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Dufferin Grove

toast_and_tea

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I didn't see a thread yet so I thought I'd start one.

I'm about to move to the College/Dufferin area and I'm pleased as punch. Anyone else live here? Thoughts on the neighbourhood?
 
One of the best neighbourhoods in Toronto, with my favourite park, and my favourite restaurant too. :)
 
The Common is now serving wine, whisky and charcuterie in the evenings - or maybe just Sunday evenings? Not entirely sure.

Does anyone know what's going in at 1079 College (it was for lease, and currently the windows are papered over)? Or at the south-east corner of Dufferin and College (Green Leaf Organics)?
 
I noticed how happening the Common was this past Sunday evening. Interesting development, but not surprising they've got to up their game plan with all the coffee shops nearby, especially on Dundas--Zoot's, GCB, Naco, and soon to be another coffee place nearby, plus all the Portuguese places...crazy!
 
Please check out our new blog: www.brocktonian.com ... all about life in Toronto's west-end Brockton Village, Bloordale, Bloorcourt and Dufferin Grove communities. We explore everything from art&culture to local issues to new bars & restaurants to real estate.

We recently moved from the Junction and are both loving the new 'hood. But, we miss following our old neighbourhood blog: http://breakingprojects.com/junctioneer/ (for anyone who lives in the Junction his site is the source). So, we thought, why not create our own? Once we find the camera we hope to have more pictures up. In the meantime, check it out, comment, follow, 'like', share, contribute ... lets get a strong community growing.

You can also find us on Twitter @brocktonlife


Thanks,
John&Chloe @ Brocktonian
 
Presentation slides: https://dufferingrove-northwestrevitalization.ca/document/public-meeting-june-5-2019-presentation

Preferred plan -- lots more info and renderings in the slides above:
190323
 
Dufferin Grove Park artificial ice rink to be replaced despite protests from local residents

Resident says, given the pandemic, it makes more sense to rebuild the rink in spring

Oct 06, 2020

An artificial ice rink in Dufferin Grove Park is slated to be updated and replaced despite an outcry from local residents who say they need the outdoor public space now more than ever this winter.

The city says it has consulted the community, done an assessment on the condition of the rink and completed the tender process for the renovation work. It has yet to award a contract but says Dufferin Grove Park artificial ice rink will not be open for use this winter.

"In order to maintain this facility in a state of good condition, the rink and equipment must be replaced imminently," the city said in an email to CBC Toronto this week.

"A condition assessment of the rink itself was completed, and indicated that since it is at the end of its 25-year life cycle, there is a realistic chance of equipment failure."

Ian Merringer, a resident who lives near the park, said the timing could not be worse, given that the city is in the middle of a pandemic, and residents don't believe the rink is in a state of disrepair.

Merringer said he has been taking his family to the rink for the past 12 years. The rink has two pads, one usually used for pleasure skating, with the other usually used for shinny, and the frozen surfaces are some of the busiest in the city.

 


Dufferin Grove Park North-West Corner Improvements


Project Timeline​

  • November 2016 to May 2017: Community engagement and visioning
  • May 2017 to September 2018: Procurement of design services
  • September 2018 to September 2019: Design and community consultation
  • Fall 2019 to winter 2020: Design development, building permit and development of construction documentation
  • Spring to summer 2020: Construction procurement process and tender, extended due to COVID-19
  • Spring 2021 (once the skating season ends): Construction begins
  • Skating Season 2022-2023: New rinks open
  • February 2023: Construction complete
This timeline is subject to change.

Dufferin Grove Park is a community hub and gathering place that supports a wide range of community programs. In order to replace aging facilities while meeting the needs of various park users, the City is improving the Dufferin Grove Park north-west corner and clubhouse.

After over three years of consultation, hundreds of community members shared their feedback on what they would like to see in this vital community space. The City hosted nine Community Resource Group meetings, four public meetings and 12 pop-up events during which a final design for the north-west corner and clubhouse was developed. The design process is now complete.

The improvements will include:

  • A renovated clubhouse, including a new kitchen, an enlarged multi-purpose room to create more community space in the main clubhouse for community use, new gender-neutral and universal washrooms and improving storage space;
  • A new double-pad ice rink
  • A separate Zamboni garage and refrigeration/mechanical facility
  • A new basketball court with six basketball nets (including two at child height)
  • A permeable pedestrian plaza between the clubhouse and rinks
  • Additional seating
  • Additional and more efficient lighting
  • Green stormwater management features
  • Full Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) accessibility through all improved spaces and pathways
The Upcoming Improvement Renderings section has details.


duffg.jpg
duffg2.jpg


  1. Updated staircase and diagonal accessible pathway from the corner of Dufferin St. & Dufferin Park Ave.
  2. The Clubhouse maintains its current footprint. Improvements occur inside the building (see images that follow), and increased window area and canopies.
  3. Zamboni Garage with green roof.
  4. Plaza space on permeable paving (which means rainwater can flow through the pavers). The area will include built-in seat walls, planters, lighting, and electrical outlets. The side of the Clubhouse that looks onto the plaza will have enlarged windows and a canopy.
  5. Steel elevated boardwalk and regrading the slope along pathways to improve accessibility.
  6. Bottle filling station.
  7. Relocated wooden shed and small bake oven, with the existing large pizza oven remaining in place.
  8. Picnic area remains (protected through construction).
  9. Community garden to remain and expand (protected through construction).
  10. Relocated garden shed.
  11. Pleasure skating pad with new lighting. Used for skateboarding and other purposes when not in use for ice skating.
  12. Gate for Zamboni. Will be opened during pleasure skating time to create loop between both rinks.
  13. Team benches and penalty boxes.
  14. Hockey rink with boards and sports lighting. Used for skateboarding, bike polo, and other purposes when not in use for ice skating.
  15. New Basketball court with 6 nets (2 at youth height) and lighting. Becomes the snow melt/storage area in winter.
  16. New seating on the north, east, and south sides of the basketball court.
  17. Bicycle parking rings.
  18. Bioswales for natural stormwater management.
 
I feel like the plan, while serviceable, is a tad on the unambitious side. They should have built a larger community centre here with more amenities. I also think the park is large enough to host a couple of tennis courts, which should have been considered given that the ones at the south-west corner of Dufferin and Bloor are no longer usable (and are slated for redevelopment anyway).
 
I feel like the plan, while serviceable, is a tad on the unambitious side. They should have built a larger community centre here with more amenities. I also think the park is large enough to host a couple of tennis courts, which should have been considered given that the ones at the south-west corner of Dufferin and Bloor are no longer usable (and are slated for redevelopment anyway).

Why so unambitious?........Why not fix all the sewers from the headwaters down, and daylight the stream than ran through the s-w corner of the park?

Put Dufferin on a bridge while your at it and restore the creek there too (it ran down what is now Dufferin Street)....


1621381772193.png

credit: http://mercator.geog.utoronto.ca/georia/lostrivers/leaflet-storymap_webtest/disappearing.html


For that matter, the park shape isn't perfectly symmetrical; why isn't the buying out of all those homes in the south-east quadrant of the park block being done too?

Keep one of the historic houses on Sylvan and turn into a restaurant with outdoor patio fronting the park while we're at it.

***

Really @Towered why spend an extra $500,000; when you could spend an extra $500,000,000?

;)
 
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Why so unambitious?........Why not fix all the sewers from the headwaters down, and daylight the stream than ran through the s-w corner of the park?

Put Dufferin on a bridge while your at it and restore the creek there too (it ran down what is now Dufferin Street)....


View attachment 320754
credit: http://mercator.geog.utoronto.ca/georia/lostrivers/leaflet-storymap_webtest/disappearing.html


For that matter, the park shape isn't perfectly symmetrical; why isn't the buying out of all those homes in the south-east quadrant of the park blocking being done too?

Keep one of the historic houses on Sylvan and turn into a restaurant with outdoor patio fronting the park while we're at it.

***

Really @Towered why spend an extra $500,000; when you could spend an extra $500,000,000?

;)

I don't think I proposed anything that outrageous! :D
 

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