November 12, 1999
To: East York Community Council
From: Andrew Koropeski, Director, Transportation Services, District 1
Subject: Sidewalk Installation - Millwood Road to Southvale Drive
(East York)
Purpose:
To report on the feasibility and necessity of installing a sidewalk on the west side of Millwood Road in front of Leaside
Memorial Arena to connect Southvale Drive with Millwood Road
Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
There are no financial implications as a result of the recommendations of this report.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that this report be received for information.
Background:
East York Community Council, at its meeting of May 26, 1999, requested that the Director, Transportation Services,
District 1, submit a report after consulting with IPCF Properties Ltd. on their intention of further developing the site at 11
Redway Road, given that East York Community Council is anxious to proceed with the installation of a sidewalk on the
west side of Millwood Road and that staff report back on the cost of installing such a sidewalk and the results of a
pedestrian traffic count in the area. (Clause No. 10, Report No. 6)
Comments:
As noted in our previous report, a clause is included in a Zoning By-law amendment for the undeveloped portion of the
Loblaws site at 11 Redway Road to permit additional commercial uses that states that the land cannot be used or buildings
erected until a sidewalk along Millwood Road has been constructed or monies have been provided by the developer for its
construction. IPCF Properties Ltd. has indicated, however, that they have no immediate plans to proceed with the
development of their land at 11 Redway Road.
Pedestrians are currently provided a sidewalk on the west side of Millwood Road from Redway to a point just north of the
Millwood CP Rail bridge. A recent count indicated that 15 pedestrians walked between Redway Road and Laird Drive,
along a narrow pathway adjacent to Millwood Road and 9 pedestrians walked from Redway Road to Southvale Drive
through the Leaside Memorial Arena. These counts were conducted between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and
3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and represent the expected peak pedestrian walk times of a typical day.
The estimated cost of constructing a sidewalk on the west side of Millwood Road to connect with Southvale Drive is
$50,000.00. This cost includes the relocation of a number of hydro poles as well as the construction of a retaining wall.
As an alternative to a sidewalk adjacent to the travelled portion of Millwood Road, staff were requested to investigate the
construction of a walkway within the Leaside Memorial Arena parking lot. This proposal would provide a stairway at the
south end of the parking lot to connect to a walkway that would circumvent the arena parking lot, parallel to Millwood
Road. The estimated cost of constructing a walkway through the parking lot is $40,000.00 - $50,000.00 which includes the
cost of installing additional lighting to enhance the safety of pedestrians using the walkway. This proposal would, however,
reduce the number of arena parking spaces.
Since there are no relative cost savings in constructing a sidewalk or a walkway, the sidewalk option is preferred since it
would not impact the arena parking lot.
Staff are currently developing a new city-wide program for new sidewalk installations. The Millwood Road sidewalk link
has been included within this program and will be ranked with all other missing sidewalk links throughout the City. The
total number of missing links constructed each year will be dependent upon the Capital Budget allocated to the program. At
this time the program has not been fully developed, nor have the ranking characteristics been finalized. A further report on
the new city-wide program for new sidewalk installations will be forwarded to City Council early next year.
Conclusions:
Staff are developing a new city-wide program for new sidewalk installations which will identify a priority system for
constructing missing sidewalk links throughout the city. A sidewalk link connecting Southvale Drive with Millwood Road
will be included within this program and will be ranked accordingly. Depending upon the ranking, this sidewalk link may
not be constructed
prior to redevelopment of the Loblaws site, when IPCF Properties Ltd. is required to construct the sidewalk as part of an
existing zoning by-law amendment for their site. A further report outlining the new city-wide program for sidewalk
replacement will be brought forward to City Council next year and will outline which locations will be constructed in 2000.
Contact:
Peter Bartos, P.Eng.
Manager, Traffic Operations
District 1, East
392-1799
pbartos@borough.eastyork.on.ca
Director
PB/
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