Archive for January, 2009

Local:EARTH HOUR PLANNING MEETING: Tuesday, January 27th

 

Green 13 met on Tuesday January 6th to begin planning for Earth Hour ’09. There was much discussion on expanding public interest in Earth Hour, including organizing multiple events, providing forums to share information, and undertaking community initiatives that would extend beyond the one hour event.

Attendees at the meeting began to focus on the following specific ideas:

• A screening of  a film about climate change followed by a panel discussion at the Revue Theatre – MPP Cheri diNovo generously offered to help us organize this event.

• A town hall meeting in Swansea on the proposed expansion of nuclear energy in the province.

* Two Earth Hour candlelight walks – one along Bloor Street West and one along Dundas Street West in the heart of the Junction. With a possible community party/dance following the walks.

• Providing a tip sheet for “staying green” year round to Earth Hour walkers.

* There was also discussion on engaging schools and businesses in the community and participating in a family-orientated event in High Park.

So, clearly there is a lot of work to do!

Our next meeting is scheduled for 7 pm, Tuesday, January 27th, at West Toronto Baptist Church, 3049 Dundas Street West. The meeting location is wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you are able to attend, or if you are part of a group, if a colleague will be able to attend. We are striving to make Earth Hour 2009 as inclusive and successful as possible, and we need your help to do it!  We hope to see you at the next meeting. If you have any questions, comments, and to RSVP please contact me via this e-mail ( chris_holcroft@yahoo.com ) or at 416-760-8557

Thank you!  Christopher Holcroft on behalf of Green 13

submitted by Rita Bijons on behalf of Green 13

Updated electrical code requires new homes to have tamper-resistant receptacles

Baby-proofing your homes electrical outlets routinely consists of  placing plastic covers or inserts  over or into your electric socket plug inlets. Now the new sections of the electrical  code require new homes to have tamper-resistant receptacles, designed to prevent children from inserting objects into receptacles.

Tamper-Resistant Receptacle closeup

Tamper-Resistant Receptacle closeup

 

 

Denyse Boxell of Safe Kids Canada says is this Canadian Press article [opens in new window] 

“The great thing is that finally we have some technology that’s actually passive – it doesn’t rely on the parent to actually make sure that there’s any covers in place,” 

However mandating that all receptacles to be installed in any residential home during new work or repair be tamper-resistant receptacles would be a greater and more complete solution for child safety.

How do they work?

Tamper-resistant receptacles have built-in shutter systems that prevent foreign objects from touching electrically live components when they’re inserted into the slots

For a detaled overview of the issue see  this link at Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) magazine [opens in new window]

The Village by High Park tower crane from Hook Ave.

 

 

The Village by High Park crane with building mass outylined in yellow

The Village by High Park crane with building mass outlined in yellow

The view along Hook Ave, will change greatly with the addition of the now being consrtucted Village by High Park 1st building.

In the image to the right is drawn in a yellow rectangle of approximate scale  to the new building.

People  buying units in this building on the east face will have some great views towards the central city.

Grappler hook collection on smaller streets in Juncton

jan-21-09-044

Solid Waste Management Services is using or just testing grappler hook collection on smaller streets in Junction where no cars are permitted to park next to the sidewalk.

This morning a waste collection truck driver routed his truck west on Vine Ave and then south on Mc Murray Ave and unloaded the garbage bins by grappler hooks of about 1/4 of the Ave. This has left 3/4 of the houses for normal collection where a collector pulls the bin over to the truck.

CPR Junction track is one of the busiest corridors in CPR’s network

The CPR track Section traveling though the Junction is…

One of the most important / busiest corridor in CPR’s network
(70 – 90 train movements per day) 1

  1. Clearway Construction Inc data presented at the American Public Works Association Congress/2008

Coun. Saundercook’s Winter Carnival announcement

Dear Neighbours,

As JFAC 1 chair, I am pleased to announce that on Jan 31st there will be a winter carnival happening right here in the Junction!

The Carnival will run all day long at Junction City Square which is
located on Dundas St. W (at Pacific Ave.) There will be a free skate at
the new ice rink located at the Junction City Square from 12-4 pm; there
will be live entertainment, music, snacks and more! From 7-11 pm you can
even expect a heated tent with a live band!

This event is sponsored by Tim Horton’s and Enbridge! Thank you to
our sponsors!

Hope to see you all there!

The recent CPR holiday train organized by Coun. Saundercook, made a lot of people happy –  this effort will be just as fun. If you missed the train, you missed a great Junction event, really you will not want to miss this one. It is reminiscent of all the community gatherings the historical society guys keep telling us about.

  1. Junction Forum for Arts and Culture

JunctionRA meeting video now online

Please Visit the ustream page too view the videos

junctionra-meeting-video

Demo permit application for 200 Keele St. submitted

The demo permit application came out for the new townhouses on Keele.  See related post for all the issues asscoiated with this development.

 

demo permit application screen shot 200 Keele ST.

demo permit application screen shot 200 Keele ST.

Submitted by Martin L.

403 Keele Steet – Village by High Park – Project update

 

 

 

403 Keele Steet - Village by High Park artsist renderings

   Tower A (Phase 2)                           Tower B (Phase 1) 

403 Keele Steet – Village by High Park artsist renderings

 

 

Village by High Park is a high rise condominium development consisting of one 16 storey 296 unit condo and one 23 storey 311 unit.  Commercial retailspace will also be provided at ground level.

 Project update

·       September 2008 – Demolition was completed on the old Canadian Tire store

·       October 2008 – Shoring work to hold back the CP rail lines in progress

·       December 2008 – Continued on site preparation

·       January 2009 – Crane installed to begin Tower B (16 storey 296 unit)

 Looking forward

·       Spring 2009 – Crane is installed to begin Tower A (23 storey 311 unit)

·       Early Winter 2009 – Tower A and B external structure complete

·       Winter 2010 – Internal work to compete suites, amenities and HVAC

·       Spring/Summer 2010 – Occupancy begins!

 

Options for Homes is also hoping to hold a community celebration this spring

Submitted by Matrin L.

Junction Winter Carnival

 

At the Junction Train Station - Pacific Ave and Dundas St West

At the Junction Train Station - Pacific Ave and Dundas St West

12 – 4 pm
Free refreshments, ice sculpture, ice skating.

Heated tent, cash bar, live band
7 – 11 pm

Junction BIA approves JFAC contract

The Junction Forum for Art and Culture has signed this years (2009) agreement with the Junction BIA, which details their collaborative efforts. Camern Victor emailed note told us the agreement is  “a mutually agreed upon contract authored by both the BIA & JFAC.”  The Junction Forum for Art and Culture (JFAC) Chair Councillor Bill Saundercook and Vice Chair Carmen Victor and the other JFAC members put considerable work into getting this done, as did various members of  The BIA (who we would name, but we don’t know which people acted on behalf of the BIA). (We hope someone will tell us)

JFAC’s primary event each year is the Junction Arts Festival but seems to be planning even more this year starting with a winter carnival at the end of Janurary 31st see this post for details.

Festival website

Exclusive photos of the tower structure of Annette Street Baptist Church

On Sept. 23, 2008  the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec (“the Convention”) decided to sell  200 Annette Street which they acquired at the closure of Annette St. Baptist Church at nominal value.  The property was loaned to the Czechoslovak Church since 1980,  who have decided not to continue the usage of the building.

The Convention is stating they have been  unsuccessful in finding an alternate use of the property.

The site is approximately 9,700 square feet.

Inside the church viewed from just inside the entry doors

Inside the church viewed from front of the church - the tower is the square outcrop from the building shell to the left of the people standing just inside the front doors.

1st view as you climb from the 1st floor (in use finshed section) into the second level

1st view as you climb from the 1st floor (in use finished section) into the second level

Looking into the roof structure of the front tower from the second level

Looking into the roof structure of the front tower from the second level

Construction detail south east corner of the front tower

Construction detail south east corner of the front tower

Photo credit – Junctioneer

Simardone design – where art thou

Simardone design has a nice sign...

Simardone design has a nice sign...

We are we are wondering if  Simardone design has moved into it’s building across from Malta Parkette as of yet, –  hope not.  Because if he has it appears it’s going to operate as a closed workshop with no front retail space.   The Junction needs retail store space with displays and public interaction if the community is have more of a presence.  The website for the gentleman still lists 251 Sorauren Ave. as the address of business.

Simardone design

and a nice object reinterpretation in a magazine article next to this work he suggests using this a headboard for a bed , when maybe ready a suitable way to to use this piece would be to purchase it as a sculptural object

..and a nice object reinterpretation work - in a magazine article next to this work he suggests using this a headboard for a bed , when maybe - a suitable way to to use this piece would be to purchase it as a sculptural object

blogto article on the Victoria-Royce Presbyterian Church

blogto has an article concerning the fate of a number of church’s  in the Junction. The artcle does not offer much in deapth of discussion about the situation but does give a strong clear overview.

toblog link [opens in new window]

2nd dog killed by stray electrial current in Junctpon

Serious Hydro pole issues in the Junction

Serious Hydro pole issues in the Junction

…from the Toronto Star [link]