Volume 22 Number 2 Newsletter of the Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association April 1996 MEETING NOTICE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Tuesday, May 14, 1996 at 7:30 p.m. at the SWANSEA TOWN HALL 95 Lavinia Ave. Guest Speaker: Derwyn Shea M.P.P. High Park Swansea Topic: Options for the G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area) Election of Officers, Reports & Updates, Constitutional Amendment (see below) Light refreshments Members, neighbours & friends welcome TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP If you haven't done so already, please renew or obtain your 1996 membership (look at your card to see the expiry date) THE FEES FOR 1996 ARE: Single membership ............ $8.00 Family membership .. ....... $10.00 Business membership .......... $12.00 Please contact L. Gris at 766-2792 to renew. Membership Inquiries may be sent to Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association, c/o Swansea Town Hall, Box 103, 95 Lavinia Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6S 3H9 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT An amendment to SARA's Constitution will be tabled at the Annual General Meeting to create a Service Recognition Award. Any person who has served 15 years or more on the Executive would be made an Honorary Member, at no charge, with voting privileges. RUNNYMEDE HOSPITAL AND OUR LADY OF MERCY CLOSURES Bill Roberts has written to the Minister of Health on behalf of SARA to oppose the closures of the two hospitals. It is our position that both hospitals provide ready and safe access for family members and in particular elderly persons who have close family in the two hospitals in addition Runnymede Hospital has strong community support as evidenced by recent fund raising. Derwyn Shea, M.P.P. has written SARA to confirm his support for our position. We are still waiting for a reply from Jim Wilson, Minister of Health. TRAFFIC CALMING ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE SARA supports efforts to slow traffic down and to make any streets in Swansea safer for pedestrians. The internal traffic calming measures on Riverside Drive are supportable. We had concerns that reducing the entrances onto Riverside Drive from Bloor and South Kingsway may divert cars from Riverside Drive onto South Kingsway, Windermere and Ellis Avenue. Martinsons wrote to Councillors Hutcheon and Miller asking that traffic studies showing the impact of the changes on South Kingsway, Windermere and Ellis be done before final approval and that the community be advised. Councillor Hutcheon responded that he is willing to work with other residents to calm traffic on their streets. This does not resolve the matter for South Kingsway which is a Metro street. In addition we doubt Metro would agree to South Kingsway diverting traffic onto adjacent streets. Councillor Miller asked that Councillor Hutcheon not go forward with the South Kingsway changes until a public meeting could be held. We are in contact with both Councillors about holding a public meeting in the Fall to examine traffic calming throughout- Swansea. For further information contact G. Martinsons 766-1734. RIPLEY AVE. APPEAL A settlement was reached with the industrial owners. Numbers 2 to 6 Ripley will have a height limit of 10 metres and a density of 2 times coverage. The rest of the industrial buildings on Ripley will have a density of 1.5 times coverage, a height limit of 8 metres and 3 metre setbacks adjacent to residential zones with a prohibition of the use of roofs for any activities where is 1 3 metre setback from residential zones with a 7.5 metre setback for any part of any structure or building greater than 4 metre in height backing onto the single family homes on South Kingsway. For further information contact Bill Roberts 769-3162. GARDINER LAKESHORE TASKFORCE Bill Roberts has reported that the committee is concentrating on the study of the removal of the Gardiner east of the Don Valley ramp. SOUTH KINGSWAY - HUMBER BRIDGES The first vehicle bridge should be completed this year. The planning for removal and reconstruction of two other bridges is in process. For more information contact G. Martinsons at 766- 1734. SWANSEA BY-LAWS Most of the By-law issues have been resolved. Only the Ellis Ave. Properties and Ripley Ave. are still before the Ontario Municipal Board. EXECUTIVE MEETINGS Please note that Executive meetings are public and held normally on the third Tuesday of each month. There may be seating limitations so please contact the Executive before you come to a meeting. Our Executive is: Ron Luft, President; Ed Gaigalas and L. Clay, Vice-Presidents; L. Volpe, Secretary; J. Oreto, Treasurer; L. Gris, Membership; G. Martinsons, Past-President; Your Directors: Ritvars Bregzis, J. Bell, S. Campbell, Peter Chant, Tony Giniotis, Bill Gouweleeuw, W. Haines, O. Iwanyshyn, M. Rew, Wm. Roberts, M. Robertson, Tony Ten Kortenaar, G. Thede, and S. Wilkinson. HIGH PARK TRAFFIC SARA continues to monitor proposals to reroute through traffic from High Park. ELLIS AVENUE PROJECT The Ontario Municipal Board hearing continued through February and into March and April, 1996. Our President, Ron Luft, attended to express SARA's concerns to the Board. SARA did not participate as a full party, based in part on the recommendation of Councillor Hutcheon, and the fact that the City's position was sufficiently close to ours. For more information contact: Tony Ten Kortenaar at 763-7474 or Oleh Iwanyshyn at 762-6724. GRENADIER RAVINE DRIVE RE-OPENING SARA was concerned to hear a suggestion that the City might reopen the road which was closed sometime ago to create a bird and animal sanctuary. A letter was sent by M. Overs to Ellis Avenue and area residents implying that Councillor Hutcheon was supporting this. R. Bregzis, who contacted Councillor Hutcheon on behalf of Sara for further information, was advised that no changes are planned and that the road will not be reopened. SWANSEA MEMORIAL LIBRARY You can arrange for any movie, book or any other library material to be delivered to the Swansea branch for pick-up. The town hall has arranged for a computer to be available during Town Hall hours so you can order books, etc. when the Library is not open. YOU can also order Cooks, etc. through your home computer. LIBRARY HOURS ARE: Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: Saturday: Sunday Closed 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. 1:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Closed 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Closed BLOOR WEST PARKING STUDY Glen Thede, Bill Roberts and Ed Gaigalas have been appointed to this committee which is to examine parking issues in the Bloor West Village. It is with some concern that we note there has yet to be a meeting of this committee. BLOOR/BOOZE As you may be aware SARA made a submission with respect to a City wide rezoning which would control all restaurants in the City. SARA recommended that accessory space not exceed 6% (instead of the City's proposed 10%) and that the distance between 4,000 sq. A. restaurants and low rise residential should be increased from the proposed 16 feet to 66 feet. We also raised the issue of parking. While Councillor Hutcheon was able to have accessory space limited to 6% and a parking report to be prepared, it was felt necessary for SARA to appeal the by-law to deal with the issues of separation between low rise residential areas and restaurants. We need to begin to organize the evidence for our appeal. It is our understanding that the Restaurant Owners Association has appealed the by-law as being too restrictive. However, unless the by-law is amended along the lines suggested by SARA there is a real risk that the community will face "The Son of Savannah" in the future. Contact Glen Thede at 763-5283 or Bill Roberts on this matter. SAVANNAH 1S STILL ALIVE SARA has heard that the Restaurant hearing was adjourned to 17 April, 1996. As of the date of the preparation of this newsletter we did not have the result of that hearing. 99 COE HILL DRIVE (1 RENNIE TERRACE) Bill Roberts on behalf of SARA negotiated a settlement that would assure the parking is tied to 99 Coe Hill Dr. and is a temporary use limited to 10 years. Bill is monitoring the actions of the City to ensure an agreement is prepared dealing with the issues of run off, lighting and use of the parking spaces. HUMBER RIVER WATERSHED TASKFORCE A meeting was held at the Swansea Town Hall on March 25, 1996. This group is working in co-operation with the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to hold public meetings to examine and help define a vision for communities within the Humber Watershed. For more information please contact Alan Richardson of the Taskforce (416) 691-9370 POLLS FOR FRONT YARD PARKING AND BOULEVARD CAFES SARA continues to monitor the issue of "temporary enclosures". Editor- Bill Roberts Advisory Committee Ron Luft