom units.

City of Toronto, City Planning staff; Toronto City Council; and local residents’ associations were hotly opposed, due to the proposed density, which is 22 times the lot area of what city regulations are for that lot near Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue.

Vocal neighbouring resident Sean Boulton said he, too, was “very disappointed” the OMB gave full approval.

“The height is objectionable, sure, but the density is outrageous,” he said. “It appears, basically, that the OMB flatly ignored any concerns council or the residents here had; unfortunately, it’s also not surprising. I would argue that the neighbourhood is already beyond our breaking point and there just isn’t enough infrastructure here to handle it [the density of the development],” Boulton added, saying it sets an incredible precedent for other developments in the area outside of the Yonge-Eglinton intersection growth node where high-rise towers would be permitted.

Mediation for Art Shoppe condo

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Although all parties will have to wait until the end of August or early September for the complete results, a mediation exercise involving the City of Toronto, City Planning staff and Toronto City Council; the South Eglinton Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association; and Freed Developments has been completed.

Coun. Josh Matlow, who helped spearhead the mediation in the past month, said that although results must remain confidential until around Labour Day, he felt it was a worthwhile endeavour that may avoid the need for an Ontario Municipal Board hearing.

“We worked very hard to take into consideration all factors, things like the sightlines for people in the [neighbouring] Quantum [condo] units, to address the resident concerns and the impacts,” he said. “I can say I believe the residents and staff were able to achieve the best result possible."

The current development application, presented by Freed Developments, for the former Art Shoppe at 2131 Yonge St. is seeking a two-tower high-rise, one of 38 storeys and the other reaching 29, with a common base. Residents are concerned the density and height are too great. Representatives from the developer did not return requests for comment by press time.

Plaza plans not popular

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A major redevelopment plan for the Newtonbrook Plaza lands at Yonge Street and Cummer Avenue is headed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) in a year, and in the meantime, Toronto City Council and local residents are still hopeful alterations can be made to make it more appealing to the neighbourhood.

As it stands, the redevelopment proposal by Silvercore Properties is for a mixed-use project focused around 5799 to 5915 Yonge St. with 1,674 residential units and at-grade retail and office space spread through four separate towers of 28, 36, 36 and 44 storeys. The development also takes in 45 and 53 Cummer Ave., with parkland proposed for 46 and 47 Averhill Cres., and in all, covers approximately nine acres of land.

Due to concerns about the proposal’s density and height, council and staff failed to make a decision in the specified time frame allowed, and Silvercore has decided to appeal to the OMB for a decision. That hearing is set for mid-September 2015.

Councillor David Shiner said there is little that can be done at this point by council and concerned residents but wait and hope there will be a change of plans.

“The project needs to be made much more realistic,” Shiner said. “The proposed density is all based on a subway station that is not there, that has no approved plans to be there any time in the near future. I think we’re miles apart in finding a common ground on this.”

Silverview Community Association secretary Anne Brooke has been representing the organization at meetings on the issue and said her membership, too, has great concerns about the density and scope of the project.

“They want almost twice the density that is on the zoning map. The height will exceed the maximum height limit and will be almost twice the height of the building next door,” she said. “There is always tension between the people who want to make money and those who want a nice place to live. I feel that ‘a nice place to live’ doesn’t get enough attention.”

Representatives from the developer did not return requests for comment by press time.

School daze at Yonge and Shep

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Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue is a neighbourhood that seems to grow higher and higher every year. And according to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), that development has had an effect on schooling. As a generation of “condo kids” grows up, schools in densely populated areas have experienced unexpected crowding. According to TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird, Yonge and Sheppard is one of those areas.

“A number of schools around here are quite tight,” said Bird. “There are signs up around new condo developments that say, ‘If you move in here, you might not go to the closest school.’ ”

There’s no foreseeable easing of the situation. The area’s newest developments include the 35- and 49-storey Hullmark Centre, where a Whole Foods will be opening this fall, and Emerald Park, where two 33- and 42-storey towers are under construction.

Will Avenue Road’s shops be forced out?

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An increasing number of business tenants are being forced to move or close on Avenue Road in the stretch between Lawrence Avenue West and Wilson Avenue.

Dan Kahnert, owner of Kahnert’s Furs + Outerwear, just recently had to move his family business a few blocks north to the corner of Avenue and Joicey Boulevard after being pushed out by a development. Their former location between Fairlawn Avenue and Brookdale Avenue will soon be home to a seven-storey mixed-use development.

And they’re not the only ones.

“That whole block is going to be a part of it,” said Kahnert, referring to all of the tenants from 1678 to 1704 Avenue Rd., all of which will succumb to the development. The whole area was singled out for larger residential development by the City of Toronto, City Planning department in 2008.

One of the iconic businesses that will be closing its doors — at least on Avenue Road — is Bistro on Avenue.

Founded by Louis Nemes, one of the founders of the St. Louis Wings franchise, the local wing king has been a favourite haunt of North Torontonians for years.

Nemes plans to keep the restaurant open until he is forced out, which will be sometime in 2015. “The customers here, they wouldn’t let me leave.”

Nemes has not found a new location yet, but he says he isn’t worried. “We’ll open at a new location when it comes to that,” he said.

Kahnert, now renting a ground-level space in a new building, is already preparing for more neighbours on top. “There’s another few storeys coming in, commercial office space,” he said. Construction is currently underway.

And there’s more soon to come — North York Community Council recently recommended that city planning schedule a community consultation concerning a development at 2088 Avenue Rd., at Carmichael Avenue. A zoning bylaw application was submitted for a five-storey mixed-use development.

Changes are coming, but some are choosing to grin and bear it.

“It’s certainly going to be different,” said Kahnert, who has no intention of leaving any time soon.

60 acres at Don Mills-Eglinton up for rezone

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With a new underground LRT station at Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East coming down the rails for 2020, electronics manufacturer Celestica has applied for a rezoning of its 60-acre site near that intersection.

The plans came to the City of Toronto’s staffers in early August and request a change from the current employment lands to a mixed-use zoning for both commercial and residential use.

Located at 844 Don Mills Rd. and 1150 Eglinton Ave. E., the proposal would retain some employment lands along Don Mills north from the intersection with Eglinton, with mixed-use covering the balance of the rest of the site. Initial concepts also include a hockey arena as a replacement for the Don Mills Civitan Arena.

The site first opened in the early 1950s as IBM’s manufacturing plant and remained in their use until they relocated to Markham in 1993 when IBM created Celestica to maintain electronic manufacturing at the original site.

The location is Celestica’s international head office, but with the decline of solar panel manufacturing on site, which Celestica says in its reports to Toronto City Council it is expected to cease in or around 2016, they hope to repurpose the lands.

“Celestica doesn’t need the site and are going great guns to sell it. Rezoning and the LRT there make it more attractive to a buyer,” said Coun. John Parker, who said he has already had several meetings with the owner.

“It’s currently employment lands, and they’re looking for mixed use, and that’s where the showdown could come from, from the city and local residents.

“The city is not fond of losing employment lands, but it could otherwise be an exciting development to see take shape, depending on how this plays out,” he added.

The plans submitted would allow for 2,897 dwelling units, about 77,000 square metres of office space and about 9,000 square metres of retail space. The mixed-use area also plans for eight high-rise towers ranging from 24 to 40 storeys with both above-and below-grade parking with 930 spots.

Representatives from the owner did not return requests for comment by press time.

Say no to grey skies on Eglinton

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As your local MPP during this critical time of transformation on our local streets, skyline and roadways, I believe it is imperative that bright and inspirational designs be injected into our cityscape.

It is bad enough that we have 40- and 50-storey towers that block our skies, but we also have grey concrete slabs everywhere we look! We walk on grey sidewalks, under massive grey condo towers, ride on grey subways, and every second car seems to be silver-grey. This is why, as we plan and build the new Eglinton Crosstown, we need to encourage and promote colourful station design that breaks the greying that has taken hold of our local geography. It is important to remember that the addition of colour can be done without any additional cost or delay.

Adding colour into our everyday landscapes would not only benefit our collective mood, but it also helps to create streets and buildings that garner more respect. When people feel good about where they live, property damage significantly decreases and more care and attention is paid to our public spaces.

Consider the wonderful cities around the world making vibrant changes and adding local colour, like Paris, New York and Amsterdam. An inspiring case study can be found in Tirana, Albania, where, in 2000, then-mayor Edi Rama hired painters to add vibrant blue, yellow, and pink colours to Tirana’s grey, drab post-Communist facade. Crime rates came down, and this once lifeless backwater came alive.

So let’s get out in our communities and add some colour to our public spaces! Let’s add some pinks, blues and greens to stop the greying of our local geography!

From summer to fall in the Hill

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With all this talk of “Augtober” and a supposedly cooler-than-normal summer, Richmond Hill has still proven a great place to be this season leaving us with very warm memories, and there’s more to come in the fall.

We’ve seen a variety of live music performed throughout the summer (and it is all free). One of my favourites is the Mill Pond Concert series. I had the pleasure of kicking off the 40th anniversary season in July. We had the pleasure of seeing some great music every Thursday at Mill Pond Park. We also had the Richmond Green Concert series taking place at Richmond Green Park. Though the series concluded on Aug. 28, this concert series has been alive since 1975, and we plan on continuing the tradition — so don’t fret if you missed out this year.

As the days get a little shorter, one way to keep memories of summer alive is through fresh and local food. The Richmond Hill Farmers' Market in the parking lot of the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts kicked off in July, and it has a big hit every since. Market Saturdays will continue throughout September. There is still a lot to do in Richmond Hill this fall, so get out and take advantage of all that our great community has to offer.

As always I have been busy talking to residents about a variety of issues, and I would welcome a call or email from you if you have an issue to discuss. We are all partners in making Richmond Hill an even greater community. David.west @richmondhill.ca or 416-346-3090.

Customer service vital to Thornhill

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I’ve learned in my years as a councillor that it is the small things that count the most. Over the years, I have learnt that although it is exciting and invigorating to plan our major projects — a new downtown at the Vaughan Metro Centre and a new hospital being built beginning next year are just two examples — it is when I can quickly and efficiently solve a problem that a resident is having that I feel that I get the most satisfaction. Of course, it is the close partnership built over the years between me, my staff and the great employees of the our city that is key.

Recently I got a call from a gentleman who, because of his disability, travels on a scooter. He was very concerned, having almost tipped over when attempting to get onto the sidewalk from a roadway. He identified the problem as a gap at the edge of the road. I immediately informed our engineer staff of the situation. Literally within hours, a temporary fix was installed, with a more permanent one being planned.

The other day a very upset resident contacted me — someone had dumped a couch and a mattress on a boulevard near the entrance to her street. She asked what we could do about it. My office connected with our staff and the materials were removed within hours.

People often ask me how I can deal with so many complaints. My response is quite simple: most of what I deal with are not complaints but issues of concern to the people who live in my community. When they call me, they need help. For more info on Ward issues, subscribe to the W5 Update at ward5.vaughan.ca. I can be reached at 905-832-8585, ext. 8349, or by email at [email protected].

Thornhill burglaries on the rise

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The mostly residential neighbourhood of Clark Avenue West and New Westminster Drive has seen 20 total break-ins in the past 10 months, with half of those from this summer alone.

Constable Andy Pattenden with the York Regional Police (YRP) said that the pattern of the break-ins indicates that many of the robberies may be connected.

“There were 18 break-and-enters just on Brickstone Circle,” said Pattenden. “It is over a significant period, but it is a lot of instances … the method in which the thieves got into the houses and the things that they were looking for were all the same.”

Cash, jewellery and electronics were the main targets of the thieves, and most occurred in the early morning hours. Many of the families broken into happened to be on vacation at the time.

Redevelopment of former Newbigging site?

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With the mid-August merging of two longstanding local funeral homes, City of Toronto staff and Toronto City Council are anticipating a new mixed-use development application.

Having operated for more than 130 years, the Humphrey Funeral Home – A.W. Miles Chapel Limited and the 65-year-old Murray E. Newbigging Funeral Home announced the amalgamation of their operations to form Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles – Newbigging Chapel Limited, effective Aug. 15.

Councillor Josh Matlow was able to confirm the Newbigging site at 733 Mt. Pleasant Rd. has been purchased, although he could not divulge to whom. South Eglinton Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association (SERRA) past president Greg Russell said he’s heard of the plans, and although he would be concerned about building height getting too close to 10 storeys and would rather see access to the property is made off of Soudan Avenue instead of Mt. Pleasant, “The spirit of commercial venues should work well with existing businesses,” he said.

The new combined funeral operation will take up residence at 1403 Bayview Ave. to make way for the potential development. Matlow said there has not been any redevelopment applications come to council, yet, but added he’s excited to see what visions there may be for the lot and the potential of the first commercial development on the Mt. Pleasant stretch in many years.

“Mt. Pleasant has very much of a village, ma-and-pa design and feel to it,” Matlow said. “I think some new development there would be welcome, but it has to maintain that village feel.”

“While we are encouraged with developers’ interest to build in the community, we want to ensure there is a good fit to streetscape and community and that the community, including the new residents, enjoy the full creative aspect of the new construction,” added Russell. “[We would like developers to] maintain the village aspect while showing the potential for renewal and maintaining the life and spirit of both the residential and business community on Mt. Pleasant.”