Toronto GO Transit: Davenport Diamond Grade Separation | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx

It's hard to complain if the only way to get a St. Clair station is to elevate. Can't be done with tunneled or trenched.

Was Metrolinx smart enough to explain this to locals?

The St Clair station is on the Weston Sub, proposed by Mr Tory as a SmartTrack station.

It's a Bloor station, linked to the subway, that this project is promising.

But yeah, while the community wanted a trench or tunnel - the approach trenches to that are as intrusive as the overpass.

- Paul

PS - while not rail related, here's Edward Keenan's take on the Junction Triangle Nimby's

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...nobbery-provides-food-for-thought-keenan.html
 
The local MPP has written to the Minister about the project. Tweeted out here.

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Very reasonable points.

Basically sound protection, new development over the new Davenport station, connectivity, maintenance planning, accelerating the electrification process.

Nothing knee-jerk like at John Fisher PS.
 
Reasonable, yes. Nothing that requires Ministerial level policy direction however.

The underlying message is "Metrolinx isn't giving us much information, so we need to hear it from you".

- Paul
 
Options 4 Davenport has released this video (which includes the local City Councillor) with people speaking out with their concerns on the overpass proposal.
I was reading this string out of curiosity, some comments very good, but refrained from commenting as others are pointing out opposing views, but reading back, just started to watch the video linked above, and I kinda lost it. I live on the edge of this neighbourhood, not in it, but know this area well and people who live there, but this video makes claims that defy belief.

"Artists' neighbourhood?" Gimme a freakin' break! I've been invited by good friends on Sterling for the closing of their collective artist studio end of this month, highly creative and talented people, some have already disbursed prior when the rents went up multiples last year, and now, after juggling to make the studio work (as many others left the city entirely) they've been given notice to move out completely, on a month's notice. I won't detail who owns the building and the adjacent developments. I'm not against progress, but I am against usury to achieve it. I get along well with the owner/developer in passing, we have a number of things in common, but it doesn't undo the hypocrisy of 'the Nouveau Wannabe Riche' when talking "artists" to make their selfish, egocentric, uniformed and so freakin' Toronto argument.

Soaring rent threatens Sterling Road's creative vibe | Toronto Star
https://www.thestar.com › Entertainment › Visual Arts
Jan 31, 2016 - The province caps residential rent increases on an annual basis; ... The architect Philip Beesley in his studio at 213 Sterling Rd. He plans to ...
Rent hikes price creatives out of Sterling Rd. studios | Metro Toronto
www.metronews.ca/news/.../rent-hikes-price-creatives-out-of-sterling-rd-studios.html
Jan 31, 2016 - Rent hikes price creatives out of Sterling Rd. studios ... photographers, woodworkers and designers among them — reported rent increases as ...
Tenants looking for new place after $1,660 rent increase - Toronto ...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rent-toronto-condo-tenants-1.4054056
Apr 4, 2017 - Most people expect their rent to go up each year, but not by 100 per cent. ... When she's not reporting you can find her at a yoga studio or ...
Missing: road
Skyrocketing Commercial Rents Purge Reluctant Artists ... - ULI Toronto
https://toronto.uli.org/.../Skyrocketing-commercial-rents-purge-reluctant-artists-from-To...
Oct 23, 2016 - Most recently, a precipitous rent hike at 223 Sterling Rd. sent ... Painter Matt Bahen with his daughter Isobel in his studio at 224 Wallace Ave., from which he and dozens of other artists ... increasing swath outside the city core.
An Interview with the Displaced Artists of Sterling Road ... - Art F City
artfcity.com/.../an-interview-with-the-displaced-artists-of-sterling-road-new-book-new...
Feb 26, 2016 - This means their studios, located at a two-storey factory on Sterling […] ... were informed by their landlords of a 55% rent increase for February.

And so on, no shortage of reference to there or Wade, Wallace etc. How high has the rent gone? To the point of saturation, they can't even rent some of the empty spaces now in adjacent buildings, the greed has reached its level of incompetence. Or beyond.

In all fairness, some have actually welcomed being forced: (gist) "I was paying usury just to keep my space" and some *including world class architects* are now renting *on Adelaide downtown* for half the price per Sq Ft with much better security (break-ins have been rampant) heating/cooling, etc.

So when I hear all these oh-so-self-centred marshmallows talk about 'arts', it kinda twists like a filthy jagged knife stuck in me. I'm doing OK due to the specifics of my endeavour, many aren't.

I note some talk about (gist) "eroding community values" with the arrival of better transit options and the imposition of same. Well what the hell about those who've been displaced by...of all things...The Museum of Freakin Art? House values fall because the cake in the oven might deflate with the vibration of people in motion? OMG! There goes the lifetime loan on the Lamborghini! And my chocolate éclair yoga lessons!

Just what will the Jones's think? But then again, I'm the odd one out in living the warehouse life-style long before it was something to be turned into 'chic' lofts. Play the metrosexual dream all you like, folks, but don't ever use the "arts" to try and make your point.

Apologies to those of you who get the point, it truly rubbed me the wrong way.

Edit to Add: Here's the Wallace Ave evictees: (There's many more in this area, the Junction, South Junction, Lansdowne, Wade, etc)

Skyrocketing commercial rents purge reluctant artists from Toronto's ...
https://www.thestar.com › Entertainment › Visual Arts
Oct 23, 2016 - On September 30, Rechico, along with a couple of dozen other tenants at 224 Wallace Ave, were given eviction notices by Bilnia Inc., the ...
PressReader - Toronto Star: 2017-02-04 - Akin Collective buys artists ...
https://www.pressreader.com/canada/toronto-star/20170204/284773516065547
Feb 4, 2017 - Akin Collective buys artists space, time ... Such was the case at 224 Wallace Ave. in October, when dozens of small-scale creative enterprises were evicted with just 30 days notice, putting them on the street with nowhere to go ...
 
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I was reading this string out of curiosity, some comments very good, but refrained from commenting as others are pointing out opposing views, but reading back, just started to watch the video linked above, and I kinda lost it.
DVR: Many thanks for liking that, I almost deleted it after realizing it was an emotional outburst, although I do stand behind the claims. For clarity the "Lamborghini" reference was to their houses, and the bubble value invested in them. The gist of my post was about how incredibly ego-centric even nice people like those in the vid become when infected with NIMBYism, almost all of which is based on undue or unwarranted concern. They should *welcome* what's being presented to them, albeit how that manifests is of course a rational concern.

The abject loss of artisans is another matter that I won't delve on in this string.

Edit to Add: To further my point on 'faux NIMBYism'...I've talked to long-time residents of the Davenport Diammond area, some who've been involved in community issues for *generations*...these are people who've nurtured the area, and helped see dirty industry out (the paint factories, for instance) and they believe the arrival of fast transit to downtown and beyond is a wonderful thing. They're *used* to a noisy environment, it's commerce, but the right kind, it's progress, it's people improving their lives, it's positive activity, and every one I've spoken with has remarked how the loudest objectors are the ones who've bought into the neighbourhood the most recently.

And THAT is the basis of my outrage. The new arrivals using the established but now being displaced artisan community that was the soul of the area as fodder in their battle against progress.

I'd use the term "cultural appropriation" but even the mention of that term evokes pretensions within itself.
 
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Pretty impressive body of work. Every aspect may not be to every taste, but it will be hard for the residents to say their concerns weren't given a lot of time and effort to address. Sets a pretty high standard for other projects - and that's a good thing.

I wonder whether there is an agreement regarding who carries the maintenance costs. Hopefully not another John Street bridge fiasco.

Also wonder if it has been looked at with an eye to the eventual third track.....hopefully nothing is being built that will be wasted expense or too complicated to undo or modify when that happens. It may be sooner than some expect.

- Paul
 
Pretty impressive body of work. Every aspect may not be to every taste, but it will be hard for the residents to say their concerns weren't given a lot of time and effort to address. Sets a pretty high standard for other projects - and that's a good thing.

I wonder whether there is an agreement regarding who carries the maintenance costs. Hopefully not another John Street bridge fiasco.

Also wonder if it has been looked at with an eye to the eventual third track.....hopefully nothing is being built that will be wasted expense or too complicated to undo or modify when that happens. It may be sooner than some expect.

- Paul

my thoughts as well in terms of maintenance...sure itll look all nice and pretty with the mirror coating but give it a few years and all of that will be tarnished unless theres continual maintenance and cleaning... hopefully they factored that into their budget.
 
Also wonder if it has been looked at with an eye to the eventual third track.....hopefully nothing is being built that will be wasted expense or too complicated to undo or modify when that happens. It may be sooner than some expect.
Is there room in the corridor for a third track? I find it hard to believe that they can even fit a second track as it is.
 

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