Join us at this information session to learn more about laneway housing and how it can affect Parkdale!  Speakers: Co-founder of Lanescape, Andrew Sorbara and Evergreen group will give a presentation on laneway housing with a Q&A at the end.

The City of Toronto is considering Laneway Suites (housing). A laneway house is a smaller, detached home located where the garage would normally go on a single-family lot.

Vancouver, Ottawa and Halifax already allow this type of housing. There are over 300 KM of laneways in the city. Allowing housing in our laneways would create many more rental housing units.

Sign up HERE.

Date: Tues, October 24^th
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Place: 20 West Lodge Avenue, May Robinson Auditorium

Please read the following links and articles to help you better understand the advantages and disadvantages that laneway housing would have to our Parkdale community:
Lanescape – A laneway housing advocacy group
http://lanescape.ca/
Toronto Star – Laneway suites could open up new Toronto housing possibilities
https://www.thestar.com/…/laneway-suites-could-open-up-new-…
CBC News – Laneway housing a step closer to reality after community consultations
http://www.cbc.ca/…/metrom…/laneway-housing-report-1.4029590

On Tuesday, April 18 Parkdale community members met with developer Lifetime Developments to discuss proposed development at King and Dufferin north-east corner and south west corner.

The meeting was attended by Parkdale residents association members, Parkdale and Liberty Village residents, Councillor Gord Perks and MP Arif Virani.

After initial consultations the developer lowered the heights of both properties from 21 to 17 stories and from 19 to 14 stories, respectively.

The developer changed the proposed appearance of the buildings from all glass to a combination of brick and glass in consideration of heritage structure around the buildings.
They have also increased the setback of the buildings from the curbs, creating wider sidewalks, and adding pedestrian walkways on both sides.

The sites will not be developed simultaneously.

However, height and density are still major issues as these buildings are high-rises.

Residents made comments regarding making Parkdale urban design better, not simply looking to copy the height and density of surrounding buildings (Dufferin and Tyndall high-rises) which the developers are using as reference points for the developments.

Transit overcrowding and traffic congestion are serious issues that have not been thus properly addressed.

There is greater need for public parking, bicycle lanes and bicycle parking as well as two and three bedroom apartments.

The design of the structures needs to be approached holistically as it fits with a changing neighbourhood.

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Many residents voiced concerns regarding affordable housing, an issue private developers do not have to address. MP Virani spoke briefly regarding federal funds for 10-year affordable housing plan.

Pia Bouman’s School of Ballet and Creative Movement will host Toronto’s longest standing performance of the Nutcracker – 30th Anniversary. This massive community production comes together with nearly 100 children dancers and 80 local volunteers. For three decades, it has been a beloved tradition and festive celebration for the Parkdale community.

DATES/TIMES:

• December 17 at 7:30 PM
• December 18 at 7:30 PM
• December 19 at 2:00 PM
• December 20 at 2:00 PM

LOCATION:

• Lismer Hall, Humberside Collegiate Institute, 280 Quebec Avenue

CLICK HERE for tickets to Nutcracker 2015

The next round of participatory planning workshops for Parkdale Community Economic Development planning project (PCED) has been scheduled as follows.:

Choose a date most convenient for you.

• November 23 Monday 6:00-8:30 PM at Bonar Parkdale (250 Dunn Ave.)
• November 26 Thursday 2:00-4:30 PM at Bonar Parkdale (250 Dunn Ave.)
• November 28 Saturday 1:30-4:00 PM at Parkdale Public Library Auditorium

This workshop is going to build on previous discussions on Parkdale Wellbeing Indicators and/or Community Needs and Assets Mapping. This is the last stage of community engagement process for the phase 1 of community-based research.

In this workshop, first, will discuss what has come up from previous meetings. Building on the priorities, issues, and opportunities that were identified so far. This workshop aims to discuss and identify ways and steps that it will take to move “from visions to actions”. Also talk about a range of areas including housing, work, food, health, cultural development, and local decision making.

Here is a link to more description of the workshop and RSVP.