Strike update from our councillor

Just got Adam Vaughan's July newsletter. Here's an update from his office on the strike

Some of the things that my office has been working on during the strike include:
- working with resident associations’ and business improvement areas’ across the ward to organize & obtain permits for dumpsters to get rid of waste to prevent accumulation
- supporting residents who have been conducting community clean-ups in their neighbourhood
- worked with Scadding Court Community Centre to host a community compost site to divert some organic waste
- personally picked up and removed 22 bags of garbage that accumulated on the street and in planter boxes at College and Augusta in advance of last week’s Pedestrian Sundays event in Kensington Market
- daily bike patrols through the ward to find and report locations of illegal dumping
- regularly communicating with Toronto Public Health and connecting them with local businesses proactively working to maintain cleanliness standards
- reaching out to businesses that have been improperly storing their garbage to request clean-ups to prevent rodent problems
- meeting with representatives of Tim Horton’s and Starbucks (both head-office representatives and franchisees in Ward 20) to develop a program where these businesses help divert and collect garbage on the street. (Some of the outcomes from these meetings include a community clean-up conducted by Tim Horton's staff, and posters put up in stores that encourage people to either throw their disposable cups out in the store, hang onto them until they get home, or bring a re-usable cup. Posters developed by our office have now been put up in Tim Horton's stores across Toronto. Starbucks took a city-wide approach by mandating their staff to clean up around their storefronts and initiating a radio and print add campaign to promote incentives for customers using re-useable cups).
- We also compiled and circulated a listing of all of the organizations in Ward 20 that offer summer day programs for children in an effort to assist parents who have been affected by the strike (the list is online here: http://adamvaughan.ca/AV-newsletter/newsletters/Whatskidtodo.pdf)
As of today, the City has negotiated tentative agreements for four collective agreements with CUPE 79 and also with TCEU 416. The specific details of the settlements still need to be ratified by the memberships of the respective unions and City Council. A Special Meeting of City Council will be held this Friday July 31st (assuming that the unions ratify the offers on Thursday July 31st). More information is available on the City of Toronto’s website at http://www.toronto.ca/labour-relations/index.htm

We all look forward to a better fall, but a busy one. If you are vacationing: safe travels and see you soon.

Toronto city workers on strike! What does this mean for you?

We got Adam Vaughan's bulletin last week about the contingency plans in event of the strike that was just called. One thing that doesn't hit condoland as hard is garbage pickup, which continues. Other things, not so much, like the Toronto ferry service being cancelled. Here's the document

IN THE EVENT OF A LABOUR DISRUPTION

 

Police, Fire, TTC and Long Term Care Homes & Services (Homes for the Aged) will not be affected by a labour disruption. In the event of a labour disruption, emergency calls for ambulance/paramedic services will continue as usual. Non-emergency and low priority calls may be affected.

 

The City's water supply and sewage treatment systems will continue to function within established safety and quality standards. 

 

Council and Committee Meetings

 

All scheduled meetings of Council, community councils, standing committees, advisory committees and task forces will be cancelled. This includes hearings conducted by the Committee of Adjustment and the Property Standards Committee and their area panels. For more information see www.toronto.ca/legdocs/schedule.htm

 

All City-run events scheduled on Nathan Phillips Square, Metro Square and other civic squares will be cancelled. Call Access Toronto at 416-338-0338 to confirm if an event is proceeding.

 

All Environment Days scheduled during the labour disruption will be rescheduled. The Ward 20 Environment Day is currently scheduled for Saturday June 27 at Central Tech.

 

Toronto Island ferry service will be cancelled. Island residents will be advised of special transportation arrangements.

 

 

City Hall, Metro Hall and Civic Centres

 

Public access to City Hall, North York Civic Centre, Metro Hall, York Civic Centre and Scarborough Civic Centre will be restricted to ground floors only, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. only. The public may have to cross picket lines to enter these buildings. In a legal labour disruption, unions have a lawful right to picket. Anyone who encounters any problems in attempting to cross a picket line is encouraged to speak with a City management staff person who will be present. Access to parking at some City facilities may be delayed. Members of the public having business on other City floors will require an escort by a representative of the program area with whom they have business.

 

Courier deliveries will continue to be accepted in the City Hall and Metro Hall mail rooms.

 

Closed

The East York Civic Centre and Etobicoke Civic Centre

 

Continued City Hall services

. Receiving legal documents including notices, claims and appeals

. Receiving requests related to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA)

 

Submission of Official Documents

 

In-person delivery of mail or documents addressed to the City Clerk, including appeals of planning matters to the Ontario Municipal Board will be accepted at the City Clerk's Office counter on the ground floor of City Hall.

 

City Clerk's Office service counters at Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough Civic Centres will be closed.

 

Cancelled services

 

All tours, visits, presentations and official City events
Research of past decisions and bylaws
Receiving and responding to City employment applications
Public education program and school/community group tours of City Hall

 

Wedding Chambers

 

Wedding ceremonies will continue during regular business hours from Monday to Saturday at Toronto City Hall. Only scheduled ceremonies at North York Civic Centre will take place. No new bookings will be accepted during the strike, except at Toronto City Hall.

 

Closed

 

Wedding facilities in the Scarborough, East York and York Civic Centres. Affected residents can call Registry Services at
416-392-7036.

 

Applications for marriage licences are available at www.serviceontario.ca.

 

 

Toronto Archives

 

The City of Toronto Archives located at 255 Spadina Rd. will be closed.

 

Garbage Collection

 

Cancelled

 

Residential and commercial curbside collection, green bin and recycling will be cancelled in areas of the city.

 

Residential curbside collection, green bin and recycling pick up will continue in Etobicoke.

 

Commercial night time (yellow bag) pick up will not be available in Etobicoke. 

 

All yard waste, white goods (e.g. fridges and stoves), household hazardous waste, ElectroVan and HazMobile collection is cancelled, including yard waste pick up in Etobicoke.

 

In areas with no collection services:
Residents are encouraged to properly package and store their garbage for the first week of a strike. Do not place any items out at the curb. To minimize the amount of waste, please:

• Do not attempt to store green bin materials for the duration of the labour disruption - place them with your garbage
• Store recyclables (can, bottles, paper and newspapers) and yard waste at home until regular collection resumes
• Place garbage in securely tied, double plastic bags
• Postpone garden trimming and pruning

Residents are asked:

• To help elderly and disabled people in their neighbourhood by offering to take their garbage to designated nearest drop-off locations
• Not to throw garbage onto streets, into laneways or parks.
• Not to leave litter or waste at litter bins. These will not be emptied during the disruption.

Continuing

 

Apartment collection for garbage, recycling, bulky items and Green Bin (where provided) will continue in all areas of the city. Apartment superintendents note:

• Front load steel container collection only; curbside and other container collection will be discontinued.
• Collect green bin organics where applicable.
• Please have containers ready for collection the night before as collection times and days may vary.

Transfer Stations

Two transfer stations will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to accept both residential and commercial garbage:

 

Bermondsey Transfer Station
188 Bermondsey Rd
(Eglinton Ave. E. & Victoria Park Ave. area)

 

Ingram Transfer Station
50 Ingram Dr
(Keele St. & Eglinton Ave. W. area)

• All residential waste will be accepted free of charge. All must be double-bagged.
• Yellow bag customers may deliver their waste to a transfer station free of charge and without use of yellow bags. Proof of registration in the yellow bag program is required.
• All commercial waste must be weighed and will be subject to a $100 per tonne tip fee. All odorous commercial waste must be double bagged.
  

In addition, five transfer stations will be open 12 hours a day, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, to accept both residential and commercial garbage. Remember to double bag.

Disco Transfer Station
120 Disco Rd
(Dixon Rd. & Carlingview Dr area)

 

Dufferin Transfer Station
35 Vanley Cr
(Chesswood Dr & Sheppard Ave. W. area)

 

Victoria Park Transfer Station
3350 Victoria Park Ave
(Victoria Park Ave & Finch Ave. E. area)

 

Commissioners Street Transfer Station
400 Commissioners St
(Lake Shore Blvd. E. & Logan Ave area)

 

Scarborough Transfer Station
1 Transfer Pl
(Markham Rd & Sheppard Ave. E. area)

Additional residential drop-off locations will be announced should the labour disruption continue for more than five days.

 

Should the labour disruption continue, allowances will be made to permit residents to put out additional garbage for collection after resumption of normal services.

 

Deliveries of pre-ordered new and additional residential garbage and recycle bins will continue.

 

Existing requests for repairs or exchanges of residential bins will be postponed until the labour disruption has ended.

 

 

Parks, Forestry and Recreation

 

Parks will be open for casual use only. There will be no turf or grounds maintenance.

 

Cancelled

• All permits in parks, tennis courts, outdoor sports fields and civic squares
• Wedding photography permits. No new permits will be issued
• In-person registration for recreation programs at community centres and civic centres will be cancelled. Registration through touch-tone automatic registration and the internet will continue
• All recreation programming, including camps, classes, drop-ins, clubs, school visits, walking tours and presentations
• All City programming in community schools.

Closed

• All City community centres and fitness centres
• All City-operated indoor/outdoor swimming pools, arenas and golf courses
• Outdoor wading pools
• Some splash pads on timers may remain operational depending on maintenance and site conditions. All others will be closed
• All greenhouses and conservatories
• Glen Rouge Campground
• Riverdale Farm
• Public washrooms located in City parks
• Open arenas and community centres

The following arenas and community centres operated and staffed by Boards of Management will not be affected:

 

Arenas

• George Bell
• Larry Grossman Forest Hill Memorial Area
• McCormick Playground Arena
• Moss Park
• North Toronto Memorial
• Ted Reeve
• William H. Bolton
• Lakeshore Lions
• Weston Lions

Boards of Management operated-community centres

 

519 Church
Applegrove Community Complex
Cecil Street Community Centre
Central Eglinton Community Centre
Community Centre 55
Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre
Harbourfront Community Centre
Ralph Thornton Community Centre
Scadding Court Community Centre (pool closed)
Swansea Town Hall
Urban Forestry Services

Urban Forestry Services will respond to emergencies involving City-owned trees that grow on the City road allowance and in natural areas that pose a public safety hazard. Call Access Toronto at 416-338-0338.

 

 

Toronto Water

 

Water supply and sewage treatment systems will continue to function within established safety and quality standards. In the event of any of the following critical situations, call Access Toronto at 416-338-0338:

• Severe basement flooding
• Flooded road surface
• Blocked sewer connection
• No water supply
• Interruption in water service because of a broken water main or local construction
• To report a broken or leaking water main
• To report blocked storm sewers
• An emergency shut-off of water supply (flooding)
• To report a spill (such as oil or chemical)
• For water quality issues such as rusty water
• All non-essential services are suspended

Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

 

Enterprise Toronto/small business centres located at the Scarborough Civic Centre, City Hall and North York Civic Centre are closed.

 

The Toronto Film and Television Office is open with reduced service. The film office is located on the first floor of City Hall and is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

 

Museums, Galleries and Cultural Facilities

 

City-run museums, art galleries and cultural facilities will be closed and programming will be cancelled. All permits at cultural facilities and museums will also be cancelled. All directly operated facilities will be closed including museums.

 

Special Events

 

All City-run scheduled events on Nathan Phillips Square, Metro Square and other civic squares will be cancelled. Call Access Toronto at 416-338-0338 to confirm if an event is proceeding.

 

 

Court Services

 

Continuing

 

All Provincial Offences Court locations within the city remain open for business as usual during the hours indicated on tickets issued and other court documents. Scheduled court appearances including trials will be conducted in accordance with notices that have been sent out.

 

Provincial Offences Court locations:

 

Toronto West Court Office
York Civic Centre
2700 Eglinton Avenue West

 

Toronto East Court Office
1530 Markham Road
Main floor,

 

Toronto South Court Office
Old City Hall
60 Queen St. West

 

Court Administration Office
137 Edward St., 2nd floor

 

 

Transportation Services

 

Continued services (longer response times):

• Emergency repairs to expressways, roads, sidewalks and bridges
• Emergency road services including collision debris clean-up, dead animal pick-up, spill response, etc.
• Replacement of damaged or missing stop signs and other safety-related traffic signs
• Emergency permit requests (utility work, film, construction and temporary street occupancy)
• Emergency parking permit issuance
• Emergency bylaw investigations
• Emergency traffic investigations

Priority will be given to protecting public safety. In these situations, call Access Toronto at 416-338-0338.

 

Suspended services:

• Routine replacement of non-safety-related traffic signs
• Routine repairs or maintenance to expressways, roads, sidewalks and bridges
• Street cleaning and flushing
• Routine pavement marking and bylaw investigations
• Planning and development review activities
• Grass cutting in some areas
• Parking permits will not be issued. (If you receive a parking ticket in an area for which you have been unable to obtain a parking permit, your ticket will be cancelled when you obtain your new permit.)
• Routine permit requests for utility work, film, construction and temporary street occupancy
• Routine bylaw investigations and traffic investigations
• Catch basin cleaning
• Curb cutting
• Utility cut repairs
• Street lighting investigations
• Traffic data collection and safety reviews

Employment and Social Services

 

Three offices will remain open weekdays between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to offer emergency financial assistance only. Clients may visit or contact any of the following offices during a labour disruption:

 

Etobicoke North - 220 Attwell Dr - 416 392-6400
Downtown - 111 Wellesley St E - 416 392-5300
Scarborough West - 1225 Kennedy Rd - 416 392-2800

Assistance for job seekers will not be available. Clients who already receive Ontario Works benefits each month by cheque or direct deposit will continue to do so without interruption. Case workers will not be available during a labour disruption.

 

 

Children's Services

 

All child care centres directly operated by Toronto Children's Services are closed. The closures include:

 

Albion, 1545 Albion Rd.
Alexandra Park, 75 Augusta Sq.
Ancaster, 45 Ancaster Rd.
Ancaster Satellite, 44 Ancaster Rd.
Bellevue, 95 Bellevue Ave.
Berner Trail, 120 Berner Trail
Birchmount, 365 Bay Mills Blvd.
Birkdale, 1229 Ellesmere Rd.
Blake Street, 84 Blake St.
Blake St Satellite, 21 Boultbee Ave.
Blevins, 26 Blevins Pl.
Brahms, 5 Brahms Ave.
Canadiana Crt, 20 Gordonridge Pl.
Capri, 7 Capri Rd.
Centenary/Seven Oaks, 9 Neilson Rd.
City Kids, 34 Bathurst St.
Coxwell, 1631 Queen St E, 2nd Flr.
Danforth, 1125 Danforth Ave.
Davenport, 1900 Davenport Rd.
Davisville, 41 Millwood Rd.
Dovercourt, 455 Dovercourt Rd.
Edgeley, 405 Driftwood Ave.
Emery, 3395 Weston Rd.
Falstaff, 10 Falstaff Ave.
Family Residence, 4222 Kingston Rd.
Firgrove, 4 Cane Grassway
Firgrove Satellite, 270 Firgrove Cres.
Flemingdon, 29 St. Dennis Dr.
Galloway, 4299 Kingston Rd.

Gilder, 31 Gilder Dr.
Gilder Sat, 47 Gilder Dr.
Glen Road, 443 Bloor St. E.
Greenholme, 10 Jamestown Cres.
Hollis, 1 Hollis St.
Hollis Resource, 71 Guestville Ave.
Jesse Ketchum, 7 Berryman St.
Kipling, 2233 Kipling Ave.
Lawrence Ave. E., 3847 Lawrence Ave. E.
Malvern, 1321 Neilson Rd.
Marguerite Butt, 3197 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
Metro Hall, 55 John St.
Northminster, 255 Finch Ave W.
O'Connor, 1386 Victoria Park Ave.
O'Connor Satellite, 1665 O'Connor Dr.
Parkside, 401 Cedarvale Ave.
Rawlinson, 40 Earnscliffe Rd.
Regent Park, 600 Dundas St. E.
Robertson House, 291 Sherbourne St.
Rowntree, 2765 Islington Ave.
Shoreham Satellite, 31 Shoreham Dr.
St. Mark's, 201 Cowan Ave.
Thomas Berry, 3495 Lake Shore Blvd W.
Trimbee, 30 Denarda St.
Warden Woods, 76 Firvalley Crt.
Warden Woods Satellite, 644 Warden Ave.
Willowridge, 30 Earldown Dr.
Woodbine, 700 Milverton Blvd. 

 

All Children's Services district offices will be closed as follows:

• North District Office, 1118 Finch Ave. W.
• South District Office, Metro Hall, 55 John St., 10th Floor
• East District Office, 1457 McCowan Rd.
• West District Office, 1243 Islington Ave., 11th Floor
• York Civic Centre Application Processing and Enquiry Unit, 2700 Eglinton Ave. W., Lower Level

No new applications for child care fee subsidies or transfer to other child care centres will be processed during the labour disruption. Fee subsidy appointments will be rescheduled.

 

Open

 

Toronto Home Child Care and Child Care Centres with services contracts with Children's Services.

 

 

Long Term Care Homes and Services (Homes for the Aged)

 

All Long Term Care Homes and Services remain open and are not affected by the labour disruption.

 

 

Shelter, Support and Housing Administration

 

City-funded agencies that provide a range of services to homeless and marginally housed people, including emergency shelters, drop-ins, housing help and Rent Bank, will continue to receive funding, allowing them to maintain these services. This includes social housing providers who will be able to continue to subsidize rents for their eligible residents.

 

Continuing

 

The following nine City-operated emergency shelters will remain open:

• Seaton House - main site
• Seaton House - Birchmount Residence
• Seaton House - Downsview Dells
• Seaton House - Fort York
• Women's Residents - main site
• Women's Residents - Bellwoods House
• Birkdale Residence
• Family Residence
• Robertson House

Reduced service levels

• Overnight Assessment and Referral Centre
• Central Family Intake
• Street outreach

Emergency Shelter

 

Anyone who needs emergency shelter can call one of these numbers:

 

Assessment and Referral Centre (single adults, youth and couples) 416-338-4766/toll-free 1-877-338-3398
Central Family Intake (families) 416-397-5637.

 

The Assessment and Referral Centre is located at 67 Adelaide Ave. E. and is available to single adults, youth and couples by phone 24 hours, or in person for referrals to emergency shelters or respite from the street 8:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. daily.

 

Not Available

Streets to Homes walk-in service

 

Closed

Adelaide Women's Resource Centre

 

 

Social Development, Finance and Administration

• Community Crisis Response services will continue.
• Community Partnership Investment Program and Toronto Youth Job Corp payments managed by this division to community agencies will continue with limited service.
• The Community Safety Secretariat, community development, Youth Employment Toronto, Youth Employment Partnerships are not available.

 

Toronto Public Health

 

Continued services

• Investigation and response to urgent infectious disease cases and outbreaks, including suspected food poisoning
• Rabies exposure investigations and vaccine provision
• Responding to emergencies, such as spills and fires
• Emergency dental services-call 416-392-1410
• Mobile needle exchange service-call AIDS and Sexual Health Info line 416-392-2437 or 1-800-668-2437
• For all other inquiries-call Toronto Health Connection 416-338-7600

Cancelled services

• Routine restaurant inspections
• Family health services, such as healthy pregnancy and baby appointments, home visits and nutrition counselling
• Health education programs
• Routine inspections of public swimming pools (city operated, school and condominium pools) and all spas and wading pools

Closed facilities

• City-operated Sexual Health Clinics
• The Works, drop-in needle exchange at 277 Victoria St.
• Dental clinics

Beaches

• Lifeguards will continue to be on duty.
• Daily monitoring of water quality at beaches will be cancelled. Swim at your own risk.

Technical Services

 

The following services will continue on a limited scale, as feasible:

• Road, sewer, water main and other public works projects that are under construction
• Construction inspection
• Development construction inspection

Suspended services

• Issuing of utility permits, engineering, and property surveys and mapping
• Development review
• Mapping and legal surveys

City Planning

• No planning applications, current applications for amendments to the Official Plan or zoning bylaws or Committee of Adjustment applications will be processed.
• All scheduled Committee of Adjustment meetings or hearings scheduled to take place during the disruption are cancelled and will be rescheduled.
• Pending Committee of Adjustment Notices of Decision required under the Planning Act will be sent out.
• Adjournments are being sought for Ontario Municipal Board hearings on planning-related matters.

Toronto Building

• No building permit applications will be received, processed or issued.
• No preliminary project review applications will be received or processed.
• No compliance, zoning use or property information letters will be processed or issued.
• Only emergency building inspections will take place.

 

Municipal Licensing and Standards (ML&S) & Animal Services

• The vehicle inspection facility at 843 Eastern Ave. will be closed. There will be no taxi or vehicle inspections. Inspections will be rescheduled.
• Licences for trades, businesses and vehicles will not be issued or renewed.
• All taxicab, limousine and CPR training at the ML&S Training Centre at 1530 Markham Rd. will be cancelled.
• Only emergency orders will be issued and only emergency inspections of unsafe conditions will take place.
• Toronto Animal Services will maintain emergency services.
• Pet licences will not be issued or renewed.

Open

 

The following animal shelters will be open between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday:

 

146 The East Mall
1300 Sheppard Ave.
821 Progress Ave.

Closed

 

Shelter at 140 Princes' Blvd. (CNE grounds, Horse Palace)
Spay/Neuter Clinic at 2696 Eglinton Ave W. All scheduled animal surgeries will be cancelled.
Animal Services' office at 35 Spadina Rd

 

Parking Tag Operations

 

Parking tag payment deadlines will not be extended during a strike.

 

The touchtone telephone system 416-397-TAGS (8247) operates 24 hours a day, providing general parking tag information and allows you to inquire about your specific parking tag as well as make payments.

 

Payment options:

 

Online at www.toronto.ca/pay-toronto-tickets

 

Mail your payment and the yellow ticket or white notice to:

 

City of Toronto, Parking Tags
Box 4282, Postal Station A
Toronto ON  M5W 5W5

 

By Visa, MasterCard, or American Express on the touchtone telephone system at
416-397-TAGS (8247). Follow the instructions given on the automated system.

 

Open

 

The First Appearance facility at 1530 Markham Rd (Markham Rd. and Milner Ave.) will be open and customers can attend to request a trial, disputing parking tags and make payments. Extended business hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. Long delays are expected.

 

Closed

• First Appearance facilities at Metro Hall (55 John St.), North York Civic Centre (5100 Yonge St.), York Civic Centre (2700 Eglinton Ave. West.
• Parking tag call centre.

Utility (Water and Solid Waste) and Property Tax Bill Payments

 

The final 2009 property tax bills have been issued and are due as per the due dates identified on your tax bill.

 

Payment options:

• Mailing your payment to the address listed on your bill
• At most chartered banks
• Drop boxes located at various public library branches - see locations listed on your bill (cheques only please) Drop boxes at civic centres will not be available.
• Paying at your bank machine, by telephone banking or by Internet banking

Utility bills for commercial and high volume accounts will be issued based on estimated water consumption levels for the billing period. Residential Utility bills will be issued during a strike and will also be based on estimated water meter readings using historical consumption. 

 

Residents who are moving during the labour disruption are required to submit a final water meter reading to the City. Residents have two options: submit the reading using the automated telephone meter reading service at 416-397-READ (7323) or submit the reading online at www.toronto.ca/utilitybill.

 

Closed

• All enquiry/cashier counters and drop boxes located in Toronto City Hall and the civic centres.
• Tax and Water call centre.

Tenders, Request for Quotations, Request for Proposals and Request for Expressions of Interest

 

Closing dates for City-issued all tenders, Request for Quotations, Request for Proposals and Request for Expressions of Interest will be honoured and remain unchanged unless advised otherwise. Bidders should allow adequate time to cross any information/picket lines before entering City Hall. The Purchasing and Materials Management Division will advise bidders of any extension to official closing times for bid documents.

 

 

Toronto Office of Partnerships

 

Office will be closed during the labour disruption. Partners will be notified individually about implications of the disruption.

 

Affordable Housing Office

 

The Affordable Housing Office will continue to administer government funds for affordable housing developments already underway in support of current construction.

 

Toronto Public Library

 

Five Toronto Public Library branches located in shared facilities with City services will close for the duration of the labour dispute. They are: Armour Heights, Flemingdon Park, St. James Town, Todmorden Room and Port Union.

 

With the exception of the Leading to Reading program and the Settlement and Education Partnership in Toronto (SEPT) program, all programs and services normally offered at these branches will be cancelled.

 

The book drops at these branches will close. Fines will be waived for books due at the closed branch for the duration of the labour disruption.

 

Holds Pick-Up (patron reserves), Leading to Reading and SEPT programs will be relocated as noted below:

 

Branch Closed	Holds Pick-Up Moved to	Leading to Reading Program Moved to	SEPT Program Moved to
Armour Heights 2140 Avenue Rd	Barbara Frum 20 Covington Rd	Not applicable	Not applicable
Flemingdon Park* 29 St. Dennis Dr	Don Mills 888 Lawrence Ave E	Don Mills 888 Lawrence Avenue E	Not applicable
St. James Town 495 Sherbourne St	Parliament 269 Gerrard Street E	Parliament 269 Gerrard St E	Parliament 269 Gerrard St E
Todmorden Room 1081 ? Pape Ave	S. Walter Stewart 170 Memorial Park Ave.	Not applicable	Not applicable
Port Union 5450 Lawrence Ave. E	Morningside 4279 Lawrence Ave. E	Not applicable	Not applicable

 

 

*The Library Settlement Program at Flemingdon Park will be cancelled.

 

The following co-located branches will not be closed but will have adjusted hours of service:

• City Hall branch at Toronto City Hall will be open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Urban Affairs branch at Metro Hall will be open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a. m. to 4:30 p.m.

Bookmobile service

 

The Ward's Island bookmobile stop is cancelled for the duration, and the stops at North Kipling, Oakridge Community Centre and Driftwood Community Centres will be relocated to adjacent streets.

 

More information: www.torontopubliclibrary.ca or 416-393-7131.

 

Re-cycling the meeting...

Cycling is in the news today, after city council decided to approve bike lanes for Jarvis.

As you know, lots of cyclists use Queens Quay as a route when they come into downtown. They may come east from the Beach or west from the Martin Goodman Trail. We came across this debrief from Adam Vaughan abut a cycling meeting held earlier this year. It's available here and mentions some of the key issues for our riding. You can read the whole thing here:

Thank you to those of you who were able to attend our first Ward 20 Cycling meeting! For those of you who weren't able to attend, over 25 residents from throughout the ward were present to share ideas on how to improve cycling in Ward 20 from the waterfront, north to Dupont.
Discussion included:
• the need for a safe east-west bike route throughout the city
• the desire for bike lanes on Bloor Street
• the need to better enforce the bylaw that prohibits cars from parking in bike lanes
• the desire for more bike paths or separated bike lanes, and the challenges involved in implementing them
• the need for bike routes and bike paths that connect to the waterfront to the rest of the city

The goal moving forward is to develop a set of priorities for the ward that the office and the community can work towards. To aid in this goal, it was decided that a number of working groups should be formed, including:
• a Ward 20 Cycling Steering Committee, made up of representatives from across the ward. The Steering Committee will hold regular meetings to provide Councillor Vaughan's office with feedback on cycling-related issues, projects and plans relevant to the ward
• a Bloor Street Working Group, which will help provide feedback on future transportation plans for the street
• a Ward 20 Waterfront Cycling Group, which will look at the need for bike lanes and bike routes to connect the waterfront to the north, the need to accommodate bike parking, and other initiatives.

Councillor Adam Vaughan to be at Queens Quay for meeting tomorrow

As seen on Vaughan's site

Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association Town Hall
Date: April 27 2009
Time: 7 – 9 p.m.
Location: Harbourfront Community Centre, 627 Queens Quay
Councillor Vaughan will be a guest speaker at this meeting being organized by the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association. Bring your questions about the neighbourhood and hear about TTC service, traffic issues, the Toronto Island Airport, the Toronto Museum Project, a new library branch, and more.

Expect some fireworks maybe as the Toronto Island Airport announcement is tomorrow as well. Well timed.

Building planning meeting next Monday

Another notice from Adam Vaughan's office, this time about building restrictions and 'physical relationships' in the area north of Front Street, from Spadina to Simcoe. So while not part of Queens Quay, it's close enough to our hood.

Planning Study for King-Spadina East Precinct

Date: Monday, April 20, 2009
Time: 7 – 9 p.m.
Location: Metro Hall, 55 John St, Room 308/309

City staff have been undertaking a study of the built form of the East Precinct of the King-Spadina Secondary Plan Area (bounded by Richmond St W, Simcoe St, Front St W and Spadina Ave). The study’s purpose is to determine appropriate building heights, massing and physical relationships in the area.

This meeting is being hosted by the City of Toronto Planning Division. For more information, contact Judy Josefowicz, Senior Planner, at 416-392-1306.

Cycling through some ideas

Councillor Adam Vaughan's newsletter reminds of a upcoming cycling meeting next Wednesday.

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Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: TBA

Councillor Vaughan and the Toronto Cyclists Union invite Ward 20 Cyclists, residents and businesses to a public meeting on February 25, 2009. The purpose of the meeting is to introduce ward 20 residents and cyclists to the Toronto Cyclists Union. We also hope to build connections between cyclists, local residents' associations, local businesses, the Toronto Cyclists' Union, and Councillor Vaughan's office.

We want your feedback on ideas to improve cycling in Ward 20, from the Annex to the Waterfront. Comments from this meeting will inform a larger community consultation meeting to be held in the spring, at which we will ask Ward 20 cyclists to help determine priorities for the year ahead.

Please RSVP to Councillor Vaughan's office if you are able to attend by emailing councillor_vaughan@toronto.ca or calling 416-392-4044.

Development grinds to a halt?

We got councillor Adam Vaughan's latest newsletter and this little line kinda disturbing us

In short, new developments are slowing down in the area. Of course, that puts the big questions about the health of the largely condo builds that are going on in thee area

There are the CityPlace developments to the west of Spadina as well as a few condos going through builds to the north and south of Bathurst and Lakeshore. Nothing suggests that anything has stopped.

Vaughan's website (very nice by the way) has a development map of the Waterfront area. Worth checking out

Anyhow, here's an excerpt from his letter.

The last year can be neatly split in two. The first half of 2008 was much like the year before. The dominant issues in the ward were still being driven by a torrent stream of new development coming to communities’ right across Trinity-Spadina. Our office worked hard to keep residents aware of changes to city services (like monster bins) while making sure existing services were delivered to the expected standards.

Then the markets crashed. Not a single new building has been submitted to my office since June. This has huge implications. Even though these new development proposals often challenge and de-stabilize (if not threaten) existing communities, there are also benefits. Many parks, sidewalk improvements, libraries and other community assets are financed by revenue from new construction. As well, derelict land is often brought back to life, while the strength of our communities is realized as new services and character comes into the neighbourhood.

Community meetings

A few things on the hopper:

[Via the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association]

Downtown West Multi-Unit Solar Energy Project
Next meeting: Thursday, January 15, 2009, 7:30 pm
The Kensington Lofts, 21 Nassau Street -- just off Spadina on the north side of Kensington Market.

There are two exciting speakers lined up. Derrick Finn will describe what is involved in doing an energy audit in a multi-unit building. And then Gordon Graff will present The Grow Project, which is his design for a building to replace the Moss Park Armoury. Providing affordable housing for 1000 people, his building would be self-sufficient in energy and food production, harvest rainwater, and treat all of its sewage on site. Everyone is welcome.

[Via councillor Adam Vaughan]

Date: January 14 2009
Time: 7-8:30pm
Location: May Robinson Apts Auditorium, 20 West Lodge Ave

14 Division and the Community Police Liaison Committee

Invite you to a Town Hall Meeting

Wednesday, January 14, 2009
7:00pm to 8:30pm

May Robinson Apartments Auditorium
20 West Lodge Avenue (Queen & Landsdowne)

Please send your Community concerns to 14division@torontopolice.on.ca prior to the meeting

Guest Speaker: Chief of Police William Blair