SAFETY AUDIT REPORT CARD SUMMARY AUDIT DATE: March 13, 2013 AUDIT GROUP: Youth living in the area AUDIT AREA: Scarborough Village (Eglinton Ave. E, Kingston, Markham Rd) Ward 36 – Neighbourhood 139 – Scarborough Village

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

METRAC’s Safety Audit looks at how social and physical environments can make an area safe or unsafe. METRAC defines safety as ‘freedom from the threat, fear, and experience of all forms of violence, oppression, and discrimination.’

The Community Safety Audit was organized by the City of ’s Community Crisis Response team. The audit was held as part of a larger project addressing community safety concerns in south-east Scarborough. Two audits were conducted on March 13, 2013 by youth whom live in the area. One audit was of the west side of Markham Road, between Eglinton Ave E., Markham Road and Kingston Rd. while the other audit was conducted on the east side of Markham Rd, between Eglinton Ave. E., Kingston Rd. Eighteen youths (two groups of nine) conducted the audits on March 13, 2013.

Ward 36 has a higher population of people whom are: 5 - 9 years old (5.6%); 10-14 years old (6%); 15-19 years old (6.8%), 45-49 years of age (8.8%); 50-54 years old (8.6 %); 55-59 years of age (7.2 %); 60-64 years old (6.2%); 65-69 years old (4%); and 85 years and older (2.4%) compared to the City’s averages.1 The Ward has a lower population of visible minorities (36.2%) compared with the City’s average at 46.9%.2 The Ward has a slightly higher number of lone- parent families (22.8%) compared to the rest of the City at 20.3%.3 Ward 36 also has a higher percentage of people who own houses (60.9%) in comparison with the rest of the City (54.5%).4

1 http://www.toronto.ca/wardprofiles/pdf/profile-ward36-2011.pdf 2 http://www.toronto.ca/wards2000/pdf/2006/ward36_2006profiles.pdf 3 http://www.toronto.ca/wards2000/pdf/2006/ward36_2006profiles.pdf 4 http://www.toronto.ca/wards2000/pdf/2006/ward36_2006profiles.pdf Safety Audit Report Card – Scarborough Village (Ward 36) 1 Audit conducted on 13th of March 2013

WALKABOUT PHOTO SUMMARY- Group #1

Safety Audit Report Card – Scarborough Village (Ward 36) 2 Audit conducted on 13th of March 2013

SAFETY PRIORITIES- Group #1

AREA PRIORITIES RECOMMENDATIONS Eglinton Ave. 1. Sports Facilities Contact local political E., Kingston Rd. The area needs an representatives about and Markham indoor sports facility advocating for more sports Rd. that includes an facilities in the area. indoor basketball court and soccer field.

2. Lighting Contact City Councillor about The area needs better increasing lighting on public lighting. property.

3. Garbage Contact City Councillor and There is a lot of community members about garbage in the area. organizing a community clean There needs to be up day more garabge and Contact City Councillor about recycling bins. having more garbage and recycling bins in the area.

4. Signs Contact City Councillor about The area needs better having more signs in the area. signage.

5. Uneven Sidewalks Contact City Councillor about There are many repaving the sidewalks in the uneven sidewalks in area. the area.

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WALKABOUT PHOTO SUMMARY- Group #2

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SAFETY PRIORITIES – Group #2

AREA PRIORITIES RECOMMENDATIONS Eglinton Ave. 1. Security and Surveillance Contact City Councillor and E., Markham Rd The area needs more property managers about and Kingston security and installing more security Ed. surveillance features. features in the area.

2. Lighting Contact City Councillor about The area needs better increasing lighting on public lighting. property such as in the tunnel area. Contact property managers about increasing lighting on their properties.

3. TTC Contact political The area needs better representatives such as City public transit. Councillor about advocating for better transit in the area.

4. Maintenance Contact property managers, The area needs to be and City Councillor about the better maintained. maintaining the area.

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OVERVIEW OF SAFETY AUDIT RESULTS

The information below is based on the results of the survey and comments made during the safety audit walkabout. Recommendations for action were stated by participants and based on promising practices that address participants’ concerns.

A - Very Good B - Good C - Ok D - Substandard F– Poor

GENERAL Most of the participants stated they feel safe in the area. IMPRESSIONS

SAFETY SAFETY CONCERNS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION CONTACT FEATURES LIGHTING Most of the participants stated that Fix lights in the following areas: Contact Toronto some lights in the area that are burnt - The forest Hydro about broken out or broken. - Around Markington Time Square lights and clearing - Cougar Court trees blocking lights Many participants stated that lights - Along on City property.

need to be added in the area. - Behind buildings at Eglinton Ave. Report this at this

E. and Markham website:

- In Lochlevan park https://www.toronto

- Throughout the area hydro.com/sites/elect

ricsystem/residential/

Add lights in the following areas: customercare/pages/

- Entrance of forest near reportastreetlightout.

Scarborough Village recreation aspx

centre

- On Kingston Road and Contact Councillor to Scarborough Golf Club Road distribute information

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- By walkways to residents about who to contact when Provide residents with information property and City about who to contact if they see lights lights are broken and that are broken or burnt out within area. need to be replaced.

SIGNS and Some of participants stated there are Ensure there are enough signs Contact Councillor TRAFFIC signs missing or damaged in the area, identifying the area, such as street and property while others disagreed. address, map of area, etc. managers to install more signs and to Almost three-quarters of participants Ensure all signs are easy to find, read ensure signs are easy (71.4%) stated there are no signs that and understand, and are not blocked, to find and read. show where to go for help in particularly in the following areas; emergencies. - The road signs around the Contact Councillor buildings at Eglinton Ave. E. and about changing the More than half of the participants Markham Rd. timing of street lights stated there are no maps that show at Kingston Road and where major facilities are located like Ensure there are emergency signs in the . schools, police stations, etc. area explaining who to call in emergencies. Many participants stated the area does not need any additional crosswalks or Add signs in the area including: traffic lights. - No parking signs - Cougar Court sign If new signs were added in the area - Building numbers participants stated the signs should be - Stop sign at 3400 Eglinton Ave. E. in the following languages; Urdu, - Children crossing sign at Saint Tamil, and Somali. Boniface School - Children crossing sign at Mason Participants stated that the traffic is Road School

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fast at Kingston and Eglinton making it - Speed limit signs near Lochlevan difficult to cross at the intersection. park

Participants stated there needs to be a Increase crosswalk time at Kingston Rd. stop sign at 3400 Eglinton Ave. E. and Eglinton Ave. E.

Assess the timing of lights at: - Beachall Road. - Eglinton Ave. E. and Markham Rd.

FEELING Some of the participants stated they Work with community members, and Contact Councillor, ISOLATED do not feel safe using shortcuts at Councillor to create safe, well lit walking local businesses and night. routes for people in the community. community members to create safer Slightly over half of participants Assess where emergency phones are walking routes and (57.1%) stated that there are not needed in the area, such as along create a community

enough working payphones in the Markham Road. watch group in the area. area. Create a community watch group in the Just over half of participants (57.1%) area and with local businesses to form a Contact Councillor stated the area is not deserted at network of places people can go to if about installing night. they need help. emergency phones in area. A majority of participants (85.7%) Ensure community members know who stated the area is not deserted during to call in case of emergencies in the Contact Crime the day. area. Prevention Association of Over half of participants (71.4%) stated Ensure there is adequate lighting in Toronto for that if they were screaming no one parking lots. assistance in creating

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would hear them and come to help. Assess ways to address safety concerns community watch at Lochlevan Park such as adding lighting groups. Some participants stated they do not and emergency phones. www.cpatoronto.org feel safe walking across the parking lots in the area at night. Two Contact property participants stated having more lights management would make them feel safer. company to assess lighting in parking Participants stated that Lochlevan park lots. is very isolated. Contact Councillor to address safety concerns in Lochlevan Park.

SURVEILLANCE/ Most participants stated there are no Hold a community meeting to discuss if Contact local SECURITY security officers in the area. more community security features are Councillor, needed in the area, such as security community service Some participants stated that they officers. agencies and would like to have security officers in community members their area. Hold a community meeting with youth to have a meeting and police to discuss youth safety about the need for Some participants stated that there concerns in the area and to build trust more security are not enough cameras in their area, with the police in the area. features in the area. while others stated there are enough cameras. Contact Councillor, local youth groups Some participants stated they feel and police to host a comfortable talking with police officers meeting with youth while others were not comfortable. and police in the

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area. Some participants stated that there are not enough police in the area while some said there is a good amount.

Some participants stated there is a not enough police in their school, while others stated there are too many.

Some participants stated that they trust the police to protect them and their community while others disagreed.

ACCESSIBILITY Many participants stated that it is not Ensure that the area is accessible Contact Councillor to easy to move around the area if you including having flat sidewalks and ensure area is are using a wheelchair and/or stroller. pathways, sloped curbs at intersections, accessible. Some participants stated there are a ramps to entrances, and wide and lot of cracks in the sidewalks. automatic doorways. Contact property managers to ensure Participants stated that the sidewalk is Ensure sidewalks in the area are paved. all emergency exits not complete in Lochlevan park. are accessible. Ensure emergency exists are accessible Some people stated that emergency for all people to use. Contact managers of exits are not easy to use for people local public building with disabilities, while one participant Ensure that all public buildings are to unsure building stated they are easy to use. accessible, including having automatic entrances are doors, and ramps. accessible. Some participants stated that there are automatic doors and ramps to the

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public buildings in the area (i.e. library, school, stores), while the same number stated that there are no automatic doors and one person was not sure.

Participants stated that there are no ramps into buildings at Eglinton Ave. E. and Markham Rd.

YOUTH More than half of participants (71.4%) Ensure that youth in the area know Contact City SERVICES stated that if they are assaulted they where they can get help if they are Councillor, local would not know where to get help, assaulted. youth organizations while 28.6% said they did know where and schools to to get help. Participants stated they Ensure youth know of services they can provide information could get help from their friends, close access if they are feeling unsafe at to youth about relatives, brothers in the buildings and school. services in the area, kids help phone. including where they Ensure youth in the area know about the can get help if they Some participants stated that they feel community services that are available. are assaulted. safe at their school, while the same amount stated they do not feel safe. Assess why some youth do not feel Contact all levels of comfortable accessing community government Participants stated the following services. regarding increase in services are in the area: health centre, community services community centre, recreation centre, Increase services in the area, including: and programming. housing, seniors services, food bank, - recreation centre youth services, police, school, and - sports fields/courts Contact Councillor to libraries. - employment centre provide residents - leadership programs with information

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Some participants stated they feel - anti-violence programs about the community comfortable using these services, while - after school programs organizations and a few others stated they did not. Some - food bank services that are people stated they feel comfortable - schools available in the area. because the services help to make - youth services their life easier and that there are a lot - libraries of people there. Others stated they do not feel comfortable in the park, community centre, schools and shops/stores in the area.

One participant stated they would like to have more recreation centres.

The services/activities that participants would like to see more of in their community are: recreation centre, sports fields/courts, employment centre, leadership programs, anti- violence programs, afterschool programs, food bank, schools, youth services and libraries. TTC Some participants stated that TTC fares Ensure all buses are accessible. Contact local are not affordable for them and people representatives about in their community, while one Ensure all TTC bus stops are well lit, the need for lower participant stated the fares are have emergency signs, and time fares on the TTC. affordable. schedules. Contact TTC about the Some participants stated that buses in Ensure people know about the Request need for lighting, to the area are accessible, while one Stop Program. add emergency signs

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person stated they are not. and schedules at bus Assess bus routes to determine if there stops and to increase Some participants stated there are no should be an increase in bus frequency service. bus stops that need bus shelters, while in the area, particularly at night on the one participant stated there are bus following routes: Contact Councillor stops that need bus shelters. - 116 Morningside about the need for - 86 Scarborough more lighting at bus Slightly more than half of participants - 102 Markham stops in the area and (57.1%) stated that there is not enough for emergency lighting at bus stops. payphones to be located near TTC Some participants knew of the Request stops. Also ask Stop Program while one participant did Councillor to advocate not know about the program. increasing bus service in the area and to Some participants stated there are bus provide information stops that are missing time schedules, to residents about the or have inaccurate schedules. Request Stop Participants stated this was at Eglinton Program. and Mason, and throughout the area.

Many participants stated that there are bus routes that need to run later in the night. The participants that stated the buses need to run later, all referred to the 116 Morningside, 86 Scarborough, and 102 Markham buses.

MAINTENANCE Fence broken near forest and buildings Fix broken fences in area. Contact Councillor to at Eglinton Ave. E. and Markham Rd. repair fences on

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Snow needs to be removed quickly Ensure snow and weather related public property, have from walkways and sidewalks. debris is removed from sidewalks. regular snow removal on public property Put a pedestrain walkways in the Install/paint walkways in parking lot of and repave roads in Markington Square parking lot. Markington Square the area that have large potholes. Area has a lot of garbage, particularly Organize a community clean up day to along the sidewalks, in the forest and clean up the garbage in the area. Also Contact property around the buildings at Eglinton Ave. E. ensure there are enough garbage and managers to fix and Markham Rd. recycling bins in the area. broken fences on their property. Many potholes in driveways and road Repave roads with potholes. near Cougar Court. Contact property manager of Markington Square to add walkways in parking lot.

Contact Councillor to organize clean up day. SOCIAL One participant stated they had been Hold a community forum to discuss Contact community ENVIRONMENT physically, verbally or sexually discrimination and harassment in the members, Councillor harassed. area. Work with local community and community centre, organizations, police and organizations to Two participants stated that they have businesses to create safe spaces for organize a community experienced discrimination. Of the people to go if someone is being forum about participants who were discriminated harassed or feeling unsafe. discrimination and against it was based on race (100%), harassment in area. age (50%), and religion (50%). Work with Councillor, community organizations and community members Contact local

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More than half of the participants had to address issues such as drugs, organizations, seen other people be harassed or poverty, gangs, police brutality, Councillor and police discriminated against in the discrimination, housing, racism, to help organize community. homophobia, domestic violence and community meetings immigration status. and events to address Participants stated their biggest issues. concerns about their community are; Work with community members, drugs, poverty, gangs, police brutality, Councillor and local organizations to Contact Councillor discrimination, housing, racism, address any incidents of sexual assault and community homophobia, domestic violence and in the area and create prevention members to prevent immigration status. campaign in area for people to prevent and respond to sexual sexual assault in the area. assault in the area. Participants stated that there is a story of a rape that happened in Lochlevan Park.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

CITY CONTACTS

City Councillor: Gary Crawford Ward: 36 Scarborough Southwest Address: 100 West, Suite A11, Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2 Phone: 416-392-4052|Fax: 416-696-3658 Email: [email protected]

Toronto Police Services Division – 43 Division Address: 4331 Lawrence Ave. E., Toronto, ON, M1E 2T4 Phone: 416-808-4300|Fax: 416-808-4302 Website: http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/d43/ Community Response Unit Manager: Staff Sergeant Peter Moreira Phone: (416) 808-4313

Toronto 3-1-1 (formerly Access Toronto) Phone: 311 | TTY customers: 416-338-0889 Website: www.toronto.ca/311/

Toronto 2-1-1 (database of community services and organizations in Toronto) Phone: 211 | TTY customers: 1-888-340-1001 Website: www.211toronto.ca

City of Toronto Parks and Recreation Website: http://www.toronto.ca/parks/

City of Toronto Transportation Services Website: http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/

City of Toronto Solid Waste Management Website: http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/

Municipal Licensing & Standards (ML&S) Division Website: http://www.toronto.ca/licensing/index.htm

City of Toronto Apartment Standards Website: http://www.toronto.ca/apartmentstandards/home.htm

Toronto Hydro Electric System (Streetlights) Phone: 416-542-3195 Website: www.torontohydro.com Note: Contact about lights that are out and blocked by trees/shrubs. Also try to have exact location of light (ie. poll # or area/road description.)

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LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICES

Action for Neighbourhood Change (ANC) Scarborough Village Address: 3600 Kingston Road, Scarborough M1M 1R9 Phone: 416-847-4177

Canadian Red Cross- Toronto Region, Scarborough Drop-In Address: 700 Kennedy Rd. Toronto Phone: 416-267-0115 Website: www.redcross.ca

East Metro Youth Services Address: 1200 Markham Road, Suite 200, Scarborough Phone: 416-438-3697 Website: www.emys.on.ca

East Scarborough Storefront Address: 4040 Lawrence Ave E. Phone: 416-208-9889 Website: www.thestorefront.org

Griffin Centre Address: 24 Silverview Drive Phone: 416-222-1153 Website: www.griffin-centre.org

Pathways to Education – Scarborough Village Address: 3471 Kingston Rd. – unit 1 Phone: 647-351-0091 Website: http://www.youthlink.ca/pathways

Rosalie Hall Address: 3020 Lawrence Avenue East, Scarborough Phone: 416-438-6880 Website: www.rosaliehall.com

Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities Address: 3600 Kingston Road, Scarborough Phone: 416-847-4177 Website: www.schcontario.ca Youth Engagement Program Phone: 416-642-9445 ext. 4473

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Scarborough Housing Help Centre Address: 2500 Lawrence Ave. E. Phone: 416-285-8070 Website: www.shhc.org/

The Hub mid-Scabrorough Address: 2660 Eglinton Ave. E., Scarborough Phone: 416-642-9445

West Scarborough Community Legal Services Address: 2425 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 201, Scarborough Phone: 416-285-4460 Website: www.westscarboroughlegal.ca

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