25-Storeys By-The-Lake Community Connections
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TORONTO EDITION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015 Vol. 19 • No. 8 Mimico plan challenged Discussions on open data 25-STOREYS COMMUNITY BY-THE-LAKE CONNECTIONS By Edward LaRusic By Leah Wong With the fi rst development proposal within the secondary plan Toronto’s open data community wants local leaders to rely area not refl ecting the Mimico-by-the-Lake vision, residents less on anecdotal evidence and more on facts when it to fear the secondary plan will be signifi cantly revised before it is comes to policy decisions. even implemented. Th is weekend open data enthusiasts, government offi cials Shoreline Towers Inc. proposes to construct a 25-storey and community organizers will come together for the building on an existing parking lot at 2313 and 2323 Lake city’s Open Data Day activities to discuss how to use data Shore Boulevard West. Th e site is east of two existing 10-storey to improve the city. Among the topics being tackled this apartment buildings that front on Lake Shore Boulevard West, weekend is how to incorporate data into neighbourhood also owned by Shoreline. revitalization policies. Mimico Lakeshore Network co-chair Martin Gerwin “Th e wonderful thing about open data in policy making told NRU that part of the issue is that this parking lot was is that it’s fact-based. Many politicians will make a lot of calls never considered for redevelopment of this nature when the based on anecdotes or platforms,” one of the organizers and secondary plan was approved. Th e plan, which is currently CitizenBridge founding member Richard Pietro told NRU. under appeal at the OMB, envisions a portion of this parking “[Open data] helps drive the conversation a lot better and at lot being used for a new public road and 20-plus m. strip of the same time takes away a lot of the rhetoric.” parkland to complement the Martin Goodman trail. Presenting a data set in a way that is accessible to the “[Staff ] didn’t foresee any redevelopment of the Shoreline average citizen can educate residents about what is happening Towers properties, unless those two [existing] 10-storey in their neighbourhoods and act as justifi cation for new buildings were taken down and replaced. Th e reason being is policy decisions. there wouldn’t be room for a roadway.” “One [of our goals] is to help the open data community For the most part, the 2013 Mimico-by-the-Lake CONTINUED PAGE 5 > advance by looking at the tough issues CONTINUED PAGE 6 > INSIDE City of opportunity Avenue appeal Richmond rezone Tackling Toronto’s 12-storey OMB approves youth unemployment building called mixed-use overdevelopment building YOUR > > > p 2 p 3 p 10 to Navigate Successful Real Estate TEAM Financing and Development Deals www.robapp.com @RobinsAppleby 2 CITY OF TORONTO EDITION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015 UPCOMING Expanding youth employment DATES BUILDING BRIDGES FEBRUARY 23 Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 By Leah Wong FEBRUARY 24 Planning and Growth Management Th e city is expanding a program that Staff plans to ramp up its eff orts to Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 partners with the private sector and attract new employers through a series of FEBRUARY 25 community service providers to improve events, including an employer reception Parks and Environment Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 employment opportunities for its March 25 hosted by Mayor John Tory. young people. While Toronto’s youth Th is event will recognize the program’s FEBRUARY 26 Economic Development Committee, 9:30 unemployment rate has declined since current employer partners and act as a call a.m., committee room 1 2012, it still sits around 18 per cent, which to action for new businesses considering MARCH 2 is double the city’s overall unemployment signing on. Executive Committee, 9:30 a.m., rate. “We have a core number of PAYE committee room 1 Th e Partnership to Advance Youth employers who work with us and we’re Parks and Environment Subcommittee Employment is a city program that now looking at diff erent opportunities on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 7:00 p.m., council chamber provides employment services to youth with sectors where there is growth (18-29 years old) from disadvantaged potential [as] markets we could go to,” said MARCH 7 Toronto Park Summit, 1:00 p.m., Daniels communities and connects them with Eisler. Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street East employers. In addition to connecting Staff is hoping the program’s MARCH 9 youth to jobs, the program provides job momentum from 2014 will continue. In Affordable Housing Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 2 coaching, workshops on resume and 2014 partnerships with 40 employers were interview preparation and networking maintained, more than 500 youth were MARCH 10 Council, 9:30 a.m., council chamber events. matched with an employment coach and Th e partnership launched as a more than 150 youth were connected to MARCH 11 Council, 9:30 a.m., council chamber pilot among private sector employers, jobs. community service providers and the Last year through the a series of deputy MARCH 23 Community Development and Recreation city in 2007. Since it became a city-wide mayor’s roundtables hosted by Ward 40 Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 initiative in 2009, around 700 youth have Scarborough-Agincourt councillor Norm MARCH 25 been hired. Kelly businesses in the manufacturing and Executive Committee, 9:30 a.m., committee room 1 “What’s made it successful is in the innovation and technology sectors, for name of the program—it’s the partnership example, indicated they are interested in that we have with the employers and the working with the city to employ its youth. community at large to come together to To date the primary focus of the program bring real opportunities, real jobs to the has been partnerships in the fi nancial and youth in Toronto,” employment and social corporate services sector, moving forward CITY OF TORONTO EDITION services director Phil Eisler told NRU. staff will be exploring CONTINUED PAGE 4 > Ian A.R. Graham, Publisher Monica Silberberg SALES/SUBSCRIPTIONS NRU City of Toronto Edition NRU Publishing Inc. Billings Department [email protected] Planning Researcher [email protected] is not to be redistributed Editorial Offi ce 34B McMurrich Street [email protected] without the written consent 26 Soho Street, Suite 330 Toronto, ON M5R 2A2 Lynn Morrow, Editor Annual subscription rate is of the publisher. Toronto, ON M5T 1Z7 Tel: 416.440.0073 [email protected] Jeff Payette, Design/Layout $369 +HST (ON). Tel: 416.260.1304 Fax: 416.440.0074 [email protected] Edward LaRusic NRU City of Toronto Edition Fax: 416.979.2707 ISSN 1918-7548 Planning Reporter Irena Kohn Complimentary trial is published 50 times a subscriptions are available. [email protected] Sales and Circulation year by email by NRU [email protected] Publishing Inc. Leah Wong Advertising rates available Municipal Affairs Reporter Twitter @nrupublishing upon request. [email protected] CITY OF TORONTO GREA TER TORONTO VANCOUVER 3 CITY OF TORONTO EDITION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015 Not on speaking terms AVENUE CONCERN By Edward LaRusic A midtown mid-rise application is heading to the Ontario Municipal Board with staff and the local residents association calling it an overdevelopment of the site. ABC Residents Association co-president John Caliendo told NRU that Dash 143 Avenue Road Corp.’s proposal for a 12-storey, mixed-use building at 143 Avenue Road is a “ridiculous overdevelopment of a small site.” Th e 1,131 sq.m.site—a parking lot—lies just south of Davenport Road on the east side of Avenue Road. It is proposed to be developed with a 42 m. building with two fl oors of commercial retail topped by 117 dwelling units. Th ere is to be 70 underground parking spaces on three levels. Following meetings with staff and stakeholders Dash N revised its application to reduce setbacks and increase the number of dwelling units from 94 and it appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board. SOURCE: CITY OF TORONTO Location of Dash 143 Avenue Road Corp. proposed development Caliendo said that his organization has three big concerns with the proposal: shadow impacts, insuffi cient setbacks and disregard for the public realm. Some of these concerns are echoed by city staff . “Th ere’s a major shadowing impact on both the Dakota building beside it and the houses on the north side of Webster Street, which is a historical conservation district,” said Caliendo. Th e staff report agrees that the shadowing by the proposed Dash development is unacceptable. It would shadow Dakota Building amenity areas at 225 Davenport Road for two or more hours during most of the year. Similar shadowing is noted on the Webster Street properties during the summer. Caliendo notes that the proposed development has no setback from the Dakota building at the eastern lot line. “[Dash] had the hutzpah to say ‘there is x separation Rendering of Dash 143 Avenue Road Corp. development looking southeast between my buildings and look at these nice trees.’ Well, all SOURCE: TEEPLE ARCHITECTS that separation and nice trees are on the Dakota side. … It’s like saying ‘I’m going to build my house to the lot line because on its parking and servicing. look at my neighbours nice backyard.’ I don’t think so.” “We’ve come up with a really innovative idea, using the Staff agrees and is recommending a rear setback of 7.5 m., Dakota condominiums driveway and service area to then which it believes would be more appropriate to a mid-rise punch a hole underground through to this site.