Dupont Being Studied

This in from the Annex Residents' Association:

"Update on Dupont

The Dupont Visioning Study is well underway, and needs your inputs.

A team of 4^th-year students from the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Ryerson is right now working with Residents' Associations in the Dupont Corridor to define issues and prepare scenarios of what the future of Dupont Street could look like. TheAnnex Residents' Association has been asked to coordinate the work from the Ryerson team with other RAs. We are hoping that at least 90% of the Study can be completed by the end of the fall.

To provide a factual basis for the new Vision, a survey of building heights and uses, parking, landscapes and streetscapes is being done for the whole Corridor, stretching from Avenue Road to Ossington Avenue. Volunteers from the ARA are surveying the Annex portion of the Corridor and other RAs have been asked to survey their portions of the Corridor. Survey results will be presented at a public meeting in mid-October, the date and place of which will be announced later.

In an exciting new development, we have constructed a 'crowd map' of the Corridor that enables residents and business owners to make their views known online. The site (https://dupont.crowdmap.com/main) allows stakeholders to raise issues and make suggestions. You can post your views and comment on reports of others.

Instructions for using the site can be downloaded from https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BxLJc-tz0RhNQzZzVmswYUVZREk (also downloadable from the 'How to Use this Site' tab on the crowdmap).

If you have any questions or suggestions on the Dupont Study, please contact Edward Leman at planningandzoning@theara.org or dupontvision@gmail.com."
Cheers,
Vanessa

Davenport and Dupont June 1957

A local intersection, 55 years ago. Amazing to notice the changes, isn't it? Not just in streetscape, but there's no bikes, there would be no phones in any of these cars. If I look very closely, I only can see two pedestrians. Just the change in the design of cars is astounding in only half a century, plus cars only became common approximately 30 years prior to this.
Hear that zipping sound? It's the future arriving.
Cheers,
Vanessa

Ewanika Clothing Shop on Bathurst

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Bloor got pretty boring there for awhile. It's still in a state of flux; Sonic Boom is moving; there are still too many sushi joints; colourful shops like Elizabeth's Deli died off; and now frozen yogurt and tea shops are popping up every other day, it seems (though one also has expired.)
There have been signs of new life lately, though, with Guu opening and some interesting shops like Skirt popping up.

But I think that the more interesting stores have opened along Bathurst Street and Dupont. This post about clothing shop Ewanika reminded me of that. Harbord, too, is fascinating lately. When will landlords learn that jacking up rents to impossible prices only drives off interesting businesses, which will reduce rents in the long term?

Cheers,
Vanessa

May 3 Meeting About Development Proposal For 328 Dupont

There are plans afoot for redeveloping the building at 328 Dupont Avenue, between Walmer and Kendal. Councillor Adam Vaughan has called a meeting to discuss it.

"Please join me and Planning staff to hear a proposal for a development at 328 Dupont Street. This application is for an amendment to the Official Plan, to allow mixed-use in an area zoned as an employment area. There will be a presentation, followed by a question and answer session.

Date: Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm
Location: Royal St George's College, Chapel, 120 Howland Ave

For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Rebecca Hewitt of my staff at rhewitt@toronto.ca, or via telephone at 416 392-4044."
Cheers,

Vanessa

Bus Hits Electrical Workers at Bathurst and Dupont

Sadly, there was a tragedy in our area last night.

Vanessa

Diverso by Ferraro on Dupont

There's another new restaurant on Dupont, Diverso by Ferraro, and it seems as though it offers a little bit for everyone, including a coffee bar.

It can't help but liven up the icky bit of Dupont that it calls home; another reason to celebrate! Our fringes -- Dupont and Harbord -- are offering up much more interesting destinations than Bloor Street lately.

Cheers,

Vanessa

Bathurst between Bloor and Dupont Blog

I stumbled across a Blog devoted to the strip of Bathurst street between Bloor and Dupont. Yes -- Blogs are

getting that esoteric now. You might want to keep an eye on it for updates about your neighbours.

Cheers,

Vanessa PS don't forget the Skating Party today at Sibelius Square.

Dupont and Spadina Corner Collective

This interesting tidbit was in coucillor Adam Vaughan's newsletter:
"The Dupont and Spadina Corner Collective is made up of artists and activists who want to create a corner that sustainably and creatively engages pedestrians through open dialogues, community gatherings, public art and gardening.
Its mandate is to fill our grey streets with music, art and laughter in solidarity with each other and fellow community members, as well as beautify the neighbourhood so all members of the community become more accountable for the space where they hang their hats.
At present, the Collective is:
- maintaining its community garden
- working with the Ward 20 cycling committee to make our area more pedestrian & cycling friendly
- organizing a No Honking Day at the corner of Dupont and Spadina for early August
- organizing skill sharing workshops for August.
The Dupont and Spadina Collective has also been working towards establishing its own community music label. The collective just released a compilation CD that demos six bands that play music at the corner. Artists include: Danger! Danger!, Barn Owl, Ten Thousand Creatures, Falling Trees, Graham Cavalier and Michelle Drew.
To purchase a CD, Send $6 ($5 for the cd plus $1 for postage) to: Neil Cavalier, Dead Medium Productions186 Spadina Rd. Toronto, ON M5R 2T8.
For more information on the Dupont and Spadina Collective, visit http://www.duspa.org/"
Cheers,
Vanessa

Dupont/Spadina

There's a movement afoot to breathe some life into the intersection of Dupont and Spadina, or so says a recent NOW Magazine article reprinted on our councillor's website.

The area certainly has shown some signs of life, including being home to Ezra's Pound cafe and coffee shop, Nancy's Cheese shop and Live Organic Food Bar.
It's always a wonder to me how creativity, elbow grease and active residents keep this city thriving and alive, something I mentioned in this BLOG posting.
Cheers,

Vanessa