Toronto Backyard Neighbourhood Condos | 24.99m | 10s | VANDYK | Kohn

[ceaz40]

Did you speak at the meeting ceaz?

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Hi Interchange
Yes I did get up towards the end...I was at the back of the church....I talked about how the area is a bit of an isolated enclave that I understood the developers were looking to include the area, in what had otherwise been, part of the urban fabric. I suggested that urbanity required a "destination" for people to walk and interact. I said that retail should be on the streets and I envisioned a cafe and a restaurant where you could go out and have a drink and eat without spending 50 bucks on cab fare. (made the point we shouldn't be drinking and driving, lol). My brother lives in the area as well and spoke. He was just up and in front of me. He told them pretty much the same thing. He was the tall blond who said he was in the construction biz. Were you the guy sitting up front on the right side who was so articulate? When I heard that guy speak, I thought it may be you....

 

[ceaz40]

I have to admit...the architect was very knowledgable...I spoke to him at the end of the meeting up front. I simply said that the area has a long history and knows how to be suburban...please ensure you can teach it to be urban.

 

[interchange42]

Were you the guy sitting up front on the right side who was so articulate? When I heard that guy speak, I thought it may be you....

Even if that wasn't me, I'm saying it was.

(Yeah, it was. Thanks!)

When I heard you speak about the need to put the retail on the street, I was thinking - UTer, that could be ceaz!

So we'll meet next time then.

Cheers!

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PS - Yeah, HV does good work, so I'll be quite happy if they engage his firm.

 

[interchange42]

We Stonegate types now live in a food desert.

VanDyk went ahead with the closure of the (lack of) ValuMart—closed just over a week now—and several other stores. Only the Community Health Centre now remains. It's operating an occasional shuttle bus for seniors to get to a local No Frills on the Queensway at Royal York. A little closer to the plaza is the Queensway Sobey's near the Humber, just over 1 km to the south. Hardier souls (like me) who have decided to go carless are getting lots of exercise food shopping in the area now (my other option is 3 km up the Humber then east along Bloor to Bloor West Village), but I feel for the people in this area in general who have lost all of the local grocery and convenience items nearby. The occasional shuttle bus for seniors is a pretty weak response to the community's needs by VanDyk and local councillor Peter Milczyn—who made a lot more noise at the community meeting about addressing the situation.

I wonder how long before we have the option to shop locally again?

I believe that VanDyk should have built the new plaza first—before closing the existing section—at the corner of Stephen Drive and Berry Road, where it naturally should be. That would have been a more expensive route for VanDyk. I would have preferred for them to go for more density on the site to be able to afford to do it right, but it seems they have a lack of imagination, and a lack of commitment to the community beyond getting in and out quickly.

I'd challenge them to defend their choices here, but I expect they won't do much more than stew in their boardroom over a little bad publicity here.

 

[innsertnamehere]

The website says spring 2015.

 

[interchange42]

Today.

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[interchange42]

Moving like greased lightening.

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[interchange42]

April 23:

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[interchange42]

April 30:

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[local]

I have lived here for 30years, and it saddens me that I will be looking into other peoples windows as they look into mine! The buildings will be built very close to the preexisting apartments leaving us in an utter darkness of closed blinds/shades. I wish they would simply build within the middle with commercial and gardens around leaving adequate space between the lowrises. This neighbourhood has always been an oasis tucked inbetween parks and vast spaces of greenery. The traffic with the individual lanes will be brutal, and there are no options/space to increase to double lanes which would definitely be needed to support 700 additions (units) either way I hope they plan to keep it very green, that is what made me decide to move only 10meters from where I grew up.
Unfortunately today like with many new builds we were woken at4am to fire. Such thick smoke smothered our suite directly located at the rear of the plaza that we are going to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. My poor 15month old couldn't breath and there was no escape to even get to our vehicle and drive away from the area. I hope the developers and builder put security onsite after this, so going forward we don't have aanother issue like this.

 

[greyarch]

I hope everyone is fine. Why was there fire? Was it developer fault?

 

[local]

I hope everyone is fine. Why was there fire? Was it developer fault?

I have lived here for 30years, and it saddens me that I will be looking into other peoples windows as they look into mine! The buildings will be built very close to the preexisting apartments leaving us in an utter darkness of closed blinds/shades. I wish they would simply build within the middle with commercial and gardens around leaving adequate space between the lowrises. This neighbourhood has always been an oasis tucked inbetween parks and vast spaces of greenery. The traffic with the individual lanes will be brutal, and there are no options/space to increase to double lanes which would definitely be needed to support 700 additions (units) either way I hope they plan to keep it very green, that is what made me decide to move only 10meters from where I grew up.
Unfortunately today like with many new builds we were woken at4am to fire. Such thick smoke smothered our suite directly located at the rear of the plaza that we are going to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. My poor 15month old couldn't breath and there was no escape to even get to our vehicle and drive away from the area. I hope the developers and builder put security onsite after this, so going forward we don't have aanother issue like this.

I dont believe it to be there fault? It was inside and behind the mall where the pass through is located. They did have a company come in clear a bunch of tree branches that reached onto the alley way behind the mall a few months ago and left the pulversised trees behind. Huge huge piles just sitting there which was causing the heavy black smoke. We are ok but i've been using air purifiers and fans to get the smell out. All of our windows were open and I woke up because of the smell and smoke in our suite. So vacuuming laundry spraying the walls cleaning in the babies bedroom to get rid of the smell. What you going to do? From what I could tell the firefighters and there were several trucks were going inside the old polish deli/bakery or restaurant? Both have ovens/stoves so I'm not sure if the fire originated inside/outside. The fire marshal was here this afternoon investigating. I haven't heard any news/read any articles so no coverage of the fire? Hard to get answers! Again they need security or they should start taking down the unused portion for resident safety. Thanks for asking about us btw!

 

[greyarch]

Good to hear that everyone is ok. However, an empty mall means trouble. I agree that the developer should demolish these buildings as soon as possible.

 

[300SRT8]

The old KFC at The Queensway and Adgate will be the presentation centre. Vandyk has their logos plastered all over it, I believe sales will start in the spring

 

[interchange42]

This development has been moving painfully slowly, but shoring has now started—just not where it was expected first. We were expecting the southwest quadrant to be first, but it seems that work is starting in the southeast corner. I'll try to find out what significance this has soon.

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