August 2024 General Meeting Highlights

Guest Speaker
Fitzroy Kelow, who is a Special Constable with the TTC gave an interesting presentation, which is available in the Minutes of Meeting section.  The primary duties for TTC Special Constables is crime prevention, customer service, enforcing transit bylaws, emergency response and community engagement.  Residents are warned not to go to track level and ask TTC staff for assistance if something is accidentally dropped on the tracks.  In the event of an emergency, there is an emergency power shut off station with a blue light at either end of the platform.  If residents need assistance on a busy or train, activate the yellow strip on the vehicle.  In subway stations, there are yellow intercom stations that can provide directions or assistance, as well as emergency response.  A Crisis Link button on payphones directly connects an individual in distress to a crisis counsellor.  Designated waiting areas and cameras provide security and residents are reminded to avoid distractions, keep phones/computers out of sight and shout if they feel uncomfortable.  The SafeTTC app provides the opportunity to take a photo and/or report incidents, or text 647-496-1940 to report a safety concern.  In 2023, fare evasion rates cost over $120m which could have funded operating improvements and hiring more staff.  Streetcars have the highest fare evasion rate over buses and stations.  The highest one day ridership happened on June 17, 2019 for the Toronto Raptors NBA World Championship parade with 2,153,600 riders.

Previous Meeting Items
No dogs/litter signs installed in St. Joseph community gardens and Bay Street bioswale have contributed to cleanliness improvements.

The Sidewalk Safety Committee is working with local restaurants and area buildings to display "Walk Your Wheels" informational signage.

The City will not pay for the required traffic flow study to convert St. Joseph from one way to two way.  We are working with the City and Councillor's office to develop a commercial loading zone in front of 11 St. Joseph for Canada Post, UPS and other delivery trucks to stop.  It would require the elimination of 2 street parking spaces.  A passenger pick up/drop off is proposed in front of 5 St. Joseph.

Neighbourhood
A bounty of new restaurants have opened up in the area.  Republique is a French brunch place on Irwin.  Vava offers gourmet cakes on Yonge at St. Joseph.  Petit Potato just opened on Bay, at Polo 2 Condos.  Beach Hill Smokehouse opened on St. Joseph, just west of Yonge.  Dopamina is a fine dining that offers Asian Mediterranean cuisine at Burano Condos, Bay and Grenville.  Nabulu Coffee has Persian style coffee and an upstairs music lounge on St. Joseph.

There is an opening for 2 directors on the board.  Eligible candidates must be nominated by the October meeting, be a building representative or individual member who lives in the Bay Cloverhill neighbourhood.

There are two proposals on Toronto Centre Projects.  In Breadalbane Park, no barking signs are being considered by the Parks Department, but pedestrian crosswalks can only be installed by the adjacent condominium buildings that own the driveway.  Residents are encouraged to vote for a commemorative plaque in Dr. Lillian McGregor Park to recognize the efforts of the community and local politicians to create the park. 

The three pedestrian crosswalks submitted to Toronto Centre Projects Traffic Review are under review, with traffic lights being installed on Yonge near Granby negating the need for a crosswalk at that location.

The St. Luke Lane murals selected in the Toronto Centre Projects Participatory Budgeting 2023 are in process with maintenance documentation being negotiated with the building owners.  Once that is complete, StreetARToronto will survey residents about the type and style of art preferred before installing the art.  The other project in the works is the curb extensions on St. Joseph, west of Yonge and east of Bay.

St. Mike's has relaunched their Continuing Education program and is offering courses this fall on Contemporary Issues Through Children's Literature, Irish Studies, Poetry and Prayer and Letterpress Printing.

Developments
A development is proposed for Loretto College at 70 St. Mary.  The original application was in 2016.  The University of St. Michael's College and a private developer will build a 40 storey structure with educational uses on the lower floors, then a residence for the Loretto Sisters, female university student residences and condominiums.  A meeting with the developers is being set up for next month.

Community Meetings
At the Community Police Liaison Committee on Wednesday June 5th, it was noted that the police force is understaffed and assigned to increasing protests.  As a result, police patrolling is limited to crime areas.  Residents are encouraged to report any criminal activity to police to get the required attention/patrolling.

FoSTRA's Advocacy and Activism Committee met on Thursday June 13th.  Key items were a letter sent to City Council on the impact of the Billy Bishop Airport impact.  A second City submission related to micromobility, including scooters.  The Community Consultation process as part of Development approval was discussed. A letter from the Alliance for a Liveable Ontario was  endorsed.  New litter/recycling bins are being tried out.  There will be changes to the blue bin program when manufacturers take over responsibility for recycling next year.

MPP Bell hosted a Town Hall on Thursday July 11th.  Key issues are the shortage of family doctors, a need for affordable housing to be built as well as a downtown seniors’ community centre.  The court system is overloaded and there is a lack of concern for environmental issues with the current provincial government.  Residents are concerned with the noise/swearing from long running anti-government protests, cyclist safety with bike lane blockage and micromobility devices.  There is a huge backlog in the Landlord Tenant Board, with the biggest issue being excessive rent increases.

Community Concerns
The speed limit on Queen's Park Crescent will be lowered from 50 km/h to 40 km/h, to be in line with existing speed limits north of Bloor and south of Gerrard.  Signage replacement is pending.

A letter in support of the Avenue Road Study was sent to the Toronto East York Community Council.  A letter expressing resident concerns about noise was sent to the Board of Health.

Joseph said he thinks any micromobility device with an engine should not be allowed in bike lanes, and required to use the street.  He also asked if parking and no left turn hours could be adjusted seasonally to facilitate traffic flow in the summer.

Al noted that the development at 95 St. Joseph has received approval for an additional floor and increased the number of suites by 100 at a recent Committee of Adjustment hearing.  He asked if there were any additional 45/9 community benefits that could be used to transform St. Joseph into a gateway into the university grounds.  Al has noticed that two trees on Irwin were broken, either by a vehicle hitting them or people maliciously breaking the tree trunks.  Plants have also gone missing from the Irwin community garden.

Beth noted damage on the skirting wall of Clover Hill Park.  

Upcoming holidays and special events were reviewed.  The next meeting will be on Monday October 21st.

The meeting and speaker's presentations are available in the Minutes of Meetings section.