In regards to the Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge & Tunnel Replacement Project, the redesign plans for Glen Road South negatively impacts the safety and integrity of the neighborhood. The plans include:
- Eradicating a Community Garden dedicated to Native American wildflower/plant species, and cutting down numerous mature trees to install an unnecessary and redundant sidewalk and bikeshare rack.
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- The loss of the majority of tree canopy on the East side of Glen Road will negatively impact the existing ecology, and result in major loss of shaded respite from sun/heat for all tenants and community that regularly accesses this street.
- “Research has demonstrated that there is a direct correlation between the well-being of our City and the strength of our tree canopy. When our urban forest thrives, Toronto is a more healthy, liveable, and resilient city.” ( Every Tree Counts: An Update on Toronto’s Growing Tree Canopy — Councillor Jaye Robinson. 05/07/2021)
Every Tree Counts: An Update on Toronto’s Growing Tree Canopy — Councill…Research has demonstrated that there is a direct correlation between the well-being of our City and the strength…
- The West side of Glen Road already has a continuous sidewalk that supports the mobility needs of people of all ages and abilities. It allows full access to the tunnel and the pedestrian bridge connecting to Glen Road, North of Bloor. Cutting
down multiple mature trees to create a new sidewalk on the East side of Glen road is unnecessary in this regard.
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- Expanding a green space into 451 Bloor’s tenant parking lot, which will displace five cars from the parking lot onto Glen Road South. In addition, shortening Glen Road itself by three parking spaces to create a “paver plaza area”.
- As parking is already limited to fourteen spaces on Glen Road, the loss of eight total parking spots on the street poses a major issue for all tenants on the street and in 451 Bloor.
- Leveling the area from 451 Bloor’s West wall through the parking lot and existing Community Garden down to Glen Road subway entrance to create an enlarged, open green space and paver plaza.
- Given the history of crime in the area, this expanded green space creates a venue that invites loitering, increased disruptive and criminal activity, as well as soliciting and drug trafficking.
- Creating a leveled and open public space here removes the protective barrier that the Community Garden provides to the tenants of 451 Bloor.
- This aspect of the redesign will negatively impact the noise level on the street, and most importantly, the privacy and safety of all of the residents on Glen Road North and South of Bloor.
Additionally, ignoring municipal protocol, there was no public disclosure or community consultation on the redesign and reconstruction of Glen Road and the Public Realm South of Bloor. If there had been, city planners would have realized that this redesign
proposal was ill-conceived and unacceptable to the Community. We were never informed or asked to participate in the initial design plans. No one in the neighbourhood was consulted, leaving the owners and residents South of Bloor on Glen Road entirelyout
of the process.
The Redesign of the Glen Road South part of the Footbridge and Tunnel Project should not go forward until it can be redesigned with significant changes and supported by the Community it is supposed to serve.