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C
o r s o I t a l i a
Business Improvement Association
1274 St Clair Ave W., Toronto, On. M6E 1B9
To Whom It May Concern:
February 25, 2003
Re: TTC Proposal to Reserve an Elevated Right of Way Along St Clair
Ave W.
The merchants and landlords of Corso Italia would like to record
their opposition to the plan to reserve an exclusive elevated TTC
Right of Way on St Clair Ave W. Exclusive right of way for public
transit may be appropriate for streets with no (or few) retail establishments,
such as Spadina north of College Street. However, streets with a
high density of retail shops such as the Corso Italia area require
a free flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. A raised TTC right
of way would divide the street in two, making it difficult for pedestrians
to cross, adding to traffic congestion and discouraging people from
shopping along St Clair.
Traffic congestion on St Clair is really only an issue during rush
hours except at those locations where vehicular traffic is already
prohibited from TTC lanes. At any time of night or day, St Clair
at Vaughn Road and at Russell Hill Road is bottlenecked even where
there are no left turns or through streets intersecting.
We understand and support the effort to reduce traffic congestion
during rush hours but question the wisdom of solving one issue without
considering the impact on other constituents. We are not opposed
to new ideas and therefore encourage the City to commission a study
to incorporate the needs of the broader community. The Corso Italia
Business Improvement Association is investigating the preparation
of a streetscape plan for our area with this in mind. For example
some possible alternatives to the current proposal for St Clair
are:
Use "street car only" lanes during rush hours.
Restrict left turns at all non-lighted intersections.
Install advanced green lights for vehicular traffic at all lighted
intersections (including U- Turns)
Increase off street parking facilities.
Remove islands, which are a safety hazard and serve no purpose.
Replace street cars with buses.
We believe that the current TTC proposal for St Clair is not in
the best interest of the merchants, commercial property owners,
residents, or the City of Toronto.
Main street merchants find it increasingly difficult to survive
because of increasing pressure from the big box stores and malls,
lack of access to parking, the fact that the middle class has moved
to the suburbs, and high overhead costs (including taxes). Making
access to the area more difficult will give shoppers one more reason
not to come to St Clair.
Commercial property owners on St Clair have seen a decline in the
value of their property for the same reasons. We need to find ways
to entice shoppers back to the area rather than discourage them.
Merchants can pack up and move to outlying districts, property owners
have no such alternative. With higher end stores moving out of the
area, landlords will be forced to rent their stores to less desirable
tenants, leaving less incentive to maintain their properties.
Residents will feel the 'trickle-down' effect with less shopping
facilities available to them and a much 'seedier' and dangerous
environment in which to live and raise their children. Those residents
who can will leave the inner city and move farther from the core.
The City of Toronto will see a reversal of the trend to move back
into the city with ultimately only the very wealthy and very poor
habitating the city core. The corresponding tax base will be diminished.
The TTC position is that 53% of vehicular traffic traveling along
St Clair is 'through traffic", i.e., traffic which uses St
Clair as a thoroughfare only and do not live, shop or stop in the
area. By reducing the number of lanes available to vehicles, these
commuters would seek alternate routes.
We maintain that there are no alternate routes between downtown
and outlying areas which are not equally, or more congested than
St Clair is now. The only traffic which would avoid St Clair would
be "discretionary traffic" i.e., traffic which has a choice
of destinations. In other words, shoppers who would have one more
reason to shop in other areas.
The TTC maintains that by providing better service from outlying
areas (hook-ups to GO Transit etc) more people will use public transit
to commute to and from home to work.
There is little evidence to support this position. Ridership in
Toronto, as in most other major North American cities is on the
decline both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of commuters.
Canadians are in love with their automobiles! Again, the only traffic
that will avoid the area would be those who have a choice as to
where they shop.
The TTC maintains that speedier service will bring more people to
shop in the area.
We dispute this contention. Firstly, from the estimates provided
by the TTC and City Transportation Services, the time- savings,
ROUND TRIP, would be only six minutes! Secondly, and most importantly,
the majority of Corso Italia customers are mid to high- end shoppers
from out of the area. The merchandise purchased is primarily clothing
which does not lend itself well to public transit.
One of the scenarios presented would require the elimination of
existing streetscape improvements. Any streetscape improvements
undertaken as part of any dedicated right- of- way would also eliminate
existing improvements as well as reducing sidewalk width on the
boulevard.
Landlords and merchants alike were drawn to this community precisely
because of the openness of the street and the wideness of the sidewalk.
Landlords and merchants have invested a great amount of money through
BIA levies to make the streetscape improvements. There would be
much less room for outdoor merchandising and pedestrian traffic.
Further street construction would virtually put most establishments
out of business. As many of the stores do not have secondary access
from rear laneways (and even though some do the laneways are not
wide enough) deliveries will be impossible.
We understand that an environmental assessment has been approved
by City Council. We are not clear as to what an environmental study
encompasses, but trust that it will include the impact on the business
community, residents and other affected parties in addition to the
impact on the physical environment. To ensure that this happens,
we respectfully request that our association as well as all other
interested parties have input to the process.
Sincerely,
N.J. Gillan, Chair,
The Business Improvement Association, on behalf of
the Merchants and Landlords of Corso Italia.
Tel: 647-223-9064
(Distribution List attached)
Distribution List
Councillor Betty Disero , Chair, TTC
Councillor Joe Mihevic
Councillor Michael Walker
Councillor Frances Nunziata
Councillor Joe Pantalone, Chair: Planning & Transportation
Councillor Mike Feldman, Past Chair: Economic Development
Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, Chair: Economic Development
Hon. Chris Stockwell, Minister of the Environment, Ontario
MP Charles Caccia
MPP Tony Ruprecht
John Kiru, Executive Director,TABIA
Connie Lamanna, Chair, St Clair West Revitalization Committee
Phyllis Ferraro, Chair, St Clair Gardens B.I.A.
Frank Reilly, Chair,St Clair West-Bathurst B.I.A,
Frank Pronesti, Chair, Hillcrest B.I.A.
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