Toronto Bloor & Dufferin | 122.35m | 37s | Hazelview | Turner Fleischer

[Johnny Au]

You can't honestly be comparing Sheppard to Bloor?

Sheppard is next to a major major highways. People buying condos along Sheppard typically intend to have driving as part of their commuting mix. Which is perfectly understandable for many couples with divergent commuting patterns. Further, the entire community surrounding Sheppard is auto-oriented, aside from the tiny strip along Sheppard.

Meanwhile, if you intend to be buying at Bloor and Dufferin, chances are you do not intend to be commuting to Markham - because at that price range you can find something more suitable for your commuting needs. Additionally, Bloor&Dufferin is incredibly walkable community, you can live without a car.

Your comparison works for somewhere like Humber Bay Shores (where the lack of alternatives means people resort to driving) but not here in this location.

Now whether Bloor-Yonge station or Dufferin bus can hold more people, is another, unrelated question. The answer to which however, is most definitely not increased car parking.

Cycling is also excellent at Bloor and Dufferin. By biking, commuting to the Financial District would be very easy (if excluding inclement weather). Biking along Sheppard is not for the faint of heart though.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

You can't honestly be comparing Sheppard to Bloor?

Sheppard is next to a major major highways. People buying condos along Sheppard typically intend to have driving as part of their commuting mix. Which is perfectly understandable for many couples with divergent commuting patterns. Further, the entire community surrounding Sheppard is auto-oriented, aside from the tiny strip along Sheppard.

Meanwhile, if you intend to be buying at Bloor and Dufferin, chances are you do not intend to be commuting to Markham - because at that price range you can find something more suitable for your commuting needs. Additionally, Bloor&Dufferin is incredibly walkable community, you can live without a car.

Your comparison works for somewhere like Humber Bay Shores (where the lack of alternatives means people resort to driving) but not here in this location.

Now whether Bloor-Yonge station or Dufferin bus can hold more people, is another, unrelated question. The answer to which however, is most definitely not increased car parking.

Seriously? Read my post again,... it refers to the intensification of North York Centre which focus along Yonge Street (aka North York Centre Secondary Plan area), and I made two references to Yonge Subway line,... yet you seem to think I'm "comparing Sheppard to Bloor"? Really???
http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...s-hariri-pontarini.25824/page-13#post-1262633

But since you're bringing up comparison,... a better comparison would be Sheppard to Dufferin,.... since the Sufferin bus 29 (40K daily) has similar ridership level to the Sheppard STUBway (49K daily)!
https://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/4939479-top-5-busiest-bus-and-streetcar-routes-in-toronto/
https://www.ttc.ca/PDF/Transit_Planning/Subway ridership 2015.pdf


Here, the number of parking space for this development proposal will have to increase significantly OR the number of units proposed will have to decrease significantly which that can be done a number of ways including:
- via chopping this proposal down
- via decreasing the proportion of smaller bachelor & 1 bedroom units VS 2+ bedroom units since this area is a "family-oriented" area in that it's mainly traditional semi-detached houses for families

This development proposal for such intensification into a established neighbourhood of mainly traditional semi-detached houses is interesting,... there's no Secondary Plan for this area to rubber stamp it. This development proposal is so big, I wouldn't be surprise if it triggers a new Secondary Plan for this area! This proposal with community hub, parkland and public space (activity zone) seems interesting,... but is that's enough community benefits for the locals?

Personally, I'd would like to see Building E and the proposed park switch places so that the proposed park would be beside the Kent School community hub and on Dufferin where people can use it as a short cut to Dufferin Mall.

http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...s-hariri-pontarini.25824/page-10#post-1260843

Cycling is also excellent at Bloor and Dufferin. By biking, commuting to the Financial District would be very easy (if excluding inclement weather). Biking along Sheppard is not for the faint of heart though.

Cycling from Bloor-Dufferin to Financial District would be about 6km,.... slightly outside the 1-4km sweet spot cycling distance for most folks. Plus, high density buildings along Subway lines usually don't generate commuter cyclists since they're paying a premium to live on a subway line,.... they didn't pay that premium to cycle.

 

[West End Boy]

You can't honestly be comparing Sheppard to Bloor?

Sheppard is next to a major major highways. People buying condos along Sheppard typically intend to have driving as part of their commuting mix. Which is perfectly understandable for many couples with divergent commuting patterns. Further, the entire community surrounding Sheppard is auto-oriented, aside from the tiny strip along Sheppard.

Meanwhile, if you intend to be buying at Bloor and Dufferin, chances are you do not intend to be commuting to Markham - because at that price range you can find something more suitable for your commuting needs. Additionally, Bloor&Dufferin is incredibly walkable community, you can live without a car.

Your comparison works for somewhere like Humber Bay Shores (where the lack of alternatives means people resort to driving) but not here in this location.

Now whether Bloor-Yonge station or Dufferin bus can hold more people, is another, unrelated question. The answer to which however, is most definitely not increased car parking.

Buyers at Bloor/Dufferin might not intend to commute to Markham, but could easily intend to commute to the financial district. Yes, there's a subway there, but that doesn't stop many many people who live along the subway line from driving to work downtown. That was my original point about the projections.

I agree that in Bloor/Dufferin you can live without a car, but I would say it's equally true of North York CC, since there are large employment areas there (civic centre and those office towers scattered around there), while there are not huge employers within walking distance to Bloor/Dufferin.

Cycling from Bloor/Dufferin can be great depending on your standards. The Bloor cycle track still does not reach this far west, so you are riding in mixed rush hour traffic to go downtown, which can be intense. For many, that's a not a consideration, but could change if the lanes are extended here.

 

[interchange42]

From here, a block south on Dufferin to Sylvan, two blocks east to Dewson, east on Dewson to Ossington, one block north to Harbord, and you're on cycle lanes heading downtown.

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[ADRM]

Also, I paid a premium to live on the subway and bike to work every day, and countless of my friends and acquaintances did and will continue to do the same.

Outdated mode share orthodoxies die the hardest deaths.

 

[ponyboy]

From here, a block south on Dufferin to Sylvan, two blocks east to Dewson, east on Dewson to Ossington, one block north to Harbord, and you're on cycle lanes heading downtown.

42

True, but biking down Dufferin from Bloor to Sylvan is dangerous, so bike lanes would need to be added there to make this widely used in my opinion. There are a lot of cars cutting through here, speeding along Dewson, and not any extra space for bikes on that stretch.

If this development happens, then extending the bloor bike lanes would be essential.

 

[West End Boy]

True, but biking down Dufferin from Bloor to Sylvan is dangerous, so bike lanes would need to be added there to make this widely used in my opinion. There are a lot of cars cutting through here, speeding along Dewson, and not any extra space for bikes on that stretch.

If this development happens, then extending the bloor bike lanes would be essential.

I agree. I live right near Bloor/Dufferin and would never ride down Dufferin, even for a couple of blocks. Very narrow lanes and very fast and aggressive traffic.

One other option is to cut through the mall parking lot, across Dufferin Park Ave, and then across Hepbourne to get to Harbord. Quite indirect but quieter than going down to Sylvan. Not sure many people would opt for a roundabout safer route over subway/driving.

 

[interchange42]

Point being, it wouldn't take much to improve the connection from this development to the existing Harbord bike lanes. I'd like to see Bloor's lanes extended too of course. It's all eminently doable.

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[ProjectEnd]

Instead we're seriously considering ripping them out permanently...

 

[moon2n]

slow process with this project. Nothing exciting in the future months

 

[ADRM]

Public consult; details from Bailao's latest newsletter.

Bloor-Dufferin Redevelopment Community Meeting - Wednesday February 7, 2018 starting at 6:30pm - Bloor Collegiate Institute (1141 Bloor St W)

As part of the City of Toronto's formal development application review process, the City's Planning Department will be hosting a community meeting on Wednesday February 7, 2018 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
to share details about the applicant's proposal and to gather community feedback. City Planning staff will also be on hand to answer questions you may have. I hope to see you there and if you are unable to make it, you can share your comments with the City Planner, Kirk Hatcher, by emailing kirk.hatcher@toronto.ca or by contacting me at councillor_bailao@toronto.ca

 

[Northern Light]

Preliminary Report to Community Council is up.

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2018.TE30.41

 

[ADRM]

The blurb about this in Bailao's latest newsletter makes it sound like there was a solid amount of NIMBYism at last week's public meeting; anyone go?

Our community recently hosted a meeting to discuss the proposed redevelopment of the former TDSB Bloor Dufferin School Lands I want to thank the many residents who came out to learn more, shared their ideas and speak with our City staff about their priorities for this site. I share many of the concerns raised by residents, including the excessive density and proposed heights and I will be fighting for the inclusion of onsite childcare, affordable housing, a robust community hub, green space, heritage preservation, and a proposal which better fits with the character of our community.

Bloor Dufferin Development Community Meeting Update

You might recall that when the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) originally put the Bloor Dufferin School Lands for sale, I worked to try and keep these lands in public control. The City and Catholic School Board put forward a joint proposal to purchase the site which was not accepted. The TDSB has proceeded to sell the site to a private developer and the City is now in the process of reviewing the rezoning application submitted by the developer. You can find more history about this site and links to my previous updates by clicking here.

On February 7, 2018, a community meeting was hosted by the City to listen to residents' feedback on the development proposal for the lands. The owner is proposing a mixed-use development with building heights of up to 47 stories containing 2,219 housing units, a mix of office/retail space and park space. I share the concerns of many community members that were raised at the meeting. I strongly believe the proposed heights and densities are too high and I will be fighting for the inclusion of onsite childcare, affordable housing, a robust community hub, green space, heritage preservation, and a proposal which better fits with the character of our community.

If you would like to find out more about this development proposal, you can review the preliminary City staff report by clicking here and the poster boards created by City Planning by clicking here.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the meeting to share your feedback. There has been a working group formed that close to 50 residents have joined to help shape this development proposal in the areas of transportation, public realm/urban form and the community hub. As the City continues its review of this application throughout the long process ahead of us, I will continue to advocate for our community's priorities.

If you would like to submit your own comments on this development proposal, you can e-mail them to the City Planner on the file, Kirk Hatcher at Kirk.Hatcher@toronto.ca and by e-mailing me at councillor_bailao@toronto.ca. Please feel free to use the discussion guide (click here) used at the meeting to help shape your thinking in order to provide your feedback.

 

[jaco_says]

The meeting was packed and no questions were taken so hard to judge the overall mood of the crowd. It was purely a group exercise at tables to write down your feedback. There was both NIMBYs and a pro-growth crowd that I could head via eavesdropping. A lot more young people compared to most meetings I have been to, but also by far the largest meeting I have seen. They ran out of chairs.

The developer's presentation was great and I love the direction they are taking it. I would encourage people to write the planner and voice your support for this project and its density. My biggest criticism is the road that runs straight through the development, it should be a pedestrian only plaza and it should certainly not have street parking on it.

 

[ADRM]

From Bailao:

I am writing to inform you that the developers of the Bloor Dufferin TDSB Lands have recently filed an appeal with the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) which was submitted prior to the amendments to the Planning Act earlier this month. This means that the appeal will proceed under the previous OMB regime (now known as LPAT). No hearing date has been set at this time and it is not expected that a full hearing would take place until 2019 or later. The developer also has the option to withdraw their LPAT appeal at any time.

The developer has indicated to my office that they are committed to continuing to work with the community and City Planning. City Planning and the developer will continue to work together to explore positive revisions to the applications. Should the discussions result in a re-submission, City Planning will have an opportunity to review their re-submission and provide new comments to the developer. City Planning may also bring forward a planning report to the Toronto and East York Community Council to provide further information. In addition, working group meetings co-ordinated through my office will continue and there will definitely be future opportunities for resident feedback.

My support for the shared priorities that we as a community have developed and clearly articulated for this former school site remain. I look forward to continuing to work with our community, City Planning and the developer to secure the inclusion of onsite childcare, affordable housing, a robust community hub, green space, heritage preservation, and overall, arriving at a proposal which respects and reinforces the character of our community.

As additional information and opportunities for feedback become available, I look forward to sharing it with you