W
wyliepoon
Guest
Link to article
Pedestrians expanding their toehold
No-car Sundays started in Kensington but will spread to other areas this year
Apr 10, 2007 04:30 AM
San Grewal
staff reporter
There is no better way to get the feel of a city, its landscape, people and general culture, than by walking. Unfortunately, with narrow sidewalks and streets choked by traffic, Toronto will never be a great walking city.
But there's a movement afoot that's gaining momentum and might transform certain neighbourhoods into pedestrian-friendly villages, transforming parts of Toronto into Paris or Manhattan, at least on Sundays.
Almost four years after Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market began, the idea will be adopted this summer by Mirvish Village (west of Bloor and Bathurst Sts.) and Baldwin Village (north of Spadina Ave. and Dundas St. W.).
"We have had festivals here in the past, years ago," said Andrew Inman, manager of John's Italian Caffe, located on the stretch of Baldwin St. that in the summer takes on the festive atmosphere of some Latin American or European city renowned for vibrant street life.
"We feel that this is a great area, it's a little village in the heart of the city."
To highlight the neighbourhood's unique vibe, this summer it will close off Baldwin St. to traffic on three Sundays between June and August.
Shamez Amlani was behind P.S. (Pedestrian Sunday) Kensington, which keeps cars off the market's streets for part of the last Sunday of every month between May and October. Amlani wants to boost that to seven Sundays this summer.
"Picture your world without cars," said Amlani, sitting in La Palette, his restaurant on Augusta Ave.
"Your neighbourhood wouldn't be a shortcut for people, it wouldn't look like a highway or someone else's parking lot."
Amlani lived in Paris before opening his restaurant in Kensington Market and sees no reason why parts of Toronto couldn't have the same lively street life.
"Paris Plage (a summertime beachfront transformation along the Seine) is an effort to maintain an already great walking city's vibrant street life. Here, we've built our cities around cars," Amlani said.
He's sympathetic to local businesses that rely on customers with cars and vehicles that drop off goods.
But Amlani also notes efforts that have worked in countries such as Italy, England and Colombia, where vehicles are kept off certain streets during summer months so pedestrian life can flourish.
His neighbour, David Monteiro, owner of Miramar Furniture and Appliances, hopes the idea doesn't spread too far.
"Four or five Sundays in the summer is fine, but you have to be practical," said Monteiro, after stepping back into his store from the small parking space outside where he had just guided a customer's car on to the busy street.
"Sometimes this is all loading and unloading, that's how I make a living. We have to have access."
Monteiro, who has owned the store for 26 years, says while he doesn't mind P.S. Kensington, he thinks it's just an excuse for locals to party in their own backyard.
"The streets get filled with garbage and graffiti – who's it really for?"
Atique Azad hopes pedestrian-only Sundays catch on in Mirvish Village, where he owns the Butler's Pantry on Markham St.
"To kick it off we've given ourselves three Sundays: June 10th, July 15th and August 12th this summer. Next year, we hope to have four."
Azad, who is also vice-chairman of the Mirvish Village Business Improvement Area, says the pedestrian Sundays give neighbourhoods the opportunity to work with cultural organizations, artists and businesses to promote culture that otherwise isn't displayed.
Pedestrians expanding their toehold
No-car Sundays started in Kensington but will spread to other areas this year
Apr 10, 2007 04:30 AM
San Grewal
staff reporter
There is no better way to get the feel of a city, its landscape, people and general culture, than by walking. Unfortunately, with narrow sidewalks and streets choked by traffic, Toronto will never be a great walking city.
But there's a movement afoot that's gaining momentum and might transform certain neighbourhoods into pedestrian-friendly villages, transforming parts of Toronto into Paris or Manhattan, at least on Sundays.
Almost four years after Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market began, the idea will be adopted this summer by Mirvish Village (west of Bloor and Bathurst Sts.) and Baldwin Village (north of Spadina Ave. and Dundas St. W.).
"We have had festivals here in the past, years ago," said Andrew Inman, manager of John's Italian Caffe, located on the stretch of Baldwin St. that in the summer takes on the festive atmosphere of some Latin American or European city renowned for vibrant street life.
"We feel that this is a great area, it's a little village in the heart of the city."
To highlight the neighbourhood's unique vibe, this summer it will close off Baldwin St. to traffic on three Sundays between June and August.
Shamez Amlani was behind P.S. (Pedestrian Sunday) Kensington, which keeps cars off the market's streets for part of the last Sunday of every month between May and October. Amlani wants to boost that to seven Sundays this summer.
"Picture your world without cars," said Amlani, sitting in La Palette, his restaurant on Augusta Ave.
"Your neighbourhood wouldn't be a shortcut for people, it wouldn't look like a highway or someone else's parking lot."
Amlani lived in Paris before opening his restaurant in Kensington Market and sees no reason why parts of Toronto couldn't have the same lively street life.
"Paris Plage (a summertime beachfront transformation along the Seine) is an effort to maintain an already great walking city's vibrant street life. Here, we've built our cities around cars," Amlani said.
He's sympathetic to local businesses that rely on customers with cars and vehicles that drop off goods.
But Amlani also notes efforts that have worked in countries such as Italy, England and Colombia, where vehicles are kept off certain streets during summer months so pedestrian life can flourish.
His neighbour, David Monteiro, owner of Miramar Furniture and Appliances, hopes the idea doesn't spread too far.
"Four or five Sundays in the summer is fine, but you have to be practical," said Monteiro, after stepping back into his store from the small parking space outside where he had just guided a customer's car on to the busy street.
"Sometimes this is all loading and unloading, that's how I make a living. We have to have access."
Monteiro, who has owned the store for 26 years, says while he doesn't mind P.S. Kensington, he thinks it's just an excuse for locals to party in their own backyard.
"The streets get filled with garbage and graffiti – who's it really for?"
Atique Azad hopes pedestrian-only Sundays catch on in Mirvish Village, where he owns the Butler's Pantry on Markham St.
"To kick it off we've given ourselves three Sundays: June 10th, July 15th and August 12th this summer. Next year, we hope to have four."
Azad, who is also vice-chairman of the Mirvish Village Business Improvement Area, says the pedestrian Sundays give neighbourhoods the opportunity to work with cultural organizations, artists and businesses to promote culture that otherwise isn't displayed.