Community Newsletter: 24/7 warming locations, Council meeting, and more

Neighbour --

Earlier this week, City Council met for our third meeting of the term. 

Our motion to open 24/7 indoor warming locations and declare a public health crisis was on the floor of Council this week. Over the past month, I’ve heard from hundreds of people in Davenport, and over ten thousand from across the City, that want to see our unhoused neighbours provided with reliable and low-barrier respite from the cold. We've also heard from physicians and hospital leaders, major hospital networks, health providers, community workers, people with lived experience, faith leaders, and the Ontario Human Rights Commission that the public health interventions we included in our motion are desperately needed to prevent cold-related injuries and uphold the rights of people experiencing homelessness. 

Our City’s priorities are exemplified in the decisions we make–unfortunately, the Board of Health’s recommendations were not approved. While 14 City Councillors and the Mayor voted against, there were 11 who voted for action and to name the crisis we face. Despite the result at Council this week, I’m committed to continuing to advocate for public health interventions and policies which uphold the rights of Torontonians experiencing homelessness. 

Also at this week’s meeting, we approved making the ActiveTO Yonge St. Complete Street Pilot permanent, created a framework for the continued existence of CafeTO while making it affordable for small business owners, extended the UrbanHensTO pilot project until May 31, requested a report on new revenue tools for Toronto, and much more. 

Below, I’ve included updates on upcoming community consultations, construction updates and other local news.

Sincerely,

Alejandra Bravo
City Councillor, Ward 9
Davenport

In this edition

• Reminder: Wallace Emerson Neighbourhood Streets Plan
• Eglinton TOday Complete Streets Project
• Pothole Repair Blitz Happening this Weekend
• CampTO Registration Opens Tomorrow
• Davenport Diamond Construction Update
• Applications Open: Young Urban Forest Leader Program 
• Business Inc. Entrepreneurship Program at Bloor/Gladstone Library

Reminder: Wallace Emerson Neighbourhood Streets Plan

In consultation with the local community, the City of Toronto is developing a Neighbourhood Streets Plan for the Wallace Emerson area. This plan will identify and address issues related to transportation safety and mobility across the neighbourhood, with a focus on protecting vulnerable road users (i.e. seniors, school children, people walking and cycling).

Proposed changes as a result of the Neighbourhood Streets Plan could affect you. New safety measures could include changes to parking, direction of travel on your street, and other traffic calming measures such as speed humps or bike lanes.

There are a number of ways to get involved:

• Learn more on the project website at toronto.ca/wallacemersonstreets
• Attend the drop-in Event
  • Thursday, February 16, 2023
  • 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
  • Wallace Emerson Community Centre (1260 Dufferin St)
• Online Mapping Tool: visit the website to comment on where improvements should be made or where you experience issues travelling in the neighbourhood. Submit your comments by March 2.
• Contact the project team at [email protected] or 416-338-2986

I will be attending the drop-in event on February 16^th and hope to see you there!

Eglinton TOday Complete Streets Project

We invite you to attend the second phase of public consultation for EglintonTOday featuring two drop-in events and an online survey to learn more about the proposed road safety improvements, new bikeways, and enhanced streetscaping. Proposed changes include relocation of some on-street parking and reducing the number of motor vehicle lanes in some sections to create space for the complete street features.

There are a number of ways to get involved:

• Learn more on the project website at toronto.ca/eglintonTOday
• Complete the online survey before March 7.
• Attend the drop-in events 
  • February 21, 2023
    • Anytime between 6:30-8:30pm
    • Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School, Cafeteria, 1107 Avenue Road
  • February 25, 2023
    • Anytime between 2-4pm 
    • Fairbank Public School, Gymnasium, 2335 Dufferin Street
  • The materials will be the same at both events. Staff will be available to answer your questions and receive your comments. Both venues are wheelchair accessible. 
• Contact the project team at [email protected] or 416-338-7755. 

All information materials from the drop-in events and the survey are posted online at toronto.ca/eglintonTOday

Pothole Repair Blitz Happening this Weekend

Weather permitting, the City of Toronto will launch its first pothole repair blitz this Saturday to keep Toronto’s expressways, major roads and neighbourhood streets in a state of good repair.

42 City crews (approximately 106 staff members) will work a 12-hour shift, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., to repair as many potholes as possible.

Crews have performed proactive daily patrols throughout the winter months to fix potholes across the city. Saturday is forecasted to have favourable enough weather conditions for a pothole repair blitz as daytime temperatures are expected to be above zero with dry conditions.

Residents driving or cycling are advised to expect minor delays around pothole crews. The public is asked to be safe by respecting work zones and giving crews space while they make repairs.

Crews have already repaired 12,570 potholes since January 1. Last year, the City repaired more than 178,800 potholes. Pothole repair blitz crews are made up of the same City staff who handle road maintenance, snow clearing, street sweeping and other maintenance and roadway safety work.

Potholes can normally be repaired within four days of crews being made aware through proactive patrols and 311 service requests from residents. When there are large numbers of potholes to be repaired, they are triaged based on size and repairs are prioritized on major roads first.

Members of the public can report potholes to 311 via the 311 Toronto mobile app, online at Toronto.ca/311 or by calling 311. Learn more about how the City manages potholes at Toronto.ca/Potholes.

CampTO Registration Opens Tomorrow

This summer, CampTO programs for children and youth between the ages of four and 16 will begin in neighbourhoods across Toronto on Tuesday, July 4 and run until Friday, September 1. The City will offer approximately 75,500 spaces in 156 locations providing a variety of camp types, including traditional day camp experiences, active games, dance, drama, music, arts and crafts and indoor, outdoor and nature-based activities.

Registration for Summer CampTO opens tomorrow, February 11, 2023.

The quickest and easiest way to register for CampTO is online. You can find program and registration information on the City's CampTO webpage: www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/recreation/campto/. 

For in-person registration support, five community centre locations will be open tomorrow from 7 a.m. to noon:

• Centennial Recreation Centre, 1967 Ellesmere Rd. 
• Dennis R. Timbrell Resource Centre, 29 St. Dennis Dr. 
• Driftwood Community Centre, 4401 Jane St. 
• Masaryk Cowan Community Centre, 220 Cowan Ave. 
• Wellesley Community Centre, 495 Sherbourne St.  

Davenport Diamond Construction Update

Click here to read the full notice. 

Applications Open: Young Urban Forest Leader Program

Applications for the 2023 Young Urban Forest Leader (YUFL) Program are now open! The YUFL Program is a free, online and in-person training opportunity designed to provide valuable skills in urban forestry and community engagement to 20 young Toronto people (ages 18 to 29) over four months (May through August). Through this program, participants will build connections in their communities, grow their confidence as a leader and network with industry leaders.

The Young Urban Forest Leaders Program is funded in part by a City of Toronto Urban Forestry Grant and the Canadian TREE Fund.

Applications will close on March 21, 2023 at 11:59 PM.

Business Inc. Entrepreneurship Program at Bloor/Gladstone Library