HomeCultureBold vision for revamped Eglinton

Bold vision for revamped Eglinton

More than two years of study and $250 million in recommendations

There may be some pain before the gain, but businesses and residents along Eglinton Avenue stand to have one of Toronto’s finest streets when all is said and done.

The Eglinton Connects comprehensive planning study is ready to be presented to Toronto City Council for consideration May 6 and includes strategies for ways to vastly improve traffic flow while creating an attractive streetscape from Black Creek Drive to Brentcliffe Road.

“It’s a vision for refining and revisiting of Eglinton,” explained Lorna Day, manager for the study. “Over time we will see protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks and large lush trees."

Focusing more on the stretch between Allen Road and Mt. Pleasant Road, Eglinton Way BIA executive director Monique Drepaul said she and the membership are excited about the potential changes to the street once construction of the Eglinton LRT nears its end underground.

“The Eglinton Connects team did a fantastic job dealing with our concerns,” Drepaul said, explaining that she and membership were fearful of losing customer parking spaces for the sake of expanded bike lanes and sidewalks. “Through the discussions and getting to see the plans laid out, that was all addressed very well.”

With the culmination of more than two years of public consultations and studies, Day said the study’s recommendations will vastly improve the appearance of an area now under heavy construction preparing for the LRT. Metrolinx, in charge of the LRT, would be responsible for improving the street-level subway station areas, to the tune of about $100 million, including one at Avenue Road and the other at Chaplin Crescent in that Allen–Mt. Pleasant stretch. The City of Toronto, if recommendations are approved, would be responsible for $150 million in improvements. Day explained the plans will be subject to about a year of capital expenditure debates at council before the financial aspects become firm for the 2015 financial year.

“It’s an exciting proposal, and certainly Eglinton could be something very unique and new for the city,” Day said. 

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