crs1026
Superstar
^Similar letter from Councillor Bailao
- Paul
- Paul
Toronto GO Transit: Davenport Diamond Grade Separation | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx
- Thread starter vic
- Start date
Allandale25
Senior Member
^ Response from the Chief Capital Officer (Acting) and a further reply from the Councillor.
muller877
Senior Member
Methinks that the Councillor doesn't want the new Ontario government to realize the actual cost of the grade separation vs the blatant vote buying with the community improvements.
2 separate procurement processes makes sense. If you packaged it as one then someone would have to sub-contract (and take some profit along the way). By dividing it up you can cut the middle man out. But it will highlight the cost of all the pandering to the NIMBY-ism in the area (my view is that some of the enhancements are great but it was overkill...they must have let an urban planner go crazy without any budget limitations).
And it's too bad that her feelings were hurt (April 17 letter). Re-reading the various letters I don't get it. Does she want her ego stroked? Metrolinx to bow to her every whim? What is her issue with the tone?
cplchanb
Senior Member
I've always been been very miffed in the nimbyers who do nothing but complain and complain. ML has tried to accommodate them but it seems like their mind was set from day 1. I say screw them and if they dont like what they see they're welcome to move out. As long as everything is built to code and to bylaws in the end they have no power over development of critical infrastructure. I just hate it when these few naysayers essentially held/hold the developent of city infrastructure hostage because they dont like what's happening to their view out their window
crs1026
Superstar
The Chief Capital Officer's letter is one of the most obtuse and off-point letters I have ever read, even from ML. It borders on wacky. He could have been a lot more on point and said the same thing and not changed his position one bit. It invited a reaction.
The separation of the procurements makes sense process wise, and whether the procurement changed or not, the community has always been at a disadvantage because the community improvements have to wait until after the overpass is built. It is too easy to imagine the bulldozers going away and leaving the public realm improvements undone. So the community's acute sensitivity is wise, they will need to keep harping and nagging all the way to the finish line or they will not get what they expect. The Councillor is just doing her job - and doing it well.
I don't agree with everything the Davenport community has demanded, but they did get a deal from ML. A deal ought to be a deal. Remember, the ML folks are the people who will be building the next generation of subways. If their word means nothing, and they can skate away from this one, good luck with consultation and community input to those projects. This is all about getting ML to make firm commitments and then follow through on them. That far overshadows any NIMBYism aspects of this little exchange.
- Paul
The separation of the procurements makes sense process wise, and whether the procurement changed or not, the community has always been at a disadvantage because the community improvements have to wait until after the overpass is built. It is too easy to imagine the bulldozers going away and leaving the public realm improvements undone. So the community's acute sensitivity is wise, they will need to keep harping and nagging all the way to the finish line or they will not get what they expect. The Councillor is just doing her job - and doing it well.
I don't agree with everything the Davenport community has demanded, but they did get a deal from ML. A deal ought to be a deal. Remember, the ML folks are the people who will be building the next generation of subways. If their word means nothing, and they can skate away from this one, good luck with consultation and community input to those projects. This is all about getting ML to make firm commitments and then follow through on them. That far overshadows any NIMBYism aspects of this little exchange.
- Paul
steveintoronto
Superstar
What was promised and what is now being offered really are diverging. I agree with the comments on NIMBYism, to an extent. But where this process started way back was the promise for electric propulsion flying over their community (and the edge of mine). There's a hell of a big difference between flying diesels full throttle through a neighbourhood compared to electrics.
And now the Lansdowne Station, the big sweetener, is now a 'maybe'?
C'mon folks, if cars or houses were sold this way, you'd all be clamouring for legal recourse. Bait and Switch isn't a folk duo.
steveintoronto
Superstar
Welcome to the Philippines! I mean, who do those damn working folks think they are?
But wait! Even Duterte has a limit on the loss of decency:
Duterte threatens ‘war’ vs Canada over trash shipment
Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Apr 23 2019 07:52 PM
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/19/duterte-threatens-war-vs-canada-over-trash-shipment
Filipino NIMBYs I say! Just because we signed a binding Int'l Agreement means nothing. (the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the 1995 Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Disposal. )
Why do they stand in the way of progress I ask? Why don't they just move out to some other islands?
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dowlingm
Senior Member
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
Potential signs of prep work for the Davenport Diamond project, with the contract expected to close this spring.
raptor
Senior Member
As I mentioned earlier in the thread, vegetation clearing and utility relocation has been ongoing for the past couple of months.
steveintoronto
Superstar
^ Here's the location at Wallace Ave:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.661873,-79.446721,3a,75y,328.05h,99.67t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1spuzbBEdI5-DLaR1W9PoZDw!2e0!6s//geo2.ggpht.com/cbk?panoid=puzbBEdI5-DLaR1W9PoZDw&output=thumbnail&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&thumb=2&w=203&h=100&yaw=175.68295&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192
Bit of a problem with jumping to the conclusions some are about that signal mast: It indicates the opposite of what some are embracing. If the flyover is supposed to be going there...why would a ground level signal mast be there for future use?
It looks far more to me that a passing loop or section of double tracking is going in there, not the flyover.
And how will this be played? Exactly as it's been set-up with the latest flurry of Cnclr Balaio's letters and responses from Metrolinx et al. Wait for it:
"The Government of The People, for The People, by The People and all The Folks contained there-in have responded to the mass indignation from the local community as to the monstrous proposal to invade their lives with a Liberal Boondoggle vaulting to new heights, with The People's hard earned tax-money.
And so today, The Government for The People has announced a much better way to provide our continuing program of Bait and Swit....errr...Railway Switching to provide Ontarians with the needed improvements to Metrolinx at a much earlier date. It has been determined that passengers as well as local taxpayers will benefit from not suffering altitude sickness from flying through neighbourhoods where so many people don't like Liberal foisted schemes forced upon them.
And now a few words on modern signalling and passing loops from our Metrolinx chief, Phil Verster..."
Tell me folks...why would that signal mast be there? It's brand new. It's going up, not coming down. And it's for mounting on flat ground.
I'm not saying it will, just that it can...and until I see QP locked into a binding contract (even that is no impediment for this regime) to start building the legendary flyover, I'm dubious that they will, let alone have any intention of doing so.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.661873,-79.446721,3a,75y,328.05h,99.67t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1spuzbBEdI5-DLaR1W9PoZDw!2e0!6s//geo2.ggpht.com/cbk?panoid=puzbBEdI5-DLaR1W9PoZDw&output=thumbnail&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&thumb=2&w=203&h=100&yaw=175.68295&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192
Bit of a problem with jumping to the conclusions some are about that signal mast: It indicates the opposite of what some are embracing. If the flyover is supposed to be going there...why would a ground level signal mast be there for future use?
It looks far more to me that a passing loop or section of double tracking is going in there, not the flyover.
And how will this be played? Exactly as it's been set-up with the latest flurry of Cnclr Balaio's letters and responses from Metrolinx et al. Wait for it:
"The Government of The People, for The People, by The People and all The Folks contained there-in have responded to the mass indignation from the local community as to the monstrous proposal to invade their lives with a Liberal Boondoggle vaulting to new heights, with The People's hard earned tax-money.
And so today, The Government for The People has announced a much better way to provide our continuing program of Bait and Swit....errr...Railway Switching to provide Ontarians with the needed improvements to Metrolinx at a much earlier date. It has been determined that passengers as well as local taxpayers will benefit from not suffering altitude sickness from flying through neighbourhoods where so many people don't like Liberal foisted schemes forced upon them.
And now a few words on modern signalling and passing loops from our Metrolinx chief, Phil Verster..."
Tell me folks...why would that signal mast be there? It's brand new. It's going up, not coming down. And it's for mounting on flat ground.
Yeah, I was just through there day before yesterday, but the nature of the clearing and activity looks to be nothing to do with a flyover. Anything but. I too have been watching it closely since last Summer, just up the road from me. Something else dawning on me: Now they have their excuse to not build Lansdowne/Bloor station, the existing bridge at Bloor is a double track one, and double tracking could go all the way down to the main corridor...
I'm not saying it will, just that it can...and until I see QP locked into a binding contract (even that is no impediment for this regime) to start building the legendary flyover, I'm dubious that they will, let alone have any intention of doing so.
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raptor
Senior Member
what are you talking about? With the existing signal mast, there's no room to work, no room to stage. They're not erecting the flyover overnight.
steveintoronto
Superstar
lol...so what's it for? Diverting the tracks? Where? How?
Short on time here, but here's a quick grab of a pic of what's envisioned:
How is that contingent with doing a diversion during construction and the amount of space presently available at Wallace?
Let's guess: "This new passing loop is the first stage of setting up to build the flyover".
Btw: I love that catenary on the bridge!
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Allandale25
Senior Member
^ I agree with @raptor. There could be lots of reasons for replacing the old existing search light signals with the new LED ones on a temporary basis while they build the flyover. It'll take several years before the grade separation is ready to use and if the search light signals are failing or too costly for GO to maintain/replace, it makes sense that they would replacement with GO's standard new signals. When the grade separation is done they could just relocate those LED signals somewhere else.
steveintoronto
Superstar
I see, and all the wiring and trenching that goes with it? When construction is imminent? Perhaps some haven't quite got the memo yet, but this Gov't is desperate to save less than a $M in any place it can find it. And they're going to go full bore ahead on spending a half $B for this? (It's been touted at a 1/4 $B)
Show me the money...
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