745 Ossington (Terra Bona, ?s, ?)

[Northern Light]

From the Lobbyist Registry we learn that former Councillor Karygiannis has been retained to lobby on developing the Green P lot located at 745 Ossington. (or building over it, depending on how you wish to read the entry).

Decision(s) or issue(s) to be lobbied

build above 745 Ossington Ave green P parking

Client is Terra Bona Developments Ltd.

For those not familiar w/the site, an aerial pic:

Note that I have only highlighting the Ossington frontage, but any proposal may well included the Carling Ave frontage also, but would have to deal w/the laneway running between the two.

Site size (as highlighted) ~700m2 / ~7500ft2

Further note: this lot is situated directly over the Line 2 subway which would presumably add some additional expense and complexity in an over-build.

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Streetview:

 

[AlbertC]

Any additional housing here would be much welcomed, as the area surrounding Ossington remains severely under intensified.

 

[Amare]

Call me crazy but i'm actually not a fan of this. In an ideal world I think it's more appropriate to have Green P parking at the rears of shops along Bloor St, so we could easily get rid of on-street parking and use that space for things like bike lanes.

Actually I wish we did more Green P parking at the back of retail on corridors like Queen St so we could free up some lanes.

 

[ADRM]

Any additional housing here would be much welcomed, as the area surrounding Ossington remains severely under intensified.

And getting worse, in fact -- Gil Meslin yesterday put out a Twitter thread looking at census tracts that have depopulated over the last few decades; the one that abuts this site has seen a FIFTY PERCENT DROP in population since 1971. Utterly insane.

 

[AlbertC]

And getting worse, in fact -- Gil Meslin yesterday put out a Twitter thread looking at census tracts that have depopulated over the last few decades; the one that abuts this site has seen a FIFTY PERCENT DROP in population since 1971. Utterly insane.

Yeah, it's going to be a continuing trend for a lot of these neighbourhoods surrounding downtown. Areas like Dufferin Grove, Christie Pits, Seaton Village, The Annex, etc are all highly desirable but becoming increasingly unaffordable. Most young people and families aren't able to find suitable homes here. While existing homeowners are aging and becoming empty nesters.

 

[Northern Light]

Call me crazy but i'm actually not a fan of this. In an ideal world I think it's more appropriate to have Green P parking at the rears of shops along Bloor St, so we could easily get rid of on-street parking and use that space for things like bike lanes.

Actually I wish we did more Green P parking at the back of retail on corridors like Queen St so we could free up some lanes.

I do think there is a need for some parking to serve businesses (paid parking that is); for those who need it or at least want it badly enough to pay for it.

Like you, I would prefer that not be on-street parking, where that room can be re-purposed to wider sidewalk, patios and cycle tracks.

However, I'm not sure why:

a) That Parking can't go underground (clearly not on those properties over the subway, but I digress)

b) That side street, on-street parking can't become paid parking and free up space for those who need it.

 

[Amare]

I do think there is a need for some parking to serve businesses (paid parking that is); for those who need it or at least want it badly enough to pay for it.

Like you, I would prefer that not be on-street parking, where that room can be re-purposed to wider sidewalk, patios and cycle tracks.

However, I'm not sure why:

a) That Parking can't go underground (clearly not on those properties over the subway, but I digress)

b) That side street, on-street parking can't become paid parking and free up space for those who need it.

Regarding point A, parking should very well go underground in areas in the downtown core that cant accommodate parking at the rear of properties. That would be the ultimate solution (nevertheless expensive) as the city would never expropriate just for rear Green P parking. Frankly, Toronto has done a relatively piss pour job in eliminating on-street Green P parking in the core despite the heaps of development taking place all over the city. The goal should really be to reduce on-street Green P parking as much possible through either: 1) Underground Green P in new developments, or 2) Rear Green P parking where possible.

Regarding Point B, that would be nice in an ideal world but it will never happen as residents will literally go nuts over losing parking (among X,Y, and Z other reasons they have as to why it should never be done).

 

[Northern Light]

Regarding point A, parking should very well go underground in areas in the downtown core that cant accommodate parking at the rear of properties.

Green P has purchased parking spaces on a strata basis under new condos in a few places in Toronto, no reason that can't be more widespread.

Regarding Point B, that would be nice in an ideal world but it will never happen as residents will literally go nuts over losing parking (among X,Y, and Z other reasons they have as to why it should never be done).

Already happening on a very small scale.

In my version, residents would continue to have permit parking on those streets, and if they have a permit would not have to pay Green P.

The spaces would simply be paid for everyone w/o a permit.

That said, we need to raise the cost of permits substantially to free up some spaces so that the idea is effective.

 

[Amare]

^All of which is the major problem in Toronto: we like to do things on a very small, ticky-tack, pilot this-pilot that, study this-study that basis instead of just grabbing the bull by the horns and doing something significant. Thus the reason we are where we are with numerous issues.

In either case, I have a feeling we wouldnt be seeing Green P parking replaced on site here. The lot looks too small for that.

 

[Northern Light]

^All of which is the major problem in Toronto: we like to do things on a very small, ticky-tack, pilot this-pilot that, study this-study that basis instead of just grabbing the bull by the horns and doing something significant. Thus the reason we are where we are with numerous issues.

In either case, I have a feeling we wouldnt be seeing Green P parking replaced on site here. The lot looks too small for that.

Given that the subway is underneath, that does seem unlikely; though, we don't really know yet if there is any additional contemplated assembly here.