By: Eva D'Ornellas
Minutes of Monday, October 28, 2019
Welcome
by Iain McLeod
Guests: City
of Toronto Councillor - Michael Thompson
Member of Provincial Parliament
– Christina Mitas
Topic: Updates on the status of the
Scarborough Subway Extension and the plans for dedicated Bus Lanes on Ellesmere
Road from McCowan to Military Trail
v Iain McLeod gave a
brief update on the Metrolinx proposal of the BRT- Bus Rapid Transit that would connect the
Toronto/Scarborough transit system with Oshawa, via Pickering, Whitby and Ajax (Durham Region).
Metrolinx turned down the GACA’s proposal of widening Ellesmere Road (east
of McCowan) to a total of 7 lanes with 3 lanes each way for cars and buses with
curb lane being an HOV lane and centre lane for left turns.
The current proposal is 4 lanes with 2 centre lanes of Ellesmere Road dedicated
for Durham express buses only. This would leave a single lane each way for cars,
trucksand local TTC buses and it will eliminate left turn lanes into the active
commercial businesses and industrial units along Ellesmere Road between McCowan
and Markham Road.
Community member requested a single page hand out be prepared of these
proposals with diagrams available for the next meeting.
v City Councillor Michael Thompson congratulated Glen Andrew Community
Association on being a well run, active and engaged Community Association in
the City of Toronto.
v Councillor Thompson will advocate on behalf of the community and will ask
City of Toronto transportation representative to look at GACA’s alternate
proposal for the BRT- Bus Rapid Transit and give an analysis of it and see
where it can go from there.
Community members raised questions that they would like Michael Thompson
to ask about the BRT proposal such as whether saving 5 minutes on a bus ride is
worth all the expense and turmoil this BRT proposal is creating.
v Councillor Thompson supports grade separations, elevations where there
are GO train lines. He supports building an under or over pass in such places
as on Progress Avenue between Midland and Kennedy Roads.
v Discussion on bike lanes commenced and that the City of Toronto will be
building bike lanes on Lawrence Avenue in the future. Currently Scarborough
Centre does not have a safe bicycle network. Councillor Thompson emphasized
that in City politics, it is always a delicate balancing act trying to meet the
needs and requests of various community members.
v Discussion of City of Toronto’s Vision Zero program, trying to make
changes to traffic that preserves pedestrian safety.45% of occurrences
involving pedestrians were in
Scarborough last year. Mid block crossing is a problem.
v Councillor Michael Thompson supports the 3 stop Scarborough Subway
extension. Stops at Lawrence (Scarborough Hospital), Scarborough Town Centre
and McCowan and Sheppard. This is supported by Premiere Doug Ford and Metrolinx
executive Phil Verster as per recent conversations Councillor Thompson has had
with them. The Scarborough Subway is on the agenda of the City of Toronto
Council meeting tomorrow morning, October 29, 2019.
v MPP Christina Mitas was introduced and welcomed. She addressed the GACA
for the first time.
v MPP Mitas is in favour of the 3 stop Scarborough Subway as well. The next steps challenge is to get all three
levels of government, municipal, provincial and federal to work together and
provide the required funding support for the subway.
Expected completion date is 2029-2030.
Concern raised that if there is
a change in government at any of the levels before the shovel is in the ground
that there may not be ongoing support for this project by subsequent
governments.
v There is a meeting on Wednesday October 30, 2019 at Scarborough Civic
Centre at 7:00pm about a Farmer’s Market in Albert Campbell Square next year, May
2020. Community members who support this initiative should attend the meeting.
v Treasurer’s report provided by Tom Bozanis.
Motion to accept report as read made by Jack Law.
Seconded by George Murray.
Motion carried.
v Motion to adjourn the meeting made by David Jackson
Seconded by Jack Law.
Meeting adjourned.
Minutes by Eva D’Ornellas
Interim Secretary
