Portrait: Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park, Toronto March 2015

This portrait was produced by the Toronto Centre for Active Transportation, a project of the Clean Air Partnership in Toronto, Ontario.

Authors: Car Martin, Project Manager & Design Lead Mikey Bennington, Project Manager & Research Lead Overseen by Nancy Smith Lea, TCAT Director

Graphics and Research support: Hannah Nogiec, Co-op Student Gaelen Pierce, Co-op Student

*Special thanks to all members of the community mapping team who volunteered their time

Local Partners: Flemingdon Health Centre Toronto Emerging Artivists (TEA) Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee Evergreen, Health Promotion Department tcat Toronto International Film Festival, Special toronto centre for Delivery Program active transportation Architecture for Humanity, Toronto Chapter The Active Neighbourhoods project employs lessons learned from the ‘Green Active and Healthy Neighbourhoods’ pilot created by the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre and further develops the methods to suit local contexts. Each local project is divided into three phases. Documentation of phase 1 and 2 for Thorncliffe & Flemingdon can be seen on the following pages. Phase 1: Understanding The goal of the first phase is to understand the current context in the neighbourhood in order to identify potential improvements and constraints related to mobility. Different data collections methods are used to create a ‘Portrait’, including field surveys, documentation and consultation activities. Phase 2: Exploring Active Neighbourhoods Canada (ANC) is a The objective of Phase 2 is to establish a common vision, national partnership of organizations bringing define priorities for action, and create design solutions that participatory planning to 12 communities in respect the local identity and practices of the neighbourhood. Examples of methods used during this phase include a Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. We work with local Citizen’s Forum and workshops with professionals. partners in each community towards changes in the built environment that encourage active Phase 3: Building transportation, active public spaces and active, Local partners collaborate on a Community Plan outlining engaged citizens. This portrait illustrates the goals and design solutions. The plan is used as a tool first Ontario community to join the ANC project: to strategize and partner with local municipal officials, transit authorities, other levels of government, as well as Thorncliffe Park/ Flemingdon Park. It is a snapshot institutions, retailers and individuals towards the incremental of the community compiled through events, implementation of these goals. observations and secondary research. Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 3 CANADIAN ADVISORY TCAT LOCAL ACTIVE NEIGHBOURHOODS PARTNERS COMMITTEE tcat INTERNAL TEAM MEETING MEETING MEETING MEETING PHASE 1 AND 11 TIMELINE *Canadian partners *A group of local experts *meetings between *Local team include include the Montreal in urban planning/ design, Project Managers, TCAT representatives from local Urban Ecology Centre public health & community Director & students partner organizations (ie, and Sustainable Calgary engagement Flemingdon Health Centre

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PREPARATORY PHASE PHASE 1: UNDERSTANDING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

January 2014 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014

Activities: Activities: Activities: Activities: *Reach out to potential local *Held Negotiation fair with local *Lead exploratory walk as part of *Convened community mapping partners in Ontario communities partners to determine possible Jane’s Walk and collected team, trained participants in programming intersections & to qualitative data various mapping & data collection plan phase 1 activities *Collaborated with STEPS & TEA methods (5 days of mapping) on 100 in a Day: Pop-up public *Collaborated with TEA Youth to space and Miniature city mapping support successful application for activity Nxt City Prize

Activities: Activities: *Determined partners and *Public Launch of project at community network for ﬁrst project Neighbours Night Out *Drafted Memorandum of *Held booth at Neighbours Night Understanding as a group Out, collecting qualitative information about the neighbourhood and welcoming local oﬃcials to the project

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 4 CANADIAN ADVISORY TCAT LOCAL ACTIVE NEIGHBOURHOODS PARTNERS COMMITTEE tcat INTERNAL TEAM MEETING MEETING MEETING MEETING PHASE 1 AND 11 TIMELINE

tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat tcat

PHASE 1: UNDERSTANDING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PHASE II EXPLORING SOLUTIONS

August 2014 September2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 January 2015 February2015 March2015

Activities: Activities: Activities: Activities: *Lead ravine bike ride & discussion *Held TIFF teen mapmaking & stop *Share portrait draft with partners *Professional workshop planning group with staﬀ from Evergreen motion workshop at the and incorprated feedback and advertising *Hosted Film Screening with TIFF Flemingdon Health Centre *Finalize Neighbourhood Portrait &Thorncliﬀe Women’s Committee *Participated in the Flemingdon *Held Young Urbanist Summer Urban Fair Camp at Flemingdon Health Centre

Activities: Activities: *Compiled and synthesized *Held professional workshop at the qualitative data Aga Khan Centre with guest from all phase 1 activites speakers *Drafted Portrait document *Planning citizen forums to follow professional workshop

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 5 Contents

INTRODUCTION TO THE Page 7 NEIGHBOURHOOD

PHYSICAL & SOCIAL Pages 8-15 CHARACTERISTICS

MOVEMENT PATTERNS Pages 16-21

PUBLIC SPACE Pages 22-24

SUMMARY OF KEY Page 25 CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

SOURCES Page 26

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 6 Introduction

Welcome to Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park, two vibrant and unique neighbourhoods in Toronto, Ontario. Thorncliffe and Flemingdon were two of Toronto’s first planned communities, completed in the late 1960’s. They are considered inner suburbs, lying just North East of the Metro Toronto core and are easily accessible by public transit. The two communities sit on either side of the beautiful Don Valley Ravine and the Don River that runs through it. Most residents live in towers that overlook the greenery and the buildings are

a common sight to motorists travelling along the

A Don Valley Parkway.

W Thorncliffe and Flemingdon are diverse L

R neighbourhoods that serve as landing pads

don for new Canadians. The typical resident has a

Toronto N

riv Y

er O

E lower than average income, a fact common to

D L

R L

O neighbourhoods of this type: ‘Vertical Poverty’,

RR A

O C TRIC V a recent study by the United Way shows that LEC N E O “poverty is becoming increasingly concentrated RO D D D VAR Y ULE vertically in the high-rise towers that dot the city’s

H BO

A skyline” (United Way 2011). e

E v i r Flemingdon L th

R o d rn E c k li r V ffe a This portrait will serve as a diagnostic tool to p O understand the local opportunities and challenges towards healthier, more active public spaces that Thorncliffe encourage walking and cycling. Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 7

Esri, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community, Esri, HERE, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community

Physical and Social Characteristics Separated Land Use .

D Thorncliffe and Flemingdon were developed in

L the 1960’s following urban planning ideals that

I M

promoted distinctly separated land uses. The

O D romance of the automobile was in full swing and the assumption that everyone would own a car in Thorncliﬀe Flemingdon these neighbourhoods was prevalent. Neighborhood Zoning 3 Zoning LVD CR - Commercial Residential B E - Employment Industrial LEA The illustrations on the left show us that land VER FZBL - Former Zoning By Law O O - Open Space OR - Open Recreational uses are clustered, first in a map view and second 1 RA - Residential Apartment 2 RD - Residential Detached from photos taken by members of our community RM - Residential Multiple RT - Residential Townhouse UT - Utility mapping team. When uses are clustered like this it takes a long time to walk from place to place, favouring automobile or transit users.

Source: Official Plan, City of Toronto Source: Community mapping team Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park are important areas because they were the first of their type to be built in Toronto, of which approximately 1000 were built in the 20 years 1 Thorncliffe Park Drive West, just North of Overlea following (ERA Architects 2008). Understanding the public realm in these communities could thus be useful for many other communities in the GTA. Recent research into these neighbourhoods has shown that restrictive land use planning is one of 2 Thorncliffe Park Drive East the biggest challenges to creating more vibrant public spaces. Through concerted efforts new mixed use zoning guidelines come into effect in the summer of 2015, allowing for new uses to be mixed into residential areas. 3Gateway Boulevard, just East of Don Mills Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 8 Physical and Social Characteristics Tower in a Park

With some exceptions, the residents of Thorncliffe

and Flemingdon dwell in high rise apartment

D buildings. These modern towers were designed

I to maximize density while leaving generous

N O amounts of open space for recreation & parking. D This typically means that each property has 80- 90% open space. (ERA Architects 2010). These

planned tower communities were a response EA ERL OV to a housing boom after the war and to an Thorncliﬀe Flemingdon Figure Ground influx of immigrants to Toronto. This approach Building Figures was originally introduced by Le Corbusier in his controversial plan for Paris (shown on the R.V. Burgess Park left, unbuilt) as a response to overcrowding and Source: Le Corbusier, Villa Radieuse Published 1933 disease in industrialized cities.

Open space can be attractive and vibrant, or R.V. Burgess Park it can be desolate and scary. The physical form goes a long way in determining this. On the left we see R.V. Burgess Park in Thorncliffe. It is seen as a community hub and is a well-used, vibrant public space. The park is centrally located, it is overlooked by many towers, it has amenities and has benefited from the events & stewardship of the engaged residents. A central public space of this type does not exist in Flemingdon Park, although a new group, the Flemingdon Urban Fair Committee is now working to create similar events and spaces. Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 9

Physical and Social Characteristics Abundant Green Space

O D

Thorncliﬀe Flemingdon Green Space

Built Form LEA VER Open Space O Park Space walking and cycling for recreation and exersize River Walking Paths are relatively rare in these communities, even though they are situated on magnificent walking and cycling trails in the Don Valley. Access to Ravine (Flemingdon) Access to Ravine (Thorncliffe) This summer, community members gathered to discuss access to the ravines while riding bikes to the Evergreen Brickworks to highlight The goal of creating accessible connections the rich connections the neighbourhood has to between residents and ravine trails was a part city resources. Clear signage, better seasonal of the original intention of these communities. maintenance and dedicated bike lanes were all Through qualitative research and fieldwork mentioned as important measures to making we have seen that the connections today are the trails more accessible. It was also noted by very limited and uninviting. While walking and community members regarding park space within cycling rates are relatively high in Thorncliffe and the neighbourhood that even though there is lots Flemingdon, a recent asset mapping exersize of space for recreation, it is often separated by showed that interest and engagement in physical fences, making it less useful and inviting. exersize is very low (Wijesuria 2010). It seems that

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 10 Physical and Social Characteristics Arrival City Flemingdon Park Resident Generation Status Thorncliffe Park Resident Generation Status Thorncliffe and Flemingdon are ‘arrival cities’, they are examples of the neighbourhoods on the edges of cities around the world that are spaces of transition for those migrating from other places. In his book of the same title Doug Saunders describes arrival cities as the future centres of innovation and economic development that will shape our urban existence (Saunders 2010) “Yesterdays villagers and immigrants become today’s urban merchants and tomorrows professionals and political leaders” (Saunders

1st Generation 2nd Generation 3rd Generation 1st Generation 2nd Generation 3rd Generation 2010). Flemingdon Park Visible Minorities Thorncliffe Park Visible Minorities Chinese Arab Asian Multiple Japanese Southeast Not a visible minority South Asian

Korean West Asian Filipino Filipino

Latin American Black

Not a visible minority Flemingdon Park Thorncliffe Park Chinese South Asian West Asian West

Southeast Asian Median Income 2005 Black Other Median Income 2005 Multiple Source (all images on this page): 2006 National Census Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 11 Physical and Social Characteristics Youth Voice There are a lot of young people in Thorncliffe and capacities to try and understand what their Flemingdon. Youth make up a disproportionately concerns and ideas are for the future of their large share of the population when compared streets. These activities have served to amplify with the City of Toronto at large. With rising rates their voice and their vision for the neighbourhood. of childhood obesity and plummeting rates of active travel to and from school across Canada, Local youth know these streets well and have a there is an effort to promote safe, daily active lot of great ideas, some of which are seen on the transportation among youth and address the next two pages. The images below are drawings barriers to active school travel (Active Healthy from the Young Urbanist Summer Camp held Kids Canada Report Card 2014). Because at the Flemingdon Health Centre. During this pedestrians and cyclists, particularly young ones, camp, youth ages 10-13 explored and designed are vulnerable road users that have an increased imaginative solutions to address and improve risk of injury when interacting closely with motor public spaces, the environment and local active Percentage of Youth compared to Toronto Average vehicles, these efforts must also address barriers transportation. The images propose ideas for the Source: Toronto Neighbourhood Profiles that exist in the urban design of communities. intersection at Don Mills and Overlea, and nearby on Don Mills Rd. where there is an obscured We have been working with youth in different entrance to the ravine trail system.

Green roofs on the local schools and green A pedestrian scramble, more street trees and A new crosswalk on Don Mills south of pedestrian paths connecting them over the better lighting at Don Mills and Overlea. Overlea that leads to an improved path to busy intersection at Don Mills and Overlea. access the Ravine, a bike lane and a kiosk in the apple tree that sells apple pies! Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 12 Physical and Social Characteristics Youth Voice In addition to the Young Urbanist Summer Camp, we worked alongside local teens through

St. Dennis Drive our partnership with the youth-lead public arts group, Toronto Emerging Artivists (TEA). Their mission is to bring communities together and foster discussions of local issues, with a focus on ve Dri ble no activating public spaces. re G

atew The schematic design to the right represents d G ay B a lv o d. R

l a wayfinding and place-making project they

n o proposed for an underused and uninviting D area in Flemingdon. This was submitted to, and recognized by the 2014 NXT City Prize design competition as the strongest submission from a team under 18 years of age. The project is being A wayfinding mosaic propsed for Vendome Place - a part of Flemingdon that further developed by TEA as they work towards is confusing to navigate and which feeds into residents’ concerns about safety. the goal of improving wayfinding and public space in their community.

The two images below are from a stop-motion animation workshop done with local teens to both examine their favorite places in the neighbourhood, and illustrate their vision for these places through animation. The videos revealed interesting ideas on how to create fun and inviting spaces in the ravine. They display a desire for A tree house in the ravine - an interesting A slide under the bridge leading down to the improved access to this natural public asset. places that invites you to play in nature. ravine trails - a fun and unconventional way to travel! Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 13 Physical and Social Characteristics 8-80 Cities Report 2010 In 2010 8-80 cities undertook an engagement project in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon to collect CICLOVIA PROGRAM IN THORNCLIFFE ideas towards more livable communities. We have AND FLEMINGDON used their recommendations as guides in the ANC PEDESTRIAN SCRAMBLES Ciclovia/Car-free Sundays are programs project. The recommendations are summarized in AT BIG INTERSECTIONS where the streets are opened to people the image on the left. Pedestrian scrambles are and closed to cars for a few hours on Sunday intersection systems that stop Our observations and conversations allow us to all vehicle traffic and allow add some updated information to these long term pedestrians to cross in every goals. First, the current construction schedule RE-CREATING PLACES: makes Ciclovia programs and street closures direction TRANSFORMING EXISTING unlikely for some time. SPACE INTO GREAT PUBLIC SPACE Reclaim underused spaces such as CONNECT THE DON VALLEY Re-creating places is an important goal using empty parking lots & space around short-term easy to implement ideas, the ample TRAIL TO THORNCLIFFE AND the hydro corridor and activate them existence of open space provides opportunities for FLEMINGDON with amenities and activity spaces such actions. The trail is far too hidden when it should be easily accessible, ‘Pedestrian scrambles’ is a suggestion that safe and convenient for those deals with a perrenial issue in Thorncliffe and of all ages and abilities to enjoy Flemingdon: The schools and religious intitutions let out large numbers of people, forcing the streets and intersections to accommodate massive increases in volume at certain times.

The connections to the ravine continue to be poor and improvements in this realm would go a long way towards encouraging active transportation.

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 14 Physical and Social Characteristics Building on Momentum Great strides forward have been made in Residents themselves have done great work bins, lights, picnic tables, and the first of its kind, a Thorncliffe and Flemingdon. Both internal towards enlivening public space. Over the past permanent outdoor Tandoor bake oven. community organizing and policy changes are 6 years the Thorncliffe Women’s Committee starting to show improvements in the public realm. has enabled arts and fitness programming, a As a tool to complement recent changes in zoning, community garden, park beautification, community The Centre for Urban Growth and Renewal One example of this progress is a sidewalk that engagement and advocacy improving park recently published a report that offers strategies was previously a dirt path leading to the food infrastructure, a very famous Friday community for improving apartment neighbourhoods some of store Iqbals. The city responded to the desires of bazaar with local performances, park clean- which provide important guidance for improving the community for better pedestrian conditions. ups and environmental education. Its advocacy active transportation and public space in This is exactly how positive change happens: coupled with City commitment has resulted in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon. through incremental changes in key pieces of the park receiving used playground equipment, infrastructure that effect people’s daily travel. a renovated splash pad, new swings, benches,

2011 Paul Hess and Jane Farrow publish Walkability in High Rise Neighborhoods. Using qualitative and quantitative June 2008 measurements of walkability The Flemingdon Health Centre from eight study areas, the develops its Ravine Advocacy report presents findings on Initiative, raising awareness 2009 2010 issues of walkability in high-rise about the unclean and unsafe The “You Belong” Youth 8-80 Cities publishes neighborhoods. conditions of the Flemingdon Participatory Action Research its Liveable Community Park Ravine. Project publishes its report Project Thorncliffe Park and January 2011 with the support of the Flemingdon Park. The report Poverty by Postal Code 2 - Flemingdon Health Centre. draws key recommendations Vertical Poverty is published June 2013 2008 Its assets based approach to on improving the pedestrian by the United Way of Greater Rezoning application November 2003 iVote Toronto Campaign community building highlighted realm, improving connections Toronto. The report illuminates submitted for 42-46 Overlea TNO publishes first Needs arrives in Thorncliffe. It works the gaps and assets in services to the Don Valley park system, trends in declining income, Boulevard for a Costco June 2014 1985 Assessment Report in 2005 to increase voter turnout in as well as recommendations creating separated bicycle housing quality, and community Warehouse Membership Club. Toronto’s first 100 in a Day Thorncliffe Neighborhood collaboration with United Way Thorncliffe Youth Centre the district. for further youth oriented lanes, and improving access to life in Toronto’s high-rise Site plan application has also event spurs intervention Office (TNO) is formed. of Greater Toronto opens. programming. public spaces. neighborhoods. been submitted. projects across the city.

1985 1999 2003 2004 2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2014

1972 1999 2004 October 2005 2008 2010 2011 2013 Upcoming Flemingdon Health Centre Settlement and Education Tales form the Toronto: 10 Part City of Toronto officially Thorncliffe Community With support of the Toronto The Metcalf Inclusive The Flemingdon Urban Fair City of Toronto will be opens to the community. Partnership in Toronto (SEPT) Series about life in Thorncliffe identifies Flemingdon Park as a Wellness Centre opens. Centre for Community Local Economies - Resilient Committee emerges to work revealing its Toronto Strong begins work with TNO. Park by Jan Wong debuts in priority area for neighborhood Learning and Development, Neighborhood Economies pilot towards addressing community Neighborhoods Strategy 19xx the Globe and Mail renewal. 2008 the Flemingdon Park project begins in Thorncliffe. issues and priorities. 2020 in the coming year. Flemingdon Neighborhood The Tower Renewal Project Neighborhood Needs A framework for strategic Services and Flemingdon April 2004 October 2005 forms in collaboration with Assessment Report investments and partnerships Neighborhood Services Youth Poverty by Postal Code is United Way of Greater ERA Architects, City of Community Well Being is will be made to strengthen begin programming for the publushed by the United Toronto reveals its Strong Toronto, CMHC, and the published. It identifies gaps targeted communities. community. Way of Greater Toronto. the Neighborhoods Report aimed University of Toronto. The between community needs and report illuminates trends in at neighborhood renewal initiative would spur years available services. declining income, housing and identification of priority of programs and research in quality, and fmaily poverty in neighborhoods Toronto and the GTA. 2010 some of TOronto’s high poverty 2008 Go Green Cricketfield forms neighborhoods. as a grassroot committee to A HISTORY OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN Thorncliffe Park Women’s work towards the development Committee is formed in 2008 of a sustainable multi-sport with a vision of revitalizing cricket field for at risk youth THORNCLIFFE PARK & FLEMINGDON PARK public spaces in TP (RV in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Burgess Park) and Park. Ground has been broken as of the fall of 2013 empowering women to make a completion of the project is difference in their community expected in fall of 2014. and public space Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 15 Movement Patterns Frequent Transit Service Flemingdon Park Mode split Thorncliffe Park Mode Split Public Transit Service Frequency Map 20 65 60

EGLINTON

I M

315 N

O D 630 EA RL VE O

635 510

Frequent Service- 10 min or better during daytime hours 105 Regular Service- every day until 1 am Limited Service (often not evenings & weekends) Car, as driver Car, as passenger Public transit Walk, bike Other Car, as driver Car, as passenger Public transit Walk, bike Other Express-limited service Community Bus Service Proximity to downtown and relatively high and cycling compared to the GTA average (ERA density ensure excellent transit access for both Architects 2010). Thorncliffe and Flemingdon are communities. Buses travelling along Don Mills and no exception to this rule. Overlea connect with many subway stops or other important destinations. A direct consequence of this lower than average car ownership is a large number of underused Recent research on tower neighbourhoods in the parking spaces both in buildings and surrounding Toronto area has shown that these communities them. Many community members share the idea generally have lower car ownership rates, higher that these spaces could be activated in more transit user rates and higher rates of walking interesting ways.

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 16 Movement Patterns Pedestrians & Cyclists Friday July 25th Friday July 25th Saturday July 26th

9-11am 12-2pm 445 12-2pm 430 841 19 52 14

462 395 422 40 430 22 1361 29 297 14 42 9 PEDESTRIAN & CYCLIST COUNTS Flemingdon and Thorncliffe are both The graphics above show average rates of neighbourhoods that see a high rate of pedestrian pedestrian and cyclist travel counted by the activity. A walkability workshop carried out in community mapping team in the summer during daily average Thorncliffe in 2009 showed that walking was the hours shown above, and then multiplied by FRIDAYpedestrians/cyclists the dominant form of transportation within the expansion factors to reach daily averages. 1. Thorncliffe & Overlea: 6018/188 neighbourhood. Further, 84% of participants 2. Thorncliffe Park West: 2629/165 reported that most travel to work or school was One important thing that we observe in the 3. Overlea & Don Mills: 3958/200 done within the neighbourhood (Hess and Farrow pedestrian traffic is the tendency for it to ebb and 2009). flo with the schedules of institutions such as the schools and the Mosque. This has a tendency to daily average Although cycling is not a prevalent form of overwhelm the sidewalks and intersections. SATURDAYpedestrians/cyclists 1. Thorncliffe & Overlea: 2228/68 transportation within the neighbourhood, it is 2. Thorncliffe Park West: 2553/221 common to see recreational cyclists connecting Walkscore Thorncliffe: 71 3. Overlea & Don Mills: 2459/105 with the Don Valley trails especially on weekends. Walkscore Flemingdon: 63 Source: www.walkscore.com Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 17 Movement Patterns Street Audit Thorncliffe and Overlea Thorncliffe Park Drive East Overlea and Don Mills On a beautiful summer day we went out with Crossing the street: Crossing the street: Crossing the street: the community mapping team-a team made • No audible signal • No audible signal • No audible signal • Crosswalk paint needs updating • Crosswalk paint needs updating • Push to walk signal is not available up of residents and interested volunteers to Sidewalks: • The median has no curbcut • There are cracks in the intersection assess the functionality of the streets near our

• The sidewalks are not wide enough Sidewalks: Sidewalks: • The sidewalks are interrupted by drives • The sidewalks are not wide enough • Don Mills sidewalks not wide enough three focus areas featured on the left. We used • Curbs not marked for visually impaired • Sidewalks are interrupted by driveways • There is no buffer between sidewalk/traffic a standardized street audit tool created by the • Benches are needed Comfort and Appeal: • Curbs are not marked for visually impaired American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). • There are many shortcuts, bumpy curbcuts • Shade trees are too small and too D LV Although there was quite a bit of variation across sparse Driver behavior: AY B TEW • The landscaping is patchy and poorly • Drivers do not yeild to pedestrians, GA areas, the two most common comments were maintained especially at right turns • Benches and places to sit are needed about a lack of seating and a need for wider • Some of the bus stops do not have sidewalks.

shelters D

• There is trash on the pathways to the A

O R

restaurants and around the entrance to S

L L

the mall I M

ARD D ULEV A BO Driver behavior: RLE VE O • Drivers do not yeild to pedestrians • Drivers seem to be speeding Safety: • Car speeds are too fast Comfort and Appeal: • There is too much traffic • Benches and places to sit are needed • Drivers are distracted T • A sidewalk is needed leading to bus stop • There is suspicous/criminal activity HO R • The bus stop needs better shelter • Signs are not always clear NC LI FF E Comfort and Appeal: PK .D • Benches and places to sit are needed R. • Bus stops do not have shelter/ benches • The bus stop needs better lighting OVERALL RATINGS • Don Mills is very loud, trees would help EXCELLENT

POOR Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 18 Movement Patterns Focus area 1 Overlea is considered an attractive street, with Linden trees lining the sidewalks and the median, THORNCLIFFE PARK DRIVE WEST contributing to pleasant sites and smells. Seating areas can be found nestled in the trees near the Tim Horton’s. Through discussions on Jane’s walk and other conversations we learned that the OVERLEA BOULEVARD imminent redevelopment of the area for a Costco is very controversial. People expressed concerns TIM over the street trees and medians being destroyed HORTON’S in an effort to accommodate more traffic for the GAS BAR store.

The Mosque, located just beyond the bounds, Northeast of this intersection accommodates large groups of people at specific times of the day and week. This critical mass, similar to school traffic creates heavy burdens on pedestrian infrastructure at certain times. Solutions created and validated by the community include a pedestrian scramble at this intersection and widening sidewalks along Thorncliffe Park Drive, Focus area 1: where most residents travel from. Overlea & Thorncliffe Park Drive West scale 1”=50’

1”=50’

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 19

1”=100’

1”=75’ Movement Patterns Focus area 2 Focus areas 2 and 3 are in need of better signage at minimum, to improve access to the ravine trails. THORNCLIFFE PARK DRIVE EAST RK PA Access to the ravine was brought up in many ON AT SE contexts as a major opportunity for improving .T. E O T active transportation in these communities. AD RO 71 In Focus area 2 the need for more crosswalks on Thorncliffe Thorncliffe Park Drive was identified by a number of residents. The 2009 walkability workshops in Thorncliffe also highlighted interest in another crosswalk on Thorncliffe Park Drive West to accommodate all of the current jay-walkers (Hess and Farrow 2009). Similarly, community mappers noticed the tendency for people to cut across paths and make shortcuts-suggesting1”=50’ that the 54 right-of ways do not provide the most convenient Thorncliffe paths.

Focus area 2: Thorncliffe Park Drive East

scale 1”=100’ 1”=100’ Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 20

1”=75’ Movement Patterns Focus area 3 1”=50’

GAS BAR

RAVINE ENTRANCE GATEWAY BOULEVARD

Focus area 3 encapsulates both an entrance to the ravine and a major intersection with two large schools on either side. Concerns about 1”=100’ safety at this intersection were brought up by DON MILLS ROAD community members particularly regarding the large volumes when school gets out and also

OVERLEA MARC GARNEAU HIGHSCHOOL BOULEVARD the tendency for young people to run across the road. A fatal car accident in the previous year was brought up as an example of these dangers. Valley Park Middle School was recently Focus area 3: ranked by a Global News article as one of the most dangerous schools for pedestrians. Overlea and Don Mills Don Mills is seen as loud and inhospitable by the community members we talked to. Street trees were suggested as a buffer to traffic noise.

scale 1”=75’ 1”=75’ Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 21 Public Space Popular Destinations Thorncliffe & Flemingdon are home to some important destinations of all kinds. The graphic Sunny’s Food Market & Shops on the left highlights some of the important destinations that came up in mapping activities with community members. Sunny’s Food Market Ontario Science Centre is a covered outdoor plaza with a large grocery store and many other shops. The Ontario Science Centre is a landmark and destination for the whole city, bringing families and school groups Don Mills & Overlea into the neighbourhood regularly. Don Mills and Overlea is an important intersection with two schools: Valley Park Middle School and Marc East York Town Centre Garneau Highschool. The East York Town Centre and R.V. Burgess Park form the central nodes in Thorncliffe and both ‘Iqbals’ a South Asian grocery store, sweet store and restaurant and the Mosque R.V. Burgess Park are found in a small shopping plaza Northeast of Overlea. Islamic Society of Toronto Iqbals

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 22 Public Space Amenities This map, created by the community mapping team explores the possible destinations from a

4 In 5 minutes I can walk 3 to..... given location. We deployed groups to the three 9 10 11 focus areas and walked in each direction for five minutes, noting all the publicly accessible

4 destinations on the map. This exersize is based 1 on the idea that most people will choose to walk 1 2 as a means of transportation when something is

8 8 5 minutes away. These maps provide illustrations 2 8 8 of the density of amenities and of walking 18 8 9 11 18 5 1 1 opportunities present in the neighbourhood. 17 1 8 2 8 6 2 1 9 6 17 “While Thorncliffe Park is walkable, it is not very 1

4 11 4 1 sit-able” (Hess and Farrow 2009). A desire 10 11 16 10 8

8 1 for more benches in both Thorncliffe and in 14 7 8 11 9 4 8 8 Flemingdon was brought up in many of the 4 4 11 8 4 *6 green spaces *2 schools *1 retail store *1 2 7 11 conversations we had. Benches go a long way in 4 10 10 6 7 community centre *5 bus stops *1 pump sta- 10 7 8 3 10 9 15 tion *1 health clinic *1 public meeting space enlivening the public realm. If people are going 10 11 10 3 14 10 14 4 4 *public phone 8 9 4 2 to spend time in public for anything other than 10 7 2 1 8 movement, benches are necessary. 4 10 14 8 4 20 6 *3 green spaces *3 schools *1 grocery store *5 12 8 retail stores *2 religious institutions *5 banks 4 While the amenities and destinations in Thorncliffe *9 bus stops *2 pump stations *7 restaurants 14 8 *3 health clinics *1 non-proﬁt service *1 funeral and Flemingdon may seem plentiful from this map, home it is still lacking in diversity of destinations when 8 *1 green space *1 school *2 grocery stores *11 compared to more compact walkable areas. This retail stores *2 religious institutions *4 banks is why current changes in zoning that take effect *7 bus stops *1 pump station *8 restaurants *3 health clinics *1 government service *5 non this summer (2015) are so important, as they proﬁt services *1 mailbox will allow for the addition of new uses within the strictly residential areas. Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 23 Public Space Stewardship A recent publication benchmarking the success of municipal voting. In other words, we can infer that for these actions to make lasting change. It is Toronto neighbourhoods highlights 4 areas where the population is engaged and there is plenty of important to note that much of the open space Flemingdon and Thorncliffe are falling critically open space that can be activated. inThorncliffe and Flemingdon is privately owned. behind: unemployment, social assistance, low The maintenance of grounds and landscaping income and marginalization. While these factors As a reflection of these qualities (detailed on page consequently is often varied depending on the provide many obstacles to the overall health 14), it is evident that residents have become active practices of each company. of the neighbourhood, two areas stand out as stewards of their local environment, however ranking above average: green space and levels of it is important to engage other institutions One consequence of private ownership is the presence of fences between properties. The existence of these fences are not necessarily welcome by residents. A discussion with some teens in the neighbourhood made us aware that the use of greens for sports is inhibited by the fences dividing up the space.

On publicly owned land, the community has identified trash as an ongoing issue. This was reported in the needs assessment survey (Wijesuria 2010) as well as in many of our recent engagement activites. It was also noticed by community mappers that the presence of illegal ‘dumping grounds’ at points of connection between the city and the ravine is prevalent.

Stewardship of the built environment is the responsibility of private landowners, the City of Toronto, and the local resident’s who call it home. Finding complementary goals within all of these Source: Urban Heart Matrix, Centre for Research on Inner City Health interests is key to improving shared spaces. Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 24 Summary of Opportunities and Challenges Through engagement activities, as well as primary and secondary research, we found a series of opportunities that exist within the Opportunities Challenges neighbourhood that could have potential to encourage more active • Ample open space is available • Poverty and Marginalization impacting neighbourhoods. On the other • Proximity to the ravine & recreation trails ability to engage & associated with poor hand, there are a series of key • Cultural diversity (as an indicator of health indicators challenges standing in the way of innovation) • Restrictive land use planning • Recent changes in land use zoning will • Perception of crime in isolated public that path. This is not exhaustive list, allow for new amenities and destinations spaces but a summary of the most relevant • Local examples of great public space such • Poor access points to Don Valley ravine issues. as R.V. Burgess Park • Unnecessary fences dividing up private • Socially engaged residents property • Great transit access (less reasons to drive) • Large arterial roads are both barriers to • Underused parking lots provide potential pedestrians & can be dangerous and/or for creative uses inhospitable • Existing culture of pedestrianism • high differentials in pedestrian traffic flow • Considered a ‘strong neighbourhood’ overwhelms infrastructure meaning the City of Toronto recognizes the • Flemingdon Park can be difficult to importance of investment in these areas navigate • Lack of amenities such as benches and trash bins make public space uninviting

Active Neighbourhoods Canada • Thorncliffe Park & Flemingdon Park 25 Sources

1. 8-80 Cities, ‘Liveable Communty Project: Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park’ Toronto, Canada. 2010. 2. Active Healthy Kids Canada (2014). Is Canada in the Running? The 2014 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. Toronto: Active Healthy Kids Canada. Cain, Patrick and Elkady, Terry, ‘Toronto’s Ten Most Dangerous Schools for Pedestrians’, Global News, Toronto, Canada. 2014. 3. City of Toronto, ‘City of Toronto Neighbourhood Profiles: Flemingdon Park’. Toronto, Canada. 2011. 4. City of Toronto, ‘City of Toronto Neighbourhood Profiles: Thorncliffe Park’. Toronto, Canada. 2011. 5. Centre for Research on Inner City Health, ‘Urban Heart @Toronto: An Evidence-based Standard for Measuring the Well-being of Toronto’s Neighbourhoods’. St. Michael’s Hospital. Toronto, Canada. 2014. 6. ERA Architects (Ed.), ‘Mayor’s Opportunities Book: City of Towers’. Toronto, Prepared for the City of Toronto, Canada. 2008. 7. ERA Architects et al. ‘Tower Neighbourhood Renewal in the Greater Golden Horseshoe: An Analysis of High-Rise Apartment Tower Neighbourhoods Developed in the Post-War Boom (1945-1984)’. Toronto. Ontario Growth Secretariat, Ministry of Infrastructure. Toronto, Canada. 2010. 8. Hess, Paul and Farrow, Jane, ‘Walkability in Toronto’s Apartment Neighbourhoods: Preliminary Report of Thorncliffe Park Walkability Workshop’. University of Toronto Department of Geography, Toronto, Canada. 2009. 9. Nayanthi Wijesuria, ‘Flemingdon Park Neighbourhood Needs Assessment Report-Community Well-being’ Toronto: Centre fo Community Leadership and Development, Immigrant Women Integration Program, Toronto, Canada. 2010. 10. Saunders, Doug, ‘Arrival City: The final migration and our next world’. Toronto: Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2010. 11. Stewart et al. ‘Toward Healthier Apartment Neighbourhoods: A Healthy Toronto by Design Report’, Centre for Urban Growth and Renewal & Toronto Public Health, Toronto, Canada. 2012. 12. Toronto Community Health Profiles Partnership (TCHPP), ‘Age Adjusted Diabetes Prevalence Among Adults (%) 20+ 2011’ Data source: Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term care. Map published 2014. 13. United Way Toronto, ‘Vertical Poverty: Declining Income, Housing Quality and Community Life in Toronto’s Inner Suburban High-rise Apartments’ United Way Toronto, Canada 2011.

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