Junction Triangle

The following event announcement comes from the Clean Train Coalition:

Pressure mounts on Premier McGuinty to GO ELECTRIC!!

You are cordially invited to attend the Clean Train Coalition's GO ELECTRIC music event on Sunday, September 26th in Sorauren Park, from 1:00pm - 5:00pm. Local musicians will perform throughout the afternoon, with keynote speakers taking the stage at 3:00pm.

Ontario Redi-Mix: As seen from Erwin Krickhahn Park.

The Ontario Redi-Mix plant at 57 Wade Ave. has closed down. I don't know the exact date of the plant's closure, but it has now been inactive for several weeks.

Ontario Redi-Mix is the concrete manufacturing and distribution factory that is visible over the railway tracks at Erwin Krickhahn Park. What seemed like a constant parade of cement trucks around the Bloor-Lansdowne area is a direct result of this plant. I know that there were many complaints about Ontario Redi-Mix from residents in the Lansdowne / Wade / Jenet / Paton area stemming from the truck traffic, noise, dust, dirty streets, idling trucks, cracked sidewalks, and much more. I bet the residents of that area are happy to see this place closed down.

Perhaps it will make life better for Junction Triangle residents on Rankin Cres., and users of Erwin Krickhahn Park too? I'm not sure, as I can't say I've ever been bothered by this facility while in the park, but maybe people who live close-by had different experiences (please post if you have!).

The following meeting info comes from Metrolinx, regarding their Georgetown South Project status (GO Train expansion, and Airport Rail Link on the Georgetown corridor):

Open House - Lithuanian Hall
When : Thu, June 24, 6pm – 9pm
Where: 1573 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON (map)
Description: To review the project scope, current status, and learn about next steps in the design and construction phase.

More information about this project is on Metrolinx's Georgetown South Project website. Please also see the Junction Triangle Rail Committee and Clean Train Coalition websites for perspectives from local residents.

The following meeting notice comes from the Clean Train Coalition:

Reminder: Clean Train General Meeting this Tuesday, June 22nd

The Clean Train Coalition will be holding a general meeting at Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, 1900 Davenport Road, just west of Symington. The meeting will take place in the main hall/sanctuary.

We will be discussing our strategy to build support for the Clean Train movement in communities along the line and our plan to use the Clean Train Pledge Campaign and other strategic initiatives to pressure Premier McGuinty, who ultimately has the say.

We plan to reach out to community groups along the line, and hope that each can send a representative to learn about the pledge and take it back to their membership for review.

Everyone is welcome. Join us. Be part of the solution!

Where: Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Centre, 1900 Davenport Road
When: Tuesday June 22, 7pm

What do the World Cup and a modern, world class electric train system have in common? Canada doesn’t play at that level. Canada is 63rd in the FIFA World rankings and its massive diesel train plan in Ontario makes it a bottom-feeder among nations.

Algeria (FIFA World Ranking # 30)

The following meeting announcement comes from GO Transit / Metrolinx. You can download a PDF copy of their announcement here. Please note that you are expected to register for this meeting by May 24th. Details below.

Metrolinx
20 Bay Street, Suite 901
Toronto, Ontario M5J 2N8
Phone: 416.874.5900
Fax: 416.874.5901
www.metrolinx.com

May 13, 2010

West Toronto Railpath: The bridge over Bloor Street, Jane's Walk 2010

Today's Globe & Mail has an article about the possible future extension of the West Toronto Railpath.

A few quotes from the article:

A completed trail “would be amazing,” said Daniel Egan, manager of the city’s cycling infrastructure and programs. “What’s in place now doesn’t really go anywhere, but you can get a sense of what’s possible. ... You don’t need much imagination to understand how important it could be.”

But the completion of the trail into downtown is likely several years off, and still faces significant design and construction hurdles.

But if it is to become more than just a recreational trail, and open up a new commuting route for cyclists, the southern portion of the trail down to King and Strachan needs to be completed. That depends on whether room can be carved out alongside the rail corridor that is being expanded to provide more frequent GO train service and a rail link to the airport.

Metrolinx, the government agency planning the GO expansion, says it will try to make room for the railpath alongside its tracks. The city is willing to pick up the tab for construction costs, and will accommodate the trail on adjacent land or streets in the sections where it can’t be accommodated on rail land. And the grassroots group Friends of West Toronto Railpath, which pushed for years to get the path under way, is lobbying hard and helping with the design of the extended path.

The Toronto Star is reporting:

In a major victory for Toronto’s Junction community, Metrolinx has agreed to drop its appeal of a decision that limits the amount of noise it can make in the west-end neighbourhood.

The decision not to appeal ends months of tension around the nerve-jangling noise and vibration of pile-driving on the rail crossing known as the Toronto West Diamond near Dundas St. W. and Dupont.

In December, the CTA ordered GO to limit work hours and use quieter methods at the rail crossing. GO had already implemented quieter technology and shrouds over the pile drivers to try to reduce the noise.

Although this will delay the West Toronto Diamond grade separation project a little, it will provide the residents of the area around the diamond with some much-needed peace and quiet after the many months of pile-driving they have had to put up with.

Read the complete article over at The Star's website.

The following press release was sent by the Clean Train Student Coalition.

Clean Train Student Coalition
3199 Lakeshore Blvd. W.
Toronto, Ontario
M8V 1K8
www.cleantrainstudentcoalition.com

NEWS RELEASE
Attention: News Editor

MEDIA CONTACT
Caterina Ventrella
Media Relations Officer
647-280-6462
Caterina.ctscmedia@gmail.com

April 9, 2010

CLEAN TRAIN STUDENT COALITION CALLS FOR STUDENT ACTION

TORONTO – The Clean Train Student Coalition is seeking support from students and student groups in the Greater Toronto Area to electrify the proposed diesel train expansion in Toronto. The CTSC is asking people to sign the petition at www.cleantrain.ca/petition to protest the use of diesel-powered locomotives in the project.

A new residents’ group has formed in the neighbourhood. The Junction Triangle Rail Committee will focus on the merits of electrification - what increased diesel traffic means for our community - and the construction of the Davenport Diamond overpass/separation on the Eastern side of the neighbourhood. As a group, we are all for more trains – but we strongly feel electrification is long overdue and Metrolinx must consider the impact of their expansion plans on residents in this neighbourhood. GO Transit and the Government of Ontario have been talking about electrifying the lines since the 1960s, but each decade the plan gets dismissed for being too costly. And each decade, the costs increase. But what about the long-term costs of diesel exhaust? Surrounded by rails, the Junction Triangle stands right at the centre of this controversy and deserves a voice. If you’re interested in joining the push for electrification right here in your own neighbourhood and want Metrolinx to practise responsible construction methods that won't drive people from their homes, please contact us by emailing rail@junctiontriangle.ca or through the online contact form.

Irmina Ayuyao
Bruce Gavin Ward
Scott Dobson
Vic Gedris
Kristen den Hartog
Kevin Putnam
Jeff Winch

The Junction Triangle Rail Committee is on the web at: www.junctiontriangle.ca/rail