Changes to rooming house bylaw put off until 2019
Rooming House Review Update
In a follow-up to public consultations and a community town hall hosted by my office, City Planning and Licensing staff have advised that a report recommending any changes to the current bylaw will not be forthcoming until 2019. In response to feedback from residents, staff have decided that the proposed bylaw revision would not be accepted by the community and therefore further review and consultation will be required.
Hydro Corridor to be transformed
One of the prominent features for residents of Scarborough is the hydro corridor that cuts through many communities. For the most part, the corridor has been a barren, underutilized swath of land that stretches 16 kilometres from the Don Valley to the Rouge Valley and beyond.
Recently, the City of Toronto, in partnership with the TRCA and through a generous donation by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, announced an initiative to transform this land into one of Canada’s largest urban linear parks. Referred to as “The Meadoway,” it will become a vibrant expanse of urban greenspace and meadowlands as it develops over the next seven years. It will connect four ravines, 15 parks, 34 neighbourhoods, over 200 hectares (500 acres) and more than 1,000 diverse species of flora and fauna. This new linear urban park will offer residents the opportunities to explore nature, establish community gardens, go for a bike ride, birdwatch, or volunteer with other residents on environmental initiatives.
The section within our community runs from Morningside Ave. to Rouge Park and the Toronto Zoo. Last year in this section the perennial meadow beds were prepared for seeding along the southern portion of the corridor. Paved trails for pedestrians and cyclists are already in place and offering connections to west Scarborough, Rouge Park and our waterfront trail via the ravine systems. They will connect with the new cycling lanes that will be part of the Port Union Road reconstruction scheduled for 2019.
The possibilities will continue to take shape through input and collaboration with community members. Feedback from residents is encouraged with an emphasis on how they would like to utilize The Meadoway and how it can best fit the community’s needs. The Living City Foundation will be launching an engagement program enabling people to direct and oversee their activities in The Meadoway.
Everyone is invited to learn more about the next steps for implementing The Meadoway by visiting themeadoway.ca and signing up to receive email updates and learn about upcoming community participation events.
As this is the last issue of the Centennial News until September, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful and safe summer. If you have any issues, please remember to contact my office. We are always available to assist or answer your questions.