COURTESY BLOOR ANNEX BIA
The right-of-way on the western flank of the grocery store at Bloor and Robert streets will be redeveloped into a park, thanks to the Bloor Annex BIA.

The Bloor Annex Business Improvement Area (BIA) met this month to discuss the upcoming, and much anticipated, Bloor Street revitalization plan due in 2019.

Spanning Madison Avenue to Bathurst Street, the BIA intends to replace the tree planter boxes with new trees that will be level with the sidewalk. A proprietary root system has been designed that will allow these trees to grow to maturity.

Four unused rights-of-way at Howland Avenue, Brunswick Avenue, Major Street, and Robert Street will be converted to parkettes that feature wood decking, granite seating, trees, and pollinator-friendly gardens that should attract birds, bees, and butterflies.

There have been three major changes to the original plan. The park benches are now less intrusive, lighter, and more flexible, accommodating more seating. Lighting will now be placed behind the benches and will be harder to vandalize. Finally, some of the layouts have changed.

The chair of the Bloor Annex BIA publishes this newspaper.

—Geremy Bordonaro/Gleaner News