Request for Improved TTC Service in York Humber

Ward 27, York Humber

The York Community Council recommends that:

(1)City Council support the request of West Park Hospital for the Toronto Transit Commission to maintain the 168 Symington bus route to the hospital; and

(2)the Toronto Transit Commission be requested to:

(a)extend the Scarlett Road bus route to provide service on St. Clair Avenue West between Runnymede Road and Scarlett Road; and

(b)expand the service in the area of Industry Street/Black Creek Drive/Weston Road, in view of the increase in employment opportunities and the training facilities at the Learning Enrichment Foundation on Industry Street.

The York Community Council reports, for the information of Council, having held a public consultation meeting to discuss the impact on the communities of York Humber and York Eglinton if transit service were reduced or eliminated.

The York Community Council submits the following communication (April 26, 1999) from Mr.Barry Monaghan, President and CEO of West Park Hospital, 82 Buttonwood Avenue:

In April, 1998 when I last spoke to you, the York Community Council acknowledged the community's need for equitable access to health care services at West Park Hospital and that access was dependent upon public transportation. Council supported West Park Hospital's request for a bus stop at the hospital.

Since then, the Toronto Transit Commission's Service Planning Department agreed that extension of the Symington 168 bus service to West Park Hospital during peak rush hours Monday to Friday met the TTC's financial standards, would add new customers to the TTC base.

With the endorsement of the Toronto Transit Commission in November, 1998, a six-month trail service period was inaugurated, which began on February 15, 1999. We were the last hospital in Toronto to receive TTC service. The hospital was told by the TTC that ridership surveys taken twice during the six-month period would be used to determine the viability of the route.

West Park Hospital spent $43,000. to renovate the entranceway to our hospital to permit the TTC bus to navigate our property, in consultation with TTC staff. The hospital has also spent $20,000. on promotion of the new route to clients, staff volunteers and the community, once again in consultation with the TTC, and has another $20,000. committed for a Fall promotional campaign.

At a time when every dollar of our budget is accounted for an $83,000. expenditure is indicative of West Park Hospital's belief in the importance of public transit access to client care. We have undertaken these expenses in partnership with the TTC to serve health care needs of the citizens of Toronto.

The hospital made this commitment because we believed that we would have a fair chance to develop ridership on this route. We believe that the Toronto Transit Commission supported the principle of public access to health care. We knew that we would need to make the business case for the route.

We did not know that the Symington 168 was a subsidized route, nor that the commission would consider eliminating service prior to the end of our pilot without consultation.

I would like to urge York Community Council to strongly recommend to the TTC that is not eliminate service to West Park Hospital, and that it give us the opportunity to develop the ridership on the 168 route as previously agreed.

Let me tell you why.

West Park Hospital is one of the three regional adult rehabilitation hospitals in the Greater Toronto area. In addition to rehabilitation services, West Park has a significant commitment to complex continuing care. The hospital currently has 316 in-patient beds and community living spaces and offers a broad range of out-patient services. The hospital provides care to individuals from across Toronto and the province, who are recovering from strokes, acquired brain injuries, respiratory disorders, tuberculosis, amputations, the late effects of polio, multiple sclerosis and many more debilitating conditions.

Many of our clients and visitors are over the age of 60 and few are able to walk the 722 meters from the previous TTC stop at Jane Street to West Park Hospital. It is a walk that exceeds the TTC's Service Standards policy, which sets an acceptable walking distance for areas with a higher than average proportion of seniors, such West Park Hospital, at a standard 200 metres. Yet most are not eligible for WheelTrans service.

West Park Hospital clients without car transportation have three options:

1.Walk, if they are able, the 3/4 of a kilometre to and from the hospital for treatment.

2.Pay of taxi service. For some this can amount to as much as $50.00 a day.

3.Not receive treatment.

West Park employs over 800 people. In a June 1998 staff survey (response rate of 48%), 50% of staff said they use the TTC to commute to work and a further 25% indicated they would use the TTC if a bus stop were located on site.

The hospital also currently attracts more than 200 non-staff visitors per day and this number will increase in the future, due to changes announced by the Health Services Restructuring Commission. As a result of these changes more people will be travelling to and from the Hospital for care on a daily basis.

In addition, the hospital has received a licence from the Ministry of Health to build a 200-bed long-term care centre. This new facility is scheduled to be open June 30, 2001, and will bring additional staff, volunteer, and visitor traffic to West Park Hospital campus.

And, as councillors are well aware, there is a new housing development under construction on the riverbank lands to the west of Weston Road that will also be serviced by the 168 route. When this new population is added to the numbers of seniors in the apartment complex on Dora Spenser Road there is another market for the 168 service. With all of this new growth, we believe that we have the base upon which the TTC can, with our assistance, build a profitable route.

West Park Hospital asks that theYork Community Council support the maintenance of the 168Symington bus route to West Park Hospital.

The York Community Council, reports having had before it the following communications, during consideration of the foregoing matter:

(I)(March 4, 1999) from Councillor F. Nunziata, referring to the communication (March3,1999) from the Chair, Toronto Transit Commission, advising of the proposed elimination of poor performing routes due to subsidy reduction; expressing concern regarding the impact on the quality of service in the community; that the residents should be afforded an opportunity to voice their concerns prior to Council dealing with this matter; and requesting that this communication be placed on the agenda for discussion;

(ii)(March 3, 1999) from Councillor Moscoe, Chair, TTC to Toronto City Councillors submitting a list of poor performing routes that would be recommended for elimination if subsidies are reduced; including the following routes affecting Wards 27 and 28 which are identified with poor financial performance:

4 Annette (City Wards 19, 21, 23 and 27)

• Saturday service after 10:00 p.m. has already been reduced to once every 30 minutes, starting in November 1998. The financial performance of the revised service will determine whether further reductions or elimination are required.

126 Christie (City Wards 21, 23 and 28)

• All service would be eliminated, seven days a week.

33 Forest Hill (City Wards 22, 23 and 28)

• All service would be eliminated.

30 Lambton (City Wards 3, 19 and 27)

• Monday to Friday service from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. would be reduced to once every 60 minutes or else would be eliminated.

• Saturday service from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. would be reduced to once every 60 minutes or else eliminated.

• Sunday and holiday service from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. would be reduced to once every 60 minutes or else would be eliminated.

• Sunday and holiday service after 10:00 p.m. would be eliminated.

• Monday to Saturday service after 10:00 p.m. and Sunday and holiday service after 7:00 p.m. has already been reduced to once every 60 minutes, starting in November 1998. The financial performance of the revised service will determine whether further reductions or elimination are required.

109 Ranee (City Wards 8, 22 and 28)

• Monday to Friday service from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and after 10:00 p.m. on Marlee Avenue would be eliminated.

• Saturday, Sunday, and holiday service on Marlee Avenue would be eliminated.

168 Symington (City Wards 21 and 27)

• Service after 10:00 p.m. north of St. Clair Avenue West to Bicknell Loop, has already been eliminated; it last ran in February 1999.

The following persons appeared before the Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Ms. Sandra Melville, President, Warren Park Ratepayers Association, advised that the 71 Runnymede northbound bus to St. Clair Avenue West (Gunns Loop), Eglinton Avenue West and Industry Street should not be eliminated, as it provides service to small businesses and the St. Clair Market, that are not serviced by other routes.

-Mr. Barry Monaghan, President and CEO, West Park Hospital, and submitted a communication in regard thereto;

-Mr. Steve Price, Danier Leather, advised that the company has purchased 2650St.Clair Avenue West for its head office, factory and main production facilities; that this location was selected as 25% of their customers and 55% of their employees use public transit; that St. Clair Avenue West continues to grow with development; that there is no service on the stretch between Runnymede Road and Scarlett Road to meet the needs of the business community; and requested that the TTC consider expanding service along this route.

-Mr. Lorne Berg, Executive Director, Black Creek Business Area Association, on behalf of the Learning Enrichment Foundation, advised that with the increase in employment in the area and the training facilities at the Learning Enrichment Foundation, that the TTC should give consideration to increasing service in this area.