Eug
Senior Member
Yes, bad things can happen anywhere, but the worrisome guys that hang out at Yonge/Dundas don't generally hang out in Yorkville.
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deerparker
Active Member
From today's Star http://www.thestar.com/gta/fixer/article/687078
Dark stretch of Yonge St. dims safety
Aug 27, 2009 04:30 AM
Leslie Ferenc
Staff Reporter
Old wall-mounted lights along a section of Yonge St. are far from illuminating and must be repaired or replaced to make the area safe, says a local resident.
Leslie Williams, who lives in the neighbourhood around Yonge and Wellesley Sts., reports that many of the street lights along a six-block strip between Grosvenor and Alexander Sts. are missing, broken or not properly working.
"Over the last 15 years, these lights have fallen into disrepair," she said in a letter to the Fixer.
"As buildings have been renovated or demolished for development, many of the wall-mounted street lights have been removed."
Williams suspects that some building owners have also disconnected the wiring, leaving parts of the street dark.
Originally, the neighbourhood had 42 wall-mounted lights.
Of those that remain, 17 don't work properly, she reported. Williams wants new lights on poles, like those installed farther south.
Status: Hydro spokesperson Tanya Bruckmueller-Wilson advised that the street lighting division was aware of the problems on that stretch of Yonge.
"A preliminary assessment in May determined that special-order material was required to complete the necessary repairs to the existing lighting," she said.
"This material was received in the past few weeks and repairs are scheduled to begin as soon as possible."
We'll let you know when that happens.
Dark stretch of Yonge St. dims safety
Aug 27, 2009 04:30 AM
Leslie Ferenc
Staff Reporter
Old wall-mounted lights along a section of Yonge St. are far from illuminating and must be repaired or replaced to make the area safe, says a local resident.
Leslie Williams, who lives in the neighbourhood around Yonge and Wellesley Sts., reports that many of the street lights along a six-block strip between Grosvenor and Alexander Sts. are missing, broken or not properly working.
"Over the last 15 years, these lights have fallen into disrepair," she said in a letter to the Fixer.
"As buildings have been renovated or demolished for development, many of the wall-mounted street lights have been removed."
Williams suspects that some building owners have also disconnected the wiring, leaving parts of the street dark.
Originally, the neighbourhood had 42 wall-mounted lights.
Of those that remain, 17 don't work properly, she reported. Williams wants new lights on poles, like those installed farther south.
Status: Hydro spokesperson Tanya Bruckmueller-Wilson advised that the street lighting division was aware of the problems on that stretch of Yonge.
"A preliminary assessment in May determined that special-order material was required to complete the necessary repairs to the existing lighting," she said.
"This material was received in the past few weeks and repairs are scheduled to begin as soon as possible."
We'll let you know when that happens.
androiduk
Senior Member
This is the type of thing that makes a neighbourhood look shabby, property owners not taking care of their buildings. This picture was taken a few months ago but they actually started painting this back in March. If there aren't by-laws to take care of this kind of stuff - there should be.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
This was a problem early summer 2008 also, Yonge north of Wellesley late at night was creepy dark because so many of those lamps were burned out. Toronto Hydro has been doing a poor job maintaining burned out street lights in the past couple of years. I rode around on my bike around late June of 2008 and reported over one hundred street lights burned out (including many wall mounted lamps on Yonge Street) in my immediate neighbourhood. I reported them all (post number/street address/nearest intersection etc.) but then had to chase them with phone calls for about 5 or 6 weeks until they were all finally repaired. This year I've found that Toronto Hydro responds much more promptly.
If there are streetlights out you can either phone Toronto Hydro or fill out an online form, it generally takes about 10 working days to repair a lamp
phone number - (416)-542-3195
web form - http://www.torontohydroenergy.com/street_form.asp
Lamps in City of Toronto Parks are not covered by Toronto Hydro. To get them repaired you can phone or email the department (Toronto Parks & Rec.?) who looks after these and give a good description of exactly where in the park the lamp(s) are burned out and they respond in a very timely manner.
phone number - (416) 338-0338
email - accesstoronto@toronto.ca
Come the new year once the Toronto 311 service is finally up, you can dial 311 to report these types of problems.
deerparker
Active Member
Agreed. After noticing the lights along the path in Oriole Park were out - making for a very dark walk - I contacted Parks and they had someone out to repair them the next day. They also followed up with an email reply
deerparker
Active Member
I noticed that building too. It's still like that today. The restaurants around that shop have done a lot to improve their facades, but all one sees is this shabby storefront.
Therion
Senior Member
Hopefully once LED lights become the norm in the next ten years, this won't be a major problem anymore. They last considerably longer (10+ years) than regular sodium lights used now.
Towered
Senior Member
You'd think rents along Yonge between Dundas and Bloor in particular would have pushed out all the really crappy, low end stores by now.
deerparker
Active Member
Super Smoke came in handy one day when I needed an emergency umbrella Regardless of the wares they're peddling, I wish the storefronts would be restored/improved.
Regardless of the wares they're peddling, I wish the storefronts would be restored/improved.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
I love the variety of products and services provided on Yonge from Bloor to Gerrard but there's no doubt some buildings are in dire need of repairs and restoration.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
It would be nice if we could see more of the actual buildings on our commercial streets - rather than the signage, or stucco, or garish colour schemes, or trendy horizontal wooden laths, or earlier versions using metal, that cover them. Shoppers would still be able to find what they're looking for, and the buildings themselves - while mostly modest in appearance - could be enjoyed for what they are.
Earlscourt_Lad
Active Member
I agree with you on that, Mr. Shocker. Certainly the modest buildings would present a sight much more pleasing than that of backlit plastic signs.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
The simplistic idea that "this city needs more colour", combined with the commercial imperative, has lead to some horrible abuses of our streetscapes.
scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
With all the sterile precast + plate glass condo storefronts going up with just some mingy plastic sign hidden underneath an 80s-style scalloped glass awning or a crumbling precast arcade, I don't mind a bit of garish. I guess it is a shame, though, that the garish and trendy stuff (with more neon signs, please) couldn't cover the newer condo retailscapes instead of strips like Yonge, which does have many attractive and interesting buildings underneath the plastic and metal and paint and would simply not be oppressive and monotonous if they were removed/relocated.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
With horror vacui stalking the land big time, the clean lines of some of our new, well designed minimalist buildings - condo, office, and cultural - may actually be read as an antidote to the grubby, more-is-more commercial infection that grips us. Design to the rescue!