As the old adage goes, there are two seasons in Canada – winter and construction! Now that old man winter has finally gone into hibernation, brace yourself as we enter a busy construction season.
Construction is unavoidable but we can lessen the pain if we all know what to expect and how to avoid affected areas. Here are the construction projects scheduled for the next few months:
Danforth Avenue
Danforth from Woodbine to Victoria Park will undergo sidewalk repairs, some road resurfacing, and water main replacement. The streetscaping plans include the planting of 111 new trees!
Please join our community construction liaison committee and share your ideas to help mitigate disruption to the neighbourhood. Email me at councillor_mcmahon@toronto.ca or call 416-392-1376 if you are interested. I promise to make the meetings efficient and enlightening!
Queen and Leslie
The Leslie Barns construction will continue this summer. The facility is scheduled to open in January 2015. I am happy to announce that by working with the TTC and city staff and local residents this project will be delivered on time and on budget!
Our liaison committee meets regularly and the Leslie Barns storefront office at Queen and Hastings is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For regular updates on road closures and construction status, email lesliebarns@ttc.ca or call 416-981-7360.
Citywide
The TTC will be doing curb cuts all across the city to accommodate our new accessible streetcars. We are excited to finally have more public transit vehicles that will accommodate strollers and those with mobility challenges!
Our local businesses need your support on a regular basis but especially during construction. Please put extra effort into supporting our amazing local shops and restaurants!
Tim Mitchell in Northwest Earth Institute’s Choices for Sustainable Living states, “A dollar spent at a locally owned store is usually spent six to 15 times before it leaves the community. From $1, you create $5 to $14 in value within that community … Spend $1 at a national chain store and 80 per cent leaves town immediately.”
We know how important our main streets are and that it is our job as local residents to support them. Some fantastic community groups are helping to coordinate local shopping campaigns and they deserve our support and congratulations. Thanks to Beaches Community Cash Mob for leading the charge on shopping locally in the Beach. Thanks to Danforth East Community Association for being the Toronto role model for pop-up shop creation city-wide. Thanks to Kingston Road Village Business Community for encouraging neighbours to shop locally, especially during the construction period last summer. Thanks to Gerrard East Community Organization and the Bazaar Residents’ Association for working hard to revitalize Little India. Finally, thank you to the Beach Hill Neighbourhood Association for their “I’m a Local” campaign showcasing local businesses.
So don’t let a little construction keep you away. Let’s all work together to retain our terrific shops, keep our neighbours employed, and ensure vibrant and lively streets!
Mary-Margaret McMahon is the city councillor for Ward 32
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