On Aug. 17, Mike Colle, member of provincial parliament, will be leading a march along Eglinton Avenue urging locals to open their eyes to how the roadway might look in the future.
The march is part of a new initiative called Eglinton 2020, which brings communities along the Eglinton Avenue corridor together to collectively develop a vision for the area. “Nobody has ever done a comprehensive, integrated analysis shaping the middle city. It’s the forgotten part of Toronto, and that’s Eglinton,” said Colle, who is leading the initiative. “As work on the proposed transit line begins, people have got to start to put in rules.”
The initiative’s scope of analysis includes looking at the best way to handle traffic and air pollution issues during the Eglinton light rail transit (LRT) construction. Eglinton 2020 will also assess the best ways to maximize public space, improve the streetscape and make the avenue friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists. Another important issue, said Colle, is how to handle the intensification that will inevitably happen. “It’s about trying to get some sanity into this process because, right now for the developers, it’s a free-for-all along Eglinton,” he said.
To help guide the discussions, Colle teamed up with 8-80 Cities, a local non-profit organization dedicated to building great communities and vibrant cities.
During a community meeting held last month at Forest Hill United Church, 8-80 members gave suggestions on how to make Eglinton Avenue world-class. “Everybody who will be using the LRT will be walking or cycling to get there,” said Guillermo Peñalosa, executive director of 8-80. “You have to make it safe, and you have to make it nice.”
Local Greg Russell attended the meeting and said his biggest priority is the construction of the stations. “How will the station be designed? Where will it be placed?” he asked.
According to Karen Stintz, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) chair, station construction will be considered carefully.
“There will be construction. Managing that construction and making sure businesses don’t suffer the economic consequences will be our challenge,” she said.
As for how the Eglinton 2020 plan will affect the avenue, Steve Munro, who has been a transit advocate for over 35 years, said he’s not convinced yet that it will: “Mike’s influence on affairs will depend a lot on the outcome of the provincial election in October.”