Scarborough Transit Plan Rises Another $1 Billion
At a press conference this morning, Mayor Tory announced that his transit plan for Scarborough will cost $1 Billion more than previously estimated. Earlier this year, he said he'd like to put the brakes on the $3.56 Billion three-stop subway in favor of a one-stop subway to Scarborough Town Centre and an 18 stop Eglinton Crosstown East extension to the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus with the same funding.
This will require reopening the master agreement between the City, TTC and Metrolinx that currently moves forward with the fully-funded, 7- stop, Scarborough LRT that would run in its own traffic-separated corridor.
With the one-stop subway now set to cost $2.9 Billion, it appears that there will not be enough left over to build the Crosstown East LRT. Given the number of other real capital priorities facing our city, including social housing repairs and numerous transit lines, I cannot support this project.
Rather, we must move forward with the shovel ready 7-stop Scarborough LRT, connecting to the Scarborough Town Centre, that would serve far more people for far fewer tax dollars as part of a network approach to transit planning. This would include the relief subway line and waterfront transit.
For more information, please see these articles from the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail.
REMINDER: The Toronto Seniors Summit is Tomorrow!
June is Seniors' Month and I am delighted to invite you to join me, as Toronto's Seniors Advocate, at the Toronto Seniors Summit!
Date: Saturday, June 18
Time: 10am – 2pm
Location: City Hall, Council Chamber & Members Lounge
The event will be a half-day summit for provincial, municipal and community partners, including:
- an overview of seniors strategies by the elected officials of Toronto and Ontario
- a seniors celebration of Toronto's recent World Health Organization designation as a Global Age-friendly City
- an open discussion of what seniors can do to advance their needs and interests in their community and combat ageism
- an informational opportunity with City Divisions and community partner info booths
- Some remarkable entertainment!
You may register for the event here or by calling 416-392-3999.
I encourage you to come, support and participate! Make your voice heard.
Luminato Festival Panel Talk on the Condominiumization of Toronto
Next Wednesday, please join me for a panel discussion on the proliferation of condo development throughout our city and the impact it will have on communities like Midtown Toronto in the future.
Hosted by Luminato Festival, Rise & Sprawl: The Condominiumization of Toronto will take a critical approach to the condo design and development process.
Including myself, the panelists are:
- Hans Ibelings (Lecturer at University of Toronto)
- Alex Josephson (PARTISANS)
- Eve Lewis (Woodcliffe Landmark Properties)
- Nicola Spunt (Partisans Architects, Panel Moderator)
This is also an excellent opportunity to check out the Hearn, which is a revitalized industrial generating station, turned cultural hub.
I welcome you to join me on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, 5–6:30 PM, The Hearn (440 Unwin Avenue, Toronto) in "The Side Room".
More information about this event can be viewed here. For all 2016 Luminato Festival events, click here.
I hope to see you there!
Heritage Toronto Recognizes the Imperial Plaza Murals
I was delighted to participate in the official Heritage Toronto plaque unveiling for the remarkable Imperial Plaza murals yesterday!
The Imperial Oil building is an architectural landmark of Ward 22, and of the City of Toronto. It's been wonderful to see new life being brought to the building over the past few years.
Fun fact: this building’s design first appeared as part of a proposal submitted in 1955 for Toronto’s new City Hall. An international competition was later organized, and Viljo Revell's "spaceship" design was retained. And so, Toronto got not one, but two exceptional buildings!
I'm so pleased that the two murals in the lobby by York Wilson, "The Story of Oil," were retained during the conversion of the structure from an office building to a residential and commercial space. The murals are not only master-pieces in their own right but important works of public art.
Also, this momentous recognition signals just one instance of an exciting reinvention of the St. Clair West corridor (between Yonge Street and Avenue Road).
At Glenn Gould Park, I secured funds to improve the playground equipment and enliven the space, including design features that will give a nod to the brilliant, internationally-renowned pianist and local resident after whom the park is named.
Moreover, Slate Asset Management's recently acquisition of eight properties in the area, including all four corners of Yonge & St. Clair, should provide a rare opportunity to cohesively rejuvenate the St. Clair corridor.
Please click here for a National Post article about the golden past of this Midtown neighbourhood and the exciting future of artistic intervention and urban regeneration that awaits!
Eglinton Way BIA Scavenger Hunt
Please join me this Saturday (June 18) between 12pm - 4pm for the annual Eglinton Way BIA Scavenger Hunt!
There will be two registration locations: Castlewood & Eglinton Ave beside Shoppers Drug Mart; and Highbourne and Eglinton beside Crosstown Coffee.
This year's prize draw will benefit the Oriole Park PS Playground fundraiser. Tickets for the prize draw will be sold the day of the event along Eglinton Avenue West.
The Scavenger Hunt grand prizes are:
1st prize: $1000 gift certificate to Ontario Resorts
2nd prize: $500 gift certificate to Medieval times
3rd prize: TBD (value of $250)
The Eglinton Way will be animated with lots of lively entertainment during the event, including a sidewalk with everything from massages and eyebrow therapy to cold juices on sale.
Come discover all that Eglinton has to offer!
Bayview-Leaside BIA's First-Ever Sidewalk Sale
I hope to see you on Saturday, June 25 for Sidewalk Sensation, the Bayview-Leaside BIA’s first summer event!
Explore all the sensations the street has to offer – unique and lively sounds, sights, aromas and tastes.
Stroll through the tree-lined sidewalks to visit all the patios, specialty shops and retailers along Bayview Avenue from Davisville to Soudan. Entertainment will include live Latin jazz music, a strolling acoustic musician, face painters, chalk art as well as a kid’s craft event.
The event will run from 10am to 5pm. For more information, please see the event flyer here.
Celebrate Canada Day with Ward 22's Local MPs!
On Friday, July 1st you are invited to join Ward 22's two Members of Parliament, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett and Rob Oliphant, at their respective Canada Day events.
MP Bennett's annual picnic will take place once again at Wells Hill Park (470 St. Clair Avenue West at Hilton Avenue) from 12pm to 2:30pm and will include face painting, live music, dance troupes, family friendly activities and a barbeque.
MP Oliphant will be hosting two Canada DAy events: A Canada Day Picnic with the Honourable Kathleen Wynne, MPP from 12pm to 3pm at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute (135 Overlea Blvd) and a Canada Day Eid Bazaar from 3pm to 9pm at R.V. Burgess Park (6 Thorncliffe Park Drive).
Come join in the celebrations!
REMINDER: 29-31 Pleasant Blvd. Development Proposal Public Meeting
A rezoning application has been submitted to City Planning to construct a seven story office building at 29-31 Pleasant Blvd.
This meeting will take place at 7pm on June 20th at Elliot Hall, Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Street (entrance off of Heath Street West).
To speak to the planner directly, please contact Kevin Friedrich at 416-338-5740 or [email protected]. Also, you may mail your comments to the planner at Toronto and East York District, 100 Queen St W Floor 18 E Toronto On, M5H 2N2.
REMINDER: 55-65 Broadway & 89-101 Roehampton Avenue Development Proposals Joint Public Meeting
There will be two public meetings held on the same night for two separate development applications. They will both take place on June 28th at the Best Western Hotel, 808 Mount Pleasant Road, in the Eglinton Room on the 2nd floor.
A rezoning application has been submitted to City Planning to construct two 45 storey residential buildings at 55-65 Broadway Avenue. This meeting will be from 6:30pm-8pm.
A separate rezoning application has been submitted to City Planning to construct a 36 storey rental apartment building at 89-101 Roehampton Avenue. This meeting will be held from 8pm-9:30pm.
To speak to the planner directly, please contact Giulio Cescato at 416-392-0459 or [email protected]. Also, you may mail your comments to the planner at Toronto and East York District, 100 Queen St W Floor 18 E Toronto On, M5H 2N2.
To ensure you are informed and engaged about development proposals being proposed for sites near your neighbourhood, I've created an interactive webpage.
My Proposed Developments webpage has recently been updated to reflect current development applications and, as always, contains locations, staff reports and public meeting notices. Additionally, the map now shows the boundaries of the Urban Growth Centre surrounding Yonge and Eglinton, as well as the designated Avenues (portions of Eglinton Avenue West, St. Clair Avenue West, Yonge Street, Mt. Pleasant Road and Bayview Avenue). These are all areas where the Province is directing growth. Clicking on any of them will provide links to more information about the ward's Avenues/Urban Growth Centre, as well as links to the City's Official Plan and local secondary plans.
Please click here to learn more about what you can do to help free Toronto from the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).
For ongoing council and community news, my contact information, along with a calendar of events, please visit www.joshmatlow.ca. Click here to read my previous city hall and community updates.
