Archive for February, 2009

Victoria Royce Presbyterian Church gets OMB approval

By On February 27, 2009 In City of Toronto, Development, The Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With Comments Off on Victoria Royce Presbyterian Church gets OMB approval Permanent Link to Victoria Royce Presbyterian Church gets OMB approvalPermalink
The parties - The community

The parties - The community

1st A reader updated us on the ONB reprt, thanks so much Hamish

It’s always good to bring your customers to your Ontario Municipal Board hearing, as they promote your project to the board. (OMb File link hosted junctioneer). Having sorted out a few problems with a few neighbors the person doing this project seems to on his way both with sales and approvals.

but the issue (from OMB report)… is public information and consultvictoria-lofts-inc-1victoria-lofts-inc-omb-22

Victoria-Royce Presbyterian Church

We’ll get back to this post Sat as we have been researching it and it’s taken away the time today and we need to check something before we post it.

By On February 26, 2009 In Streetlevel With Comments Off on Permanent Link to Permalink

winterfestival

Bloor West Village copied in Don Mills

By On February 26, 2009 In Bloor West Village, Development, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With 2 Comments Permanent Link to Bloor West Village copied in Don MillsPermalink

shops-at-don-mills

National  Post has a story yesterday Cadillac Fairview (the owner of Sherway Gardens Mall) is opening a new retail mall named The Shops at Don Mills, a collection of standalone stores built along open-air streets.

Some of the shops… chef Mark McEwan’s first gourmet market, Ontario’s first McNally Robinson bookstore and Canada’s first Anthropologie store.

Its pedestrian-friendly streets will be lined with trees; shoppers can enjoy an outdoor, 7,134 sq. ft. skating rink, central square (something the Junction needs) with a fountain and a range of restaurants; there will be public art. Eventually, 1,300 high-rise residential units will be built on the site.

The results are more along the lines of Bloor West Village, where people walk from shop to shop outside,” said Anne Morash, vice-president of development for Cadillac Fairview. ‘‘We’ve built the Shops at Don Mills on a scale that’s very manageable — it’s a fraction of the size of what regional malls and big boxes typically are, so it’s efficient.’’

Read the complete post at nationalpost.com

The Shops at Don Mills, website

…interested in municipal history or development you have to see this….

….Here is terrific link to an animated history of the block of land click!

here is the same timeline above with a modified link to have the time open in  a larger format without the rest of the normal surounding page

Ontario Municipal Board cites Junction as something of an anomaly in Toronto

By On February 25, 2009 In City of Toronto, Development, Industrial Heritage, The Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), Ward 14 – (Parkdale-High Park) With Comments Off on Ontario Municipal Board cites Junction as something of an anomaly in Toronto Permanent Link to Ontario Municipal Board cites Junction as something of an anomaly in TorontoPermalink
anomaly-in-toronto

Text excerpt from the Ontario Municipal Board 6 Lloyd Ave report

yea, the Ontario Municipal Board has a good understanding of the Junction is all about, this opinion 1  (regarding the old Benjamin Moore plant lands condo development) can be applied to Vine Ave, The Dundas St. West and Jane area, Ryding Ave, Gunns Rd. and  more and with the city of Toronto’s want to keep employment uses on historical employment lands companies such as National Rubber Technologies, Corp. (NRT) and Canada Bread.

Yet there remains a problem, the provincial and municipal governments have failed to tackle the issue of co existence of industry and residential is close proximity. If people can buy houses in industrial communities , where the industry is maintaining adherence to all bylaws, rules and  environmental laws, and then attempt to close the industrial plants, we will lose the integrated nature of the city, which the city owes much of it’s life too.

Take a look at the NRT fact sheet below and see how green this company is, in it’s efforts to work with the problem of used tires, which they convert into long lasting new products.

NRT Fact sheet form the companies site

If you examine the ownership structure of NRT, you can see a well interconnected group of companies, with the financial strength to maintain their plant in the Junction well, causing it to adhere to all codes, and remain here for some time.

Kinder Hook Industries (NY State)  -> KN Rubber – >Koneta, Inc (Wapakoneta, Ohio) <-> National Rubber Technologies, Corp.(Toronto) (previously NRI Industries)

Activities Toronto’s 175th Anniversary

By On February 25, 2009 In City of Toronto, City Wards, Streetlevel With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Activities Toronto’s 175th AnniversaryPermalink
feb-19-09-019

Photo from Councillor Sandercook's office window

March 6 2009 the city of Toronto has planned a bunch of activities Toronto’s 175th Anniversary

from the cities site:

To mark Toronto’s 175th Anniversary on March 6, 2009, City Hall will open its doors and invite residents in to celebrate the heritage, unity and diversity of our city through music, literature and art.

City Hall will be transformed into an exhibition hall featuring art installations, spoken word, dance and music. Special programming will also commemorate the City’s early history.

City site links to areas of interest below

Friday, March 6, 12 to 9 p.m.
blue bullet Visual Art
blue bullet Literary
blue bullet Book Launch – Toronto’s Visual Legacy
blue bullet Theatre
blue bullet Film
blue bullet Music
blue bullet Kids and Families
blue bullet Activities on Nathan Phillips Square

Reuse equipment and materials removal — Bunge post 6 – 30 Weston Rd, Trinity Development

By On February 24, 2009 In 30 Weston Rd Stockyards Redevelopment, Development, The Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), Ward 14 – (Parkdale-High Park) With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Reuse equipment and materials removal — Bunge post 6 – 30 Weston Rd, Trinity DevelopmentPermalink
Bunge post 5 - 30 Weston Rd Priestly Demolition sells off equipment and materials

Priestly Demolition sells off equipment and materials from 30 Weston Rd

Priestly Demolition sells off equipment and materials from the the 30 Weston Rd. plant for reuse, very green. Yet saddness when just a litle more of the stockyards moves away, in this case to Bolton, Ontario.

http://www.priestly.ca/demolition.aspx

How beautiful can a west end park be, Runnymede Park

By On February 24, 2009 In The Junction, Toronto Parks, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With 2 Comments Permanent Link to How beautiful can a west end park be, Runnymede ParkPermalink

ryn-park-feb-12-09-009-500-ox

Runnymede Park, a medium-sized park just north of the railway tracks off of Cobalt Avenue just to the west  of George Bell Arena early Feb 11 2009.

Development Application Status website …just a little info offered for now.

By On February 24, 2009 In All Wards, City of Toronto, City Wards, Development, West Toronto Communites With 2 Comments Permanent Link to Development Application Status website …just a little info offered for now.Permalink
screenshot of the selection screen, for Development Projects or individual Planning Applications by Ward, District, Address and Application Number back to January 1, 2006

Screenshot of the selection screen, for Development Projects or individual Planning Applications by Ward, District, Address and Application Number back to January 1, 2006

The city also launched a new Development Application Status website, allowing Internet access  information on active development projects and planning applications.  This is a great step, people can find out about development projects occurring but for detailed information the city planner will have to contacted. (with information provided on the site) The public and development industry, will have access to the same information, such  as project data, approval process status, public consultation dates and the planning personal contact info.

The  second phase of the site …which brings the project into real usefulness for community groups and residents   …will allow users to search applications and developments using dynamic maps. This is needed right now to allow community involvement in the planning process hopefully the city is allowing overtime to accomplish this.

“This will be a useful tool for residents and the development industry,” says Wright. 1

  1. quote from Daily Commercial News article

    Access page to search [opens in new window ↩

Junction Business Improvement Area (JBIA) Job Docket #1

By On February 23, 2009 In The Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With 2 Comments Permanent Link to Junction Business Improvement Area (JBIA) Job Docket #1Permalink
Replacement pole for car damaged black historial period pole, it should go? ..and be replaced with another balck pole?

Replacement pole for a car damaged black historical period pole at Dundas St. West and Keele St. Should it go? ...and be replaced with another black pole?

The Junction BIA (Junction Business Improvement Area) really worked to get the black lamp poles on Dundas St. West thought out the Junction. It was a great idea and a job well done.

They also like to protect the poles from various actions such as tagging (good) and postering (not so good) 1 you all allowed to post community posters on the posts, if you adhere to the city postering bylaw 2. But out of respect for JBIA, try not too, unless of course it’s an issue of  great importance to the community.

Now one of those black poles which was damaged in a fight with a car, and has been replaced with a standard galvanized pole.  Is the BIA on top of getting it fixed, we hope so.

If anyone from the BIA reads this post the blog would really like to know what is happening with this issue.

  1. If people who placed the posters came back and removed them  – as they are supposed to do , maybe the JBIA would be more understanding. ↩
  2. http://www.toronto.ca/licensing/pdf/chpt313.pdf ↩

Toronto moves to expedite approvals for office and industrial projects

By On February 23, 2009 In City of Toronto, City Wards, Development With Comments Off on Toronto moves to expedite approvals for office and industrial projects Permanent Link to Toronto moves to expedite approvals for office and industrial projectsPermalink

Metal Plant
Creative Commons License photo credit: Karsten W. Rohrbach

Daily Commercial news reports..

Toronto Mayor David Miller has announced that the city will launch the Gold Star Service program, designed to facilitate municipal approvals for strategic industrial and office developments.

While the previous service assigned case workers to help shepherd large projects through the approvals process, the new program will offer the same enhanced service to any industrial, commercial office and institutional (ICI) project that offers to create long-term jobs.

The program is currently working on 10 projects worth $2.3 billion in investment, and designed to retain or generate 20,000 jobs. Three additional projects are anticipated in 2009.

While Wright predicts that applications will decline through 2009, once current projects have cleared he says he sees an opportunity to focus on delivering projects of greater quality.

Daily Commercial News Full report [opens in new window]

City to Appeal Demolition Permits supported by Ontario Municipal Board for Ward 13 Development site

By On February 20, 2009 In High park, The Bloor/Oakmount Block, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With 3 Comments Permanent Link to City to Appeal Demolition Permits supported by Ontario Municipal Board for Ward 13 Development sitePermalink
1854 Bloor Street West Side door was door to a former doctors offices Photo: www.tobuilt.c

1854 Bloor Street West Side door was door to a former doctors offices Photo: www.tobuilt.ca

The Site owners of  1844-1854 Bloor Street West, 6-14 Oakmount Road, and 35 & 47 Pacific Avenue have brought applications  seeking permission to demolish 13 residential buildings.

Cot’s position from their reports…

In March 2006, demolition permit applications were made to demolish 13 houses located at the Site. No building permit application or redevelopment proposal to replace the buildings has been submitted.
On March 27, 2007, the Etobicoke York Community Council considered a staff report dated March 13, 2007, which recommended that the demolition control applications brought by the property owners in respect of the Site be refused and that, in the event of an appeal, the City Solicitor and appropriate staff be authorized to attend at the Ontario Municipal Board in support of the recommendation.

Consideration of the report was deferred to give the owners the opportunity to respond to concerns the City had about the proposed demolition. The owners failed to address the City’s concerns, and appealed the failure of City Council to approve the demolition permit applications that had been submitted.

Appeal of OMB Decision Re: 1844-1854 Bloor Street
West, 6-14 Oakmount Road, and 35 & 47 Pacific Avenue
Appeals of Demolition Permit Refusals

The March 13, 2007, Staff Report

The June 18, 2008, Staff Report:

The June 20, 2008, Staff Report:

CP Rail low-emission test locomotives move through the Junction

By On February 19, 2009 In Railways, The Junction, Ward 10 (York Centre), Ward 11 (York South-Weston}, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), Ward 14 – (Parkdale-High Park) With 6 Comments Permanent Link to CP Rail low-emission test locomotives move through the JunctionPermalink
The train!

The train!

CPR green train moving though the Junction

CPR green train moving though the Junction

CP Rail  test low-emission locomotives move thourght the junction Feb 12th 2009

Source for the text below: Canadian Pacific
Published: May 6th 2008

Canadian Pacific will test two environmentally friendly locomotives in southern Ontario thanks to Transport Canada’s ecoFREIGHT Program announced Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Kathryn McQuade today.”We commend Minister Cannon and his colleagues for helping us improve the environment in the communities we serve,” said McQuade. “The Government of Canada’s ecoFREIGHT program helps us test and prove innovative products sooner.”Canadian Pacific has ordered two high efficiency National Railway Equipment Company “GenSet” locomotives. The locomotives are unique in that instead of one 2,100 horsepower diesel locomotive engine they utilize three independent diesel engine GenSets to achieve the same amount of total horsepower. Overall, the technology aims to achieve significant fuel savings, ultra-low emissions and longer engine life. “Moving goods long haul by rail is already much more fuel efficient and safer than other modes of transportation,” added McQuade. “We are always looking for innovations that reduce our environmental footprint and make rail an even cleaner mode of transportation.”Canadian Pacific’s emissions per Revenue Tonne Mile (RTM) have decreased almost one quarter (24.1%) since 1990 while RTMs have increased 37.4% over the same period. RTMs are a standard measure of rail traffic volumes. Additionally, CP has equipped three quarters of its existing locomotive fleet with automatic engine start/stop technology, which reduces emissions from idling locomotives.

Benjamin Moore plant continued removal of old plant concrete

By On February 19, 2009 In Heritage, Industrial Heritage, The Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), Ward 14 – (Parkdale-High Park) With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Benjamin Moore plant continued removal of old plant concretePermalink
continued removal of old plant concrete

continued removal of old plant concrete

The lot north side of Mulock Avenue, the old  Benjamin Moore plant lands. which will become a condo site,  1 has the demo contractor (who is interrelated to the owner corporation) continuing to clear the site (Feb 2009)

OMB hearing Decision [opens in new window] from OMB site

OMB hearing Decision [opens in new window] from junctioneer site in case the OMB link moves

  1. thanks AR or pointing this out ↩

Bank Bros & Son ready and steady

By On February 19, 2009 In Industrial Heritage, The Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), Ward 14 – (Parkdale-High Park) With 2 Comments Permanent Link to Bank Bros & Son ready and steadyPermalink
Bank Bros & Son Limited tumbler replacement store

Bank Bros & Son Limited tumbler replacement store

Bank Bros & Son  a leather tanning and finishing and dealing  firm has long been a great business for the Junction, in terms of provided jobs and industrial character, and industrial culture. The Company serves an import part in the meat food service industries long chain of elements.

…and with these spares for it’s equipment hopefully the owners of this firm  intends to be here in the Junction for a long time to come.

Train line into 30 Weston Rd for sale

By On February 18, 2009 In 30 Weston Rd Stockyards Redevelopment, The Junction, Toronto Parks, Ward 11 (York South-Weston} With Comments Off on Train line into 30 Weston Rd for sale Permanent Link to Train line into 30 Weston Rd for salePermalink
Park, walking path,

Park, walking path,

This track line running parellal to St Clair Ave is for sale from Gunns Rd to Symes Rd. The line was used to bring railroad cars into the packing plant at 30 Weston Rd. It is a long a narrow plot that provides  an interesting walk right now.

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