Don Valley Daily Updates: July–August 2020

Don Valley and East York home invasions linked

Police have released video and a drawing related to two violent home invasion, robberies and shootings — one in the Flemingdon Park area and one near Dawes Road in the east end. Each of the two events sent two victims to hospital, in one case with what police called “life-altering injuries.”

Although the incidents occurred two months apart, police have linked them as having a common target.

Get the story in Streeter News.

Few recent COVID cases in this part of city

Don Valley neighbourhoods Victoria Village and Banbury-Don Mills are free of new cases of COVID-19, while Flemingdon Park and Parkwoods-Donalda are nearly there, according to the city’s coronavirus map.

This is on par with other central, midtown and east-end communities, though much better than some of Toronto worst-hit areas.

See the Streeter story to check how your neighbourhood compares to others in the fight against COVID.

 

Video released in investigation of three shootings

Police have released video footage, including one showing a shooting six months ago, in the firearms investigations of three incidents in the Flemingdon Park area.

They’ve linked the shots fired at young men in November 2019 near Don Mills Road and Overlea Boulevard to two shootings in the area in May 2020.

Read the full story here.

Go to the Ex without leaving home

Toronto’s traditional end-of-summer show and exhibition is back in 2020, though in anything but traditional form. The CNE continues online starting today until Sept. 7.

Without leaving home now, you can go to the Ex via the new CNE portal, where you can take in shows and performances, share food recipes, learn how to be a busker, take virtual rides, enjoy trips through history, and even enjoy a virtual air show.

More information in the Things To Do listing.

More condos available for rent in this area, but prices hold steady

Thanks to the pandemic, the formerly tight condo rental market has loosened up across Toronto, with more apartments available and prices dropping, according to a new real estate report.

In the Don Valley area (namely, the real estate district of Don Mills, Parkwoods and Victoria Village), the situation is a little different. Listings are up slightly (four per cent) and actual leases are down substantially (30 per cent) — but the effect on prices has been negligible so far. In fact, they’re up in this area by one percent, the report says.

Compare what’s happening across Toronto.

Permit parking enforcement begins tonight

Permit parking enforcement on residential streets is resuming at midnight tonight. It had been paused due to COVID-19 but the period to purchase or renew permits began on July 2 and ran to Aug. 7.

In case you missed the window, temporary daily and weekly parking permits can be purchased online anytime.

The parking permit office remains closed but can be accessed by phone at 416-392-7873 or email at permit.parking@toronto.ca, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Lawrence lanes closed for week

Sanitation and water service installation are to shut down a stretch of Lawrence Avenue East, west of Victoria Park Avenue, starting today, the city advises. A westbound and an eastbound lane are to be closed until the work is finished on Aug. 20.

DVP shut down for coming weekend

The entire Don Valley Parkway from Highway 401 to the Gardiner Expressway is being closed this weekend from Aug. 14 at 11 p.m. to Monday, Aug. 17 at 5 a.m., provided it doesn’t rain.

The closure is for annual maintenance and improvement work that usually takes place in spring or fall, but has been moved to August this year to take advantage of both warmer summer weather and lower traffic volumes due to the pandemic, the city says in a press release today.

In case of inclement weather, the rain date for the work is Aug. 22–24.

Vic Park repairs to take three weeks

The northbound lanes of Victoria Park Avenue from Sloane Avenue to Janet Boulevard are to be occupied due to permanent utility cut repairs starting today, the city warns. The work is to take place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. until Aug. 14.

Don Valley house prices rise despite pandemic

Prices for single-detached homes in the Don Valley area have risen modestly in the first six months of 2020 from the same period last year, according to a real estate report released yesterday.

The real estate district that includes the communities of Don Mills, Victoria Village and Parkwoods-Donalda has experienced an increase of more than three per cent over a year ago.

Neighbouring parts of the city have seen both greater increases in house prices and actual drops in prices. Get the full story and details in Streeter news.

Two shootings, one arrest

People were sent fleeing from the Topham Park area early Saturday morning after multiple gunshots were heard. Toronto Police received reports of gunfire near Victoria Park and Sunrise avenues shortly after midnight.

They quickly located a suspect and a suspect vehicle and they had someone in custody by about 12:30 a.m., according to the police Twitter account. Several shell casings were also found. No injuries have been reported.

There has been no report of an arrest, however, in another shooting incident around the same time. Police received reports of a gun being shot from a black vehicle at Railside Road and Lawrence Avenue East. No injuries were reported in what was called a “drive-by shooting” in a police tweet about 1 a.m.

Police did find shell casings and a vehicle damaged by gunfire. They are investigating.

SHOOTING:
Lawrence Ave E & Railside Rd
– reports of a drive-by shooting
– police responding
– reports that a suspect shot out of a black vehicle, and fled the area
– last seen heading towards Lawrence Ave E
– no reported injuries
– use caution
– will update#GO1331384
^al

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) July 18, 2020

Free outdoor programs for kids start Monday

The city announced today it is launching its ParksPlayTO initiative for kids up to age 12 and the Summer in the 6ix program for young people age 13 to 24 on July 20.

No registration is required for these drop-in programs in spaces across the city. In Don Valley, this includes Broadlands Park, Fenside Park, Roywood Park, Flemingdon Park, Topham Park and other local locations.

See the story and get the details in Streeter news.

Vehicle occupants reported fled after York Mills collision

The occupants of a vehicle ran from the scene after their vehicle was involved in a collision with another one at York Mills and Valley Wood roads, police reported on Twitter at 6:37 p.m. today. One of the vehicles was on fire and minor injuries were reported.

Firefighters and paramedics were also on the scene. Police shut down lanes of traffic for more than two hours to investigate.

Don Mills southbound disrupted

Sidewalk reconstruction is planned along Don Mills Road south of York Mills Road, starting today, effectively shutting down two southbound lanes and a curb lane. The work is planned for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from July 6 to July 8.

Cooling centres near you

In this hot, hot, hot weather, if you desperately need a place to cool off, head to one of the city’s emergency cooling centres in the Don Valley area:

• Broadlands Community Centre, 19 Castlegrove Blvd. — call 416-395-7966 first.
• Maryvale Park, 5 Trestleside Grove — call 416-396-4127 first.
• O’Connor Community Centre, 1386 Victoria Park Ave. — call 416-395-7957 first.
• Jenner Jean-Marie Community Centre, 48 Thorncliffe Park Dr. — open Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

 

Time to resume your parking permit

If you’re parking on the street, you should be aware the free period due to coronavirus has come to an end. Beginning today the city is restarting its permit parking program. The office remains closed but it can be accessed by phone at 416-392-7873 or by email Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can also renew an existing permit holders using the online renewal system or by mail, though you should call first before mailing in an application.

The parking permit renewal window will be open until Aug. 3, and enforcement is expected to begin again starting Aug. 14 at midnight. More information on applying for a parking permit on the city website.

Bicycles needed for women to learn to ride

Women in Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park need bicycles to gain the empowerment of being able to ride. The Women’s Cycling Network and Cycle Don Valley Midtown are seeking donations of bikes for 50 women to learn on. See the Things To Do item to find out more about making a contact-free donation.