Joshua Tusin Reporting

Neighbourhood Residents Identify Streetscape Design Priorities

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:40:00 GMT

Roncesvalles Renewed met on November 12th so that area residents could present ideas and discuss options for the new Roncesvalles Avenue. With the detailed design process rapidly coming to a close this is one of the last best opportunities to push the city on key street elements. Figuring out which items are the priorities was, indeed, the focus of the meeting.

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New Project Design Leader for Roncesvalles Reconstruction

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:33:00 GMT

The Public Realm Section of Toronto's giant Transportation Division is now managing the design process for our new Roncesvalles, a task that until now was assigned to the Economic Development office. The change, along with comes project design leader Elyse Parker, is welcome news for the future of the trees and pedestrian spaces on our Avenue.

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The Digging and Diversions Have Begun!

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:55:00 GMT

Let the digging begin! Roncesvalles from High Park/Fermanagh to Westminster is all dug up (as is a southern stretch) and the traffic pattern is definitely disturbed.

All of this, of course, is for the good overall plan to replace aging utility infrastructure and eventually aging streetcar tracks - not to mention get ready for new streetcars, to be delivered starting in 2011 - but there's no way around some short-term headaches.

Still, all the digging means some pretty amazing construction equipment has taken up residence on the street, not to mention an awfully fascinating view into the depths of a major Toronto street. One local who can't help but check out the digging said he was sure he smelled horse during the initial demolition - perhaps a vestige of the days of horse-drawn streetcars?

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Roncesvalles Street Walk a Success

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:26:00 GMT

A good crowd came out to walk Roncesvalles from south to north, stopping to discuss trees, bump outs, furniture, lighting crosswalks and more along the way. We had vigorous discussion and a great walk on a beautiful day, with photos to prove it.

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Roncesvalles and Dundas Profile Proves Bittersweet

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:49:00 GMT

Rick McGinnis has featured several intersection along Roncesvalles and his third (and likely last) feature - of Roncesvalles and Dundas West - chronicles some of his thought process as he prepares to leave the neighbourhood he has called home for 20 years. A bit less history than his previous posts and a bit more musing about the changing neighbourhood demographics gives this one a different tone, but is still awfully darn interesting.

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Roncesvalles Intersection Histories Prove Fascinating

Wed, 27 May 2009 12:54:00 GMT

There's no doubt that Roncesvalles Ave and the surrounding communities are rich with history. Some buildings have been around seemingly forever, there have been tracks down the street for 100 years or more and so on. But, naturally, there are also changes, big and small, that have occured through the years with the addition, removal or rennovation of buildings here or there, a change in the trees or the addition of a billboard. Rick McGinnis at blogTO seems to be doing a series of intersection histories along Roncesvalles, having started with Queen/King/Roncesvalles and then moving north to High Park (Fermanagh)/Roncesvalles.

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Group Meeting Recap: Reflection and Renewed Purpose

Thu, 21 May 2009 21:18:00 GMT

With warm weather well on the way and summer schedules soon to take hold, not to mention a significant hurdle cleared, Roncesvalles Renewed held a meeting to recap the group's accomplishments over the last few years and to start talking about the next steps. With the Environmental Assessment essentially complete (approval by the PWI committee is a good indication it will pass through the rest of the process), it's time to turn our attention back to what the group has wanted to focus on all along: trees and sustainable infrastructure. Councilor Gord Perks even stopped by to share his plan for the detailed design process and hear what everybody had to say.

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The EA is Approved and Excitement is in the Air

Tue, 12 May 2009 13:49:00 GMT

This is an exciting time for Roncesvalles Renewed; a major hurdle was cleared last week when the Public Works and Infrastructure committee at City Hall unanimously approved the Environmental Assessment (EA). The discussion about how to rebuild Roncesvalles Ave has - as readers of this website know well - gone on for years. But the EA process was long and necessarily drew attention and focus away from our focus, which includes things like trees and making Roncesvalles greener. Now we begin the process of getting back to the trees.

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