ABCRA has a specific focus to ensure planning decisions in our community follow approved City Planning Policy and Guidelines, specifically as it relates to the completion of a Secondary Plan for Bloor-Yorkville/North Midtown. We are concerned with any planning steps that are taken in the absence of a Secondary Plan – a tool to ensure that thoughtful and prudent decisions can be made in the interests of Toronto residents.
In review of the development application, the applicant is proposing to remove existing buildings along Avenue Road to increase the width of pedestrian sidewalks, provide for a signature plaza at the intersection, increase on-site public space and widen an existing laneway for both vehicular and pedestrian use. These public realm enhancements are desirable for both pedestrian and vehicular safety and support the creation of a community node at a key intersection in the City of Toronto.
We are expressing our concern that the dogs off-leash area is causing conflict with the adjacent residents.
We have been made aware that the disturbances have become more acute in recent years with the increased use of the dogs off-leash area. In addition, the dogs off-leash area now attracts dozens of commercial dog walkers, each with a herd of five dogs or more…
We are writing to express our opposition to the 1080-1088 Yonge Street – Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment Application and request a deferral on the item. We have been in negotiations with the Developer and acknowledge the good steps that have been taken in reducing the massing on the west side of the site, but are of the opinion that more work needs to be done.
Call for Board of Directors nominations and volunteers We are a volunteer organization and our strength lies in our volunteers. Our neighbourhood is dynamic and there is always work for volunteers. By serving on the Board, helping out regularly as a Street Representative, or just occasionally on special projects and committees you will be helping to …
The Bloor Viaduct is one of Toronto’s most iconic structures. Built between 1914 and 1918, it was officially named the Prince Edward Viaduct after the Prince of Wales, a fact which Torontonians tend to gloss over by stubbornly referring to it by its street-related colloquial name.
Despite its significant status, there’s plenty of mostly unknown information about the bridge, not the least of which is that it’s actually not one bridge at all!
ABCRA co-chaired the FoNTRA Garden Suite working group to review the proposal and recommended improvements to the proposed bylaw. The Garden Suites Working Group with a number of ABCRA board members was actively involved in consultations with City Planning staff while developing recommendations.
Bringing Laneway Suites to Toronto and East York District and Laneway Suites – A New Housing Typology for Toronto by Lanescape Evergreen was considered at the June 2017 Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC). ABCRA and other RAs expressed concerns about the specifics of the proposal and scope of consultation.
In 2020, the Avenue Road Safety Coalition made a video to illustrate the safety issues posed by the narrow sidewalks in the 6-lane section of Avenue Rd. between Bloor Street and St. Clair Avenue. They spoke to many residents, business owners and local residents’ association members about the problems and potential solutions.
The history of Toronto in photos is not an authoritative history of this city (far from from it), but the 90 some odd posts linked to below provide a thematically organized visual overview of Toronto that I hope will be worth a return visit or two for those interested in the city of yesteryear.
The vast majority of the photographs featured below derive from the Toronto Archives, which means that should you see something that you really like, it’s probably available for purchase from the source.