'Rebuilding York' - Final Report and

Recommendations of the

York Infrastructure Sub-Committee

The York Community Council recommends the adoption of the recommendations contained in the document 'Rebuilding York', the Final Report and Recommendations of the York Infrastructure Sub-Committee (March1999):

The York Community Council, reports for the information of Council, having:

(1)endorsed the following recommendations contained in the Final Report of the York Infrastructure Sub-Committee;

(2)forwarded copies of the document to all Commissioners, Toronto Parking Authority, Toronto Hydro, the Toronto Police Service, Northwestern Hospital campus, the Toronto Housing Authority, the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, The Learning Enrichment Foundation, the Toronto Transit Commission, and GO Transit for inclusion of the recommendations in their service delivery planning and budgeting for upcoming years; and to participants in the research and preparation of the report;

(3)requested the Director, Community Planning, West District, to first submit to the York Community Council, applications to the Committee of Adjustment involving parking deficiencies; and that the York Community Council hear public deputations when the staff report is available;

(4)requested the Director, Transportation Services to:

(a)undertake a review of the Cash Payment in Lieu of Parking policies; and

(b)forward to the Toronto Parking Authority previous parking studies undertaken by the former York Parking Authority.

The York Community Council submits in part, the following Overall Objectives, Identification of Gaps and Recommendations embodied in the Final Report of the York Infrastructure Sub-Committee:

OVERALL OBJECTIVES:

The Infrastructure Sub-Committee proposes the following as objectives for the process:

-To do things better and more efficiently.

-To fight against the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" syndrome .

-To prioritize on need.

-To position some York projects for the ongoing budget process.

-To mobilize community support for major projects.

-To build political consensus.

-To assemble outstanding lists of projects and needs from the former City of York.

IDENTIFICATION OF GAPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

-Arts

-Corporate and Staff Issues

-Development

-Parking

-Emergency Services

-Facilities

-Economic Development

-Funding Urban Infrastructure

-Health

-Hospitals

-Housing

-Legislative and Regulatory Framework

-Library

-Municipal Enforcement

-Parks

-Schools

-Social Services

-Works

-Conclusions

Recommendations:

The York Infrastructure Sub-Committee recommends that:

The Arts:(1)the recommendations of the Cultural Plan of the former City of York, with its emphasis on decentralization, be kept in the forefront of the public agenda;

(2)the outdoor stage in Coronation Park be rehabilitated, determining the feasibility of the sound stage proposal underway at CANDO, supporting the community based arts space being developed in the Oakwood/Vaughan area and advocating for the further preservation of York's historical sites, as well as a permanent site for York's historical museum.

Corporate and

Staff Issues:(3)the York Community Council recognize the importance of keeping the community informed by creating a formal communication mechanism(s) that would include the following:

-a York Civic Centre telephone directory;

-a list of committees York Councillors sit on;

-new ward boundary maps;

-a corporate organization chart and a community networking book that identifies key staff/community contacts; and

-an updated web site for the York district.

(4)the local service delivery levels be enhanced, as opposed to reduced, in the process of amalgamating departments and agencies, boards and commissions.

Development:(5)the existing secondary plans underway in York continue to be implemented; and further, that secondary plans for other areas in York be undertaken where required, and further when amalgamating regulatory and approval processes, that care be taken in streamlining approvals and not add another layer to the process;

(6)funding be provided through the Eglinton Avenue West Community Plan for a streetscaping design study for Eglinton avenue West, from the Allen Road to Bicknell Avenue and that this would include the Allen Road/Eglinton Avenue intersection; and

(7)development charges not be reapplied to the York area.

Parking:(8)a review be undertaken of the Cash Payment in Lieu of Parking Policy in light of amalgamation; and

(9)the parking studies undertaken by the Parking Authority for the City of York be brought forward to York Community Council for review and comment to the new Parking Authority of the City of Toronto.

Emergency

Services:

Fire and

Ambulance:(10)the Councillors for York Humber and York Eglinton, monitor the Station Hall Study and integration of emergency communications systems, to ensure community safety needs are met;

(12)the Ambulance Services (communications systems, facilities, programming and training) be integrated with Fire Services, as is happening with the Lawrence Avenue Fire Hall, wherever possible;

Police:(13)A recent report was presented to the Police Services Board proposing the amalgamation of 12 and 13 Divisions into a larger Toronto Police Division.

(14)the York Community Council proceed cautiously by holding a public consultation meeting on the topic in the York Civic Centre regarding this matter.

Facilities:(15)the York Civic Centre remain a community facility;

(16)the Councillors for York Humber and York Eglinton monitor the progress of the space needs study and ensure that best efforts be made to accommodate existing social services/community organizations that are currently tenants in the York Civic Centre campus; and that the City either charge or exempt all community groups across the new City for the use of the York Civic Centre meeting space, on a short term basis.

(17)the Councillors for York Humber and York Eglinton maximize opportunities to use the facilities of community partners in order to provide City services; and

(18)the community facilities remain available at no charge to community organizations, if used for public meetings such as all-candidates meetings in local elections in order to facilitate citizen participation in the democratic electoral process.

Economic

Development:(19)the recommendations of the Community Cultural Plan for the City of York be kept in the forefront of the York Community Council's agenda and implemented when possible; and

(20)the retail revitalization position be kept as a front line position to serve the York community;

Funding

Urban

Infrastructure:(21)the investigation of proposed innovative financing arrangements for hard infrastructure like a TIFF (tax increment financing fund) be supported, as well as Development Charges financing for soft services like libraries;

Health:(22)the funding for public health remain a priority and that it be expanded by continuing to lobby the provincial government for assistance.

(23)an organizational structure be developed to undertake information sharing and coordination of program development and delivery on a local level between health and municipal social service systems.

Hospitals:(24)the York Community Council monitor developments on the Northwestern Hospital campus and encourage its continued use as a health care facility.

Housing:(25)the York Community Council develop a lobbying strategy for Toronto Council and other levels of government to ensure that standards are developed to preserve and maintain our social housing stock as well as funding the construction of new housing communities.

(26)the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department develop a community-marketing plan for the York area to promote development and business opportunities;

Legislative &

Regulatory

Framework:(27)the staff increase the clarity and use of plain language in by-laws and regulations;

Language:(28)the York Community Council monitor developments at the Library Board and ensure that capital funding for a new library is approve. Also, Committee recommends that York Community Council monitor the status of development charges and determine whether they are a suitable financing mechanism;

(29)the library system remain a high funding priority and effort be undertaken to harmonize the level of materials and staffing with other municipal library systems;

Municipal

Enforcement:(30)the Toronto Animal Services (York Division) Department remain the local service provider of Animal Control Services;

(31)the York Animal Shelter be retained for local service delivery;

(32)the implementation of a one-stop shopping model for enforcement of City By-laws and regulations and that educational campaigns be undertaken to educate the public of their rights and responsibilities;

Parks:(33)this study be considered a community priority and that York Community Council reach a consensus as to the desired site for the proposed community centre;

(34)the parks upgrading list be accelerated;

(35)the residents of York Humber and York Eglinton be guaranteed accessibility to facilities and programming throughout the new City of Toronto;

Schools:(36)this continue to be considered a high priority issue for councillors and that York Community Council monitor the disposition of School Board assets and ensure their continued use as community facilities;

(37)the rationale for closings be communicated throughout the community as closure of schools like George Harvey Collegiate are not perceived as logical and/or well thought out;

Social

Services:(38)the York Community Council monitor and maintain the funding allocated to York agencies through Community Service Grants and increase the funding envelope to meet increased needs;

Child Care:(39)the number of subsidies be increased in the York Humber Ward to meet the current need and that a mechanism for subsidy allocations be created to allow for flexibility between wards;

(40)the local councillors accommodate the space needs requests for child care centres whenever and wherever possible;

Seniors:(41)the funding be restored to Wheel Trans Service;

(42)a leaf raking program be established, modelled on York's Snow Link Program;

Youth:(43)the York Community Council work with youth advocacy groups to increase youth programming whenever possible;

Works:

Transportation:(44)the TTC and Transportation Planners study and propose transit improvements for the Eglinton Avenue West corridor, and that traffic management measures like Scoot be introduced;

(45)the proposed Go Transit facility at Black Creek Boulevard and Eglinton Avenue West be a priority of the new GTSB.

(46)a substantial increase in funding to improve the road system in the York District;

Water and

Wastewater:(47)the acceleration of the Lead Service Replacement Program, watermain rehabilitation programs and on accelerated program of detention tank installation to remedy the basement flooding problem;

(48)the York Community Council advocate that the Keele Street Relief Trunk Sewer Project be expedited;

(49)the York Community Council support the Quick Start Water Projects (i.e. downspout disconnection program.);

Hydro Electric

Utility:(50)the York Community Council monitor developments at Toronto and Ontario Hydro and respond accordingly to negative service impacts;

(51)that fines for phantom dumping and other garbage related infractions be doubled;

(52)a suitable long-term solution for waste disposal be established for Toronto's waste;

Conclusion:

The Sub-Committee recommends that an ongoing report card process be established in the York Community.

(Copies of the abovementioned document 'Rebuilding York', The Final Report and Recommendations of the York Infrastructure Sub-Committee dated March1999, have been forwarded to members of Council and senior officials under separate cover.)