Happy New Year, Centennial!
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! Thank you to those who took part in Ward 25’s Christmas Homes Tour and Contest. Your nominations, votes and enthusiasm helped create a tour of 101 holiday homes throughout Scarborough–Rouge Park, with over 20 homes in Centennial. Thank you to our local sponsors Kristan Erner and Jaicel Aquino from City Savvy Realtors, Cherryhill Woodworks, Port Union Bakery and Six Social Kitchen and Wine Bar for donating prizes to the winners.
As we begin 2021, I am excited to build on the progress we have made in advancing public transit priorities in Scarborough; implementing the Ravine Strategy and building a city that is more resilient.
Update from City Hall
In December, I was delighted to be appointed Chair of the city’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee by Mayor John Tory, along with an appointment to Mayor Tory’s Executive Committee. These two new committee responsibilities are in addition to my role serving as Chair of both Scarborough Community Council and the Toronto French Language Advisory Committee, as well as serving as a member of the Budget Committee, Toronto Transit Commission Board and the Toronto Zoo Board.
Serving in these capacities will help deliver on my commitments to advocate for investment in Scarborough transit and to protect and enhance our greenspaces. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee holds a mandate to monitor and make recommendations on Toronto’s infrastructure needs and services, parks and forestry, and the sustainable use of Toronto’s environment. I look forward to helping to action the city’s Ravine Strategy, while embedding the principles of urban resilience into city services and projects.
As a member of the Executive Committee, I look forward to advancing the proposed Eglinton East LRT (EELRT). The EELRT project is a proposed eastern extension of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which is currently under construction and owned by Metrolinx. The 15km extension from Kennedy Station to Malvern would include up to 21 stops and three connections to GO Transit. In addition to serving the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, the EELRT would put rapid transit within walking distance of 49,000 people in Scarborough. I would like to thank Kathy Rowe and the CCRA for their recent letter supporting this important infrastructure project to the Mayor’s Executive Committee. I will continue to share updates on this project via my e-newsletter and the Centennial News.
Let it Snow
During a snow event, city plows are directed to clear expressways and major arterial roads after 3 cm of snow accumulation and local roads within six hours after a snowfall of 8 cm snow accumulation. All local sidewalks are plowed within 48 hours after a snowfall, once we receive 2 cm of snow accumulation.
The city also has an interactive map, PlowTO, that shows live coverage of where your sidewalk and roadway plow is. To learn more, visit www.toronto.ca/plowTO. For immediate, non-emergency assistance with snow concerns, dial 311 on your phone to access support with damaged trees, broken watermains and snow clearing, 24-hours a day, seven days a week with translation available on-call in over 180 languages.
We’re Here to Work for You
If you have local issues you would like addressed, any ideas for how we can build a better city, or just want to chat about the neighbourhood, please contact us at councillor_mckelvie@toronto.ca. To stay up to date with local news, please sign up for our e-newsletter at www.jennifermckelvie.ca, and follow me on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter via my handle, @McKelvieWard25.