There's been an avid discussion around sidewalk installations on the MINOE’s Facebook Page.
HERE ARE THE FACTS: There is a process which allows residents to have a say when roads are being reconstructed and sidewalks are being considered. Anyone can place a request for a sidewalk. They will be advised of their options, under missing sidewalk policy or if there is a road reconstruction planned in the next 5 years. If you want a sidewalk on your street you should submit a request now! Email 311@Toronto.ca.
What you do NOT want is to be removed from the process and to have blanket decisions made without consultation. Such a hard-line approach is supported by a lobbyist group called Walk Toronto. They also support installing bike lanes without any public consultation.
Do we really want city staff making the decisions that shape our neighborhood without speaking to us first?
The local Councillor has the right to take any resident's concerns, support or objections to the Transportation Department and to challenge city plans. To see how this is done: VIDEO from city council: https://youtu.be/3n8zuz-ZaA4?t=25873
Many local disabled people support no sidewalks for maneuverability reasons and this is detailed in the Kingslea Gardens RESIDENT report. It makes good reading. You can access that document by clicking on this link.
Sidewalks, if installed should be placed on the north side of the street. This is where the winter sun melts away ice and helps homeowners who have to keep it clear and safe for everyone. Trees are not messy seasonal decorations. Safety issues must include their preservation. They prevent speeding cars careening across sidewalks and lawns and into people's homes (as happened to me personally) and they provide the endless oxygen, shade and cooling we have come to rely upon. Its not an either-or discussion when debating trees/sidewalks. They need to be accommodated in a way that they can not only survive, but thrive.
Last of all there is a COST FACTOR that demonstrates that on side streets where traffic volumes are low, safety is BETTER accomplished with traffic calming measures slow down traffic enough to prevent accidents altogether.
This article is also posted on KPRI’s Facbook page at https://www.facebook.com/KPRIToronto