Here’s what we’ve been up to over the last few months. We hope that you will feel as encouraged as we are by the successes that we have had working on behalf of our membership. If you are also heartened, we ask you to join us as a member. Here’s how to do it: RRA Membership
RRA reaches agreements with local developers In our ongoing efforts to manage the overwhelming construction in our neighbourhood, we are working with individual developers to ensure that they follow City Bylaws and mitigate the disruption of our community. This is in addition to the RRA working with the Yonge-Eglinton HUB Project Manager in charge of Work Zone Coordination and Traffic Mitigation. Since the Province often overrides City Bylaws when it comes to construction, and has done so especially during the pandemic, direct communication and partnership with individual developers bode for a better outcome for our neighbourhood. Regular meetings with developers are planned to raise issues of concern. These may include among others:
General construction management
Environmental concerns regarding air quality, dust, dirt, concrete washout
Noise, vibration and lighting
Safe access for pedestrians
Community respect, worker code of conduct
Traffic flow
So far, we have agreements with the Times Group and Life Construction, who are developing 55-65 Broadway, and with Reserve Properties and TMG Builders, who are developing 100-120 Broadway.
Here is an excerpt from the letter from the Times Group and Life Construction sent to the RRA: 55-65 Broadway
Here is an excerpt from the letter form Reserve Properties to the RRA: 100-120 Broadway
The RRA encourages you to contact us if you have any construction-related concerns about these developments. We will ensure that these concerns are raised with the developers and construction managers at our regular meetings with them. Please email us at RepublicResidents@gmail.com.
Work with other local developers Earlier this year we reported on our success with the St. Monica’s development when we participated in a mediation process that resulted in a positive outcome for our neighbourhood. Here is the letter we received from Collecdev, signalling their commitment to our requests in the mediation process: 40-44 Broadway We are also involved in the proposed developments at:
150-164 Eglinton Ave E.
Canada Square
2323-2345 Yonge St.
These involvements include alliances with other residents’ associations in all the quadrants of Yonge-Eglinton as well as close collaboration with City Councillors Josh Matlow, Jaye Robinson and Mike Colle. We are encouraged that our collective efforts are having a positive impact on our community.
Extended construction hours order expires As residents in the Yonge-Eglinton neighbourhood, you are likely aware that the Province issued an order at the beginning of the pandemic allowing construction to take place over extended working hours very early in the morning, late into the night and throughout weekends. The RRA took a strong stand and let Minister Steve Clark know that the attendant noise and disruption placed an egregious burden on our community and did little to mitigate COVID-19. Although we can’t take all the credit, the Provincial Order that allowed extended construction hours is not being renewed and comes to an end October 7. City of Toronto Noise Bylaws will now be enforced (Monday-Friday 7AM-7PM and Saturday 9AM-5PM – no work on Sundays). For construction-related noise violations in our neighbourhood, please call 311 and email Stuart McGhie, HUB Project Manager at:Stuart.Mcghie@toronto.ca
Broadway, Roehampton now one-way streets
This change was brought about as a result of the great deal of construction-related traffic and general congestion on our streets. The RRA was a vocal proponent of this arrangement which will benefit pedestrians and drivers.
RRA in the news We were recently interviewed by The Star about the Crosstown LRT project and its effect on our community. Although we’re happy that the LRT is slowly progressing, we’re still very concerned about the unrelenting overdevelopment in the neighbourhood. Crosstown Midtown Toronto We also contributed our thoughts on the proposed development at 150-164 Eglinton Ave E. to NRU Toronto (our comments are on page 9).