Archive for September, 2009

Interesting and unusual – Keelesdale Drive

Keelesdale Drive sat with tgis one house on it for many years next to the Kodac Plant

Keelesdale Drive has sat on it –  this one house on it for many years next to the Kodac Plant, now with the plant gone and the site is to be developed by commercial developer Metrus Properties who purchased the land in 2006 for $19.5 million. Plans for the site have  not yet been released by the company.

This house is a sweet anomaly in the area, being the one and only residential building on the block. The area is not like the Mulock/Hirons area where industry and houses have co-existed for decades –  on Mulock Ave  some sites are part house and part factory with in the same building.

In addition The Loblaw Companies are seeking the right to place a car wash and gas bar of the opposite SW corner of this house – on the site of their No Frills Store {city file on this  – opens in new window}

Toronto Star Article -Dundas West businesses between Dovercourt Rd. and Lansdowne Ave. fight to save parking spots

from the story…

Businesses on Dundas St. West say they will consider their legal options if Toronto City Council votes this week to eliminate rush-hour parking and cut other round-the-clock spots on their street between Dovercourt Rd. and Lansdowne Ave.

The city plan, which would also put pay-and-display parking on side streets and eliminate 51 permit-parking spots will devastate some small businesses, according to the Dundas West Business Improvement Area.

“It’s difficult enough to run a live music venue – we’re just worried this will put us over the edge,” said Tracy Jenkins, general manager of Lula Lounge. “I really don’t know if we could survive. We’re already struggling with the economic downturn.”

The city has justified its decision based on a TTC study that compared traffic flow in March 2006 to the same month in 2008, said Sylvia Fernandez, head of the BIA

complete story at the Toronto Star, {opens in new window}

wtjhs.ca – fall fund raiser, Wild, Wild, Junction, a Historical Mystery Tour

fall fund raiser, Wild, Wild,
Junction, a Historical Mystery Tour will tackle some of the great mysteries
of the Junction. Chief of Police Josiah Royce (Ron Clark) will lead a group
of adventurous souls from tavern to saloon as the Legends of the Junction
return to regale us with tales of the wide open railway town that was.
Perhaps the most intriguing mystery we’ll be following is what led the
Junction to ban the sale of alcohol for almost a hundred years.
We’ll begin with the suspicious death that led the town to its appointment
with abstinence. Once again, Chief Royce will investigate and ask Who
Killed Joe Curley? that night outside the Subway Hotel just north of Keele
and Dundas.

WWJ_webWild, Wild,

Junction, a Historical Mystery Tour will tackle some of the great mysteries

of the Junction. Chief of Police Josiah Royce (Ron Clark) will lead a group

of adventurous souls from tavern to saloon as the Legends of the Junction

return to regale us with tales of the wide open railway town that was.

Perhaps the most intriguing mystery we’ll be following is what led the

Junction to ban the sale of alcohol for almost a hundred years.

We’ll begin with the suspicious death that led the town to its appointment

with abstinence. Once again, Chief Royce will investigate and ask Who

Killed Joe Curley? that night outside the Subway Hotel just north of Keele

and Dundas.

Wild, Wild Junction, an Historical Mystery Tour. 2PM, Sunday, Oct. 25,

beginning at the Troubadour, 3071 Dundas West (south side just east of

Quebec.)

Full details see  this PDF WILD. WILD, JUNCTION

Long lived neigbourhood wall mural going

sept 29 040

At Keele St. and Rogers Rd. there has been for many years a wall mural on the side on building that contained a bar. The bar owner used the wall mural to communicate various items of interest about the bar and just stuff that aroused his interest.

The building was sold a few months ago and the new owner is applying stucco over the wall.

High Park Ave and Dundas St West traffic lights so unusual or not?

The single light standard to stop the north bound traffic on high park Ave at Dundas St West

The single light standard to stop the north bound traffic on High Park Ave at Dundas St West

The configuration of the new light standards  comprising the new installation  of the traffic lights at High Park Ave and Dundas St West appears to be unusual to the writer of this post. The setup appears to have just one stop light standard to stop the north bound traffic on High Park Ave at Dundas St West. Is this an unusual design or not? anyone have an idea?

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West Toronto Collegiate Institute to be closed and the land sold?

from the saveourschoolsTO@gmail.com flyer

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS!

Is West Toronto C.I. CLOSING?

What will this mean to our community?

neighbourhood school and community meeting   place- GONE! pool, excellent track and gym facilities- GONE! building fully accessible to the disabled- GONE! 8.5 acre urban green space- GONE! important public resource paid for by the Toronto taxpayers- GONE!

Once gone, the land and building will never come back!

Two Public Meetings:

330 Lansdowne Ave

one block north of College St.

Tues., Sept. 29th and  Thurs., Oct. 15th

7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

West Toronto Collegiate Institute                                                                cafeteria

.

Some of the many reasons why this school building is special can be found in the history section og the schools’ Wikipedia page

The school was constructed and opened in 1972. The school was built on the former southern section of MacGregor Park. The football field is the former location of a lumber yard. The construction of the school necessitated the closing of the section alongside the school of St. Helen’s Avenue. The siding of the building on the east and west sides of the building is unique. It was installed as “raw” steel and allowed to rust to reach the intended brown colour, then preserved. The school was originally named in 1972, by its students as West Toronto Secondary School.

The Junction Represents at Clean Train Coalition’s Human Train

its-your-junction-with-jra-portal

The Junction Whistle stop at the Junction City Square on Saturday was a big success.  Thanks to Bill Heffernan and friends, who kept the crowd of over 100 entertained with their rousing and original train songs.  Thanks also to Neil Ross of the Junction Historical Society for theatrically educating those present about the history of the Junction and trains, Videoscope for donating the PA system and Agora Cafe for providing great and organic coffee, tea and cookies.  The Clean Train Coalition organized a great walk that culminated in a powerful rally at Sorauren Park, where over 1000 people attended and where politicians from every level as well as community organizers, including the Junction Residents Association, addressed the crowd.  The Junction banner stole the show, and may be on display in our neighbourhood doon for those who didn’t get a chance to sign it.

Junction Banner at Sorauren Rally

Junction Banner at Sorauren Rally

Here are some links to Tweets and news from that day:

start of construction event this morning for the The Village by High Park

Images from the  start of construction event this morning for the The Village by High Park, an Options for Homes’ new affordable homeownership condominium project in the Junction.

The Options for Homes’ people stated the project was the largest affordable home ownership project in Canada.

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…above a view of the building from the normally fenced off.

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The concrete and digs

The construction crew watches the action

The construction crew watches the action

3077 Dundas St West – the old handy man shop has a lot of work occuring

Removal of old fire escape this week

Removal of old fire escape this week

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h 001
basement lowering?

3077 Dundas St West the old handy man shop has a lot of work occurring. Working from a Decemeber 2008 building permit, the ground floor interior has been gutted and the east side fire escape removed, and now some excavation work is being done in the basement.

The building also has a number of  variances approved by the Ontario Municipal Board Committee are as follows:

1.

To provide two on-site parking spaces whereas the Zoning By-law requires four on-site spaces;

2.

To permit an entrance to a second commercial ground floor unit from a flanking street (Quebec Avenue) whereas the Zoning By-law does not permit commercial uses to gain entrance from a flanking street;

3.

To permit a commercial use depth of 6.5 metres, measured from the front wall, whereas the Zoning By-law requires a commercial use on the main floor to have a depth of 7.5 metres; and

4.

To permit a setback of four metres from the south abutting residential lot (457 Quebec Avenue) whereas the Zoning By-law requires that a mixed use building should be set back 7.5 metres from a lot in a residential or park district.

The Committee’s approval of the variances was subject to the following condition:

Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the applicant shall enter into a boulevard parking agreement with the City to use the boulevard for parking purposes, to the satisfaction of the Manager, Traffic Planning and R.O.W. Management, Transportation Services, Etobicoke York District.

The variances approved by the Committee are as follows:
1.
To provide two on-site parking spaces whereas the Zoning By-law requires four on-site spaces;
– 2 – PL060706
2.
To permit an entrance to a second commercial ground floor unit from a flanking street (Quebec Avenue) whereas the Zoning By-law does not permit commercial uses to gain entrance from a flanking street;
3.
To permit a commercial use depth of 6.5 metres, measured from the front wall, whereas the Zoning By-law requires a commercial use on the main floor to have a depth of 7.5 metres; and
4.
To permit a setback of four metres from the south abutting residential lot (457 Quebec Avenue) whereas the Zoning By-law requires that a mixed use building should be set back 7.5 metres from a lot in a residential or park district.
The Committee’s approval of the variances was subject to the following condition:
Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the applicant shall enter into a boulevard parking agreement with the City to use the boulevard for parking purposes, to the satisfaction of the Manager, Traffic Planning and R.O.W. Management, Transportation Services, Etobicoke York District.
The Proposal

Enterprise Rent-A-Car building wants a third party income producing sign.

Huge GROUND sign possibly on the way…

The Enterprise Rent-A-Car building at 3441 DUNDAS ST. WEST has applied to the city for the right to place a 10′ x 40′ illuminated, third party ground sign on site.

from the cities status site…

Application: Zoning Review Status: Not Started
Location: 3441 DUNDAS ST W
TORONTO  ON  M6S 2S5
Ward 13: Parkdale-High Park
Application#: 09 166400 ZPR 00 ZR Accepted Date: Sep 8, 2009
Project: Non-Residential Building Sign
Description: PUBLIC – PRELIMINARY PROJECT REVIEW, Due Date is 06-OCT-09, >>Proposed 10′ x 40′ illuminated, third party ground sign on site of existing commercial building.
Back to Search Results page

Village by High Park – Start of Construction event this morning at 10 am

…well construction started a while ago, but getting all these people together at a time when the building in peeking up above the ground is great.

…from the Media Advisory

TORONTO, Sept. 24 /CNW/ – Members of the media are invited to attend an event to celebrate the start of construction of The Village by High Park, an Options for Homes’ new affordable homeownership condominium project in Toronto.

Lois Brown, Member of Parliament for Newmarket-Aurora, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; Mario Sergio, Member of Provincial Parliament for York West and Parliamentary Assistant to the Honourable Jim Watson, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; and Councillor Gord Perks, Ward 14 Parkdale-High Park, on behalf of Mayor David Miller, will attend the ceremony.

    Date:     September 25, 2009
    Time:     10 a.m.
    Location: 403 Keele Street (Dundas Street West and Keele Street)
              Ceremony will be held at the North end of Indian Grove
              Toronto, Ontario

West End Food Co-op’s final public map-making, Wednesday September 23rd

West End Food Co-op’s final public map-making
workshop!

This wrap-up workshop will be taking place Wednesday September 23rd
from 5:30-8:00pm at the Japanese Paper Place, 77 Brock Street (just south of
the train tracks).

We have held more than 10 community food mapping workshops and sessions in
Parkdale this summer and are excited and inspired by everyone’s interest in
improving our community food system. To see reports and maps from all of these
events, please visit: http://westendfood.coop/map-your-food#attachments

This final workshop will be a fun and important opportunity to look at all of
the maps created this summer, talk about next steps, and create a shared
picture of food in Parkdale.

Whether you have attended past mapping events or not, your voice and ideas are
important for building a better food community! I have attached a flyer for
this event, and hope you can share it with others who might be interested or
whose voice should be heard.

Want to be involved in the planning & execution of the 2010 Junction Arts Festival???

arts fest logo junction

Come to the Junction Forum for Art and Culture’s Annual General Meeting:

October 1, 2009
7 – 8 pm
Corner of Dundas & Pacific Aves
Train Station platform

We will be accepting applications from interested people to join the board of directors. A sign up sheet will be available at the AGM, however, it is a competitive application process and we currently have a limited amount of vacancies.

The Junction Forum for Art and Culture (JFAC) is an incorporated, non-profit organization whose main project is the development and presentation of the annual Junction Arts Festival. The JFAC Board is made up of cultural producers, artists, residents, business owners and politicians all of whom are connected in some way to the Junction.

JFAC is supported by the Toronto Arts Council, the Department of Canadian Heritage and private sponsors.

www.jfac.org
www.junctionartsfest.com

Soil testing at site near St Clair Ave. West and Runnymede Rd.. this past Friday

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Friday September 18th there was a considerable effort being made drilling to test the soil conditions on the auto center site at St Clair Ave. west and  Runnymede Road.

Two different drilling rigs worked on the site. Testing the site at this time when St Clair Ave. west is being revamped and upgraded has the blog wondering… is the site being sold as a development site ?, or simply being sold or tested for some form of  financing.

Railpath 30-Minute Clean-up

Blog reader Kevin sent in this post.

 

 

Railpath 30-Minute Clean-up –

A group of volunteers is meeting on Wednesday evening (Sept. 23) at 6:45 p.m. at the foot of the Wallace Street bridge to clean-up the garbage on the West Toronto Railpath.

If you would like to join us, just bring a pair of work gloves and we will provide the bags. It’s a great opportunity to do something nice for the hood, meet a few neighbours, get a little exercise and make the place look better for the hundreds of people who are using the trail everyday.