Volume 29 Number I, Newsletter of the Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association      January 2002

 

EXECUTIVE MEETINGS

Please note that Executive meetings are public and held

normally on the third Tuesday of each month, excluding

July and August. There may be seating limitations, so

contact the Executive before you come to a meeting.

 Your executive is: V. Masnyk - President; G. Dubauskas"

Vice-president & t.ouis Gri~ - Viee-presidoot ~-

Membership; J. Oreto - Treasurer; V. Vancas - Secretary;,

Peter Chant - Past President; Directors: Jamie Bell, R.

Braun, Ritvars Bregzis, L. Clay, M. Fenner, Bill Haines,

M. Hudson, Peter Keefe, M. Lalonde, J. McMullen,

William (Bill) Roberts, L. Volpe and S. Wilkinson. John

Meijer is helping out as our web-master.

 

GARDINER LAKESHORE TASKFORCE

SARA continues to monitor this committee's work. Bill

Roberts is our contact on this body, and S. Wilkinson is

the alternate. SARA has written the City wondering why

this body that has over a decade's experience with

transportation issues along the waterfront has not been

called to meet and discuss the "Part II Plan" for the

waterfront. The task force was supposed to hold a public

meeting this past summer at the CNE to get input from

the public on burying the Gardiner. Since last Spring the

committee has not met. This resembles the worst days of

Harbourfront when the City did not call meetings of the

Harbourfront Review Committee. Is this an issue of no

one wanting an experienced committee questioning the

"experts" and testing the theory? We have already seen how

well the City did with its computer deal.  Who knows, but

SARA has written to the City asking "Why.. (Ed. note:

Strangely enough, after SARA wrote, a meeting was called.)

 

MEMBERSHIP

If you have not done so yet, renew your membership for

2002 now.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE FEES FOR 2002:

Single membership       $10.00

Family membership       $12.00

Business membership       $14.00

Please contact L. Gris at 416 - 766 - 2792 to renew."

Membership inquiries may be sent to Swansea Area

Ratepayers' Association, c/o Swansea Town Hall, Box 103,

95 Lavinia Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6S 3H9.

 

FUND RAISER

Once again several members attended the Village Players

Play and the event helps to generate some income to assist

our ongoing operations.

 

HOURS OF OPERATION OF GAS BARS

SARA continues to press the City to enforce its bylaw.

There are settlement discussions going on at this time that

may produce a resolution on the reduction in the hours

of the operation of the gas station at 8 South Kingsway.

 

MEGACITY COMMUNITY COUNCILS

SARA continues to press the issue of why City staff does

not hold public meetings at the Humber York Civic centre.

It seems the politicians have failed to notice the staff is

manipulating the public hearing process by holding

City-wide public meetings at only four of the old civic

centers (Toronto, North York, Scarborough and

Etobicoke) which clearly means they continue to favor

four departmental divisions instead of divisions based on

the six community councils approved by Council, thereby

undermining the role of council and setting de facto

policy.

 

HIGH PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Jean McMullen is our representative.

 

STELCO

SARA has three representatives on the WINDERMERE

BY THE LAKE COMMUNITY LIAISON COMMITTEE.

The committee is structured to allow communications

between Reon and the community. SARA, before

becoming part of the committee, insisted that the

committee not be a decision making group, but be in

addition to any Public Hearing process.

 

MEOW CLUB

We remain concerned that there may be an attempt to erect

high-rise condominiums on this site. In that light we

supported the Friends of Fort York who were left on their

own without support from the City to protect the Official

Plan policies, not five years old, that stated buildings

around Fort York should be of a lower scale. In light of

the new corporation and the proposed Waterfront Plan,

there are no assurances the City will not support 30 plus

towers from Yonge Street to the Humber River. For

updates please contact J. Bell at 416 - 604 - 7421.

 

TRAFFIC CALMING.

We continue to follow this matter.

 

COMMUNITY POLICE LIAISON COMMITTEE.

Bill Haines is our representative on this committee. We

express our condolences to Bill, and to L. Volpe who each

have lost a parent recently.

 

 

JOY OIL STATION

SARA continues to watch this situation. It appears that

toxic soil remains under the gas station which is preventing

the project from going forward. One solution is to move

the gas station and the other is to sell the land and use the

monies therefrom to find a different and better site for the

social housing (perhaps as part of the Reon project).

 

HUMBER RIVER PEDESTRIAN/CYCLING

TRAILS

It appears the City staff has agreed to have a pedestrian

trail by the Swansea side of the Humber and the bicycle

trails further west and east. It is likely the funding for this

will be in the next year with construction sometime in the

Spring.

 

1947 BLOOR STREET WEST.

The Humber-York Community Council approved the site

Plan despite serious concerns raised by the community and

the fact there appears to have been major changes done to

the plans that were approved by the Ontario Municipal

Board. Those changes should have required further

approvals by either the Board or the City not just site plan

approvals.

 

61 KENNEDY AVE.

SARA was contacted by a former executive member and

agreed to support the concerns of the area residents. Several

meetings were held and a settlement was reached that

protected the spirit of the by-law while allowing

development of the site with variances the neighbors could

live with.

 

47 ST. OLAVES

SARA was contacted by a neighbor who did not support

the proposal. The item was adjourned because, in part, of

the short notice given by the Committee. A meeting was

held at David Miller's office to see if there could be a

resolution. SARA continues to support the neighbors.

 

SWANSEA MEMORIAL LIBRARY

We continue to keep an eye on the Library.  Please

remember if we do not use it we will lose it. Remember it

is as a living memory to the Village of Swansea soldiers

who served in the First World War - the 22 who did not

come back and the 150 who did.

 Also do not forget you can arrange for any movie, book

or any other library material to be delivered to the Swansea

branch for pickup.

LIBRARY HOURS ARE NOW:

Monday: ..........      Closed

Tuesday:. ......            10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Wednesday: .....       10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Thursday: ......            10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Friday: ...........      Closed

Saturday ......            9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

Sunday: ..........      Closed

Please contact G. Dubauskas at 416 - 762 -6413.

 

CITY PLAN.

SARA supports the Confederation of Residents and

Ratepayers Associations and the Federation of North

Toronto Ratepayers Associations, whose concerns parallel

ours, that the proposed plan simply transfers powers to

the staff and the developers and excludes the citizens from

the process.

 

MUNICIPAL SHELTERS

SARA, while supporting the concept finds the proposal

poorly drafted. However, the majority of the members of

two committees at a joint committee meeting of Planning

and Transportation and of Social Services refused to meet

with concerned business and ratepayers groups to see if the

wording of the proposed by-law could be improved.

 

OUR WEB SITE

It is still being created. However, thanks to John Meiier

who is helping out as our web-master, it is looking "good".

You can view our site at WWW.Swansearatepayers.ca.

 

PUBLIC ACCESS

SARA is pressing the city to return to the previous policies

that guaranteed participatory planning.

 

SWANSEA TOWN HALL A. G. M.

The Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Monday,

February 25/02 at 7:30 p.m. at the Swansea Town Hall.

There will be an election to fill two vacancies on the Board

of Directors, and an update on the building extension

 

WE HOPE THE NEW YEAR FINDS

YOU HEALTHY, HAPPY

AND PROSPEROUS!