Volume 20 Number 4 Newsletter of the Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association ANNUAL MEETING At the Annual General Meeting the constitutional amendment "To increase membership fees effective January 1, 1995 as follows: Single membership to $8.00, family membership to $10.00, and business membership to $12.00" was adopted, Your new executive is as follows: S. Wilkinson, Past-President; G. Martinsons, President; Ed Gaigalas and D'Arcy Dunal, Vice-Presidents; S. Campbell, Secretary; J. Oreto, Treasurer; L. Gris, Membership; Your Directors: Ritvars Bregzis, J. Bell, L. Clay, Ten Kortenaar, Tony Giniotis, W Haines, O. Iwanyshyn, Ron Luft, P. Meier, M. Rew, Wm. Roberts, M. Robertson, G. Thede and L. Volpe. 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. SWANSEA SCHOOL GRADUATION Bill Roberts and Lynn Clay represented SARA at the graduation to present the trophies donated by SARA. The recipients were: SAMANTHA DAY (Girl's Athletic Award), DEVIN LUND (Design and Technology Award), and GILLIAN KHO (Family Studies Award). Congratulations and Best Wishes to all the graduates. It is Monday: always a pleasure to attend at the graduation ceremonies. Tuesday: November 1994 SARA MEETING ON HIGH PARK ISSUES At our June 28th meeting, staff from Toronto Parks % Recreation Department, Planning and Development, Public Works and the Environment, and a representative of the Interim High Park Citizens' Advisory Committee outlined the status of different issues affecting High park. These were: Colborne Lodge Drive Promenade (Eric Pederson - Planning), Grenadier Pond Sedimentation Facility (Werner Wichmann, Public Works), Oak Woodlands (Bill Cherry, Parks), Ponds and Streams Water Quality (Murray Boyce, Parks), and Safety Improvements (Barb Cowan - Advisory Committee). Those attending the meeting found it very interesting, including Mayoralty candidate Barbara Hall. ELLIS AVENUE PROJECT SARA continues to monitor the matter and have asked Planning & Development Department to advise us as to whether the height and general footprint of the buildings shown at the public meeting can be required. SWANSEA MEMORIAL LIBRARY At the public meeting held 13 July, 1994 at the Swansea Town Hall Library Staff advised that in general the Library is meeting its quotas but that in specific areas such as the cost per users there could be improvement. There is a need to increase the number of users. Please encourage your friends and neighbours to make use of the Library. WHILE SWANSEA MEMORIAL LIBRARY REMAINS ON PROBATION WE MUST USE IT OR LOOSE IT. EVEN IF WE ARE MEETING OUR GOALS THERE IS STILL THE ISSUE OF BUDGET RESTRAINTS. YOU CAN ARRANGE FOR ANY MOVIE, BOOK OR ANY OTHER LIBRARY MATERIAL TO BE DELIVERED TO THE SWANSEA BRANCH FOR PICK-UP. YOU CAN ORDER BY COMPUTER AT THE BRANCH OR FROM YOUR HOME. COMPUTER ACCESS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT THE LIBRARY. LIBRARY HOURS Closed Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: Saturday: Sunday 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 COLBORNE LODGE ROAD PROJECT We continue to monitor the Colborne Lodge Road project and will keep you advised. Eric Pederson explained at our public meeting that a snag has occurred. Metro is not supporting the pedestrian and bicycle improvements because of traffic concerns. The City of Toronto traffic study supported the position of Planning and Development that improvements could be made with minimal impact on traffic while considerably improving the situation for pedestrians and bicycles. SOUTH KINGSWAY- HUMBER BRIDGES David Crombie has intervened and supported the issues raised by SARA in regard to the underwater north/south bicycle path on the Toronto (Swansea) side. As a result of his intervention and the persistence of G. Martinsons, Metro finally redesigned the bridge so that the pedestrian/bicycle path will be above water resulting in some overall cost savings. The new cross Humber River pedestrian/bicycle bridge was scheduled to be erected over the river commencing in September. MEMBERSHIP Please remember that your membership is due now unless renewed. The 1994 fees are ~6.00 for individuals, %8.00 family, and %10.00 for businesses per year. Please contact L. Gris at 766-2792 to renew. We have held the fee for the last three years despite increasing costs. Membership inquiries may be sent to Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association, c/o Swansea Town Hall, Box 103, 95 Lavinia Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6S 3H9. SWANSEA BY-LAWS Bill Roberts for SARA and SARG has met with the staff from Planning and Development. A subcommittee has been struck consisting of Bill Roberts, Ron Loft, D'Arcy Dunal, S. Wilkinson, and G. Martinsons. As a result of discussions, the gas station at South Kingsway and the Queensway will be designated as "G" (open space) with a permission for a gas station to continue to operate. The staff agreed to an increased list of uses on Ripley without including any motor vehicle uses and take out restaurants. This was the position which SARA took and which was endorsed at our public meeting on the issue in January, 1994. The Land Use Committee has asked SARA to meet with the Ripley Ave. owners who still wish to allow motor vehicle uses on the street and take-out restaurants. Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association C/o Swansea Town Hall P.O. Box 103, 95 Lavinia Ave Toronto, Ontario, M6S 3H9 The staff is also exploring the possibility of tightening the official plan in regard to the Swansea Plaza to set out design guidelines for any future development. Among the issues being considered are: a statement of the importance of retaining commercial/retail uses on the site, ensuring proper setbacks from adjacent residential uses, requiring a parking study, and a reduced official plan maximum density. We are also in discussion in regard to other issues. OFFICIAL PLAN We are continuing to monitor this matter and have discussions with the staff in regard to our concerns. METROPLAN SARA has decided to not formally object to MetroPlan but to monitor it. SKATING RINK SARA has sent a representative and two alternates to the Skating Rink Design Committee consisting of D'Arcy Dunal, Oleh Iwanyshyn and Tony Giniotis. We will continue to monitor the situation and press for a public meeting. VOIDS & REPLACEMENT HOUSING Bill Roberts appeared for SARA in support of the report and adoption of the zoning by-law which is designed to prevent monster houses such as 152 Evelyn Ave. from occurring. ALL CANDIDATES MEETING SARA will be holding an all candidates meeting for the upcoming elections in early November. Editor- Bill Roberts Advisory Committee G. Martinsons