The following is from Peter Dardarian, one of the residents leading the campaign to stop the one-policy-fits-all imposition of sidewalks in Sunnylea:
Dear Neighbours:
Our action and hard work paid off! - We saved our trees! - No sidewalk on South Kingslea Drive!
On October 2/20 Toronto City Council passed a motion put forth by Councillor Mark Grimes’ to NOT install sidewalks on South Kingslea Drive (SKD). Therefore, Transportation Services will not include installation of sidewalks in the major reconstruction work on SKD between Kingslea Court and Ivy Lea Crescent in 2021.
This success was the result of 9 months of interaction between Councillor Mark Grimes’ office, South Kingslea Drive No-Sidewalks Committee (the Committee), Kingsway Park Ratepayers Inc. (KPRI) as well as phone calls and emails to Mark Grimes’ office by Sunnylea residents.
The residents of SKD did not want to stand by and watch the destruction of 12 mature trees, identified as at risk by the Forestry Dept., nor did they feel that issues with cars speeding on the road was appropriately addressed by inserting sidewalks. Sidewalks give tacit approval to the idea that the road is owned by cars. Residents feel the road is to be SHARED safely as it has been for the last 80 years by pedestrians, cyclists and the disabled. Residents should pursue traffic calming measures (e.g., speed bumps) when warranted, to create safe sharing of local roads.
A hardy thanks to sub-committee members who assisted with securing petitions and obtaining permission to install No-Sidewalk signs. We could not have developed the strong presentations without your assistance.
A huge thank you to Councillor Grimes and his staff for supporting the wishes of his constituents and persuading other Councillors to see that the new policy needs to be applied thoughtfully and selectively. This is an issue that isn't going away any time soon.
For those interested, here are the details:
BACKGROUND
1) In January 2020 a Community News flyer was issued to SKD residences advising that a sidewalk installation is planned for SKD in 2021, bundled with a road reconstruction and water main project.
2) This would proceed without advance consultation owing to the fact that the City installs sidewalks routinely with road reconstruction projects as a result of policy change in July 2019.
3) This news was communicated by KPRI to its members and strongly objected to by Sunnylea residents.
COURSE OF ACTION
1) January 2020: Residents of SKD and neighbouring streets inundated Mark Grimes’ office with phone calls and emails objecting to the sidewalk installation.
2) February: A small group of SKD residents enlisted KPRI support to halt the arbitrary installation of sidewalks on SKD.
3) March: a No-Sidewalks Committee of 3 SKD residents was formed to challenge the City on installation of sidewalks.
4) The Committee and KPRI began direct communication with Councillor Mark Grimes’ office requesting meetings/conference calls to obtain the Councilor’s support.
5) Under guidance of KPRI a hard copy petition was designed targeting both SKD and the greater neighbourhood residences.
6) 32 of 37 residences on SKD (86.5%) signed hard copy petitions objecting to addition of sidewalks.
7) 104 residences (178 residents) on greater neighbourhood streets signed hard copy petitions objecting to addition of sidewalks.
8) KPRI simultaneously instituted an online petition objecting to addition of sidewalks on SKD resulting in over 2,200 signatures.
9) Street signs for No-Sidewalks were purchased by KPRI and donated to petition signers at their request.
10) With COVID making it difficult to arrange face to face meetings, a conference call was arranged between Mark Grimes’ office, the Committee and KPRI. Councillor Grimes gave us his full support, and assisted us in obtaining important details of the City’s plans.
11) Councillor Mark Grimes and his staff put forward a Motion to not proceed with the installation of sidewalks for numerous reasons including impacts on mature trees and neighbourhood character, low-volume roadway used by local traffic, no safety concerns, creating a heat sink, replacing grass with cement, etc.
12) Evidence-based document was prepared by the Committee and KPRI and submitted to Councillor’s office to assist him during City Council meeting.
GOING FORWARD
1) City policy is to normally install sidewalks on at least one side of a street whenever there is a road reconstruction. However, this policy is subject to review when there are anomalous issues such as potential threats to trees, etc.
2) When other streets are notified of a road reconstruction, they may wish to discuss the matter immediately with their Councillor. As we found in this case, it’s important for residents to act immediately and to work together with common purpose.
SIGNS – No-Sidewalks
Volunteers will pick up your No-Sidewalk sign and return it to KPRI for re-use when the next road reconstruction is scheduled.
Thank you,
1) SKD No-Sidewalks Committee- Peter Dardarian, Paul Cordingley, Regina Jokel
2) Kingsway Park Rate Payers Inc. – Fiona Campbell, President, Steve Rankine, Jennifer Gray