[getsmart-l] FW: [TCAT News e-bulletin] January 14, 2008

[Janet May]

TCAT News e-bulletin

 


January 14, 2008


[If you are having trouble reading this message please
<http://www.torontocat.ca/main/node/155> click here] 

Recent TCAT activities and news items: 

1.	New Bike Lane Approval Process Adopted
2.	Martin Goodman Trail Bollards - TCAC recommendations referred to
staff
3.	Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge - To be completed by 2012
4.	TCAT's 50th Supporting Organization - Welcome South East Toronto
Bicycle User Group!
5.	Bloor/Dundas Visioning Session - January 16

  _____  


1. New Bike Lane Approval Process Adopted

As reported in the November 27 TCAT News e-Bulletin, following a motion
initially moved by  <http://www.toronto.ca/councillors/heaps1.htm>
Councillor Adrian Heaps, City Council agreed to revise its bike lane
approval process. At its meeting on Tuesday, the
<http://www.toronto.ca/committees/executive-committee.htm> Executive
Committee approved the new process. 

Under the new process, the
<http://www.toronto.ca/committees/public-works-infrastructure.htm> Public
Works and Infrastructure Committee will now review all bike lane reports and
recommendations submitted by staff, instead of the four individual community
councils doing so. The idea is that this will allow staff to submit reports
that contain multiple bike lane proposals, instead of having to submit
various individual reports. However, the majority of bike lanes - those that
require amendments to on-street parking, standing and stopping regulations
on roads where there are established TTC routes - will still need final
approval from City Council. 

Whether or not this will actually speed up the bike lane approval process
still has to be demonstrated, though City staff believe it will. 

To read the Executive Committee's decision document with the four specific
recommendations for item EX16.5,
<http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/ex/decisions/2008-01-08-ex16-dd.pdf
>  click here. 

  _____  


2. Martin Goodman Trail Bollards - TCAC recommendations referred to staff

On Wednesday, the
<http://www.toronto.ca/committees/public-works-infrastructure.htm> Public
Works and Infrastructure Committee reviewed the recommendations submitted by
the  <http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/committee/index.htm> Toronto Cycling
Advisory Committee (TCAC) regarding the bollards on the Martin Goodman Trail
where it meets the Boulevard Club.

TCAT made a deputation at the meeting in favour of the TCAC's
recommendations. After minimal discussion, the committee decided to refer
the matter back to staff to consult with interested parties, including the
Boulevard Club and local councillor
<http://www.toronto.ca/councillors/perks1.htm> Gord Perks, and to report
back to the committee at its meeting on April 9th. To review the
recommendations for item PW12.6,
<http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/pw/decisions/2008-01-09-pw12-dd.pdf
> click here. 

While this decision likely won't please cyclists who have been demanding the
removal of the bollards since they were installed last summer, the issue is
still open and your continued involvement is important. 

If you want your opinion heard, write: 

*	Councillor Perks councillor_perks at toronto.ca 
*	The General Manager Transportation Services, Gary Welsh -
welsh at toronto.ca
*	The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Brenda
Librecz - blibrecz at toronto.ca

Getting closer the April 19 meeting, it will also be important to write the
committee or, better yet, make a deputation. Please be sure to carbon copy
TCAT on your correspondence.

  _____  


3. Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge - To be completed by 2012

Thanks to one of TCAT's supporting organizations, the
<http://www.fortyork.ca> Friends of Fort York and Garrison Common,
for providing an update on the design for the new bridge planned to cross
the rail corridor north of Fort York and south of Liberty Village.

"One by one the barriers to access at Fort York have been overcome, but the
last remaining one is the rail corridor to the north. The Fort York
pedestrian and cycle bridge will overcome that barrier and connect
communities north of Front Street to the waterfront. 

The 16.6 ha. (41-acre) Heritage Conservation District at Fort York occupies
a strategic position in the north-south and east-west waterfront network of
paths for pedestrians and cyclists. The Martin Goodman Trail and Queen's
Quay are well-established links across the Lake Ontario shoreline. With the
development of the Railway Lands, the Linear Park along the south side of
the rail corridor will provide a second eastwest pathway. The parks and open
spaces of the north-south Garrison Creek chain of pedestrian routes would
connect through Fort York to Coronation Park intersecting both the Linear
Park and Martin Goodman trails. The missing link, of course, is across the
rail corridor. 

Assuming the Environmental Assessment is initiated in 2008 and capital
funding for the project is secured, the Fort York pedestrian bridge could be
completed by 2012 in time for the Bicentennial Celebrations commemorating
the War of 1812." 

You can read all about the plans and view some drawings in the Friends'
latest newsletter by  <http://www.fortyork.ca/newsletter/F&D_12-07.pdf>
clicking here (it starts on Page 7). 

  _____  


4. TCAT's 50th Supporting Organization - Welcome South East Toronto Bicycle
User Group!

The Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation has now grown to 50
supporting organizations with the recent addition of the South East Toronto
Bicycle User Group (SET BUG). 

This group has been very active over the past 5-10 years advocating for new
and improved bicycle routes in the neighbourhoods east of the Don Valley, so
it's a natural fit for them to join TCAT and continue working together.

The TCAT Steering Committee welcomes this group to TCAT.

  _____  


5. Bloor/Dundas Visioning Session - January 16

The City of Toronto is seeking input and feedback that will help formulate a
long-term vision of the Bloor Street West/Dundas Street West area. 

To that end, a public meeting will be held Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at
6:30 p.m. in the General Purpose Room of Indian Road Crescent Junior Public
School at 285 Indian Road Crescent.

For more information, please contact Kevin Edwards at 416-392-1306 or by
email at kedward at toronto.ca. You can also contact Councillor Gord Perks,
Ward 14, at 416-392-7919.

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can still make your views known by
sending a fax or by writing to Gary Wright, Director, Community Planning,
Toronto and East York District, City Planning Division, 100 Queen Street
West, Floor 18 E, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2N2. 

  _____  

TCAT News - Help spread the word! 

TCAT is continually looking to increase its list of supporters. It helps to
be able to say how many people and organizations support the work we do when
we speak with City Councillors, City staff, and the media, or put out a
publication. Please send this message to any groups or individuals you think
would be interested in learning more about TCAT, receiving our weekly
e-Bulletin, or volunteering with TCAT.

To learn more about TCAT, visit our web site at  <http://www.torontocat.ca>
www.torontocat.ca 

To subscribe to TCAT News,  <http://torontocat.ca/main/join> click here 

-- 
 <http://torontocat.ca/main/newsletter/confirm/remove/d82bffaac077t1> Click
here to unsubscribe from this newsletter

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://list.web.net/archives/getsmart-l/attachments/20080116/f77265e9/attachment.htm