world19News #92 - October 1, 2001 |
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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. This issue of our newsletter is made up primarily of submissions from some of our readers. We're glad to use this forum to pass on news, information & comments. We'll have more comments in an upcoming newsletters about how we can better use this growing network of community residents. We have slowly established an onlink of about 160 people who live in or around the Village area - or who are interested in it. There's a lot of potential here; how can we use it? In this issue:
1. OAK RIDGES MORAINE -Important public meeting on
the future of the Oak Ridges Moraine On behalf of the City of Toronto, the City's Oak Ridges Moraine Steering Committee will host a public meeting on the evening of October 3 to allow City of Toronto residents to express their concerns regarding the future of the Oak Ridges Moraine - an issue of significance to everyone in the GTA. Please put this date into your calendars and come out to send the Province of Ontario a further message that citizens from all quarters of the GTA care about the fate of the Moraine and the rivers that flow from it. The lovely Earl Haig school auditorium has a capacity of 700 people. There is easy subway access, and plenty of parking locally and at the North York Civic Centre for 905ers who want to join their downstream neighbours for this important meeting. See also ads in the Sep. 27 Toronto Star & Globe and Mail. It is important for many people to come out; to hear what is at stake, to express your views, and to demonstrate Toronto's interest in the future of the moraine and how it affects all of us. Recall too, that the Moraine is headwaters to the Humber. A few relevant links:
2. PESTICIDE BYLAW Dear citizen, In June 2001, the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously ruled that the town of Hudson, Quebec, could pass a bylaw that restricts the spraying of pesticides on private property. This ruling has motivated cities across Canada to pass similar pesticide bylaws. The Board of Health for the City of Toronto has recommended that Toronto pass a pesticide bylaw, and seek public input to develop a bylaw that will phase-out cosmetic pesticides to protect our health and the environment. On October 2-4, 2001, Council will vote whether or not to begin public consultation to develop a pesticide bylaw. Lobbyists for the pesticide companies tell us that pesticides are safe, and are urging City Council to vote NO. This is your chance to make our neighbourhoods pesticide-free. If Council votes no, or delays the vote, we will face another summer of pesticide spraying. CALL, EMAIL OR FAX YOUR CITY COUNCILLOR TODAY - AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT A PESTICIDE BYLAW. Related links:
3. QUEBEC AVENUE - reader submissions The proposed condo development on Quebec Avenue violates many of the official Plan regulations,e.g., it will have six times the density that is allowed. Also, we are concerned that there is a tremendous potential for structural damage to our buildings as they dig new foundations. (All the condos on the west side of the street are connected underground by the garage.) There will be an increased fire hazard, especially to 80 Quebec as the new development will create a wind tunnel. Of course, we are concerned about property values and quality of life as population and traffic, already dense, is made even denser. And of course, we are doing whatever we can to stop the project, especially the requests for rezoning. What do you think our chances are??? Not great, I suspect. I am a resident of the area, living on Quebec Avenue and disturbed by the development plans and the behind the scenes swapping of their location. The latest scheme is to change the location of the building from between 80 and 100 Quebec to the tennis courts on Gothic and the parkette. "Smart growth" does make sense, and building near available public transit does too. But I do not understand the logic of increasing the density so unreasonably, nor invading people's privacy so that the reason for living here in the first place becomes lost. Thank you so very much for keeping us as informed as you can. [And, on a note related to these and other concerns, here is an item from the Swansea Town Hall event listing: On Wednesday, October 10, the Toronto Debating Society examines the proposition, "High density housing will benefit this community". Several experienced speakers will present their views, pro and con, and there will be a chance for comments from the audience. All are welcome and admission is free. Rousseau Room at 7:30 pm. For further information, call Mike 416-242-7909, write michaelkobzar@hotmail.com. or visit www.debating.ca.]
4. TRAFFIC - from a world19 reader [for either of the above issues, if you have comments, or want to reach the writers, email us: world19@world19.com]
5. HIGH PARK WALKING TOURS
6. SAVE OUR CITY For more information, call Yasmin Khan at 416 652-9772, Community Social Planning Council of Toronto (York Office) (And see the note in our last newsletter, available at: world19News91.htm
7. SWANSEA TOWN HALL a) Blood Donor Clinic b) "Helping our sponsor" The Town Hall publishes a monthly schedule of events which can be seen on their website: www.web.net/swansea. To receive this notice, email them at: swansea@web.net For world19, world19: |