Junction Triangle

The following notice comes from one of the meeting organizers:

The Perth/Dupont branch of the Toronto Public Library is popular spot in the Junction Triangle. Demand for its services has more than doubled since opening in 1977, and with the neighbourhood thriving, it will surely continue to grow. This bustling branch is one of the smallest in the Toronto Public Library system at 3600 square feet spread over three floors. With just a handful of reading spaces and computer workstations, the library struggles to accommodate groups in the tiny, second-floor meeting room. There is no elevator and washrooms are in the basement.

How can library services in the Junction Triangle be expanded in the current environment of fiscal restraint at City Hall? Is it possible to renovate or build a new library? Councillor Bailao supports the idea of matching contributions raised by the community with City money using Section 37 funds (i.e., fees paid by property developers for zoning allowances on building projects).

Our neighbourhood is undergoing a significant amount of development and the opportunity to obtain Section 37 funds for public projects like libraries now exists in the Junction Triangle. With the active support of the Councillor, a group of local residents is forming a committee to expand library services at the Perth/Dupont branch.

If you are interested in helping a great library grow, you are invited to the first meeting of the Junction Triangle Library Expansion Committee on Tuesday, August 16 at 7 p.m. in the Perth/Dupont Library (second floor meeting room) at 1589 Dupont Street.

MX Air Station

There will be a public meeting regarding the railway underpass mural on the south side of Dupont St. between Campbell and Lansdowne Avenues. You may recall that this is the location of local artist Joel Richardson's mural, which was accidentally removed by the City (more details about that incident can be found here).

Meeting details:

When: Thursday, July 28, 7PM
Where: St. Luigi's school, 2 Ruskin Ave.

The following is a press release from artist Joel Richardson:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CITY MEETING REGARDING JOEL RICHARDSON’S DUPONT STREET MURAL ERASED BY THE CITY

In June the City of Toronto painted over the mural of artist Joel Richardson, a mural the City had commissioned Richardson to paint. After realizing the mistake the city invited Richardson to paint another mural on the same spot.

On July 28th Richardson along with Graffiti writer AMOS, will unveil their new design for the Dupont Street Mural.

The meeting will take place at St. Luigi’s Catholic School, on July 28th, at 7pm. The meeting will be a referendum on Richardson and AMOS’s new mural design.

Richardson and AMOS invite press, artists, and the community to come out and vote, wear a suit and tie to support their new mural plans.

Councilor Ana Bailao will host the meeting.

Bomb Shelter owner and Street Art go to guy ZION will also be in attendance to speak of the importance of art on our streets in a continued campaign to gain recognition of the importance and relevance of Street Art.

The following meeting notice comes from Councillor Ana Bailao's office. You can download a copy here.

Meeting Notice

Community Consultation Meeting

Planning application for: 362 Wallace Avenue

Meeting Date: Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Meeting Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Meeting Location: St. Luigi’s Catholic School (Gymnasium), 2 Ruskin Avenue, Toronto, Ontario

Site

The site is located at 362 Wallace Avenue at the west end of Wallace Avenue adjacent to the city walkway and pedestrian overpass. The site has an overall area of approximately 12,626 square meters. The site is currently fenced off and vacant and has been environmentally cleaned to residential standards and approved by the Ministry of the Environment.

Proposal

The applicant proposes to build 174 new residential dwelling units as stacked townhouses. As well, adjacent to the pathway and as a buffer to the pathway and train track the applicant proposes to build 25 light industrial units. The site will contain 176 below grade parking spaces for the residential including 23 visitor parking spaces and 50 spaces for the industrial units including 25 below grade parking spaces. Access to the parking garage will be at the north end of the site off Ruskin Avenue. Additionally, 19 visitor street parking spaces will be provided. The overall height of the buildings will not exceed 3 stories or 14.0 meters. Total building area of the residential will be approximately 3,536 square meters and 14,500 square meters of gross floor area. Total building as of the industrial will be approximately 2,094 square meters with 3,050 square meters of gross floor area. The proposed overall density would be 1.39 times the lot area.

The site will have road access from Wallace Avenue, the continuation of Macaulay Avenue and connection to Ruskin Avenue.

JT local artist/filmaker/teacher Jeff Winch's new film "Bending The Rails" is featured in this edition of The Villager. Jeff raises many questions about why diesel was chosen over the superior electric and what the impact might be. It is important to keep in mind that electrification, despite rosy sounding press releases, remains an unknown so his film is very timely. From the story:

Through his documentary, Winch aims to raise awareness.

So how did Elsie Mews come to be at 351 Wallace? Initially the developer suggested a name that had a personal connection to them but none to the community and then the City Surveyor researched names that had some significance to the area. It was noted by the surveyor and some residents that up until around 1910 there had in fact been an Elsie Avenue in almost the same spot. Its very rare that a street name from the past comes back and it presented a unique chance to reconnect with the history of the area.

The Villager / Inside Toronto has an article about the new location for the Junction Triangle Boys & Girls Club, on Bloor St. between Symington and Lansdowne.

A few quotes from the article:

Junction Triangle members of the Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club are just months away from moving into a new home base.

Operations Manager Justin Hanna confirmed the club is about to sign a lease for a new space on Bloor Street West between Dundas Street West and Lansdowne Avenue.

Plans to move into a new renovated warehouse space on Ernest Avenue were derailed last year, much to the dismay of area residents. Community activist and former Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club board member Kevin Putnam said he is frustrated by the club's lack of communication with the neighbourhood and its lack of accountability. The Bloor Street West location, at 2,600 sq. ft., is a far cry from the 7,000 sq. ft. 45 Ernest Ave. warehouse, said Putnam.

"It's no replacement for the club house they promised us," said Putnam.

Hanna explained that the 7,000-sq.-ft. warehouse with 18 foot ceilings would have cost the organization $100,000 in operating costs after taking care of rent, utilities and maintenance. However, Putnam said the club had to pay $90,000 to settle with the landlord of 45 Ernest Ave., who was going to rent his space to the club at cost.

The new Junction Triangle club house will be located within a condominium complex and features a kitchen, various rooms and an elevator. The condo's developer was required to provide community space within the complex and has thereby leased it to the city for 99 years, said Hanna. The Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club will lease the space from the city for three years.

This new home will allow the club to continue and grow its homework club, its nutritional cooking class and provide a technology room and an arts and culture program.

"We'll be starting a teen program in a teen lounge that will concentrate on leadership, social responsibility and volunteerism," said Hanna.

A flyer sent to us from JT resident Richard Mongiat, who is involved with the Responding Festival and BIG on Bloor Festival. You can download the original file here.

IF BLOORDALE WERE TO HAVE ITS VERY OWN FLAG – WHAT WOULD BE ON IT?

As part of The Responding Festival (a month long project by artists, designers, architects, poets, community groups, residents and volunteers and is a feature event of the BIG On Bloor Festival July 23/24, 2011) I’m asking everyone in and around the Bloordale neighbourhood to give me your suggestions as to what you think should be on this flag! You can email me your ideas, sketches, photo’s to richardmongiat@gmail.com . I will sort through everyone’s suggestions and design a flag to be unveiled at the Kent School playground (Bloor Street at Dufferin Ave.) on the weekend of the BIG ON BLOOR festival July 23/24, 2011.

All suggestions Welcomed!

Richard Mongiat

A new business is opening up this week in our area: Cafe Neon at 229 Wallace Ave. in the new Junction Triangle Lofts (just east of the Newmarket/Barrie GO tracks). Their opening day is this Tuesday, July 5th, with regular hours beginning on Thursday.

Some details from email:

We will open 2pm onward for in house coffees, and there will be a dj spinning from 9pm onward and we will have drinks!!

...and from another post on this website:

Hi All!

The following announcement comes from the Perth Dupont Community Garden, regarding their event on Friday July 15th:

SUMMER EVENING GARDEN GATHERING

POT LUCK AND MUSIC

Date - Friday July 15th from 6:00 pm ‘til dark

The Perth Dupont Community Garden is located just outside the downtown core of Toronto, in the west end. We are one block west of Symington Ave, just north of Dupont St. The only entrance to the garden is on Perth Ave.

Come join the Perth Dupont Community Garden as we enjoy our fresh veggies and music.

Please feel free to bring your MUSICAL talents. There will also be a few guitars on hand if you are interested in participating, but do not have access to equipment.