Green space is an investment in our future

Green space improves our communities and enriches our well being. The Liberal government has failed to deliver much needed green space in the heart of Toronto with land the province owns.

 

The Ontario government owns a 2.1 acre/.84 hectare lot on Wellesley Street West near Yonge street in the heart of downtown Toronto. This  parcel of land  has sat mostly unused  since the 1980s when it was to be donated for an opera house. At the time, the plan was for more commercial development in the area. After the recession in the 1990's the opera house plan was scrapped and development began to shift to residential projects: condominiums.

 

This area, Ward 27, has seen incredible growth in the past several years, with a 20 per cent increase in population since 2006, making it the second most populous ward in Toronto. As density increases, the value of this land becomes even more apparent.  Existing developments and projects already in process give this area a distinctive urban character and when complete there will be more than 70 towers in the neighbourhood. Ward 27 is also characterized by a lack of parkland. 

 

The Provincial Policy Statement (“PPS”), provides policy direction on matters of provincial interest related to land use, planning and development. It encourages development patterns that support strong, live-able and healthy communities by endorsing intensification as a means to accommodate growth and increase urban vitality.  

 

Toronto Centre MPP, Glen Murray  has said that the ratio of developments to green space in the neighbourhood is getting to a crisis point, yet his government has failed to act citing the value of the land and the need to reduce the deficit. At the same time, in a bid to save seats, the Liberals moved gas plants from Mississauga and Oakville at taxpayers expense to the tune of several hundred million dollars.  

 

I know and appreciate the value that green spaces offer a community. Accordingly, I call upon the Ontario government to work out a deal with the city that would see this land donated (as it was to be years ago) to the City of Toronto, with the proviso that it is to be used as an urban park.  

 

I support Councillor Wong-Tam’s proposal that the park be named after Toronto urban activist Jane Jacobs. This is a wonderful idea and a fitting tribute to a wonderful Toronto personality. However, I disagree with the proposed plan to build one more condo tower on the site.  

 

An urban park here would be an investment in the future. It is an opportunity to improve the quality of  life of local residents while helping to ensure property values in the area. The city could create an urban park that provides a play space for children, meeting space for community events, and could incorporate below-grade shopping or community services in order to provide some financial returns to the city.

 

--Mark Daye
Community and Social Services Critic

Green Party of Ontario

 

Originally posted at gpo.ca

Homeless Left out in the Storm for Lack of Shelter

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

This past Monday, a severe storm hit Toronto that claimed at least one

life.   It is now clear that many homeless were left outside to fend for

themselves during this extreme weather.  According to reports, people were

turned away from the city shelter referral centre on Peter St, after being

told there wass 'no space', while another 140 people slept on the floor of

the referral centre itself.

Ward 27 Councillor, Kristyn Wong Tam has said that she is 'looking into'

why there were no spaces.  That's a good question and we can help her with

the answer.  There are not enough shelter spaces in this city thanks to

the efforts of the city itself.  Over the last 10 years, we have lost

hundreds of shelter beds especially in the Dundas-Sherbourne area where

the need is especially acute.

While Wong-Tam attempts to present herself as a champion of the homeless,

just this past June she voted in favour of closing down the School House

shelter, a city owned space on George St. 55 beds will be lost in this

closure, specifically harm reduction beds for those who drink. On

Wednesday, November 14th the issue of the School House Shelter will be

brought back to City Hall for a final report on how the money that should

be spent keeping the shelter open, will instead be re-shuffled away from

providing shelter spaces at all.

Monday night's incident should serve as an alarm bell with the winter

season only a few weeks away. Shelters are operating at capacity and no

new spaces are being opened up. The church based Out-of-the-Cold program

is never enough to meet the needs. The City is responsible for all of its

residents, including the homeless. Wong-Tam and all of City Council are

responsible for a loss of permanent shelter infrastructure in this City

that left people out in the cold this week and every other week of the

year.

OCAP is fighting the closure of the School House shelter and we demand

more and better services for poor and homeless people in this city. We

will not sit by and watch the doors of a shelter be closed in a priority

neighborhood while people are at risk of freezing to death on the streets.

Those responsible for putting peoples lives at risk will be held

accountable and, if the City fails to act, the community will act

independently to open shelter space for those who need it.

Fact-Sheet on the School House Shelter: http://www.ocap.ca/node/1020

Contact for further comment or information:

Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
www.ocap,ca / ocap@tao.ca / 416-925-6939

Celebrate Yonge with Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam

Celebrate Yonge with Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam

Visit Celebrate Yonge and see iconic Yonge Street from a new perspective during a special four week event starting this Friday!
From August 17 to September 16, 2012, Yonge Street sidewalks will be widen from Queen to Gerrard streets to make way for new outdoor patios, provocative public art, pedestrian spaces, exciting programming and special deals from our local retailers!
The transformation will feature a range of family –friendly entertainment and activities to enjoy. With something for everyone, a walk along Yonge Street will be the new experience of the summer.

Hosted by the Downtown Yonge BIA, the theme of Urban Mobility will coincide with the busy visitor season for events such as the launch of the Canadian National Exhibition, back-to-school excitement, Brazil Day, Yonge-Dundas Square's Indie Fridays, the Toronto International Film Festival and much more.

Celebrate Yonge emerged from the Yonge Street Planning Framework, a study that set the stage for Toronto to showcase the historical character and rich vibrancy of Yonge Street.

For more information on Celebrate Yonge, please visit Celebrate Yonge or contact Alina Chatterjee at achatte2@toronto.ca.
Join us as we transform the busiest pedestrian street in Canada into a spectacular people-friendly, community space – what I like to call streets for all.