Public washroom in the Woodbine Beach parking lot. Bloor – Jane needs one.
There aren’t sufficient public washrooms in our City. If we specifically look at Bloor West Village as a case study, it could be said at least Runnymede Library and High Park have public washrooms. However, one significant gap is Bloor – Jane a major intersection with a busy TTC subway station and with no public washrooms in the vicinity.
But what about the Coffee Time? It’s closed. Hoping that another coffee shop with a washroom replaces the Coffee Time in Bloor – Jane is not a strategy. Also, constantly relying on businesses to provide accessible washrooms to the public is an abdication of municipal responsibility.
The Bloor – Jane Coffee Time is closed.
In an ideal world, the TTC would have built a public washroom in Jane Station. However, the TTC board has not exactly prioritized the construction of public washrooms, to put it mildly. So, what can the City do to solve this problem?
Public washrooms can be built on parking lots. A perfect example is the public washroom in the Woodbine Beach parking lot, which takes up approximately the space of three parking spots. The parking lot at Armadale Ave near Bloor – Jane is never full. Consequently, this could be a potential location for a new public washroom.
The pandemic has exposed not only the lack of public washrooms in T.O. it has also exposed the unwillingness of the City Council to invest in public health. Because investing in infrastructure, such as public washrooms, is an investment into the health and safety of our community. Let’s not accept excuses for inaction from the City.
Please sign and share this petition for more public washrooms in T.O. thank you.
A vigil for Fatima and Valdemar Avila will be held tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 19, from 4:30 to 5 p.m. at the corner of Parkside Dr and Spring Rd.
The Southbound bus stop at Parkside near Geoffrey St is such an infamous example of poor infrastructure design it should win some type of award for bad planning. There’s no sidewalk or crosswalk with street signals near it. It’s not near any High Park entrance. So, it would seem it was designed to encourage jaywalking in a major artery.
Dude, where’s our crosswalk?
Of course, all these problems could be solved by building a sidewalk and a crosswalk with street signals, but you know the status quo is so deeply entrenched in city hall that raising this issue will result in the usual pretexts for inaction. It takes real talent to come up with the excuses we frequently hear from the City of Toronto.
It gets worse. The intersection of Parkside and Algonquin Ave has what looks like a former or half-built bus stop on the Westside. What happened? Did the TTC get rid of a potential bus stop because the city didn’t want to build a crosswalk with street signals? No wonder TTC riders and pedestrians often feel an afterthought in T.O. a car-centric city by design.
Dude, where’s our bus stop?
And when you thought it couldn’t possibly get worse. The Southbound bus stop on Parkside just North of the Queensway has a “sidewalk” a dirt path where Google maps captured a Kodak moment of a pedestrian unsafely walking along with a dog. Imagine how much more treacherous this path gets during rain or winter.
Parkside needs a complete rethink, and I am not sure the folks currently in Council have the vision and initiative to undertake this work without public pressure. Often, they focus their energy on defending the status quo not on improving public safety. Otherwise, we would have seen action a long time ago.
Here are the typical status quo excuses and ways to counter them:
But Parkside is classified as a major artery and we cannot change this. Classifications can change or exemptions made to improve safety.
But infrastructure costs money. Infrastructure is an investment in safety, health, and creates jobs.
Enforcement should solve the problem. Temporarily maybe but not long term e.g., speedbumps are less expensive and more effective than constant policing.
But new sidewalks will remove parkland and affect the ecology. Not if we replace the rightmost Southbound car lane with bike lanes and a real sidewalk. Also, let’s not pretend the status quo protects the fauna frequently killed by vehicle collisions all along Parkside.
But more crosswalks with traffic signals will slow down traffic. When the 50km/hr. limit is not being respected, it is perfectly reasonable to build new safety infrastructure.
However, despite the excuses for inaction, I believe this time in consequence of recent fatal and serious collisions the pressure for change from the community is so strong we will see a safer Parkside. Parkside has been so unsafe it’s likely discouraged walking, taking the bus, and cycling. And now even drivers feel it’s unsafe. With adequate infrastructure (such as sidewalks, raised crosswalks with street signals, and bike lanes) we will see safety improvements for all, and more public transit users, pedestrians, and cyclists. Build it and they will come.
There are many great reasons to live in the riding of Parkdale – High Park. One of them is accessibility to vaccines. Such as the Healing Source Pharmacy on Bloor West near Runnymede which now has Covid-19 vaccine walk-ins. Another one is responsible businesses such as my favourite Korean restaurant Ka Chi on Bloor West near Windermere which advertises that all their employees are fully vaccinated.
I say responsible because a vaccinated person is far less likely to contract Covid and spread it. So, while vaccination is a personal decision, not vaccinating can have serious consequences resulting in hospitalization, long-term illness and death. Therefore, it makes sense to encourage vaccination to protect the public.
Unfortunately, in T.O. not everyone has easy access to vaccines. Some people work long hours, cannot afford to take time off, or have small children to take care of. Consequently, both employers and governments could do more to promote vaccination. For example, the US is already providing tax credits to encourage people to get vaccinated. It would be great if similar policies were to be adopted here in Canada. We are in the middle of an election campaign, so, if you meet your local candidates it might be a good idea to ask them, what is your party going to do to encourage vaccination if elected?
Insurance companies are already providing discounts to those that get vaccinated. It is only fair since those that choose not to get vaccinated pose a higher public risk and therefore a higher insurance risk. Consequently, anyone getting a vaccine may receive financial remuneration, while anyone deciding to not get vaccinated will not receive this economic benefit. Furthermore, anyone not getting a vaccine will have to pay for expensive Covid tests to attend public gatherings such as a concert, sporting event, or to travel by plane or train. While those fully vaccinated will not require tests. So, it will become very expensive to not get vaccinated soon.
Those claiming that using financial incentives to encourage vaccination is somehow tyrannical should note that tyrannies take arbitrary measures, and these incentives are not arbitrary. These are fair and reasonable incentives made with the sole purpose to protect the public. It only makes sense that anyone taking an unreasonable risk should be held at a minimum financially accountable for that risk. While those getting vaccinated should receive compensation for spending their valuable time to help protect our community.
Last week, I saw a person behind Runnymede Station urinating in a corner. Before rushing to judgment, let me tell you a fact: there are zero public washrooms open right now in Bloor West Village. As per the link below from the City of T.O. the nearest public washroom would be in High Park. Furthermore, the washrooms in nearby Runnymede Library are closed. And it is not reasonable these days to expect anyone to try to find a private washroom to use in a restaurant, since these washrooms are generally closed due to the pandemic. Finally, there are no public washrooms in Runnymede Station, and the nearest TTC public washroom would be in Kipling station.
This blog post could easily have been titled “Few public washrooms in T.O.”. However, I wanted to focus on my neighbourhood as an example, since there are no public washrooms right now open in the Junction, Roncesvalles, and Baby Point. There are only a couple of public washrooms open in Swansea and one public washroom open in Parkdale. Several of the public washrooms that are open in our neighbourhood are concentrated in one place: High Park.
Even before the pandemic, it has always been a challenge to find public washrooms in this city. Only if you are a customer (i.e. going to a movie, eating out at a restaurant, shopping at a mall, or buying gasoline) do you have access to a nearby washroom. We have accepted this reality although it is unfair.
Unfair, because if you were to travel to other countries like France or Taiwan it is easy to find public washrooms on the street or the subway. In these countries, you do not have to be a customer to conveniently find a nearby public washroom.
If we are to build back better and work towards a more inclusive and fairer T.O., we need to address the lack of public washrooms in our neighbourhood and throughout the entire city.
Parkdale – High Park includes four postal codes: M6P, M6R, M6S, and part of M6K. Only M6K is a provincially designated hot zone. Consequently, many people living in Parkdale – High Park might not qualify yet for an appointment at a City of Toronto operated vaccine clinic. However, when vaccine pop-up locations and pharmacies have extra doses and not enough appointments, they sometimes open their doors to anyone living in T.O. This means that even if you live in a non-hot zone such as M6P, M6R, and M6S you may be able to get a vaccine. Naturally, people living in any zone and are at greater risk for contagion due to their living arrangements, health condition, or work, for example, are already a priority to receive a vaccine. For more information visit the St. Joseph’s vaccine booking site or your local hospital’s site: https://unityhealth.to/how-to-book-covid-appointment/
Pop-ups
Vaccine pop-ups are meant to ensure that those living in hot zones have an opportunity to get vaccinated easily and conveniently right in their community without traveling far. Last weekend there was a pop-up in the Woodbine Racetrack for the Rexdale community from Saturday until Monday. Not many people from Rexdale showed up on Monday. So, the wonderful volunteers running this event opened the clinic to anyone living or working in a T.O. hot zone. After those living or working in a T.O. hot zone were vaccinated, the volunteers opened the doors to anyone living in a T.O. postal code, including non-hot zones, such as M6P, M6R, and M6S. No doses went to waste. I found this out thanks to a very helpful Twitter account named @TOVaccineFinder. You could use this account to find a vaccine location for you.
Update: some pop-ups are for people living or working in specific hot zones. So, if you live in M6P, M6R, and M6S but work in a hot zone you may qualify for a vaccine appointment in specific pop-ups. Furthermore, the Twitter account https://twitter.com/VaxHuntersCan is also very helpful in helping find pop-ups. The situation is rapidly evolving and some pop-ups now accept anyone 40+ living in T.O., here is an example: https://twitter.com/TOVaccineFinder/status/1392463526388772869
For over twenty years I have been living in Parkdale – High Park. However, I grew up in Scarborough in what is now one of the Covid hot zones in GTA. So, I have great sympathy for anyone living in a hot zone and completely agree that their vaccination and that of those facing higher risks should be a priority.
Pharmacies
Similarly, if you register to receive a vaccine at a pharmacy you will notice their website has wording indicating that those living in hot zones and facing higher risks are a priority. However, sometimes a pharmacy may have many doses and not enough appointments. So, like pop-ups, sometimes they open their doors to those living in non-hot zones and are not considered high risk. For example, I registered to receive my first dose with Shoppers Drug Mart and they contacted me last minute for an appointment noting that not enough people had booked at that location and they needed to use up all their doses before they expired. Consequently, I was fortunate to receive my first dose last Sunday. You might want to register with a pharmacy for a first dose appointment in case they have an opening for you. Here is the list of pharmacies offering Covid vaccines in Ontario: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations
Update: you may have heard that 1st doses of AstraZeneca are being paused in Ontario. However, Pfizer 1st doses are available in specific pharmacies. Please check the above link for more information
If you get an opportunity to get vaccinated, you should take it. Likely, you are not taking away a vaccine from someone who needs it more, you might be receiving a dose that could have been thrown away. And you are helping the community put an end to this pandemic that has cost the lives of so many people.
On a happier note, I was very proud to see so many people of my generation X line up to get their AstraZeneca vaccines in pharmacies. It was also inspiring to see so many people in their 20’s get their vaccine now that the limit has been changed to 18+ for Pfizer. Many people of my generation wore the t-shirts of their favourite 80’s rock or New Wave bands as they lined up. I wore my favourite t-shirt, the jersey of the Peruvian national soccer team. Peru is the country where I was born, and as Eduardo Galeano, I am a “beggar for good soccer”. I am also a fan of volunteers running vaccine clinics, health care workers, and pharmacists who have given so much during these difficult times.
Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good soccer. ~ Eduardo Galeano
Section 22 of Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act gives medical officers of health the authority to close a workplace for a specified period:
The evidence is clear that transmission is mostly occurring in indoor workplaces. Consequently, these new orders should help decelerate the spread of Covid.
Physically distant outdoor activities, on the other hand, should be encouraged not restricted, since they are relatively low risk. Furthermore, the rest of Ontario including T.O. needs to follow the lead of the region of Peel and close immediately workplaces where there have been Covid outbreaks. This action combined with other effective measures, such as paid sick leave, workplace health inspections, more testing and vaccinations will put an end to Ontario’s third wave. As always take care and stay safe.
Focus on indoor workplace transmissions
Update:
First the bad news, the public tennis courts in High Park are closed. The good news is that T.O. Public Health today announced it will close workplaces to manage Covid 19 outbreaks.
Hope everyone is doing well. Edgardo the owner of Aztec’s Mine brought to my attention that he has witnessed car bicycle collisions at the corner of Bloor St. West and Parkview Gardens. Where the vehicle driver turning right on Parkview likely doesn’t see the cyclist riding West on the Bloor bike lane. Fortunately, he hasn’t seen any injuries yet, but said he sees close calls everyday. His theory is that since cyclists are traveling downhill, in this stretch of the bike lane, in some cases they might be traveling at a higher velocity than usual thus catching the driver turning right by surprise. At any rate the cyclists on the bike lane have the right of way in this intersection. So perhaps it might be helpful to have a sign reminding drivers that cyclists and pedestrians have the right of way in this corner.
Bloor St. West and Parkview Gardens
Update: signs have been installed on the intersections of Bloor West – Parkview Gardens and Bloor West – Ellis Park. However, I am concerned that the signs may not be visible enough to drivers. If you agree and would like more visible signs please contact 311@toronto.ca I already did, and more pressure helps. For example, the signs might be more effective if they were on the traffic island, thus closer and more visible to the drivers turning right. Also, it might be helpful for the signs to clearly state, “Yield to bikes.”
In both Ulm and T.O. these projects originated thanks to very creative people who have a passion to assist others. The key difference is that the City of Ulm supported this project while our Mayor and Council not only did not support this visionary solution, they believe that taking to court someone who has made a positive difference in people’s lives during this pandemic is a good idea.
If you do not believe that, ask yourselves which Councillor right now is tweeting their support for Khaleel Seivwright the brilliant person behind this wonderful design? Also, which Councillor is going on record stating that this legal action should stop and instead the City should collaborate with the Toronto Tiny Shelters project? No one is and that is very disappointing.
The argument that Tiny Shelters are unsafe because they are made of wood is weak, since they are equipped with flame resistant materials, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Also, many homes in T.O. are made of wood. And Ulm’s sleep pods are also made of wood. Furthermore, the contention that Toronto Tiny Shelters is not following requirements is just as feeble. Governments can always make exemptions to bylaws and regulations when it is in the interest of the public, such as providing emergency shelter for the homeless during a pandemic. To those that argue that Tiny Shelters are not the answer to the complicated problem of homelessness take note that there is no one answer to this issue and Tiny Shelters as an emergency measure can save lives. The actual problem is we do not have leaders in Council who accept that often the best solutions to our problems come from members of the public, like Khaleel Seivwright.
To manage a crisis such as a pandemic both leadership and vision are required. By not supporting Toronto Tiny Shelters this Council has shown a lack of both. However, to end on a positive note Khaleel Seivwright and his team deserve our support. Please visit their website, thank you, and stay safe.
While the recent Covid news cycle focused on new travel restrictions and delays in receiving vaccines, under the radar was a January report by an expert panel that recommended the implementation of rapid Covid testing in the following places:
schools
work settings, and
communal living facilities e.g. Long-Term Care (LTC)
Here is the full report from the Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel:
Priority strategies to optimize testing and screening for COVID-19 in Canada: Report
While new travel restrictions due to Covid variants are important, and so is having our population inoculated, there is still the problem of community transmission that was never properly addressed in Toronto and for that matter, Ontario. In fact, the UK variant is already in Ontario. And a new more contagious variant could result in more deaths. So, using rapid Covid testing in places that are at high risk for community transmission is a must.
Let me be perfectly clear, there is no excuse for not having widespread rapid testing already in place today in Ontario. Nova Scotia has been using rapid testing effectively months ago.
Furthermore, while it is encouraging to see some Canadian workplaces, such as Canada Post, recently embrace rapid Covid testing, a quick jurisdictional review shows that several international companies implemented Covid testing for their workers back in the spring, last year. For example, Canadian employers are way behind in Covid testing compared to a company in Manila that started testing their employees back in May 2020.
To those that believe that the accuracy of rapid Covid tests or Covid tests in general presents a problem note that scientifically no test is free from false positives or false negatives. And rapid Covid tests have been used effectively in Taiwan to beat Covid. Look where Taiwan is today (practically Covid zero) and look where we are today in Ontario and Canada, enough said.
To say that Ontario and Canada have been late in implementing widespread Covid testing is quite an understatement. So, it is time to drop our partisanship. If you are Conservative stop defending the Premier of Ontario. If you are Liberal stop defending the Prime Minister of Canada. They did not react with the focus and urgency that a crisis requires, and we need to hold them accountable. So, I may not have too much faith in our current political leaders, but I do have faith in you and our community. And I know we will demand better from now on, and pressure elected officials to put in place the necessary Covid testing in places where there is a high risk of transmission. Otherwise, due to more contagious variants, we could be facing a third wave that is even worse than the second wave. Stay safe.
Not every Canadian who gets on a plane is like Rod Phillips, the minister who went on a Caribbean vacation to only find himself upon his return like Luca Brasi in TheGodfather: “swimming with the fishes”. The reality is that few countries are currently allowing international travelers into their borders. Several countries around the globe are only allowing their citizens to return or visit family. Consequently, airports around the world look like ghost towns, flights are rescheduled or cancelled daily. Pearson airport has never looked lonelier.
Some countries were starting to reopen their borders when suddenly the “it’s mutated” scene from the 2011 film Contagion became reality, and new more contagious strains of Covid started appearing around the globe. The new strains will likely put a stop to these reopening plans.
Yet, Premier Ford created a fictional enemy “the irresponsible partying international traveler” that is bringing new Covid strains to Canada. Several airlines already required all passengers to provide negative Covid test results before boarding, even before Minister Garneau announced requirements to provide negative tests. And several countries either test and or quarantine passengers upon arrival. And unlike Canada, they send people to quarantine facilities for three weeks with a tracking wristband, not their homes for two weeks with the ArriveCAN app. And now with the new strains, there probably will be more stringent testing requirements and longer quarantine periods for travelers worldwide. It seems that one of the only “partying international travelers” was his former Finance Minister.
While it makes sense to test passengers upon arrival and perhaps even consider longer quarantine periods for travelers, let’s not lose sight of the fact, that the main problem we have in Ontario is still local transmission. Shutting down Pearson will not address the root cause. Pearson is a ghost town these days anyway.
Hardly anyone is flying, so why blame international travelers?
High Park Engineer 