Faywood Community Town Hall Notes

 Location: Faywood School     

Date/Time: May 2^nd, 2023 at 6:30 PM

 Presenters:

• Councillor Pasternak (Welcoming Remarks)
• Parks, Forestry and Recreation
• Toronto Police
• Toronto Water
• Northcrest Development

Update on Park at Faywood and Wilson:

New park 973m2 park on the northeast corner of the intersection.  Community feedback incorporated (i.e. playgrounds, active areas like water splash pads, seating, etc.)

Four phases to completion:  

• Phase 1: Visioning – Gathering preliminary community feedback
• Phase 2: Exploring Options – Continued receiving feedback and created draft design, climbing options and splash pads were extremely popular
• Phase 3: Setting a Direction – Present and gather feedback on finalized design  
• Phase 4: Construction – Planned for spring 2024 to 2025

Questions and Answers:

Q1. Imperial conversion on park size

A1. Smaller than hockey rink, bigger than a basketball court

Q2. Accessibility and shade concerns

A2. Park will follow all accessibility legislation and increase tree coverage and metal umbrellas by café seating area       

Q3. Cost of construction

A3. Finalized in phase 4, will be paid by developers of nearby condos

Update by Toronto Police:

Presented by Neighbourhood Community Officer.

TTC Safety

• Spoke of the bystander effect and how many people think someone else is going to help so they don't do anything.
• Plan out route ahead of time and awareness of surroundings as a piece of safety advice.
• Headphones safety issue
• Hide valuables

Car Theft

• Separate task force set up last year
• Several arrests made related to car thefts
• Lock car and take keys as advice to prevent thefts
• Park car in a well lit area with a CCTV camera

Hate Crime and Graffiti  

• Report crimes
• "Police is community, community is police"
• Call police at any time, even if they are "busy"

Questions and Answers:

Q1. Street racing in Bathurst Manor neighbourhood

A1. Call police for further details

Q2. Neighbourhood Community Officer placements

A2. Clanton Park chosen to have NCOs

Q3. Car keys in microwave

A3. Advised against it, but said leave keys as far from the front door as possible

Q4. 30km/h speed limit and tricky enforcement

A4. Takes time to get used to the new speed limit reductions on residential streets

Q5. Synchronized traffic lights on Bathurst

A5. Transportation Services have spent a lot of time studies traffic light studies, prioritizing peak directions during rush hour (i.e. southbound in the morning, northbound in the evening)

Q6. Traffic issues at Bathurst and Sheppard

A6. Paid duty officers present at the intersection,

Q7. Contact info for NCO

A7. Info is on Toronto Police website

Update by Toronto Water:

Basement Flooding Protection Program

• Program started in 2005 after a massive summer rain storm
• 32 study areas
• Improvements to storm sewer infrastructure

Projects in the Bathurst Manor, Clanton Park and Roding Park neighbourhoods

• Bathurst and Sheppard project will be totally complete by June
• Major lane reductions will be in place until late May
• Palm Dr and Romney Rd project will be completed in July
• Removing trees by Ell Wessel Park
• Several streets in the Clanton Park neighbourhood will be subject to BFPP later on this year
• Road resurfacing and sidewalk installation will also take place

Westgate path to Earl Bales closure in effect until August; however, storm sewer work by the trail will start in 2024. Additional work on Timberlane Dr and Almore Ave.

Questions and Answers:

Q1. Traffic impacts

A1. Management practices in place, contact project field ambassadors  

Q2. Project in the Balmoral neighbourhood

A2. Project will start in early July, expected to take two years

Q3. Inlet control device

A3. Help control water flow during major rain events, a bit of excess water on the street

Q4. Ravine access from Westgate

A4. Closed for construction activity

Q5. Bigger development issues and COA

A5. Seek approval from COA, validated concerns

Presentation by Northcrest Developments:

Downsview Airport lands redevelopment

• Real estate aim of PSP (federal employees' pension)
• Bought in 2018
• Airport lands will be decommissioned in early 2024
• 370 acre redevelopment
• Take 20-30 years to develop
• 3 years of community engagements
• Emphasize on public engagements
• Ten districts
• Mix of residential, commercial and employment land uses
• Official Plan Amendment
• Update Downsview plan
• Six Vision & Guiding Principles
  1. Complete communities
  2. Sustainability
  3. Cultivating city and nature
  4. Connecting people and places
  5. Equity and accessibility
  6. Uniqueness of the place and people
• Early site activations through community engagements
• Parks and open spaces - 100 acres of green and open spaces
• Reimagined runway
• Make it into the main pedestrian street
• Employment lands, Creation of Hanger, Innovation and Film Districts
• 42,500 jobs by 2051, 13,000 construction jobs, 7,000 jobs in STEM, film and digital media
• Sustainability and resilience plan to meet or exceed City's green plan
• Equity and inclusion
• Reach out to the nearby neighbourhood improvement areas
• Low cost commercial spaces, Social procurement
• Affordable access to high-speed internet
• Ground breaking of Hanger District within 5-7 years

Questions and Answers:

Q1. Decision on development

A1. Complicated due to large size of redevelopment, go through Official Plan Amendment

Q2. School crowding concerns

A2. Another complicated matter, Ministry of Education pays for capital projects for new schools and possibly locate schools within community centres

Q3. Impact on Allen Road

A3. No changes to ramps to Allen Road