Cyclist / Pedestrian Turning Count at Rushbrooke & Eastern

By Michael Holloway
Ward 30 Bikes member

The Image below is the results of a Turning Count I did on Tuesday, June 30 at the corner of Rushbrooke and Eastern between 6pm and 7pm (light spitting rain).

The count demonstrates what can be seen by standing and watching the intersection for 5 minutes: in one hour about 50 pedestrians came out of the neighbourhood (mostly via Rushbrooke) in order to cross into FreshCo Parking Lot.

Also of note is the improvised pedestrian crossing just east of the Garage (this is where a pedestrian was killed in 2010).

While I was there two people (separately) stopped to vocalize their support for a Crosswalk with signals. They were both so passionate about it they gave me their names, addresses and phone numbers! (both live at Jones/Queen).

It's a complex intersection - any questions about how to read the count, please ask.



mh

8 Concerns around the StudioCentres' proposed development at 629 Eastern Avenue.

Community Meeting #2 is TONIGHT!
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - 629 Eastern Avenue

Some Concerns:

1) 'Back Lot' is isolated from the community - will be difficult to police - not a public space - but rather a security guard protected private space; I think the space needs to be connected to the neighbourhood to the north, create an inviting public space (1 idea I heard at the winter meeting - move the 'Back Lot' to the north perimeter of the site?);

2) Small amount of Park space is being added to the community at Caroline (on the corner of the central transportation nexus of the proposed site) - this is badly placed and represents not nearly enough public benefit;

3) Multi-use Path on new Lower Larchmount is unconnected to the street grid north - including Bruce Junior Public School which will be disconnected from a safe north-south signaled intersection (signals at the bottom of Larchmount to be moved to Caroline, 1 block west);

4) Parking Numbers indicate the development will Induce traffic to the area from far away - this is the wrong sort of development for dense urban core neighbourhood;

5a) While we generally support a fine grained approach to the street grid (short walkable blocks) the Induced Traffic nature of the proposed development means the eastbound Eastern Avenue Bike Lane will be interrupted by 2 new streets south off Eastern - What sort of treatments are proposed to keep Bike Lane users safe at these intersections, create walkable connections north-south? - What kind of traffic numbers are expected at those intersections?;

5b) The LDRT on the Lineal Park on the north side of the Lake Shore Boulevard will have to cross 3 new intersections and one existing that will now be open 24/7 - What kind of treatments are suggested to make those intersections safe for Trail users? - What kind of traffic numbers are expected at those intersections?;

6) Large Retail square area, and extensive parking spot numbers indicate that this is not a 'Good Jobs' employment development (except for the film jobs at Revival 629 Studios - which is existing, refurbished).

7) Because of security concerns, the Film Studio section of the development will be separate from the rest of the development; thus the eastern portion of the proposal is entirely a Low Wage service sector jobs oriented development - Are good ideas like a Film Tech School still on the table? Moving forward? Does the so called, 'Flex Space' in the proposal support possible Film Tech schools?

City of Toronto | Development Applications | 629 Eastern | http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentApplications/associatedApplicationsList.do?action=init&folderRsn=3384525&isCofASearch=false
(click on Supporting Documentation to see badly labelled list of Applicant documents - which upon download aren't labelled in English, but rather by file number - so that you have to label them one by one as you download them :/ )

StudioCentre | http://www.studiocentre.com/
StudioCentre - Downloads | http://www.studiocentre.com/downloads.html



mh

Eastern Avenue Pedestrian Crossing and Intersection Calming at Rushbrooke Avenue

By Michael Holloway
Ward 30 Bikes
Monday, June 22, 2015

The image is a proposal to add a pedestrian crossing across Eastern Avenue at the bottom of Rushbrooke Avenue. What do you think?

Image mark-up from a screen capture of a detail of the intersection via Toronto Maps v2 (http://map.toronto.ca/maps/map.jsp?app=TorontoMaps_v2&a=2%20Rushbrooke%20Ave)

Eastern Avenue is a designed-for-speed Avenue with Bike Lanes on both sides from Logan to Leslie which has a couple of dangerous chicanes (at Rushbrooke to Leslie; and at Woodfield Rd to Coxwell).

On W30B's Jane's Walk this spring* (which Ward 30 Councillor Paula Fletcher attended) concerning the Ryerson Study we commissioned** - which visioned connecting the Jones Ave Bike Lanes to the Lake via Rushbrooke, Mosely and Leslie - it was not deemed possible to create the route that the Ryerson Students detailed due to a couple of issues.

But one element of the vision which did appear to have legs was a safe crossing for pedestrians (and cyclists) at the bottom of Rushbrooke. I've detailed through the years, many examples of people using Rushbrooke to walk south to the Big Box stores to do their shopping - and finding it quite difficult to cross Eastern Avenue there because of the fast design of the roadway; plus the chicane in the roadway which makes sight lines for both drivers and pedestrians difficult.

During the Jane's Walk a pedestrian crossing came up at the bottom of Rushbrooke as we watched several pedestrians trying to actually run the gauntlet there. Northbound pedestrians loaded with shopping bags - and if they're also parents - with strollers, can be seen having an even more difficult time crossing the roadway.

The image attached is a proposal for discussion, to add a pedestrian crossing across Eastern Avenue at the bottom of Rushbrooke.

I note that at T&EY Community Council a motion*** is in process to create Island Parking on the east side of Rushbrooke to enable more parking on that street for the residents who live there. The proposal also notes the traffic calming effects of Island Parking.

Also of note is item 3 of the motion:

Community Council Decision
The Toronto and East York Community Council - June 16, 2015:
[...]
3: Requested the Director, Transportation Services, Toronto and East York District to undertake a review once the Leslie Barns and connecting track is operational and the cycling contraflow review has been completed.

(my emphasis)

So an amendment that talks to the Ryerson Student's Proposal for a Contra-flow on Rushbrooke? W30B has no knowledge of this.

After some quick number crunching - if the Island Parking goes in, the Ryerson Students proposal for a contra-flow on Rushbrooke goes out the window - because there is not enough width on Rushbrooke to have permanent west side parking, east side Parking Islands and a contra-flow beside the northbound traffic lane at the proposed 3.3 metre width (even at 3m there is not enough room - under a metre).

The drawing notes the start point of the most southerly of the four 2-car, west side, traffic islands proposed.

To make the westbound Eastern Avenue Bike Lanes safer (and to allow less confident eastbound cyclists a route north), I have added another street calming proposal to the drawing, a big bump-out on the northeast corner of the intersection; this plus widened sidewalks on the south side of Eastern Avenue creates a shorter distance across the roadway for pedestrians - and with this, a signaled pedestrian crossing from the northeast corner of Rushbrooke to the south side of Eastern just west of Mosely - at the westbound start of the Eastern Avenue chicane there.

What do you think?


References:
* Jane's Walk 2015 | Connecting Riverdale to the Lake - A Quick Start Proposal | http://janeswalk.org/canada/toronto/connecting-riverdale-lake-quick-start-proposal/
** Connecting Greater Riverdale to the Lake (pdf 69.25MB) | https://www.dropbox.com/s/md354m5wm9yekag/Connecting%20Greater%20Riverdale%20to%20the%20Lake_Final%20Report.pdf?dl=0
***  TE7.88 Parking Regulations - Rushbrooke Avenue | http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2015.TE7.88

Post at this blog: "W30B Jane's Walk: Connecting Riverdale to the Lake - A Quick Start Proposal" | http://ward30bikes.blogspot.ca/2015/04/w30b-janes-walk-connecting-riverdale-to.html



mh

New Cycling route through Revival 629 Studios avoids Carlaw

Egress rules across the Lineal Park were supposed to keep the Revival 629 Studio's LSB gate closed, except 11pm to 7am.

It's been open all the time now for quite a while (weeks? - months?) ...

.. And cyclists have already started using it as a safe route between the Lower Don Recreation Trail and the Eastern Avenue Bike Lanes.

New Cycling route through Revival 629 Studios avoids Carlaw


Northbound, take the west-side-of-the-building path up to Pape. Southbound you may choose to enter at the east gates (just west of Winnifred) and ride across the top to the west-side path

It's great! It avoids the nearby narrow, congested, ugly, dirty, dangerous, pot-holed Carlaw Avenue - excellently. :)

But what does it say about Small Blocks as a way to create livable neighbourhoods all along the South of Eastern study area generally, and the StudioCentre proposed development specifically?

Small Blocks are really important - but so far we haven't been successful at creating Complete Streets through intersections that cross Lake Shore Boulevard; part of that is political part of it is cultural - the other part is mechanical.

How do we create Complete Streets intersections at these new neighbourhood streets that cross a Grand Boulevard like Lake Shore Boulevard?:

I expect the answer is that we cannot have Grand Boulevards - don't need Grand Boulevards - of the type that we have now here in this Lake Shore Boulevard.



mh

'Idea Mapping' the Shipping Channel Charrette

[The Map is still updating - last update: Monday, July 28, 2014, 10:26pm]

Mapping the ideas is the best way to combine this web of stuff.

Like the man said, it's a web of ideas, a cloud. I immediately envisioned the map of the internet.

Approach the mash-up board of ideas in words and images from any spacial vector,following from one chit to the next, and you end up telling a different story every time.

All the stories are the 'little cart' of ideas. Here's a map that shows some of those ideas that relate to connecting the city to the lake - the urban culture to the water - for the short term (1-2 years), the medium term (5 years) and the long term (30 years).

Idea Map for the The Shipping Channel Charrette, Pinewood Studios Toronto, July 23 & 24, 2014

View Idea Map for the The Shipping Channel Charrette, Pinewood Studios Toronto, July 23 & 24, 2014 in a larger map

Transportation Archipelago
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 7.86 km
A Transportation Archipelago was identified to create short term connectivity solutions - existing points where the water touched the existing transportation infrastructure, like at Commisioners and the Shipping Channel, water taxis were envisioned that - right now (next summer for the PanAm Games?) could bridge the gap across the channel, and the gap in north-south connections between Leslie Street and the Don Roadway - to possible landing points on the south side of the channel that could connect to Unwin Avenue - like at the proposed spillway green space (on the north side of the channel) just to the west of the Don Roadway.

Water Taxi
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Connect Chery Beach and the Island - connects Bathurst and Carlaw via the archipelago.

Water Taxi from Carlaw to the Dragon Boat Club
Last Updated by Michael Holloway 15 minutes ago
Total distance: 690.38 m
Connect Carlaw to the south side of the Turning Basin landing to the east of the Gas Plant (Provincial Property?).

Don Roadway - Swing Bridge
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 531.03 m
Floating or structural steel that sits at near the water - moves for ship traffic. Landing on the south side meeting an existing roadway on the West extent of the Salt Storage Yard.

Canal - Cherry Beach to the Shipping Channel
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 598.28 m

Canal - South Riverdale to the Shipping Channel
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 1.08 km
Canal to the north extent of the Regulatory Flood Plain

Naturalized Don River Mouth
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Approved Plan

Canal - Presupposes an extention of the spillway of the Don River
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 725.52 m
A visual extension of part of the Naturalization of the Done River Mouth - the approved Don River Extreme Storm spillway. (canal would be a separate hydrology).

Canal The Hearn to the Outer Harbour
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 459.99 m

Canal Cooling Channel to the Shipping Channel
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 349.05 m

Extend TTC Service to Unwin
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 694.74 m
Short term (now) by the PanAm Games (July 2015).

Toronto Bike Share Station
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Short Term (now). Before the PanAm Games (July 2015).

Create a Water Front Tram Service
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 2.75 km
Short Term (now) Before PanAm Games (July 2015).
A rail vehicle would shunt between TTC stops at Cherry St and an extended-to-Unwin Jones Bus(?) Stop at the Entrance to Tommy Thompson Park - on existing rails.

Planned Park - Leslie Slip to Leslie Street
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Medium Term (5 years).
Park will front the water at the end of the Shipping Channel's 'Leslie Slip' - an extension off the east end of the Turning Basin that comes within about 200 metres of Leslie Street. The east extent of the Park will front Leslie Street. The area is bisected by a rarely used rail line owned by the Toronto Port Authority and used occasionally by the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant.

Canal - Leslie Slip to Baselands Wetlands
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 170.14 m
Medium/Long Term.
Likely more of a 'bio-swail' than a canal - an extension of the lowland wetlands on the south side of Unwin Ave along this area.

South Shipping Channel Wall Green Set-back
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 2.25 km
Short Term.
A wide as possible green setback along the south Shipping Channel Wall.
This Trail may be closed from time-to-time to allow industrial activities associated with Shipping (like aggregate off-loading for example).

North Shipping Channel Wall Green Setback
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 2.28 km
Short Term.
A wide-as-possible Green setback along the north Shipping Channel Wall.
This Trail may be closed from time-to-time to allow industrial activities associated with Shipping.

Steps Into The Water
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Short Term.
A stepped observation/seating area that steps right into the water and also provides a high visual barrier/look-out at the top of it, overlooking the cement production facilities to the East.

Canal - Winnifred & Eastern Avenue to the Turning Basin
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 635.93 m
Medium Term.
All these Canals are firstly about draining the Regulatory Flood Plain to upgrade the land for development - but they also act as a way to connect the neighbourhood to the water front by at once bringing the water into the neighbourhood, and by providing possible innovative transportation corridors to the water front proper.

Lower Carlaw Separated Bike Lanes
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 255.52 m
Short Term (now).
A Cycle Track perhaps, on the eastern side of the roadway.

Commisioners St Separated Bike Lane
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 2.41 km
Short Term (now).
Perhaps a Cycle Track on the North side of the Street.
Connects the Martin Goodman Trail at Leslie to the Lower Don Recreational Trail at Lower Don Roadway and the Waterfront Trail at Cherry Street.

Existing Drainage Basin?
Last Updated by Michael Holloway < 1 minute ago
Total distance: 282.16 m
On a walkabout of the Smart Studios site on July 28, 2014, I noted three patches of swamp grass growing in the lot along a low-lying trough, that seem to continue north under Eastern Ave and up Caroline heading Northwest.
See a Video playlist of the walkabout: Natural Basin on North edge of Delta possible Canal Route - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTpRV6DI_Sr3LT8LYhEGXukxsWt5fMgGd

Update: Map of  the area from 1902 shows a creek at Winnifred and Eastern - exactly one block west of where I noted evidence of it on my walk (perhaps the old map is incorrect?). Here's an Zoomed-In image of the area from a University of Toronto historical map:

Map Title: Plan of the City of Toronto Villiers Sankey 1902 University of Toronto Libraries Call Number G3524.T61 20 1902

(Original: http://maps.library.utoronto.ca/dvhmp/maps.html)



mh

A Walkabout on the Port Lands - The Shipping Channel, North side

On Friday, July 18th I began a series of walks further south on the Port Lands than my last¹ walkabout (December 2013). The timing of these new walks is related to City of Toronto Planning's Design Charrette - coming up this Wednesday and Thursday.

The Charrette

The 2-day, mini Charrette, co-hosted by Waterfront Toronto and TRCA is much shorter than recommended² - so I'm going to try and engage with the community during the two days, via Twitter and this Blog.

A "Charrette" is a design-based collaborative community planning method that the school of New Urbanism has developed. A way of wrangling a massive number of elements in an intensive series of feedback loops over a few days involving the people of the area and stakeholders relevant the study area plus a team of planners, architects and other specialists that creates a feasible plan at the end of the exercise.

To quote from Planning's Shipping Channel Charrette PDF (released to the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Landowner and User Advisory Committee (LUAC):

"The two-day charrette being hosted by the City of Toronto City Planning Division, with Waterfront Toronto and the TRCA, will occur on July 23rd and 24th, 2014. The charrette will focus on defining and establishing a cohesive vision and priorities for the Ship Channel and its surrounds, and for improving public access for the South Ship Channel lands."

We will meet first to formulate a broad outline of the constraints and possibilities talking into account everything - the land, the history of the place, the existing archeology, the economic and political elements and so on. Next we will walk (and boat!) the site - and then formulate a second understanding of a future morphing out of the present. The team of specialists will then create plans on all kinds of scales, that talk to the first round of feedback - within the constraints and the goals. Then back out in groups to tackle select issues - and then back to the team to feed all our ideas back to the whole group. Then the planners, architects and communication specialists will craft some more - ideas, plans, drawings, media.

After the two days of intensive work the Planners will then present a overview of the outcomes in a 2 hour meeting on the evening of the second day.

Social Tools Engagement

At certain points in the process key ideas will come into conflict and (hopefully) be resolved, compromises will happen (hopefully) and in the end we will have a do-able plan that everyone can like - and is do-able in the physical, economic and political world.

At these crisis points in the process I will out reach to get your informed opinion and try to feed your ideas into the process. This use of the social tools is new to the Charrette process - we'll see how it goes.

The Pre Charrette Walks

The specific intention of this set of pre-walks is to trace a walking path around the Shipping Channel - and to discover what use the land around it is presently being put to; and what potential future uses can be gleaned from a process of actually touching the place, documenting the act, and writing about it. This with-in my bias for development that creates Complete Streets and Liveable Cities.

Shipping Channel Panorama - North-side below Don Roadway looking south at City of Toronto Transportation Services salt storage facility.

Below is a map with several video and images at the placemarks - a synopsis of my walkabout so far.

Shipping Channel Walkabout - pre-Charrette discovery

View Shipping Channel Walkabout - pre-Charrette discovery in a larger map

References:

¹ Ward 30 Bikes - Tuesday, February 4, 2014 | Queen St., Logan, Port Lands, South of Eastern, Dundas/Carlaw Corridor - a walk-about to discover North-South Cycling Opportunities - Learning through reading, walk-abouts and writing: Bouchette Street, Logan Avenue & Carlaw Avenue --- Commissioners to Dundas | http://ward30bikes.blogspot.ca/2014/02/queen-st-logan-port-lands-south-of.html

² Youtube - Congress4NewUrbanism | CNU 20 - Charrettes and the Next Generation of Public Involvement | http://youtu.be/RNzKI9n-i58

CNU 20 - Charrettes and the Next Generation of Public Involvement


Under the Video:

Published on May 29, 2012

Are the days of the seven-day charrette behind us? Shrinking budgets, social media, tea party obstruction... it's time to take another look at charrettes and public involvement.

Limited project budgets are challenging everyone. The web has also made it possible for the public, as well as consultants, to participate from a distance. This technology can save money, but what are the costs to shared learning and the building of relationships? How can these high-tech tools be leveraged to increase the number and diversity of people that are engaged in planning projects while still maintaining the advantages of face-to-face meetings?

This session will present the latest tools, techniques and the trade-offs of social media and web-based participation tools within the context of the face-to-face public design charrette format.

Hazel Borys, Managing Principal, PlaceMakers
Ben Brown, Consultant, PlaceMakers LLC
Andrés Duany, Principal, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company
Bill Lennertz, Executive Director, National Charrette Institute
Gianni Longo, Principal, ACP Visioning & Planning

Resources:

Port Lands Acceleration Initiative: Home | http://www.portlandsconsultation.ca/

Port Lands Planning Framework: Land Use Direction | http://portlandsconsultation.ca/sites/all/themes/portlands/files/PLPFLand%20UseDirection_Jun5(sm).pdf

National Charrette Institute (NCI) | http://www.charretteinstitute.org/about-nci.html

Top Port Lands Map Image via: Port Lands Acceleration Initiative: Home | Port Lands Planning Framework | http://www.portlandsconsultation.ca/node/17



mh

Mapping 'SmartStudio' Proposed Development - vs - Existing Developments in the South of Eastern Employment Area Study

Comparing Existing and Proposed

UPDATE 2013/12/13: I completed another portion of this mapping experiment. Using Google Maps line drawing and distance calculation function - I measured the square area of the proposed SmartStudio development --- and compared that with the combined areas of the lots of the three 'Plaza' existing developments at Lake Shore Boulevard and Leslie Street. (see updated map embed below - my method and calculations are there)

RESULT:  .0019% less parking at StudioCentre than at the existing Three Plaza at Leslie.
CONCLUSION:  StudioCentre will pull enough car traffic that it is likely to create congestion on area roadways much like at Leslie and Lake Shore Boulevard - a Barrier to Complete Streets; a Barrier to the Waterfront.

Studio Centre:
86,966.5 m2 lot size with 891 parking spots proposed = 0.0103 parking spots per meter of lot size.
Leslie / Lake Shore Three Plazas:
72,070.05 m2 lot size with ~880 parking spots = 0.0122 parking spots per meter of lot size.

Next: research square footage of proposed uses at Studio Centre (Retail, Hotel, Film Studio) and figure out the square footage of Retail at the three Plaza - and compare Parking to Commercial Space ratios.
 

________________________

It's hard to tell what we're talking about. So to take a metaphorical Step Back I made a map (as usual).

This Map (so far) outlines the boundaries of four properties in the South of Eastern Employment Area Study: the proposed StudioCentre development and the thee Plaza at the corner of Leslie and Lake Shore Boulevard anchored by FreshCo. (Northwest) Loblaws Northeast and Canadian Tire (Southwest) - that draw enough car traffic to the intersection to make Complete Streets on Leslie impossible (according to City Planners in 2012) - thus creating a Barrier rather than a Gateway to the Waterfront and surrounding neighbourhoods.

When  I started this mapping project I was convinced that the Loblaws Plaza and the SmartCentres parcel were about the same size. The boundary estimates that Google Maps provided with each boundary line I plotted show that the proposed StudioCentre is almost exactly 3X larger the Loblaws Plaza parcel.

Fascinating how we can't see the scales of stuff on the ground.

Here's an embed of the map:

South of Eastern - Transportation and Servicing Master Plan Study Area – Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA)
Comparing Existing and Proposed

View South of Eastern - Transportation and Servicing Master Plan Study Area – Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) in a larger map


I've continued to work on the map ... drawing lines and counting parking spots.

The idea is to estimate the total area of the 3 Plaza at the corner of Leslie and Lake Shore - which are existing, operating business models that use the standard car-centric design method - then count the car parking spots these businesses were designed with - then calculate the total number of parking spots per square footage of retail floor space ... so to arrive at a 'Parking Spot/Retail Area Ratio'.

We can then take this information and compare it to the SmartCentre | StucioCentre proposal down the street - in order to answer the question:

Is the SmartStudio development a car-centric business model like those at the three corners of Lake Shore and Leslie?

Without the 'Parking Spot/Retail Area Ratio' yet calculated --- just looking at the map one can easily see that it's looking bad for SmartCentres.

The area of proposed development at Pape is about equal to the area of the 3 Plaza; the number of car parking spots in the 3 Plaza is almost exactly the same (880) as the SmartStudio plan proposes (891).

If the SmartCentre mirrors the Box Store Parking Lot fiasco at Leslie - then can we assume Planning will turn down their application ,,, since it creates barriers rather than Gateways to the waterfront and congestion instead of connections to adjacent neighbourhoods?

In the end it's a political decision. What do you want South Riverdale / Leslieville to feel like? More of the same 6 hours a day of raging grid-lock - or a place where cycling to the waterfront is a 'ride in the park'.

Online Participant Workbook for the study now underway on this | http://cityoftoronto.fluidsurveys.com/.../Port-Lands-and.../

Closes on Thursday.

Area dimensions and counted parking spots data from the sidebar of the map:

StudioCentres
North boundary: 353.69 m (1160.4' )
East boundary: 195.15 m (640.3' )
South boundary: 371.26 m (1218.04' )
West boundary: 315.4 m (1,035' )
Parking Spots Proposed: 891 (all above grade.) Blogto article*

Loblaws
North boundary: 111.23 m (364.9' )
East boundary: 240.5 m (789' )
South boundary: 101.71 m (333.7' )
West boundary: 238.12 m (781.23' )
Parking Spots: ~370

FreshCo.
North Boundary: 185.27 m (607.8' )
East Boundary: 83.71 m (274.6' )
South Boundary: 156.8 m (514.44' )
West Boundary: 134.17 m (440.2' )
Parking Spots: 170

Canadian Tire
North Boundary: 289.82 m (951' )
East Boundary: 229.89 m (754.2' )
South-West Boundary: 378.91 m (1243.1' )
Parking Spots: ~439 (extrapolated under box)

Total Parking Spots at Leslie and Lake Shore ~880

Google Map: http://goo.gl/maps/zXtQc

*BlogTO - May 14, 2013 | Massive retail development and hotel planned for old Toronto Film Studios site - by Chris Bateman | http://www.blogto.com/city/2013/05/massive_retail_development_and_hotel_planned_for_old_toronto_film_studios_site/



mh

South of Eastern / Port Lands Planning Study - Deadline for Submissions December 12th!

Deadline for submitting you feedback in this phase of the "South of Eastern / Port Lands Planning Study" is Thursday, December 12th!

Online Participant Workbook | http://cityoftoronto.fluidsurveys.com/s/Port-Lands-and-South-of-Eastern/

 Landscape Annotated Conceptual Plan | StudioCentre | Smartcentre | 629 Eastern Avenue Toronto Ontario, Canada M4M 1E3 | Copyright Diamond and Schmitt Architects | 384 Adelaide Street West | Suite 300 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 1R7

(see large size: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQJJ1WZHjUJwZH-voyU1ZTUAenen7sHq4XuvF6RIDFWHTum-JPIe8DSJ9QYJThRgDA4iZe_kOpeVP4yu41eCrovu6Ra3USqG5bkPnPW1tkaJttnamYyQgoOPsLECf1GI7L64vppZTsRk/s1600/SmartCentres_Landscape_Annotated_Conceptual_Plan.JPG )

The South of Eastern part of the study includes the Smart Centres proposed development at Pape and Lake Shore - which is a car-centric plan which will pull traffic into the neighbourhood and become a hindrance to Complete Streets connections North/South and East/West.

Notably the Smart Centres' proposal cuts the Lower Don Rec Trail twice - with two entrances to their development site alone - a very bad precedent for future development if this is allowed to proceed with out a radical re-visioning.

There are only 5 streets that cross the Lake Shore Boulevard to the Port Lands - Leslie Street is too narrow for complete Streets + On-street parking - so that's out as a Gateway to the Port Lands and the Waterfront.

Now the next development after the Big Box Shopping and Drive-Thru Extravaganza at Leslie is Pape. The wall of development continues - and connecting neighbourhoods to each other takes another big hit.

Take an hour - read the documents - fill out the Online Participant Workbook (at the link).
.

Documents and Resources:

Port Lands and South of Eastern - November 28, 2013 Public Meeting | PowerPoint Presentation Documents | http://www.portlandsconsultation.ca/sites/all/themes/portlands/files/CCM%201%20%28November%2028%29%20Presentation.pdf

Online Participant Workbook | http://cityoftoronto.fluidsurveys.com/s/Port-Lands-and-South-of-Eastern/

More Resources at paulafletcher.ca | http://paulafletcher.ca/discover-ward-30/community-planning/#eastern
(At the November 28th meeting Planners said the public feedback deadline is not a hard one - but the web portal will likely close at 11:59pm, Thursday December 12th. Councillor Paula Fletcher has a hard copy link to the Participant Workbook at her site, linked above - so my interpretation is that - for some days after the Close your feedback may be accepted and become a part of the data base in this first phase - depending on the pace of the work of the various Planning teams in this.)

BlogTO - May 14, 2013 | Massive retail development and hotel planned for old Toronto Film Studios site - by Chris Bateman | http://www.blogto.com/city/2013/05/massive_retail_development_and_hotel_planned_for_old_toronto_film_studios_site/

BikingToronto | @Blog_Free_Wheel (me) - May 16th, 2013 | East/West bicycle network considerably harmed by proposed “StudioCentre” development on Eastern Avenue | http://bikingtoronto.com/michaelhollowayblog/2013/05/16/east-west-bicycle-network-considerably-harmed-by-proposed-studiocentre-development-on-eastern-avenue/



mh