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Am I the only one who thinks this area would be a great location for a new high school? There's a lot of intensification potential on nearby streets, but the existing schools are filled to the brim...
 
north-of-anything said:
Am I the only one who thinks this area would be a great location for a new high school? There's a lot of intensification potential on nearby streets, but the existing schools are filled to the brim...
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What schools are you thinking of?

Birchmount Collegiate is the nearest High School that I'm aware of; and as at 2019 it was running at 81% capacity, pretty much optimal.

Porter, well to the north is right at capacity.

Malvern is over, but that school is well to the west; moreover it's a heritage building, albeit one due for reconstruction.

The Catholic school, Neil McNeil is certainly crammed, at something like 130% of capacity.

The challenge I have there, is that I oppose Separate schools; and also it's an all-boys school, and I oppose single-sex education.

If you removed those 2 issues (ie if this was a public, co-ed school) , there would likely be enough capacity by shifting some kids to Birchmount; and dealing w/fewer kids from outside the area.

****

My other question would be, if say Niel McNeil were relocated to this area; exactly what plot of land did you have in mind?

This particular assembly is far too small.

To the west is a plot owned by Conservatory Group zoned for hirise condos; the price would likely be untenable, to the east of that is City-owned land with a development pending.
 
Northern Light said:
What schools are you thinking of?

Birchmount Collegiate is the nearest High School that I'm aware of; and as at 2019 it was running at 81% capacity, pretty much optimal.

Porter, well to the north is right at capacity.

Malvern is over, but that school is well to the west; moreover it's a heritage building, albeit one due for reconstruction.

The Catholic school, Neil McNeil is certainly crammed, at something like 130% of capacity.

The challenge I have there, is that I oppose Separate schools; and also it's an all-boys school, and I oppose single-sex education.

If you removed those 2 issues (ie if this was a public, co-ed school) , there would likely be enough capacity by shifting some kids to Birchmount; and dealing w/fewer kids from outside the area.

****

My other question would be, if say Niel McNeil were relocated to this area; exactly what plot of land did you have in mind?

This particular assembly is far too small.

To the west is a plot owned by Conservatory Group zoned for hirise condos; the price would likely be untenable, to the east of that is City-owned land with a development pending.
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I was mostly thinking of Malvern, Birchmount, and Monarch Park. Malvern already takes up the whole block and doesn't have much room to expand outwards, and Birchmount's catchment area covers a lot of the area that is being upzoned into midrises. I'm thinking about what the capacity in the future will be, and whether there will be demand for another high school in the East End.

I think ideally it should be positioned on Gerrard East between this development and those at the Victoria Park intersection, which is why I brought it up here. Failing that, a new location somewhere in the Warden/Birchmount/Danforth Road area could siphon off students from Porter, or maybe the parking lot at Eastern/Coxwell to relieve Malvern and Monarch Park since the TDSB doesn't like crossing old borough lines.
 
north-of-anything said:
I was mostly thinking of Malvern, Birchmount, and Monarch Park. Malvern already takes up the whole block and doesn't have much room to expand outwards, and Birchmount's catchment area covers a lot of the area that is being upzoned into midrises. I'm thinking about what the capacity in the future will be, and whether there will be demand for another high school in the East End.

I think ideally it should be positioned on Gerrard East between this development and those at the Victoria Park intersection, which is why I brought it up here. Failing that, a new location somewhere in the Warden/Birchmount/Danforth Road area could siphon off students from Porter, or maybe the parking lot at Eastern/Coxwell to relieve Malvern and Monarch Park since the TDSB doesn't like crossing old borough lines.
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Fair enough.

It would be my perception that Monarch Park is too far west to be relevant to this site though, even if it were, as you note, the TDSB treats Victoria Park as a hard line in the way it divides up families of schools.

In respect of Malvern; the school is over capacity; but it's also a small school ( 900 ??)

There is room to grow it onto what is now the school parking lot as per this image from google:

1609129298167.png


As per Streetview the school also has a one-storey wing at its north end, which at first blush would not merit preservation, assuming that is true, there would be room to go to 3-storeys here:

1609129421042.png


Another at the south end is 2-storey:

1609129475170.png


I'm certainly not opposed to accommodating future needs in high school enrollment in a growing City; but I think Malvern's needs can be met on site.

I can envision growing capacity to at least ,1300, perhaps more without difficulty.

****

In respect of Birchmount,

Again, per Google, I see a large parking lot available to grow capacity. :

1609129773992.png


Also the most easterly wing, and the north-west building are both single-storey.

That would seem to allow for growth space as well.

****

Of course, it's moot since the Province won't let the TDSB collect any development charges; and the TDSB has virtually no money to build new schools.
 
There should maybe be a new thread for this in another forum, because it is an issue worth discussing in my opinion.

Back on topic, replacing a few single-family houses on very deep lots with a slightly denser built form like this is a good move. I also like how the driveway acts as a private extension of Queensbury Avenue. I also haven't noticed anybody mention that these townhouses are supposed to have geothermal heating and cooling!
 
Northern Light said:
Fair enough.

It would be my perception that Monarch Park is too far west to be relevant to this site though, even if it were, as you note, the TDSB treats Victoria Park as a hard line in the way it divides up families of schools.

In respect of Malvern; the school is over capacity; but it's also a small school ( 900 ??)

There is room to grow it onto what is now the school parking lot as per this image from google:

View attachment 291235

As per Streetview the school also has a one-storey wing at its north end, which at first blush would not merit preservation, assuming that is true, there would be room to go to 3-storeys here:

View attachment 291237

Another at the south end is 2-storey:

View attachment 291239

I'm certainly not opposed to accommodating future needs in high school enrollment in a growing City; but I think Malvern's needs can be met on site.

I can envision growing capacity to at least ,1300, perhaps more without difficulty.

****

In respect of Birchmount,

Again, per Google, I see a large parking lot available to grow capacity. :

View attachment 291242

Also the most easterly wing, and the north-west building are both single-storey.

That would seem to allow for growth space as well.

****

Of course, it's moot since the Province won't let the TDSB collect any development charges; and the TDSB has virtually no money to build new schools.
Click to expand...
I went to Birchmount 2005-2009 and at that time we had 8 portables in the parking lot. Expansion on top of the eastern wing makes the most sense based on the school layout inside. However; the auto shop is in that wing - could be some resistance to building over top of that. The northwest single storey is the library.
 
Yeah they'll definitely get a good wash before occupancy, I'm just never really a fan of flat black bricks - with dark tinted mortar and the right coursing pattern it can look pretty cool, but in a running bond pattern with light mortar it looks gross
 
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