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Toronto Municipal Election 2018: Mayor’s Race

Juan_Lennon416 said:
Memo to Keesmaat re her campaign: time is ticking!
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She doesn’t stand a chance. She should have done a Bonnie Crombie, and waited for the incumbent to retire. Heck, she might have got Tory’s blessing and endorsement in 2022.

I’d vote for Keesmaat for mayor in 2022. But now, we need a well-connected, smart, political veteran to face off against the dumbest and most dangerous Premier this province has had in my memory (and Rae is the reason I got my citizenship, so I could throw him out and vote for Harris).

Keesmaat is only on our radar because the media wants a race, and UT members like her urban city themes. None of that gets her good odds for mayor.
 
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Admiral Beez said:
Keesmaat is only on our radar because the media wants a race, and UT members like her urban city themes. None of that gets her good odds for mayor.
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Pretty much this. The fawning over her entering the race was hilarious. She doesn't want Toronto to be a city, she wants it to be a liberal arts University campus. Her campaign motto should be "make Toronto Instagrammable again" because that's really all that matters to the airheads backing her fantasies.
 
Admiral Beez said:
She doesn’t stand a chance. She should have done a Bonnie Crombie, and waiting for the incumbent to retire.

I’d vote for Keesmaat for mayor in 2022. But now, we need a well-connected, smart, political veteran to face off against the dumbest and most dangerous Premier this province has had in my memory (and Rae is the reason I got my citizenship, so I could throw him out and vote for Harris).

Keesmaat is only on our radar because the media wants a race, and UT members like her urban city themes. None of that gets her good odds for mayor.
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She hasn't made an impression. I would be surprised if she got over 20% of the vote.
 
Admiral Beez said:
She doesn’t stand a chance. She should have done a Bonnie Crombie, and waited for the incumbent to retire.
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Agreed. What doomed Keesmaat from the beginning was her late entrance into the race. By the time she entered, Tory, according to media estimates, had already raised one million dollars.

Also, something I have posited before, is that her lack of political or activist background gave her few connections to the NDP and Liberal establishment. As a result, there wasn't a cohesive team to hit the ground running, so you were left with a hodgepodge, from what I've heard, of second-rate Liberal and NDP organizers, running against the veteran Tory team of Kinsella and Kouvalis.

Initially I figured Keesmaat's support would plateau at Smitherman's 36% support range in 2010, but I wouldn't be surprised if she barely cracks 30%, even below Pitfield in 2006.
 
Richard White said:
I have lived near Warden and St Clair for the past 25 years, I know Dentonia Park well. The area is well known for illicit activities and it would be best not to give them an opportunity to ply their trade.

Teesdale and Crescent Town are next to Dentonia while Fir Valley Court and Cataraqui Crescent are alongside Warden Woods Park. It is well known by the locals that these are havens for drugs, gangs and other illicit activities. It is not public knowledge but the fact remains. If you value your safety, you would not walk through these areas at night, when nobody is around etc.

I am not saying fence Dentonia off, I am saying there would be a safety risk if you turned it into a park. I can see people selling drugs or themselves there if given the opportunity.
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I have been walking through Warden Woods on numerous occasions over the years; I have never even once seen an 'illicit' activity.

That's not to suggest that none happen; they do everywhere in a City of size.

But to imply that this is somehow an unsafe area for the public is completely unreasonable to me.

I don't think that is any way a fair representation of this area.

Yes, the crime rate is higher is some adjoining areas than in Rosedale, but excepting some issues internal to some portions of the TCHC lands, I don't think the risks are materially greater than the vast majority of Toronto; and likely lower in the valley parks than elsewhere nearby.

The value ecologically of restoring all or a substantial portion of the golf course to forest, meadow and marsh, completing the bike trail between Taylor Creek Park and Warden Woods, and possibly adding a soccer field or
other community asset on the high ground, outside the flood plain would seem to be to vastly out weigh any tiny risk that a marginal amount of crime may occur on those lands.

I think the most likely problem area in valley parks are the parking lots.

Something I've long felt ought to be addressed by having a gate system that always opens to exit, but only opens to enter during daylight hours, unless otherwise mandated for a City sanctioned event.

Not hard to do, or all that expensive.

But a separate issue from repurposing the golf course in any event.
 
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Avenue said:
If the Yonge proposal was up to referendum it would have lost. Unfortunately that's the make up of the city.
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What Keesmaat seems to be doing, and what Chow failed to do in 2014, is push a few good ideas to energize the left-leaning, urbanist base. It might help at least get out that vote and help some better council candidates.

I'm an urban left-of-centre voter. Chow should have had my enthusiastic vote, but I drifted to David Soknacki before he dropped out. Keesmaat is at least talking about some things that I want to hear.
 
ShonTron said:
What Keesmaat seems to be doing, and what Chow failed to do in 2014, is push a few good ideas to energize the left-leaning, urbanist base. It might help at least get out that vote and help some better council candidates.

I'm an urban left-of-centre voter. Chow should have had my enthusiastic vote, but I drifted to David Soknacki before he dropped out. Keesmaat is at least talking about some things that I want to hear.
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In a mayoral race the issue is there is just isn't that many voters like you described. And for whatever shady reason the NDP machine that managed to collect most votes in a different election a couple of months ago isn't supporting her properly.
 
Northern Light said:
I have been walking through Warden Woods on numerous occasions over the years; I have never even once seen an 'illicit' activity.

That's not to suggest that none happen; they do everywhere in a City of size.

But to imply that this is somehow an unsafe area for the public is completely unreasonable to me.
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Exactly. And if one is so hyped up about a golf course opened up as parkland as a magnet for crime, then might as well go whole hog and close up the entire Taylor-Massey greenway. Look: parks have *long* been magnets for "illicit activity"--drug deals, gay cruising, what have you. Should we shut them all down? No. Should we exercise wisdom in using them? Hey, why not; we should never take our safety for granted. Even in small town Ontario, I'll betcha that parks like this are where illicit dealings take place. Or conversely, you might as well counter-argue that Cataraqui Crescent should never have been built here in the first place, and the poor assisted-housing class shouldn't have any immediate access to ravine parkland. If anything, by establishing a emerald-necklace continuum, opening up the golf course would *alleviate* the isolation that might presently make Warden Woods seem so Cataraqui-drug-den dicey to some...
 
I watched the TBOT/G&M debate tonight and I have to say that Tory looks polished while Keesmat was talking in circles but making few solid hits against Tory. The SmartTrack was the only thing she kinda made some headway, but even that is lame as his plan has morphed to also include her suggestions of Eglinton W and E extensions and her 1 stop dumb compromise for Scarborough. She was involved in the decision making process (although not having the final say).

Overall I find that Keesmat while being a planner by trade, she doesn't have the political skills necessary to be Mayor. Her ideas are overly complex and wont get her much support outside of core urbanists. She clearly didn't learn from the populist mood of the population. She needed some simple key policies to get her message across loud and clear. In 2014, it was SmarTrack for Tory. In 2018, it's Tory's bland leadership vs complex and nuanced plans that are mostly unworkable with Daddy Douggie. Keesmat should have put 2-3 populist policies in there to get support of the suburban areas - keep properties tax increases at inflation, support small business and talk about moving Toronto with Swan boats or monorails or something crazy drawn on back of a napkin. :)

I'm predicting Tory wins in a land-slide of 60-70% popular vote but with the lowest turn-out even for Toronto election - expect most of the 25 councillors as incumbents to come back with maybe 1 surprise (hoping Mammo gets turfed).
 
Northern Light said:
I have been walking through Warden Woods on numerous occasions over the years; I have never even once seen an 'illicit' activity.

That's not to suggest that none happen; they do everywhere in a City of size.

But to imply that this is somehow an unsafe area for the public is completely unreasonable to me.

I don't think that is any way a fair representation of this area.

Yes, the crime rate is higher is some adjoining areas than in Rosedale, but excepting some issues internal to some portions of the TCHC lands, I don't think the risks are materially greater than the vast majority of Toronto; and likely lower in the valley parks than elsewhere nearby.

The value ecologically of restoring all or a substantial portion of the golf course to forest, meadow and marsh, completing the bike trail between Taylor Creek Park and Warden Woods, and possibly adding a soccer field or
other community asset on the high ground, outside the flood plain would seem to be to vastly out weigh any tiny risk that a marginal amount of crime may occur on those lands.

I think the most likely problem area in valley parks are the parking lots.

Something I've long felt ought to be addressed by having a gate system that always opens to exit, but only opens to enter during daylight hours, unless otherwise mandated for a City sanctioned event.

Not hard to do, or all that expensive.

But a separate issue from repurposing the golf course in any event.
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While hiking through Warden Woods a couple of years ago (I have only been there two or three times) with my younger brother, we watched the cops bust an illegal fire/party on the west side of the bridge that crosses the creek (directly below West Scarborough Aquatics parking lot). There is a pretty secluded, flat and large plot of land there, at the base of a steep embankment, that is perfectly capable of accommodating a large group of people, comfortably. It is away from the paved trail, and obscured by heavy foliage, making it invisible to most people. I only discovered it because my brother and I prefer to hike the natural trails and find the nooks and crannies that most people avoid in our ravines.
 
The Rover said:
While hiking through Warden Woods a couple of years ago (I have only been there two or three times) with my younger brother, we watched the cops bust an illegal fire/party on the west side of the bridge that crosses the creek (directly below West Scarborough Aquatics parking lot). There is a pretty secluded, flat and large plot of land there, at the base of a steep embankment, that is perfectly capable of accommodating a large group of people, comfortably. It is away from the paved trail, and obscured by heavy foliage, making it invisible to most people. I only discovered it because my brother and I prefer to hike the natural trails and find the nooks and crannies that most people avoid in our ravines.
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I've seen people camp out there from the subway. All I am saying is that people have been known to use it for prostitution, selling drugs etc. Around Warden and St Clair you get the financially challenged congregating to drink beer in the local parks. The police frequently patrol warden woods park and the area around it because of all the housing buildings in the area.
 
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