Publications
Summer 2003 Ward 2 Newsletter
date posted: 2003-07-01
SUMMER HAS ARRIVED........
As we head into vacation time, I would like to bring the residents of Ward 2 up to date on a number of items of interest.
ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
The residents of Gentry Crescent, Balkan Road, Niblock Street, and Osiris Drive, will, I’m sure, appreciate that road and sewer reconstruction is now almost complete. On behalf of our engineering department staff I would like to thank all of you for your patience and co-operation during the very wet Spring; followed by a dry dusty period of construction. We appreciate the understanding residents have for the disruption and inconvenience that such large projects bring and hopefully you will agree that the results are worth it. Final paving of these streets will take place next year. Final top-coating on Blue Grass Boulevard will be applied soon.
CROSBY AVENUE
The culvert under Crosby Avenue near the tracks is being replaced. This will improve the quality of the creek and stabilize the road bed. Crosby Avenue will be closed for approximately two months to permit this project to proceed. Residents on nearby streets will be affected by detoured traffic. This project is similar to the one which was completed last Summer on Centre Street, also near the tracks.
COMMUNITIES IN BLOOM
During the week of August 11th, 2003 the National Competition judges will be visiting Richmond Hill and rating us on a number of initiatives to beautify and clean-up Richmond Hill. We will be judged against other similar sized municipalities throughout Canada and the results will be announced in September in Stratford.
On behalf of the citizen volunteers who help make this important community project a great success, I would like to encourage every property owner and business in Richmond Hill to put your best foot forward to not only impress the judges but to improve the quality of life for all of us in our beautiful Town.
ENDEAN PONDS
T he Town is presently acquiring the ponds near Wal-Mart from the developers and we have presented a concept plan to area residents. The general approach will be to create a natural look to the ponds and banks including shoreline vegetation (to discourage the geese) wildflowers, shrubs, trees, and natural grasses. There will be two parkettes and several seating areas will be established so that walkers can enjoy the area. Look for work to take place in the Fall and for the first signs of growth next Spring.
HEADFORD PARK
(Shirley Drive & Major Mackenzie Drive) Following input we received at a neighbourhood meeting I hosted on
March 4, 2003, modifications to this exciting new concept park were made (including reducing the size of the parking lot!). The park will have a “mathematical theme” and will incorporate interesting shapes, sizes, dimensions throughout the play and walking areas. Construction will begin later this Summer and should be completed by Fall.
NEWKIRK PARK
The long overdue revitalization of the green space next to Newkirk Road has begun. The old bocce courts will be removed and overgrown shrubs/trees will be replaced with newer plantings. There will also be play areas for children and seating areas strategically placed so that walkers and joggers can enjoy this green space with an industrial theme.
Businesses on Newkirk Road will also appreciate this park’s amenities for their employees.
NEWKIRK ROAD AREA ODOURS
Believe it or not, we are still working on complaints about odours and emissions from certain plants on Newkirk Road. The Ministry of the Environment has finally undertaken some testing of the air and additional air quality tests will take place this Summer. Several of the plants are under active investigation As promised previously, when there are concrete results/reports available, I will ensure that area residents are made aware of them.
ROWENA COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
(Forestwood Street and Major Mackenzie Drive)
On July 8th, 2003 an information session was held for residents in the area in order that they could learn of the plans for the commercial development of this property. It has long been zoned for commercial use and the owner intends to develop it for commercial/retail purposes. For some months, I have been working with the planners for the site to try to persuade them to build a retail centre which can co-exist with the surrounding neighbourhood as best as possible.
In some respects such as building design, orientation, landscaping, and entry features; they have been able to bring forward an attractive proposal.
We will continue to work with the developer to try to mitigate concerns regarding privacy, traffic, and lighting. The application for site plan approval is tentatively scheduled to come before Council in September or October 2003.
LESLIE ST. & ELGIN MILLS RD.
In response to several enquiries, there are proposals for developing the lands adjacent to this intersection. At the south-west corner, the owners intend to construct a service station and have met with me several times to discuss landscaping, building designs, and possibly an entry feature. The north-east corner is somewhat contentious as Council has stated that this falls in a corridor parallel to Hwy. 404 for which we envision employment lands”. At this time the owners do not agree and they propose “big box” type retail development. No decision on this is likely in the near future.
MAYOR’S CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT
As Co-chair of this annual charity event, I am pleased to announce that $75,000 was raised and will be given to Big Brothers of York, Pathways for Youth and Children, and Canadian Spinal Research Organization. Our ten year total raised to-date for local charities is over 425 thousand dollars!
TRAFFIC ISSUES ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS
The number one complaint I receive as your local Councillor is related to issues of speeding, stop sign infractions etc. on local residential streets. Police studies show that the majority of these infractions are committed by people who live in the immediate area; in other words; your neighbours. One of Council’s responses has been the formation of a citizen based committee and program known as Road Watch, of which I am a founding member. You can report incidents of dangerous driving on your street by completing a form and submitting it anonymously to the Police. Owners of reported vehicles receive written warnings from the Police and if necessary, a personal visit.
We are also working closely with the Police to identify high complaint areas and are encouraging them to have greater visibility on our neighbourhood streets to improve the safety of all. If you would like to receive a Road Watch brochure and form, please call Karen at our offices at 905-771-8800 ext. 3140 and we will be happy to send one out to you.
WEST NILE VIRUS
A great deal of information is now available on this virus. Residents may call the hotline at 1-800-361-5653 to obtain information or report dead birds. Richmond Hill by-law staff along with Region of York Public Health officials will take prompt and aggressive action if dangerous situations are reported to them. All residents are encouraged
to eliminate sources of standing/stagnant water such as tires, bird baths and planters where the particular species of mosquito which carries the virus tends to lay its eggs.
Ponds, streams, and creeks do not provide a suitable habitat for this species and are not generally considered to be a concern.
All Town owned catch basins have been treated with mosquito larvicide at least once this season.
SARS TAX RELIEF PROGRAM
Shortly following the first outbreak of SARS, Council announced a two month property tax deferral period with no penalty for any business or property owner in Town - Why? - because this serious health matter affected thousands of people in Town - from the closing of York Central Hospital to the decline of businesses throughout the GTA; every one of us was impacted in some way. I was an enthusiastic supporter of this initiative, the first of its type in the Province.
GO STATION PARKING
The new parking lot at Centre Street and Newkirk Road will be completed shortly. As indicated in an earlier Ward 2 newsletter, once the traffic lights at the entrance on Newkirk Road are operational, parking will be prohibited on Newkirk Road. The walkway connecting Centre Street to Major Mackenzie Drive will also be completed (hopefully in time for the kids to return to school) as well as the fences of homes on Gentry Crescent. I have asked GO Transit to dim the parking lot lights at night after the last train has arrived and they have agreed to this request.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
I have hosted numerous residents’ meetings and open houses, including three at the seniors buildings on Dunlop Street and Pugsley Avenue, in the last few months. Thank to all of the residents who have attended these meetings and offered their views and opinions on a number of topics. Your input is appreciated.
NEW GARBAGE BAG LIMIT
As we become ever more conscious of the need to manage garbage and recycling better to not only reduce garbage but to control spiraling costs, Town Council has approved a reduction in the number of bags/containers residents may put out on a weekly basis from 10 to 5. This new limit will be implemented on January 1, 2004.
MAJOR MACK HOTEL/FANTASIA SITE
Over the last two years, several suggestions were put forth to redevelop the eyesore on Yonge Street, none of them, in my mind had merit. Earlier this year, the Tridel Corporation acquired the property and suggested they might build a 14 storey condominium on the property. Discussions with the owner, planning staff, and myself ensued and I asked Tridel to consider a number of points which would help make the redevelopment acceptable to the neighbourhood as well as make it compatible with key features of the village core.
They did address most of these points and I then asked that they attend a residents meeting to receive feedback from the public. The proposal at that meeting was for a 12 storey building.
Many in attendance voiced concerns over the height of the building and following the meeting, I met several more times with Tridel representatives seeking additional changes. Although a modified proposal was submitted that did, in
fact, address most concerns, the height of the building at its centre remained at 12 stories and it was this version which was the topic of the Council Public Meeting held on June 25, 2003.
At the Public Hearing, Tridel proposed a modified version which would be “stepped back” somewhat from Church Street as well as Yonge Street and would contain 9 stories in the centre.
After several hours of public input and Council discussion, a majority of Council agreed to my motion to defer this application to early Fall to enable us to continue to negotiate with the developer to try to further reduce the height and mass of their proposed building.
Downtown Richmond Hill needs new development - it needs people living and walking on its streets - it needs to rid itself of some less than desirable businesses - it needs to support transit initiatives while respecting neighbourhoods. I will continue to work with the applicant to represent the views of the majority of nearby residents to see if we can reach a compromise/solution acceptable to all. The application is tentatively scheduled to come back to Council in September 2003.
P.S. A few days after the public hearing the buildings were destroyed in a major fire. Tridel has agreed to demolish the remaining structures.
AND FINALLY - HEROES!
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge a group of true heroes who many of us take for granted - they are our health care workers. From nurses to doctors to paramedics to technicians to scientists - every one of us have benefited from their devotion, commitment, and skills to help contain the terrible consequences of the SARS outbreaks.
If you don’t think they are heroes; try working 12 hour shifts in masks, gowns, visors, and even “space suits”, try wondering if the next person through the hospital door might be carrying a virus no one knew anything about; or worrying if you were bringing it home to your family, or try staying in personal quarantine for days and days.
Our health care professionals deserve our respect and appreciation for doing what they do every day - if you get a chance, please say thanks to one of them. Are they true heroes? - you bet - and I’m married to one of them!
Have a Great Summer!