THE LAST COUPLE of months have been quite challenging. First, there was the strike, which affected all of us. And for most homeowners, the trouble went way beyond the work stoppage because it was difficult to get garbage, recycling and yard waste collected.
Our office received calls well into September from people asking why yard waste was still sitting on the lawn. In each case, we contacted the solid waste division to rectify the situation. They did, but in the end, we were as frustrated as you.
As things slowly started getting back to normal, Ward 10 residents were faced with the collapse of Finch Avenue West between Dufferin Street and Wilmington Avenue. This has played havoc with the normal traffic pattern in the area and forced a detour through a normally quiet neighbourhood.
My senior executive assistant, Nancy Oomen, has worked with our transportation operations staff to minimize local impact by motorists using the detour to go around the site. If you are affected, we appreciate your patience and understanding. The necessary repairs are quite extensive, because the storm sewer underneath the road collapsed, and a lot of work needs to be done to ensure the road will be stable and can carry vehicles safely. Our engineering division has set a completion time of mid-October.
On a positive note, on Sept. 16, Nancy Oomen and I attended a ceremony for the new Bathurst Street Jewish Community Centre. We have a lot to look forward to: a brand new theatre, fitness centre and daycare facility, just to name a few. The centre will be open to everyone and is located in the heart of Ward 10. The project is part of a vision appropriately named the Tomorrow Campaign.
For details, visit www.tomorrowcampaign.com.