Other Items Considered by the Committee

(a)Proposal to 'Bury' the F.G. Gardiner Expressway Below Grade Between Dufferin Street and the Don River: Concept Review.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee reports having deferred consideration of the joint report (January 25, 1999) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to the May 17, 1999 meeting of the Committee, and requested the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to report to that meeting on:

(1) the following motions which were placed at the Committee:

"(a)that Council be requested to approve, in principle, the proposal to bury the Gardiner Expressway subject to positive findings of the proposal;

(b)that in order to accomplish a significant modal shift toward public transit, further investigation include full integration of transit improvements and integrated road and transit fee structures;

(c)that the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services continue to discuss the CHIC proposal with the proponents so long as:

(i)the proposal is, in the opinion of the Commissioners, likely to contribute to an improved ability for the public to access and use the waterfront area;

(ii)the proposal, in the opinion of the Commissioners, is unlikely to result in unmanageable level of disruption to the traffic flow in the City;

(iii)the proposal, in the opinion of the Commissioners, contributes to the stated transportation goals of the City of Toronto in areas including air quality, transit usage and pedestrian friendly environments; and

(iv)the proposed toll policy, in the opinion of the Commissioners, works to promote the City's objectives and is subject to adequate controls to ensure that it continues to promote City objectives;

(d)the Commissioners begin a process to determine if the community is prepared to accepts tolls to travel downtown;

(e)the Commissioners explore the possibility and costs of an electronic toll system on the centre core lane of the Queen Elizabeth Way;

(f)the Commissioners consider the possibility of introducing a modest toll from the 427 to the Humber on the centre core lane and that funds raised be utilized in a central transportation fund and for improvements along the lakeshore corridor";

(2)suggestions and comments expressed by the public with respect to this matter;

(3)the infrastructure west of Dufferin Street and what actions need to be started in order to upgrade it in an urban friendly manner;

(4)a detailed proposal and cost analysis for the retention of the expertise necessary to address the technical feasibility of redeveloping the Gardiner Expressway and the expertise necessary to assist staff in drafting an Request for Proposals for the re-development of the Gardiner Expressway;

(5)the economic impact of redeveloping the Gardiner, such report to also be forwarded to the Economic Development Committee;

(6)a list of objectives to meet the City's transportation, transit, environmental, economic and cultural needs along the waterfront and the City in general;

(7)an analysis of the economic costs involved in the construction exercise of burying the Gardiner; and

(8)a breakdown of the $1 million costs estimated to formulate the proposal call.

(i)(January 25, 1999) Joint Report from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, requesting that guidance be given to staff regarding the direction to follow with respect to the proposal to reconstruct the F.G. Gardiner Expressway below grade.

(ii)(February 2, 1999) from James Alcock, Director and Transportation Planner, Citizens' Transportation Alliance.

(iii)(February 8, 1999) from Ontario Trucking Association

(iv)(February 8, 1999) from Joan Doiron, co-chair, Toronto Pedestrian Committee

(v)(Undated) from Deniz Yazici

The following persons appeared before the Urban Environment and Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mitch Patten, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Canadian Highways International Corporation;

-Stephen Laskowski, Assistant Manager, Government Relations, Ontario Trucking Association;

-Cathy Nasmith, Co-chair, Task Force on the Lakeshore Gardiner Corridor

-Bruce Bryer;

-Kevin Walters;

-Vince Bresher, Representative, Labourers International Union of North America Local 183;

-Joan Doiron, Member, Task Force on the Lakeshore Gardiner Corridor;

-Ben Smith Lea, Niagara Neighbourhood Association;

-James Alcock, Citizens Transportation Alliance;

-Deniz Yazici;

-Councillor Korwin -Kuczynski;

-Councillor Jakobek; and

-Councillor Fotinos.

(b)Summary of Winter Operations - January 1999.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee reports having:

(1)received the report (January 25, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for information;

(2)requested the Commissioners of Works and Emergency Services to report further with a detailed report recommending a comprehensive winter maintenance plan for the City, for consideration at a special joint meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee and the Works and Utilities Committee;

(3)requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to also report to the special meeting on:

(a)when the written order was given to begin snow removal during the recent snow storm, and why it was given so late;

(b)when was the order given to utilize all existing staff, in particular the issue cited by CUPE 416 that staff from Parks Division were available to assist in snow removal, but were not used until later in the second week;

(c)when and how the decision was made to cancel garbage collection during the recent snowstorm and why it was cancelled on the same day as the pick-up;

(d)provide specifics of where the equipment was utilized and why, in some cases (for example the Lakeshore), it was not utilized for the conditions the equipment was designed for;

(e)why the transit routes along Queen Street East, Gerrard Street and Eglinton Avenue from Laird Drive to Yonge Street were not cleared;

(f)why former Metro streets and arterial roads on which street cars could not operate because of the snow, were not given the same priority for snow removal as others;

(g)provide a list of contractors which were brought in to assist with the snow clearing, list the equipment they brought and the exact dates they were engaged;

(h)why parking permit holders in Ward 26 - East Toronto, were ticketed despite having nowhere to park their vehicles because of the heavy snow fall;

(i)identification of unit costs of the former City of Toronto program for seniors and disabled persons;

(j)results of consultation with community care and access workers, such as Meals on Wheels and nursing home visitors, to gain their perspective on how to proceed;

(k)on capital costs of obtaining snow-rid equipment for all areas where wind row clearing is possible;

(l)the capital and operating costs of a universal sidewalk ploughing/sanding/salting program throughout the City with an emphasis on mechanical equipment;

(m)in consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer, on how efficiencies in the works operations might be applied to improvements in winter maintenance;

(n)when contractors from the former municipalities of North York and Scarborough were brought in to assist with snow removal in other parts of the City;

(o)on the damage to roads and curbs caused by snow ploughs;

(4)referred the communication (February 3, 1999) from the City Clerk forwarding the action taken by York Community Council on January 20, 1999 with respect to the Snow Link Program, to the Budget Committee for consideration.

(5)referred all remaining material to the Special Joint Meeting.

(i)(January 25, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services providing an outline of the activities undertaken by Transpiration Services staff in preparation for the 1998-1999 winter road maintenance season, the courses of action taken during the severe winter storms in the first two weeks of January, 1999, and the actions taken subsequent to those storms and recommending that:

(1)this report be received for information; and

(2)the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services prepare a detailed report for the March 31, 1999 meeting of Urban Environment and Development Committee recommending a comprehensive winter maintenance plan for the City.

(ii)(January 6, 1999) from Councillor Saundercook, Chair, York Community Council, requesting that Councillor Saundercook and Alana Butcher, Acting Executive Director of the George Syme Seniors' Centre appear before the Economic Development Committee to speak about the Snowlink program in the former City of York.

(iii)(November 23, 1998) from the City Clerk, forwarding the action of the Toronto Pedestrian Committee on November 19, 1998, and recommending that:

(1)Toronto City Council support the public funding for sidewalk clearance throughout the new City; and

(2)Joan Doiron, Co-Chair, be authorized to depute this matter at the Urban Environment and Development Committee.

(iv)(January 5, 1999) from Councillor Berardinetti, Chair Scarborough Community Council, recommending policies and procedures be established City-wide for snow removal.

(v)(February 3, 1999) from the City Clerk, forwarding the York Community Council recommendation, that an amount of $25,000.00 be transferred to the appropriate budget of the Works and Emergency Services that funds the Snow Link Program, to provide for the increased costs associated with this program.

(vi)(February 5, 1999) from the General Manager, Transportation Services Division, recommending that a comprehensive winter maintenance plan for the City, to be submitted by the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to the March 31, 1999 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee, address seniors and disabled persons sidewalk snow removal.

(vii)(February 8, 1999) from Mayor Mel Lastman, recommending that this report be forwarded to the Chair of the Greater Toronto Services Board and request the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to explore this opportunity and report back to the Committee as soon as possible.

The following persons appeared before the Urban Environment and Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Ms. Alana Butcher, Acting Executive Director of the George Syme Seniors' Centre;

-Councillor Saundercook;

-Councillor Jakobek; and

-Councillor Adams

(c)Russell Hill Subway Train Accident on August 11, 1998 - Due Diligence Checklist Update.

The Committee reports having received the report (December 4, 1998) from the Assistant General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission.

(December 4, 1998) from Mr. William Buffett, Assistant General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission, forwarding, for the information of the City of Toronto, Report No. 28 of the Toronto Transit Commission, titled "Russell Hill Subway Accident of August 11, 1998 - Due Diligence Checklist Update, which provided a status report on the progress toward closing the Coroner's Jury Recommendations and the TTC's Internal Team Recommendations.

(d)January 13, 1999 Snowstorm Impact on TTC Operations.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee reports having referred the report (February 1, 1999) from the General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for report back to the Committee.

(February 1, 1999) from Vincent Rodo, General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission, recommending:

(1)that City of Toronto Council be requested to provide additional project approval of $870,000 for the procurement of the following equipment, noting no increase in budget approval is requested:

-Six rail non-powered single truck equipped with snowblower, brushes, deicing and compressed air equipment (approximately $850,000 Total) (See Appendix B for drawing); and

-Two spare snowblower units ($20,000 Total).

(2)that City of Toronto Council take action as soon as possible to increase fines for obstructing the TTC streetcar rights-of-way to $500 from $20 and amend all necessary by-laws;

(3)that City of Toronto Council be requested to consult with the TTC in the development of a snow emergency plan;

(4)that City of Toronto Council consider implementing a universal municipal sidewalk clearing program for the City of Toronto, including front and rear door access at TTC bus stops; and

(5)request the City of Toronto Works Department to have the functioning of the TTC as its top priority in relation snow clearing and removal during snow emergencies.

(e)Seating of Committee Members.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee reports having made one revision to the proposed seating plan for members of the Urban Environment and Development Committee which was presented to the Committee and forwarded the plan, as revised to the City Clerk for appropriate action.

(February 5, 1999) from City Clerk, recommending that the Committee approve the seating plan, attached to the foregoing communication, for meetings of the Urban Environment and Development Committee and forward the plan to the City Clerk.

Respectfully submitted,

Councillor Joe Pantalone,

Chair

Toronto, February 8, 1999

Christine Archibald

Tel. (416) 392-7039