Archive for April, 2012

Unusual trains at Lambton CPR yard today

Aluminum bodied train cars with viewing decks in the yard.

Location:Runnymede Rd,Toronto,Canada

Indian Rd — Andy Goldworthy

Around one tree at one of the two unusually placed apartment buildings on Indian Rd – near the Queensway Ave there is a tree surrounded by a collection of branches.

In a sparse landscape around this low rise building, this bit of creative effort, transforms the space.

It’s on Indian Rd just north and across the street from the High Park Club. (pictured)


Mr Goldworthy’s site

Location:Sunnyside Ave,Toronto,Canada

Contact in the Junction


Click on image to enlarge

Postal delivery method change ?

You may have noticed the grey steel postal boxes that held the mail for local pickup have disappeared all over the greater GJA.

Today the postal carrier hoped out of this nifty truck car thing and began delivering the mail.


The forlorn patch if sidewalk where the grey box strode for so long.

Auto body who to be converted to lofts

One of the buildings that housed one of the oldest auto body shops in the Junction is to the plot for new condos.


wLink to sales site

More to follow in a later post

Location:Dundas St W,Toronto,Canada

Scarlett Rd Subway the beauty, or as the city calls it Scarlett Road/CP Galt Subdivision Bridge


Stand across the street from the Scarlett Rd. underpass and you will quickly be brought into thoughts about the CPR railways close and developmental link to the area.

You may also be able to admire the beauty of the subways angular placement – also on a incline to the north and south!

Note the long galvanized rude running along the upper part of the subway, this is fiber optic run that runs along the rail right of way.

Below are some Texts from the 2007 – SCARLETT ROAD / CP RAIL BRIDGE CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT which provide a lot of great information about construct.

Full report link

Full report link

Prior to 1912, Scarlett Road crossed the CP Rail tracks at-grade and intersected with Dundas Street West approximately opposite the present day location of Gooch Avenue. St. Clair Avenue West also crossed the CP Rail tracks at grade and intersected with Dundas Street West, at a shallow angle, east of Scarlett Road.


With the construction of the CP Rail underpass in 1912, Scarlett Road was shifted west to its present alignment, so that the existing roadway and level crossing could remain in operation during construction. St. Clair Avenue West was diverted to its present location, along the north side of the CP Rail tracks and a new intersection with Scarlett Road was constructed.

Scarlett Road and St. Clair Avenue West were both re-graded, resulting in 5% slopes down to the underpass. Dundas Street West was diverted to the south of its previous location, and ramps were built along the north side of the street to provide access to the underpass, also at a 5% grade.

The present configuration of the roads in the Study Focus is very similar to what was constructed in 1912. The only major change has been the elimination of the ramps on Dundas Street West. The street has been re-graded across its entire width to provide full access to the underpass; down-grades to the underpass are approximately 4% from the east and 1% from the west.

With increasing volumes of automobile traffic, Scarlett Road, St. Clair Avenue West and Dundas Street West have all been widened to four basic lanes, except for Scarlett Road through the underpass. The restricted width through the underpass and the short distance between the Dundas Street West and St. Clair Avenue West intersections on Scarlett Road have required the restriction of movements through the underpass, as described below.

From the report- not much has changed

3 IDENTIFICATION OF TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES 3.1 KEY ISSUES

The following are some significant issues identified during the Feasibility Study that were addressed during the Class EA Study and served as the starting point for the Need and Justification:

Safety – Factors such as short intersection spacing and restricted sight distances, roadway widths and vertical clearances create significant safety concerns (66 collisions in 3 years) for the movement of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and trains through the Study Area. A thorough safety review was undertaken to understand the nature and severity of problems at this site in relation to other comparable sites within the City of Toronto and other jurisdictions;

Traffic Operations – The spacing and configuration of the intersections of Scarlett Rd. with St. Clair Ave. and Dundas St. have created multiple traffic operations problems, including capacity deficiencies and movement restrictions. In order to obtain an accurate assessment of the operation of the Scarlett Road intersections with St. Clair Avenue West and Dundas Street West, operational analyses and simulation were carried out using Synchro/SimTraffic Version 6.

Pedestrians and Cyclists – The existing CP Rail underpass is a barrier to pedestrian circulation due to dark, narrow sidewalks and the safety hazards noted above. Scarlett Rd. is identified as a proposed bicycle lane route in the Toronto Bike Plan, but bike lanes cannot be accommodated through the CP Rail underpass. The design of improvements to the bridge and surrounding road network must incorporate features to remove these barriers and safely accommodate pedestrians and cyclists through the Study Area.

Railway Operations – Four tracks cross Scarlett Rd. on the CP Rail bridge, one yard track and three mainline tracks (CP Galt Subdivision, carrying approximately 25 freight trains per day and 12 GO trains per day on GO’s Milton line). The high level of mainline traffic and the proximity of a yard, with multiple tracks, switches and signals, severely limit the options for bridge replacement and construction staging.

An additional track provides access to the marshalling yard immediately to the east of Scarlett Road and a weigh scale located west of Scarlett Road. Consultation with CP was undertaken to obtain additional data regarding the existing bridge condition, rehabilitation plans and operational constraints that would apply to work at this site.

Traffic Patterns – Improvements to the Scarlett Rd. railway underpass and adjacent intersections could alter established traffic patterns throughout the area. For example, an increase in vertical clearance and/or provision of a southbound left-turn at Dundas St. could attract increased commercial traffic to Scarlett Rd. Potential impacts of such changes on traffic volumes and travel patterns through the surrounding area will require careful consideration.

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How different

Front facade changes can really make a home personal and develop curb appeal.

This house in the “L” of homes in the north west corner of Pacific Ave and Vine Ave really has become distinctive of its surrounding townhouses.

It it just this blog or has black become the new accent colour in the Junction.

If you are looking learn how to overbuild a house chk out the goings on at 3218 Dundas St. West

This behavior in the community shall pass hopefully.

Walk down the lane east from Gilmore Ave and just north if Dundas St West to see the scale of this addition. Take some pain killers with you.


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Today – SUNDAY The Zoo is hosting the premier Earth Day® event in the GTA – our very own “Party for the Planet.

 

Click on any image to click though to the zoos site.

http://www.torontozoo.com/Events/?pg=Party

 

 

text from above image

 

Party for the Planet

April 21 & April 22

10:00am to 4:00pm
The Zoo is hosting the premier Earth Day® event in the GTA – our very own “Party for the Planet.” What better place to celebrate Earth Day than at the Zoo to learn about ways that YOU can be an ambassador for living in a more environmentally friendly way. Meet the Zoo’s recycling dynamic duo, Henry and Douale, and enjoy extra keeper talks at the polar bears. Once again the Zoo will partner with Earth Day Canada and many top environmental education organizations in Ontario to provide you with fun resources that will help you change the world for the better! Programs like Backyard Naturalists, FrogWatch and the award winning EcoKids Program from Earth Day Canada await you! We look forward to sharing with you effective ways that YOU can make a difference. Join us at the new Tundra Trek area for a fun-filled day of conservation and education.

 

Image from todays community cleanup organized in the Junction by the Junction Residents Association

 

 
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Don’t know if they know it but Burrito Boyz restaurants have opened up a location in industrial deja vu land


Burrito Boyz – 21 Jutland Rd, Is one great ace to eat as r the other stores in this mini change,

What’s great about this location is the ease of parking and it’s right in the middle of a dusty heavy and medium intense industrial area.

Consumers glass plant on Kipling Ave converted to movie studio

Razor added along with conversion.

The site which is quite large us seeing a lot of upgrades to the buildings that where part of the glass manufactory.

So glad these wondering buildings were not destroyed for condos.

Home depot is having a contractor day on Apr 25

Indie Ale House sign up

Another exciting morning on Mc Murray Ave in the Junction as city water contractor cracks open water main

While working on the water supply to Regeneration House the city contractor croaked a water main on Mc Murray Ave, just south of Vine Av.

Water will be off on the Ave for a hour or so starting about 9am as they patch the pipe.

Location:McMurray Ave,Toronto,Canada