B
bizorky
Guest
...and poor Darkstar is still forced to listen to CHUM.
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A
AlvinofDiaspar
Guest
Finally. As commented on by John Barber in the Globe, the win has wider implications to the city and ROWs:
After St. Clair, full speed ahead for streetcar lanes
JOHN BARBER
Nobody loved the new Spadina streetcar line by the time work crews finally got around to building the thing in the mid-1990s. Even the TTC, beset by numerous nattering nabobs of negativity, was fed up.
"It took 10 years to put streetcars back on a goddamn road that always had streetcars on it!" TTC czar Al Leach, soon to become a cabinet minister in the Mike Harris government, fumed in 1993, four years before the line actually opened.
There is no such bitterness in official Toronto today. With the success of the Spadina line proven, it only took three years for the Toronto Transit Commission and the city to gain approval for a similar new line in a traffic-free corridor down the middle of St. Clair Avenue. Despite all the publicity raised by opponents, and the baffling convolutions of their court challenges, the job was completed with comparative ease.
And completed it is. Yesterday's Superior Court decision green-lighting the new line leaves Save Our St. Clair (SOS), the anti-streetcar group, with nowhere to go. No appeal based on the narrow, highly technical arguments it relied on will ever stop construction of the new line, even if another court does allow the appeal. Whatever happens to the legal case, construction will begin almost immediately.
Then there is the question of costs, which the judgment invited the two sides to negotiate over the next few weeks. Local councillor and transit commissioner Joe Mihevc hinted yesterday that the city might go easy in its demands for recompense of its legal costs if SOS agrees to go away. "But if they want to fight," he added, "they will do so at their peril."
Yes, things are different than they were 10 years ago on Spadina, when anti-streetcar agitators continued to meddle and complicate construction of the new line right up until the last minute. Their big victory was a design for minimal curbs that proved so dangerous the TTC tore them all up and built proper curbs (to its original design) shortly after the new line opened.
Yesterday's judgment not only removes the opportunity to repeat such follies, it exposed the latest attempts for what they are. Does anybody out there really think it is wrong to build a new streetcar line because Map 4 in this plan is slightly different from Map 5 in that plan? The legal case against the line ignored the question of its merits, attempting to torpedo it with technicalities instead. But they all went wide and now it's full speed ahead.
One result is that it will be increasingly difficult for local groups to oppose either this line or others that may follow. Why would they? Although Mr. Mihevc's prediction of a "renaissance" on St. Clair may be overdone, this is a $65-million improvement after all. If Mr. Mihevc has his way, the budget will soon be expanded to include even more streetscape improvements and the "undergrounding" of all power lines along St. Clair -- a tremendous perk.
If the new St. Clair line yields even a fraction of the benefits it promises, other neighbourhoods won't be so quick to resist similar improvements. It is not hard to imagine Scarborough and North York competing for new lines.
For the city and the TTC, one of the biggest benefits of yesterday's decision was its validation of the relatively brisk approval process they initiated exactly three years ago. In the end, the biggest delay was not the court challenge but provincial demurral, which required an extra round of consultations late in the day.
Clearly, the transit agency has learned a thing or three about environmental assessments since the Al Leach days. The important lesson is that they work.
Thus the battle of St. Clair ends with a resounding victory, one that will not only produce permanently improved public transit on that street, but will provide tremendous impetus to build new dedicated streetcar lanes in equally worthy locations.
jbarber@globeandmail.com
AoD
After St. Clair, full speed ahead for streetcar lanes
JOHN BARBER
Nobody loved the new Spadina streetcar line by the time work crews finally got around to building the thing in the mid-1990s. Even the TTC, beset by numerous nattering nabobs of negativity, was fed up.
"It took 10 years to put streetcars back on a goddamn road that always had streetcars on it!" TTC czar Al Leach, soon to become a cabinet minister in the Mike Harris government, fumed in 1993, four years before the line actually opened.
There is no such bitterness in official Toronto today. With the success of the Spadina line proven, it only took three years for the Toronto Transit Commission and the city to gain approval for a similar new line in a traffic-free corridor down the middle of St. Clair Avenue. Despite all the publicity raised by opponents, and the baffling convolutions of their court challenges, the job was completed with comparative ease.
And completed it is. Yesterday's Superior Court decision green-lighting the new line leaves Save Our St. Clair (SOS), the anti-streetcar group, with nowhere to go. No appeal based on the narrow, highly technical arguments it relied on will ever stop construction of the new line, even if another court does allow the appeal. Whatever happens to the legal case, construction will begin almost immediately.
Then there is the question of costs, which the judgment invited the two sides to negotiate over the next few weeks. Local councillor and transit commissioner Joe Mihevc hinted yesterday that the city might go easy in its demands for recompense of its legal costs if SOS agrees to go away. "But if they want to fight," he added, "they will do so at their peril."
Yes, things are different than they were 10 years ago on Spadina, when anti-streetcar agitators continued to meddle and complicate construction of the new line right up until the last minute. Their big victory was a design for minimal curbs that proved so dangerous the TTC tore them all up and built proper curbs (to its original design) shortly after the new line opened.
Yesterday's judgment not only removes the opportunity to repeat such follies, it exposed the latest attempts for what they are. Does anybody out there really think it is wrong to build a new streetcar line because Map 4 in this plan is slightly different from Map 5 in that plan? The legal case against the line ignored the question of its merits, attempting to torpedo it with technicalities instead. But they all went wide and now it's full speed ahead.
One result is that it will be increasingly difficult for local groups to oppose either this line or others that may follow. Why would they? Although Mr. Mihevc's prediction of a "renaissance" on St. Clair may be overdone, this is a $65-million improvement after all. If Mr. Mihevc has his way, the budget will soon be expanded to include even more streetscape improvements and the "undergrounding" of all power lines along St. Clair -- a tremendous perk.
If the new St. Clair line yields even a fraction of the benefits it promises, other neighbourhoods won't be so quick to resist similar improvements. It is not hard to imagine Scarborough and North York competing for new lines.
For the city and the TTC, one of the biggest benefits of yesterday's decision was its validation of the relatively brisk approval process they initiated exactly three years ago. In the end, the biggest delay was not the court challenge but provincial demurral, which required an extra round of consultations late in the day.
Clearly, the transit agency has learned a thing or three about environmental assessments since the Al Leach days. The important lesson is that they work.
Thus the battle of St. Clair ends with a resounding victory, one that will not only produce permanently improved public transit on that street, but will provide tremendous impetus to build new dedicated streetcar lanes in equally worthy locations.
jbarber@globeandmail.com
AoD
B
borgos
Guest
I posted first! What do I win? (Other than a more reliable trip to the gelato store?)
La Paloma?
A
allabootmatt
Guest
mmmmmm...you're making my expatriate mouth water.
O
Ontarian1976
Guest
Even though I live in The Annex, and have driven along St. Clair W. a few times, I'm really not that familiar with it. What are some interesting bars/restaurants/shops/sites along there that would make a worthwhile visit? Maybe I'll go see what's there this weekend.
R
rbtaylor
Guest
July at the earliest. I don't think they'll make a date in May.when does construction start?
Aside from the timing with other construction (Fleet Street ROW will have a number of timing constraints), I don't think the city will take any steps forward while SOS is appealing this decision which could last until April.
S
shawnmicallef
Guest
Walked up to St. Clair a few times last summer, and along the street, each time to get to La Paloma. I think it's the only attraction on St. Clair.
We would then eat the gelato in the park, watching an evening soccer game, where the ethnic dads yelled at their sons on the field.
We would then eat the gelato in the park, watching an evening soccer game, where the ethnic dads yelled at their sons on the field.
O
Observer Walt
Guest
St. Clair has a number of attractions and good appeal, although it helps if you are Italian by background!
... or, maybe Hungarian; there is a big Hungarian cultural centre on the north side near Oakwood.
... or, maybe black; there are more hip-hop and rap music stores here than most other neighbourhoods.
It's a good area. I can't believe the number of scare stories as to how the ROW would destroy its character. I look forward to it being built now.
... or, maybe Hungarian; there is a big Hungarian cultural centre on the north side near Oakwood.
... or, maybe black; there are more hip-hop and rap music stores here than most other neighbourhoods.
It's a good area. I can't believe the number of scare stories as to how the ROW would destroy its character. I look forward to it being built now.
I
interchange42
Guest
There are a number of good and cheap Latin American restaurants along St. Clair in the area around Bathust and Christie.
42
42
E
Ed007Toronto
Guest
I can't believe the number of scare stories as to how the ROW would destroy its character.
Actually St Clair has gone down hill the past 20 years. Its was much more vibrant in years past. The ROW can only help.
S
Suicidal Gingerbread Man
Guest
I don't think the city will take any steps forward while SOS is appealing this decision which could last until April.
Actually, they haven't decided whether or not they are going to appeal the decision. They would be fools to do so.
In any event, I don't believe the courts would agree to hear the appeal.
R
rbtaylor
Guest
I've always assummed that SOS was stalling for time to get to the next municipal election with thoughts of getting Margaret Smith, or another favorable person, a seat on council in place of Mihevic.Actually, they haven't decided whether or not they are going to appeal the decision. They would be fools to do so.
In any event, I don't believe the courts would agree to hear the appeal.
I have no doubt that they will take further steps to delay the process.
D
Darkstar416
Guest
From the S.O.S. website:
cbc.ca/metromorning/media/20060222STCFEB22.ram
Also, there's an interview with Margaret Smith and Joe Mihevc from this morning's Metro Morning available here:SOS Bulletin - Decision of the Divisional Court
Feb 21, 2006 --
We have received the decision of the Divisional Court. The court has dismissed our application. We will be taking some time to review the 22-page decision to decide on whether, or not, to appeal. We have only quickly read the decision and it appears that we may have concerns about the interpretation of the court regarding a few substantive issues.
I can tell you that, of course, I am disappointed, but not completely surprised at this outcome. Also, I am not yet convinced that this fight is over. What is clear is that we have raised significant issues both in planning and in law, and these are not merely "narrow and technical" and deserve to be resolved in a manner that manifestly serves the public interest.
Best regards,
Margaret
cbc.ca/metromorning/media/20060222STCFEB22.ram
G
green22
Guest
Assuming no other meaningful appeals, it should be time to make sure that the design is as urban friendly as possible. Mike Walker said he was going to pay attention to the RFP's (request for proposals) for work on St. Clair but never went, or reviewed them. The result was that the transportation department (who controls the roads & design) decided to make larger sidewalk cuts than previously recommended. They added width to vehicle lanes by measuring from the edge instead of centre of painted lines and decided that emergency vehicles would need a half metre of extra space on both sides of the vehicle on turns. Both of these decisions vary from accepted practice and were only carried out because no one was looking and because traffic engineers like wide roads. The result of course was surprisingly large sidewalk cuts at the busiest locations, the corners.
Unfortunately, it will be right-of-way proponents and transit that is blamed for every sidewalk cut. The transportation department has never been excited about transit right-of-ways anyways and could care less about public reaction to cuts. Their only interest is that the r-o-w work for drivers. If St. Clair is implemented badly it will be difficult to get another right-of-way and unfortuanately most councillors are not paying attention to the transportation department's RFP's.
Cut sidewalks far enough and the doom and gloom that merchants predicted could come true. Streetcar right-of-ways have almost always caused overall business to increase (except certain transit-only-malls), but people are less comfortable on tiny sidewalks. SOS of course, created the problem when the TTC made a deal that motor traffic at the intersections will flow at least as quickly as it did before the proposed right-of-way implementation. (too bad the same deal doesn't apply to transit- bikes or peds) These extra cuts by transport officials are just aggravating the situation.
Unfortunately, it will be right-of-way proponents and transit that is blamed for every sidewalk cut. The transportation department has never been excited about transit right-of-ways anyways and could care less about public reaction to cuts. Their only interest is that the r-o-w work for drivers. If St. Clair is implemented badly it will be difficult to get another right-of-way and unfortuanately most councillors are not paying attention to the transportation department's RFP's.
Cut sidewalks far enough and the doom and gloom that merchants predicted could come true. Streetcar right-of-ways have almost always caused overall business to increase (except certain transit-only-malls), but people are less comfortable on tiny sidewalks. SOS of course, created the problem when the TTC made a deal that motor traffic at the intersections will flow at least as quickly as it did before the proposed right-of-way implementation. (too bad the same deal doesn't apply to transit- bikes or peds) These extra cuts by transport officials are just aggravating the situation.
J
janschot
Guest
I just listened to the Metro Morning piece that featured an unpleasant debate between Joe Mihevc and Margaret Smith of Save Our St. Clair (which you can hear by clicking on the link from the Metro Morning website: www.cbc.ca/metromorning/ ). It sounds as though there will be a strong challenge put up from this group against Mr. Mihevc in the November elections. It will be important for transit supporters to help him in this election so we don't have a repeat of the Karen Stintz debacle where the anti-Minto forces recruited a NIMBY who won the council seat.