May 12th, 2021 · Comments Off on GREENINGS: More greenspace, fewer cars (Apr. 2021)
Let’s not go back to unhealthy “normal”
By Terri Chu
While we all wait for vaccines to bring us back to some sense of “normal” (don’t hold your breath as the variants might beat us at this game), let’s take a moment to reflect on how much normal really sucked: for so many Torontonians, “normal” meant sitting in the car for hours just to get to work.
Despite six decades of warnings, we have not managed to get a hold on atmospheric climate change.
The promise of cheap energy was supposed to free us of our labour and give us time to enjoy ourselves.
Instead, we got busier and used that cheap energy to move further and drive longer distances. Hopefully a “new normal” that starts with working from home can reverse this trend.
Slowing down, if we can pull it off, will be bad for an unsustainable economic system dependent on infinite growth and consumption, but the reality is that none of us will suffer an iota when it comes to our standards of living. In fact, we will enjoy what we have much more of and free ourselves from the pointless grind of consumption, garbage creation and sitting in traffic.
We will be able to focus on our interactions with others, our experiences, and physical and mental health. A post-COVID-19 economy based on people, not stuff, is possible, but none of this is feasible without massive investments in transportation. As we discovered during lockdown, we don’t need very much stuff at all to meet our basic needs, and the thing we missed more than anything is social interaction, not material accumulation.
Social interactions, experiences, physical and mental health activities mean that we need to get around, both within the city and outside of it. Doing it all by car will simply get us back to the choked-up world of traffic congestion: this is not the normal we want.
We need to get people out of cars for short distances, particularly for things like grocery and errand runs.
What is stopping us from having publicly available light vehicles (think glorified golf cart) for small grocery runs? Vehicles that are lightweight, not terribly fast, not terribly dangerous (unlike cars) and relatively easy to operate could decrease so many short trips currently made by car.
Where are the city-run cargo bikes at the bike share? Why is transit still so expensive?
Taking your family for brunch by car will cost pennies for gas since there is so much free street parking, but would cost you over $20 in public transit fees.
Imagine a Toronto with such decreased traffic that we could reclaim roads for green and public spaces.
Instead of yelling at our children to watch for cars the moment they step out the door, we could turn our backs and let them run into community gardens or a local piazza the moment the door opens.
We have come to normalize so much going to the car that we can no longer imagine what life could be like if we didn’t give up so much space to these murderous polluters.
COVID is a perfect opportunity for us to rethink our car-centric society and build a better future. Normal was awful, and we don’t want to go back to it, but unless we put money into building a society that will support our need for human interactions, experiences, and recreation, that’s what we’re stuck with.
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on ON THE COVER (Mar. 2021)
The Bloor Annex BIA, in partnership with STEPS Public Art and local artists Chris Foster and Layne Hinton, has transformed three of their new parkettes into lighting spectacles. These kinetic installations use bright light sources that slowly pass through a long column of common kitchen colanders. The patterns create dynamic projections that shift as the light passes through in a gesture to the diversity of restaurants that are a staple of the Annex. On site along Bloor St. at Robert St., Major St., and Brunswick Ave. until May 31. COURTESY MELANIE RAMSAY, BLOOR ANNEX BIA
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on NEWS: Bike lane refresh for Davenport (Mar. 2021)
Updates would mirror protected bike lanes on Danforth
By Luca Tatulli
In 2015, a young cyclist named Adam Excell was killed in a hit and run at the corner of Avenue and Davenport roads. Between 2016 and 2020, there were 27 more collisions involving cyclists and pedestrians on Davenport. Now Magazine placed this bike lane on its list of the city’s worst. However, the City of Toronto is hoping upgrades can improve the safety of the area. They outlined their plans during a consultation meeting on Feb. 4.
Their proposal would involve turning existing bike lanes on Dupont and Bay streets into protected lanes or cycle tracks located next to roadways but separated by physical barriers. New pavement markings will replace fading ones. The proposed upgrades would mirror the protected bike lanes on Danforth Avenue.
The upgrades would also see bus-bike platforms installed at the major intersections of Davenport Road. The platforms would create a space for cyclists and passengers boarding and disembarking buses.
The platforms would be separated by a yellow line. Pedestrians would wait outside the line and could only cross when getting on or off buses.
Cyclists would also have to yield to pedestrians.
If approved, the proposed upgrades will be installed by this summer. The city says the projected cost for the upgrades is between $150,000 to $200,000.
“With the passage of time, the bike lane is clearly deficient along Davenport. Number one, in many places, it’s too narrow, it’s got parked cars overlapping onto it,” says Albert Koehl co-founder of Bells on Bloor. “In other places, the bike lane has faded, you can’t even see it anymore and also importantly, it’s not a protected bike lane.”
Koehl supports the proposal and says he foresees limited opposition to the project.
“I’m not expecting to see much opposition, in part because it’s an upgrade as opposed to a new lane,” said Koehl. “But more importantly, because of the trend that we’re seeing across the city towards more support for walking, cycling and transit.”
However, some local residents are already voicing concern.
“I’m not concerned with the bike lanes I just think this is a poor choice of a route for that simply because it is a pretty major connecting roadway,” said Frank Marra, the moderator of the Toronto Car People Facebook group and an employee for an architectural firm in the Annex.
The deadline for public feedback on the project upgrades ended on Feb.18.
A report to city council and its Infrastructure and Environment Committee will be filed in March. If approved by city council, construction on the project would start by summer.
Comments Off on NEWS: Bike lane refresh for Davenport (Mar. 2021)Tags:Annex · News
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on NEWS: Community input changes Bloor/Spadina build (Mar. 2021)
Developer returns to the table with a 35-storey plan for corner
A mix of commercial and residential development is proposed for the northwest corner of Bloor and Spadina. The plan includes a commercial podium. COURTESY IBI GROUP
By Mary An
After four community workshops and some community consultation meetings, the developers of a 35-storey mixed use building proposed for the northwest corner of Bloor and Spadina are confident they have addressed most community concerns.
“I think we’ve really worked hard to understand some of the community input and the issues that were identified. We put forward a development application that speaks to that with those development principles,” said Project Manager Peter Venetas.
The plan includes an atrium. COURTESY IBI GROUP
The development team – consisting of five different companies – plans to tear down and redevelop the existing buildings at this location.
In a consultation meeting in January of 2020, community members expressed concerns about protecting the view of the Knox College [now the Faculty of Architecture] corridor, shadow impacts, and social housing. In a recent community meeting, the developers addressed all of these concerns and displayed renderings and plans of the proposed building. One rendering was of [the former] Knox College and the minimized impact of the new proposal.
“The idea was to keep the buildings north of College and Spadina below the view corridor of [the former] Knox College when viewed from the northeast and the northwest corners of College and Spadina,” said Senior City Planner Barry Brooks during the meeting. “There is no projection above those at the moment of the proposed building, because the applicant was aware that that was something which should not be breached.”
Within their proposed 35-storey mixed use building there will be 380 residential units and 24 rental replacement units. COURTESY IBI GROUP
The development team also displayed shadow impact renderings of the site displaying how far the shadow would go each month and each hour.
“It’s a very fast moving shadow, not staying in a particular building or area for more than an hour. It is a tall building, and will have some shadow, but I would say the impacts are minimal,” said Mansoor Kazerouni, an architect with the IBI group.
The site currently has a few rental residential units. According to Mike Dror, an Associate of Bousfields Inc., current residents at the site have the right to return to the new building to a unit of similar type, size, and rent. Current residents will also be notified four months in advance to vacate the unit, and will receive a compensation package.
Within their proposed 35-storey mixed use building there will be 380 residential units and 24 rental replacement units. No affordable housing units have been announced.
“We understand what’s happening in Toronto right now, and this project will be subject to a Section 37 agreement,” said Venetas during the meeting. “Whether or not that gets allocated on site or that gets allocated elsewhere in the Ward is probably something that would happen as this process continues forward.”
A Section 37 agreement is a part of Ontario’s Planning Act, which allows the city to ask for better community benefits, such as the inclusion of affordable housing.
Though the developers are confident they have addressed many resident issues with the proposed building, there are still some lingering concerns.
“Toronto will look like a pincushion with these needle towers,” Paul Richard, long-time Annex resident said in an interview with the Gleaner. “What I like about this neighbourhood is that it’s close to the subway, and it’s a nice sort of residential neighbourhood. I don’t want that downtown feel. So, I feel like it’s destroying the residential neighbourhood atmosphere.”
Richard also put an emphasis on quality of life with the lack of and impacted green space this building will bring, due to its position in the neighbourhood. The building will cast shade on Paul Martel Park to the east, Richard said. He also argued that instead of needle towers there should be more green space for the community.
“There’s no point in building more residential buildings if the quality of life in the neighbourhood is very minimal,” Richard said. “We need some long-term planning that’s comprehensive that takes into consideration the environmental heritage, the architectural heritage, cultural heritage, and livability of the neighbourhood.”
The current building at the very corner of Bloor and Spadina was constructed in the pre-war era around 1914. In order to preserve that building, the city must assess its heritage value.
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on NEWS: Permanent pad for the Pits (Mar. 2021)
Layton leads the initiative to get skateboarding pad installed quickly
DIY skateboarding ramps and half-pipes in Sid Smith Rink are finding a new permanent home in Christie Pits. COURTESY MIGS BARTULA, CO-CHAIR OF THE TORONTO SKATEBOARDING COMMITTEE
By Mary An
Since 2017, Christie Pits Park has welcomed local skateboarders on Sid Smith Ice Rink during the warmer seasons. With more people looking to get outside and get active with limited feasible options, the “pop-up” skateboarding pad has seen a drastic increase in traffic. However, the skate pad echoed loudly, being surrounded by wooden rink boards. This resulted in a lot of community tension, since it was at the edge of the park very close to homes.
“It’s noisy, really noisy,” said Councillor Layton. “It’s not people noise, it’s constant banging, over and over again. You can imagine, like seven days a week of being up until 11 p.m. because your windows are open and can hear the noise from your windows.”
Layton said that changing it to a single, flat concrete pad, affixing obstacles to the ground, and moving the skate pad further away from homes should address the noise issues. The new pad will “allow stakeboarders to create another DIY space for immediate access,” he said. Skakeboarding will no longer be allowed in Sid Smith Rink.
Nearby resident and coordinator of Christie Pits Skateboard Park, Raelynn Pluecks, proposed the pop-up park and coordinated with the Toronto Skateboarding Committee and local volunteers to build the ramps and half-pipes that have enjoyed so much use over the past year. She says the park was necessary due to a lack of skateboarding facilities in Toronto’s west end.
“To be able to go to an existing concrete park, it takes about an hour and 15 minutes on transit,” she says.
In the fall of 2020, tensions over the pop-up park were running high in the neighbourhood. In his motion to council proposing the creation of a concrete skatepad at Christie Pits, Councillor Layton wrote that “Parks Operations staff, my office, those involved in the Christie Pits DIY skate park, and local residents have been meeting for the last three months to try and get a better handle on the noise, but with limited success due to the acoustics created by the rink boards and positioning of the rink.” He also wrote that the amenity and its use are “too great to lose for any extended period of time.”
Layton says with the project approved, his goal is to set records with its implementation and to have it operational at the beginning of the next skateboard season.
The city gained public consultation last fall through an online survey to get a better sense of what the community thinks of a permanent skateboard pad within Christie Pits Park. In a newsletter Councillor Layton sent out on February 5, he states that out of 575 completed surveys, “89.2 percent of responses are wanting to see a permanent, dedicated space created at some point in the future.”
The newsletter also identifies three potential locations, far away from homes to address the sound issue, for the permanent skate pad within Christie Pits Park: the area south of the soccer field, the area east of the washroom building, and the area west of the basketball court. All locations would need a certain amount of concrete and lighting to ensure visitors have enough space and light all year round.
According to Pluecks, there is some concern with the space of the permanent skate pad, as the proposed locations offer a significantly smaller footprint than the pop-up skateboarding pad on Sid Smith Ice Rink. Increased skateboarding traffic is also expected because the skate pad at Dufferin Grove Park is currently under construction.
Councillor Layton’s February newsletter contains yet another survey seeking input on the new skate-pad’s location, orientation and size.
“We are trying to maximize the amount of space and minimize the amount of paving that has to be added to the park,” says Councillor Layton.
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on CHATTER: Runners Shop keeps the pace during pandemic (Mar. 2021)
The Runners Shop team, celebrating one year in the Annex, includes (from L to R): Tara Lapstra, Greg Lindsay, and owner Lynne Bourque. BRIAN BURCHELL/GLEANER NEWS
March 2021 marks one year since the start of the first lockdown in Toronto under the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto. It also marks a year since The Runners Shop moved to a more visible location at 374 Bloor St. W. The store’s opening came on February 18, just four weeks before the first lockdown.
As the community aspect of running was put on hold last spring along with the city’s marathon season, The Runner’s Shop was able to step-up as a community hub for everything related to running during the pandemic. Lynn Bourque along with her team of experienced runners, Greg Lindsay and Tara Lapstra, were able to provide a coaching-type customer service along with their curbside shoe fittings.
“We’re here to serve, that’s what I’m most proud of,” says Bourque, “I want this to be a place where people feel welcome.”
The shop-local movement has been a determining factor in the shop’s success, though Bour-que commends the Annex community for supporting local businesses even before the pan-demic.
Despite the need to physically distance, many new runners joined the scene as gyms and team sports closed down.
“The great thing about running is that it’s simple, all you need to start is a pair of shoes,” says Bourque, who adds that the right running gear can make a world of a difference in terms of comfort. The shop offers all sorts of apparel and shoes meant to make the process of running as smooth as possible. Bourque pointed out a windbreaker with a channels made to wick away sweat as soon as possible, proving the apparel to be more for technical than aesthetic purposes.
The Runners Shop was first opened in 1975 by David Ellis, an accomplished runner. Though many things about running have changed about the sport since then, the thing Bourque says she most loves about it is its growth towards inclusion.
“The first Olympic women’s marathon wasn’t held until 1984,” she says. “Which means that women wouldn’t have been able to set their sights on this event when Dave opened the shop.”
In terms of getting started as a runner, Bourque urges people to connect with a friend who wants to do it too, or get your kids involved. Also, the one critical mistake she says many new runners make is that they out-distance themselves.
“Consistency is key,” she says. “As is taking breaks and building in recovery time.”
Queen’s Park, Christie Pits, King’s College circle, the Central Tech track, Bickford Park, and the ravine behind Casa Loma are some great places to get started. For more advice, call the shop at (416) 923 9702. The shop’s Facebook page is regularly updated @RunnersSHOPTO.
—Nabahat Hussain/Gleaner News
Comments Off on CHATTER: Runners Shop keeps the pace during pandemic (Mar. 2021)Tags:Annex · News
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on CHATTER: “One-legged stool” build plan quashed on Prince Arthur (Mar. 2021)
After years of opposition, many Annex residents relished the defeat of a proposed development on 64 Prince Arthur Ave. The proposal was brought to the City of Toronto twice – the first time as a 29-storey condominium building with luxury rentals, the second time as a 19-storey building. In both instances, the design was one of twisting steel and glass that would have stood in stark contrast to the low-rise brick and vine neighbourhood. At the end of January, the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) wholly dismissed the developers’ appeal.
“In summary the Tribunal finds the development proposal akin to a one-legged stool: it is built solely on the locational attributes of the subject lands,” wrote the OMB.
Councillor Joe Cressy of Ward 10 was one of the project’s most vocal opponents and in a 2018 meeting he told the developer, ADI Development Group, that the project was one of the ugliest he had seen in his time at city hall and “the city will not allow this.”
The current 2-storey building at the proposed development site is a vacant medical office. Currently ADI has not specified any future plans for the site.
—Luca Tatulli/Gleaner New
Comments Off on CHATTER: “One-legged stool” build plan quashed on Prince Arthur (Mar. 2021)Tags:Annex · News
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Organization, not talk, needed for vaccine roll-out (Mar. 2021)
We called in the army to fight COVID-19, then hired a retired general to lead the vaccine roll-out. Now, as the process stumbles forward, the general’s off with a pat on the back from our noble premier. At a press conference announcing the end of General Rick Hillier’s contract, Premier Ford told the press, “I tried to get him to renew (his contract) but, as he said, ‘Doug, I did the job I came for, we got everything set up.’’’ Yet here we are, with fewer than three quarters of our seniors over the age of 80 vaccinated and the premier still falsely blaming the Federal government for a lack of supply. The governmental incompetence on display is as astounding as it is dangerous.
Our province has been one of the hardest hit areas of Canada, yet we’re among the slowest to roll out vaccines. Ontario’s online portal for registration did not open until March 15, and by then frustrated municipalities, hospitals, and health districts had set up their own systems. So many people and organizations have pushed this roll-out forward – even the Toronto Public Library team has stepped up, calling all members over the age of 70 to help them register for their vaccination – but we have not seen the same commitment coming from our provincial government.
They were pleased to announce recently that they were “ahead of schedule,” and that the 75-80 year old cohort could begin inoculations. As good as that sounds, it is only possible because 30 percent of people over 80 did not get a dose – the prospect of long lines and the perceived risk of infection at inoculation sites served as a major deterrent. Some are homebound and there is no system in place that allows them to get vaccinated.
The province’s “ethical framework” around the vaccine roll-out is supposed to prioritize those people most at risk from COVID-19. The biggest risk factor is age, but police and firefighters have been pushed ahead in the queue. Stating that, “our cops are tops,” does not equate to a public health strategy, rather, it’s an election strategy.
Premier Ford likes to blame the federal government for problems with the vaccine roll-out, pointing to a lack of supply. Those problems have been resolved, the supply chain from Ottawa is set to triple by April. The federal government has distributed vaccines equitably, and the province is not following suit. Toronto represents 20 per cent of the province’s population, has one half of its doctors, and has received only enough vaccine from the province for 6.5 per cent of its population. Haldimand—Norfolk has received 10.8 per cent by comparison.
What we need now is an equitable and risk-based plan to get the supplied doses to the people who need them most. The race is on to get people vaccinated before COVID variants spike. We need someone like Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a top infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto and member of the task force, to take charge. Science needs to take the lead, not politics.
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on FORUM: CaféTO and ActiveTO city programs coming back (Mar. 2021)
Many reasons for optimism for the year ahead
By Mike Layton
The huge success of last year’s ActiveTO and CaféTO projects has shown that Torontonians are eager for safe opportunities to walk and bike around our city, and to patronize local establishments that have struggled over the last year. Locally, residents from across Ward 11 have seen the ways that inspiring actions taken in their neighbourhoods can significantly increase quality of life as we navigate through our recovery period.
The City of Toronto is now in a unique spot to be looking towards redefining our streets away from traditional, and one-sided, use.
More specifically, the ActiveTO program is dedicated road space that facilitates active transportation for essential trips and physical activity, and was a significant component of the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild’s COVID-19 — Impacts and Opportunities Report. It’s become clear that transportation infrastructure will be critical for Toronto’s recovery, and will ensure a pathway to build back better and prioritize investments that support key priorities all through an equity and resilience lens.
ActiveTO is composed of three main programs; Major Road Closures, Quiet Streets and Cycling Network Expansion. Over the past year, this set of programs allowed for the largest expansion of cycling infrastructure in the city’s history and supported thousands of safe cycling and walking trips.
The major road closures were short-term recurring closures (i.e. weekends and holidays) of major roadways adjacent to popular trails to provide more space for walking and cycling, thus enabling physical distancing. The program was deemed a success as thousands of people made use of it with record numbers in May and then levelling off to over 36,000 people during weekends in June, July and August.
As Transportation Services has proposed that the ActiveTO Major Road Closures program continue in 2021 and beyond, one exciting addition to this project that I would like to share is city staff’s recommendation that a Complete Street ActiveTO Pilot be installed on Yonge Street this year. The pilot will not close Yonge Street, but will see the addition of patio spaces, cycling infrastructure, and a separation between pedestrians and the roadway. Parking will still be available and drivers will still be able to travel through the area.
A midtown ActiveTO connection is essential, and it is clear that Yonge will provide the best possible route due to the number of businesses it will help support; the needed safety enhancements it will provide; its location on a subway route; and its low traffic volumes compared to Avenue Road and Mount Pleasant – the other two streets that staff evaluated.
As we continue to navigate the new and difficult circumstances created by the pandemic, I strongly believe that the Yonge Street pilot will go a long way in supporting residents and businesses. The installation of on-street patios, protected bike lanes, parking and delivery areas, and beautification measures will ensure that everyone can safely enjoy Yonge Street this summer.
In the pilot, city staff will be taking best practices learned from successful projects such as “Destination Danforth,” and adapt them to Yonge Street through consultation with businesses and residents, and through ongoing refinements based on data and community feedback. I look forward to being part of that process, and will also share the opportunities for public consultation through my newsletters and website as they become available.
I want to thank residents for contributing their ideas and support towards making our neighbourhoods more conducive to green infrastructure and active living.
As always, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with my office with your questions or concerns at Councillor_Layton@toronto.ca or by calling 416-392-4009.
Mike Layton is the city councillor for Ward 11, University—Rosedale.
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on FORUM: Vaccines, development, judicial reform dominate Queen’s Park (Mar. 2021)
Massive power grab by Ford with Omnibus Bill 245
By Jessica Bell
I was sitting near MPP Sol Mamakwa in question period, when Premier Ford accused Ontario’s only Indigenous MPP of jumping the vaccination queue after he flew into a remote community to be vaccinated.
MPP Mamakwa had been invited by First Nations leaders to address vaccine hesitancy among Indigenous people, many of whom have been traumatized by the healthcare system’s systemic neglect of their needs. MPP Mamakwa did not jump the queue.
Doug Ford’s accusation was racist. It was also an attempt to distract from the government’s messy vaccine rollout as it implies that MPP Mamakwa and First Nations people are somehow responsible for others having to wait longer for their vaccine.
Questions and concerns about the vaccine are the top reasons why residents are contacting our office. Residents want to know when they’re eligible for the vaccine, where they can register, who is being prioritized and why. These are critical questions because for some of us, COVID-19 is life threatening.
This is the largest vaccination campaign in Canada’s history. We should expect and accept a few hiccups. The biggest issue Ontario faces is a critical shortage in vaccines, which is not the provincial government’s responsibility.
Now here’s where Ontario could do better: the government factors in vulnerability, risk of exposure and age to determine vaccine priority. Experts have assessed the government’s framework as mostly ethical, but there have been some gaps.
We have been asking the government to take an equity-based approach and move people with disabilities and underlying health conditions further up the queue.
We have been advocating for the government to allocate more vaccines to postal codes that have higher COVID-19 spread, such as Scarborough and Peel.
We also want the government to do a better job of distributing vaccines fairly to accommodate the fact that some regions, like Toronto, have a higher percentage of people eligible for a shot in phase 1, like health care workers. It’s a failure to be fair that led to some public health units to vaccinate people over 80 while some PSWs working in long-term care homes in Toronto were still waiting. These equity issues should be fixed.
Ontario’s vaccine registration system is just plain bad. Every public health unit in Ontario had to set up their own registration system because the Ontario government did not have a working registration system set up in time. They had a year to get this right, and they didn’t.
If you have additional questions or concerns about the vaccine rollout that you believe I should raise with the government then please contact our office.
While vaccines dominate the news, at Queen’s Park, the government is introducing legislation that has nothing to do with health. Here are three bills that we’re debating that you should know about.
Bill 245, the Accelerating Access to Justice Act, further limits the participation of municipalities and residents in land use planning decisions.
Bill 245 merges the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal into a new mega-tribunal called the “Ontario Lands Tribunal.” This new tribunal gives adjudicators the power to dismiss a hearing without listening to the evidence, bans most appeals to tribunals, and limits everyone who is not the lead applicant to just giving written testimony at hearings. Bill 245 also gives the Attorney General more say over the judicial appointment process, politicizing a judge-selection process that is recognized as a global model of fairness and impartiality.
Bill 25, Protecting Ontario Elections Act, doubles the maximum donation Ontarians can give to a political candidate from $1650 to $3300. This is a blatant re-jigging of the rules to help the Conservatives raise more money for the next election. Bringing big money back into politics will mean that everyday people who cannot afford to donate $3300 will have even less influence over the Conservative government.
Finally, Bill 261, the Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Act gives the Ontario government even more power to use Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZOs) whenever and wherever it wants.
If this law passes, the government will not only be able to use MZOs to override municipal rules and impose its own planning rules, but will be able to exempt itself from key provisions of the Ontario Planning Act. Recently, the government has issued dozens of MZOs on land being developed by developers who have donated to the PC party. This is unethical, and not how planning should proceed at all.
Instead of debating planning laws, I believe we should be approving measures to get us through this crisis. Here are a few ideas: an eviction moratorium, more support for businesses, paid sick days, safer schools, and more funding for public health. That’s what I’m fighting for.
March 26th, 2021 · Comments Off on FOCUS: Community concerned over 225 Brunswick Ave. plan (Mar. 2021)
Former synagogue may turn residential
The one-time synagogue located on Brunswick has been offices since 1972. A developer proposes adding a floor and building seven residential units. Not all neighbours are thrilled with either the density or the change in built-form on the low-rise streetscape. LUCA TATULLI/GLEANER NEWS
By Luca Tatulli
A unique character building with an interesting history graces the corner of Brunswick and Sussex avenues in Harbord Village. In the 1930s, 225 Brunswick was a synagogue for one of Toronto’s oldest Jewish Orthodox congregations, Shomrai Shabbos Congregation. In 1972, the building came to host the Toronto School of Art. Currently, it houses four different tenants including the Annex Designers and Writers Co-op, The Childcare Resource and Research Unit, and a policy research institute.
If Kopas Developments has its way, the two and a half story building will house seven residential apartments and include an additional floor.
The building’s neighbours have voiced differing opinions, including some strong opposition to the plan.
Jeff Kopas, president of Kopas Developments, says his company has been working on the proposed development for the past three years.
“225 Brunswick is a beautiful and unique character building in our community,” his company wrote in a letter to residents dated February 21. “But it is in disrepair and having been built as a synagogue that has always been used as a commercial building it no longer has a legal usage. It makes sense to adapt it for residential usage.”
A number of residents in the community have cited issues with the development’s re-design, size, and number of units. Some residents also see the upgrades as disrespectful to the historical significance of the building and have taken issue with the proposed redesign not fitting into the existing built form of homes on Brunswick Avenue.
“I have no problem with the number of apartments specified in the proposal. I’m not concerned about parking. We need more density in the downtown area. I take issue with the postmodern eruption along the south facing roofline,” said resident Paul Aitken. “It’s in very high contrast with the style of the existing building, an aesthetic that appeals to architects and hipster wannabes but no one else. If the developer were to offer a design more respectful of the existing building and neighbourhood I would be fully supportive, but I hate it.”
Aitken has been a resident of Brunswick Avenue for 25 years and warns about the reaction many long-term residents of the area will have towards this building’s proposed change.
“People distrust change of any kind and will react badly to change that adversely affects them directly,” said Aitken further describing his and the community’s concerns.
Four residential units would be located in the basement and on the first floor while an additional three units would be located on the second and third floors. The upgrades would also see a new metal roofing and siding installed on both left and right sides of the building while retaining the same roofline. The newer roof design stands to be one of the most unique features of the building with its right angle design. The upgrades would incorporate additional balconies connected into the residential units. The proposed development’s height would increase to 12 metres from the current height of 10 metres. The total gross floor area of all additional floors covers 826.46 square metres.
The number of units and size of the proposed development has also caused concerns about waste management.
“If there are seven units in there, you’re going to face challenges with garbage and other household waste. Each household has one green bin, one blue bin, and one grey bin,” says nearby resident Katrina McHugh. “If you multiply that by seven, you’re looking at 21 disposal bins, that’s the size of a single family unit or even two units. That’s a hell of a lot of garbage that’s going to be sitting on the property.”
McHugh has been a resident of the community for 40 years and says that she believes that Kopas Developments did not properly consult her community.
“We’re not renters, we’ve all been here for over 20 years,” says McHugh of the core group opposing this development. “This is our home. The developer says, ‘our community,’ but he doesn’t live here.”
Despite the opposition from some long-term residents, the proposed development has gained some support in the community. Andrea Kristof is an architect and property owner and landlord of 155 Brunswick Ave. In her view the proposed development is a unique fit into the community that respects the historical significance of the building.
She also supports the proposed development due to being significantly smaller than other large scale developments in the Annex.
“This type of adaptive reuse is appropriate. It is a residential neighbourhood and it’s being returned to a residential usage from a commercial usage,” she says. “We need more housing units in the city of Toronto. I’m not sure we need more condos.”
Comments Off on FOCUS: Community concerned over 225 Brunswick Ave. plan (Mar. 2021)Tags:Annex · News
