Over the summer and fall, a remarkable transformation occurred at the Grafton Parkette. This parkette, located just north of Queen Street, had been a neglected scrap of land. Today it is a beautiful focal point for the community. How did this happen? Grafton tranformed: The parkette had been a neglected patch of space (below), but over the summer it was … Read More
What Should A Streetcar Street Look Like?
This posting comes a bit late, but Steve Munro hosted an interesting discussion concerning the Roncesvalles reconstruction project, likely to occur in 2009. One of the challenges faced by the TTC and the City is the lack of any “best practices” that can be applied to new constructions of this sort. The City has only recently begun to prioritize transit … Read More
Putting Pedestrians First
This week, the City of Toronto hosted Walk21, an international conference examining ways to improve the pedestrian realm on our streets. This year’s theme is “Putting Pedestrians First.” The conference reflects a recent shift in thinking at City Hall, where the once-dominant car is now being asked to take a back seat to the needs of pedestrians, transit-riders and cyclists. … Read More
Roncesvalles Reconstruction Likely Delayed Until 2009
City staff has warned the BIA that the major reconstruction of Roncesvalles, still officially planned for 2008, will most likely be delayed until 2009. This is because a reconstruction of this scale will probably require an Environmental Assessment, and also because the project has become more complex with new features being added, such as curb extensions, rebuilt sidewalks, additional trees … Read More
Two (or Three) Proposals for Roncesvalles
A key streetscape priority for the BIA and the community has been the creation of bumpouts, or extensions of the sidewalk onto the street (click here to view an example). These would become new public spaces, allowing for new uses such as patios, benches, gardens or public art. It is hoped that such bumpouts would become part of the major … Read More
Signs of Uniqueness Seen Hanging Along Roncesvalles
Photo: Piotr Bazlerz Hanging Signs create a unique sense of place along Roncesvalles Recent efforts to save the Sam the Record Man sign have reminded us of the place-making powers of signage. A few weeks ago, NOW Magazine highlighted 18 other unique signs that serve as minor landmarks in their neighbourhoods. On Roncesvalles, we too have our share of … Read More
Mural Proposals Sought for Grafton Parkette
The Roncesvalles Village BIA has requested proposals for a new mural, to face onto the Grafton Parkette in the southern end of the newly-expanded BIA. It is hoped that the new mural will revitalize the parkette, which has long been a target of graffiti vandals. The parkette, in one of the more funky and artistic parts of the Roncesvalles neighbourhood, … Read More