Leslieville residents put their green agenda on the council to-do list

Dennis Hanagan –

Neighbours are happy with a scaled-down apartment proposed for Queen St. E, at Winnifred Ave. in Leslieville but they still want the city to get more green space for the community.

Addressing community council at its May meeting, resident John Cameron noted a city staff report that says the area has only 0.42 to 0.78 hectares of parkland per 1,000 people “which is the second lowest provision level,” according to staff.

Cameron said that with increased development “our number is going to fall and will probably be the lowest.” He urged the city to take an active role and look at ways to expand parkland along Queen St.

He suggested land near the Jack Layton Seniors Housing at Queen St. E. and Brooklyn Ave. would be a place to start because it’s close to the proposed apartment building.

(The building would be six storeys with 48 rental units. After meeting with the community the developer scaled it back from the original eight storeys with 50 rental units.)

Cameron said a petition has been started to make a nearby vacant lot at 5 Brooklyn Avenue into green space. “It’s actually a vacant lot that the community has steward-shipped. It’s a community garden.”

Queen St. businessman Paul Dowsett said the scaled-back proposal has neighbours approval. “It appears to be in keeping with the recommendations that the community members came up with.”

He backed up Cameron’s call for more green space.

Toronto Danforth councillor Paula Fletcher asked staff how to get more green space in Leslieville. She moved a motion that staff investigate park acquisition.

“It’s obviously an extremely important issue,” she said.

Queen St. in Leslieville between the railway crossing at Jimmie Simpson Park and Leslie St. is the subject of a planning staff study to develop guidelines for high-quality, mixed-use development that respect the “unique local character.”