Welcome back! I hope everyone got some time to rest this summer and that the first week of school is moving along as smoothly as it can. The Don Valley North team and I kept the office running here at City Hall, “popped up” in a few local parks, and knocked on doors to check in with neighbours. We carved out some breaks for ourselves as well. I spent time cheering on Team Canada and trying to figure out those Olympic opening ceremonies, and even more time cleaning up a massive flood in my basement that resulted from our intense July storm. As too many of you already know, that can be a real headache.
Now that our calendars have turned over to September, I thought I’d share some local updates to get us all back in the swing of things. Read on for updates about our roads, parks, local developments, and some fun news about events coming up here in Don Valley North.
Traffic, Safety & Road Work
After many requests from local residents, speed bumps will be installed on Brian Drive and Kingslake Road. These two local arteries have become very popular as speedy shortcuts. Transportation Staff did a thorough review and found that speed bumps are warranted on both roads. The bumps and accompanying speed limit reductions (down to 30 km/h) will help reduce traffic volumes and make both streets safer, especially for the kids who use them to get to and from school.
We also have a permanent Automated Speed Enforcement camera coming to Sheppard Avenue East immediately west of Don Mills Road. Be sure to watch your speed heading westbound as you move through the intersection and start down the hill.
For future traffic safety planning, we’re doing a transportation walk in Parkway Forest. Residents have highlighted a number of safety challenges throughout the neighbourhood, and the best way to tackle them is to do a comprehensive in-person walk with Transportation staff. The walk is scheduled for September 27 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM and we’ll be meeting outside Parkway Forest Community Centre.
Finally, we have local road work happening across Don Valley North. There is an ongoing road reconstruction on Foxwarren Drive, and sewer upgrades will be completed on a number of local roads in the weeks ahead. If you’re on an affected street, you should have received a construction notice in your mailbox a couple weeks back. I’ve listed out the streets here in case you missed the notice:
You can click on each of the street names above to view the corresponding pre-construction notice. If you have any questions about the work, you can call (647) 362-9464 or email fieldambassador@andrews.engineer.
Dogs Off-Leash Areas & Recreation Improvements
I’ve received requests for dogs off-leash areas (OLAs), commonly known as dog parks, in neighbourhoods across Don Valley North since the City of Toronto first started creating them almost two decades ago. We’re lucky, in a way, that it’s taken some time to find appropriate spots and secure all the necessary funds here in DVN. Parks staff have learned a lot about OLAs over the years and are very well equipped to properly locate and design them.
We have two OLAs in the works here in Don Valley North. Staff are finally set to proceed with the construction of the new OLA in Parkway Forest Park. The consultation for this OLA took place back in 2020 and 2021, and I appreciate the community’s patience in finally seeing this project realized. The OLA will be located south of the school parking lot and will include a number of upgrades to make the park more enjoyable for all park users, including new benches, a water bottle filling station, and a new pathway that will help make the park more accessible.
Staff will soon be ready to proceed with community consultation for the proposed OLA at Old Sheppard Park. This was voted on by the community in a past Participatory Budgeting process, and I’m glad we’re finally moving forward to gather more community feedback. I’ll share the consultation details as soon as the date is finalized.
We have some other great recreation upgrades happening across DVN. This includes a new running track around the Sparroways basketball court, and a playground renewal coming up at McNicoll Park. Parks staff will be sharing a survey for the local community to give input on the proposed improvements in October. The best playgrounds are designed by kids, so keep an eye out in my E-Blast for the survey link and get the whole family to help answer once it’s available.
Development News
You all know how much I hate it when local development applications end up at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), the Provincial body that hears development appeals. The process of reaching a settlement with the developer at the OLT really cuts the community out of the process. The development application at 2500 Don Mills Road (the Esso Station at Don Mills & Sheppard) was appealed to the OLT, and I’ve been pushing hard to represent community wishes in this now confidential process. In July, I moved to defer the settlement with the developer, Marlin Springs, because it would not have provided the combined future park the community needs. I’m happy to say that we’ve arrived at a revised settlement that solves this problem. It was considered at the special City Council meeting today, and I’ll have more details to share in a few weeks once the City Solicitor makes them public.
We also have an opportunity coming up later this month for you, the community, to stay involved in local planning matters. The latest draft of ReNew Sheppard East, the plan to guide growth and development along Sheppard Ave from Bayview to Leslie, is complete and staff want your feedback. You can come to the community consultation on Tuesday, September 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church to share your feedback before it is presented to our Planning and Housing Committee.
Mark Your Calendars!
There is an incredible number of events coming up across Don Valley North this fall. For starters, we have our second Community Environment Day coming up on Sunday, September 22 from 10 AM – 2 PM at the Enbridge lot (500 Consumers Road). If you didn’t get the garage cleaned out in time for spring, we’re giving you a second chance to dispose of household waste and donate items you no longer use.
The Bayview Village Association (BVA) is hosting an event that same weekend that pairs very well with our Environment Day. Their annual Shredding Day is taking place on Saturday, September 21 from 9 AM to 12 PM at 15 Morewood Crescent. You can bring confidential documents for secure shredding and disposal. The cost is $5 per box for BVA members and $10 per box for non-members.
I can always tell that fall is around the corner when I get an invitation to join Oriole Foodspace at their annual Harvest Festival. If you want to experience the joy of community gardening, be sure to drop by their event on Friday, October 4 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at the Oriole Community Garden (2800 Don Mills Rd).
Finally, our local North York General Hospital is hosting their annual Rally in the Ravine on Saturday, October 5. Due to the construction happening in the ravines around NYGH, this year’s rally will be held at G Ross Lord Park, closer to the Branson Hospital. If you haven’t rallied in a while, this is a chance to experience a whole new ravine together. NYGH is a cornerstone of our community and I encourage everyone to get out and support this important fundraiser.
No matter what you and your family are interested in, there are so many fantastic events to enjoy here in Don Valley North over the next few weeks. If you feel like venturing downtown, you can also catch a movie at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this week. The festival kicks off today and runs until September 15, so get your tickets while you can and enjoy some brilliant new cinema.
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