world19News #109 |
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world19News This e-mail is going to people on the mailing list for world19. If you don't want to receive further notices, please reply to this e-mail with "remove" in the subject. Let us know if you prefer to receive this in "plain text" format. Please forward this to anyone you think may be interested. We're still clearing items from the desk after a summer interlude. Lots of notes; we'll keep them short, and link to more details on our website. In this issue:
1. WORLD19 NOTES a) Bulte/Chretien/Kyoto We will have a further report on our meeting with Ms Bulte. b) Education
2. DEVELOPMENT Recent minutes contain information about site remediation, community concerns, site design, and REON's financial contributions to community projects through the City's "Section 37" requirements. Some notes:
These items are still being discussed. We will provide updates to these and other issues after the next committee meeting. The builder for the site is Cresford Developments. The architects are Pellow & Associates; the interior designer is Brian Gluckstein of Gluckstein Design Planning Inc. More details at www.stelco.world19.com.
b) Southport Plaza development The current design involves a commercial/retail space and two 22-story residential towers. The commercial space is supposed to be the same size as the existing occupied units in the plaza. Rumours continue that Loblaws may get all the space. The next meeting is scheduled for Mon. Sep 9. We will pass on any reader input we receive. http://webhome.idirect.com/~jleeson/southport_020723.htm
c) Halford Ave. A well-attended meeting was called for Monday, June 24 - St Pius school to present a proposal for the rezoning and development of the ravine portion of the property at 46 Halford Ave. This plan for six luxury condominium townhouses, was overwhelmingly rejected by the approximately 250 interested neighbours and local residents, as being environmentally undesirable and out of proportion for this ravine site. The meeting was chaired by David Miller, who presented both planners for the city and the developer, the architect and developer- Rivermill Developments. All present signed an attendance sheet, and expect to be informed of future meetings, and in addition, an interested group expressed interest in forming a working committee, proposed by Councillor Miller.
Two readers sent us comments about the article and the OMB: "The OMB has done more damage to the creation of healthy, democratic processes at the municipal level than just about anything I can think of (with the exception of the creation of the GTA). Scrapping it today would not be a day too early." Another reader takes a different view: "Unfortunately there needs to be some body for residents to appeal the bad decisions of their politicians - it's too expensive to use the courts - the life members are actually not too bad because they can't be dropped because someone doesn't like their decisions - but qualifications are something that needs to be worked on."
"Since you went as far as Nfld. in your description of problems I was wondering if you've seen Ft. York, the place where Toronto began recently. It is surrounded by highrises and I'm sure a few developers would like nothing better than to demolish it. Toronto leases it out for functions that are anything but historical e.g. a beer fest, just to make a few bucks. This wouldn't happen to an American historical site. We need to get some civic pride going here.
a) "Clean Air: Inspiration for Change" -
Sun. Sep 8 Sunday, September 8, 2002, 1:30-4:30 pm For more information call: (416) 537-5001 Co-sponsored by Parkdale-High Park NDP, High Park Citizen's Advisory Committee and the Bloor West Eco-Village Note: world19 will have some table space at this event. Come by and say hello.
On Tuesday, September 17, Fair Vote Canada holds a free public information session to describe how the present Canadian voting system regularly elects governments with only a minority of votes. Fair Vote Canada is a multi-partisan organization dedicated to electoral reform and proportional representation. To learn more call 416-537-3808 or visit http://www.fairvotecanada.org/eng/welcome/welcome.php
As mentioned in our last newsletter, the hearing for the Dark
Horse patio (Bloor & Armadale) will be held: We received a flyer from one of our subscribers who is trying to build support to stop the patio. Quoting from his flyer, "As the acceptable limit between commercial activity and residential homes is continually narrowed our ability to manager our own neighbourhoods is lessened. The proposed patio is a scant 8 feet from the residential building at 2407 Bloor." If you oppose, support, or are just interested in the
process, you should attend.
Date: Sunday Sept 22nd 2003 (international car free day)
4. PUBLIC SPACE & ADS "Could you introduce a conversation among your readers about the ever-increasing size and amount of billboards around BWV. These are so inappropriate and undermine the "village" ambience, which we all enjoy so much. For example, where is it written that we have to be subjected to the faces of realtors, many times life size on the billboards, and on the large waste-containers on every street corner!" Readers interested in this issue may find the following websites of interest: First, John Sewell's website focussing on urban issues has an article about cities' ability to restrict billboard advertising. It also includes a bit of Ogden Nash: "I think that I shall never see http://www.localgovernment.ca/show_libary.cfm?id=73
a) They are establishing a youth leadership program for high school age students, and are looking for volunteers to be involved with environmental education with the Steering Committee. Sarah Kear 416-516-1795, or suyini@hotmailcom For more details: http://webhome.idirect.com/~jleeson/hpcac.htm
b) The schedule for fall walking tours of High Park is now
ready.
6. LOCAL NEWS ARTICLES And in the Aug. 24 Star, architectural critic Christopher Hume cast a harsh look at the condo at Bloor and Brule, and elsewhere in the neighbourhood. "To understand how the Brule ended up the way it did, one must look at its context. Located at 2511 Bloor St. W., just east of Riverside Dr., the five-storey condo is in a part of the city that residents still consider beautiful, but which has actually been degraded to the point where it has become an eyesore." "The nearby corner of Bloor and Jane Sts., for example,
is now defined by the utter banality of its architecture and its outright hostility to
pedestrians."
7. VILLAGE NOTES Two recent incidents: I had lunch on the patio at Sharkey's (occupying the old Future location). I asked for a half-pint of Stella Artois. "We don't have half-pints of Stella". Took me by surprise, since they served Stella, and draught beer doesn't come pre-packaged. I asked if they served half pints of other beers. Yes they did, "but Stella isn't even on the computer". And here I thought all it took was a smaller glass, and a shorter pull on the tap. Next week, Humber Theatre: I compared the long lines at each snack counter, and lined up at the downstairs counter. Eventually my turn came, and I asked for a small popcorn. They didn't have small at that counter, although all it would have taken was to stock some small empty bags. "Medium is only 50 cents more", said the helpful attendant. I went up to join the long line upstairs.
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