http://www.roncesvallesvillage.ca/docs/sidewalkplan0108.pdf

• The overall reaction to the proposed changes is positive;
• A number of opportunities for further refinement were identified;
• There are quite a number of details to be worked out.  We recommend establishing a process where the best possible solutions will be put in place;
• The process needs to build a consensus from the BIA, residents associations, the City and the TTC.

The following suggestions emerged from the walk:

• Recommendations for four new public spaces:
  1. High Park Square (north east corner of Fermanagh / Roncesvalles)
  2. St. Casimir’s Court
  3. Library - Church Link
  4. Revue Rendezvous ( in front of the Revue)
• A need to push bus shelters farther towards the streetcar tracks to avoid pinching foot traffic on the sidewalk;
• A need to understand the rationale and placement of many of the small bumpouts.  Based on further planning and input, they could either be kept as is, lengthened, or eliminated;
• Many other suggestions to improve the streetscape and public space.

• There was some discussion about burying the network of overhead streetcar wires.  It is estimated that burying them would roughly double the cost and time of the reconstruction project.
• It is also possible to see those overhead wires as beautiful rather than an eyesore.  The wires are a physical manifestation of the incredible energy intersecting at the corner.  Perhaps it requires an artist’s eye to bring out the drama and beauty of the criss-crossing wires overhead.  The real eyesore is the failure of the buildings at the three corners of the intersection to occupy that corner with any dignity or clout.  The parkette at the south end also doesn’t hold its own.
• One idea involves rooftop gardens / patios at three of the corners, linked by intersecting walkways crossing the intersection high above street level.
• There is also a major public-private opportunity here to create a Ponte Vecchio type of pedestrian bridge … arching over the Gardiner to land directly at the foot of the Palais Royale 

• John Bowker expressed concerns about small bumpouts (which he’s nicknamed “burp-outs”).  Given the loss of parking spots, it may be that these “burp-outs” for the most part have been adequately justified.
• Some members expressed a different view. The more bumpouts, the better, as part of a move away from accommodating car traffic towards “pedestrian-izing” the city.
• North of Marion along Roncesvalles: long streetcar platform proposed; TTC shelter should be moved closer to the curb.
• This platform is particularly important for the elderly residents of Copernicus Lodge.
• Martha Goodings is meeting with people at Copernicus to discuss possibilities of increasing public realm for elderly residents along Roncesvalles, as well as fundraising possibilities.

• Even for some who favour bumpouts generally, it was felt the so-called “burp-outs” may irritate car drivers more than necessary.
• The point was raised that “burp-outs” are in use elsewhere in the city on Avenue Road, north of Lawrence and in Bloor West Village.  Also on Lansdowne.
• It may make a case for proposing an even larger bump-out at the Pearson intersection.
• Across the street, a much larger bump-out is proposed in front of the apartment block on the SW corner of Pearson.
• At the NE corner of Pearson, the bumpout is proposed for the front of Frock, the clothing store.
• On the west side of Roncesvalles, proposed bump-out in front of #92 and #94 (residential houses).
• A serendipitous benefit of the walk was that the snowbanks had pushed parked cars a couple of feet out into the street, suggesting the effect bumpouts will have on parking.

Galley:  South of Galley, proposed “burp-out”: in front of the antique/vintage clothing store, Mrs. Huizenga.

• Owner Catherine Huizenga joined our group briefly, and suggested that perhaps it’s worth having 30-minute parking spaces at the top of her block in particular, and other blocks,  where appropriate.
• SE corner of Galley, sidewalk space extended in front of Galley Fruit Market, giving that store more room for produce.  Seems an appropriate place to expand public realm.
• An opportunity suggests itself on the opposite side of the street at Galley on the SW corner.  Expanding the sidewalk space around the apartment block may be of interest to the parents’ greening committee at the Garden School.  The school playground is a stone’s throw away, just north of Galley.  We hope to engage the parents greening committee in discussions about the possibilities at that corner.
• In addition, a long streetcar platform is proposed north of Galley on the west side of Roncesvalles.

• Should platform be extended all the way to the corner?
• John Bowker, the BIA representative on the walk, points out that deliveries to the shops along Roncesvalles may become a sleeper issue.
• South of Garden, Beata, the owner of the restaurant, Lala, points out that the TTC shelter blocks the view from her restaurant.
• It also severely pinches pedestrian traffic at that corner.  Again, the corner could be made to work much better if the TTC shelter is moved closer to the curb.
• NE corner: big bumpout proposed in front of Solarski.
• At this point, a theme begins to emerge, of most of the bumpouts situated on the north side of intersections, presumably to make it easier for northbound cars to turn right onto side-streets.  In some cases, however, that pattern doesn’t seem to best serve other possibilities for expanded public realm.
• But in the case of Solarski’s, it may be for the best.  Solarski’s is one of the original family-run pharmacies on Roncesvalles; the owner is very attentive to the possibilities of public space. Parking area on the south side of Solarski’s cries out for trees/public courtyard
• Major opportunity for expanded public realm for St. Casimir’s Court.  On the other side of Roncesvalles, at Garden, at the streetcar stop, there will be a bump-out in front of St. Casimir’s.  It makes sense to extend that into a long bumpout as there’s no parking in front of the church anyway.  We would like to get the St. Casimir’s congregation involved in brainstorming the possibilities for an expanded public space in front of the church.  Fund-raising opportunities as well? 

• Another bumpout proposed on SE corner of Fern, along Granowska’s.  Nice patio opportunity along the side.  Extending the bump-out in front of Granowska’s would also create opportunities in front; but John Bowker says the need for delivery vehicles may outweigh the advantages of expanded sidewalk space across the street.
• Across the street, the plans indicate that a bumpout is proposed on SW corner around some residential houses.  Sidewalk space should be expanded on the NW corner instead, in front of the Polish Credit Union, NOT on the SW corner, in front of residential houses.
• Perhaps consider extending streetcar platform from existing stop all the way north to the corner of Wright.
• Counter-argument is that parking spots in front of the library are important for numerous drop-offs and pick-ups relating to the library.

• Appears to be an appropriate place to widen the sidewalk.  i.e. Library – Church Link
• The group was interested in the possibility of expanding sidewalk space along Roncesvalles in front of the church.   However, this may create problems for limos parked in front of the church for weddings and funerals.
• Enormous potential for defining public realm on north side of the library.
• Underused green space could be transformed into a courtyard with water features and stone seating.  Martha Goodings suggests it could become a destination for residents from Copernicus Lodge for a pleasant outing; they currently have nowhere to go in the immediate area..   Also, ideal meeting place for other residents, given the proximity to the library.  Note:  Toronto’s library services are enormously popular … per capita, Torontonians use their library privileges more than people anywhere else in the world.
• Longstanding parking/delivery issues on the east side of the street relating to the Sobey’s.
• One resident, who lives on Wright, talked to us about the difficulties trucks have making deliveries.
• Large planters set on the street to prevent cars from parking at the intersection?
• Plans show proposed sidewalk expansion to take place on NE corner; SE corner might make more sense since parking already eliminated there; however that may exacerbate right-hand turns for delivery trucks.  Although the area in front of the Sobey’s is supposed to be an unloading zone, car drivers frequently park there, leaving the trucks with no choice but to go down Wright to the back alley behind the Sobey’s.
• Many of the posts erected to prevent illegal parking have been bent out of shape by trucks hitting them, attempting to do the complicated turns down the back alley.
• Sobey’s doesn’t own the building; the owner of the building has not been too involved in efforts to find a solution.
• Extremely high traffic street; a lot of drivers also stop on Wright to drop kids off at Fern Avenue School, the front entrance of which is on Wright.  School busses also are sometimes blocked by delivery trucks.
• Situation may require in-depth analysis by traffic engineers; by now, may also require intensive diplomacy.

• Proposed streetcar platform begins in front of veggie store south of Fermanagh.
• Planters parked on the sidewalk at SE corner of Fermanagh and Roncesvalles, makes sense to expand sidewalk at the corner and get rid of the planters on the street.
• Also expand sidewalk space along Roncesvalles in front of apartment building on NE corner; take back city property currently fenced off by apartment owner.
• Current condition of intersection is decrepit; lots of possibilities here if one imagines it as a gateway, connecting Roncesvalles to High Park.
• Across the street, former gateway to High Park truncated by apartment buildings.  Would re-zoning allow bottom level of buildings to be used for retail space rather than apartments; not well-suited to apartments; most of the ground-level windows are permanently (and hideously) covered up to prevent passersby from peering into units; this would require engagement of local RAs, rather than Roncesvalles Renewed or the BIA.  These buildings appear to be ripe for takeover by condo developers.  In any case, residents may want to begin re-imagining the space and putting forward ideas for redevelopment, rather than waiting for a developer to come to them with a proposal. 

• Again , great potential here for new public realm if “burp-out” becomes a much longer “bump-out”,  running the entire length of the block.  It is also the proposed location of a new streetcar stop.  Is a streetcar stop necessary here?  There are other streetcar stops just a block and a half to the south (the Fermanagh stop) and another stop (the Grenadier stop) about the same distance to the north. Adding a new stop may slow down streetcars.
• Certainly, there’s a case to be made for expanding the sidewalk because this is already a no-parking zone.

• On the SE corner, plans show the sidewalk space to be expanded in front of Staropolska’s, the Polish restaurant. We suggest the phone booth and utility box be moved closer to the building, so the restaurant owners can take advantage of the expanded public realm.  Right now, the restaurant patio sits several yards back from Roncesvalles.
• The Grenadier streetcar stop should be pushed closer to the curb.
• There are also issues regarding the split-level sidewalk; we’ll likely need to push hard to make sure those split levels are resolved. 

• Unique intersection here because the streets don’t line up, creating opportunities for mini-gateways.
• Split-level sidewalk needs to be corrected in front of Fat Cat wine bar.
• Since there is no parking in front of Timothy’s, the streetcar platform could be extended all the way north to the corner of Timothy’s.

Neepawa:  Proposed “burp-out” just south of “Set Me Free”, the bicycle store; plan shows expanded sidewalk space on both sides of Roncesvalles which means the crosswalk will be narrowed, i.e. a shorter distance to cross the street, benefiting pedestrians, particularly children walking to Howard Park School.

Howard:  This is a major traffic intersection; the proposal calls for the streetcar stop at Howard to be relocated further south, with streetcar platform to begin in front of Sweet Thrills candy store.

• Relocating streetcar stop allows cars to turn right onto Howard Park.
• On the west side of Roncesvalles, major opportunity for expanded public realm, in front of Revue Cinema i.e. Revue Rendezvous.
• Bumpout on Revue side should be extended; no parking there anyway because of fire regulations preventing parking in front of theatres; in case of fire, emergency vehicles could easily park on an expanded bump-out.
• On the NW corner, there’s also an opportunity for expanded sidewalk in front of Sak’s Fine Foods.