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MyStClair > News & Views > TO 2003 > Questions > Mihevc

Toronto 2003 - Municipal Election - Nov 10, 2003

Answers from the Candidates

The following information has been provided by the candidate in response to questions sent by email and are posted here unedited. Any emphasis is the emphasis indicated by the candidate.

The following comments are those of the candidate alone. MyStClair does not support or endorse any candidate.

Images, where shown, were supplied by the candidate.

From: Joe Mihevc
To: Tony Bolla
Sent: Saturday, November 01, 2003 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: Issues and Concerns

Thanks for this Tony.
 
I do not remember receiving a questionnaire, but perhaps I lost it somewhere.  In any event, The attachment is my response.  It does not fit exactly the structure of your questions though the piece answers all the questions. 
 
I hope it helps.
 
Joe Mihevc

========================

JOE’S VISION FOR A ST. CLAIR WEST THAT WORKS!


It’s long past time for a renaissance on St. Clair Ave West

The scheduled reconstruction of the TTC streetcar tracks in 2005 has sparked a debate on the question of a dedicated streetcar line on St. Clair West.

An opponent who lives well outside our community and who does not know the area has chosen, for political reasons, to polarize the issue by pitting TTC patrons against business operators and neighbourhood residents. We cannot frame the debate this way. We all want BOTH a better TTC service AND a stronger business sector. We need to come together to create a St. Clair Avenue West that accomplishes both.

We need a St. Clair West that works!

TTC planners tell us that there are advantages to a dedicated streetcar line: it would cut a minimum of six minutes off a typical trip, get more people out of cars and into transit, reduce traffic gridlock and improve our air quality. However, improvements to the TTC have to serve as a catalyst to solve problems on St. Clair that we have waited years to address.

We need to seize this opportunity to lead a renaissance on St. Clair West. Here are some ground rules for local neighbourhood and business buy-in:

  • Streetcar service on St. Clair West must improve, otherwise it’s not working for us!
  • Businesses must be guaranteed more parking. Any plan that further restricts on-street parking is a non-starter. New off-street city lots must also be operational before any construction begins.
  • The Spadina model may be too restrictive. The Queen’s Quay style has a lower track platform, which leaves room to get by double-parked cars, and allows left turns. The European model uses a rubber bumper to separate traffic. Different sections of St. Clair may require different treatments.
  • Introduce rear door entrance with proof of payment. Clear platforms, speed up service and prevent overcrowding and injury.
  • Safety improvements are needed immediately. Platforms need widening, guard rails should be added, platforms should be placed after intersections to make left-hand turns easier, and advance left turn greens should be introduced.
  • Beautify St. Clair West. The street needs a facelift. Use the track re-construction to beautify the street: integrate public art, add attractive street furniture, clean up business facades and remove graffiti.

Small businesses need support and residents must be assured that the heart and soul of the neighbourhoods along St. Clair West will be preserved. The TTC is about to invest millions of dollars in the St. Clair West community. Surely we can think creatively to accomplish multiple goals. Let’s use the money to make our community work1


JOE HAS A PROVEN RECORD OF SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS!

Joe Mihevc has a deep commitment to offer all the supports available to ensure that small business strips thrive. His work over the last 12 years as Councillor demonstrates that Joe is a good friend to small business.

Joe does not make quick and idle statements. On the contrary, he works closely with small business and he delivers lasting solutions that improve the business community.

Look at what he did on Oakwood Avenue as Councillor in the nineties. His legacy is a revitalized retail strip with no vacant stores, reduced crime and more commercial activity.


Let’s examine proof of Joe’s commitment to local business on St. Clair West over the last 3 years:

  • Established 2 new parking lots on St. Clair West at Greensides and on Bathurst, with more to come;
  • Worked with business and residents to stop the McDonald’s drive-thru, which would have eroded the pedestrian flavour of the St. Clair and Christie area;
  • Supported the creation of a new St. Clair West (Business Improvement Area) BIA from Christie to west of Bathurst;
  • Convinced the City to commit an extra litter hog to St. Clair West on weekends;
  • Secured funding to start a St. Clair West revitalization plan from Tweedsmuir to Winona;
  • Helped locate financing for new Hillcrest BIA streetscaping projects;
  • Opposed the creation of the “yellow bag” program for commercial owners;
  • Hosted a Cleanliness Audit on Vaughan Rd and St. Clair;
  • Hosted a monthly Crime Task Force Committee to solve local crime and safety programs;
  • Ensured stable funding for Hillcrest BIA in a time of financial crisis for the City;

Let’s look at his work on Eglinton Ave West and Spadina Rd:

  • Established a new parking lot on Eglinton, by Alameda, opened on land secured while Joe was area Councillor;
  • Partnered with the two Upper Village BIAs to launch the Cool Shops project;
  • Guided the locating of decorative gateways at Ben Nobleman Park and at Bathurst. City funding for the gateways was secured through Joe’s strong support;
  • Initiated and ensured the completion of the beautification project at Chiltern Hill;
  • Worked with the Forest Hill Village BIA to promote Canada’s first, free “wireless” BIA;
  • Joined Spadina Rd merchants and Village residents to halt the expanded condo development at Thelma;
  • Convinced the City and Parking Authority to purchase the parking lot by Eglinton and Chiltern Hill.
The facts are clear! The best choice for small business is Joe Mihevc.

Joe is proven, experienced and committed to working in partnership with small business to make our community a better place to live, work and shop.