13.11.2024 Views

#9102 - Mar 1991

  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Digital Archiving Completed by the Ethnography Lab, A University of Toronto Anthropology Initiative<br />

and Produced in Collaboration with David Perlman/Wholenote Media Inc between July-December 2015.<br />

The Kensington <strong>Mar</strong>ket Drum, <strong>Mar</strong>ch <strong>1991</strong> MARKET MATTERS 5<br />

Kensington <strong>Mar</strong>ket Area Task Force:<br />

East <strong>Mar</strong>ket Report ~<br />

<strong>Mar</strong>ch 20 meeting, Task Force Test<br />

The following report will be one of several reports on the agenda<br />

for the next task force meeting. Also up for consideration are<br />

a report on Sunday shopping/tourist designation, a report on procedures<br />

governing task forces and standing committees, a report<br />

on the relationship between City revenues and expenditures in the<br />

<strong>Mar</strong>ket area. And, at last, the long-awaited planner's report on<br />

what should replace-the restaurant control by-law, which will<br />

expire in July. -<br />

This east market report has been In preparation for all but six<br />

months of the task force's existence. The report touches on many<br />

of-the issues that have {:Orne to task force attention. (One section<br />

of the report, section 7: problems. related to garbage disposal, has<br />

already been used by the garbage action group in obtaining public<br />

works support for a new garbage collection schedule for the<br />

market.)<br />

People with concerns, questions or suggestions relating to anything<br />

in the report can communicate them to the writers of the<br />

report, and to the task force do the City Clerk.<br />

Summary, January <strong>1991</strong><br />

1. ll\'TRODUCTION<br />

This report is jointly submitted by Chris<br />

Melo, 13 St. Andrew Street and David<br />

Perlman, 24 Bellevue Avenue":<br />

2 BACKGROUI\'D<br />

This east market report is the result of<br />

setting up a BALDWIN STREET COM­<br />

MITTEE, in 1987, while Dale <strong>Mar</strong>tin was<br />

the chair of the Task Force. The Baldwin<br />

Street Committee was to do an inventory<br />

of the issues and problems we could fmd<br />

in one small section of the <strong>Mar</strong>ket, to follow<br />

those issues and problems, and to recommend<br />

action.<br />

3. INITIAL STUDY AREA<br />

We chose as our study area Baldwin<br />

Street from Spadina: west to Augusta.<br />

4. TEN ISSUES<br />

Within a few months we had identified<br />

the following issues:<br />

1. at 376 Spadina, proposed demolition<br />

of a landmark building with Joss of stores<br />

on Baldwin, Joss of housing above the<br />

street, and aggravation of restaurant related<br />

parking problems along Spadina;<br />

2 problems relating to the design and<br />

function of the George Brown College<br />

building on Baldwin Street;<br />

3. possible impacts of the proposed<br />

Spadina LRT on access to Baldwin Street<br />

and to the Parking Authority Garage;<br />

4. possible impacts on Baldwin Street<br />

of the proposed expansion of the<br />

Kensington Parking Garage;<br />

5. arguments for and against limiting<br />

auto traffic and/or loading and deliveries<br />

on Baldwin Street;<br />

6. problems of littering;<br />

7. problems related to garbage disposal;<br />

8. problems relating to keeping and<br />

expanding affordable rental housing on<br />

Baldwin Street;<br />

9. community concerns with the style<br />

and focus of policing and Jaw enforcement<br />

on the street;<br />

10. problems relating to whether or not<br />

the city should enforce the street<br />

by-law permitting them to demolish a<br />

canopy (at Baldwin and Augusta).<br />

5.MEETINGS<br />

The committee conducted meetings<br />

with representatives of George Brown<br />

College, the parking authority, public<br />

works, planning department, Kensington<br />

Residents Association, Kensington<br />

<strong>Mar</strong>ket Businessmen's Association, the<br />

developer/owner of 376 Spadina, and<br />

other individuals livmg and/or working in<br />

the area.<br />

6. CHANGES TO STUDY AREA<br />

Very early on in the work of the committee<br />

we agreed that we had set our<br />

sights too narrowly to deal with the issues<br />

we identified. For instance, it was not possible<br />

to look only at Baldwin Street problems<br />

associated with the proposed expansion<br />

of the Parking Garage, because two<br />

of the entrance! exits to the Garage are<br />

one block south, on St. Andrew Street. So<br />

we agreed to widen the focus a little, to<br />

add Kensington Avenue From Baldwin to<br />

St. Andrew, St. Andrew from Kensinlton<br />

to Spadina, and Spadina From St. Andrew<br />

to Baldwin. We did not, however, change<br />

our list of issues-only re-emphasized<br />

them where necessary.<br />

-- J I<br />

QciiGE" -<br />

~~- !"" "'<br />

? ~ iY jtl C-£~LE"jf H,. ~<br />

G ~AL"DWit-j Q<br />

~I L9 l@E f~~\: 1 z<br />

) 4 II At.-ru"or.-J ..,<br />

c..<br />

~<br />

rg 16<br />

z<br />

Revised study area (not to scale)<br />

©=CANoPY .<br />

{Q::L.Otltt\C~ ~II. U~R Ol!JT~~~S<br />

. r-- _. '-'!;m!d.[]l:JtJ-'lJ'. 11 •<br />

1<br />

.,.'.'_,,.!- 1 -~·<br />

BALDWIN STREET COMMITTEE OF~~ -. ·--~- . ·.~" . • ~ . ··· ·· ... j<br />

316-·-i<br />

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ~::~~<br />

_<br />

THE KENSINGTON MARKET AREA South ElevaUon<br />

TASKFORCE<br />

Balwln Street<br />

1: ARISING FROM A PROPOSED ~ND.HI11J<br />

DEMOLITION AND REDEVELOP­<br />

....<br />

MEi'oi AT376SPADINA<br />

~& ........ Modlnr..iliiWI<br />

Concerns:<br />

-this was a landmark building-at one Recommendation 3 (A-B)<br />

of the gateways to the <strong>Mar</strong>ket;<br />

A. That the City recognize that the<br />

-the Joss of four stores on Baldwin<br />

LRT in the latest Metro plan still has significant<br />

impacts on the Kensington com­<br />

would make that section of the street even<br />

more uninviting;<br />

munity; and that the City request Metro<br />

-dissatisfaction at the proposed<br />

and the TTC to consult with the<br />

Kensington community on the details of<br />

replacement of housing on the second<br />

floor-with yet another restaurant (on a<br />

the plan, if it proceeds;<br />

B. That the Task Force write to the<br />

section of Spadina with lots of retaurants)_.<br />

Minister of the Enviroment of Ontario<br />

Recommendation 1 (A·H)<br />

1) to say that, if the plan for the LRT<br />

A. That the developer of the site be goes forward to an environmental hearing<br />

required to restore the sense of that corner<br />

as a gateway to the <strong>Mar</strong>ket;<br />

individuals from the Kensington area, with<br />

unchanged from the way it passed Metro,<br />

B. That at least four stores be restored the support of the Task Force, will seek<br />

on the Baldwin Street side of the building; intervenor status at that hearing;<br />

C. That the developer be required to 2) to request a meeting with a representative<br />

from the environmental assessment<br />

restore a residential second floor;<br />

D. That the developer be encouraged branch of the Ministry, once Metro's<br />

to expand significantly the residential use Spadina LRT environmental report is officially<br />

filed with the Ministry-to explain<br />

ofthe building; ·<br />

E. That the City no longer grant parking<br />

exemptions for second floor restau­<br />

the environmental assessment process.<br />

rants in the area;<br />

F. That the City grant parking exemptions<br />

for providers of affordable housing<br />

above commercial businesses in areas<br />

zoned CR (commercial/residential);<br />

G. That "cash-in-lieu" of parking revenues<br />

within the <strong>Mar</strong>ket area go into a<br />

neighbourhood account, not into the<br />

Parking Authority's general construction<br />

fund;<br />

H. That the Parking Authority report<br />

to Council its revenues from Kensington<br />

area "cash-in-lieu" payments.<br />

2. THE PRESENCE OF GEORGE<br />

BROWN COLLEGE IN THE KENS­<br />

INGTON COMMUNITY<br />

Concerns:<br />

that the south building of the campus<br />

creates a. dead zone on Baldwin Street<br />

east of Kensington-windows largely<br />

opaque, no invitation to community or<br />

passers-by to enter, no incentive for students<br />

to leave the building and enter the<br />

community; minimal interaction between<br />

college and community; the perception in<br />

the community that the location of the<br />

College in Kensington and on Spadina has<br />

little impact on what goes on at the<br />

College; the fear, therefore, that George<br />

Brown College will recommend selling off<br />

the Kensington campus-with the<br />

prospect of some large private development<br />

on the site that might have a very<br />

big impact on the market area.<br />

Recommendation~ (A· F)<br />

A. That a joint college/neighbourhood/local<br />

business committee be formed<br />

to examine joint college/community projects<br />

and cooperative education courses;<br />

B. That this committee identify among<br />

other things underutilized facilities and<br />

resources on the campus that could be<br />

made available to community groups;<br />

C. That George Brown College<br />

Kensington Campus encourage staff and<br />

students to use transit by reducing their<br />

stock of monthly parking. permits in the<br />

Kensington garage;<br />

D. That George Brown College, the<br />

Parking Authority, the City's Urban<br />

Design division and other owners and<br />

stakeholders on Baldwin east of<br />

Kensington Avenue join with the <strong>Mar</strong>ket<br />

community in planning public improvements<br />

to Baldwin east of Kensington;<br />

E. That the community business centre<br />

situated in the basement of the baldwin<br />

street building of the college be. given<br />

resources, funding, and the mandate to<br />

support local initiatives, particularly those<br />

which involve joint college/community<br />

projects and ventures;<br />

F. That the college, and the Minister of<br />

Colleges and Universities make public -<br />

promptly any plan to sell off all or part of<br />

the Kensington campus; and that there be<br />

local public meetings on any such plan.<br />

Appbnrs Reclad Dfawmgs --·~-==--~ --=-=-==-=-= -.:.:_ ::..:·:__ :=--=:::::<br />

4: RELATING TO PROPOSED<br />

PARKING GARAGE EXPANSION<br />

Concerns:<br />

-that the spaces to be added will do no<br />

more than offset parking to be lost on<br />

Spadina as a consequence of the proposed<br />

LRT, and will therefore do nothing for the<br />

<strong>Mar</strong>ket;<br />

-that the expa!lsion as presently<br />

planned entails sidewalk cuts on St.<br />

Andrew, with impacts on businesses and<br />

residents on St. Andrew;<br />

-that the expansion as planned will<br />

affect the value and use of adjacent properties;<br />

-that the Parking Authority does not<br />

seem to have to go through the same Citycontrolled<br />

planning processes as other<br />

developers.<br />

Recommendation 4 (A-L)<br />

A) that the Garage expansion be seen<br />

not as additional parking for the<br />

Kensington <strong>Mar</strong>ket, but as replacement<br />

parking for the Spadina parking lost to<br />

LRT·<br />

B)' that the Parking Authority immediately<br />

commence a study of how to meet<br />

the market's parking needs now that the<br />

Kensington garage has become primarily a<br />

Spadina garage;<br />

C) that any plannned expansion take<br />

into account recommendation 2D above;<br />

D) that any planned expansion be<br />

based on turning the garage into a multiuse<br />

building;<br />

E) that among the uses to be considered<br />

for the expanded Garage should be 1)<br />

facilities for cyclists; 2) facilities (e.g. parcel<br />

depot, short term child care) for shoppers;<br />

3) public street-related uses; 4) space<br />

for vendors, 5) a <strong>Mar</strong>ket tourist office; 6) a<br />

community police substation; 7) public<br />

washrooms;<br />

F) that the Authority not be permitted<br />

to proceed with the expansion of the<br />

Garage until they and the City's Public<br />

Works Dept have in place an effective<br />

plan for full use of both the Baldwin and<br />

St. Andrew garage entrances and exits.<br />

G) that the City not widen St. Andrew<br />

street by one extra lane until and unless<br />

there is a plan for the operation of the<br />

garage, otherwise the widened St. Andrew<br />

will end up ·being two lanes of cars parking<br />

to get into the garage;<br />

H) that the city examine the possibility<br />

in widening St. Andrew street not to take<br />

all the extra space off the south side of the<br />

street, but take an even amount off the<br />

north and south side;<br />

I) that in the event of widening St.<br />

Andrew the adjacent residential property<br />

owners be given the chance to apply for<br />

changes in zoning, to compensate them for<br />

Joss of amenity caused by the widening;<br />

J) that the plan for the proposed expansion<br />

of the garage be the subject of a<br />

Planning Advisory Committee meeting;<br />

K) that the Parking Authority be subjected<br />

to the same public planning processes<br />

as any. other developer;<br />

L) that notification of public meetings<br />

relating to land use and public works mat·<br />

ters in the market area be somehow<br />

extended to tenants as well as to property<br />

owners.<br />

5: AUTO TRAFFIC AND/OR<br />

LOADING AND DELIVERIES ON<br />

BALDWIN STREET<br />

Concerns:<br />

-traffic congestion at times of heaviest<br />

deliveries;<br />

-not enough offstreet parking for merchants<br />

to store their cube vans (so merchants<br />

not moving vehicles after delivery<br />

made);<br />

-some people's desire for pedestrian<br />

mall, in conflict with interests of those<br />

merchants whose customers are accustomed<br />

to being picked up, with heavy<br />

parcels, right outside the store.<br />

Recommendation 5 (A·F)<br />

A. That the Parking Authority remove<br />

the barrier gateway to its Bellevue lot<br />

presently preventing cube vans from using<br />

the lot;<br />

B. That the "I:ask Force support the<br />

heaviest users of Baldwin Street for deliveries<br />

(European Meat) in trying to get a<br />

rear loading dock for their store;<br />

C. That there be a ten minute parking<br />

limit, except loading and deliveries, on<br />

Baldwin Street during retail market hours<br />

(including people driving cars picking up<br />

shoppers);<br />

D. That the Task Force and local associations<br />

support the reintroduction of a<br />

pedestrian mall in the <strong>Mar</strong>ket on a trial<br />

basis during the next twelve months-on<br />

up to 12 days, excluding Saturdays;<br />

E. That a working group be established<br />

to organize these Mall Days;<br />

F. That these Mall days be jointly sponsored<br />

by the City and the local associations.<br />

6. PROBLEMS OF LfiTERING<br />

Concerns:<br />

-there is chronic litter problem in the<br />

<strong>Mar</strong>ket (as distinct from the garbage problem,<br />

which is also serious). Litter getsstrewn<br />

all over market streets in the course<br />

of a day, and there are almost no litter<br />

containers, primarily because public works<br />

department prefers to send in people to<br />

sweep the street than to empty litter containers.<br />

Recommendation 6 (A·D)<br />

A. That all stores selling snack foods or<br />

other products leading to immediate casual<br />

litter be provided with litter containers<br />

by the City for use on the boulevard outside<br />

the store;<br />

B. That the Public Works department<br />

with the help of local associations identify<br />

the sites where most casual litter accumulates<br />

and provide appropriate containers<br />

to reduce the amount of litter on the street<br />

in those places;<br />

· C. That the design of appropriate litter<br />

conta,iners be included in all areas of the<br />

market where "street furniture" is being<br />

designed for the <strong>Mar</strong>ket;<br />

D. That the introduction of containers<br />

to reduce litter be accompanied by the<br />

introduction of a public awareness campaign<br />

and material.<br />

!<br />

376 Spadina<br />

3. IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED<br />

SPADISA LRT<br />

Concerns:<br />

-that the LRT would cause traffic<br />

restrictions on Baldwin Street (no turns<br />

onto Baldwin from northbound Spadina<br />

at least 6 hours a day-a.m. and p.m.<br />

peak, and no turns onto northbound<br />

Spadina from Baldwin at the same times);<br />

-that the elimination of angle-parking<br />

on the adjacent block of Spadina Avenue<br />

will lead to increased traffic on Baldwin<br />

and St. Andrew, of Spadina shoppers looking<br />

for parking;<br />

-that these Baldwin restrictions, combined<br />

with the expansion of the Parking<br />

Garage would lead to traffic chaos on St.<br />

Andrew Street;<br />

-that the loss of the St. Andrew Street<br />

transit stop (southbound) will further isolate<br />

·the <strong>Mar</strong>ket and make it less accessible,<br />

and hamper local efforts to encourage<br />

a reduction of cars in the <strong>Mar</strong>ket;<br />

-that proposed changes to the street<br />

system (making Kensington one way north<br />

between Baldwin and St. Andrew) will<br />

make the <strong>Mar</strong>ket's traffic problems even<br />

worse.<br />

continued on page 15

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!