CITY SEEKING INPUT ON NEW PARKS PLAN - ONLINE AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS

City of Toronto seeking public input for a new five-year plan for parks,
trails and natural areas
The City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry and Recreation division is seeking public input for the new five-year Parks Plan. As directed by Council, the plan will guide decision-making and investment in City parks in order to meet the diverse needs of Toronto residents, including:
designing beautiful, unique and sustainable park spaces
protecting and expanding natural areas
balancing park uses to include play spaces, natural areas, sport activities, urban agriculture and cultural expression
engaging the community through stewardship, volunteering and partnerships, and
ensuring that the City's parks and trails are available and accessible to all residents.

"This is an important opportunity for Torontonians to express their opinions about the Toronto parks system," said Councillor Norm Kelly (Ward 40 Scarborough-Agincourt), Chair of the City's Parks and Environment Committee. "I encourage everyone to complete the online survey or attend a public consultation session."

Residents are invited to attend one of four public consultation meetings:
Scarborough - Monday, November 7, Warden Hilltop Community Centre, 25 Mendelssohn St.
North York - Wednesday, November 16, Mitchell Field Community Centre, 89 Church Ave.
Toronto East York - Thursday, November 24, Wellesley Community Centre, 495 Sherbourne St.
Etobicoke York - Thursday, December 1, Amesbury Community Centre, 1507 Lawrence Ave. W.
The public can also provide feedback about parks services through an online survey, launched today at http://www.toronto.ca/parks/parksplan.

For more information about the public survey or to participate in a public consultation session about the new Parks Plan, visit http://www.toronto.ca/parks/parksplan  or contact 311.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

NOV 16 - HUMBER COLLEGE (LAKESHORE CAMPUS) CONSULTS WITH COMMUNITY

PARK ISSUES UPDATE

South Parking lot - Councillor Grimes has requested staff work with the Toronto Parking Authority to implement 2 hour limited parking during school hours, as soon as possible.

 

Stormwater Management - The next public meeting for the Etobicoke Waterfront Stormwater Facility Study will be in January 2012 at the Assembly Hall, but a firm date has not yet been set. The team is still compiling results from their modelling studies and public comments. At the January meeting their recommended solution will be presented, but it is not set in stone - they will still be accepting feedback at that time.

UPDATE ON TCDSB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLAN

From a recent report to the Lakeshore Grounds Coordinating Committee.

The Board has a 99 year lease on a site fronting on Lakeshore Blvd. on the west side of Col. Sam Smith Drive.    Ministry funding for a new school has been approved.   Christ the King and St. Teresa’s Schools are to be merged and the new school will accommodate 530-550 pupils.    The hiring of architects and consultants and beginning the site plan approval process with the City has just begun.    It is unlikely that the school will be completed before September 2014 and it could well be 2015.

Christ the King has been designated an Eco-School and Principal Pillo described the many activities and initiatives that encourage environmental conservation and practices - for example there are no plastic water bottles used!     It is one of the leading schools in the City in this respect and they look forward to continuing and expanding these activities on the new site.

Maia Puccetti is an architect in charge of planning and approvals for the Board and she explained that meeting LEED construction standards was extremely difficult within the provincial funding guidelines but that the Board was committed to as green a construction process as possible.    They are involved with the Evergreen Foundation and have “greened” many existing school sites.     The Lakeshore site is small and they anticipate a 40 - 50,000 square foot school.   They typically build to two storeys but may consider three.      She identified the management of storm water as being very expensive because of new City guidelines and was aware of the proposals for daylighting the creeks on the Grounds.

There was considerable discussion about the traffic congestion at Lakeshore and Col. Sam Smith Dr. during school drop off and pick up times and the Board was urged to consider locating the elementary school drop off point on their own property rather than on Col. Sam Smith Dr.

The Board is aware of the location of the heritage orchard and the community concern about protecting it.    However Ms. Puccietti pointed out that long experience with school playgrounds has taught them that nut trees and fruit trees present problems - the nuts become weapons and the fruit trees attract bees and wasps!     They are hoping to use the land between the school property and the Lakeshore Blvd. as passive play area and it would have to be fenced.

There will be consultation with the community as the planning process proceeds and the website of the Board will provide updates.  

http://www.tcdsb.org/facilities%20issues/SARC/christambroseteresajosaphat.htim

SAM SMITH BIRD WALK ON SATURDAY OCT. 22 AT 9.00 AM

A great opportunity for the whole family to get out an enjoy the autumn migration in Sam Smith Park

Saturday, October 22nd 

9:00 - 11:00 am, Colonel Samuel Smith Park

Leader: Glenn Coady

Meet in the south parking lot (where the road ends) at 9:00 am