OCTOBER 2017 COUNCILLOR WARD 4 JOHN C AMPBELL COMMUNITY UPDATE Email Twitter Facebook Website The Best Possible News for Ward 4: A New Community Recreation Centre! The City s Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan 2019-2038 (20 years) released this week came with the best possible recommendation for Ward 4 residents. It identifies three new centres required to fill existing gaps and address population growth including: Central Etobicoke (Ward 4) current population over 34,000 with many residents living in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas, no facility within 2-2.5 km. This means that Ward 4 will receive City funding to build a community recreation centre! In the election of 2014, I ran on a commitment to working toward the building of a community recreation centre for our neighbourhoods. After being elected, in my first meeting with the new Mayor, I put my case to Mayor Tory. Then I told new City Manager Peter Wallace the same thing when he came on board. Our top two senior officials in PF&R, Janie Romoff and Mike Schreiner, were constantly reminded about the lack of facilities in Ward 4. At every opportunity, I pointed out how staff s counting of what was deemed to be a community centre needed re-examination. (The Edenbridge Community Centre is not really a community centre.) This multi-use centre model is the new standard being used by the City going forward. Pictured here is the newly opened York Community Centre (115 Black Creek Drive) at Black Creek and Eglinton, February 2017. Table of Contents Developments 2 Our Community 3 Our City 7 City Council 7 Events 9 When we met with the consultants preparing the initial background information, we strongly presented our case. I then directed my staff, Christine and Amber, to visit recreational facilities in all other 43 wards, and take an inventory of how residents in other wards were served by the City. We then presented our findings to the senior Parks staff writing the report. When community consultations were occurring around the city, through our newsletters, we encouraged our residents to have their voices heard, and Parks staff said they heard Ward 4 residents loud and clear. The timing of the project is still to be determined, however staff has said that gaps will be addressed first. More will follow on timing in the next newsletter. It is really fabulous news for an area of the city that has been long overlooked!
Developments Richview Square: Next Steps Since May 2017, we have held two public community meetings. Build Toronto and Trinity Development Group will host their third pre-development application meeting on November 1st, 2017 to discuss future plans for Richview Square and 4620 Eglinton Avenue West. At this meeting we will see the proposed heights, densities, and prospective layout to be brought forward in the development application. This is not a done deal. Please note that this is our third public consultation session and a development application has not been submitted for these sites. As your elected representative, I will continue to listen very closely to your viewpoints and advocate for your concerns. Date: Wednesday, November 1, 2017 Where: Time: Martingrove Collegiate Institute, 50 Winterton Drive, Etobicoke 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm 6:30-7:00 - Display Boards & Discussions 7:00-7:45 - Project Presentation 7:45-8:30 - Facilitated Q&A 8:30-9:00 - Display Boards & Discussions To get up-to-date about what happened in the last public consultation please visit: http://buildtoronto.ca/project/4620-eglinton-avenue-west-3/ 4650 Eglinton, Shannex Senior s Home (Section 37) If you live near the Richview Plaza or have driven along Eglinton you have seen that work has begun for a 9 storey, 271 unit senior s home. Once the developer applies for an above ground building permit they will pay to the City $450,000 in Section 37 money. This money is to go toward local community benefits. As it s the Councillor s job to figure out how this money will be spent, I ll be seeking community input of how best to use this money. If you have any suggestions, please send me an email and I will turn your suggestions into a poll in early 2018. 4000 Eglinton (Plant World site) Although the developer for this site, Lanterra, has made substantive positive changes (removing one tall building and reducing building heights considerably), more changes to Lanterra s plan are needed. Our staff have scheduled a meeting with the applicant in the next few weeks to hopefully get the necessary changes made so that we can avoid a battle at the Ontario Municipal Board. We are also looking for opportunities for further community engagement. COMMUNITY UPDATE 2
45 La Rose Discussions are ongoing and some proposed changes are being negotiated based on community input. Additional details are forthcoming and a community update will be made once changes are formalized. Humbertown There is no change to the timelines for this development. However, recently the site owner, First Capital, came to me and to the Humber Valley Residents and Ratepayers Association (HVRRA) to propose some alterations to the initial phase of the plan. The developer wanted to make some design changes and shift some retail off Royal York. Developers are working with City Planning to understand how these changes satisfy the OMB decision. My office is working with staff and HVRRA executive to clarify these proposed changes. A subsequent meeting will be held with all parties to iron out how this will proceed. Our Community Rosethorn Park Community Consultation Update Last month we hosted a meeting at Rosethorn Junior School to discuss the community s vision for a new and badly-needed playground. Approximately 30 residents attended, including children who use the playground. Staff presented designs, received feedback, and discussed various park options. Community members join Parks, Forestry & Recreation staff, myself, and Friends of Rosethorn Park at Rosethorn Junior School to weigh in on three different playscape options for the community. Parks staff summarized input from the community and have found a clear preference in the presented playscapes (picture of selected option above). Some preferences we have heard from residents include: a desire to keep junior and senior play structures separated; replacing the wavy slide in the preferred design with a different slide option; and the inclusion of some form of shading in the playground area. Staff are currently working to incorporate this valuable feedback as best possible into the final design. COMMUNITY UPDATE 3
To support the ongoing fundraising efforts, I was pleased to contribute to the Friends of Rosethorn Park s on-line silent auction. The Franks family and Miss Taylor Franks, who attends Karen Kane School for the Arts and formerly Rosethorn Junior School, successfully bid to be Councillor for a Day. We were all very pleased to welcome Taylor to City Hall as honourary Councillor for the Day. Special thanks to the Friends of Rosethorn Park for your fundraising efforts, the Partnership Office and team from Parks, Forestry and Recreation. Our goal is to have the new and improved playground ready for use in July 2018. Community Safety Discussion: Wednesday, November 15 (Westway Junior School) As you may be aware, there has been violence and shootings in the more northerly part of the Ward on either side of Dixon Road. Understandably, residents are worried and concerned and want to know what can and will be done by the police and social services. To open up the discussion we invite you to a community safety meeting on Wednesday, November 15th from 6:30-8pm at Westway Junior School. Toronto Police Services 23 Division and our Ward 4 Community Development Officer will be discussing crime trends in the area, review tips on staying safe year round and providing feedback on how the newly modernized policing initiative is impacting community policing. Come out, get informed, and have your voice heard. Bywood Drive Traffic Calming Meeting Scheduled In mid-september residents on Bywood Drive received a letter from our office polling interest in traffic calming measures on the street. We received 50 responses to this survey a very good response rate! The results of the survey were: 90% (45) Yes 10% (5) No Stephen Holyday, Councillor Ward 3, me, Taylor, and Mayor Tory. This is an unofficial poll but because of the results of the survey I have organized a community consultation for early December at Rosethorn Junior School. This will provide community members an opportunity to meet with Transportation Services staff to learn about and discuss potential traffic calming options as well as provide feedback to staff. Details of the event will be posted to our website as soon as they become available. COMMUNITY UPDATE 4
Summitcrest Drive Traffic Calming Residents living on Summitcrest Drive will not see traffic calming measures installed on their road. Although enough people responded to the poll (140 out of 261), only a slim majority voted in favour. A level of 60% must be achieved. Of the total number of ballots sent out, only 27% sent in a vote in favour of installing physical measures to slow down traffic. Still, we were able to reduce the posted traffic speed limit to 40 km/hr from 50 km/hr. La Rose Ave Traffic Calming As with Summitcrest Drive, the poll for La Rose Ave traffic calming failed. In this case, out of 371 ballots, 229 were received back. 81 residents were in favour and 141 were opposed. In both cases, there was obvious support for traffic calming, although in each case not quite enough. Some people will be no doubt disappointed, but we will continue to make requests of 23 Division to set up speed traps to deter speeders. Montgomery s Inn Revitalization Project Toronto historic site, Montgomery s Inn, built in 1830, has been undergoing two revitalization projects since September 2017. Both projects are expected to be complete in 2018. The first project will provide Montgomery s Inn with a more welcoming and captivating visitor entrance. During the construction period the museum will remain open and visitors can access the museum easily through the original tavern entrance in the historic building. The second project is to preserve and refresh the historic building of the Inn. Both projects are vital to ensuring the historic site can be enjoyed by the public for years to come. The Inn s weekly farmers market will continue to run during these renovations. Humber Valley Park Fitness Equipment There will be new adult fitness equipment at Humber Valley Park for your pursuit and enjoyment. The equipment is scheduled for installation on Monday, November 6 and will take approximately 3 days to install. The final form of the structure includes wood fibre surfacing. COMMUNITY UPDATE 5
New Temporary Bus Shelter and Benches at Royal York Subway Royal York is one of four stations currently under construction as part of TTC s Easier Access Program to make all stations accessible by 2025. The project includes a number of other upgrades, including additional security cameras, improved wayfinding signage, and a repaved bus loop. Construction of the elevators and the bus loop resulted in the closure of the loop and the relocation of bus stops onto Royal York Road. As I use this station regularly, I saw that there is no place for awaiting bus passengers to go when it rains or snows. I contacted the TTC and they responded quickly adding the overhead shelters and benches for sitting. The structure will be in place until the bus loop is restored in late 2018. Additional benches were also installed for customer convenience. The station is scheduled to be fully accessible in late 2019. Watch Your Speed Program In last month s newsletter we highlighted the City of Toronto s new Watch Your Speed Program (WYSP). This program is delivered City wide by Transportation Services to reduce speeding around school zones and improve the safety of children travelling to and from school. Our Ward has two permanent WYSP areas and soon we will have our third! We are pleased to announce that a permanent School WYSP will be installed on The Westway at Dixon Grove Jr Middle School in Fall 2017 for eastbound and westbound traffic. For up to date information about this program and information about road safety initiatives around the city, please visit toronto.ca/roadsafetyplan. COMMUNITY UPDATE 6
Our City Toronto Police Services Crime Stats Website A new website from Toronto Police Services (TPS) illuminates crime and traffic statistics throughout the City of Toronto. Through this website, Torontonians can learn about a variety of issues TPS addresses every day that may not reported in the news including but not limited to assault, robbery, auto theft, speeding, and aggressive driving. These statistics are being made available to the public in effort to modernize the force. Users can search through crime stats by neighbourhood, date, and category with chosen information being populated on a digital map as you search. This is a great opportunity to enhance collaboration and transparency between the public and Police Services. Website is available at: http://data.torontopolice.on.ca/pages/maps Not Down the Drain Campaign Do you know what can and can t go down your drain? Putting the wrong things in your pipes can have some pretty nasty consequences, including basement flooding; polluting our streams, rivers and the Lake; as well as clogging City pipes something that ends up costing us all. Items like grease, wipes and dental floss should not go down the drain. Find out more at toronto.ca/notdownthedrain. City Council The Re-naming of Etobicoke Centennial Stadium In the October meeting of City Council, by a vote of 27-11, Council did not support Mayor Tory s motion to rename Etobicoke Centennial Stadium after former Mayor, the late Rob Ford. In a poll conducted of Ward 4 residents, with 1,200 respondents, 75% agreed that the stadium should remain with its current name. I would have voted as Ward 4 residents expressed, but I missed the vote on account of having to catch a flight. My flight was booked well in advance of the Mayor s motion being placed on the agenda. Traffic Wardens Mayor John Tory announced on October 2, 2017 that traffic wardens will be introduced to busy roadways as a way to battle ongoing street congestion. Next year, these wardens will be present street-side to monitor and manage car and pedestrian traffic on city streets including construction sites. Pilot programs at major intersections were successful at reducing intersection blockage for vehicles and pedestrians. Given feedback from residents, I have requested traffic wardens be placed at our very busy intersection of Eglinton Ave West and Martingrove. COMMUNITY UPDATE 7
Green P Parking Rate In the report to City Council, Toronto Parking Authority increased the hourly rates and hours of operation to several on-street paid parking spaces in Toronto. I voted against the increases. Unfortunately, the report recommendations passed and the changes will be implemented fall 2017 to spring 2018. Protecting Tenants from Extreme Heat City standards for heating residential dwellings should reflect the weather patterns we currently experience. Existing City by-laws state that residential dwellings that are rented or leased must maintain a minimum air temperature of 21 degrees from September 15 to June 1. During the recent September heat wave we had numerous calls to the office with residents complaining that their air conditioning was turned off and heating switched on. In some of these cases, we were able to negotiate with landlords to turn air conditioning back on. To stay on top of this matter, at our October City Council meeting, I supported a call for consultation on heating and cooling standards in residential dwellings. The motion directs City staff to hold consultations with tenants, landlords, and other relevant stakeholders to identify potential solutions to effectively deal with heat in apartment buildings, including maximum heat in apartments and applicable dates in the heating chapter. Results are expected to be returned in 2018. Share Feel free to share this e-newsletter in an effort to keep Ward 4 residents informed about what is happening locally and at City Hall. Ask your friends and neighbours to send in their email addresses so they can be added to the list! Please visit my website at johnfcampbell.ca to keep up-to-date on city news and events. Unsubscribe Should you wish to stop receiving these updates, please let us know by calling or emailing our office and we can remove you from the list. Contact Us Councillor Campbell, alongside his staff Amber, Katie, and Christine are here to be of assistance to residents on municipal related issues. You can get in touch between Monday and Friday from 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m. 311 is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The benefit of calling 311 is that they will record the complaint and provide you with a reference number. This will assist staff in better serving residents. Phone: 416-392-1369 Fax: 416-696-4138 Email: councillor_campbell@toronto.ca Website: johnfcampbell.ca COMMUNITY UPDATE 8
COMMUNITY UPDATE 9
COMMUNITY UPDATE 10
COMMUNITY UPDATE 11
Tickets: $20 Children under 10 free THE HARMONY SINGERS Harvey Patterson Conductor Bruce Harvey Accompanist Present That s Christmas! A Great Afternoon of Holiday Cheer! SPECIAL GUEST: BOB RAE Our Former Premier with a Christmas Reading Guest Vocalist: MARTINA MYSKOHLID Etobicoke School of the Arts Scholarship Winner SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. HUMBER VALLEY UNITED CHURCH 76 Anglesey Boulevard (east of Islington, two blocks north of Rathburn) Information: (416) 239-5821 theharmonysingers@ca.inter.net COMMUNITY UPDATE 12