Newsletter #7
Important - ACTION Required
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Hello Neighbours,
There seem to be new things to always report on in Willowdale these days. Many of you noticed the recent slashing of dozens of VoW signs near 175 Cummer. Yup that's right, they have gone from stealing signs to taking a knife to our signs in the middle of the night. Democracy is a wonderful thing, but only when people don't try to intimidate by actions like this. Well someone or some group must really think we are a 'threat'..to halting this proposal. So in some ways that’s actually a good sign (pun intended) - because it means our efforts are getting noticed. :)
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UPCOMING MAY 20 PHC MEETING - Opportunity for Public Comment
If you’ve been checking the city website, you have seen that the Agenda for the Planning and Housing Committee meeting on MAY 20 has been posted here http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewPublishedReport.do?function=getAgendaReport&meetingId=19739. Modular housing at 175 Cummer is on the Agenda as Item PH 23.3. It’s very important that as MANY people of the community REGISTER to speak virtually (for 3mins) and/or submit something in writing so that the community’s concerns are documented in the public record. Councillor Filion is portraying to his peers that just a ‘few voices’ are dissenting but we know that a large proportion of our Newtonbrook East community have serious and legitimate concerns with this proposal that are going unanswered.
Please take action now. To register for this PHC meeting please contact:
Nancy Martins by e-mail at phc@toronto.ca or by phone at 416-397-4579, and ask to speak on the 175 Cummer Modular Housing Initiative item (PH23.3). Written comments may also be submitted by writing to phc@toronto.ca.
If you've been waiting to act, this is the opportunity! This is a critical part in the process and they cannot ignore these written or oral submissions, as the process requires that they be documented.
Further documents are located at the bottom of the agenda item. Based on the staff and LURA community engagement report and draft MZO order posted, it does not appear that the City or the Councilor has included most of the concerns that were raised by our community.
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SAVE THE DATE: COMMUNITY-LED MEETING ON TUESDAY MAY 18
As promised, we will be hosting an open community-led meeting via Zoom on Tuesday May 18th at 7pm. This will be done in collaboration with Bayview Cummer Neighbourhood Association and Silverview Community Association (the two local residents associations). The goal is to give you some quick updates on where we are in the process and to provide further information on how you can exercise your democratic rights by speaking and/or submitting written comments at the May 20th PHC meeting. Please mark the date in your calendar. We will send the zoom link shortly as well as post on our website.
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POWERFUL IMAGES OF THE NEW VISTAS FOR THE SENIORS
Land planning and architectural experts who live in our community have stitched together a powerful visual of what the seniors at Willowdale manor currently see ( first image below), and what they will ultimately see ( second image below) once the building goes up directly on their front lawn. A picture is again worth a thousand words. A reminder that fast solutions are not good solutions, especially when concerns of the local community are blatantly ignored.
We hear that Councillor Filion still won't answer the numerous emails from the representatives at Willowdale Manor. More than 200 senior citizens have gone through great lengths during a pandemic to sign a paper-based petition against it and yet he doesn't even have the decency to respond to them to hear their concerns. Can you imagine if someone wanted to put up a building on your front lawn, cut down dozens of mature trees and house 60 individuals - majority who will have significant mental illness, or drug/alcohol addictions- without proper on-site intensive treatment and supports... and no one will even talk to you about it? We've spoken to many of the senior residents and they are beginning to feel incredibly dejected and dispirited, especially after this past year of the pandemic. What ever happened to respect for our seniors? Come on Willowdale - let's rise up and stand up for their rights too.
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