City Hall: Community Office: Joe Mihevc 100 Queen Street West 747 St. Clair Avenue West ON M5H 2N2 Toronto ON M6C 4A4 NEWSLETTER t: 416.392.0208 t: 416.392.7460 [email protected] Spring 2014 | Ward 21, St. Paul’s West

Dear Neighbours,

pring is finally here, after a long and difficult winter. After the ice Sstorm, the record cold temperatures, watermain breaks, and potholes, the warm weather is a relief for all of us. I am pleased to invite you to my annual Environment Day. This year, it will be held on Sunday, April 27, at Wychwood Barns Park just in time for Spring cleaning! Please see the flyer on the back page for details. We will also hold a number of compost days, community clean ups, and our annual movie nights in Ward 21 parks are back on weekend evenings in May and June! Let’s “Experience Eglinton” during Despite the political antics, work at City Hall has continued to be very busy in recent months. In my work as Chair of the Board of Health and on construction the Community Development and Recreation Committee, I’ve continued This contest was created to encourage Ward 21 residents to advocate for a fairer, more inclusive city. In January, Council passed the to double their efforts to shop locally during the Crosstown 2014 operating budget. The budget included modest increases to property construction that is taking place along the Eglinton corridor. tax levels, along with a 0.5% additional property tax levy to pay for the three-stop underground Scarborough subway. I continue to advocate for The winning design by Humber College student Cassi an over-ground option which will provide more transit, to more people, Kaplan, will be seen in the Upper Village soon. faster and for a substantially lower cost. Overall, the budget did not make any dramatic cuts, but it does continue to leave the City’s finances in a St. Clair Avenue West has a Walk precarious position, as revenues are not keeping up with program needs Score of 97% and inflationary pressures. Here in Ward 21, we continue to be kept busy with new development This location is a walker’s paradise because daily errands applications, park improvement projects, and of course, construction of can be done on foot. Walk Score measures ‘walkability’ the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. based on distances to nearby restaurants, grocery stores There are a number of new projects that are on the horizon in Ward and other amenities, plus other analysis of pedestrian 21 and that will require our focus and attention in the coming months friendliness. Great news for the community and our ward! and years. Some new projects this year include a warming area and change rooms at Phil White Arena for the outdoor rink and a new water play area below the tennis courts in . Upgrades to the Wychwood Library (which will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary HAPPY CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY in 2016) are ahead in the future. Please read through my Spring newsletter for important information TO THE ST. CLAIR STREETCAR about upcoming events, infrastructure projects, developments, and progress on the Eglinton Crosstown.

Sincerely,

. Clair and the streetcar must be undertaken across the have come such a long way city. On St. Clair West, adjustments Councillor Joe Mihevc St since the streetcar trolley made its will be made to some of the Ward 21, St. Paul’s West first trip across St. Clair in August platforms to provide accessibility 1913. The TTC is preparing for and accommodate the streetcars’ the roll-out of the new, low-floor wheel chair ramp. This work will SIGN-UP FOR THE WARD 21 ENEWSLETTER streetcars and the new vehicles have minor impact on the traffic AT WWW.JOEMIHEVC.COM will be operating on St. Clair and general business along St. West in 2018. Before they can be Clair. Can’t wait to see the future The Ward 21 boundaries are Briar Hill Avenue to the north, the rail corridor near deployed, system wide retrofits streetcar in our ward! Dupont Street to the south, Winona Drive to the west and Spadina Road to the east.

joemihevc.com

joe's_newsletter.indd 1 2014-04-07 3:42 PM ST. CLAIR BOOMING WITH HUNGARIAN HOUSE

NEW DEVELOPMENT AND he former Hungarian House site has been subject to a development Tapplication to build a mid-rise condominium. Planning staff, residents, COMMUNITY BENEFITS and I were not supportive of the proposal, as it does not comply with the zoning as set out in the St. Clair Avenue Study. A community meeting was ard 21 continues to attract has had significant change in the held on January 16, 2014. We await next steps from the applicant. Wlots of interest in new last few years. A few properties in development. I have worked closely the St. Clair and Eglinton areas are with City Planning staff and with currently under review or in the residents to make good development construction process. 109 VAUGHAN ROAD choices for appropriate new building Should you have questions in our community. n application at 109 Vaughan Road was approved by Committee about any of these projects, With the adoption of the St. Clair Aof Adjustment on March 26. The proposal is for a 6 storey rental please contact my City Hall Avenue Study and the completion building, just north of St. Clair. Community benefits money secured office at 416-392-0208. of the new streetcar line, St. Clair through this proposal will be put to expansion of the Bike Share network into Ward 21, as well as towards the Wychwood Library. ENJOY OUR PARKS! 1486 BATHURST his property immediately north of St. Clair came to Community T Council in the Fall of 2013, and a community meeting was held on September 25, 2013. Neither residents, nor planning, nor I were supportive of the application. A further meeting was held on March 31, 2014, to discuss a revised proposal that had been brought forward by the developer. Though some improvements were made to the proposal, there are many outstanding items. Council voted on April 3 to oppose the development at the Ontario Municipal Board. A hearing is scheduled for May 8.

RISE DEVELOPMENT

esides bringing the joys of Arlington Playground). onstruction is imminent on the new “RISE” development on the Bwarmer weather, the Spring Frankel Lambert park will see C south-east corner of Bathurst and St. Clair. The first step will be and Summer seasons bring many construction begin soon for an the demolition of the existing buildings on the site, and the temporary opportunities for residents to expanded playground with new closure of the Green P lot. A new parking lot will be part of the gather, become active and build equipment and a new accessible development when it is completed. the sense of community that path through the park. makes Ward 21 such a wonderful In Cedarvale, the water play place to live, work, and play. feature will begin shortly and will 829 ST. CLAIR AVE WEST (KFC) Since Spring last year, we have include new landscaping which revitalised a number of parks will see evergreens added to the he former KFC site at St. Clair and Hendrick was approved for in Ward 21. The new Wells Hill area. Come Fall, we will start Tredevelopment by the Committee of Adjustment in January, 2014. Playground which included a building the new stairs leading This mid-rise development will fit nicely in the neighbourhood, and was revised layout based on feedback from Phil White Arena up the approved in accordance with the St. Clair Avenue Study. Community from the community was opened embankment to the parkland. benefits money was secured as part of this approval, and will be used for in October. In the same month, we Interior work for the Arena to infrastructure projects including upgrades to the Wychwood Library. also had a wonderful gathering create a warming room and of residents and members of changing area for the outdoor rink the Jewish and Portuguese will begin in the Summer. The “PETRO CANADA” SITE communities as we celebrated changing area will include a new the re-design and opening of the washroom which will be accessible . Michael’s College School and the Basilian Fathers own the newly re-named Aristides de Sousa to park users from the outside Stformer Petro Canada site at the north east corner of Bathurst and Mendes Playground (formerly during the daytime. St. Clair. St. Michael’s is considering its options now that Petro Canada has chosen to end its lease. In the next few months, Petro Canada will continue to work on the site to clean up any contamination and return 2014 CAPITAL PROJECTS IN WARD 21 the land to the College.

ver the last few years, we have had major upgrades throughout Ward The zoning for this site allows for high density residential O21 including road reconstruction and resurfacing, sidewalk repairs, development. However, St. Michael’s is exploring all the options, bridge rehabilitation, and upgrades to our water service and utilities. This including addressing school-related needs. The school will be year will see continued improvements to infrastructure across the ward. To approaching the City when it is ready with a proposal. We will keep the view the major projects, view www.joemihevc.com/capitalprojects community posted as we receive updates and new information. joemihevc.com

joe's_newsletter.indd 2 2014-04-07 3:42 PM TWEEDSMUIR

fter more than a decade of legal and planning issues, and two Ayears of construction, the first of two towers at 310 and 320 Tweedsmuir is ready for occupancy. This site has a long history. The first units to be occupied will belong to former Tweedsmuir tenants, who we are pleased to welcome back to the neighbourhood! The project includes about 150 affordable rental units, as part of the settlement order by the Ontario Municipal Board in 2000. The site will also include a new public parking garage. 925 EGLINTON (CHINA HOUSE)

onstruction is imminent on this site, formerly the home of “China CHouse” restaurant. When finished, the project will consist of a 9 storey condominium with ground floor retail and an expanded underground Green P Parking lot. The approval of this project included POWERFUL community benefits money, which will be used for improvements to local parks, including this summer’s water play and rink warming area in Cedarvale Park and at Phil White Arena. MURALS ADD LIFE

work at this site is complicated TO OUR WARD EGLINTON by the existing subway crossing CROSSTOWN at Eglinton West station, and the remnants of the Eglinton Subway Many of you have passed by the newly UPDATE which was cancelled and filled in 1995. completed murals and I have received he Eglinton Crosstown is a With good progress on an enthusiastic response to them from T19km long transit line running construction has come significant residents. On the west side of Bathurst, north from in the traffic headaches. My office and east to Keele Street in the west. I have continued to work with of Davenport, the mural was designed It includes a 10km underground , the provincial transit by the artistic collaboration FAILE and at portion running through Ward agency, as well as 13 Division the Bathurst/Dupont underpass, powerful 21, from Laird to Black Creek Police and City Transportation images were painted by well-known local Drive. When complete in 2020, the to manage and mitigate some of Crosstown will provide reliable, these traffic issues. Among the street artist, Elicser. modern rapid transit, including mitigation measures in place interchanges with the subway are: Paid Duty police officers at at Eglinton West, Eglinton, and key locations, lifting turn and no Kennedy Stations. entry restrictions and eliminating Work on the Crosstown is left turns from Eglinton Ave. proceeding well. Much of the work to Oakwood, converting some in our immediate area so far has sections of road to two-way, been preparatory work and utility increased signage on feeder relocation. However, as the tunnel highways, and announcements boring machines make their way regarding traffic on major media eastbound, we will start to see outlets. work to prepare for their arrival at Transportation staff are the Eglinton West station. You can preparing a detailed report for follow the progress of the tunnels the meeting of Public Works on an interactive map and get and Infrastructure Committee regular updates about the Eglinton regarding long term options for Crosstown on the Metrolinx traffic mitigation in this area. website at www.thecrosstown.ca. We all need to brace ourselves You can also sign up to receive for continued disruption in this email alerts about construction neighbourhood. Work on the progress. LRT will have major impacts Eglinton and is an and cause significant traffic epicentre of this work, as it is disruption over the next several the site of both the launch and years. I encourage residents to extraction shafts for two of the shop locally and support the tunneling machines being used stores along Eglinton during on this project. In addition, the construction.

joe's_newsletter.indd 3 2014-04-07 3:42 PM WARD 21 SPRING COMMUNITY COMPOST DAYS MOVIE NIGHTS CLEAN-UP DAYS Half hour before sunset AND SUMMER MAY 4 St. Bruno’s Catholic School MAY 1 | 4PM-6PM EVENTS Kay Gardner Beltline Trail Ben Nobleman Park – “Back to the FOR 2014 9AM-10AM St. Alphonsus Catholic School Future” (meet at Old Park Rd. entrance) MAY 2 | 4PM-6PM MAY 31 McMurrich Public School Laughlin Park – “ET” ENVIRONMENT DAY Cedarvale Park 10AM-11AM MAY 5 | 5PM-7PM JUNE 6 APRIL 27 | 10AM-2PM (meet at the bottom of the Glen Cedar Wychwood Barns Park along Humewood Community School Wychwood Barns Park – “Fiddler on footbridge) Wychwood Avenue MAY 8 | 4PM-6PM the Roof” sing-along JUNE 7 Hillcrest Park J.R. Wilcox Community School BLOOD DONOR CLINIC 10AM-12:00PM MAY 9 | 4PM-6PM Marian Engel Park – “Ghost Busters” (meet at the corner of Hillcrest and JUNE 13 MAY 3 | 9AM–1PM Cedarvale Community School Christie) Artscape Wychwood Barns, MAY 12 | 4PM-6PM Christie St. Nordheimer Ravine 11AM-12PM (meet at the stairs, corner of St. Clair Ave. W. and Wells Hill Ave.)

SIGN-UP FOR THE WARD 21 ENEWSLETTER AT WWW.JOEMIHEVC.COM The Ward 21 boundaries are Briar Hill Avenue to the north, the rail corridor near Dupont Street to the south, Winona Drive to the west and Spadina Road to the east.

Councillor Joe Mihevc and City of Toronto

Sunday, April 27, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. • Wychwood Barns Park, along Wychwood Ave. (south of St. Clair Ave. W.) Products Available – Drop off for recycling or Items donated to local Other Items donated for reuse* Fees may apply proper disposal schools for reuse* (Please keep separate from others) • Backyard Composter • Computer Equipment & Peripherals • Art supplies (e.g. pencils, markers, • Sporting goods (e.g. skates, hockey • Green Bin (e.g., desktops, laptops, hand- crayons, etc.) equipment, bikes, rackets, etc.) • Kitchen Container held portables, monitors, printing • Buttons and keys • Books (excluding school/university devices, etc.) • Clipboards, corks and cork boards curriculum books) Pick up for FREE • Audio/Visual Equipment & • LP records, CDs and cases • Medical equipment in good • Green Bin and Kitchen Container Peripherals (e.g., telephones, cell • Children’s books condition (e.g. eyeglasses, walking (with proof of new residency in the phones, pda’s and pagers, cameras, • Costume jewelry including broken/ aids, hearing aids, etc.) last 90 days or in exchange for a small TVs, radios, receivers, old watches and clocks with hands • Small household items (e.g. dishes, damaged bin) speakers, tuners, equalizers, • Yarn and dress-up clothing ornaments, kitchen utensils, artistic • Leaf Compost (limit one cubic metre turntables, projectors, recorders, (e.g. costumes, prom dresses, drawings, games, etc.) per household) DVD players and VCRs, etc.) uniforms, etc.) • Textiles in good condition • Household Hazardous Waste • 35 mm cameras and equipment (e.g. clothing, linens, etc.) (e.g., cleaning supplies and solvents, • Non-perishable foods will be motor oil, paint, batteries, old/unused donated to a food bank Visit the Toronto medication, mercury thermometers/ thermostats, pesticides, fluorescent *All donated items must be in very good condition Water info tent to and compact fluorescent bulbs, learn more about propane tanks, etc.) programs that will Family Fun Note: You can recycle plastic shopping help you use water bags, foam polystyrene, empty paint and Eco-vendors • Arts & crafts • Chess tables wisely in and around empty aerosol cans in your blue bin. Sidewalk chalk for kids • Face painting • Fire truck your home!

Please do not bring: Construction waste, garbage, wood, cassette and videotapes, commercial/ industrial hazardous waste and scrap metal.

Visit toronto.ca/environment_days

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