March 15, 1999
To:Toronto Community Council
From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services
Subject:Proposal by the Balmy Beach Rugby Club to erect two ground signs in the City's
road allowance adjacent to Ashbridges Bay Park (Ward 26-East Toronto).
Purpose:
This report provides comments on a specific proposal by the Balmy Beach Rugby Club to
erect two third party ground signs on Lake Shore Boulevard East with revenue directed to pay
for construction of a club house within a City park. This report is submitted at the request of
Ward Councillor Tom Jakobek.
Source of Funds:
The financial implications to the City of this proposal have not been quantified.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that City Council advise the Balmy Beach Rugby Club that it does not
support its proposal for two third party ground signs within the Lake Shore Boulevard East
road allowance to finance a private club house in a City park.
Background:
Ashbridges Bay Park is located east of Coxwell Avenue and north of Lakeshore Road East (
see Figure 1). The park contains a baseball diamond and a sports field. The Balmy Beach
Rugby Club uses the sports field on the western portion of the park.
The Rugby Club's idea is to erect two 10 foot by 20 foot double sided third party ground signs
within the City's road allowance approximately 100 metres and 167 metres west of Coxwell
Avenue and four metres north of the curb, perpendicular to Lake Shore Boulevard East (see
Figures 1 and 2).
The Rugby Club proposes that the City enter into a twenty year lease agreement with
Mediacom and agree to direct two lump-sum payments from the signs revenue directly to the
Balmy Beach Rugby Club to pay for construction of a club house in the park.
Comments:
The former Metro By-law 211-79 prohibits commercial signage within all City road
allowances and former Metro By-law 373 further restricts third party signs within 45 metres of
Lake Shore Boulevard East. The intent of these by-laws is to protect aesthetically sensitive
areas such as parks and major city gateways as well as to ensure safe traffic movement. This
portion of Lake Shore Boulevard serves as the visual entrance to the essentially green corridor
of the Eastern Beaches. This proposal conflicts with the basic intent and purpose of the City's
Sign By-law. There is no rationale for supporting it.
Staff of Economic Development, Culture & Tourism (Parks and Recreation division) have
advised that the installation of the signs would require the removal of numerous healthy
City-owned trees and they do not support the removal of City-owned trees nor do they support
the proposal to erect a club house at this location due to the proximity of other similar
facilities in the area.
Third party signage in City road allowances has been controversial in recent years. The former
City of Toronto Council decided, in 1995, not to expand advertising on City lands beyond the
transit shelter program and, in 1997, not to permit installation of third party advertising on
telephone booths on private and public property.
To my knowledge, this is the first such proposal to be brought to City Council's attention
since amalgamation. There will be similar suggestions in future. The issues of corporate
sponsorship and use of City-owned lands and facilities for third party advertising are complex.
A coordinated and corporate strategy and policies should precede approval of any individual,
"one-off" proposals.
In my opinion, the Balmy Beach Rugby Club's suggestion is not supportable and would set a
precedent with far reaching implications for other community groups who might like to
finance their capital projects through signage on City property.
Contact Name:Lora Mazzocca
Telephone: (416) 392-0421
Fax: (416) 392-0580
E-Mail: lmazzocc@toronto.ca
Beate Bowron, Director
Community Planning, South District
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