Leslieville / Studio District

[Ahab]

I don't understand why Leslieville residents are opposed to this development. There's a Smart Centre in Leaside. As far as I'm aware, the shops on Bayview Ave. and Eglinton Ave. are doing just fine and there hasn't been a mass exodus of residents out of the area.

 

[billonlogan]

I don't understand why Leslieville residents are opposed to this development.

Because the main tenant could be WalMart and in these parts those are fighting words.

 

[adma]

Another subtle thing: Leaside's a different creature from Leslieville. Jane Pitfield country, ya know...

 

[Ahab]

It's too bad Walmart causes such visceral reactions in people. Sure, Walmart arguably has put a lot of small shops in small towns out of business, but one can't argue that it represents good value for money. If you are making minimum wage or you are a senior living off a small pension (which I suspect Leslieville has quite a few of), a Walmart in your neighbourhood would be a welcome addition.

I am very skeptical that a Walmart in Leslieville is going to have much of a negative impact on the neighbourhood. Walmart just doesn't compete with a lot of the businesses that are already in Leslieville.

 

[insertrealname]

I am very skeptical that a Walmart in Leslieville is going to have much of a negative impact on the neighbourhood. Walmart just doesn't compete with a lot of the businesses that are already in Leslieville.

This kind of large shopping centre (650K sq. ft. leasable space, Gerrard Sq. is 326K according to davpart.com) has many other effects on the neighbourhood other than commercial competition. Think about e.g. traffic, access infrastructure for that traffic, environmental effects of that traffic, displacement of existing local economic activity through revaluation of adjacent land, reduction of the amount of land available for other kinds of potentially higher value economic activity, etc.

At the OMB pre-hearings in question, there are already parties involved that represent adjacent land parcels, who will demand identical treatment should the land be successfully rezoned for retail uses. The result will be a suburban-like strip of 100% shopping and parking space bounded by Carlaw on the west, Eastern on the north, Leslie on the east and Lakeshore on the south. Any expansion of other commercial activities will be limited to south of Lakeshore, and if development closer to the waterfront was ever to include some form of mixed commercial/residential/working neighbourhoods (think "Smart Growth"), these would be cut off from the rest of South Riverdale by that massive barrier of 100% shopping.

In other words, this limited rezoning dispute has effects far beyond the immediate area in question.

As there is not a comprehensive secondary plan for the whole area in place yet, acceding to this rezoning application is not in the community's long term interests.

 

[billonlogan]

I noticed over the weekend the former Woodland/Lumber Guys store on Logan and First, south of Dundas, has been demolished to make way for new townhomes.
http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-ViewAdLa...iji.ebayimg.com/i3/07/k/000/78/1a/9ede_18.JPG

I used to go there frequently when I was doing the renovations on my house. Jeez half the lumber in the house came from there. They used to let you pick through all the lumber to get the straightest boards. I can still remember the sound of the corrugated aluminum shelter in the rear lumber yard shaking when the trains passed. I wonder if the folks you bought there realize how loud those trains are zooming past.

Looking at the picture of the townhomes, they look like a continuation of the towns down the street on the former Colgate property. They are selling for over 500K. Wow!

I was skeptical they would get this project off the ground, but looks like they are going ahead.

 

[DENTROBATE54]

I am very skeptical that a Walmart in Leslieville is going to have much of a negative impact on the neighbourhood. Walmart just doesn't compete with a lot of the businesses that are already in Leslieville.

I can't believe people would be opposed to this. Leslie/Lakeshore is very out of the way from the actual residential area and most local commercial activity in Leslieville is at the storefronts on Queen Street. I bet all the NIMBYs complaining would rather drive all the way to Sherway Gardens to access a Walmart, dumbasses !

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

I can't believe people would be opposed to this. Leslie/Lakeshore is very out of the way from the actual residential area and most local commercial activity in Leslieville is at the storefronts on Queen Street. I bet all the NIMBYs complaining would rather drive all the way to Sherway Gardens to access a Walmart, dumbasses !

Maybe they don't shop at Wal-Mart? There's no need to waste your life wandering the vast aisles if you live in a functional neighbourhood with good quality retail. If you want to save money shop at the local dollar store...

 

[JasonParis]

From the Downtown Bulletin...

Community group report: East Toronto Coalition continues OMB plea
By Kelly Carmichael, for ETCC

On October 4th, 2007, The East Toronto Community Coalition was granted Party status to the OMB for Case No. PL051314: TorontoFilmStudios Inc. (rezoning application for 629, 633 and 675 Eastern Ave).

Yesterday, Monday October 15th, 2007 at 11:00, as mandated by the OMB, the ETCC attended a meeting for all parties for the purposes of finalizing a consolidated issues list and a procedural order for the October 30th, 2007 pre-hearing. The meeting took place at the offices of Ms. Mary Flynn-Guglietti, of McMillan Binch Mendelsohn LLP. Ms. Flynn-Guglietti was representing her client Talisker Sunlight Park.

Prior to the meeting, the ETCC sent out a request to the Applicant (Smart!Centres) for information and a consent to a short adjournment (one month) of the Oct 30th pre-hearing as follows:

“In order determine the extent of our participation, including but not limited to determining the issues list, hiring experts and the provision of witnesses, we request a copy of the following documentation;

-Your Appeal letter;
-Your proposed Official Plan Amendment;
-Your proposed Zoning By-law amendment;
-and all supporting documents that were served on the OMB and all other Parties, including expert reports.

We are also in discussions with legal counsel to determine a potential retainer for the purposes of representing us at the hearing.

In light of these facts, we seek consent to an adjournment of the Oct 30th pre-hearing date for one month. We understand the hearing will commence on May 5th, 2008. At this point, we are not suggesting changing the OMB hearing date.â€

Our request was flatly denied by Dennis Wood, Solicitor for Smart!Centres. He informed us that all documentation will likely be available towards the end of this week. It appears that Smart!Centers will not be forthcoming with any goodwill towards the residents of Leslieville in this matter. It is also

our understanding that the requested documents should have been available when we were granted Party status on October 4th. The Residents Group will continue to seek an adjournment with the OMB.

Another alarming fact that came out in this meeting was that 2006199 Ontario Inc. and 109744 Ontario Ltd. (CineSpace) has asked that the final OMB decision be applied to their Site as well. Loblaws and Sunlight still have not indicated their position on these matters but it is our fear that if the Residents lose the battle at the OMB, Leslieville can expect BIG BOX from Leslie Street to the Don River.

 

[shilly]

Honestly...If they do in fact end up building it, it might give some of the lazy crackheads a place to work. IMO.

 

[Alley Kat]

Community Rally/Press Conference, Sunday 25/11

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION WILL BE VITAL FOR SUCCESS!!!

Please come and join the East Toronto Community Coalition for a Community Rally/Press Conference to bring forward our issues around Air Quality, Good jobs for our Community and the impact a 700,000sq. ft., 2000 parking space Big Box Development will have on our Waterfront.


Sunday November 25, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
East End Garden Centre
1395 Queen St. East

Speakers will include:

David Donnelly, East Toronto Community Coalition
Mr. Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth)
Mr. Peter Tabuns, MPP (Toronto-Danforth)
Councilor Paula Fletcher (Ward 30)

Please bring your kids, grandparents, friends, neighbours, signs and loud voices to say:

NO BIG BOX ON OUR WATERFRONT!!

 

[Lilibet]

As much as I do see your point in that where is the energy going to come from and so on.. as a long time resident of the area(26 years) and the fourth generation, my kids being the 5th. I have to ask when do we in the east end get a chance to breath some clean air and not have industries detrimental to the health of the area in our backyards. Again I understand that these things are needed but I think the east end has unfairly had the brunt of these for the last half century. Can we not spread them out at least a little? It's bad enough we have to smell shit all summer long, now we are going to have a power plant and a set of hight tension lines running through our nabe?

This won't come as much consolation, but the west end, specifically the Junction area which I call home, has also been home to "dirty" industrialization living hand in hand with residential just like the section of the east end you speak of. There's also a hydro right-of-way cutting it's way through the 'hood with pylons filling up the skyline (there's even a parkland built around this with a playground for children right under the pylons and chess tables...I can't imagine a place more uninviting, go figure). I personally would not want to live in close proximity to this, but people do.
I wish there had been the same up-in-arms force fighting against the big box retailers taking over the Stockyards when the meat packing plants south of St. Clair closed up shop and the big box retailers took over as in my opinion that was a huge mistake. It's built entirely around the car, and walking there, especially in winter is horrendous.
Good luck in your fight against the developers and the OMB...

 

[PeterC]

Smart!Centres in Leslieville is Smart!

Following is a copy of my letter to editor of Etc...News published in the December 2007 issue:

Smart! Centres in Leslieville is Smart!

For too many years, Eastern Avenue was, and still is, a ' quick secondary access route ' for the many motorists driving either to the Beaches or to Downtown Toronto. And it wasn't that long ago that scrap yards were among the businesses adorning Eastern Avenue, along with more than a fair share of hazardous industries spewing toxic emissions into the air we breathed, and contaminating our garden soil.

This was the scenario in 1983. Over the last 26 years I' ve witnessed and welcomed many changes, in Leslieville as a whole and on Eastern Avenue. Most of the scrap yards are gone, as well as the aforementioned health hazards.

Now let's fast forward to 2007! We are on the threshold of witnessing the revitalization of Eastern Avenue as we have never seen before: a transformation that would take it from a speedway to a pedestrian-friendly city street, calming traffic to two lanes, with stores, pathways, benches, landscaping and quick access crossings to Queen Street East to explore shopping, dining and our unique galleries.

Smart! Centres chose Eastern Avenue! They developed it, designed it and presented a plan to the community as an exciting retail centre that will not only revitalize but bring positive changes to Leslieville residents and businesses.

I have heard concerns that a Wal-Mart ( not yet confirmed ) is to be one of their anchor stores and that it will kill the business along Queen Street East. Rather than taking business away, I see this as an opportunity for more consumers to come and shop at our stores. We already see increased pedestrian traffic on Queen Street since the opening of Canadian Tire at Leslie and Lake Shore.

Recently I went to Wal-Mart at Dufferin Mall and, being a pleasant day, decided to take the subway to Bathurst station and walk to Dufferin. Along Bloor Street I stopped in many of the small independent stores offering everything from shoes and clothing to travel agencies, window treatments, hardware, restaurants and coffee shops etc.

With respect to the increase of traffic clogging our streets, those of us that went to the presentation by Smart! Centres saw that most of the traffic is planned to enter/exit via Lake Shore Boulevard, thus diverting it away from Eastern Avenue.

Rarely have I seen a business such as Smart!Centres to be as forthcoming and accessible or willing to listen, address and rectify concerns from the community.

This is our opportunity! The time is now! It's time to revitalize Eastern Avenue by working together with Smart! Centres and welcoming them to Leslieville. I cannot stress enough that if we let this slip through our fingers, it may be a long time, if ever, before we have the opportunity again.

Peter Crawford, Sr.

 

[PeterC]

I can't believe people would be opposed to this. Leslie/Lakeshore is very out of the way from the actual residential area and most local commercial activity in Leslieville is at the storefronts on Queen Street. I bet all the NIMBYs complaining would rather drive all the way to Sherway Gardens to access a Walmart, dumbasses !

Right on, thank you and please read my letter to the editor of Etc...News ( December 2007 issue ) and which I also posted here. We finally have the opportunity to witness and partake in a revitalization/transformation of Eastern Avenue/Leslieville as we have never seen before.
Peter

 

[billonlogan]

Peter, did you see the editorial in this months issue regarding posting the letter. Honestly, I was surprised they printed it, but they wanted to show no bias. That was the right thing to do. There are people in the community who welcome this development and their voices and opinions should be heard, contrary to some who believe anyone in favour should be shut out. I applaud the editor for that, and I'm sure it was a difficult decision for them to print the letter. Furthermore, did you happen to see the pull out "The Shops of Foundry District" in the same issue? ETC News might benefit from additional advertisement dollars from businesses that open shop in the new development.