ARECA community walk a success
[attach]6139[/attach]The ARECA Walk in Search of a Park was a success. Forty-five of us set out from the High Point on Yonge Street at Montgomery Avenue, just as they had in 1837. The rebels then headed south, we headed east. We walked along Broadway Avenue to Northern Collegiate at Mount Pleasant Road then looped back along Roehampton Avenue to Yonge. The second figure-eight loop took us to Avenue Road traversing through Eglinton Park.
The walk was called In Search of a Park because Yonge/Eglinton is notorious for its long-standing shortage of parks and open space. Over the past half-century the area’s population has exploded. The intensification is now quickening at an even faster pace. The current backlog of building applications in midtown suggests that 15,000 more people are about to become neighbours.
Whereas previous development gave us towers-in-the-park, current development is focused on tall buildings. For local residents the significant difference is the amount of open space that is disappearing. Tall buildings are rising from the property lines. They are popping-up in isolation with little planning being done on the overall, block result.
It’s ARECA’s contention that, regardless of the magnitude of the intensification, there must be a good and comprehensive outcome for the public realm. Now is the time to ensure the quality of life of all and future midtown residents. The findings of the ARECA walk have informed us. Now, we must inform the Toronto Community Planning Department.
Midtown Planning Group to be formed
Recently the city’s Planning and Growth committee approved a motion to convene a Midtown Planning Group. The concept will go to full council on July 11 for final approval.
Currently, planning in midtown is split between three councillors, two community councils and two community planning departments. The purpose of the strategy is to be proactive and to establish a consistent planning framework in advance of planning applications.
ARECA supported the initiative and looks forward to participating in the group. Much of the work already crafted in the [url=http://www.midtownplan.ca]Eglinton Midtown Plan[/url] will be of value to the Midtown Planning Group.
Development study coming
Development applications are progressing for the Helendale Avenue and Yonge Street area. The North York community planning department has indicated that it will study the block from Orchard View Boulevard to Helendale as it considers these applications.
The block contains the Northern District Library and there is an opportunity to make significant improvement to the local public realm. A member of the planning department accompanied us on the ARECA walk. This bodes well for our desired outcome and we look forward to participating in the planning process.
[url=http://www.areca.info]ARECA[/url] is a volunteer community association representing the views of residents in matters that affect our community in North Toronto. ARECA represents the area bounded by Eglinton Avenue West, Yonge Street, Roselawn Avenue, Avenue Road, St Clements Avenue and Chaplin Road. Email: [email=information@areca.info]information@areca.info[/email].
